Review: 1st to Die (Women's Murder Club Series #1) by James Patterson

The first of the Women's Murder Club pulled me in from the beginning, and it happens to be the first book by James Patterson that I've ever read. This is an easy book to listen to while I'm multitasking on other thoughtless activities because there aren't many details that absolutely have to be remembered to enjoy or understand the story as a whole. In other words, there isn't a lot of depth to the plot or the characters. It's a mindless story, which surprises me somewhat considering how popular James Patterson is as an author.

As James Tivendale, another Goodreads user and book reviewer, put it in his review, "I tend to read Patterson's books when I don't want my brain to work that hard. 1st to Die fits that bill perfectly." He is absolutely right.

While I loved the idea of a Murder Club, as opposed to the book clubs that typically catch my attention, and that the club consists of four women in jobs that typically work closely together on crimes, I was not keen on the fact that none of the women were all that "real." The journalist, Cindy Thomas from the San Francisco Chronicle, is portrayed as a stereotypical drama queen. Lindsay Boxer, a homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department, had a health scare that seemed to only be included to give the character a personal crisis to handle while trying to track down a possible serial killer. The district attorney, Yuki Castellano (token Asian and Italian name/character?), was not memorable - perhaps those were the sections where my mind had wandered to something else. Claire Washburn, the medical examiner, is the token best friend and confidant for the main character. Why is it always the medical examiner that serves as the token confidant and wise person in crime dramas?

All the fluff of "you go girl" kind of attitudes left me cringing and wondering if Patterson just wrote this for the sake of writing this kind of story, or if he really does actually know how to write strong female characters.

I don't typically like reading the first book of a series because it's such a commitment if I end up liking them and there are so many other books I'd prefer to read. This particular series has 20 books, which is why I chose to read it because it fits the 2020 Popsugar Reading Challenge Advanced prompt of "A book from a series with more than 20 books."

In the end, this book accomplished its purpose for me - checking off a reading prompt. I am 100% okay with not continuing to read the rest of the books.

I recommend this to those who enjoy mindless reads, shallow characters, and fluffy plots. This is perfect for a beach read.

**
Review: 1st to Die by James Patterson
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Suzanne Toren
Published: November 1, 2005 by Hachette Audio
Dates Read: August 12-17, 2020

Review: Rokitansky by Alice Darwin

This book. All the feels. The only non-textbook I've highlighted and marked up. The first book in a long time that took me a journal entry and a day and a half to mentally and emotionally process before I could talk about it. I have the same condition as the main characters (Rokitansky, also known as MRKH), and reading this book made me grateful for all the support I've had regarding my syndrome and yet angry that any woman has to suffer the emotional and physical trauma of infertility and resulting shitty relationships.

Rokitanksy by Alice Darwin captures the ups and downs of MRKH so well, I definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone who'll read it. My only advice is to make sure you have tissues nearby, especially for the twist at the end! I had this for 4 years and I was finally able to get through it, even though I had to take a break every 20 pages or so to breathe and remind myself that I'm okay! I wonder if it took me 4 years to get around to reading this because I needed to be in an emotionally strong enough place in my life to be able to handle the roller coaster of emotions.

Darwin does an amazing job of portraying the emotions of an MRKH diagnosis at every stage of life, even when it seems like the older woman isn't affected anymore. She's at a stage in her life where it doesn't bother her much anymore - the diagnosis is hardly even mentioned until the end.

Moira is trying to navigate college life and figuring out who she is as a person, while fighting an internal battle of constant reminders of what she doesn't have since she's living with female roommates. She throws herself into a shopping addiction instead of dealing with the problem head on because she feels so ashamed of who she is and can't bring herself to share her experience with others. She has internalized her mothers feelings towards the condition, and believes that she can't make the decision for herself of who she can and cannot tell.

Tori yearns to be a mother at any cost. She wishes the cost of her dreams was only financial, and not also the price of her marriage. She wishes she and her husband Harry could go back to what life was like before they hired a surrogate. Harry wants their journey to parenthood to end because he sees how it is destroying her - the beautiful woman he once fell in love with has been taken over by a stranger, a brokenhearted woman he does not recognize and does not know how to help. Yet, somehow they figure out to communicate again and come to a decision with which they could both be happy about. 

Mrs. Brown is tired. So very tired of everything, of life. She misses seeing Mr. Brown more often, and hopes that something will give and they'll be able to spend more time together. Rokitansky is not mentioned in her story line until the every end of the book, which makes me wonder if she's come to terms with the condition and is "okay with it."

It is the last chapter when we understand why Rokitansky was at the forefront of Moira and Tori's stories, but not with Mrs. Brown. It is a twist that I saw coming roughly 3/4 of the way through, but wasn't entirely sure how it would play out.

Darwin shows us the heartbreak, anger, confusion, strength, love, perseverance, and courage that are synonymous with Rokitanksy, and any infertility diagnosis. Out of pain, comes beauty. Out of the ashes, a phoenix rises.

Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Anything that's recorded by Jeremy Irons is good in my book! No pun intended. I enjoyed listening to this book because it told the story of how someone accomplished figuring out his own personal legend rather than the current trend of telling the reader how to do it for themselves. That said, I really didn't think it warrants being on many "top books of <fill in the blank>" lists. Santiago, the main character, is an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel the world in search of a treasure. His journey leads him to experience and learn things he never imagined to be possible. According to Goodreads, "Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams." I did not get that from listening to this book, at all.

Perhaps the message of "all you gotta do to accomplish your dreams is to go after it real hard with all you got and blinders on without caring about your other responsibilities" was inspiring and new in the late 1980s when this was first published. Or perhaps it was inspiring in Coelho's native country of Brazil. Who knows? I don't.

I can see why others would enjoy this if they haven't read other self-help, motivational, inspiring quest novels before this one. As for me , I wasn't sold on the message. I think a big reason why I kept listening to it was because I kept epxecting it to get better and I also enjoyed listening to the voice of Jeremy Irons.

