The Golden Voice

The Golden Voice is the story of a Cambodian singer by the name of Ros Sergey Sothea.  She was popular during the Vietnam War era, otherwise known in Cambodia as the American War. She disappeared, though, in the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge. Sothea began her working career as a rice farmer but became famous as a rock and roll musician in the 1960s and 1970s. She was also a recording artist who captured the hearts of the Cambodian people. Sothea recorded over 500 songs with her signature angelic voice in several genres from bolero to romantic ballads to psychedelic rock. When Cambodia exploded into a brutal civil war, Sothea's singing career remained prolific, even when she joined the army as one of the country's first female paratroopers. After years of bloody conflict, the communist Khmer Rouge seized control, bringing Cambodia's golden age of music into a dark era of silence. Most artists, including Ros Serey Sothea, were murdered.  Her legacy, however, continues to inspire Cambodians today.

This is an eye opening biography. I did not know anything about Cambodia during the Vietnam War era because I was just a kid while it was going on.  It was sad to read about the conditions that people had to live with. 

The author's added links to songs Sothea recorded in the front of the book. This was ingenious!  I have read biographies of other musicians that did not have this feature and the musicians meant nothing to me. Being able to hear Sothea's singing made her seem more real and complemented my reading experience. The authors also added links throughout the story to Sothea's playlist so the reader can listen to them. I loved this feature. 

The characters spoke three different languages:  French, English and Khmer.  It wasn't always apparent which side some of the characters were on. By using different colored dialogue boxes the authors made it easy for the reader. Pink boxes were used for Khmer,  blue boxes for French speakers and yellow boxes for  English. Again, another ingenious feature.

The Golden Voice is the best graphic biography I have ever read. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Chicago The Great Retirement Resource

I met the authors of this book at Chicago's Printer's Row Lit Fest earlier this year.  They were fantastic salesmen and I purchased the book from them there.  The two of them also co-authored another retirement book that they said covers everything imaginable about retirement. I was told that the Chicago version of their first book would contain the same information, including financial information.  

This Chicago retirement resource does not have financial information.  That did not bother me because I do not need that type of information.  At the time of the Lit Fest I had not decided on retiring but ended up doing so earlier this month.  This book has some great information on things to do and see in Chicago.  However, since I have a mobility impairment most of these activities are not within the realm of possibility for me.  I was disappointed.  There is tons of information on a wide variety of activities for healthy folks and the TABs (temporarily able bodied as we call them in the disability community), but leaves out accessibility information entirely.

While I am  disappointed with the book, I realize that only someone with a disability would be able to write such a guidebook for people with disabilities.  I wonder whether I should fill in this gap and write my own retirement resource book for my community.  After all, I already know what is possible and would not have to do much research. However, I am not feeling the oomph right now for writing a book.  Perhaps later.

Since this book has a lot of good ideas for things to become involved with I will rate the book a 3 out of 5 stars.

Where Were You?

Alot of my friends and I have been chatting this morning about where we were when we heard that our 35th President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.  It's something we always remember to talk about every November 22 but today is more special.  It is the 60th anniversary of the assassination.

Where was I?  I was five years old and a student in kindergarten. None of the class was allowed to leave school because there were fears that the Soviet Union would immediately send missiles our way.  School administrators did not want us to be injured or killed as we walked home from school. Mind you, I lived in a tiny suburb of Chicago that, at the most, is one square mile. It has always been hard for me to believe that any of us would have been in danger because we would have gotten home in 5 minutes.  The students were herded into a gymnasium and told to get into the tornado duck and cover position.  

My school day normally ended in mid afternoon but I did not get home until 9 pm.  The school secretary typed up releases from liability statements for each parent to sign so that the school would not be liable if those Soviet missiles were dropped on us on the way home.  I had never been outside after dark and the sky was incredibly dark at 9 pm.  I was afraid.

The next day my entire family was sitting in the living room watching TV coverage of the assassination.  I remember seeing Lee Harvey Oswald on TV stating that he did not kill President Kennedy and that he did not know who did.  He was then taken into the back of the police station in Dallas.  I think this news clip was a replay from the previous day but I am not sure.  Because I live in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, I could not distinguish between the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and Kennedy. We are taught at an early age that the 16th president was from our state and we learned a lot of Lincoln lore over the years.  On November 23, 1963 I remember asking my mother if Oswald killed Lincoln.  I also asked her if that was James Wilkes Booth on the TV.  I was then told to go into the kitchen.  I guess that is when Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby.  I don't remember seeing him shot but I was definitely standing behind the chairs my parents were sitting in as they watched TV. 

