Kate’s 2¢: The last widow by Karin Slaughter

“The last widow” by Karin Slaughter

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

      I enjoyed this story, although, it was difficult to figure out what Willbert was about. Perhaps, if the GBI dossiers were in the beginning, instead of the end, the story would go deeper sooner.

   “The Last Widow” seems to draw from various real scenarios that have been in the news. Is this fiction following fact or fact following fiction?

From her website:

ABOUT KARIN

Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular and acclaimed storytellers.

Published in 37 languages, with more than 35 million copies sold across the globe, her nineteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent books, as well as the Edgar-nominated Cop Town and the instant New York Times bestselling novels Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter. Her most recent novel, The Last Widow, features Sara Linton and Will Trent. A native of Georgia, Karin currently lives in Atlanta. Her novels Cop Town, The Good Daughter, and Pieces of Her are all in development for film and television. 

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The last widow DB96209

Slaughter, Karin. Reading time: 16 hours, 43 minutes.

Read by Kathleen Early.

Suspense Fiction; Mystery and Detective Stories

Unknown assailants grab a CDC scientist in a parking lot. One month later, a ground-shaking blast shatters a Sunday afternoon. Medical examiner Sara Linton and GBI investigator Will Trent rush toward the scene, but they’re waylaid by the escaping perpetrators, who kidnap Sara. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Next Wife” by Kaira Sturdivant Rouda

“The Next Wife” by Kaira Sturdivant Rouda

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   As long as you remember who is speaking, there is enough fore-shadowing to keep you on your toes as to the true perpetrator in this ‘who done it’, ormaybe not.

   This well written narrative develops the three, strong women’s personalities as they go   teat-to-teat, kind of like a wet tee shirt wrestling match, but on the corporate level.

From her website:

Kaira Sturdivant Rouda is an accomplished business leader, entrepreneur, national speaker and internationally bestselling and award-winning author.

A former magazine editor, and society columnist, Kaira won the Stevie Award for Women in Business for creating the first female-focused residential real estate brand, Real Living, and growing the brand to more than 22 states before its sale to Berkshire Hathaway.

Her first book, Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs, led to a national speaking tour where she inspired thousands. Turning to a full-time writing career, Kaira has become a USA Today bestselling author, an international bestseller, and an Amazon Charts bestseller. Her books have been translated into more than ten languages. Recent releases, including Best Day Ever, The Favorite Daughter, and The Next Wife have been called “chilling satisfying suspense” (Good Housekeeping), “exceptional” (Publishers Weekly), and “an examination of the darkest betrayals” (Brit & Co.).

Active in the areas of homelessness, food security, and empowering women and girls, in her

twenties, as a volunteer, she created the first walk-in emergency shelter for homeless families in Central Ohio.

Kaira has received numerous awards for her community service, including the national Kiwanis Service to Mankind Award, among many others. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Congressman Harley Rouda, and her four twenty-something children.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The next wife DB103991

Rouda, Kaira Sturdivant. Reading time: 9 hours, 24 minutes.

Read by Lindsey Pierce.

Suspense Fiction

Psychological Fiction

Kate Nelson had it all, with a flourishing company, a happy marriage with John, and her daughter Ashlyn. Enter Tish, John’s mistress and, now, new wife. Tish thinks she has it all, despite Kate still being in the picture. Not everything is golden, though. Strong language and some violence. 2021.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Chocolate War” and “Beyond The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier

“The Chocolate War” and “Beyond The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

“The Chocolate War”:

   I understand how authors of YA (middle school to high school age students) narratives strive to draw readers into the narrative, to address their inner and outer social and moral issues; however, I am appalled and disgusted on so many levels with this story, I can’t possibly list them all here.

   I also understand that this story is listed as a novel, which means it is fiction, so, why does it upset me?  It bothers me because YA are supposed to read this and identify with the kernels of truth that resonate with the reader.

   In this fictional story, I object to the false role model of Brother Leon, the bully portrayed by Archie, the student body of this fictional Catholic school that enables the bullying to continue, the potty mouth language, and the cruelty of boxing.

   While YA novels may try to reflect reality, I find this novel is lacking in any redemption. Apparently, there is a sequel “Beyond The Chocolate War”, which I’ll read next,  but I’m not looking forward to wasting any more of my time.