**
Review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Audiobook, narrated by Jeremy Irons
Published 2005 by HarperCollins Publishers, first published 1988
Dates Read: June 10 - July 4, 2017
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Review: The Home Front: Life in America During World War II by Audible Originals

This book was suggested to me in my audible account last year when I still had an active account, so I subscribed to it since it's an Audible Original which allowed me to download it to listen at another time. From Audible's website, Audible Originals are, "are exclusive audio titles created by celebrated storytellers from worlds as diverse as theater, journalism, literature, and more, all produced in the Audible studios. Members can now select 2 of 6 featured Audible Originals every month, in addition to 1 audiobook, regardless of price, plus unlimited access to premier audio fitness programs. There’s never been a better time to join the listening revolution!" The Home Front was my first Audible Original title and I'm glad I chose this one!

I could listen to Martin Sheen all day long talk about any topic. He just has that kind of voice that sounds soothing to me, and it certainly helps that he is an actor so he's trained to "perform" in various settings. I enjoyed listening to these episodes about life in America during WWII. Every episode built on the previous episodes and covered subjects like women in the military, women who went to work (Rosie the Riveter) while their men went to fight, racial tensions, refugees seeking asylum in the US, internment camps for Japanese Americans, the round up of Italian and German Americans, the development and use of atomic bombs in Japan, and the affects of war on returning soldiers and what we now call PTSD which I learned wasn't called that until 1980.

We hear from the people who lived during these harsh times. Some stories were recorded during the war as part of FDR's "Dear Mr. President" episodes, among other series for the still new and exciting radio. Others were recorded after the war, sometimes even decades later, for a variety of oral history projects.

Listening to this series makes me grateful to have heard my paternal grandmother's role and life during the war, and also makes me wish I could've heard my other grandparent's experiences as well, or as much as they'd be able to tell me. Both of my grandfathers served in the military - one in the Navy and one in the Army - and they both passed before I was old enough to realize the importance of passing stories on to the next generation.

**

Review: The Home Front: Life in America During World War II by Audible Originals
Audible Audio (Audible Originals), 8 hours and 13 minutes
Published Sept. 7th, 2017 by Audible Original
Dates Read: November 11 - November 21, 2018

Review: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Bucks

Chosen to be the July 2017 read for my book club, I enjoyed reading this story again from an adult perspective. I had read it as a teenager and vaguely remember having a much different take away from the book than I do now.

I initially picked up a copy because I grew up a couple miles from The Pearl S. Buck House in Pennsylvania and had visited it with my Girl Scouts troop. I was fascinated by her living abroad as a child, and her work to provide humanitarian aid to impoverished children.

Synopsis: This tells the poignant tale of a Chinese farmer and his family in old agrarian China. The humble Wang Lung glories in the soil he works, nurturing the land as it nurtures him and his family. Nearby, the nobles of the House of Hwang consider themselves above the land and its workers; but they will soon meet their own downfall.

Hard times come upon Wang Lung and his family when flood and drought force them to seek work in the city. The working people riot, breaking into the homes of the rich and forcing them to flee. When Wang Lung shows mercy to one noble and is rewarded, he begins to rise in the world, even as the House of Hwang falls.

Review: Pearl S. Buck had the ability to write characters of such varying personalities and backgrounds exemplified by his aunt and uncle who acted entitled to his father's success as a farmer, and his wives major difference. O-lan, his first wife through a chosen marriage, was caring, humble and hardworking. His second wife, whom he had purchased, was spoiled, entitled, and complained about lifting a finger to work. He was also in awe of the differences between his children, admiring both their strengths and their weaknesses.

The first time reading this as a teenager, I remember feeling frustrated with Wan Lung and wondering why he seemed to perpetuate the innate sexism that was so rampant and obvious as early as the first few pages. He held so much disdain for his father, but then supposedly couldn't wait to have a woman in the household to take care of him and the chores. His attitude towards women irked me in so many ways that I didn't read the book again for over a decade. It was when I reread this for book club last summer as an adult that I had a different perspective and understanding that it was the time period in which he grew up, and his culture that made him who he was, particularly towards women. I also noticed that he loved his wives, and his children, but was in a way "restricted" to the ways that he was brought up and the culture they lived in that dictated the gender roles they were required to fulfill.

Throughout the novel, Wang Lung relied on the earth to supply all his needs through his hard work. The physical labor helped him to focus on the important things in life. This is a story of perseverance, the strength of the human spirit, of love, partnership, and sacrifice in a marriage and family - things that transcend time and all cultures.

To learn more about Pearl S. Buck International, visit https://www.pearlsbuck.org/.

**
Review of The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Paperback, 357 pages
Published Sept. 2004 by Washington Square Press, first published 1931
Dates Read: May 22 - July 2017

Review: Love Your Life, Not Theirs: 7 Money Habits for Living the Life You Want by Rachel Cruze

If you're already familiar with Dave Ramsey's teachings, then you'll understand what Rachel talks about in her debut novel. She's much more conversational in her writing, and gives her father's 7 baby steps a younger twist, making it targeted at those in their 20s and 30s who are just starting out with new life that may include things like student loan debt, first time purchases of cars and homes, getting married, having kids, and how important it is to not fall into the comparison trap.

The 7 Money Habits she talks about are:
1) Quit the comparisons
2) Steer clear of debt
3) Make a plan for your money
4) Talk about money (even when it's hard)
5) Save like you mean it
6) Think before you spend
7) Give a little...Until you can give a lot.

I was disappointed that she didn't go into more detail about the comparison dilemma that many of us experience, commonly known as "keeping up with the Jones's." This attitude is especially important in this social media age where we're so quickly and so often bombarded with our friends and family's "yay me!" posts about their latest vacations, latest and greatest tech purchases, new car/home, parties, weekend getaways, etc. Although I was grateful for the reminder that I am on a different journey than everyone else and that I shouldn't be comparing myself to others, I wish she had spent more time on the topic considering the premise of the book.


She spent A LOT of time talking about money in relationships in Chapter 4, and significantly less time on money for single people. This is an issue because although money is referred to as the leading reason for divorce, it's also why many single people are struggling. I'll give her credit to pointing out that money arguments aren't always about money - they're about communication, trust, and honesty. I did like that she pointed out that if you have different values about money, then the relationship is not going to work out and that it's important to have conversations about it before getting married, not after. As a single person, I'd have appreciated a little more time spent on money, budgeting, accountability, and even money in dating. I understand that she's married herself and she spoke about her experience, but I was hoping for a little more information and advice on resources for single people.

