Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts

Book Review: Completely In Blue: Dispatches for the edge of insanity by Chris Curry

Composed by Cat
As soon as the bullet-proof door closed in the Bubble Room, the orderlies held me down, the needle went in and the straight jacket was affixed, I knew that I was in the midst of a story that needed to be told.  ~ Chris Curry, Completely in Blue: Dispatches from the edge of insanity. 
I recently completed Completely In Blue: Dispatches from the edge of insanity by Chris Curry. Most of you know that I am quite outspoken about my life as a bipolar. Chris Curry tells his story in a brutally honest way in this book. His is a story of drugs and alcohol and the mental psychosis that both the chemicals he purposely put in his body and the so called treatments of the time threw him in. He goes in to great detail about the things he put himself, his friends, and his family through. He holds no punches as he tells of his fast decline from sanity by somehow becoming a drug dealer just like that, his lack of sleep thanks to the drugs, his run in with law enforcement, his lock downs in mental hospitals, a couple of very unhealthy relationships and several violent episodes both by him and to him. As the book goes on, Chris Curry tells how his personal quest to sanity and desire for answers to his questions ignited a passion about mental health that lead him to a calling and career in the very field he tried for years to get away from: mental health. 

This book is very well written. Chris Curry has a wonderful way with words and with the ability to be both witty and brutally honest. His descriptions of both his attitude and the attitudes of those around him along with the descriptions of the atmosphere around him has you feeling the tension in the room at times. I was sucked into the book from the very first page. While many autobiographies tend to give a story that tends to lean one way or the other Chris Curry tells things in a way that you know it isn't one sided. He's honesty about the darker parts of his life is what makes this book so creditable. It's a great read for anyone dealing with drugs, alcohol, or just mental illness in general. It's more than another boring "I did drugs. I went crazy. I'm better now. Read my book." kind of book. You'll feel his pain at times. You'll hate him at times. You'll fear for him at times. Most of all, you'll learn from him. I'm happy to say he's winning his battle and helping others. He's also quite a musician. You can check out some of his work with his Bohemian Cove project. 

Completely in Blue: Dispatches from the edge of insanity is published by Post Mortem Press, 
is 169 pages in length and available in paper back and digital versions:

Happy Reading!
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Biting off more than we can chew

Composed by Cat
Yep. I've done it again. I've bitten off more than I can even put in my mouth let alone chew. I am taking an intersession Developmental Psychology class. If you aren't familiar with intersession courses let me try to explain. They're classes that insane people think they can accomplish. It's a 16 weeks worth of class work crammed into 4 fun fast paced weeks of hell. Yes I said hell because that's what it feels like. I have never been one of the people who was afforded the slacker professor who modifies the work so that you can just slide through the 4 weeks with no stress. No, I've always had the one that packs every last tid bit of info into the session. Giving me my money's worth. This is no exception. I think this professor even packed in a few extra bits of knowledge just for fun. I've spent the past two days pouring of the development of young minds and raising a virtual child. (Yes, you read that right. A virtual child - That's a topic for another post though). Just as I was 2/3 of the way through my online test my work computer (the College's work computer) jumped off line...jumped, ran, skipped, vanished, whatever you want to call it...I didn't finish my test. I can't get it rest and now after a mental and semi-physical meltdown (post it notes really don't get good distance as a single sheet), I've decided no to sweat the small stuff. I failed the first test. Big deal. It's only a failure if I don't learn from it. I'm learning. What you ask? Not to wait until 2 hours before the testing window closes to take the dang test. Oh well. Se La Vi! Life goes on. I have faith that I'll survive this calls and live to stress another day. 

No that I've left you with all that useless knowledge about my present state, let me just say that during the next 3 weeks I won't be getting through my Review reads. At least, I won't be posting the reviews here until after my temporary insanity has been completed. I'm working through quite the stack but I promise to have them posted as soon as humanly possible. Thank you for your patience! 
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Do you review the writer or the work? (Plus one author's response to an unwanted review)