BTW:  Whenever our children had school fund raisers to sell, we bought their quota.

“Beyond The Chocolate War”:

   What a horrible story!  I rue to think that teens reading this story take it to heart, that anything in this school is appropriate behavior. I suspect psychologists could have a field day with these characters.  

From Wikipedia:

ISBN 0-394-82805-4

Beyond the Chocolate War 

The Chocolate War is a young adult novel by American author Robert Cormier, published in 1974. It was adapted into a film in 1988. Although it received mixed reviews at the time of its publication, some reviewers have argued it is one of the best young adult novels of all time.[1] Set at a fictional Catholic high school, the story depicts a secret student organization’s manipulation of the student body, which descends into cruel and ugly mob mentality against a lone, non-conforming student. Because of the novel’s language, the concept of a high school secret society using intimidation to enforce the cultural norms of the school and various characters’ sexual ponderings, it has been embroiled in censorship controversies and appeared as third on the American Library Association’s list of the “Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books in 2000–2009.”[2] A sequel was published in 1985 called Beyond the Chocolate War.

Jerry is a freshman attending an all-boys Catholic high school called Trinity, while coping with depressive feelings and existential questions that stem largely from his mother’s recent death and his father’s enduring grief. Jerry is quickly recruited onto Trinity’s football team, where he meets Roland “The Goober” Goubert, a fellow freshman and instant friend.

Vice-principal Brother Leon has recently become acting headmaster and overextends his rising ambition by committing Trinity to selling double the previous year’s amount of chocolates during an annual fundraising event, quietly enlisting the support of Archie Costello, the genesis and leader behind The Vigils: the school’s cruelly manipulative secret society of student pranksters.

Archie arrogantly plans to alternate between betraying and supporting Leon in a frenzied series of power plays. His first “assignment” is to incite Jerry to refuse to sell any chocolate for ten days. However, Jerry, inspired after reading a quotation inside his locker: “Do I dare disturb the universe?” from T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” feels strangely determined to sell nothing even after the ten days have passed, thus estranging himself from both Leon and The Vigils.

At first, Jerry’s refusal to cooperate with the corrupt school culture and fundraiser is seen by many classmates as heroic, but the gesture threatens Brother Leon and The Vigils’ ability to coerce the student population. Leon presses Archie to put The Vigils’ full force behind the chocolate sales, so they set up Jerry as an enemy for the rest of the student body to harass through bullying, prank calls, and vandalism. Only The Goober remains Jerry’s friend but does little to protect him. Ultimately, Archie enlists the school bully Emile Janza to beat up Jerry just outside the school, but, even in the aftermath, Jerry maintains his defiant nonconformity.

Finally, Archie concocts a showdown: a boxing match at night between Jerry and Emile. On the football field, the match is watched by all students, who can select which blows will be laid during the fight through a randomized lottery system; however, the fight ends when a teacher shuts down the electrical power on the field, and Jerry is brutally injured in the ensuing darkness. Half-conscious, he tells The Goober that there was no way to win and he should have just complied, conceding that it is best, after all, not to “disturb the universe.” Though Archie is apprehended as the mastermind of the fight, Brother Leon intervenes on his behalf and privately praises his efforts in the unprecedented success of the chocolate sales. Leon implies that next year, if he is officially made the new headmaster, he will work to preserve Archie’s power.

Critical reception[edit]

The book was well received by critics. The New York Times wrote, “The Chocolate War is masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful; complex ideas develop and unfold with clarity.”[3]

Children’s Book Review Service said, “Robert Cormier has written a brilliant novel.”

Cormier explained in an interview that he was “interested in creating real people, dramatic situations that will keep the reader turning pages.”[4] He went on to say that although some adults dislike the book because of the topics discussed, “the kids can absorb my kind of book because they

According to the American Library Association, The Chocolate War has frequently been banned and challenged in the United States due to concerns about the book’s sexual content, offensive language, religious viewpoint and violence.[11] The book landed on the list of the top ten most banned and challenged books in 2001 (3), 2002 (3), 2004 (1), 2005 (4), 2006 (10), 2007 (2), and 2009 (10).[12] as well as the top one hundred books from 2000-2009 (3).[13] When the book reached the number one spot in 2004, it marked the first time in five years in which the Harry Potter series did not top the list.[11]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The chocolate war :: a novel DB33593

Cormier, Robert Reading time: 5 hours, 20 minutes.