Cruze is a self-admitted spender and that her husband is the saver. She's essentially saying that she struggles with staying within the budget, and it's her instinct to be more free-spirited with her spending habits, whereas her husband Winston is the natural saver who checks the budget and accounts on a regular basis. I especially liked the story she shared about one of their vacations where he told her she didn't have to worry about the budget and she could spend whatever she wanted, but then she realized that it had become a habit to know how much money she was spending and that was more important to her than not worrying about it. This was the best example I think she used to drive home the point of creating good money habits and that it's possible for even the most free-spirited of spenders like herself. 

That said, this book is clearly written by someone who is not in debt, and while her advice is "don't go into debt" and she gives reasons why, it's not really written to help those who are already in debt and/or struggling to live. It's definitely written as a piggy back book to her father's teachings and with the assumption that one is familiar with his concepts and their lifestyle already. This book is more for those who are just starting out as a teen about graduate high school, or those who've already reached debt-free status, and/or newlyweds.

**
Love Your Life, Not Theirs: 7 Money Habits for Living the Life You Want
by Rachel Cruze
Audible Audio
Narrated by: Rachel Cruze
Published: October 2016 by Ramsey Press
Dates Read: March 17 - April 5, 2018

Review: Undying by Corina Bishop

This sci-fi book is a far cry from my typical genres of historical fiction and personal development so I was a bit skeptical at first, but the synopsis was intriguing enough that I figured it'd be worth a try even if I didn't ultimately enjoy the book.

I received a copy of this Audible Audio book for free from the author in return for a review. This does not affect my opinion in any way.

Synopsis:
To awaken and not know who you are is a crushing feeling. Panic and hysteria override all other senses. Strangers approach and terror builds within your chest. You hope these strangers, with their white lab coats, will bring an ounce of reason back to your jumbled thoughts. Instead they bring needles and knives that puncture your skin, introducing new horrors for your brain to try to comprehend.

This is the life Sentra is born into at the age of twenty-four. She is surrounded by people who only cause her agony and pay no mind to her mounting questions. Sentra cannot even find solace in her dreams, where she is haunted by memories from a woman who died long ago. If the pain and confusion wasn't enough, Sentra's body doesn't seem to be entirely human and her detainers have far greater plans for her in a war she wants no part of.

All Sentra knows for sure is that she wants out and she will do anything to gain her freedom.

My Review:
Since this isn't my usual genre that I gravitate towards, I'm giving this a 3 out of 5 stars. I say that because I had a hard time staying interested in the story-line, yet at the same time, the mystery of the unknown is exactly what kept me listening.

Eventually I did come to like and empathize with the main character instead of being annoyed by her. This is because over time, Sentra learns that she is the only one who remembers life before she woke up in a lab and used as a test subject to go on "missions." This discovery only adds to her fear and confusion, especially since she learns she needs to keep it a secret from the others that she has these memories. To make matters worse, her memories lead her to putting the others in danger during a couple missions and them not trusting her anymore.

This reads like the beginning of a series. The author's bio on Goodreads mentions it's the first book of what she hopes to be a trilogy. I'm curious to know what happens in the next installments!

**
Undying by Corina Bishop
Audible Audio, Unabridged
Narrated by: Laura Jennings
Published Sept. 15, 2017
Dates Read: Jan. 29 - Feb. 27, 2018

Review: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Have you ever read a book that is so filled with emotion, ending on such a note that you need time to fully digest? That's Small Great Things. All of the hate, anger, frustration, turmoil, love, hope, redemption, and pride in accomplishing dreams amidst adversity are apparent in this socially and politically relevant novel. Jodi Picoult has a phenomenal talent for charging her stories with making the reader think and feel for the characters as if they are people you know.

Ruth Jefferson has over 20 years of experience as a labor and delivery nurse at local Connecticut hospital. As a single mother, whose husband was killed while serving in Afghanistan, she's worked diligently to provide for her teenage son and tries to teach him the ways of being a black man in a white world. But her world is turned upside down when she's told not to treat a newborn of a white supremacist couple. When the baby goes into cardiac arrest while she's the only staff member in the nursery, she's caught between trying to save his life and obeying orders from her boss. The outcome of her decision sets the stage for the rest of the novel.

The hospital was caught between protecting their senior L&D nurse, and protecting the hospital from a lawsuit. In what the administration thought was the hospital's best interest, they also sent a message to Ruth and all other black members of their staff they were in deed, second class citizens regardless of their loyalty. No one is safe.

In turn, despite the twists and turns of the story (based on true events), the epilogue has a bittersweet message - an ending that I had hoped would happen.

Jodi Picoult writes another novel that is to be made into a movie, which I will see in the theaters someday. The release date is TBD, especially since they have yet to decide on a screenwriter and a full cast. Other books of hers that have been made into films are Salem Falls, My Sister's Keeper, The Tenth Circle, Plain Truth, and The Pact.

**
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
Hardcover, 470 Pages - also listened to an audio version simultaneously
Published October 2016 by Ballantine Books
Dates read: June 19-July 30, 2017

Five More Books About Infertility

On April 29, 2017, I wrote about a selection of books about living with infertility and published it during National Infertility Awareness Week. I had wanted to include more books and chose not to at the time because I was feeling emotionally burned out from the topic. It's an emotionally draining subject in of itself, and even more so because I was so strongly surrounded by it for a week, even though it was because of my own doing. Now that quite a bit of time has passed and I've been able to process my emotions and come back to this topic feeling refreshed, I'd like to share another list of books covering infertility.

The Feeder

Collection of Poetry by Jennifer Jackson Berry
Paperback, 96 pages
Published Nov. 2016 by YesYes Books

Recommended to me by a friend with primary infertility who also writes book reviews. The Feeder is a book of poetry that one Goodreads reviewer describes as "refreshing," and another as "brave."

Timons Esais left this in his review on Goodreads: "There is also some joy in here, but the collection as a whole brings one word to mind: brave. All poets risk self-esteem when publishing, all poets risk exposure, and it is very common for confessional poets (in these days of confessional poetry) to armor themselves against the risk by being defiant in their voice, being in-your-face, being I-can-say-this-and-you-can't-you-turd. Berry seems not to do that, at all. Here, too, she refuses to resolve. She asks, "How did I fall today?" and leaves us with that."


