C.J. Zahner's Blog, page 4
June 7, 2022
If You Tell by Gregg Olsen
Rating: 9
General Rating: Wow, wow, wow, this is the most enlightening non-fiction I’ve read. Reading this book was difficult but I highly recommend it.
Who should read: Everyone. At the risk of showing my hurried, unorganized behavior, I’ll admit I did not know this was based on a true story until I had finished it. I downloaded this novel months prior to reading it and never looked at its cover or metadata. I thought it too far-fetched, then had a jaw-dropping moment while reading the acknowledgments.
Skip factor: 5%. I wouldn’t have skipped a word had I known this was based on a true story.
Summary: This is the story of three sisters, Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek, and the abuse they endured at the hands of their parents Dave and Shelly Knotek. Shelly Knotek, the mastermind, will be released from prison in 2022. Her husband, Dave, was released in 2017.
Spoiler: Simply put: They abused their three daughters and murdered their nephew and two friends.
Characters:
I can’t begin to put in words how I feel about the three daughters, Nikki, Sami, and Tori. They are remarkable women, each in their own way. I didn’t have a favorite. I loved all three.
I loathed Shelly Knotech as any mother who reads this story will. As a mother myself, I am protective of my children. Yes, like all mothers, I’ve made many mistakes raising my kids, but the kind of mistakes Shelly made are incomprehensible. She wallowed in torturous acts. (How someone could inflict pain and agony of this nature on another human being, let alone their own child, is incomprehensible.)
Storyline: Barely believable but true. Readers will walk away with a better understanding of how abusive people select their victims.
Writing: Exceptionally written. Keeps your attention throughout.
Read this author again? Yes, I will read this author’s work again, but I don’t think he will ever find a more astonishing story.
Read on!
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CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here . Or read more about Zahner in Voyage Raleigh.Follow her: Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books: Amazon.
May 4, 2022
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Name: The Truth About Forever
Author: Sarah Dessen
Rating: 9.5
General Rating: A perfectly sweet book to make you forget the pandemic. It ranks as one of my favorite YA books.
Skip factor: >1% I barely skipped anything. A few times I was so engrossed in the story I speed-read through several paragraphs to find out what would happen. I couldn’t wait to see what was around the bend.
Who should read: Women, young and old. This is clean and appropriate for any age. Young girls will identify with the main character, and older women will fondly remember days past.
Summary: No spoilers. This is the story of a high school girl, Macy, whose perfect suburban world is suddenly tainted by the death of her father. She is the youngest of two children and while her older sister is a bit wild and outspoken, Macy is quiet, smart, and sensible. She was close to her dad and after his death, she folds inside herself and tries to become the perfect daughter for her mother. She has a relationship with an intelligent boy, who is driven by his life’s career goals. When he goes away for the summer to “brain camp,” Macy’s mother hires a catering service for an event, and Macy becomes enamored by the owner, Delia, and her employees. She begins working for Delia and hanging around with some of the workers, in particular, a boy named Wes. Macy’s mother believes this is the “wrong” crowd for Macy. But is it? This is a lovely story about life and growing up.
Characters: Dessen creates simple characters, some who immediately win you over, and some who take the normal route of progression and capture your heart over time. I loved most—actually—all of them. Helplessly. I was a quarter through the book before I realized certain characters brought a smile to my face every time they walked onto a page.
Here they are in the order I liked them:
Kristy – My favorite character had a scar on her face that never inhibited her. The personality Dessen creates in Kristy is clever and vivacious. She has an extraordinary attitude and is witty. Her take on life will make you smile.
Wes– He’s cute and doesn’t know it, a talented artist and doesn’t flaunt it, and he is unimpressed with the scads of girls who “swoon” over him. Unrealistic, I know. But despite his impeccably perfect personality that seems unlikely, his simple nature has you loving him almost the moment he appears. Dessen is that good.
