So many books . . .

If your faith in humanity is already at an all-time low, don’t expect this book to be in any way uplifting or to provide any hope for the future. It is, however, very worth reading, bringing to light the many, many medical transgressions suffered by African Americans in the US, from the medical torture of slaves who could not object, all the way up to pharmaceutical company experiments in the 20th century whose objectives, procedures and side-effects were not disclosed to (and, in fact, were purposely kept from) their subjects.

While the subject matter was interesting and, at times, even fascinating, the author seemed to go in circles within the earlier chapters. By midway through the book she finds her stride.

Rating: 3/5 Further reading: Medical Apartheid homepage

 

In Cooked, Jeff Henderson recounts his unlikely rise from a crack dealer in San Diego to a well-respected chef in a prestigious Las Vegas restaurant. His ambitions and inspiration came to him while serving a drug-related sentence in federal prison, and upon his release he put 100% of his efforts into educating himself, gaining experience, and convincing influential people in the restaurant business to take a chance on him.

Jeff’s gritty memoir was fascinating to me, someone to whom most of his life experiences are completely foreign, and I had a difficult time putting it down between sittings. One can’t help but admire his strength and resolve in making his dreams come true despite a past he wasn’t proud of.

Rating: 5/5 Further reading: Henderson's homepage

 

In 2003, the Sudanese government began systematically terrorizing, attacking and destroying rural villages in the Darfur region. Witnessing the slaughter of family and friends, Daoud Hari, a young Zaghawa tribesman, escaped across the western border to neighboring Chad. Well-educated by Sudanese standards and fluent in English, Arabic and Zaghawa, Hari then began his selfless work as a translator, sneaking international journalists back across the border into Sudan, all of them risking their lives in order to document the genocidal war in Darfur.

Hari’s experiences are told in gentle, simple prose, like that of a favorite storyteller. His story is horrific, heartbreaking and inspiring.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Daoud Hari (wiki)

 

Gods are only as powerful as the number of mortals who believe in them. As expected then, in the beginning of the 21st century, Artemis, Apollo, Aphrodite and the rest of the Greek pantheon are weak as kittens. However, they continue to exist, sharing a flat in London, leading dissatisfying mundane lives and trying to devise a way to regain their lost power and influence. Enter two unwitting mortals, a cleaner and her would-be boyfriend, and the result is a hilarious and crazy adventure, complete with heroic deeds.

I was a little bit bothered that the mortals seemed never to have heard of Greek gods. A lot of time has passed, but we still recognize the names. That was the one disconnect for me. Otherwise, I was impressed with this entertaining debut novel.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Phillips' homepage

 

Debbie Rodriguez went to Afghanistan in 2001 originally as part of a humanitarian group. In Kabul she soon became sought after for her hairdressing background, which gave her the idea of opening a beauty school for local women whose new skills would enable them to earn additional income for their families. The struggle to find funding for the school, in addition to all of the cultural and political hoops to jump through in Afghanistan itself make for a fascinating story. At the end I found myself wanting to know more about what happened afterward, about Debbie’s Afghan husband, their life there, etc.

That said, I fervently regret reading a more recent news article before writing my review as it has dampened my enthusiasm for the book somewhat. As of June 2007, Debbie has apparently left Afghanistan and her husband for good, and many of her former students fear for their lives since the book’s publication. It was a great story, but I now wonder if some of the book’s resolutions weren’t quite as rosy as suggested.

Rating: 5/5 Further reading: NPR article

On the same day that a bomb explodes at a Planned Parenthood clinic, a local teenager is found murdered. Are the two crimes connected? Detective Jackson has his hands full as clues begin to point in politically unfavorable directions. Kera, a nurse at the clinic who is constrained by confidentiality, begins a little investigating of her own and discovers that the local teen bible study group isn't quite what it appears.

The Sex Club has enough intrigue and suspense that you won't want to put it down, and it's a quick read. My complaints are few: Although Ms. Sellers would find me a friend on the same end of the political spectrum, even I had a hard time swallowing the big fat agenda being stuffed down my throat while trying to remain engaged with the story. It's not subtle. Sellers' primary "villain" is painfully 1-dimensional. It's hard to believe that someone with such intense compulsions could have a genuinely successful semblance of a normal life. Finally, as others have mentioned, the chat room scenes are wholly unbelievable, for so many reasons.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Sellers at Spellbinder Press

Having made her way in the world, Janice Erlbaum decides to give something back to the homeless shelter at which she was a resident herself in her youth. While teaching beading classes to the young women, she befriends Sam, a resident who is both brilliant and disturbed. Janice quickly finds herself emotionally invested further and further in Sam’s rehabilitation and deteriorating health.

Have You Found Her takes the reader on an engaging rollercoaster ride. Ms. Erlbaum's husband Bill is either painted in an especially positive light or is an incredibly accommodating individual. I'm not sure I would have been as tolerant in the same situation! I regretted not finding out what the real story/mystery was involving Sam's father, as that may have provided some answers or some kind of closure.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Erlbaum's blog

What happens to gods when their followers lose interest and eventually forget them? In this work of urban fantasy Neil Gaiman explores this idea, introducing the reader to Shadow, a man recently released from prison and who has learned his wife has just died. Beginning life again essentially from scratch, he agrees to begin working for a man named Wednesday. Wednesday is preparing for a coming battle between the ancient, traditional gods (himself, Anansi, Easter, Czernobog and Ibis, among others) who have been forgotten in favor of the new “gods” of the modern, industrialized world (technology, cities, etc.).

As the reader, I wanted to know a little more about the characters (the gods) and their stories and motivations. This was my first Gaiman experience and, while I highly enjoyed his writing style, I wasn’t completely in love with the story. I’d definitely read another of his works.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Gaiman's homepage Neil Gaiman (wiki)

Bella is nearing graduation, which, if she has her way, will also coincide with the end of her humanity. However, the closer that time draws near, the less confident she is about her decision: Is it too soon? What sorts of things does she want to have a chance to experience while still human? Complicating matters are signs that Victoria, the vampire with a lethal vendetta, is coming back for her.

Wow! I was surprised to enjoy Eclipse so much since New Moon didn’t grab me as much as the first book in the series, Twilight, did. Now things are really getting interesting in the relationship department!

Intriguingly, according to Ms. Meyer's homepage there is going to be a Twilight movie!

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: The Twilight Series Meyer's homepage Stephenie Meyer (wiki)

 

Amir is the privileged boy, living in a large home in a wealthy area of Kabul, Afghanistan. Hassan is his servant and constant companion although, separated by social class and cultural stigma, they can never truly be friends. When the Afghan Civil War begins, it signals tremendous changes – though in very, very different ways, neither of their lives will ever be the same.

I fully expected to be blown away by this book given all the hype surrounding it in the years since publication. The first half was riveting, but it seemed to lose some momentum later on. I’d still heartily recommend it, especially for the presentation of Afghani culture and the fascinating competitive kite-flying events, something I’d never heard of before.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Hosseini's homepage Khaled Hosseini (wiki)