Fiction Review: Harlem Shuffle

When I decided to read it for Black History Month, the first book I chose was Colson Whitehead’s “ Harlem Shuffle ,” a Christmas present for my husband. The Whitehead Underground (my opinion in the link) surprised me, and I couldn’t wait to read its latest version, which takes place in Harlem in the early 1960s.

Ray Carney has come a long way after a difficult childhood with a notorious alcoholic father and criminal. Ray runs a decent business, a furniture store on 125th Street in Harlem, with his name on display in gold letters, and is married to Elizabeth, whose parents live under the pseudonym Striver’s Row. Ray and his apartment look like the subway, but Ray dreams of a nice apartment on Riverside Drive overlooking the park. In 1959, their daughter Mae was born, and Elizabeth was pregnant with her second child. Ray’s business is going pretty well, but he feels constant pressure to pay all the bills, keep the business in the dark, so many people pay membership fees and want a better life for Elizabeth and her children. He grew up the brother of his brother Freddie, as his father often left him for a long time and remained with his aunt. He and Freddie are still close, although Freddie followed in Ray’s father’s footsteps and lived as a criminal. However, these are mostly small items, and when he occasionally offers Ray to sell “used TVs” at his store, Ray allows him to add them to legitimate used stocks and looks the other way. However, this time Freddie falls in love with the evil villains and attracts Ray, who offers his services as a barrier. The plans are to rob a luxury hotel in Harlem, and, as usual, the robbery is not going as planned. Everything happens, and Ray suddenly gets on the police radar and gets nervous because of a new criminal client ... but he makes more money. As he progresses, Ray rises in the world when he finds more and more problems in his beloved cousin. Ray is constantly moving between legal and criminal business, one foot in every world.

As always, Whitehead has a tremendous talent for attracting people to the site, place and time. In this case, the Harlem of the 1960s is so vivid and realistic that one can almost hear the sounds, smells, and fear and rage of racial riots. It penetrates all aspects of the scene and time, making you feel almost at home, and at the same time offers criminals and future black Harlem entrepreneurs (who are sometimes equally perverted). Ray is a complex and intriguing character who is trapped between two worlds, wanting to win the road in the real world and wanting to prove that he has nothing to do with his father, because he is attracted to such an attractive world of underground criminals. potential. This novel is successful on many levels: as a family drama, as a thrilling crime thriller, as a historical tale of an era of open racial conflict and a love letter to Harlem. I really enjoyed making this trip with Ray and his family.

318 pages, Double Day

This book addresses the challenges of reading in 2022 :

Pass the TBR call

Diversity Challenge (and February Mini Challenge - black)

New York (probably the first of many!) In the Literary Escape Challenge

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Listen to the audiobook here with a good story by Dion Graham and / or download it from Audible. This novel sounds great in sound!

 

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Middle-Grade Review: Margo Maloo - The Tangled Web

I'm a big fan of Drew Weing's creative and fun graphic novel series. I liked the first two parts of the series "The Terrible Cases of Margot Malu" and its continuation "Monster Mall" (my review is at the link). So I was excited to see the release of the third volume of The Terrible Case of Margo Malu: The Tangled Web . It was just as fun and exciting as the first two books!

Charles recently moved to Echo City when his parents bought a historic building there. When he finds a large troll living in a prison (and steals his Battlebeanz), Charles takes the advice of his new building friend, Kevin, and enlists the help of Margot Malu, a monster broker. It turns out that Echo City has a thriving community of monsters living in the shadows, underground, and in all sorts of unknown places. Margot, a bright and wild child, helps Charles with his troll problem and takes him under her wing as he promises to always protect adult monsters' secrets and help him solve human monsters' problems. In this third book, Margot is engrossed in her own project, so Charles is left alone. He and Kevin see a teenager online trying to cause trouble by exposing the monster's secret lair, and Charles finds a giant family of spiders on the brink of extinction as a result of a massive human extermination project. What could Carlo do alone? And how could he send a message to Margot?