Everything Conceivable: How Assisted Reproduction is Changing Men, Women and the World

by Liza Mundy
Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Feminism
Available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle
432 pages, published 2007-2008 by Knopf

Liza Mundy is an award-winning journalist who wrote Michelle Obama's biography, Code Girls, and The Richer Sex.

In Everything Conceivable, per Goodreads she, "captures the human narratives, as well as the science, behind the controversial, multibillion-dollar fertility industry, and examines how this huge social experiment is transforming our most basic relationships and even our destiny as a species.

Skyrocketing infertility rates and dizzying technological advances are revolutionizing American families and changing the way we think about parenthood, childbirth, and life itself. Using in-depth reporting and riveting anecdotal material from doctors, families, surrogates, sperm and egg donors, infertile men and women, single and gay and lesbian parents, and children conceived through technology, Mundy explores the impact of assisted reproduction on individuals as well as the ethical issues raised and the potentially vast social consequences. The unforgettable personal stories in Everything Conceivable run the gamut from joyous to tragic; all of them raise questions we dare not ignore."

Embryo Culture: Making Babies in the 21st Century

Non-fiction book by Beth Kohl
Available in hardcover, 288 pages
Published 2007 by Farrar Straus Giroux

This book was also recommended to me by a friend who went through IVF and surrogacy. Since I have not read the book myself, I am sharing the description from Goodreads with you:

"Injections + Appointments + Egg Retrieval + Embryo Transfer = Resources (Energy x Time x Emotion)" That's the equation that was projected onto the screen when Beth Kohl and her husband first showed up at the in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic. "Good evening," the program's psychologist told the gathered infertile couples. "Before you begin your treatment, you should know that this program is emotionally and psychologically stressful."

And how. In this marvelously unconventional account of her struggles to bear children, Kohl leads the reader on an oh-so-up-close tour of fertilization in America, and the ways in which science and miracle, technology and faith, converge to create life in the twentyfirst century. Along the way, Kohl wrestles with a new world of medical ethics: Should she "selectively reduce" the number of embryos successfully implanted in the womb in order to prevent a potentially complicated pregnancy? How much genetic testing of fertilized eggs is too much? What is she supposed to do with the seven embryos left over from the IVF process? When Andrew Solomon wrote "The Noonday Demon," he opened the world of depression to readers as no writer had done before. And when Stephen L. Carter wrote "Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby," many readers were forced to completely rethink race and prejudice. Kohl's spirited and rich exploration of "embryo culture" will completely revise how we see modern motherhood.

In-Vitro Fertilization: The A.R.T. of Making Babies

Non-fiction
by Geoffrey Sher, Jean Stoess, Virginia Marraige Davis
Available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats
222 pages, published 1998 by Facts on File

Another book recommended by several friends who went through IVF or are considering the process so I am recommending it to you.

As Goodreads states, "In Vitro Fertilization is a comprehensive guide to this increasingly common and successful practice for the 3.3 million couples in the United States seeking alternative means of conception. It discusses everything you need to know about IVF, including how to find and choose the best in vitro programs, what to expect as you go through the process, and what your chances are of achieving a successful pregnancy. The book is designed to prepare couples for the complex and emotional process of IVF, and it has been specially updated to cover the latest developments in the field. No one considering IVF should overlook this indispensable reference."

Sing You Home

Fiction by Jodi Picoult
Available in paperback, hardcover, audio, and ebook formats
496 pages, published in 2011 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

The only book of the list I've personally read, I highly recommend this one, especially for book club discussions. Written by one of my favorite authors (I literally have a whole shelf dedicated to her books!), Sing You Home follows the ups and downs of a marriage tormented by miscarriage after miscarriage.

Max plummets into alcoholism, yet somehow is able to heal again after his failed marriage with Zoe. A newfound unexpected romance brews for Zoe, with the opportunity for a baby. This scenario could include Max if he's willing, but he balks at the prospect, clouded by his religious beliefs and the financial costs.

Book Review: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Mongtomery

This is the start of a new favorite series, and I can't believe I never read this before now! I would've loved this as a kid and enjoyed re-reading it as an adult. Thank you to my book club for choosing to read this for January discussion. This is one of the few books I've managed to finish in time for the discussion (the horror, I know!) and also finish in 2 days! Considering I have a few books that I've been on my currently reading shelf for more than a couple years, it's astonishing I've been able to finish a book this quickly.

I am thankful to L.M. Montgomery for writing something that has inspired me to keep reading, and wish I could thank her. I was in such a reading slump trying to find something I could get lost in and this was it!

Ms. Montgomery did an amazing job developing characters with personality, especially Anne. She may have had her quirks, but she was also so lovable because of them! I enjoyed "watching" her grow up and develop her own interests and dreams as if she were a dear friend. There were times I literally rolled my eyes at Anne being so imaginative and especially dramatic when Marilla would try to scold her into behaving. I love Marilla's tough love, and Matthew's quiet and soft demeanor, yet hardened by years on a farm. Anne managed to win her way into their hearts and finally found her forever home. It's a heartwarming, and at times heartbreaking, story that has transcended generations to prove itself worthy of being a classic.

Occasionally, I smiled or laughed at the vocabulary L.M. Montgomery used because a few words are not commonly used in the same context 100 years later (i.e. she ejaculated for she exclaimed!).

My rating is 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has not read it yet. If I ever have a daughter or niece, I will make sure this is on her read list. And I will most certainly be reading, or listening to, the rest of the series!

Thanks to my book club, Vermont Books N Brews, for this selection!

**
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Genre: Fiction>Children's Fiction and Historical Fiction, Classics, Young Adult
Audiobook, 10 hours, 20 minutes
Released: June 24, 2008 by Penguin Random House Audio
Narrated by: Kate Burton
Dates Listened: January 1-2, 2018

Review: The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg

While I have a physical copy of the paperback edition, I chose to listen to this book so that I could get it to sooner than I would've otherwise, and so it'd count towards my 2016 read quota. I first became interested in girls education in the early 2000s, not too long after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. At the time, I read Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools by Greg Mortenson before controversy surrounded him and his non-profit organization.