This is my "where were you" story. I think that people my age have a fatalistic look out on life because we were raised to believe that the Soviets would drop a nuclear bomb on us and we would all die. Over the years as I have talked with friends about our childhood we all have said the same thing; that we would die before we were 40 because a nuclear war would happen.  It feels amazing to me that I am now 65 and am alive and kicking.  My siblings, who are 6, 7 and 10 years older than me, have a completely different perspective on November 22. However, the entire country was united in grief in a way that has never happened since then.  9/11 was close, but not the same.

So, my question for you is, where were you on November 22, 1963? 

White Faced Lies

In China, local companies hire white (but not necessarily qualified) Americans to lend them credibility. Cons such as these, known as "face jobs", are instances in which Chinese companies hire foreigners to pose as professionals to lend credibility during meetings, press conferences, and other events where "face" is paramount. This fictional account of one man's experience working in this industry is the subject matter of the book.

Veteran "face-jobber" Stanley Becker has been in China for ten years trying to earn money to build a ranch in China. When a young man, Jared, approaches him and explains that Stanley is his long-lost father, Stanley lets him tag along on jobs. Since some of these jobs are considered two man jobs by employers, Stanley had to find someone anyway to work with him who doesn't need the money.  Stanley needs the entire payment for these jobs in order to keep his ranch so he lets Jared pretend to be his assistant. There is just one problem though. A Chinese factory worker whose brother died from drinking tainted soda wants revenge from the CEO of the soda manufacturer. Stanley posed as this CEO on one of his jobs.

The writers, Eric Flanagan and Sam Voutas, are filmmakers. The book's plot was originally intended to be a movie script. When they realized that China was not a viable shooting location, they decided to make their story into a graphic novel.  It is a funny, fast read that shows how much research they did into this industry.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Importance of Pawns

I have not read any books written by Keira Morgan before.  In fact, I never heard of her until I was searching for a book title with a chess piece in the title for the What's in a Name Reading Challenge.  Two date, she has published two novels and a third will be published soon.  Morgan writes historical fiction and does it well.  The Importance of Pawns was a satisfying read.

The publisher's summary:

Step into the lavish world of sixteenth-century French court, where danger lurks beneath the glittering facade. In this enthralling tale, Claude, a queen in name only, must navigate treacherous waters to outwit her rival, win her husband to her side, save her sister, and assert her power. Amidst the backdrop of a dying queen, Claude and young Renée find themselves as heiresses to the coveted duchy of Brittany.

Their guardian, Countess Louise, harbors envy and schemes to steal their inheritance. With cunning and ambition, she plans to marry off Claude to her own son, seizing the opportunity presented by her unexpected guardianship. But standing in Countess Louise's way is Baronne Michelle, a devoted protector of the princesses and their interests.

As political tensions escalate, the futures of Princess Renée and the Baronne hang precariously, threatened by the countess's machinations. Will timid Claude unravel the treacherous intrigues woven by Countess Louise? Can she outmaneuver her and safeguard young Princess Renée? And most importantly, will she find the courage to defend those she loves?

"The Importance of Pawns" is a gripping historical fiction novel inspired by real events and characters. It weaves a timeless tale of envy, power, and intrigue, where loyalty and the strength of women's friendships are put to the ultimate test. From revenge and deceit to love and bravery, this mesmerizing story will hold you captive until the very last page.

Join in this remarkable journey where history comes alive. Discover the indomitable spirit of Claude and her fight for justice. Immerse yourself in a world where alliances are fragile, secrets abound, and the strength of one woman's resolve can change everything.

The story takes place in 16th century Renaissance France. I enjoyed reading about the sumptuous banquets, gowns and chateaux apartments of this era.  I had not heard about any of these characters in history before and believe that Ms. Morgan is the first author to write about them.  In this respect, she made a great choice to write about them.

So, who were the pawns in the story?  Just about every character is a pawn of someone else.  In general, the ladies were pawns of the men but they were the greatest manipulators of events and overshadowed the men.  Louise and Michelle were the biggest manipulators but they themselves were manipulated by others. Princess Claude and her young sister Renee were the biggest pawns in this story. Claude eventually overcame her timidity in the last chapter. Renee was too young to gain mastery over her life.