Composed by Cat
I recently did a review of a book, an autobiographical of sorts, and I wrote a review based on my opinion of the book. Later I went to post my review on some of the other outlets (Amazon.com, Good Reads, Shelfari, & anobbi to mention a few). I didn’t post my review because I was in awe of all the negative reviews. Not negative of the book itself but of the author or celebrity in this case. Apparently, there is some bad blood between the author and his family. That’s common. Most celebrities have skeletons in their closets especially from family. My mind started to wonder though when writing a review do we need to know more of the history of the writer? At least in cases like this when it’s a so called autobiography? I wrote my review based solely on my opinion of the book not my opinion of the author’s personal life even though the book was based the telling of his life.  Was this the right procedure? Should we research the authors we review before posting what we think of their books? Or should we review the work solely based on its merits? I was asked to read and review the book not make a judgment on the individuals life and whether what he said is true or not.  I feel odd about it really but I have to remember what my Dad has always said about people. “There’s always three sides to every story. His, her’s,  and the truth.”  So with that knowledge I have to decide if my reviews are based on the entire story (i.e. history of the author, the making of the story, etc.) or do I solely make a judgment of the words I read. I think, no I know, in this case I made the right judgment. I read a book about a man I knew nothing about, laughed a bit, awed a bit,  and I wrote a review about what I gained from the words on the pages.

The question remains, As book reviewers, what are our responsibilities to our readers about giving a review? Do we focus on the work at hand or do we need to research what lies behind a book?

**Before finishing this post, I read a Tweet from an author I follow. It was a link to another Book Reviewer's Blog and one very unhappy author's response. If you have time read through the comments. The terms "unprofessional" and "unhinged" come to mind. 




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Book Review: Pat Cooper How Dare You Say How Dare Me?

Composed by Cat
A few weeks ago I received a copy of Pat Cooper: How Dare You Say How Dare Me? By Pat Cooper, Rich Herschlag, Steve Garrin to read and review from the publisher, Square One Publishers for review. (Note I received a complimentary review copy but did not receive compensation for this review. The opinions are my unbiased opinion). 

Pat Cooper How Dare You Say How Dare Me!

Hardcover: 262 pages

  • Publisher:  Square One Publishers (November 1, 2010)
  • Language:  English
  • ISBN-10:  075700363X
  • ISBN-13:  978-0757003639
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches


To be honest, I couldn’t place the name but the face and characteristic glasses looked so familiar. Getting his “big break” on The Jackie Gleason Show, Pat Cooper opened for the likes of Bop Hope, George Burns, Tony Bennett, and even Bobby Darin. At age 82, Pat Cooper is still going; appearing in Analyze This and Analyze That. Chalked full of anecdotes and humorous stories, Pat Cooper, Rich Herschlag, and Steve Garrin tell the story of how the son of Italian Immigrants stumbled upon the career of a life time.   Born Pasquale Caputo, Pat Cooper was given his stage name by a stage manager who couldn't say his name. Mistaken for a Jewish guy impersonating an Italian guy, Pat - who shtick was rambling on about his Italian family and life-tells his story in the same stand up humor his shows were done in. You get lost in the pages as he tells how his mother and father felt he was a failure for not becoming a bricklayer. You can almost hear the Italian oozing off the pages.

His account of life and show business is humorous, sad, and enlightening.  Like many greats before him, he builds his routine around real life trials and tribulations but with an honesty that makes you laugh out loud because you know it’s all too real to be fake. His stubbornness and pull no punches approach to life and his routine allows his talent transcends decades.

What I liked: His honest telling of his life. He doesn't hold anything back good or bad. Some autobiographic telling of one's life tends to steer towards the positive side and not shine any light on the wrongs in their life. Pat Cooper doesn't do that. If he screwed up, he tells you he did. If someone else screwed up, he tells you. It's a refreshing turn on an autobiography.

What I didn't like: It's written as if he sitting there telling your his story. At first, it's somewhat cumbersome to get the hang of it. But once you do the story flows well. You get lost in the pages and feel like you're right there in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and even the 80's as he takes on the comedy world. 

Overall, this was a great book telling the story of overcoming many obstacles from a difficult family, being in the right place at the right time, and learning as went. Even if you’ve never heard of Pat Cooper this book is a great read. If you’re looking for a story about determination and not letting what others tell you stand in your way, pick up this book.

