Love at First Bark by Dana Mentink is a 2017 publication.
This is a super short and sweet contemporary romance novella- a part of the ‘Love Unleashed’Love at First Bark by Dana Mentink is a 2017 publication.
This is a super short and sweet contemporary romance novella- a part of the ‘Love Unleashed’ series. The story is about Marcy, an author, who gets a taste of unexpected success, but must now meet deadlines… and her heart just isn’t quite in it. One of her many distractions is a cute dog who showed up out of the blue...
Enter cowboy Jackson Parker who seems to recognize Marcy’s dilemma and gently leads her to a few realizations making her think about the direction her life should go going forward.
This is a cute ‘lunchbreak’ read and a nice introduction to the series. Who can pass up a cute dog and a handsome cowboy?
Notes on a Silencing by Lacy Crawford is a 2020 Little Brown & Co. publication.
This is a raw, searing memoir chronicling Lacy Crawford time attendingNotes on a Silencing by Lacy Crawford is a 2020 Little Brown & Co. publication.
This is a raw, searing memoir chronicling Lacy Crawford time attending St. Paul’s Academy and the all too familiar story of a horrifying sexual assault that resulted in physical illness and psychological damage, but was also covered up by a school that protected its reputation and male students at all cost.
Lacy finds her voice years later when the school finds itself under investigation... Finally.
An elite school with powerful allies manages to silence Crawford… or so they thought. This memoir holds nothing back and paints an appalling picture of crime, double standards, bullying and blackmail. It is also a tale of lost innocence, of a time when even parents failed to see obvious signs of distress, leaving a young girl to cope in a viscous world of harassment and entitlement.
This is not an easy book to read, and it goes without saying it is one long trigger- so prepare yourself. Still, it’s an important book- one that needs more attention now that some of the fire from the “Me Too” movement has cooled down. We still need a reminder, as we can’t be so naïve that we believe all that toxicity has magically cleared up now. Today, as we speak, there’s a Lacy Crawford out there somewhere… and she needs us to keep up the pressure, to insist on accountability, to protect these young people from abuse, coverups, harassment and years of unnecessary pain and heartbreak.
There were a couple of quibbles- I understand the author has the absolute right to tell her story, her way. But this is not a blog. It’s a professional book- published by a respected publishing house and as such, I would have preferred the use of more professional language - which would have left a deeper impression, I think.
The only other issue: Because this is a harrowing story and no matter how mentally healthy one is, it is emotionally draining, which made me feel it might have been a bit overlong. By the end, I was exhausted.
But other than that, this is a powerful memoir, that if you can handle the subject matter, it is well worth the emotional toll it takes. Lacy has endured much, and I’m glad she found the courage to step forward and tell her story. I think I’ll remember this one for a very long time to come....more
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whittaker is a 2024 Crown publication.
DNF – 32%. When I read Whittaker’s “We Begin at the End”, I struggled with All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whittaker is a 2024 Crown publication.
DNF – 32%. When I read Whittaker’s “We Begin at the End”, I struggled with the idea of young people dropping filthy language in front of adults with a shocking regularity. I mimicked my peers, giving the book a very positive review, focusing on the storytelling, as everyone else seemed to, but now I do remember being very conflicted about it.
Going back and re-reading my glowing review of that novel, I did mention my issues and the language, but I still gave it four stars. I wish now I’d been firmer as this novel also features very young people, in a time that is my era, one I remember well, and I certainly never heard of such behavior- dropping hardcore language, for its time, in front of adults in a rude, disrespectful way, no matter what their circumstances,( I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd said F-you to an adult- or anyone else for that matter, if overheard by an adult), and adults matching it by also using strong language in front young, impressionable, vulnerable teens... and treating them almost as peers at times.
But, this time, I’m not going to condone it, go along with it, etc., to keep from being the preachy outlier. It’s a shame I’m the only one who struggles with this aspect of the author’s writing style- which is not all THAT impressive. In fact, I don’t have a single regret about pulling the cord on this one…....more
A Hunger to Kill: A Serial Killer, a Determined Detective, and the Quest for a Confession That Changed a Small Town Forever by Kim Mager is a 2024 St.A Hunger to Kill: A Serial Killer, a Determined Detective, and the Quest for a Confession That Changed a Small Town Forever by Kim Mager is a 2024 St. Martin’s Press publication.
This book doesn’t read like most true crime stories. This is a first-person narrative from the perspective of Kim Mager, the investigator who conducted the interviews and interrogations of the serial killer-Shawn Grate- in Northern Ohio, in 2016.
He was initially brought in for a kidnapping and rape charge after his victim escaped. Little did Kim know, at the time, that this interrogation would morph into the horrifying realization that she’s sitting across the table from a serial killer…
A good police interrogation can be riveting on television or in books. They have the benefit of an author’s finesse, a screenwriter’s talent for creating an atmosphere, a knack for drawing in the audience, as well as a professional group of actors portraying the good and bad guys effectively.
In real life, watching enough true crime and recorded interviews with suspects, it’s not always as suspenseful. In some cases, it’s straightforward- sometimes it challenges our ideals of ethical tactics- But, sometimes the detectives manage to set clever traps that lying criminals step right into- but they are rarely as spit and polished as they are in fiction…
Which is something you’ll want to keep in mind before you start reading this book. I found it fascinating to hear a firsthand account of how Mager handled her interview with the suspect. She had to glean specific details from him, see if he would lie, if she could also get him to open-up about a missing woman that might be connected to him, all while building his trust in her. Tricky. Not sexy, though- like on TV. Still, as the events unfolded and Mager and others working the case began to realize the situation they were dealing with, the narrative could be quite chilling.