Bruce Huntey National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Classics

Growing Up

Young Adult

A freshman in a parochial high school for boys discovers the devastating consequences of refusing to join in the school’s annual fund-raising drive. His decision provokes the wrath of school bullies and the revenge of a sadistic teacher. Strong language. For junior and senior high readers.

Download The chocolate war :: a novel DB33593

Beyond the chocolate war: a novel DB23087

Cormier, Robert Reading time: 7 hours, 20 minutes.

Bruce Huntey A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

School Fiction

A few months after the astounding events recounted in “The Chocolate War” (RD 8430), the secret society known as “the Vigils” is still operating at Trinity High. Two of the Vigils’ key members are becoming increasingly disenchanted with the devious mastermind, Archie, and each turns against him in his own way. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. For junior and senior high readers.

Download Beyond the chocolate war: a novel DB23087

Kate’s 2¢: “Shardik” by Richard Adams

“Shardik” by Richard Adams

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m

—   Richard Adams is the author of “Watership Down”.

— John Lee did a wonderful job of reading this lengthy story.

–Shardik is about the religious impulse and the ardor of worship…themes of power, politics, corruption, ant the nature of religious faith.

–To remove the burden of guilt is the purpose of all religions.

–“…an odd cult that has no little influence of the life of this province,…worship the memory of a gigantic bear, which they believe too been divined. The death of this bear, somehow availed, …to free certain enslaved children and, on this account, they consider the security and happiness of all children to be of importance to them and their welfare a sacred duty…”

   I thoroughly enjoyed this made up story in a made up land with its foreign names and places and the rich descriptions of the topography.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_AdamsActions for this site

Richard George Adams was born on 9 May 1920 in Wash Common, near Newbury, Berkshire, England, the son of Lillian Rosa (Button) and Evelyn George Beadon Adams, a doctor. He attended Horris Hill School from 1926 to 1933, and then Bradfield College from 1933 to 1938. In 1938, he went to Worcester College, Oxford, to read Modern History. In July 1940, Adams was called up to join the military. He studied modern history at university before serving in the British Army during World War II. Afterwards, he completed his studies, and then joined the British Civil Service.

   Adams is the author of “Watership Downs”, The Plague Dogs”, and “Shardik” among other books.

From NLS/BARD/LOC”

Shardik DB103486

Adams, Richard. Reading time: 23 hours, 51 minutes.

Read by John Lee.

General

In this fantasy of adventure, horror, and romance, the author tells of the gigantic bear Shardik and his appearance among the Ortelgan people. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 1974.

Kate’s 2¢: “The story of Edgar Sawtelle: a novel” by David Wroblewski

“The story of Edgar Sawtelle: a novel” by David Wroblewski

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

Excerpts:

   The glass was crude and warped…He produced a long thin reed whose tip was cut on the oblique and sharpened to a needle’s point; a minute quantity of liquid had wicked into the reed and a drop shimmered on the point…The rain fell and the three-legged dog laid still.

   Edgar’s grandfather began the unsual dog strain…Edgar’s father was interested in what the dog’s chose to do…Edgar’s mother was a trainer of the dogs…Edgar was born mute, but could hear…the dogs obeyed his hand signals.

   Almondine was a special dog who loved Edgar and could mentally communicate with him…omniscient point of view…Edgar was silent in contentment and silent in distress, but the dog understood…Gar’s brother, Claude, comes to stay and repairs the old barn where the dogs live.

   Edgar knows his father’s death wasn’t an accident…The old vet’s death was an accident…Edgar’s death was no accident…Claude got what he deserved.

   I enjoyed observing the silent interactions of Edgar with his mother and with the dogs he trained and worked with.  His travels with the dogs when he flees his home is amazing and a tribute to loyalty.

David Wroblewski – Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wroblewski

David Wroblewski was born in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee. He earned his master’s degree from the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers. As a child and through high school, he had a dog named Prince that was the basis for the dog in his novel.

