Posts

Posted on

#BookReview: Unstuck by Stephanie Stuckey

Fascinating And *Southern* Tale Of Near-Death Of Road trip Staple. Stephanie Stuckey has led a life few Georgians have. She is a scion of a family that had become somewhat rich and somewhat powerful over the last century, whose grandfather once proclaimed (per Stuckey, here in the text) that he had made more money than his grandchildren could ever spend (but which they did, again, per Stuckey here), whose father had been a Congressman and who herself had been a State Representative for nearly 15 years. Both she and her father are UGA alumni, both from well before the era where the HOPE scholarship made such an achievement much more doable for many Georgians.

All of this is included here, but really, this is the tale of the ascent to those heights… and the downfall from them, as changes mostly made by others – as well as a few mistakes made within the company – led to near non-existence of the family company, fortune, and even legacy.

Herein lies a quintessential Southern tale of Southern family and business acumen, of a legacy built, nearly destroyed, and of one woman’s fight to restore that legacy to all that it had once been… and maybe, just maybe… even increase it for her own children.

The story is told with all of the grace, grit, and wonder of a granddaughter who clearly grew up living at least some of the history involved, but only much later in life finding out all that she *didn’t* know, including just how fundamental the black community was to her (white) grandfather’s success in the era of Jim Crow, and how mutually beneficial and respectful the relationships there were. Up to and including Civil Rights activists actively encouraging their people to stop at Stuckey’s, knowing that they would be treated with the respect they didn’t always get in the South in that era.

As someone who has also uncovered lost family history later in life – and who has lived in some of the regions this tale centers around, as well as, yes, having sampled quite a few of the family’s candies-, this was a story I could connect with on several levels, even as my own family was… let’s go with “not quite so fortunate” over the years, to the point that when I graduated from Kennesaw State University near the turn of this Millennium, I was the first in my family to have graduated college at all.

Overall truly a triumphant and hopeful tale, well told with the respect, humor, and candor one doesn’t always get in such deeply personal tales fraught with such sensitive topics as race relations in the South. Very much recommended.

This review of Unstuck by Stephanie Stuckey was originally written on May 24, 2024.

Posted on

#BookReview: Down With The System by Serj Tankian

Fascinating And Humble Blend Of Personal Memoir, Cultural/ Personal History, and Activism. Serj Tankian burst into the public scene 25 years ago as the lead singer of System Of A Down – the band that had the number one album on 9/11, days before Tankian wrote a reflection on that day that nearly destroyed everything they had built.

This… is his story. We get to that day, but we get a long build up to it, explaining everything that had led him to that point in his life, including his grandparents’ survival of the Arminian Genocide in the WWI era through his dad’s legal troubles in Tankian’s teens and early adulthood, through his initial work creating a software company, finding music, eventually forming System… and then his life with and after System.

Through it all, Tankian’s activism to bring light to the horrors of the Arminian Genocide is never far from pretty well literally anything he is writing about in that moment. It is clear that it truly forms the backbone of his identity and everything he considers himself to be about – and truly, as the grandson of two survivors of WWII’s Battle of the Bulge, I actually can appreciate the personal family history, even as the particulars of our families are so very different.

Indeed, even our reactions to 9/11 were distinctly different, as Tankian was an immigrant from the Middle East region in his 30s on that day and I was an 18yo American fresh out of high school rocking out to Toxicity that summer before that day. I don’t remember my reaction to Tankian’s post that day, if I ever even saw it or heard of the public outcry. My own reaction was better summed up first by Alan Jackson’s Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning) (which I *finally* had a chance to hear him perform live in 2022) and the (sadly now late) great Toby Keith’s “Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue”. I was a college junior that day, even though I had just graduated high school at the beginning of that summer, but still an 18yo male with a US Selective Service card – the knowledge that if America went to war, I could be called to fight in it very, *very* real on my mind in the immediate aftermath.

But that day and the fallout are but a small part of this book, though it *is* discussed. The overarching tale being, again, that of Tankian’s work bringing publicity to the Arminian Genocide and his efforts to get to get the world to force Turkey to so much as acknowledge their crimes of that era and all that it has led to, including a new war in Armenia this decade that Turkey had a hand in, according to Tankian.