Over the next decade, my interests drifted to other subjects, including college textbooks. Then, in 2014, The Underground Girls of Kabul is published and I get my hands on a copy in 2016. I decide to read it, or rather listen to it, in this case. This was an educational read for me as a woman raised in a western country where I don't have to conceal my identity as a woman just to take advantage of the same benefits provided to men.

Jenny Nordberg, born in Sweden, is the journalist who broke the story of "bacha posh" which fueled the writing and publication of The Underground Girls of Kabul. From the Goodreads description, "A bacha posh (literally translated from Dari as "dressed up like a boy") is a third kind of child – a girl temporarily raised as a boy and presented as such to the outside world." This is a common practice in Afghanistan's patriarchal culture where the birth of a son is reason for celebration and a daughter is often mourned or seen as a misfortune.

Nordberg eloquently tells the stories of four women in The Underground Girls of Kabul. From the description of the novel on the website, "The book is anchored by vivid female characters who bring this ancient phenomenon to life: Azita, a female parliamentarian whose youngest daughter is chosen to pose as her only son; Zahra, the tomboy teenager who struggles with puberty and resists her parents’ attempts to turn her into a woman; Shukria, who was forced to marry and have three children after living for twenty years as a man; and Shahed, an Afghan special forces soldier, still in disguise as an adult man."

Set during one of America's most violent and longest wars, readers will gain some insight into the world of Afghan women and girls who make daily sacrifices in a culture set against them. The women portrayed in this novel represent generations of women who were able to live as the desired sex for a time, only to be forced into marriage and childbirth once they've hit puberty. Or if they've been able to continue to hide into adulthood, they live in fear of being discovered.

This novel captured my attention from the beginning, making me hang onto every word and not want to turn it off. The desire to learn more is why it only took me 4 days to finish a 10 hour recording. Nordberg's extensive journalistic research through her travels and interviews were obvious and showed how real these stories are, and how drastically different their lives are than in many western cultures. I struggle to grasp the cultural difference, and am grateful for the freedoms I have as a woman in another country, and the opportunities to learn about other cultures.

My rating is 5 out of 5 stars, which means I fell in love with multiple aspects and highly recommend this book.

The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan
Written by Jenny Nordberg
Narrated by Kirsten Potter
Published Sept. 16, 2014 by Random House Audio
Duration: 10 hours 56 minutes
Dates Listened: Dec. 2-6, 2016

**
To learn more this novel, including purchasing it, reading the introduction, and an interview with Jenny Nordberg, visit the website at http://theundergroundgirlsofkabul.com/ or to read more stories about bacha posh, visit http://bachaposh.com/. 

Review: Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Home Front by Kristin Hannah
Genre: Fiction, Women's Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
Audiobook, 15 hours
Published: January 2012 by Macmillan Audio
Narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed
Dates Listened: May 18 - June 5, 2017

I was feeling exceptionally patriotic when I chose to read this book because it was nearing Memorial Day here in the U.S., and I was looking for an audio version of good book related to the military and patriotism. And when I stumbled upon Home Front via OverDrive, and noticed the author being one my favorites, I instantly downloaded it and started listening.

That said, Kristin Hannah does it again! Home Front is a tear-jerker story about a lifetime of love, family, and friendship, military service and the hardships that come with those relationships during a war when one or more characters are in the military. Be prepared to have some tissues handy throughout the entire novel.

On the surface, it seems as though Michael and Jo have it all together. But as one looks in, it's obvious life isn't so perfect. Jolene enlisted in the National Guard at 17 after her parents died in a car crash. She felt she had no other options, and it gave her a chance at having structure and an education. Now, she impressively juggles her job as a helicopter pilot and being the mother of 12 year-old mean-girl-in-training, Betsy, and 4 year-old Lulu. Despite Jo being a strong female character, she somehow allows Betsy to get away blatant disrespect and spoiled behavior. This is never really addressed, but I suspect that it may have to do with Jo's own upbringing by alcoholic parents.

In addition, she struggles with Michael's increasingly distant behavior and also blatant disrespect and not supporting her military service simply because he doesn't agree with the war in Iraq. He doesn't understand his wife's bond with her unit, let alone with her best friend and co-pilot, Tami. He is a defense attorney who works long hours in an attempt at living up to his father's memory after his death.

Then, Jo's unit gets deployed to Iraq. Michael is thrown into single-parenthood, and with the help of his mother, he quickly learns that parenting is much harder than Jo made it look. At the office, he is preparing to defend a PTSD-afflicted veteran who has been charged with Murder I for killing his wife during a dissociative blackout. In doing so, he begins to understand what Jo is going through in Iraq and begins to regret telling her just before she left that he didn't love her anymore.

Jo's helicopter gets shot down during insurgent fire, and while Jo pulls Tami from the wreck she discovers a young crewman has been killed. She returns to the States by way of Germany after her leg is amputated, leaving Tami in the hospital still in a coma. While her physical wounds heal, she must now deal with the nightmares and somehow process the guilt she feels for the death of the crewman and Tami's injuries. This is all without Tami's support of friendship and seemingly lack of support from her husband.

Jo has turned into someone her daughters and her husband don't recognize. Michael tries to reconcile with her, not knowing the crash happened before his last letter arrived - the letter where he attempts to make amends.

Her behavior is beginning to remind Michael more and more of his client. Betsy may be starting to understand that her spoiled behavior is no longer acceptable when Jo lashes out her, while Lulu is still too young to grasp the magnitude and significance of what is happening to her mommy.

Hannah has written an emotionally charged novel about military service and the families who support those who serve. Yet, there were a few inconsistencies in the story. For example, why is Michael so clueless when it comes to the ins and outs of the household? Knowing that his wife is a National Guardsman, didn't he have to step up more when Jo has had to take time away for drilling one weekend a month and a 2 weeks stretch? Also, how the heck did she tolerate his blatant disrespect for her service?

I also wanted to reach through the book many times to strangle Betsy and her mean girl attitude. And to strangle Jo and Michael for not doing anything about it either. Jo was anal retentive about sticking to her meal calendar and running an efficient household, but would let her daughter's attitude run rampant. NOT OKAY.