Born: David Wroblewski, 1959 (age 61–62), Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, United States

Nationality: American

Occupation: Novelist, software researcher and developer

Period: 2008–present

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The story of Edgar Sawtelle: a novel DB66656

Wroblewski, David. Reading time: 17 hours, 34 minutes.

Read by Steven Carpenter. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Disability

Adventure

Family

Animals and Wildlife

Bestsellers

Wisconsin, 1970s. Gar and Trudy Sawtelle raise an intuitive and intelligent dog breed on their farm. One dog, Almondine, can communicate with the Sawtelle’s mute son Edgar. After Gar’s brother arrives, Gar dies and fourteen-year-old Edgar flees into the forest with three of the dogs. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2008.

Kate’s 2¢: “The Envoy” by Edward Wilson

“The Envoy” by Edward Wilson

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   In every story there is a kernel of truth. I wonder if our foreign offices in certain countries are actually told to not process the locals who apply for visas or asylum.

   I liked the twist at the end of the story.

   I enjoyed listening to Gregory Maupin read this story.

From the WEB:

Edward Wilson served in Vietnam as an officer in the 5th Special Forces. His decorations include the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal for VValor. Soon after leaving the army, Wilson became a permanent expatriate. He formally lost US nationality in 1986. Edward Wilson is a British citizen but has also lived and worked in Germany and France.

   From: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3132126-the-envoy

Apr 01, 2008 · The Envoy, Edward Wilson’s second novel, will prove familiar territory for fans of A River in May. The setting is 1950s London, at the height of the Cold War. Kit Fournier is ostensibly a senior diplomat at the US embassy in Grosvenor Square, but is also CIA Chief of Station. This job and its secrets prove deadly and Kit faces a crisis of the soul as the threat of the H-bomb.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

The envoy DB84067

Wilson, Edward, (Novelist). Reading time: 10 hours, 20 minutes.

Read by Gregory Maupin. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Spy Stories

London, 1956. Kit Fournier, a CIA agent under diplomatic cover at the US embassy, is troubled by the arms race and obsessed with a woman whose husband works at a secret nuclear research facility. Kit makes a series of catastrophic decisions. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2008.

Download The envoy

Kate’s 2¢: “Cold July: A Dave Garrett Mystery” by Neil Albert

“Cold July: A Dave Garrett Mystery” by Neil Albert

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   It is always disheartening to read about dirty law enforcers, but, I know, it is a reality. Hopefully, the good guys out-number the bad ones.

   I appreciate Dave Garrett’s fidelity to Lisa. He is a man of character and morals. A rarity in this day and age.

From Neil Albert’s website:

Even as a child I wanted to write, and probably for the same reason that drives others to write—an isolated and unhappy childhood.  My parents moved frequently.  Being the new kid in school is bad enough; being an only child with no extended family is worse.  After a while you give up and retreat into the world of your imagination.  My first book-length work was an adventure story set in the present day (1965) that came to 300 longhand pages and took me all summer to write.  Blessedly, it has disappeared.  If anyone reading this has it, I will pay good money to make sure it never gets out.

In my thirties I tried my hand at short stories.  The only good that came of that was the suggestion that I try a mystery, because it was clear what belonged and what didn’t.  My advisor had a short story in mind, but I misunderstood her and wrote The January Corpse by mistake.  The book was written over the space of two weeks in 1988, and appeared in 1990.  It was nominated for Best First Novel by the Private Eye Writers of America but lost out.  It was a very edgy book for its day; saying anything more would be a spoiler.

The structure of my series stole shamelessly from Sue Grafton and her A is for Alibi system.  The months of the year seemed much less ambitious.  The fact that Sue died without getting to Z proves my point.  Between 1990 and 1996 I churned out a book a year, while practicing trial law full time on the side.  It was the best of days and it was the worst of days.  I attended many conventions and book signings and met dozens of wonderful people—fans, other writers, editors, book dealers, collectors—and it was a pleasure to deal with everyone.  Anyone who thinks that mystery writers feel that they are in competition with each other is mistaken.  I have seldom been in any social setting with as strong a sense of collegiality.  We were genuinely happy when somebody broke out.  I knew Harlen Cobin and Lisa Scottoline in the early days and when one of us hit it big, we were as happy as if it had been us.   And it was the days when there were still independent bookstores.  I got my start because shop owners liked my work and hand sold it.  Those days are gone.  I feel very lucky to have been in the trade at the time.

