Jenn\'s Bookshelves

Guest Post: Carrie Macmillan from STELLAA

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Jenn

Hi! I am Carrie Macmillan, the Social Media Coordinator here at STELLAA. I am thrilled to be guest-blogging about the organization here at Jenn’s Bookshelves!

To say that I love books is an understatement. I love them. I love them like they are people. Their stories, their characters, the way I can get lost in them or find something new and provocative to think about; books have me wrapped around their little proverbial finger. I love the way that books and the people who write and create them come together to present me with this lovely little package, waiting to be unwrapped and read, interviewed and analyzed. I love the way no two books are the same, even if what is on their pages is identical; the person reading, the time and place they pick up that book in, and what happens to them as they read all work to create a truly unique experience. I love the conversations that I have with books and about books and with myself about books. Yup – I am hooked.

This love is what drew me to STELLAA. I found myself happily drowning in my love for great books and the experiences I could have with them, when a retweet looking for volunteers led me to the STELLAA website. I hungrily read through the site and was moved by the goals of the organization.

So what is STELLAA? STELLAA, which stands for Stella’s Training, Education, Literacy, Learning and Academic Assistance, is a not-for-profit organization which works to provide literacy and educational tools to communities in many African nations. The ultimate goal: assist in the eradication of poverty from the ground-up, by making the resources and education available to members of these communities. STELLAA does this work by collecting donations , organizing book drives, and by offering training. The organization is run completely by volunteers. It depends on the offering of skills and passion, as well as books and funds, to do its work.

What this work really does though is offer opportunity. It is a small act, one that can grow and take hold and change lives. And these opportunities are almost endless – from the simple yet powerful ability to get lost inside stories, to the tools needed to create economic change.

One of my favourite things about the organization is the constant reinforcement that everyone is capable to contributing to this project, even if it feels small. Whether it is organizing a book drive, talking about the importance of access literacy and education, donating time or money to the project, or something as simple as a retweet looking for volunteers, every action helps and holds the same possibilities.

My hope is that my love for books can move through the conduits that STELLAA provides and eventually impact someone else in some positive way. I want to help create the opportunity for others to encounter and love the things that I feel so strongly for. That maybe I can help someone much like myself a world away lead a love affair with stories. I love volunteering for this organization because I love what I can pour into the work I do and I love knowing that my own small act will join with the acts of others and together become something much greater.

From myself and everyone at STELLAA, I want to say a huge thanks to Jenn for joining us on the blog tour! Please check out the posts by our other blog tour hosts and be sure to enter to win some great book prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in Bookish Chatter | Tagged Africa, literacy, STELLAA | 2 Comments

Review: Quarantine by John Smolens

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Jenn

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Pegasus (September 5, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1605984183
Source: Publisher

The trading ship Miranda prepares to sail into the harbor in Newburyport, Massachusetts when it is boarded by the town doctor, Giles Wiggins. The ship, sailing on its own after the crew is decimated by a deadly virus, is quickly quarantined and forbidden from coming to port.

Yet when residents of the town are hit with symptoms of the virus, Giles knows he must act quick in order to avoid the spread of the sickness. He quarantines the entire port preventing any movement of ships in and out of the harbor. Additionally, he sets up a pest house in an attempt to separate the sick from the healthy. Residents with any symptoms are ordered to be taken to this facility, separating parents from children, husbands from wives. Those families who go against Giles orders prefer to smoke the illness from their homes, causing horrendous fires, devastating homes and killing entire families.

Giles’ actions upset individuals like shipbuilder Enoch Sumner, owner of the quarantined Miranda and Giles half-brother. People don’t seem to take Giles’ orders seriously, crew members and passengers of the Miranda escaping the quarantined ship via rowboats. One of these individuals is Enoch’s shady son, Samuel.