On Goodreads, I gave this a 3 out of 5 rating (liked it) because of the inconsistencies of the characters behaviors. Per my own rating, it's a 4 out of 5 because I enjoyed it, though didn't quite love it and would still recommend it to those who enjoy Kristin Hannah's books. 

Review: Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah

Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah
Paperback, 272 pages
Published October 2006 by Ballantine Books
Dates read: Dec. 25-29, 2015

This is the only book I can recall reading that takes place around Christmas time that I read during the same time of year. It's a quick read by one of my favorite authors so I decided to give a shot to try meeting my reading challenge goal for 2015, despite the negative reviews and ratings I saw.

Since it's been two years since I've read this book, I am a little fuzzy on the details. What I do remember is that I was shocked by the sudden turn of events halfway through the book. I won't spoil the events because it was spoiled for me when I read a review. When reading my brief review on Goodreads, I mention that I think it made sense considering what happened a few pages before the plot twist. Then, fast forward to the ending where I was thinking "really?" because it just didn't seem all that plausible or realistic given what details Kristin Hannah provided, or didn't provide, throughout the book. Perhaps the holiday spirit is what propelled this story into being a warm-feel-good type book rather than realistic.

This story centers around Joy Candellaro, a recent divorcee who used to love Christmas more than any other time of the year. She's having difficulty mustering the enthusiasm she used to have for the holiday, and impulsively decides to buy a plane ticket to the Pacific Northwest and leave without telling anyone. Amidst a sudden turn of events, she ends up deep in the Olympic rainforest and decides to not return to her old life.

Deep in the rainforest, she meets Daniel and Bobby O'Shea. At six-years-old, Bobby closes himself to the rest of the world as he is unable to process the loss of his mother, especially now as his first Christmas without her approaches. Daniel is grieving in his own way and is at a loss for how to help his son cope, and is especially struggling with Bobby only speaking to his invisible friend. The three of them have a deep chemistry connection and are able to help each other heal through their shared similar heartache.

Then suddenly, their lives are ripped apart and hearts are broken again. As the Goodreads description reads, "On a magical Christmas Eve, a night of impossible dreams and unexpected chances, Joy must find the courage to believe in a love -- and a family -- that can't possible exist, and go in search of what she wants . . . and the new life only she can find."

My rating is 4 out of 5, which means that I enjoyed the book, I didn't quite love it. I would still recommend it though, especially to those who enjoy a good love story (albeit unlikely or unrealistic) set during Christmas-time. While it's not Kristin Hannah's usual style, based on Firefly Lane and The Nightingale, I still enjoyed and recommend this Christmas themed heartbreak story with a happy ending. 

Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Paperback, 850 pages
Published June 1991 by Dell Publishing
Dates Read: Jan. 31 - April 3, 2016

Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is reunited with her husband, Frank, in 1945 at the end of WWII after several years apart. They're on their second honeymoon in the British Isles, when she walks through an ancient stone hedge and is suddenly transported to Scotland, circa 1743.

She is thrust into navigating an unfamiliar time and place torn by war and rivaling border clans. She has no idea how this happened or why, or where Frank is, or if he even knows what's happened to her, but she's determined to figure out the answers and return to 1945. Soon enough though, she encounters fighting clansmen who capture her and think she's a spy working for the British. One of the men is injured - meet Jamie Fraser, a stubborn yet charismatic hunk of a Scottish man. While Claire nurses his injuries, they develop a friendship and eventual romance. This adds complicated layers to Claire's feelings, and her plans to return home.

Gabaldon knocked her debut "let's give book writing a try" novel out of the park. A book that started out as a practice piece turned into a well-written, well-researched, and extremely detailed historical fiction piece of work that is difficult for me to sum up in one sentence. It's the first of a nine-book (for now) series, eight of which are already published, and has since been turned into a t.v. series on the network Starz.

The only reason I am giving this a 4 out of 5 rating is because there are many details that could have easily been left out to make this a much shorter, several hundred pages shorter, still amazing novel. It has everything else a historical fiction lover could want from the time travel to a distant, far away, long ago picturesque setting to the dreamy, romantic true love many people live their whole lives without finding.

I highly recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in historical fiction - just don't read it in February for a book club discussion. As grateful as I am that my book club decided to read this book, I am not grateful that it was for the shortest month of the year in 2016. February. I struggle to finish the shortest book on time, let alone the longest for the shortest month! Ugh. That said, it's one of my favorite books ever and definitely a favorite book club read - loved even more by the story continuing through (almost) 8 more books in the series!

To learn more about Diana Gabaldon and the Outlander series, visit her website at http://www.dianagabaldon.com/.

Review: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Paperback, 487 pages
Published April 2016 by Ballantine Books
Dates Read: Nov. 22 - Dec. 11, 2017

My book club, Vermont Books n Brews, selected Lilac Girls for our November discussion. Since it's historical fiction, based during the WWII era, the subject matter is right up my alley. The review from Library Journal on the cover reads, "extremely moving and memorable . . . should appeal strongly to [readers of] Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale and Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See." and this is quite accurate to me considering how much I enjoyed The Nightingale! I am now even more convinced I should read All the Light We Cannot See because of enjoying both of Lilac Girls and The Nightingale.

Now back to the discussion. Of course, I lived up to my reputation and didn't finish the book in time for the discussion, but my book club LOVED Martha Hall Kelly's debut novel. Once I was able to sit down and read it for real, I read it in a week. That's a record for me. I just could not put it down.

Have you ever gotten to the end of a book, closed it and sighed in relief? That happened for me with this book. I felt relief for Kasia that she finally got the closure she so desperately needed about what happened to her mother.

Lilac Girls is based on the real-life story of three women whose lives are forever transformed and connected by horrendous acts during WWII. Caroline Ferriday is a New York socialite, former Broadway actress, and liaison to the French consulate who works to provide aid for French citizens during the war, and eventually for victims of war crimes. Kasia Kuzmerick is a Polish teenager who becomes a courier for the underground resistance movement and ends up in the only women's only concentration camp of the war with her mother and sister. Herta Oberheuser is a young German doctor who answers an ad for a government medical position, thinking it'd be a great experience for her medical career, but is unknowingly getting herself into a position that will have drastic consequences.