Macy – Macy is the type of character you want to pull out of the book and wrap your arms around. She is quiet, kind, and never speaks her mind. She is painstakingly shy, even afraid to show anger toward her mother. I routed for her from the beginning.
Minor characters – I liked the minor characters more in this book than any other novel I’ve read.
Delia – Delia is my favorite minor character. She owns the catering business. An old soul with a good grasp on life, Delia lacks the organizing skills of a normal business owner. Still, somehow, things always work out for Delia in the end. She is positivity, kindness, and chaos wrapped in one. If her charm doesn’t make you love her, her pregnancy will. She’s the perfect minor character who jumps in, flaws and all, with a perfect splash.
Caroline – Macy’s sister flits in and out. Macy mentions her “sneaking out” as a teenager so the reader gets the impression, she is a bit wild. For me, I wasn’t sure about her at first, but when she reappeared later in the book, I loved her. You see Caroline from Macy’s perspective only, which is how it should be. However pulling this off is sometimes hard for an author. Not Dessen. Caroline is one character (as is the mother) whom I learned to love over time.
Monica – This is the sister of my favorite character, Kristy. So how could Dessen make her stand out when Kristy has such a magnanimous personality? Dessen made her painfully laid back—the total opposite of Kristy. People could barely get more than an uh-huh or umm from her. It worked. I loved Monaco, too. When she finally spoke, I felt like applauding.
Bert – Brother of Wes is a nerd. He has a silly little game that he plays with his older brother, is forever awkward, and is enamored by some Sci-fi group waiting for the world to end. He adds flavor to the story. You’ll be saying, “oh boy, here he comes.” AND. He makes you like his big brother, Wes, even more for putting up with and loving him.
The mother – You see Macy’s Mom through Macy’s eyes. She, too, evolves throughout the book, adding an unusual, almost silent, side-story to the coming-of-age plot. The woman has lost her husband and Macy doesn’t quite understand her. The mother doesn’t understand herself. She progresses in the background until she finds her own truth.
Storyline: There are no slow parts. This story flows, page after page, flawlessly. Even the middle, which I usually struggle with, kept my attention. This is an old story dressed up by unique minor characters. Not my usual genre, but I loved.
Writing: Dessen’s writing is superb. Not much else to say. Her plot and characters keep your attention. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author and honestly, I googled her to find out where she went to school. How she learned to write so well.
Read this author again? Yes. Three-fourths of the way through this book, I realized I would be done soon, panicked, and took out another Dessen book from my library online. I can’t afford to buy them all!
Read on!
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CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here .
Follow her on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books on Amazon.
Read more about Zahner in Voyage Raleigh at https://voyageraleigh.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-cyndie-cj-zahner-of-wendell-falls-area .
April 25, 2022
Books I Almost Read
Read the Pulitzer Prize winning Middlesex? Me neither.
Wandering through my seventh decade, I treasure time. I used to read the classics no matter how grueling and gut-wrenching, but now? Meh. Distinctions can be deceiving. Some of the smartest people I met over the years never earned a high-school diploma. Lots more swore off college. I’ve learned not to judge a book by its accolades.
So Pulitzer Prize and all, I’m pulling out the ladder, stepping up, and slipping Middlesex onto that top shelf I can’t reach, setting it alongside Hillbilly Elegy and Moby Dick. (Yes, it’s above me. Who cares?) I couldn’t take the Greek history or the multitudinously-lined paragraphs as I’m a fan of dialogue and white space.
My apologies to my book club. I really did try. This is only the third time they selected a book I couldn’t muddle through. The other two were Hillbilly Elegy, and (um, my sixty-two-year-old memory fails me) another one about a pig. Oh wait, there was a fourth. Some Steve Martin blunder. (Sorry, Steve. I love you otherwise.)
So now I add Middlesex to a perfectly wonderful list. These are all great books that have appealed to hundreds, thousands, of people. They just aren’t reading-in-the-backyard-with-a-cup-of-coffee worthy to me. Their skip factor was too high.