When medication intended to treat those ailing from the virus is taken by a black marketer from Boston, the ever-increasing anarchy in the town increases. Giles takes it upon himself to hunt down those responsible for stealing the valuable medication, knowing the number of victims of the disease will increase if not treated. This medication, in combination with Giles’ somewhat nontraditional practices, help slow down the spread of the illness running rampant in the port town. It is only Giles’ quick thinking and subsequent skills of deduction that permit him to find a possible cause, and thereby potential means for preventing, the fever.

Storylines run rampant in this novel, but not excessively. A dominant one is that of Leander Hatch, son of the harbormaster, is the sole survivor of his family. He’s taken in by the Sumner family, serving as a stable hand in return for a roof over his head. His relationship to Giles, and to the Sumner family, is closer than even he realizes.

Quarantine is an incredibly intense, obviously well-researched, novel of historical fiction. Readers learn a vast amount of detail regarding the history of medical practices and the state of our country in its infancy. While the characters aren’t incredibly deep or tremendously well-developed, Smolens makes up for this by creating a tremendously robust and intense historical thriller. Highly recommended.

Posted in Historical Fiction, W.W. Norton & Company | Tagged early America, medical practices, plague | 6 Comments

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week?

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Jenn

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week? This is a weekly event to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finish this week. It is hosted by Sheila from One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books so stop by and join in!

Books Completed Last Week

Quarantine by John Smolens
Hell or High Water by Joy Castro
The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
The People of Forever Are Not Afraid by Shani Boianjiu
Worth Dying for by Lee Child (audio) (review)

Currently Reading

Black Fridays by Michael Sears
The Affair by Lee Child (audio)
The Salt God’s Daughter by Ilie Ruby

Books to Complete This Week

Those We Love Most by Lee Woodruff
Fobbit by David Abrams
Gravediggers #01: Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones by Christopher Krovatin

What are you reading this week?

Posted in It's Monday What Are you Reading This Week | 7 Comments

Mx3 2012 Murder, Monsters & Mayhem: The Sign-Up

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Jenn

Fall is in the air! While the official start of Murder, Monsters & Mayhem (Mx3) isn’t for a few weeks yet (the start of October), I’ve received a few emails asking about signing up to participate

So, without further ado, below is the official link-up for the 2012 Murder, Monsters & Mayhem. There are no real rules for participating, just read/watch and blog something in the horror/supernatural/thriller genres in the month of October. Participating in Carl’s R.I.P IV? The books you read for his event count toward Mx3 as well! Easy peasy right?

So, link up your sign-up post below. If you have a list of books you plan on reading, include those in your post. If you’d rather wing it and decide what books to read as the mood strikes you, go for it!

Each week, I will post a link-up in which you will link up your post for that week. I will pick a weekly winner from the link-up. That winner will receive a copy of each of the books featured that previous week (when available) plus some other Halloween goodies!

If you are a horror or thriller writer, or even a fan of these genres and are interested in submitting a guest post or giveaway, there’s still time to sign up. Simply fill out the form in this post or email me at jennsbookshelf AT gmail.

I think that does it! Go forth and read something chilling or terrifying!

Looking for horror recommendations that aren’t too terrifying? Following is a list of “Horror Books for Beginners” I came up with some time ago:

You Believers by Jane Bradley (ghosts)
The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian (ghosts)
World War Z by Max Brooks (zombies)
The Passage Justin Cronin (vampires)
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (ghosts)
The Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant (zombies)
Swan Song by Robert McCammon (post-apocalyptic)
The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro (vampires)
Nathaniel Cade Series by Christopher Farnsworth (vampires)
Mayfair Witches series by Anne Rice (witches)
The Shining Stephen King (ghosts)
Anything by Jonathan Mayberry (zombies)
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (ghosts)
The Dead Path by Stephen Irwin (ghosts)

As always, if you need further suggestions or recommendations, don’t hesitate to ask!