For decades, these women manage to endure the impossible pain and heartache of war, and yet still manage to experience the love, redemption, and friendship that comes with the healing powers of the truth.

Martha Hall Kelly eloquently tells the story of these strong, brave women who went through hell and back to survive in a world that eventually forgot about them. A story that seems to get brushed aside amidst the stories of the soldiers who fought the wars.

Kelly did an amazing job with her debut novel. Her 10 years of research and attention to detail are apparent.  Perhaps I enjoyed it even more because I am a sucker for historical fiction, especially that of the WWII era, and with chapters written from different characters perspectives. Regardless of the reason, I am looking forward to Kelly's next two novels, both prequels to Lilac Girls.

Rating: 5 out of 5 - I fell in love with multiple aspects. Highly recommend.

**
Side note 1: Read the Author's Note and interview at the end of the book. Despite always being an avid reader, I rarely read the extras at the end of books such as the Author's Notes, acknowledgements, and interviews once the book ends. For some readers, that may come as a surprise. For others, you're probably thinking "Me too! Why bother?" I always thought it was a waste of time and it'd ruin the story for me. Well, let me tell you, I learned the hard way that I'm missing out! If you're like me and don't read those extras, please read them for Lilac Girls, you won't be sorry.

Side note 2: There are discussion questions in the back of the book. For book club discussion activity ideas and more questions, visit marthahallkelly.com/lilac-girls/for-book-clubs/.

Side note 3: There is a documentary being made about the Rabbits of Ravensbruck. To learn more and follow the story, follow their progress on Facebook and watch this video on YouTube.

Review: Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
Audiobook, 8 hours
Published September 13, 2016 by HarperAudio
Dates Read/Listened: Aug. 8 - Sept. 17, 2017

This was the first book I've read or listened to by Ann Patchett. The story followed Bert Cousins and Beverly Keating, who married after they fell for each other at a christening. Patchett seemed to sensitively address the issues of two individuals who fell in love despite being married to other people and both having children from those marriages. Relationships are complicated as it is, let alone adding infidelity and children to the mix.

While the story had many interesting points, I often found myself zoning out and not really paying attention to the story so when I did tune back in, I was lost and not sure exactly what "time" it was in the book. This is why it took me 6 weeks to get through it, which in turn also added to my inability to keep track of where I was because I'd forget details after so much time passed between listening sessions. Although, there did seem to be quite a few chronological "leaps" in the story and Patchett assumed the reader would follow along without clarifying exactly when events were taking place. She'd also reference certain events that happen in the past as a flashback or a memory, but then come back to present day, which left a reader (or listener) utterly confused as to what exactly happened when.

One thing I did find interesting was the concept of the book being read by the characters. It was a story about the characters being read by the characters, which then had a movie made about them and what their reactions were to both the book and the movie.

Overall, I'd rate this a 3 out of 5 - it's okay. Not for me, though I can see why others enjoy it.

Review: Bag Balm & Duct Tape: Tales of a Vermont Doctor by Beach Conger

Review of Bag Balm and Duct Tape: Tales of a Vermont Doctor by Beach Conger, M.D.
Paperback, 272 pages
Published September 1989 by Fawcett
Dates Read: March 30, 2015 - November 8, 2016

As you can see by how long it took me to read this book, this was a difficult book to get through. It was chosen for book club out of about 5 selections with a Vermont theme because it seemed to be the most appealing. Since the book club is based in Vermont, we wanted to read something based in the state.

The book started out slow as he's describing the countryside and transition to living in Vermont, in a "slower" pace of life than he was accustomed to previously. It read like a journal that was adapted for publication for the serious reader and the casual reader. The serious reader notes were a bit hilarious and at times unnecessary because it could've easily been worked into the story instead of being added to it to be published.

Many of the chapters (or should I call them journal entries?) seemed to be mostly him complaining about everything that is wrong with Western medicine. About halfway through the book is when it got better when he learned how to treat patients rather than the disease. It took him moving to a small town to learn that everything he learned in med school and practiced elsewhere isn't necessarily the right way of practicing medicine. He learned that he needed to treat the person and earn their trust rather than treat the disease.

I don't remember the specific point in the book when it happened, but I do remember suddenly enjoying the story and appreciating his humor, grace, and appreciation for the hardy lifestyle of Vermonters who don't take shit from outsiders they call flatlanders.

The book was obviously dated with there being references to specific treatments and medications that are no longer recommended, which will happen with many books on the topic of medicine.

Because I felt like the book read as a journal and it was dated, I got bored easily and had trouble getting back into it at first. I did not finish it in time for book club, but did pick it back up when a friend and I started talking about it. I finished it so that we could discuss it more in depth and he felt similarly disappointed in the title being misleading.

Rated: 3 out of 5 on Goodreads. My definition of 3 out of 5 is that it was an okay read. It's not for me, but I can see why others enjoy it.

Review: The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

Review of The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
Paperback, 320 pages
Published December 2014
Dates Read: September 5-9, 2015

Addie Baum tells her 22 year old granddaughter, Ava, her story growing up in the North End of Boston to Jewish-Russian immigrant parents who had a distrust for the changing American values. Reflecting on her 85 years when Ava asked her how she got to be the woman she is today, she starts her story in 1915 when she was just figuring out her own voice and view on life. Because of her parents distrust and their suspected affects on their three daughters, a lot of tension arose between them trying to maintain tradition and the ways of the old world and the girls trying to take advantage of the new opportunities for women during the time.

Addie's intelligence and curiosity gets the best of her as she explores the new culture her parents don't understand - movies or "moving pictures," short skirts, the celebrity culture, and eventually the right for women to vote. At a time when women are expected to marry right out of high school, she's determined to go to college. She also wants a career of her own and like any 15 year old, she wants to find true love. Addie explains that's the year she found her voice and made new friends who would have a profound affect on the course of her life.

Goodreads description explains, "from the one-room tenement apartment she shared with her parents and two sisters, to the library group for girls she joins at a neighborhood settlement house, to her first, disastrous love affair, Addie recalls her adventures with compassion for the naïve girl she was and a wicked sense of humor."

In true Anita Diamant fashion, The Boston Girl is a detailed historical fiction account of a young woman's struggle and resilience in an ever changing twentieth-century America. We get a glimpse through Addie's eyes of a generation of women figuring out what it means to be a woman in the new landscape of America, and the world.