You’ll find my skip factor is what sets my reviews apart from others. I’m coming out of the bookstore closet and admitting I skip. (Gasp.) And, really, who cares if we skip a line or paragraph or book or two?
In alphabetical order, here are the books I almost read. (To see books I recommend, browse my review page.) My apologies to the authors:
Hillbilly Elegy – Skip rate 40%. I read more than half of this book. I believe the fall of the middle class is unavoidable, and I was anxious to read this story about the working-class Vance family. However, I could not get through it. Sorry to the author for what I am about to say. I felt this was a story of many Americans and the only reason this succeeded was because of the author’s ivy-league resume. He rambled on, and I kept asking myself why his thoughts were so important. (Confession: I earned straight A’s in my poor, menial, private-school college economic classes years ago but HATED the subject.) DNF (did not finish).
Middlesex – Skip rate 90%. As stated above, I just couldn’t wade through the long paragraphs and Greek history. I did want to read the story. Where it began, I do not know. For those of you who have more patience than me, carry on the read. I do think the author is a gifted writer and some will like. DNF.
Moby Dick – Skip rate ??. Honestly, I do not remember how much I read. This was years ago and I tried to read this monstrosity of a book several times. Never could. Not sure why. I went back and read the first few lines. Maybe because of the full-of-myself male voice? (The skies rumble as the Mel-admiring gods groan.) No desire to try again. DNF.
Read on!
_________________________________________________________
CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here .
Follow her on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books on Amazon.
Read more about Zahner in Voyage Raleigh at https://voyageraleigh.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-cyndie-cj-zahner-of-wendell-falls-area .
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Rating: 8.5
General Rating: Kidd amalgamates narration and dialogue to perfection in this touching tale of a motherless girl who runs away from an abusive father.
Skip factor: 1% I skipped little. The writing was just too good.
Who should read: All women, all ages.
Summary: This is the story of Lily Owens who must come to terms with the death of her mother. Lily, abandoned by her mother for a short time before she died, remembers the day her mother returned—the same day her mother was shot and killed. Now Lily is a teenager, feeling confused and unloved. Raised by an abusive father, she finds some affection in Rosaleen, the African American woman whom her father hired shortly after her mother’s death. When Rosaleen attempts to register to vote, she finds trouble with white men and she and Lily end up in jail. Lily’s father, T. Ray, bails Lily out, but she returns and helps Rosaleen escape.
They flee to a town called Tiburon because one of the few items Lily had from her mother was a picture of a Black Madonna. Tiburon, South Carolina was inscribed on the back. Lily asks around Tiburon about the picture and ends up at the house of three African American sisters—the very house her mother had run to when she first left T. Ray and abandoned Lily. The story is of Lily’s time spent there and her journey to come to terms with her mother’s abandonment and death, and her feeling of being unworthy of love.
Characters: I loved this book partially because of the strong female characters Kidd created. They are flawed but loving and strong. I like every single one, loved a few.
Here they are in the order I liked them:
August – The strongest of the African American sisters, August has a deep understanding of life. She is a beekeeper and teaches Lily the craft of collecting honey from bees. August knew Lily’s mother, but she understands when and how to relay pieces of information to the girl. She is an old soul, and I came away wishing I had an August in my own life.
Lily – Kudos to the author in the creation of Lily. It took some time for me to like Lily. Raised by T. Ray, who never showed her affection or love, she herself was lacking in these elements. She had a flat personality that slowly came out through the novel, making the story real to me.
Rosaleen – Lily’s caregiver was also a hard character to figure out, although I liked her gumption right away. She’s enamored by the thought of registering to vote, and spits at prejudiced white men who insult her with no regard for what they would do to her. She’s tough. But because of that toughness, Lily often wonders if Rosaleen loves her.