The book ended abruptly with Claude entering her confinement. It was an odd place to end a story.  The reader does not know if she gave birth to a boy or girl of whether the child lived.  Even if there was a sequel to this novel, this was still a weird place to end. Thus, I am rating the book 4 out of 5 stars.    

2024 Net Galley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

I am a new member of Net Galley so I thought I would join this Challenge. The Socrates Book Reviews blog is currently hosting this challenge. This challenge was created by Emily@Falling for YA, then moved to Katrina@Bookish Things & More (site no longer available), then moved to Reading Between the Pages and now resides at Socrates Book Reviews.  I am joining at the Bronze level which requires that 10 books be read. 

The challenge rules:

1)    The challenge runs from January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024. There is no deadline to sign up.

2)    Everyone is welcome to participate – you do not need to have a blog.

3)    Any genre, release date, length, etc. counts – it just needs to be a book from NetGalley or Edelweiss.

4)    Books can count for more than one challenge that you are participating in.

5)    The first day of each month the challenge host will post a monthly “link-up” for you to link your reviews. If you forget one month, no worries, just catch up the next month.

The Levels

Bronze – 10 Books

Silver – 25 Books

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum– 75 Books

Diamond – 100 Books

To sign-up:

1)    Make a blog post stating the level you intend to read in 2024 and link that blog post to the Challenge's sign-up page.  The first Link should be your name, the url should be the direct link to that blog post, not your main blog page.

2)    If you do not have a blog then state your reading level in the comments below and how you will be sharing your book reviews.

Thanksgiving Treachery

Tonya Kappes' Thanksgiving Treachery is her 7th holiday cozy mystery. It was published earlier this month on November 2, 2023.  The story takes place in the quaint town of Holiday Junction, where traditions run deep and festivities are the heart of the community.  When the prominent Harden family is struck by tragedy, everyone becomes a suspect. It’s up to journalist, Violet Rhinehammer of the Junction Journal, to unearth the truths buried beneath layers of deception and old grudges.  As Violet delves deeper, she discovers secrets that entwine the art district with the village in ways she never imagined.  As Holiday Junction gears up for its Friendsgiving festivities, one question lingers—can the town’s cherished unity withstand the weight of treachery?

It took me a few pages to become interested in the story.  After two murders had taken place I was excited about the prospect of a serial killer being on the loose.  However, I was disappointed with the investigation of the murders.  The police did not do any investigation at all.  It was 100% investigated by Violet under her responsibilities as a journalist.  Her interviews with the many characters in the story was the investigation. Violet advised the police when she made discoveries but in the end, there was no arrest.  The reveal of the whodunnit in the last chapter was satisfying but did not make up for the problems of having too many characters to keep track of and corny place names and character names that I found annoying.

1 out of 5 stars.

2024 Cruisin' Through the Cozies Reading Challenge

I will be rejoining the Cruisin' Through the Cozies Reading Challenge next year.  While I do not read many cozies, this is still one of my favorite challenges.  I have several favorite authors who write this genre and whatever they publish, I read.  I will be joining the challenge by reading any cozy mystery of my choice and at the Snoop level which requires that 10 books be read during the year.  The rules are as follows:

1)    The challenge runs the 2024 calendar year.

2)    You do not have to choose your books in advance.  If you decide to do so, please make a list of the books that you plan on reading and add them in your post about this challenge.

3)    Books can be in any format:  audio, paper or ebook.

4)    You do not have to write a review and can add in the comment section of the challenge host's post the name of the books that you have read.  If you have a blog, link the review the the challenge host's review page. 

5)    You can either read any cozy mysteries of your choice or choose one book from each of these sub-genres:

    a)    culinary

    b)    animal related

    c)    craft related

    d)    paranormal

    e)    based outside the U. S.

    f)    career based

    g)    travel mystery

    h)    historical mystery

    i)   one book form any sub-genre of your choice

The reading levels that you can join the challenge at are:

1)    Snoop:  read 10 books

2)    Investigator:  read 20 books

3)    Super Sleuth: read 30 books

4)    Sleuth Extraordinaire:  read 40 books

This is a fun challenge.  Please join me!

The Infadel Stain

I selected The Infadel Stain for the Color Coded Reading Challenge as something that denotes a color. When I spill food on my clothes it definitely changes its color so I thought this would fit the category. The book is a part of a new series by Miranda Carter. In this installment of the series, Blake and Avery investigate a serial killer who is stalking the streets of London.