And it was the worst of times.  Writing to a deadline when it’s your side job isn’t fun.  For six years I never had a vacation.  If I accompanied my friends on a ski vacation, for example, I would take a laptop and write 5,000 words a day while they were on the slopes.  At any given moment I was touring for the current release, editing the book that was in process, working on the first draft of the new one, and making research notes about the one after that.

 And then Fred came into our lives.

Fred was a $2,000 horse of uncertain age and breeding that the woman who was my wife at the time was persuaded to buy as a fox hunting horse.

Of course, $2,000 wasn’t the end of the commitment.  There was the $2,000 used saddle, about $1,000 in blankets and bridles, just enough to get started, and the $10,000 trailer and the $20,000 truck.  And then we needed a place where Fred could live with us, which involved a broken down farm of 50 acres.  I won’t mention the price.  But the horse was a bargain.

How all this was going to affect my writing wasn’t clear at the time.  I had never ridden a horse and I was vaguely frightened of them.  But after a year on the farm, seeing the horses on a regular basis, I had a gestalt moment.  The horses were right there.  Not riding was like living in Colorado and not going skiing.  At age 47 I got on a horse for the first time for a lesson.  I was instantly hooked.  Five months later I participated in a no-jump fox hunt, which is a ridiculously dangerous rate of progress for a beginning adult rider.  Two years after that I got a well-trained jumping horse and joined a hunt with jumps.  Big jumps.   Writing was off the table.

I stopped hunting when my mare Madison became arthritic and just did trail riding for a few years until it was time to let it go. My last years of riding were spent with Ev, the woman who is now my wife (and proofreader). I hunted in the front for fifteen years and never got hurt, thanks to some wonderful horses.

And here I am again, still working full time but out of the saddle for good, and eager to continue where I left off. I hope you enjoy the journey with me

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Cold July: a Dave Garrett mystery DB103154

Albert, Neil. Reading time: 6 hours, 42 minutes.

Read by Steven Carpenter.

Mystery and Detective Stories

Months ago, Elsie Mankovik died while helping private detective Dave Garrett, and now he works to help her daughter, Angela, who Elsie claimed was framed on drug charges. But everyone is out to stop him, and he can only rely on his assistant Lisa. Strong language and some violence. 2019.

Downloaded: July 3, 2021

Kate’s 2¢: “Elliott and Win” by Carolyn Meyer

“Elliott and Win” by Carolyn Meyer

 Kate’s 2¢: I down-loaded this book upon the recommendation of a Behind Our Eyes colleague.  It is a YA novel that addresses some of the issues children  have when they are raised by only one parent. ‘Los Amigos’ is an organization that pairs boys whose fathers are absent with men who can befriend and be a role model for the boys. Sometimes, they become friends and sometimes,  they aren’t a good match.

   I’ve included my colleague’s review of “Elliott and Win”.

From ‘The Blind Perspective”, an e-mag,  September 2021 Volume 7 Issue 9

By Bonnie Blose

…In the 1980s, books for teens underwent great change. Like romance writers who learned readers wanted real life stories with believable problems, novels for teens underwent similar change. As a result, broken families were everywhere. Sometimes fathers left, but mothers did too. This left teens beginning to find their own identity with complicated romantic relationships with questions of how and when love can be lost and what, if anything, can be done to make it stay.

…Teenagers and adults often make quick judgments about others. Often, it is to hide something they wish not to face or to feel better about themselves.

… As Win grows closer to Elliott, he decides to take on some of his interests, in particular cooking healthy meals.  He invites Heather to what is a dangerous place to share a picnic. That time together changes the future for both. Knowing he can confide in Elliott when he can no longer hide his tears and sadness, he tells him the terrible truth and what happened on that awful night. How difficult it is for anyone and perhaps most of all a teen to discover no firm ground underfoot.

…As I read this wonderful but short novel, I imagined the fragility of teenage years and remembered uncertainty and doubts  face during that time. Carolyn Meyer illustrates the stark reality of the pain caused by what we believe. Imagine you are a teen finding your way in a world which seems to change constantly. What we believe at any age comes from experience and what friends believe. How easy it is to plant doubt! This book is about trust. It’s about what to believe while trying to figure out with whom we can share doubts and fears.