Overall this was truly an interesting look at a remarkable life that many of us had heard of before, but I suspect few of us indeed knew of the depth of the passion involved here and everything Tankian has done.

Very much recommended.

This review of Down With The System by Serj Tankian was originally written on May 24, 2024.

Posted on

#BookReview: Rings Of Fire by Larry J. Hughes

Winding Tale Of Americans Coming Together To Capture The Earth. Why does every nonfiction book about the American side of WWII these days have to proclaim that whatever it is talking about “helped win WWII”???? Because let’s face it – with many things, such a claim is tenuous at best, and perhaps the most glaring weakness of this text is that while the calcite is shown to be an important tool of the war, it is never truly established how it “helped win” the war. Indeed, the book as written does a far superior job of establishing how this calcite crystal that everything in the book revolves around was crucial in capturing “Earthrise”, the famed Apollo-era shot of the Earth from orbit around the moon, than it does in establishing how this particular technology “helped win WWII”.

Beyond the criticism of the subtitle though, this truly was a well documented examination of how a group of Americans that couldn’t actively fight in the war – though some later did just that – still found a remarkable and obscure way to contribute to the overall war effort. Essential, during times of total war such as WWII. It also shows how these people – and the Polaroid Company – would advance knowledge of optics and sights to levels unknown before, and how such advances really did need such a wildly disparate group of people all around the country to work together to achieve a common goal.

Ultimately, this book is about teamwork and the “can-do” spirit that American propagandists of this and later eras were so ardently promoting – even into the modern era, in some circles – as much as it is the science and tech of the calcite and optics. So take that for what you will, though I will say that this book never actually feels like a propaganda piece. If anything, it feels so *real*, like you’re actually there as these events are happening. That is clearly thanks to Hughes’ research as well as the way he chose to write this narrative, and speaks well for his abilities in both arenas.

Overall an interesting book with perhaps a few quibbles here and there, but one esoteric enough that few (relatively, at least) will likely read it – even though it really does show a glimpse of an America and Americans rarely seen in reporting of this era. Very much recommended.

This review of Rings Of Fire by Larry J. Hughes was originally written on May 23, 2024.

Posted on

#BookReview: Willie, Waylon, And The Boys by Brian Fairbanks

Well Researched Book Does Exactly What The Description Says It Does. You know how at times you read a book’s description and then you read the book and you want to know what the writer of the description was smoking when they wrote it and if you can have some of it, because the two were *nothing* alike? Yeah… this isn’t that book.

Here, you get *exactly* what the description (at least as of the writing of this review in the pre-dawn hours of May 12, 2024 along Florida’s Atlantic Coast) tells you you’re going to get: A well documented historical look at the lives of the Highwaymen – Waylon Jennings – where the narrative starts on the fateful night that he missed the plane on “The Day The Music Died” -, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. We see each of their origins, we see how their careers progressed individually, and we see the fateful moment they all came together for a few legendary years. And in the end, we see how their lives and their music have impacted Country Music through the years, with a particular focus on 2010-current alt-country / Americana acts like Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Shooter Jennings, Brandie Carlisle, and others. Again, exactly what the description says we’re going to get.

Overall the writing is well done – there’s a lot of facts and a lot of quotes, but it never really feels like dense academic oriented text or a philosophical treatise, while still not being quite “conversational”. Yes, the focus on certain acts and the clear derision of others in the end is perhaps quite divisive – even much of the “Bro Country” the author clearly despises cite many of the Highwaymen as direct influences, and yes, it can be heard in their sounds as well – but again, we knew from the description which modern acts this text was going to highlight. So take that as you will and make your choice to read or avoid this text knowing exactly that – you know up front exactly where this is going.

Very much recommended.

This review of Willie, Waylon, And The Boys by Brian Fairbanks was originally written on May 12, 2024.

Posted on

#BookReview: Under The Palms by Kaira Rouda

Sequel Perfectly Flows From Prior Book. This is one of those books where everything I said about its prior book, Beneath The Surface, still feels spot on for this book as well. This is the continuing saga of one family and their business empire and the machinations as the patriarch of the family faces his coming death and everyone else is biting at the bit to become his chosen successor. The atmosphere switches from a yacht off shore near Catalina Island to a resort onshore… as the Santa Anna winds kick up, with all of their usual effects on both land and people (at least per so many books and even some real life reports I’ve seen, I’ve never lived in Southern California or indeed anywhere west of the Alabama/ Georgia State Line).