Sample page from Margo Maloo: The Tangled Web

As usual, Weing brings a lot of smart and creative fun to this third installment. His colorful depictions of Echo City and its quirky monster inhabitants contain plenty of fun reading details. The unique design combined with a fun and captivating story will make you turn the page. And this time, with the spider rescued and dangers looming, there's an eternal mystery that can only mean... the fourth book! I can't wait to learn more about Margo, Charles and Kevin's adventures and their monster lore.

126 pages, first second

This book is part of the following 2022 reading contest :

Mountain Challenge TBR

Alphabet Soup Challenge - C

the challenge of diversity

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Middle-Grade Review: Set Me Free

For the middle-class redemption of March, I saw an immersive audio recording of a middle-class orphan novel (for the most challenging of all). Orphans are not as common as children's books, but I received more than orphans gave me. A unique and wonderful story about two deaf children in the early nineteenth century who had a different experience, told by Anne Claire Lisot .

Mary was born deaf at the age of 14 and deaf people were often abused. But Mary was born in Martha's vineyard to many deaf (which is historically true), so she was raised in a loving family, surrounded by a supportive community, and everyone spoke a unique sign language. Mary's friend Nora, who works for a wealthy family in Boston, asks Mary for help, a deaf eight-year-old girl in the house where Nora works. Mary works as a babysitter for her daughter away from home, and is known to the family as "The Girl". She wants to be a teacher for deaf children but is worried - is it possible to teach someone who doesn't speak the language at this age? When Mary arrived, she saw the girl sitting in a horrible state, behaving like an animal, and frightening her from the harsh wine she had left in her family's absence. Mary began trying to identify him and research his background, but the waiter did not want to interfere with him. Can he find his daughter and know enough about her management to save her?

It's a very interesting story in many ways! There is a lot of suspicion and excitement when Mary tries to help her daughter against her parents' wishes and when she leaves the house and stays with people who can't speak sign language. The story itself is original and compelling, and I was amazed by the incredible melody described by Nora Hunter, Mary's character's first voice. All of this is credited to the deaf community on Martha's Vineyard and Native Americans who have fascinating historical backgrounds on the island and the mainland. The author provided additional information about all of this and much more in the author notes at the end of the book, which is perfect because I explained some of the things mentioned in the book. The plot, the interesting mix of characters, and the impressive plot make for a great reading/listening experience.

Note: This is actually Lazo 's first novel about Marie.

288 pages, Grammy Press

Scientific sound

This book fits the following reading challenges for 2022 :

Diversity test

Literature Escape Test - Other Massachusetts

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Middle-Grade Review: The Graveyard Riddle

In mid-March , my choice for a recent novel fell on Lisa Thompson's grave, The Mystery of Goldfish 's Boyfriend (main character, Matthew). At this point, her focus is on Matthew's neighbor and friend, Melody, as she solves her family's matters and explores a secret in the cemetery near their home.

One day, while walking in a nearby cemetery with Dachshud, Frankie finds that Melody is completely hidden in the corner. Filled with grapes and herbs, he grew old and realized that Melody was the "house of insects", the remainder of the last century. Surprisingly, she found someone inside, a boy her age who lived there. Hal told Melody that he was a spy who visited the cemetery regularly and used the old house as a job. The man shared the hacked secret code with Melody. After a few visits, Melody began to believe and trust Hal and agreed to help him. Together they solve the puzzle. Meanwhile, Matthew does better than the first book, as he is currently undergoing OCD treatment. She still has a lot of problems, but now she can leave the house and go to school. But with her newfound freedom comes a new friend, a boy named Jack, who lives down the street, and Melody feels abandoned when the two boys spend so much time together. However, Melody and Matthew discover that Jack has been abused by an adult in his life. Then her mother threw a life-changing bomb on Melody. In the midst of it all, Melody Hall continues to help her solve the problem, and Matthew and Jack's suspicions begin to overshadow her.

Thompson has created another quirky secondary secret on this convivial road to England, with plenty of real-life issues thrown at each of his favorite characters. Like the first book, it's packed with a mix of neighbors and friends, but with a whole new focus on melodies and more mystery. Hints and tensions escalate, and the urgency of Jack and Melody's various crises leads to a satisfying outcome. The audiobook Rosie Jones read was really good and caught my eye (example below). The novel is fun and unique, and I enjoyed joining these kids on another adventure.