For those of you interested in seeing the great Pat Cooper in action:


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Book Review: This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Composed by Cat
This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 5)Danger waits on both sides of the grave. 
Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they've triumphed over the latest battle, Cat's new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance...
With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumors abound that a species war is brewing.  A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage. Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous "ally"--the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war. ...to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined.   (Amazon.com)
Like a fine wine, The Night Huntress series only gets better with age. Jeaniene Frost has not only continued the great world she’s developed in This Side of the Grave, she also shows what growth of both her writing ability and her character development can do. This is the fifth book in the Night Huntress series and the seventh book all together in the Night Huntress world. Frost has continued to carry  Cat and Bones forward in their commitment to one another as well to their people. Best of all, Frost has the best command of wit and humor I’ve ever read. At times, I find myself laughing out loud and at others tears dropping on the pages. It’s nearly effortless to read her words and you find yourself invested in her characters whole heartedly.

What did I like about the book? Besides the action, which was great, I loved that for once a writer takes the chance and doesn’t have to make the tension about the worn out tale of boy and girl don’t get along. At this point in the relationship between these two main characters it would have been trite to create tension. Many writers would have though. Frost takes the opportunity to allow the characters to grow and realize where they are in their relationship. Kudos Jeaniene for keeping true to their characters! I also liked that stories from the past tie in very well and angles you might not have even thought of are pursued.

What did I not like? Honestly, I cannot say that there was anything that I didn’t like. It’s rare to come across a book, especially a book this far into a series, that balances everything near perfectly but this one really has a great balance. Perhaps a few more fight scenes. The only things not resolved in this book were apparent that they would be addressed in future books. What was left “hanging” was done so because, well, that’s how it would have been in real life as well. (If your life consisted of being a freakish half-breed vampire who’d turned only to have your heart still beat from time to time….but still, it fits.)

Over the years I’ve become engrossed in the story and the characters. When a new book comes out it’s like a reunion of your closest friends and those you love to hate. Each book brings back someone from previous books and you learn a little something new.  While this is an ongoing series, Frost writes each book with enough backstory crafted in to read smoothly yet still be able to follow along without having read the others. Fair warning though…Read one and you’ll want to read them all.

Once again, I find myself grinning ear to ear and my heart wanting more. This time however, there isn’t a year long wait as One Grave at a Time is scheduled for release in Fall of this year. 

Night Huntress Reading order: 
One Grave at a Time (Coming Fall 2011)
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Review Policy Page

Composed by Cat
I recently was contacted by a small marketing/publishing company and asked if I would like to do some book reviewing. Well, yes! I’m a book nerd who loves to write. Of course, I’d be interested. I’ve already received my first two books. One looks really interesting. The other not so much but you never know. I decided that if I’m going to do this I need to do it right.  Below I’ve listed my review policies and I’ll put them up on another page. This way I don’t get myself into something over my head and others don’t expect more out of me than I can offer. So without further ado, here we go….


Review Policy

Authors/Publishers/Publicists/Marketing Gurus
I currently review books upon request on a case by case basis. If you would like me to review a book, host a blog tour or conduct and interview, you may contact me through HERE or via the Contact Cat link on the side. I will review most books in my preferred reading but am open to others under special circumstances.

My Review Schedule
I love to read but I must live a life as well. I read books on a first come first serve basis unless there is a deadline. If this is the case please let me know ahead of time so that I can schedule your material accordingly.

I will post when I will be away for an extended period of time. However, I am always reach within a 48 hour period. 

Reading Preferences
I have a hyperactive brain and heart so I am pretty open to most genres. I always say I’ll try anything twice. That being said the follow are my preferences:

  • Humor (fictitious or otherwise)
  • Mysteries
  • Non-fiction
  • Psychological Thrillers
  • Historical fiction (selectively…1850-1960 anything…other periods we can talk)
  • Chick-lit (selectively)
  • Romance (very selective)
  • Literary fiction
  • YA Book (selective)
  • Christian Fiction 
  • Science Fiction
  • Horror (within human limits)
  • Paranormal Romance (selectively)
No-No’s
  • Fairies and pixies (I haven’t found one that I could get through)
  • Erotica  &/or Homosexual themes
  • Political Rhetoric 
In most cases, I’ll consider a book on a book by book basis. Just supply me with a brief description and we’ll go from there.