Because this flows so perfectly from Beneath The Surface, you really do need to read that book first. But once you do, you’re likely going to be glad that this book is already available – I read almost 130 books between reading them both as Advance Review Copies.

Whatever you feel about dark family/ boardroom dramas is how you’re going to feel about this series as it currently exists, as both books have really identical feels. Rouda actually did a truly superb job in doing so well with the first book and then managing to clone the stylings so effectively in this tale while telling a similar yet distinct tale the furthers the overall universe – and even allows for some intriguing possibilities for any potential Book 3.

Overall a very fun book, and also on the shortish side at under 300 pages. Very much recommended.

This review of Under The Palms by Kaira Rouda was originally written on May 9, 2024.

Posted on

#BookReview: Ten Kids Two Lovebirds And A Singing Mermaid by Cathy Lamb

Hilarious And Heartwarming. This is one of those tales that is very adult, yet told primarily through the eyes of children. Thus, when certain things happen – always behind closed doors, in these cases – the actual manner of storytelling gets particularly creative, no matter what adult situation the “certain things” may be. And yet we get a complete tale of wonder and heartache and healing into something even better than before, told with a skill and care that shows true talent and empathy.

In a way, yes, this is reminiscent of The Brady Bunch in that two families each with several kids ultimately come together. But the actual manner this is done in and the actual story told to get us to that point, even from its earliest stages, is also dramatically different than that old show – and yet, this tale does take place in a somewhat idealized late 1970s California, one where cheating, abuse, the Vietnam War, and drug abuse happen, but one where the Vietnam protests, gas crises, and other larger issues largely have not.

Truly an excellent tale with a rare twist in storytelling mechanism, and for that alone this is easily worth reading.

Very much recommended.

This review of Ten Kids, Two Lovebirds, And A Singing Mermaid by Cathy Lamb was originally written on May 8, 2024.

Posted on

#BookReview: Let’s Pretend This Will Work by Maddie Dawson

Messy Magical Maddie Dawson Book. One of the reasons I so love Dawson’s writing is because even her main characters are usually *far* from perfect – but manage to live their lives and largely achieve their goals anyway, even as we come to love them for their flaws. This book is no different, with the dose of magical realism at play here being a brief visit to a psychic that sets in play several of the decisions our main character ultimately makes. Obviously, if you’re looking for some pure paragon of whatever ideal you may have… Dawson’s books aren’t the place to find those kind of characters, and this being a Dawson book, well, like I said already… not the kind of characters you’re going to find here.

But I really do love that Dawson always manages to bring it around to a happy ending… even when it isn’t the ending the character thought they would get at the beginning of the book (hello, character growth! story arc! etc :D) and perhaps isn’t the ending the reader saw for that character, but still ultimately works within the story told to that point.

If you like quirky /funky / off beat / off the wall / decent amount of WTF moment kind of tales, you’re going to enjoy this book. If you’re more a tried and true straight arrow type, eh, *I* still enjoyed this book, but you may not.

Overall a fun book and another solid entry in Dawson’s catalog. Very much recommended.

This review of Let’s Pretend This Will Work by Maddie Dawson was originally written on May 8, 2024.

Posted on

#BookReview: Summers At The Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

Not A Casual “Beach Read”. With the cover and even a common understanding of the description, one might think going into this tale that it is a breezy easy beach read. Well, I’m of the belief that any book you read at a beach is a beach read, but this book takes some effort. If you’re looking for a simple tale… this aint that.

What this *is* though is a solid tale of survival on so many different levels. Yes, you have the tale of the struggle to save the resort that the description points out. But there is also *so much more* here, and the problems at the resort go *so much deeper* than is initially believed.

At first, this seems to be a tale of the resort manager building her team, Nick Fury building the Avengers style. As this slow burn story continues though, we see that not everything is as it seems, and Nick may have found Loki posing as Thor rather than the actual Thor…

Ultimately, all of the separate characters and threads do come together in a wonderful tapestry, but it takes a while to see the full picture of all that is happening and why, but for those that demand books that wrap up everything… this *is* one of those tales, at least.