…”Elliott and Win” was published in 1986 during the Aids crisis. This is a sensitive portrayal of the importance of both adults and children and the need they have for each other.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Born June 8, 1935,[1] as an only child in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, Meyer began her first “novel,” Humpy the Caterpillar and Gladys the Snail: A True Life Romance at age eight. However, she completed only three chapters.[1]

   Meyer’s latest work published is Beauty’s Daughter: The Story of Hermione and Helen of Troy, published October 2013.

Her previous published work was The True Adventures of Charley Darwin, focusing on the life of Charles Darwin, quite a leap from her usual subjects, for she has gone from royalty, to European artists, and now to scientists. The True Adventures of Charley Darwin is unusual in that it breaks from Meyer’s formula of always having a female narrator, as Charley narrates his own story. The hardcover version of this book was published on January 26, 2009.[2][3] Before Darwin came In Mozart’s Shadow, a historical novel about Mozart and narrated by his older sister, Maria Anna Mozart, nicknamed Nannerl, released in 2008.[4]

   Mother to three grown sons, she resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her husband, E.A. “Tony” Mares, a New Mexico poet, essayist and historian, and professor at the University of New Mexico, died January 30, 2015.[1]

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Elliott and Win DB25341

Meyer, Carolyn Reading time: 4 hours, 46 minutes.

David Palmer National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Young Adult

Fourteen-year-old Win has just moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his divorced mother, who has arranged with an agency to pair Win up with an adult male volunteer “role model.” To his chagrin, Win is matched with Elliott Deerfield–who doesn’t own a TV, attends the opera, jumps rope, and serves Win gourmet chicken salad instead of burgers and fries. Some violence and descriptions of sex. For junior and senior high readers.

Download Elliott and Win DB25341

Kate’s 2¢: “Maelstrom: Destroyermen” and “Distant thunders: Destroyermen” by Taylor Anderson

“Maelstrom: Destroyermen” and “Distant thunders: Destroyermen” by Taylor Anderson

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

   I didn’t expect to like this alternate universe science fictional story, but, the characters are so well developed, albeit, weird, I found I enjoyed the first book I read. So, I read anotherone!

Taylor Anderson has created an amazing world in his alternate history series. He will have you on the edge of your seat with battles against unknown creatures.

Straits Of HellNew York Times bestselling author Taylor Anderson’s phenomenal alternate history …

Taylor Anderson – Fantastic Fiction

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/taylor-andersonActions for this site

Taylor Anderson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Destroyermen series. A gunmaker and forensic ballistic archaeologist, Taylor has been a technical and  gun-maker, and forensic ballistic archeologist who has been a technical and dialogue consultant for movies and documentaries. He has a Master’s Degree in History and has taught at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.

   Anderson a well known and one of the prominent authors from The United States of America, who likes to write novels in the Historical Fiction, Science Fiction and Fiction genres. Apart from being an author, he is also a re-enactor, a history professor and a gunsmith.

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Maelstrom: Destroyermen DB69174

Anderson, Taylor. Reading time: 15 hours, 39 minutes.

Read by Michael Scherer. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Science Fiction

War Stories

Supreme Commander Matt Reddy returns with allied expeditionary forces from a Lemurian mass exodus after the Griks and the Amagi repel their siege. But with the Amagi badly damaged, the allies gain time to prepare for an upcoming battle. Sequel to Crusade (DB 69110). Violence and some strong language. 2009.

Download Maelstrom: Destroyermen

Distant thunders: Destroyermen DB72212

Anderson, Taylor. Reading time: 14 hours, 51 minutes.

Read by Michael Scherer. A production of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress.

Science Fiction

War Stories

Commander Reddy and the crew of the USS Walker are repelling attacks of the Griks when a missing ship commanded by Commodore Jenks of the New Britain Imperial Navy suddenly appears. Reddy wonders whom he can trust. Sequel to Maelstrom (DB 69174). Violence and some strong language. 2010.