304 pages, scholastic

Scientific sound

This book addresses the next reading challenges for 2022 .

Magic soup test - G

Diversity test

Challenge the world through books -

Publication I received this book from the publisher for honest review. My review is my own opinion and will not be affected by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

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Fiction Review: This Tender Land

I've heard wonderful things about William Kent Krueger's novels over the years, but haven't read them. So I was very excited when our library system chose This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger as our territorial reading option for this spring. Her neighborhood book team then chose the novel as our April book. I was fascinated by this fascinating, moving and thrilling historical novel. I loved every minute and never wanted to finish it. Although I missed our discussion, I think my reading team agreed that this novel received one of our highest marks (8.4 out of 10).

It was 1932 and a group of orphans were living near the Gilead River at the Lincoln Indian Training School in southern Minnesota. Although most of the school's neighbors are American children (orphans or well-meaning parents or sent to school), two white siblings live there after their parents died four years ago. Odie O'Banio was twelve in 1932 and his older brother Albert was sixteen. Although Albert is an exemplary citizen, Odie still has a problem. But despite his behavior, Lincoln School is a scary and dangerous place to grow up. Director of the Ikastola. Brickman, who is commonly known to students as the Dark Wizard, is ruthless, and some of the adults he hires are even worse. He threatens to send her to Hate Reform School, so the brothers know they have to leave soon. When disaster strikes and things get more dangerous for the boys, they canoe their best friend to Moses. Moses is an Indian boy of Albert's age, who was found in a ditch next to his dead mother. As he grew older, he could no longer speak because his tongue was cut off. The school administration named him Musa because he was dropped out. One of the reasons he was so close to the O'Banion boys was that he learned sign language because what he learned as a child was deaf to his biological mother, which made him opened up his world. When the three boys go canoeing, a little girl arrives, promising to protect them. The four children descended, knowing that the river would cross the Minnesota River and finally the Mississippi River. They hoped to reach Saint Petersburg. Louis. Louis' aunts, Odie and Albert barely remember where they are. Along the way, they will meet very nice people, but also very dangerous people. Despite all this, Brickman's Law seeks them out, and the four children want one home and a place to live.

Their journey starts at 90 pages, and the length of the novel is around 450 pages, but I wanted to avoid the pleasures of summarizing the argument above (as usual), focusing on the background. But their journey is an epic journey of months and miles, and there are many lessons to be learned. There is a lot of tension here because the children face one problem after another: the risk of being arrested at some point, the risk of one life being ahead of another, the fear of being taken and return to existence, etc. . It is also a very thoughtful novel as each child grapples with personal, family and destiny issues. We know Odien well as the novel's narrator, and he struggles with questions about God, as if feeling God as a destructive force after his life. Here, a farmer they meet on the road shares his opinion of God (here Buck is nicknamed Odie):

"It's hard work, Bak. Don't change your mind, life will definitely kill you. I, this people, like to work. I've never been to church. God has everything." Down? I know, don't think about it. Ask me, God is there. Rain on the ground, in the sky, trees, apples, stars in the cotton trees. You and me. That's it" and that's it for God. It's hard work for sure, but it's good work because it's part of what connects us to this land. It's a beautiful land and delicate."

In this section, Krueger's beautiful writing and compelling reflections stand out throughout the novel. Although the children see many new things on their journeys along the river and overcome many difficulties, this is not just an adventure story. It is also an interesting historical fiction that recreates the difficult years of depression and how it affects different people. Krueger also weaves elements of fairy tales and myths throughout the story. First of all, this novel is nauseating and sincere. These poor kids have endured and struggled a lot, but eventually they find they are family to each other, and the stories come to a good conclusion, even if they aren't very surprising until the plot never turns! All in all, it's a perfect novel, so the vote for my group of books is a perfect 10. I would like to join our discussion; I always try to tell someone! I can't wait to read more Krueger novels because I know what I'm missing.