I enjoyed reading this book for book club, not only because it's historical fiction, but because it reminded me of the conversation I had with my own grandmother, at about the same age, when she told me about growing up in New York City in the 1920's and early 1930's as the daughter of Italian immigrants.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Audiobook published 2007 by Simon and Schuster Audio
Paperback, 372 pages, published by Riverhead Books
Dates listened: December 10-30, 2016

I enjoyed reading The Kite Runner so much that I read A Thousand Splendid Suns not too long afterwards - it was in fact a year later, but for me that's a quick turnaround to read another book by the same author that I love so much unless it's Jodi Picoult.

If I had actually read the book rather than listening to it, I would've enjoyed it a lot more. I felt like I kept zoning out and couldn't focus so I kept missing important details. That may have had to do a lot with the actors voices being hard for me to listen to as well. As a result, I had to refer to the description on Goodreads and some other reviews to jog my memory.

The description of A Thousand Splendid suns on Goodreads is, "Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them—in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul—they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation."

Mariam grew up isolated and verbally abused by her mother. She was an illegitimate child and her mother never let her forget it, always calling her a harami. She longed for more attention from her father whom she only saw occasionally, and begged him to take her in - yearning for the attention and things that come with being a member of a real family. Then, at the age of 15 she is married off to Rasheed, a shoemaker old enough to be her grandfather and described so horrifically she might as well have been marrying an ogre. Soon Mariam is subject to Rasheed's violent and abusive behaviors - only this time it wasn't limited only to verbal abuse like her mother. Rasheed took advantage of the patriarchal culture, subconsciously or not, and physically, verbally, and sexually abused Mariam. When he wanted sex and she didn't, he'd guilt her into sex by telling her "There is no shame in this Mariam...it's what married people do. It's what the prophet himself and his wives did," and would then force himself onto her.

When Mariam is around 30-40 years old, Rasheed marries 14-year old Laila. Laila's childhood was similar to Mariam's, having suffered abuse in the patriarchal society of Aghanistan only to be married off at a young age to a man just as abusive if not worse than what she endured as a young child. While Mariam feels sorry for Leila because she knows what it's like be in her shoes, she is also relieved that Rasheed has someone else to beat.

The women bond over their shared experiences and try to navigate their unforeseen relationship that is a combination of mother-daughter and sisters. They do try to use their relationship to their advantage to not only take care of themselves, but also prioritize their children's lives. In an attempt to run away, Rasheed discovers their plans and beats both of them while also verbally berading them. One threatening and powerful thing he says to Leila is, "You try this again and I will find you. I swear on the prophet's name that I will find you. And, when I do, there isn't a court in this godforsaken country that will hold me accountable for what I will do. To Mariam first, then to her, and you last. I'll make you watch. You understand me? I'll make you watch." This signifies just how much he thinks of them as property and not as humans or partners.

These are just a couple examples of the abuse Mariam and Laila suffer at the hands of their husband. This is a difficult book to get through, yet it's also captivating and keeps a reader wanting more. I kept asking myself why they didn't just leave, but that's the point of the book in many ways. It's hard enough to leave an abusive relationship in the U.S. where women have rights, let alone in a country like Afghanistan where the women have very few right if any.

As Melissa Firman writes in her review, "A Thousand Splendid Suns is that rare book that is both heartbreaking and uplifting. It is an emotional journey through decades and with women who may be worlds away, but who are similar to so many of us in so many ways."

Rating: 4 out of 5. Enjoyed it, not quite loved it. Recommend, even though I did prefer The Kite Runner and felt that A Thousand Splendid Suns didn't live up to the same expectations and quality. 

Review: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

Hardcover, 233 pages
Published 1990 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Dates read: March 10-May 7, 2017

When I first started reading this book, I downloaded a copy on Amazon Kindle and read it on my phone, then because it was a small screen I couldn't handle it so listened to part of it as an audio book. That still didn't do it for me so I was able to get my hands on a hardcover book from the library! I prefer the physical copy for this book because it was so riveting and attention grabbing that I wanted more of it and the sooner the better (I tend to get through books faster reading the paperback/hardcover over Kindle or audio).

Through this compilation of award winning short stories, O'Brien recounts the experiences the members of Alpha Company: Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and of course, O'Brien. First published in 1990, The Things They Carried has become an American classic and testament to the trials and tribulations the men endured during the Vietnam war.

Some stories made me sit in disbelief, while others made me cry, and most broke my heart that these young men experienced such horrors only to come home to a country full of hate and anger towards them. The first short story (chapter), aptly titled the same as the book, contained many quotes that made my heart ache, such as "They carried all they could bear, and then some, including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried." Then later in the same chapter, this quote summed up the entirety of the book for me before it was even finished, "They shared the weight of memory. They took up what others could no longer bear. Often, they carried each other, the wounded or weak."

Although there were many scenes full of intense gory violence, there are plenty more that are funny, humane, and relatable. Even decades after the war, O'Brien still carries things with him (hence the title), something that many people don't understand unless they went through it too. It's evidenced through the few times he shares that his daughter makes comments about why he lingers on the past. It's clear that he is bothered by her comments but doesn't know how to explain it to her or if he even wants to or can.

As Writer's Relief wrote in their review on Goodreads, "There are moments in the book when you wonder if what he remembers actually happened or if he’s rewriting his memories as a coping mechanism. His vivid storytelling abilities will have you suffering alongside the soldiers; so much so that, when you finish the book, you also carry a bit of the burden of war."

While reading these stories I couldn't help but wonder if he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or whether or not he is getting help. It's something that he didn't touch on, nor would I have expected him to address in this book given the purpose of the stories being more about sharing his stories than about the follow-up care. After reading the descriptions of his other books on Goodreads, it doesn't seem like he addresses PTSD directly head on - it's definitely addressed at least indirectly through showing the aftermath of coming home from a war.

Rating: 4 out of 5 - Enjoyed it, not quite loved it because while it gave some insight into his experience, I didn't like the disconnectedness of a compilation of short stories. At the same time, I think the format was necessary because his memories and the events were disconnected.

Highly Recommend.