Parabellum

 Parabellum

by Greg Hickey

Synopsis: A shooting at a Chicago beach leaves several dead and dozens injured. In the year before the attack, four individuals emerge as possible suspects.

An apathetic computer programmer.
An ex-college athlete with a history of head injuries.
An Army veteran turned Chicago cop.
A despondent high school student.

One of them is the shooter. Discover who and why.

Review: First off, thank you to the author, Greg Hickey, who generously gave me this book in return for a honest review. I appreciate it!

The story starts off on a beach along the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago at the scene of a horrific shooting spree. This is a difficult subject to read about in light of all the shootings that happened recently and I was disturbed enough to put the book down for a while. I picked it back up a month or so later to continue reading and skimmed past the prologue to get to the meat of the story where we meet 4 different characters-one of which is the shooter.

We get to know the 4 characters through pronouns and descriptors (ex-athlete, student, veteran, computer programmer) only. We never know their names and, to be honest, that threw me off as I didn't connect with the characters. But, perhaps, the point was for us not to connect to them because ultimately, should we connect with the shooter? But not connecting with characters makes it hard to become engaged in the book. I wish I knew the reason for not including the main character's names.

After many chapters, I finally became engaged in the book and really wanted to keep reading. You learn both backstories about each character and also what happens in the present day. At times it was difficult to keep track of what happened to which character in the past and not having names may have exacerbated my confusion. Part way through the book, I was able to eliminate 2 of the characters as the shooter (I would have been incredibly surprised if one of those 2 ended up being the shooter!). I did end up connecting with one of those characters and ended up rooting for that person to move on with his/her life (I'm not going to spoil it!) I suspected 2 of the other characters but I did sympathize with one of them more than the other. I could have seen one of them driven to a mass shooting but was hoping it was not that character.

Even after reading the whole story and reflecting on it, I'm not sure I understand why the character chose to shoot up random people at a beach. Even though I had predicted the right character as the shooter, I don't think I understand the motivations and I wish I understood more. Even though this book is long, the shooting seemed rushed. A lot of time was spent building the characters up but then all of a sudden the shooting is upon us and I didn't know what the trigger was for the shooter to commit this act.

The end was pretty heartbreaking when we meet the people who were at the beach by name and then read about them trying to flee the spraying bullets. That was definitely hard to read and frankly I skimmed it because it was just too realistic. Overall, I rated this book a 3. The beginning for me was 2 stars as I really had a hard time getting into it but once I got to know the characters, this book was 4 stars for me.

Thank you again to the author for giving me a copy of this book.

Rating: 3 stars

Every Note Played

Every Note Played

by Lisa Genova

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: An accomplished concert pianist, Richard received standing ovations from audiences all over the world in awe of his rare combination of emotional resonance and flawless technique. Every finger of his hands was a finely calibrated instrument, dancing across the keys and striking each note with exacting precision. That was eight months ago.

Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. His fingers are impotent, still, devoid of possibility. The loss of his hand feels like a death, a loss of true love, a divorce—his divorce.

He knows his left arm will go next.

Three years ago, Karina removed their framed wedding picture from the living room wall and hung a mirror there instead. But she still hasn’t moved on. Karina is paralyzed by excuses and fear, stuck in an unfulfilling life as a piano teacher, afraid to pursue the path she abandoned as a young woman, blaming Richard and their failed marriage for all of it.

When Richard becomes increasingly paralyzed and is no longer able to live on his own, Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker. As Richard’s muscles, voice, and breath fade, both he and Karina try to reconcile their past before it’s too late.

Poignant and powerful, Every Note Played is a masterful exploration of redemption and what it means to find peace inside of forgiveness.

From GoodReads

Review:  I've read all of Lisa Genova's books and really love how she ties in medical issues to each of her books.  I generally find them very intriguing.  This one wasn't as compelling as her other books to me.  I don't know if that is because I am more familiar with ALS than the other diseases she has written about and have read other books about ALS.  Or perhaps it was because I didn't find Richard a relatable or sympathetic character.  He was very arrogant and selfish.  While he did want to change later in the book, it almost came too late.  I also found Karina, Richard's ex-wife, to be fairly unlikable as well.  The story moved slowly even though the disease progresses quickly.  Because the disease robs Richard of control over his muscles, he isn't able to do much which makes the book slow.  We are in his thoughts much of the time which makes the book drag.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Girls at 17 Swann Street

The Girls at 17 Swann Street

by Yara Zgheib

Genre: Fiction

Synopsis:  The chocolate went first, then the cheese, the fries, the ice cream. The bread was more difficult, but if she could just lose a little more weight, perhaps she would make the soloists’ list. Perhaps if she were lighter, danced better, tried harder, she would be good enough. Perhaps if she just ran for one more mile, lost just one more pound.

Anna Roux was a professional dancer who followed the man of her dreams from Paris to Missouri. There, alone with her biggest fears – imperfection, failure, loneliness – she spirals down anorexia and depression till she weighs a mere eighty-eight pounds. Forced to seek treatment, she is admitted as a patient at 17 Swann Street, a peach pink house where pale, fragile women with life-threatening eating disorders live. Women like Emm, the veteran; quiet Valerie; Julia, always hungry. Together, they must fight their diseases and face six meals a day.

