Adult Review: Manhattan Lockdown

Based on an advanced reader copy received through Edelweiss+ in return for an honest review.



Manhattan Lockdown
Paul Batista

Overall Rating: 3/5 
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 1/5
Writing: 2/5

Manhattan Lockdown tells the story of a bombing in New York City, an apparent terror attack on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It follows a variety of interesting characters as they begin the process of locking down the island of Manhattan.

I'll be honest. I didn't finish. I actually really wanted to; the plot is captivating and the story made me deeply curious about what was going to happen and how it was going to resolve. But the characters were one-dimensional, cardboard cut-outs with very little appeal and the pace of the novel dragged horribly. The first four chapters tell the exact same sequence of events from the perspective of four different people without advancing the story. The first four chapters cover about fifteen minutes of in-story time and without sucking me into the lives of any of those people. I was really disappointed, since I had really been looking forward to reading this. I still look forward to reading it, for the story, but it's just not something I can handle right now.

Non-fiction Review: Happiness Like Water

Happiness Like Water
by Chinelo Okparanta

Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 3/5

This collection of short stories and essays is written by a Nigerian immigrant in scenes from her homeland.

While I found the stories and characters fascinating, I struggled greatly with the voice. I didn't finish the material, but I hope to go back when I have more cognitive space to give this collection the attention it deserves. I can tell it's important and meaningful, but I just wasn't in the right place to read it this time around.

Watch this space.

Adult Review: Death in D Minor

Review provided in return for ARC from Netgalley.




Death in D Minor 
Alexia Gordon

Overall Rating: 5/5
Plot: pending
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5

Death in D Minor is the second in Alexia Gordon's Gethsemane Brown mysteries and now that I've read a third of the second book, I know that I have to go back and read the first one, Murder in G Major. It's only 99 cents on Kindle so I can't rightly say no, either.

Gethsemane is an American professional musician living in Ireland. From the hints and references in the second book, her first adventure included occult studies, exploration, a heaping helping of sass (from both her and her ghostly companion) and I can't wait to read it. While I'm sure Death in D Minor stands on it's own for those who aren't obsessive about reading timeline books in order ((unlike me)), I'm itching to read about those adventures first hand. I'm already sucked into the story of this book, which centers on Gethsemane's attempts to foil an American hotel hot shot, who intends to buy the music-historically important cottage which she current rents. Add to that background sass-fest (complete with Trump nose-thumbing) Gethsemane's brother-in-law, a museum curator specializing in antique textiles and a potential art forgery/theft ring. I really want to know what happens there, but I feel a visceral, driving need to read the first book first.

So... it's an incomplete review, but still a rave! I didn't finish but only because I am driven to read the series in order. This series is definitely going on my recommended purchases list for our library collection.

Adult Review: The Rememberers

Based on a promotional eBook received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



The Rememberers by C. Edward Baldwin

Overall Rating: 2/5
Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Writing: 2/5

After about a quarter of the book, I finally had to put it down. The character were uninspired, the story was taking forever to get anywhere and I really didn't care where it seemed to be going. I feel bad that I didn't finish it, but I really wasn't enjoying it and didn't see the point to torturing myself any further.

I can see this book as being enjoyable for people who enjoyed Dan Brown's Davinci Code, but it really wasn't something I personally enjoyed.