Formats accepted
  • I accept finished copies, ARCs, and PDF copies.
  • I will consider self-published books
Interviews, Giveaways, & Blog Tours
Everyone loves to be rewarded! When possible I like to host book giveaways, interviews, and the occasional blog tour. If you would like to participate in any of the above, let me know. Again, if there is a deadline let me know ahead of time so we can schedule accordingly.  Any information or material you can provide will be greatly appreciated.  Please note that I respect authors and their property. I will NEVER sell copies of materials presented to me. Most copies will be either offered as a giveaway or donated to an appropriate non-profit organization. (There are on occasion those books that stick with me and won’t go anywhere)

Terms, Conditions, and other details
  • Most reviews I post are also posted on Amazon.com, shelfari.com, goodreads.com, and/or anobbi.com. If you have any additional information you’d like me to share, please provide that with your material.
  • I am a freelance reviewer. Therefore, I will give my honest opinion. I will not be cruel but I will give it an honest review. If a book gives me a bad taste in my mouth I will tastefully review it or omit the review all together.
  • I am under no obligation to perform a book review, conduct an interview, or host a blog tour. I will inform you either way if I choose to or not.
  • I am not responsible or legally liable over any damage(s) arising from any book review I provide.
  • All information I post is and will be correct to the best of my knowledge at the time of posting. If I find errors or errors are pointed out to me, I will correct them immediately and post a retraction as well. 
I am always happy to work with authors and their representatives in getting their information out. Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns using the Contact Cat link in the Menu box. I look forward to reading you all!

**Side note: If you have a product that is book related (booklight, book covers, ereaders, ereader holders, etc.) I will be more than happy to review this as well. Just drop me a line. 
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REVIEW: Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Composed by Cat
Shutter Island (Mass Market Paperback)I finished Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane the other night. As I said before, I didn’t see the movie before reading the book. I will say that I’ve seen and read both now. Right after I finished reading the book, I ran to Netflix and watched the movie. First let me say that  my usual overall reaction is the book is better. I really have to draw a line and remember that they are two different mediums and judge them solely on that fact.   In this case, overall…the book was much better. So if you loved the movie, I highly recommend the book.  Thrillers aren't for everyone, I know. I, myself, love a good thriller. This one had a nice line that didn't get crossed for the gruesome factor. Yes, there was some but it was all well within context of the story and none of it over the top. There was a scene or two that was a little sexually descriptive but again, well with in context and definitely not smut material.
Amazon Product Description
The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new ­partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple-murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades-with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems.


I have never read Dennis Lehane before this. I’ve seen a few movies based off his works but not actually sat and read his writing. It was a nice surprise. The text flows very well. He blends flashbacks extremely well and you don’t feel like you are running to catch up with where he is at. I like this in writing. Often I’m several pages into something when I realize that the characters are either in a flashback or just come out of a flashback…leaving me racing to figure out what is what. That’s not the case with this book.
It’s a not so simple story of nothing is as it appears to be. It’s quite difficult to review this book without giving away too much. Let me just say it’s worth the read.

A pair of US Marshalls, Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, go to an island off the coast of Massachusetts that houses a hospital for the criminal insane to investigate a patient’s disappearance. From the first moment they arrive they are suspicious of everyone. Things just do not add up. With the approach of a hurricane, all heck breaks loose allowing the Marshalls to do more snooping around. This leads to even more questions that they cannot answer. To top it all off, Marshall Teddy Daniels is dealing with the loss of his wife and just knows that her killer is on the island. He’s running out of time as he tries to find the patient, the killer, and keep from losing his own mind or at least from letting the hospital make others think he’s lost his mind to keep him silent. You know that there is going to be twists and turns but when they happen you really can’t imagine that it happens the way it does. It’s a good thing though. The entire first two-thirds of the book lays out an intricate world and sets up a great plot only to be completely spun out of control in the last third in a very good way. The book ends with you in just amazement. Trying to understand everything that happened and coming to terms with it. It was great.

The movie gave too much away in my opinion with eye contact and the way that the dialogue went.  There were too many things crammed together in an attempt to get as much of the story together as possible within the constraints of a movie. I understand that but the book was so good at painting the background within the flashbacks that I just wished they could have put more of it in the movie. I will add; however, I loved the last lines of the movie which were added and not in the book. They left you with the feeling that things were still not as they appeared.

My overall feeling was this was a great read. The transitions from flashback to present were well done and the twists and turns you go through are also well done. I loved the writing and I loved the story. Even if you think you’ve figured it out…you haven’t. It’s well worth the read. If you saw the movie, it’s still worth the read. It’ll give you a much better understanding of what’s going on. I do believe I'll be looking for more to read from Dennis Lehane in the future. Happy reading! 