May – Another of the three sisters is May, who brightened the story with her unique personality. Her twin sister died years before and left her in a nervous state. To calm her anxiety, her sisters encouraged her to write her fears/anxieties down and in doing so, they created a wailing wall for her made of stone. Every time May had an episode, she led was led off to leave a note in her wall.
June – The third sister, June, does not initially get along with Lily. She also has a beau who keeps proposing to her despite she constantly turns him down. June has a journey to make on her own. I enjoyed this character, too—another strong woman.
Minor characters – Kidd successfully had me liking minor characters (like Zach) and hating the bigots.
Storyline: This is not a fast-paced, page-turning novel. It is contemplative—simple language with deep meaning. The story flows, and I found myself looking forward to reading more.
Writing: Lots of white space makes me happy and this book, while having much narrative, never labored on. Paragraphs were short, clean, and interesting, so I never realized when there wasn’t dialogue for several pages. She writes simply and profoundly throughout. Like this: “I filled a bowl with Rice Krispies and milk, trying to think over the snap-crackle conversation it was having with itself.” And “…people can start out one way, and by the time life gets through with them they end up completely different.”
Read this author again? Absolutely.
Read on!
_________________________________________________________
CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here .
Follow her on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books on Amazon.
Read more about Zahner in Voyage Raleigh at https://voyageraleigh.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-cyndie-cj-zahner-of-wendell-falls-area .
April 22, 2022
Educated by Tara Westover
Rating: 9 This book challenged me. Yet, once I got past the Westover’s junkyard and herbal world, I was mesmerized by Tara’s journey.
Skip factor: 8% At around 30% I called a friend and asked if the story improved. I did not like the junkyard or herbal lore at all. However, I hung in there and once I worked through that beginning section, I couldn’t put it down.
Who should read? Deep-thinkers, people inspired by education, hard-workers who themselves have risen out of poverty, and lovers of the English language—young and old.
Summary: This is the memoir of Tara Westover, the seventh and youngest child of Val and LaRee Westover. She was born in her childhood home which sat on the side of a mountain in Provo, Utah. The month of her birth was September of 1986, but the actual date is unknown. Her birth was unrecorded, as were most of her sibling’s births. She grew up in a Mormon family littered with racism and anti-Semitism. She worked in her father’s junkyard for much of her youth and often encountered dangerous, life-threatening tasks at his direction. She had no formal education until she was seventeen years old and received no home-schooling from her family. Her mother was well-versed in and revered for her herbal remedies and mid-wife expertise. Her father, along with her older brother Shawn, suffered mental illness and Tara and her siblings were often abused.
This is the story of a young girl’s metamorphosis, her rise from the ashes of her parent’s scrapheap despite all odds. Her father believed the end of the world was imminent and the government against him. His mental illness led to many hardships over the years, for not only him but his wife and children as well.
Inspired by a brother who left the family to attend college, she accepted a friend’s offer to teach her to read. She enrolled in college against all odds and was forced to choose between her family and her education. Despite her passion to learn and the education she eventually received, her mind sometimes led her back to the rudimentary fundamentalist viewpoint of her father, making her question much throughout her educational journey. She had never even heard of the holocaust until she was in college.
Characters: Lots of great books have unlikeable characters, and while I found myself rooting for Tara throughout the book, I wasn’t in love with any of the characters. I was shocked by many. Disgusted with others. Westover created very “real” people, but many confound me. I was baffled by them more than like them. Yet, they interested me. The characters that stood out the most to me were:
Tara: Of course, I rooted for her all the way, but I never felt close to her. She had an aloofness about her. Because of her upbringing, her personality held a protective emotional shield that prevented people from knowing her well—even, to some degree, her readers. Simply, I couldn’t get close.
Her mother: Simply put, I did not like her for the fact she sided with her husband, who had mental challenges, over her children. Period.
Her father: I couldn’t understand and felt no compassion for him whatsoever. Lots of people have a mental illness, but they are not as evil as this man. He hid his sins behind religion.