Yara Zgheib's poetic and poignant debut novel is a haunting, intimate journey of a young woman's struggle to reclaim her life. Every bite causes anxiety. Every flavor induces guilt. And every step Anna takes toward recovery will require strength, endurance, and the support of the girls at 17 Swann Street.

From GoodReads

Review:  This book was beautifully written even though it deals with a topic such as anorexia.  This is my first book about an eating disorder and I didn't know what to expect.  I didn't expect to be brought to tears several times and have to put the book down because I just couldn't keep reading because of how emotional it was.  My heart broke for the characters at 17 Swann Street and the hopelessness they felt at needing to eat.

Anna is  a former dancer and develops body image issues.  She falls into a trap of eating less and less and can't get herself out of the hole she has created.  She and her husband move to the United States from Paris and she falls into a deep depression.  She doesn't see what has happened to her and her husband doesn't know what to do.  Eventually Anna enters an inpatient treatment center at 17 Swann Street where she meets other young women who are like her.  Some have been battling eating disorders for years.

The book is written alternating between the present and flashbacks to things that happened earlier in Anna's life that lead to her issues.  We get a glimpse into how her eating disorder came about but yet the cause isn't pinpointed exactly.  Maybe that was done intentionally because perhaps there isn't just one defining moment.  During therapy, we are able to hear Anna's thoughts which she does not voice to the therapist.  We know that tragic events happened in her childhood.  Personally I felt that Anna's transformation comes a little too easily.  She didn't seem to deal with all her issues, her past, her depression, etc while at the treatment center.  I felt like there were a lot of unresolved issues and that her improvement couldn't have happened without dealing with all her issues.  The end seemed to come too quickly.  This is why I couldn't rate this book with 5 stars.

I still very much enjoyed reading this book even though it was highly emotional.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing my book club complementary copies.  We will enjoy discussing this book!

Rating: 4 stars

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

by Chris Grabenstein

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Synopsis:  Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience.

from GoodReads

Review:  This book was enjoyable for readers of various ages.  My children enjoyed this book as much as I did.  The story is about a game inside a library where the goal is to find a secret exit.  There are many kids in the book who show what good teamwork is and how you can achieve more with cooperation.  The story is full of various puzzles that are fun trying to figure out as the characters are trying to figure them out.  The kids who are locked in the library sure know more about the library system and authors than most adults!  This book is fast paced and keeps the reader in suspense throughout the book.  Definitely a book that kids will love!

Rating: 4 stars

The Circuit

The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child

by Francisco Jimenez

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Memoir

Synopsis:  These independent but intertwined stories follow a migrant family through their circuit, from picking cotton and strawberries to topping carrots-and back again-over a number of years.  As it moves from one labor camp to the next, the little family of four grows into ten.  Impermanence and poverty decline their lives.  But with faith, hope, and back-breaking work, the family endures.

from the back of the book

Review:  This book tells the story of Francisco and his family as they cross the border and move into their migrant worker life in California.  The family has hope that their life will be better in the United States.  Francisco tells an honest story about what it was like to move from one farm to another and live in tents or run down buildings.  He talks about attending school but being uprooted all the time and not being able to understand the language. But he also talks about the bond among his family members.  This book is eye opening to what migrant workers both adults and children live through.  I thought the ending was a bit abrupt and I want to know what happened in the rest of Francisco's childhood.  There are 2 more books so I may have to pick them up!

Rating: 4 stars

Baseball in April

Baseball in April and Other Stories

by Gary Soto

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Short Stories

Synopsis: In this unique collection of short stories, the small events of daily life reveal big themes-love and friendship, youth and growing up, success and failure.  Calling on his own experiences of growing up in California's Central Valley, poet Gary Soto brings to life the joy and pain of young people everywhere.

The smart, tough, vulnerable kids in these stories are Latino, but their dreams and desires belong to all of us.

from the back of the book

Review: This book is made up of a collection of short stories about Latino kids in California.  The kids are mainly early teenagers which makes this book a hard one to figure out what is the appropriate age for the reader.  The reading level is not too complex but the characters are mature so I would recommend this book for junior high age kids.  None of the stories really grabbed me but as I've mentioned in other reviews, I'm not a fan of short stories.  The characters and language seemed a little dated which makes sense as this book is copyrighted in 1990.  I'm not sure that kids today would relate to the stories.  Some books are written in a way that make the book timeless but this one was not.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Since You've Been Gone

Since You've Been Gone

by Morgan Matson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Synopsis: It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting.  But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears.  All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try.  But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night?  Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn?  Sure.  Why not?

Kiss a stranger?  Um...

Emily now has the unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list.  Who knows what she'll find?

Go skinny-dipping?  Wait...what?
from the book jacket

Review:  After rereading the synopsis of this book, I'm not sure what drew me to this book as it seems very teenager-y to me.  I have read young adult fiction books before and enjoyed them as some are able to span generations but this was one that I shouldn't have picked up.  It was just far too young for me.  Emily is a painfully shy main character who is so brokenhearted by her best friend Sloane's disappearance without any warning.  It was hard for me to relate to her.  Frank on the other hand seemed to be less of a teenager.  He was very mature and outgoing.  The secondary characters were more teenage like and immature.  I should have just abandoned this book but I needed to know if Emily found Sloane again and if anything happened between Emily and Frank.  I don't think this book was badly written, I just think I wasn't the right audience for it.

Rating: 3 stars