Posted in Murders, Monsters, & Mayhem | 10 Comments

Mini-Review: Worth Dying For by Lee Child (Audiobook)

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Jenn

Publisher: Random House Audio; Unabridged edition (October 19, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0307749436
Listening Length: 13 hours and 45 minutes
Source: Publisher

Hitch-hiking his way to Virginia, Reacher is dropped off outside a desolate small town in Nebraska. He only intends on staying in the town one night but his plans change when he meets an intoxicated doctor at the motel bar. The Doctor is called by one of the town’s citizens, Eleanor Duncan, asking for the doctor’s help with a bloody nose. The doctor is initially very reluctant to respond to the call but finally submits when Reacher offers to drive him. When he learns the cause of the bloody nose, Reacher decides to track down the woman’s husband and teach him a lesson. Doing so involves him in a decades-long power struggle involving the townspeople and a family of four men, the Duncans. The townspeople have been prisoners, in a sense, fearful to act or speak out against the Duncans for fear of the abuse they would receive as a result.

Reacher’s meddling has the Duncans anxious. They are awaiting a secret shipment from Canada. The shipment has been delayed and their client isn’t very happy and so sends some of his men down to address the problem. In turn, the client’s client sends his own men as well and suddenly a whole group of thugs is snooping around the small town. To get some of the pressure off their backs, the Duncans blame Reacher for the delay and suddenly Reacher finds himself the target of a number of brutal hit men. Of course, this isn’t anything new for Reacher; he’s been in similar positions a number of times before. That said, Reacher’s life is starting to catch up with him. Typically, he’s quick to recover but he’s still experiencing pain and discomfort from his last physical altercation. That said, nothing can hold Reacher back once he has his mind set on something. The emotional anguish of the townspeople has pierced his hard outer core, leaving Reacher even more bound and determined to put an end to the Duncans.

As with the fourteen previous books in this series, Worth Dying for is an incredibly intense, explosive novel full of action and intensity. As a long-time fan of this series, it was interesting to see a bit of a shift in Reacher’s character (since when has he cared about his physical appearance!?). Reacher’s character is one that I respected and adored from the beginning. His character is one that never grows dull or boring for he always seems to have the uncanny ability to find himself in trouble.

This is a series I have experienced entirely purely through audio books. Dick Hill, the narrator, is Jack Reacher, his voice the embodiment of Reacher’s character. Hill’s narration brings the characters to life, his voice alone adds a completely unique intensity to everything he narrates. Listening to this series is truly an experience, for once Hill starts speaking, you become enveloped in the world of Jack Reacher. Highly recommended!

Posted in Audiobook, Mystery/Suspense, Random House, Thriller | 2 Comments

Review: The Devil in Silver by Victor Lavalle

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Jenn

Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (August 21, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1400069866
Source: Publisher

Pepper is the newest guest in a mental institution, New Hyde Hospital, in Queens, NY. He isn’t mentally ill, instead the police decided to admit him to the hospital to spare themselves from a mountain of paperwork that would be required had they arrested him. Since he was a threat to the authorities, he’s admitted for a mandatory 72-hour stay. Pepper receives a tour of the facilities from Dorry, a schizophrenic woman in her eighties who has been in the ward for decades. She knows all it’s secrets, specifically a wing that she warns Pepper must avoid at all costs.

The first night, Pepper is visited by a devilish creature with the head of a bison and the body of an old man. His life is spared when his room is entered by hospital staff and Pepper is given a cocktail of sedatives to calm him. When he awakens, days later, his experience is confirmed by other patients. A devil roams the halls of the hospital at night. Pepper teams up with three other patients in an attempt to rid the hospital of this horrid creature: Dorry, Coffee (a man with severe OCD who has been trying to warn the outside world of the dangers that reside in the hospital) and Loochie, a bi-polar teenage girl. Their attempts are thwarted by the pill-pushing hotel staff. Not helping their efforts are the meds they are forced to take: incredibly strong, mind-altering sedatives. When the identity of the “Devil” is confirmed, Pepper begins to wonder if they monster can be, or should be, killed.

