Yakuza Moon: The True Story of a Gangster's Daughter
8.3
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This heartbreaking and informative account of the memories of a woman at the heart of Japanese...
Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo, Lidia Tilotta and Chenxin Jiang
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"Dr Pietro Bartolo has seen more suffering and death in his career than any one man should have to...
In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs: A Memoir of Iran
Book
A superb, authoritatively written insider's account of Iran, one of the most mysterious but...
The Dark Side of Japan: Ancient Black Magic, Folklore, Ritual
Book
The Many Hells of Japan is a collection of folktales, ritual black magic, protection spells,...
The Art of Swordsmanship by Hans Leckuchner
Book
Completed in 1482, Johannes Leckuchner's Art of Combat with the "Langes Messer" (Messerfechtkunst)...
The Solace of Water
Book
After the loss of her young son, Carver, an African-American preacher’s wife named Delilah Evans...
"the solace of water" race relations romance love death suicide
Falling Angels
10.0
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Set in London at the turn of the last century, Falling Angels is a masterful, moving, and...
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Abandon (Abandon, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The way the book begins throws me -- told through the eyes of Pierce Oliviera, which is not that great of a name for a girl (instead of Persephone?), the author refrains from giving away hardly anything about Pierce's circumstances, what happened to her, what motivates her, etc. While it can be considered good writing to hold back on the major revelations as long as possible to build the suspense and draw in the reader, for me it was rather frustrating to read almost the entire book before Pierce finally realized who and what John Hayden is(also a crummy name for a death deity). Much of the actual events of the book are Pierce's memories, and what happens in real time is the culmination of these memories.
While I disliked the way that Meg Cabot chose to string all of these separate events together, I do like what the actual events create when put together. A girl who has a Near-Death Experience, or NDE, meets for the second time the man who runs her personal Underworld, instantly making her his consort thanks to a rare diamond necklace, though she does not yet know it. Her ability to skirt death makes her a target for the bad guys in the book, the Furies (not the same as the Furies of Greek mythology), who blame John for their lot in life after death. In addition, Pierce also has a host of quirks that alternately set her up for disaster or save her life, such as her addiction to soda and her paranoia that tassels are Evil.
While Pierce has a vast array of personality and behavioral problems that make the act of living difficult for her, I do think that this book fits well in the Young Adult category. Pierce does not have everything figured out, does not always know how to handle herself, and does not even recognize when she is in love. She is protective of her feelings, can be just as detached as the next person from those around her, and has to work at not being too self-absorbed. Sometimes an imperfect heroine makes for a better book. I look forward to the next installment in the trilogy, Underworld.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Running From Twenty Four in Books
Dec 17, 2018
“Sometimes life isn’t all unicorns puking rainbows when you’re young, free and single in London town.” What Sam thinks is going to be a night of consoling her best friend Jason after the death of his father turns into a drunken night ending in tragedy. Whilst sitting in a pub until the early hours of the morning, Sam and her friends become acquainted with barmaid Toni who invites them to a house party. Too drunk to turn the offer down they all end up at a flat owned by the eccentric Ulysses, drinking cocktails full of who knows what, surrounded by dozens of dressed up people.
Tragic circumstances cause the five 20-somethings to pull together after making poor decisions in an attempt to deal with a certain result of the party. Lack of common sense makes their night worse before it can get better, but thankfully it all turns out all right in the end.
As well as the drunken storyline, the reader learns more about the character Sam, from her dull job to her learning to live with her sexuality. Although the beginning of the story portrays Sam as a girl without much care in the world, it turns out she is suffering with frequent anxiety attacks and depression.
<i>Running From Twenty Four</i> is about people in their twenties trying to find their way in life whilst also dealing with grief and heartbreak. It also comes with a message about appreciating what you have now and not worrying so much about everything else.
<i>Running From Twenty Four</i> by Shem Douglas is a short story that can be read within a couple of hours, however some readers may be uncomfortable with some of the themes, particularly suicidal ideation. Despite some of the morbid topics the story is entertaining and humorous, ideal for readers in their twenties who feel they have not quite found their path in life.
My Father, Frank: Unresting Spirit of Everest
Book
Frank Smythe's mountaineering achievements in the decade before the Second World War became a part...