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Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson book Review and book giveaway announcement

Composed by Cat
Most of us have had a point in our life when our struggles are almost more than we can bare. Some have even struggled through helping a loved one during an illness. Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson is the amazing story of one daughter’s journey as she not only deals with her own personal health and life struggles but tells of the struggles she endured helping her mother struggle through kidney disease.

This quick read will transport you into the life of author as she tells her testimony of her walk through her mother’s illness, her personal sacrifices, her health issues, and her own Christian strength. The story is written as if you were sitting down with the author to listen to her tell of the amazing journey she went through to get to the other side of an intensely difficult situation that spanned several years and many tears. You can feel her pain, her hope, her joy, her sorrow, and her faith. Mos of all you will walk away from this book with a feeling of hope and strength that you too can make it through anything with faith.

Amazon Product Description 
Have you noticed that it is easy to speak of God's faithfulness in times of prosperity, but that in times of suffering, such praise becomes lost?
In Hide and Watch, a true tale of sorrow and distress, of hope and triumph, Jill Hicks Lawson shares how she was spiritually transformed by overcoming her doubt in God during times of struggle. From enduring her battle with weight, her mother's kidney disease; to experiencing debilitating infertility and painful divorce; and eventually to becoming her mother's only hope for life, Lawson's personal accounts speak to the universal human experience of suffering, both physical and emotional, providing firsthand proof that, regardless of circumstance, God is in the business of giving hope.
By recounting moments of pain and progress, Lawson demonstrates that anguish is the only pathway to experiencing the dramatic joy and peace that result from God's intervention and healing, assuring those amid the battle that, in the end, what does not kill your faith makes it stronger.                                                      
 Now for some fun. I'm giving away a copy of this great book to share this great story. Here's how it will work.

  • Leave a comment below this post, the interview post, and/or the video posting in the next couple of days. For each comment you get an entry. 
  • Share the link with your favorite social network get another entry for each one. 
  • Share it on your own blog get another entry.
  • For any purchase you make in the Corner Store between now and February 24th you'll get five entries. Simply email a copy of your receipt through the Contact Cat link before February 25th
  • Follow this blog get an entry.
  • Finally, answer this question: What is the most inspirational book you've read? 
  • Share your links from above in your post below. 

I'll use Random.org to pick a winner on Friday, February 25th (My Birthday) and announce the winner on here. For everyone's privacy and protection don't include your email address in your comments. Instead, check back here on Friday, February 25th  and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me. After which time, if I don't hear from the first place winner in that time frame, I'll go down the line until someone claims their prize. 


**Just to clarify you can get points for each of the three days I post on Hide and Watch (review, interview, and video posting) so you can really rack up the points**


Thanks for playing along and good luck to everyone. 
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Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost (Book Review)

Composed by Cat
Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World, Book 2)I put off reading the second book of The Night Huntress World for awhile because frankly, I was a little disappointed in the first Night Huntress World book and the last Cat & Bones book.  I finally decided since I've been in a reading rut that I'd go ahead and read it. After all, I can pour through one of Frost’s books without looking up.

After finally reading Eternal Kiss of Darkness, I am happy to say I was quite pleased with this one. Even with this book being the story of most readers least favorite characters, Mencheres, I found myself falling in love with this guy. Frost gives a great background on why he’s behaved the way he has throughout all the other books. I found myself actually liking him because of the things he did solely because of the reasons he behaved so badly. The heroine was strong but for a reason. It seems that some strong women in books ate just strong. Kira, however, had things in her life that made her strong or at the least things that caused her to put up a strong front. I was much happier with the events that lead Kira to the supernatural world than I was to Denise's in the first book. It was believable and heart breaking at the same time. It was great how this event fueled the rest of the story in such a believable way.

What I liked about this story was the character development. To take a pretty unliked character, give the back story of why he's done the things he's done and show his regret and self condemning was well handled. The supporting characters brought in  from previous books were true to their original natures and added more than just a cameo appearance in this story. They added sustenance not only to the story but growth to themselves. (Especially, Vlad).

I was disappointed by the last two Frost books but i thoroughly enjoyed this book. Frost went back to her roots with this one and the pacing, humor, and story line was just right. Now I’m once again looking forward to the next Night Huntress book, This Side of the Grave to come out...Spring 2011!

Reading order
Halfway to the Grave
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