At the surface, The Devil in Silver resembles your typical horror novel. In actuality, it’s not a horror novel in the least bit. Instead, it is a character study of three of the patients, an exploration into their own personal devils and demons. The transition from horror to a more standard set of fiction takes place midway through the book, a change that may throw off readers expecting something different. That said, this transition into an almost completely different piece of fiction is what makes this book stand apart, in this reader’s opinion. Lavalle explores a whole host of issues, satire and critique surrounding mental health institutions in our country. The reader will sympathize with the fate that has been dealt to these individuals who represent mentally ill patients as a whole. Additionally, the author attacks other key social issues head-on, including race relations, the current economic status of our country, and more.

So, for those of you interested in this book purely because it is labeled as a horror (as I was!) you may be disappointed. As an avid fan of horror, I was instantly drawn into the premise of the book: a monster roaming the halls of a mental institution. I wouldn’t say I was disappointed when the plot shifted, but I was certainly taken off guard. After turning the last page, I thought about this novel for nearly a week, trying to grasp and understand my thoughts after reading it. Ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised. A student of psychology and sociology, I commend Lavalle for this truly unique and wholly rewarding exploration of our society.

Bottom line: if you are looking for a standard horror novel, full of monsters and gore, keep walking. If you are looking for a completely rewarding character study of the human condition, of our society, pick up this novel. You will read it with eyebrows raised, questions looming in the back of you mind but hopefully, when the last page is turned, you will have the same experience I did. Highly recommended.

Posted in Literary Fiction, Review, Spiegel & Grau | Tagged mental institution, mental institutions, New York City, race relations | 5 Comments

Review: Freak by Jennifer Hillier

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Jenn

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books (August 7, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1451664540
Source: Publisher

Abby Maddox is a celebrity in the maximum security prison in which she’s been held since her release. Her claim to fame? Her boyfriend was Ethan Wolfe, a serial killer who brutally murdered over a dozen women. Abby’s serving a twenty-two year sentence for the brutal attack on Jerry Issac, a Seattle police officer, now private investigator. Jerry will never forget the attack for a brutal scar now marks his neck, forever altering his voice. This scar, a constant reminder, causes him physical pain and irritation whenever he thinks of Abby.

Also barely surviving the killing rampage is Puget Sound State professor Sheila Tao, a woman who succumbed to Ethan’s charm, allowing him to seduce her. Her life was spared…barely.

Abby now spends her time reading the dozens of fan letters. A new wave of killings may spare Abby from fulfilling her entire sentence. The killer left a message carved into each of his victims: Free Abby Maddox. Jerry, although no longer formally a part of the police department any longer, reluctantly agrees to join the investigation. He and Sheila Tao know Abby better than anyone…or so they think. They must put their fears and hatred for Abby behind them in order to put an end to the killing spree. It’s a Catch-22; allowing Abby to get one step closer to freedom in order to stop the killer at large.

Freak is rich with incredibly detailed and developed characters, individuals fans of Hillier’s previous book, Creep have grown to admire or, as in some cases, despise. While many sophomore books often fail at grabbing the reader’s attention, Freak instead actually expands upon, enhancing the bond readers have with the main characters. A year has passed since the incredibly devastating killing spree of Ethan Wolfe and Jerry and Sheila are still recovering from the after effects of Ethan’s horror-filled rampage. They have both experienced a great deal of healing and recover but still have far to go.

Filled with action from page one, Freak is an adrenaline-inducing, heart-pounding delight of a read. Hillier’s writing is intense, her knowledge of police and legal procedures spot-on, lending to the overall believability and addictiveness of this novel.

One can’t help but see parallels between Hillier’s Abby Maddox and Chelsea Cain’s Gretchen Lowell, but the differences are vast enough that the reader can see marked differences in the writing of these two incredibly talented writers. Hillier’s writing isn’t as graphic or morbid as Cains, thereby making it a suitable starting point for someone wanting to take the leap into psychological thrillers.

This reader personally cannot wait for more from this author, a woman who has successfully made a name for herself in the world of thriller fiction. Highly recommended.

Posted in Gallery Books | Tagged Seattle, serial killer | 4 Comments