The problem, I think, is that the interrogations were written out a bit like a police report- or transcript one might use in court. While the information is horrifying- and Mager is obviously very good at her job- it’s too dry to capture the dark, gritty reality of what was transpiring in that interview room, and some readers might struggle with the sparseness of the writing.
That said, Mager did a great job dealing with Grate, drawing him out- despite some of his creepy mind games. The case is more than unsettling, and I thought Mager handled things just an officer should- though there were a few times when, like some her colleagues, I thought there were some risky tactics employed- but thankfully no one was hurt… or worse.
An investigator, as Kim Mager is, does not typically add profiling to their list of duties- and Kim, frankly, didn't have time for that stuff- though she was pretty skilled at deaing with Grate on a psychological level. This all transpired in a relatively short period of time, and frankly, I’m amazed that she managed to get Grate to confess- and uncover the truth of what happened to several missing women in that short time frame.
Five murders solved- and justice served- I'd say that was more than a little impressive.
But this is also a personal story- Mager’s family and her community were all affected by this case and forever changed by it.
I think if you want an up close and personal look at how these things work in real life, this is a fine example of a day in the life of an investigator… not one who plays one on TV or a part of an author’s imagination- it’s real life and reads as such.
Is it the most polished book? No, the writing is raw and I stated earlier, it's a sparce, no frills account- no long unnecessary pontifications, or sermons- no in-depth analysis or profiles of fellow officers, no fillers- and no intention of adding entertainment value to the story- just a straightforward testimony of a law enforcement officer recounting a horrifying and notorious murder case, the art of interrogation, and a job well done - without all the self-glorifying ego- which, frankly, I found refreshing.
Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock & Roll History by Bill Janovitz is a 2023 Hachette Books publication.
I honestly hav Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock & Roll History by Bill Janovitz is a 2023 Hachette Books publication.
I honestly have no idea how to even begin here.
This is a very comprehensive biography. The author has done an incredible job here with organizing all this material on Leon’s life. Of all the biographies I’ve ever read, this one might have been the most complicated- because Leon was complicated.
A musical genius misdiagnosed most of his life with a variety of mental health issues, he was great at music- but bad at relationships, bad with money, bad with his health. After helping so many other artists in his life, he was often forgotten about in his later years…(despite a resurgance in 2010- and his induction into the RHoF)- but in his prime…
Leon was a mystery, a bit spooky, a little intimidating. He was wild, but introverted, living in his head and in his music. He worked with so many people in his life- just an incredible list of people who wafted in and out of his orbit.
It is no wonder that he made such an impression, made such an impact on music- for others and himself. It was crazy reading about all the work he did, his methods, the way his mind worked all while he moved around a world of musical innovation. Fascinating, really.
Now when it comes to Leon’s personal life things could get sticky and Leon was not always easy to like or understand. He was, to say the very least, eccentric- not always the warmest person on earth and didn’t have a filter, either. But he also liked having all his people surrounding him despite his tendency to be absent-either physically or emotionally.
I’m really not sure how Janovitz managed to get through all the family drama portions of the book as it was often confusing and convoluted, but he did an amazing job on this herculean task.
That said, if you aren’t as familiar, as the author is, with Leon Russell, or if you aren’t a child or prodigy of Leon’s generation, some of this material could be tedious. I knew many people spoken of in this book, but there were just as many I did not know. Sometimes the process of creating the music went straight over my head and I admit to occasionally skimming some sections as this book is extremely long for a biography. In fact, it might have been a good idea to have broken this book up into two sections as is the current trend for some memoirists these days. I was tempted to put the book aside for a while, actually, as it was definitely dense at times, and I have been so busy it was hard to stay focused on some sections of it- and with the length of it I'd started to crave a little fiction. But- this didn’t diminish my absolute respect for what the author has put together here and the obvious labor of love that it was is beyond impressive.
Being Henry: The Fonz and Beyond by Henry Wrinkler is a 2023 Celadon Books publication.
My reaction to this memoir was unusual. As I turned the last pBeing Henry: The Fonz and Beyond by Henry Wrinkler is a 2023 Celadon Books publication.
My reaction to this memoir was unusual. As I turned the last page, I really thought, for the first time, that I might have been given a real glimpse into what life as an actor might be like. I even mused that maybe it was because when choosing memoirs, I usually gravitate towards those written by musicians. So, out of curiosity, I looked up my memoir shelf on Goodreads and was surprised – Make it shocked! - That I’d read so many biographies and memoirs about actors. I don’t guess any of those books painted a realistic picture of what happens to actors in the down times- when you are waiting for the phone to ring. It was nerve wracking, I have to say.
The book is written with a humorous tone- but for a long time there was a humming melancholy running beneath the surface. Henry made me laugh numerous times, but he seemed to live his life in a kind of tense desperation- desperate to reclaim the level of fame he had while on Happy Days, desperate to be ‘seen’, desperate to be taken seriously as an actor and desperate to maintain financial security and to stay employed. His personal life was also overshadowed by a hardcore grudge against his parents that never seemed to wane. On the other hand, Henry has a long-term marriage, children, grandchildren and stability- though he wasn’t always as emotionally mature or ‘there’ for his wife in key moments of their lives.
Yet by the time the book begins to wind down to present day events, we do see that Henry has matured, has made peace with some of his issues, and is now prepared to inspire and guide others, vowing to be as gentle and kind as possible going forward.
Overall, it was a very interesting memoir, well done- insightful and balanced. It was one of those times when I found I liked Henry more after reading the book than before- which is not always the case. He was not at all like I expected him to be, and his journey gave me some food for thought on several levels.
If you like celebrity memoirs this is one you might want to make room for on your bookshelf.
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