The publisher's summary:  

London, 1841. Returned from their adventures in India, Jeremiah Blake and William Avery have both had their difficulties adapting to life in Victorian England. Moreover, time and distance have weakened the close bond between them, forged in the jungles of India. Then a shocking series of murders in the world of London’s gutter press forces them back together.

The police seem mysteriously unwilling to investigate, then connections emerge between the murdered men and the growing and unpredictable movement demanding the right to vote for all. In the back streets of Drury Lane, among criminals, whores, pornographers, and missionaries, Blake and Avery must race against time to find the culprit before he kills again.

But what if the murderer is being protected by some of the highest powers in the land?

I preferred the India setting in the first book to the wet and gray London we have in this book. India is exotic but London is rather dull. The investigation into the whodunnit seemed less interesting because the India setting gave me more options for villains and red herrings.  Moving the characters out of India was a mistake in my mind.

The setting change also affected Blake and Avery's relationship and their ability to resolve clues.  While they were in India, Avery needed Blake’s fluency in multiple languages and his extensive knowledge of the cultures. In London, Blake seems to have fewer investigative tools. 

This installment of the series was a miss for me and I will not be reading the series any further. 2 out of 5 stars.

Black River

I have never read any books written by Matthew Spencer and, in fact, never heard of him.  While I was searching for a book with the word "black" in the title for the Color Coded Reading Challenge I found Black River.  It is a serial killer story that takes place in Australia.  Black River is the first book in a duology and it is the author's debut novel.

During a stifling summer in Sydney, the body of a chaplain’s daughter is found wrapped in black plastic on the deserted grounds of an elite boarding school. Eager to find the so-called Blue Moon Killer before he strikes again, Detective Sergeant Rose Riley forms an uneasy alliance with Adam Bowman, a journalist with a valuable, and unsettling, link to the school’s history. As Riley’s investigation takes her deep into the secret lives of Sydney’s prominent citizens, Bowman delves into the darkest places of his own childhood for answers.

I did not care for this book at all. There were too much setting and character descriptions. Also, I did not understand the Australian slang. Riley was always taking panadol and after seeing the word 4 times I went to Wikipedia to find out what it was. It's Tylenol. The book is advertised as "dark, gritty, tense and atmospheric."  I see the dark part but not the tension. It was boring.

I am sad to have to give a low rating of 1 out of 5 stars. The author spent alot of time writing the story but it just didn't suit me.

Stacking the Shelves #29

Cleo Coyle's Bulletproof Barista will be published next week on November 14, 2023.  She is one of my favorite authors so I have pre-ordered a copy of the book.  Cleo Coyle is the pen name of the husband and wife writing team of Alice Alfonso and Marc Cerasini and together they write the Coffeehouse Mystery Series.  I have read every book in the series and all were fantastic. Below is the publisher's summary of installment #20 of the series:

When a film crew’s location shoot delivers an actual shooting, Clare Cosi finds herself at the scene of a true crime in this showstopping entry in the beloved Coffeehouse Mysteries from New York Timesbestselling author Cleo Coyle.

Only Murders in Gotham, the smash-hit streaming program, is famous for filming in authentic New York locations and using real New Yorkers as extras. For its second season, they’ve chosen to spotlight the century-old Village Blend and its quirky crew of baristas. Shop manager and master roaster Clare Cosi is beyond thrilled, especially when her superb bulletproof coffee lands her a craft services contract for the production.
 
Madame, the eccentric octogenarian owner of the landmark shop, reveals an old kinship with the star of the show, comedian Jerry Sullivan. Now a Hollywood legend, Jerry frequented the Blend during his early years performing in Greenwich Village comedy clubs. But the past may hold more than nostalgia for Jerry. Suspicious accidents begin plaguing his shoot. Then a real bullet is fired from a stage gun, and Clare becomes convinced something sinister is afoot.
 
While Jerry’s production moves to exciting new locations, Clare keeps the coffee flowing—and her investigation going—even as a murderer lurks in the wings. But can she root out the rotten player in this Big Apple production before the lights go out on her?

If you haven't read this series yet I highly recommend it.  While each book can be read as a standalone, I suggest that the books be read in order because there is a lot of character growth in each installment of the series.  Give it a try!

