This is the author’s contribution to the Hogarth Shakespeare series
Ms. Chevalier has given a contemporary spin to William Shakespeare’s “Othello” and has transported the tragedy to a 1970s suburban Washington schoolyard where a disastrous chain of events follows a black student’s arrival at a white elementary school.
Osei Kokote is the new kid in town, son of a Diplomat, he has moved a lot and became quite adept at dealing with being the only black kid in a white environment. To survive his first day he knows he needs an ally and he found one in Dee, the most popular girl in the school. But that alliance doesn’t please everyone. Ian vouches to put an end and crush their friendship…… By the end of the day pupils and teachers will be deeply affected……
The themes of racism, love, jealousy, revenge and repentance are revived in “New Boy” mix in racing hormones and place the drama in a schoolyard and you have a dynamic setting that is bound to be shocking and not end well. The author schoolyard depiction is right on: the clashes between kids, the hierarchies among them, their game, their emotions, etc. and how the adults react to bullying and racism. The book is easy to read, entertaining and a well-presented glimpse of schoolyard manipulation. It is a short novel that unfolds quickly and ends abruptly. Actually I had to reread the ending a few times to see if I hadn’t lost some pages….
“New Boy”, is unique way to live one day in the life of a group of sixth graders.
I received this ARC from Penguin Random House Canada via NetGalley
Stories About World War Two at Home
This novel contains three fast-reading tales that depicts the tumultuous effect of war on the home front. Chicago is the backdrop and where the action takes place.
Contents:
The Incidental Spy (a novella) was originally published in 2015.
“The Day Miriam Hirsch Disappeared” was published in 2005.
P.O.W. (a novella) will be published for the first time in 2017.
Taken at large from real events, the author has used her wild imagination to give us a glimpse on what may have happened to people caught up during this tumultuous time. The stories are short and sweet, written with passion and very engaging. “The Incidental Spy” is clever story that brush on the Manhattan Project and the spies who wanted its secrets. “POW” is a love story involving a young farm girl and a Nazi prisoner of war. Finally, “The Day Mariam Hirsch Disappeared” recounts the disappearance of a beautiful Jewish actress and a possible espionage ring days before Pearl Harbor.
I loved these stories I was drawn in from the get-go and stayed immersed into their plots till the very end. Even being novellas the stories are complete with suspense and progresses at a good pace, have excellent plot lines and well-rounded characters. A bit of romance didn’t hurt as well making the lives of the people involved all too real.
I received this ARC from the author for an honest and unbiased review
This book was first published in 1997 and republished as an Ebook by Open Road Media in March 2017. I received an invitation by the publisher to read and review this book via NetGalleys.
Tom Bower, a British journalist, chronicles the 50 years of greed between the Third Reich and the government of Switzerland and the Swiss banking industry. Millions of dollars, gold pilfered from occupied country including gold teeth extracted from the mouth of those murdered were hidden away in Swiss bank accounts. The crimes didn’t end with the end of the war. The Swiss authorities hid the wealth from the rightful owners for the next half a century. Finally when a class action was launched by the Wold Jewish Congress against the Swiss banks a settlement was reached and millions of dollars were released in the late 90’s.”Nazi Gold” tells how it took a huge amount of time and patience to reach a fair conclusion.
Mr. Bower not doubt has put his heart into writing an account in great details. It seemed well-researched with first rate sources to back his statements. I was quite interested for part of the book but after a while the narration became too technical, highly colourful and particularly overwhelming. I found to presentation to be done in a journalistic manner: rather cold and in a sharp tone. Mid way, I thought things were going in circle and I lost interest, the writing was somewhat repetitious so I kept skipping parts to see the outcome in this grizzle chapter of history. Even if I was not totally captivated by this book it nevertheless gave me a better appreciation of the Swiss government involvement with Germany and the perfidies of the Swiss banking system.
Book #1, in the DCI Brendan Moran series
“Black December” is a crime thriller that brings DCI Brendan Moran to investigate a murder at Charnford Abbey where he will discover the abbot and monks to be most uncooperative…..
This mystery is written with a wild imagination and in a very particular narrative style. The slight difference in terminology is a bit of a challenge at first till you get used to it. The pacing is fast and furious while Brendan investigates what took place at the Abbey. As he did so the body count mounts and we are in one of those convoluted mystery….. What started with one crime soon developed into two investigations: one to solve the murders and the other to deal with the apparent theft of an ancient religious artifact. We have plenty of twists and turns to keep the suspense active till we reach the final point. This story is a real melting pot of police procedural crammed into a very complicated drama and acted out by multiple players and one cranky protagonist.