Download Distant thunders: Destroyermen

Kate’s 2¢: “Slingshot” by Mercedes Helnwein

“Slingshot” by Mercedes Helnwein

Kate’s 2¢: There is a plethora of in-depth biographies of authors and reviews of their books, that state the title, author, published date, and genre; as well as,     describing what the book is about, setting, and character(s), so, Kate’s 2¢ merely shares my thoughts about what I read.  I’m just saying…

–One’s strongest asset at that age, is youth.

–I’m just being an unhinged bitch, which kind of helps  the way to feel good about feeling bad.

–Maybe everyone is a human being with a whole complicated life attached to them.

–I might be a person; totally on my own. The idea that I could exist. Just by the sheer force of myself.

   It is unfortunate that younger teenagers believe other older teenagers, until it’s too late to realize it was really bad advice.

Advice from a grandparent:

Subject: on being sexually active

Character, Courage, Conscience

It’s been brought to my attention that you and R* are sexually active. It deeply and over-whelmingly saddens me that you aren’t showing the character, courage, and conscience with which Granddad and I demonstrated during the 13 years we raised you.

   You are 16; however, you are not like a cricket nor rabbit. Both hop about copulating without thinking about the long-term consequences and ramifications. As a human being, a homosapian, you have the mental capacity to understand morals and right from wrong, instead of just pleasure of the moment.    You have the courage to say “No!”.You have the conscience to know that sex within a committed, marital relationship is infinitely more satisfying than a quickie, that doesn’t really satisfy anything or anybody.

   The only “safe sex” is no sexual intercourse. School has taught you about the mechanics of how the pieces and parts fit together. Now, you know your male part fits her female part. It works that way for each male and whichever female that comes his way.

   The right way is to focus on graduating from high school, getting a college degree or military experience, and establishing your career. Then when you’re 25-years old, look around for a woman who has also followed a moral life-time goal. Then, together, you can venture forth on building a home, family, and future that celebrates your triumph in being a human, instead of a cricket.

I love you and nothing you do can destroy my love for you. There will always be a place for you in my heart.

Mimi

From her Webiste”

Mercedes Helnwein was born in Vienna, Austria, daughter to Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein. 

She moved to Ireland with her family in her teens, where she spent her time writing and drawing. Consciously choosing not to attend art schools, Helnwein developed a distinct visual style that remained fully untouched by outside opinions, peers or fads.  Instead she drew her inspiration from personal influences,  ranging from Southern Gothic traditions to the cartoons of Robert Crumb, nineteenth Century Russian literature, American motel culture and the Delta blues, amongst others. 

Her first art shows were self-instigated, unorthodox one-night events in Los Angeles often with one or two other inexperienced young artists, most commonly photographer Alex Prager.  Sponsored by various alcoholic beverage companies, magazines, and unlikely supporters such as Land Rover, these shows generated a surprisingly genuine response and enabled Helnwein to continue developing her ideas, styles and experimenting with her interests and themes.  She exhibited regularly in Los Angeles during this period at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery, as well as in Europe, steadily garnering interest and collectors, amongst them Damien Hirst, who bought out a London show.

With her series “Asleep in the Wind”  Helnwein broke from the primarily pencil-focused style of her early work, moving onto large-scale formats and experimenting with oil pastel as a medium.  In 2015 she further developed her work in this direction with  “Living Room Fire”,  expanding into a wider range of media and delving deeper into the theme of American living rooms and the “almost normal” activities of its characters. 

Film and photography has also long been an integral part of Helnwein’s work, whether behind the scenes as reference material or in the forefront with films for her exhibitions, such as the “Cops and Nurses” film in 2013.  Her brother, composer Ali Helnwein, often collaborates with her on these projects.  

Her novel SLINGSHOT is being published by Wednesday Books/ St. Martin’s Press and becomes available April 2021.

Mercedes Helnwein currently lives and works in downtown Los Angeles and Irelan

From NLS/BARD/LOC:

Slingshot DB103439

Helnwein, Mercedes. Reading time: 11 hours, 37 minutes.

Read by Jesse Vilinsky.

Growing Up

Young Adult

Romance

Grace Welles is barely surviving life at a third-tier boarding school in the Florida swamps when she accidentally saves new student Wade Scholfield and everything changes. Strong language and descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.

Downloaded: July 31, 2021

Download Slingshot