2024 Monthly Key Word Reading Challenge

I am rejoining the Monthly Key Word Reading Challenge next year. Researching books that fit the key words has been a pleasure for me each month.  The rules are easy: 

1)    The challenge runs the 2024 calendar year. 

2)    Read a book each month with one (or more) of the key words in the titl

3)    Variations of key words are permissible. For example:  Drown, drowned, and Drowning are all OK for the word "drown."

4)    Post your reviews on any platform using the hashtag #keywordreadingchallenge.

5)    Follow @chapter_adventure on Instagram and Threads if you use these sites.

6)    Consider joining the challenge hosts Goodreads Group GXO Reading Challenges.

The key words for each month are as follows:

JAN– Secret, Heaven, True, House, Come, Only, Know, Winter⁠

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FEB– Heir, Night, Bride, Down, Women, Hand, Teach, Guest⁠

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MAR– Story, Hunt, Plot, City, You, Cry, Another, Paint⁠

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APR– Darling, Funny, Familiar, Somewhere, List, Meet, Never, Word⁠

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MAY– Library, Dark, Drown, Ex, Iron, Done, Love, Stranger⁠

⁠

JUN– Ink, Fragile, Road, Summer, Breath, Every, Push, Sorry⁠

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JUL– Mine, Again, Honey, Paradise, Still, Club, Train, Legend⁠

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AUG– School, Cut, Sky, Fate, Wing, Belong, Justice, Way⁠

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SEP– Twice, World, Man, Quiet, Sweet, Hold, Shallow, Invisible⁠

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OCT– Vampire, Here, Mist, Death, One, Missing, Bite, Witch⁠

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NOV– Spice, Life, Hello, Keep, Truly, Couple, Joy, Young⁠

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DEC– Snow, Season, Ice, Merry, White, Under, Mistletoe, Inn⁠

Sisters by the Sea

Sisters by the Sea consists of four short Amish fiction stories.  All are written by Wanda Brunstetter or a family member of hers.  Each story is about one of four sisters who move to Sarasota, Florida from Middlebury, Indiana. The book was published last month. 

My favorite story was the first. The Seashell Cake was written by Wanda E. Brunstetter and features Leora Lambright as the main character.  Leora is the first to leave home, seeking a warmer climate because she has seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  While on a winter holiday, roofer John Miller meets Leora in the bakery where she is expressing herself through cake decorating.  John has a successful roofing business in Clare, Michigan. The two are instantly attracted to each other and spend several days bike riding, fishing, playing shuffleboard, and trying local restaurants.  Leora, however, makes it clear she’ll never again live in the Midwest without explaining why.

 

The second story, The Beach Ball, was written by Jean Brunstetter.  This story features the youngest Lambright daughter, Violet.  Violet has always been a bit wild. She moves to Florida to live with her sister Leora as she seeks her independence and considers leaving the Amish way of life. Violet meets an Amish man named Levi but later meets a Mennonite man who competes for her attention.

 

Fragments of a Sand Dollar by Richelle Brunstetter is the third story. It was my least favorite. Here we have Francine Lambright who is heartbroken that her longtime boyfriend, Matthew, is thinking of leaving the Amish faith in order to become a missionary.  Their two year courtship ended abruptly after his decision.  Francine is ready to join the church, but her sister Leora invites her to Florida for an extended visit before taking the pledge of faith. While shell hunting at Lido Beach, Francine meets Lucas Hayes, and they soon begin seeing each other, despite him being an Englisher. When Matthew shows up in Pinecraft unexpectedly, Francine finds herself in a quandary.

 

The fourth story, A Sarasota Sunset, was written by Lorine Brunstetter Van Corbach.  Another sister, Alana Lambright, has suffered a series of unfortunate accidents and emotional traumas that have left her plagued by anxiety. She turns to art for peace and healing. While on a visit to Leora in Florida, she takes up seashell artwork and accepts a job in a gift shop. James Miller, a recent college graduate, meets Alana, and, due to his own past, he is initially turned off by the fact that she is Amish. Still he invites Alana on adventurous outings. Alana tries to tamp her anxiety to try the activities but fails and feels like it pushes James away.

Each story is 100 pages in length so they are quick reads. The expertise in writing that we have come to expect from the Brunstetter family was met once again with this book. It's fantastic. The writing style of each author is so similar that you cannot see any difference from one story to the next. If you like Amish fiction you should pick up the book.

5 out of 5 stars.