444 pages, Atria paper booklet

This 2022 workbook addresses the following issues :

TBR mountain challenge

Alphabet Soup Challenge - T

The challenge of diversity

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Listen to the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible. The examples are taken from the preface to Odie and the beginning of chapter 1, and provide a good introduction to the story. The presenter gives a great sound!

 

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Fiction Review: The Violin Conspiracy

I'm reading books for next Booktopia weekend (my CV is for 2019 at the link; information about Booktopia 2022 here: click and browse to the event), and they're as wonderful as ever. Northshire Bookstore bookstores always select exceptional books and authors. Reading my latest biography Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocombo has probably been my favorite in the pile so far! It starts as a mystery, but turns into so much more: family drama, history, racism, romance, and more. It was so addictive that I could barely get up!

Ray Macmillan is a rising star in the classical violin world, but for one simple reason he is often not recognized: he is black. But Ray fought his entire life against racism and ultimately proved his worth; He sings alone with the best orchestra and will compete in the Shaikovsky Competition, the Classical Music Olympics. When he left New York one day for his home in North Carolina, his world collapsed. His favorite violin, a $ 10 million Stradivarius, was stolen. This violin is not only a big part of what helped him to guess others, but also a great personal value to him, given to him by his beloved grandmother. That violin is like its own members and its absence is incredibly painful. Given his costs, an entire team is investigating his disappearance: the New York City police, the FBI criminal department and the chief investigator of his insurance company (who lost $ 10 million). As the investigation continues with some good consequences, the story goes back in time to show how Ray came to this extraordinary life. We learn about his very needy family, his loving grandmother, the history of his family, and the wonderful story of a violin dating back to the days of slavery. Along the way, we also saw Ray rise to fame, from a poor kid to amazing international fame with a cheap violin from school to where he is now the best violinist. Oh yes, and we finally find out what happened to the missing violin, but not before the big surprises.

This is an unusual novel that has so much depth and so many layers. This is a twisted mystery, especially at the beginning and end. Of these, however, the main story fascinates me with its fascinating family history, the views's horrific racist experience (based on the author's experience as a black musician), his rich reputation and even his love story. With all this, the author retains the unwavering excitement that kept me behind the book because I had to stay up late every night because I just had to figure out what was going to happen next. This novel itself mixes complexity and emotion in quality acting that made me guess and make me look amazing. Can't wait to meet the author next week at Booktopia!

337 pages, Anchor Book

This book meets the following 2022 reading goals :

Soup Alphabet Challenge - B

diversity issues

Book World Travel - Russia

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Listen to a sample audiobook here and / or download it from Audible. The narrator, JD Jackson, sounds great!

 

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Fiction Review: The Lost World

I searched for classics in one of my great audio books, and I was amazed to find the lost world of Arthur Conan Doyle. I was surprised that this 1912 novel was not about Sherlock Holmes. In fact, it is not a secret; This is a science fiction novel. I did not know that Doyle wrote a science fiction novel, but it seems to be the beginning of Professor Challeger's series. The convincing basis, movement, and skepticism of this wonderful novel kept me on my toes.

The book is told by journalist Ned, who embarks on his adventure with the woman he loves. This is a great opportunity when you attend a scientific conference and hear Professor Challenger talk about his remarkable discoveries. During his voyage to the Amazon Basin in South America, he said he had seen prehistoric animals, including dinosaurs, in the highlands. During the conference, when other scientists laughed at what he said and did not believe him, he made another trip, including another scientist (one condemned him). As a journalist, Ned took the opportunity to record her findings ... and impressed her lover. A small group of people set out to hire fellow travelers and help them navigate the rugged terrain. Following Professor Challenger's instructions and memories, he discovered a plateau that was home to some of the strangest, most beautiful, and most dangerous creatures of all time. When they are sent home with the local ambassador, they find strange animals and new people, and their stories are told in Ned's writings and drawings.

The story is dubious and vocal as the team solves problems one by one and records Ned's remarkable discoveries. This novel has a lot of action and adventure, and it is easy to see how this story - first published in a magazine - captivated and captivated the audience in 1912. Current findings. My only curiosity is that the racism in the story was created in time, but it is still a threat. Assistants recruited for the trip have been misinterpreted as "half black race", but the African hired to help is permanently described as "great and always faithful," perhaps no more positive. Less distorted and angry. Despite this flaw (carried by many classics), I was engrossed in the tragic story of the creatures you find.