Very much recommended.

This review of Summers At The Saint by Mary Kay Andrews was originally written on May 8, 2024.

Posted on

#BlogTour: The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan

For this blog tour, we’re looking at . For this blog tour, we’re looking at The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan.

First, the review I posted to the book sites (BookHype.com / BookBub.com / TheStoryGraph.com / Goodreads.com):

Slow, Character Driven Coastal Tale Featuring Flawed Yet Understandable Characters. Yes, to an extent if you’ve read one Sarah Morgan non-Christmas tale, you’ve read every Sarah Morgan non-Christmas tale. (And her Christmas tales are simply a variant on the non-Christmas ones, featuring some extra Christmas emphasis of some form.) This noted, what Sarah Morgan does, she does solidly and has clearly built a fan base for a reason, and this is yet another example of why her formula works so well.

Here, yet again, we get three generations of female leads, with the guys mostly playing romantic foils of some form or another, and each of our female leads has her own dramas and insecurities and, yes, mistakes. Of course, in typical Sarah Morgan fashion… well, let’s not give away her endings in this review, shall we? Let’s instead say that the Hallmarkie type crowd will generally enjoy these books, even though the Sarah Morgan formula is at least *slightly* different than that one.

Overall a solid tale solidly written, and a perfectly fine, inoffensive, casual “summer” / “beach” read (that, to be clear, can truly be enjoyed any time). Very much recommended.

After the jump, an excerpt from the book followed by the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan”

Posted on

#BookReview: Blackbird by Kay Bratt

Kay Bratt Goes “North Ga Dark”. Ok, so what the hell do you mean by “North Ga Dark”, Sexton? Well, growing up even “in the country” in North Ga, specifically the Atlanta exurbs (then, now northern suburbs), even on a pitch black, moonless night… you still had the glow of Atlanta and its suburbs over the horizon. Thus, even at nature’s absolute darkest… there was still *some* light, if well over the horizon and very faint.

And that is what Bratt has introduced here, with both our longer term story and one of the active cases in this story now focusing on themes of abuse in various forms. To be clear, this is one of those stories that will be quite difficult for some, perhaps many, readers – but as usual, Bratt manages to handle even these themes with a care not every other writer decides to put into their story, for any number of reasons. So while the evil is very present and menacing *in story*, it is more like a shark menacing – if you’re in its domain (ie, a character in this book, for the book evil, or pretty much anything in most any body of salt water, for the shark), you’re going to feel its presence and you should probably take appropriate precautions. The easiest of which for most of us is simply… stepping away from its domain for a bit. In which case, sitting on the beach with a good book is probably a solid idea for both. (With your beverage of choice, for when you need to step away from the book if it gets too menacing for you… as you ponder the water and the menaces within it. :D)

As with a few other reviewers, I noticed the lack of direct family involvement in this book, which had previously been a long-running staple of the series. And am I just forgetting (it has been 75+ books for me between Book 8 of this series, Starting Over, and this one), or did a certain sequence that was (somewhat briefly at that) explained as happening before the events of this book not actually happen in the previous book? Because I don’t remember that particular scene in that book, and I think I would have commented on at least its presence – even if somewhat obliquely to avoid any outright spoilers. If this is indeed the case, this was likely the most egregious miss of this entire series. While the series didn’t need a full on “Return Of The King” massive *event* for this particular scene… it still would have been great to see it “in real time”. (Note: While writing this review, I did go back to my copy of Starting Over and confirm that it did not include this particular scene. It included a blatant setup for the scene, but not the scene itself. So I stand behind my comment that this was a major miss, and a glaring hole from an author not generally known for such obvious misses.)

All of this noted, this *was* a supremely enjoyable and fast read, and it absolutely sets up for Bratt to either conclude the series (as was originally intended with Starting Over) with Book 10 – Hello Little Girl, out Summer 2024 – or possibly extend it again. It will be interesting to see which direction Bratt takes, particularly given that she seems to be actively writing that book at the time of me writing this review. Very much recommended.

This review of Blackbird by Kay Bratt was originally written on May 1, 2024.