“Black December” leaves me with mixed feelings: at times I was deeply bored and other times totally captivated. What more can I say……
Book # 6 in the Colton Banyon Mysteries
I preferred reading series in sequence although sometime it is not always possible “A Dubious Artifact” is one that I had missed through the years. I wish to thank Mr. Kubicki for sending me the book and providing as in the past hours of captivating suspense for my enjoyment.
As in all the books the story is a smorgasbord of ideas presented in a fantasy style: a bit of Indiana Jones, a tad of James Bond, a dash of paranormal all mixed together into an exciting saga. Again we have Colton and his team of sidekicks protecting artifact. This latest saga is personal for Colton, the artifact was willed to him by his father: a piece of solid gold, written on it is a formula that could put the world’s currency and financial stability into a spin. Once again the Effort group is in the picture and joining in is a team of Chinese killers, Homeland Security personal and Colton’s old nemesis Dr. Thorne on the hunt to obtain this treasure at any cost.
The tempo is fast-paced with some down moments for us to catch a breather. The plot is good and exciting but mostly entertaining. It is not literature and by far, the style has faults many readers will notice but overall is pretty good. My only beef is the depiction of the female characters they are sex-crazed bimbos with little between the ears. Maybe the presence of the Patel sisters and the jealous Loni is adding a bit of fun…..and humour to an intense story, I guess it does. I would prefer more depth with the female characters…..
After 21 books read in this series, going back in time into the protagonist story with book 6 wasn’t a bad thing after all. I now can say I prefer the earlier books and by far.
Also by Christine Kling, Sujata Massey, Zoë Sharp and Julie Smith
This book is a collection of short stories and a snippet into their upcoming book. I am not a big fan of this style of presentation I am usually left unsatisfied.
The short stories are good, some very captivating and other less but in whole worth reading. I hate and never read chapters leading to buying books and always skip them, I did so here. I read a sample of each author style in their short stories this is enough to know whether I wish to continue reading this author or not, no need to tease me and then tell me if I want to know the rest buy my book…..this is simply a turn off in my books…
A compilation of books has values: you get to see a variety of style, read different plot lines that are short and sweet and usually well written above all you are taken you out of your comfort zone by exploring what these authors have to offer.
If you have a short attention span or pressed for time you may consider this to be a good choice.
Although this book is a work of fiction it echoes beautifully the time, place and contexts. We go back and forth in time following David Lyon on his quest to find his mother precious Manet, an unknown painting by the famous impressionist lost during the Nazi occupation.
It starts with David reminiscing with his elderly mother about a gift from her father, a painting by Manet. David thinks it may be worth a fortune, only if he could recuperate it. And he goes on a hunt….
In alternating chapters, we go back to WW11 with Hitler and the Nazi pilfering art and precious objects for the Reich or for their personal satisfaction and hiding the treasure in safe places. While all this is going on, we follow David facing his many challenges criss-crossing the former war zone….A good part of the story also covers the aftermath with the hunt between the allied forces (Americans and Russians) for the share of the missing arts. Of course at one point David gets in the way of the Russian mafia…..
Based on trues events, this story is all about history, suspense and lot of good action. David’s adventure is interesting and I was pleasantly surprise to have stayed so captivated through the timeline. The plot is well paced with well-constructed shifting perspectives. The style is simple with short sentences making it easy to read. The characterization is the run of the mill and what one can expect with this kind of story. This didn’t bother me at all. This is a wonderful tale that has inspired me to look further into the subject…
I enjoyed this book immensely.
Book 1, in the Life After War series
In “The Survivors” we follow a group of individuals struggling with different trials and tribulations after a nuclear war. Many of its subplots are an adventure journey, with a supernatural affair. This story is magic and reality blended into a post-apocalyptic fantasy….well I think……
When I saw this book I obviously didn’t pay full attention to the summary. I admit to have loved the idea behind the story but in hind sight I should have simply overlooked it knowing from the get-go that I am not strong on apocalyptic novel especially one with a fantasy twist to it ….but unfortunately I didn’t and I downloaded it without second thought.
As I plugged along trying to piece what I was reading and the efforts it took trying to make sense of what was going on soon became an ordeal. To top it all after a few hours with it I couldn’t even remember much of what I had read. The end of the World full of apocalyptic horrors is definitely not for me. It was by far time to give up on it, I had wasted enough time on this confused and incoherent story I couldn’t make much sense of….. I dropped it mid-way the first portion, something I rarely do. I leave this collage of mismatched stories for others to enjoy.
This is one tedious book better left on the shelf.