230 pages, Seawolf Press

FNH Audio

Note: I recommend that you use the bookstore (both links below), which supports traditional audio books and typically free bookstores to purchase books ፡ የሲ የሲ የሲ የሲ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ ዎ የያዘ ዎ የያዘ የያዘ የያዘ የያዘ የያዘ የያዘ የያዘ ዎ Accompanied by the publication of the first issue of this book. The design of the "Look Inside" feature of this link is very detailed and beautiful.

This book is part of the following 2022 Reading Test :

Monthly Example - April - as a TV series or movie-edited book (but unfortunately the show is so scary , women with special effects and punch half-dresses - there are no women on the go in the book.)

Back to the classic challenges - 20th century classics

2022 Spell Soup - L

Challenge "Travel the World with Books" - Brazil

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Check out the YouTube channel for more book entertainment !

 

Listen to audio book clips here and / or download them if heard.

 

You can get the books through Bookshop.org , your purchase supports free bookstores (or all independent bookstores), making it convenient to buy online locally!

 

Or you can order the lost world free of charge from the bookstore .

Fiction Review: The Diamond Eye

I’ve heard good things about Kate Quinn’s historical novels over the years, and I’ve finally had a chance to try one. Kate Quinn’s latest work, Diamond Eye , lived up to my expectations. This beautiful and interesting story captivated me with its audio.

Mila Pavlichenko is a young single mother who studied history at the Kiev school in the 1930s and worked in the library while caring for her young son. She worries that her son will not have a father-face, because her ex-husband is very rare. Among other things, she wants her son to teach her to shoot when her father grows up, so she attends Mila archery classes and gets her diploma. It goes very well, but jokingly ... until the Nazis invaded Russia. Like many women of her time, Mila enlisted in the Russian Army and although she was initially promoted to a lower level by male commanders, she was soon recognized as a sniper, recognizing her exemplary shooting skills. Mila became one of the leading snipers in the Russian army, soon destroying more than 300 Nazis. Losing a child and being a killer is sometimes scary, but he knows his country is helping.

In 1942, Milla and other members of the Russian Army were sent to the United States to meet with President Roosevelt and join the war effort and establish a Western Front to help Russia fight the Nazis. Even in a camouflage outfit that welcomes high-profile foreign guests who live in the dark rather than a costume, Mila does everything she can to represent her country and needs. I’m amazed at the opportunity to get to know Eleanor Roosevelt better and the opportunities to connect the two women, especially when the Russian war support group makes a tour of the United States. The story intersperses the experiences of Milan during the war and his growing friendship with Eleanor on a trip to America, and as his old and new enemies approach, his life and the lives of others are in danger.

Now I can’t believe how much I hate history classes at school because I enjoy reading historical fiction and non-fiction. This fascinating novel is the perfect example of an author taking a small hidden corner of a story and revealing it. The result is a fascinating and frantic reading, with a perfect narrative in the first-person Cart of Maarleveld that perfectly embodies Milan. Despite my unusual and interesting experiences during the war in Milan, I was more interested in his time in the United States and his friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. A thousand women were unusual and complex: a loving mother and a deadly murderer. Quinn weaves an engaging story around historical events that are perfectly connected to the sound, bringing an ambiguous and frantic ending.

448 pages, William Morrow

shepherds

This book addresses the following reading challenges for 2022 :

Alphabet Soup Challenge - D

Travel around the world with books - Russia

Literary Escape - Colombia

Outreach: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion. Opinion is my opinion and is independent of my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note. This article contains general links. If I buy through these links, I will receive a small commission (cents per purchase) to compensate for the time I spend writing articles for this blog at no additional cost.

Visit my YouTube channel for more interesting books !

 

Listen to an audiobook here and / or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy a book at Bookshop.org , where your shopping can choose from an independent bookstore (or all independent bookstores). Make shopping easy when you shop online when you shop locally!

Or you can order Diamond Eye from Book Depository with free worldwide shipping .