Shawn: The abusive brother I felt differently about. Although I adamantly disliked him at times for the pain he caused family members and women, every once in a while you’d see a spark of kindness. Confusing, as the results of mental illness can be.
Minor characters I liked: Brothers Richard and Tyler were compassionate. I was fond of both of them along with Tara’s Grandmother who offered to take her to Arizona and enroll her in school. I felt disappointed Tara didn’t leave with her. Just that she offered made me like her.
Other minor characters: I wasn’t drawn to any others, not one. (And especially not to her only sister, Audrey, who in the end hurt rather than helped her.) Because many of the minor characters were introduced to me through Tara’s eyes, they seemed impersonal. Toward the end of the novel, a softness seemed to develop in Westover. She looked at later roommates and people more compassionately, seemingly letting her guard down and consequently, I liked those characters a bit more.
Storyline: The story does come across as a bit unbelieve. I did read several online articles that stated fact-finding had been extensive. That the author herself included footnotes when her memory differed from one of her siblings, gave credibility to her story. That there is a Tara Westover, who was born without record, attended college, completed her master and doctorate degrees in England, further substantiates her story—at least in my mind it does. I’ll let the rest of you decide for yourselves.
Writing style: This woman’s writing is exquisite. Not much more to say. That she rose out of such poverty to champion the English language is remarkable.
Read this author again: Maybe. I’m not often fond of non-fiction, but Westover’s writing is superb, so I may attempt another.
Read on!
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CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here .
Follow her on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books on Amazon.
Read more about Zahner in Voyage Raleigh at https://voyageraleigh.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-cyndie-cj-zahner-of-wendell-falls-area .
Defending Jacob by Michael Landay
Rating: 10
BEST BOOK CLUB RATING
General Rating: This novel is great from the beginning, meaty in the middle, and unable-to-put-down in the end. One of my all-time favorites, Defending Jacob is one of only two books I’ve read cover to cover twice. The surprise for me? I didn’t skip a word during the second read and if you’ve read my reviews, you know I’m a skipper. Love, love, love, love, loved this one.
Skip factor:
0% (A double zero, actually.)
Who should read:
Adults, men and women, and especially parents.
Summary: This is the story of a father, Andy Barber, and his unending defense of his son, Jacob. The title is perfect. Told from Andy’s perspective, the novel unfolds through a parent’s eyes and thoughts. Andy is a District Attorney who finds his son is a suspect in a murder case.
Characters: After reading this twice, I had to ask myself if I had a connection with the characters. While I normally evaluate characters along the way, the compelling storyline of this novel kept me thinking of nothing more than what would happen next. After sitting back and evaluating, I realize part of the reason I loved the book so much was due to the characters.
Andy – I loved the voice of this novel and the voice is Andy’s. Brilliantly, he poses questions to the reader because what would a parent do if their son was accused of murder? How loyal would they be? When damning evidence arises, the reader doesn’t realize that Andy uses trial-attorney charm to coax them to his side. He drags empathy from the readers like a defense attorney from a jury.
Laurie – Jacob’s mother is portrayed perfectly. She’s honest. She poses questions that sometimes floor her husband. She asks what the readers can’t. Always secondary to Andy, Laurie often depicted the undulating emotion that a parent of a child accused of murder might truly feel.
Jacob – Perfect. You aren’t exactly sure what he feels, so none of the story is revealed through Jacob. Readers are left guessing about his true nature. Is he narcissistic? Or just a teenager boy being careless in his teenage world? I volleyed these two opinions throughout the novel.
Minor characters – I did not like the prosecuting attorney, as I’m sure was the author’s intention. The author introduces all characters through Andy’s eyes. The kids interviewed were interesting and added to the story at exactly the time needed. Andy’s legal friends seemed authentic—torn, loyal, empathetic, and a bit judging all in one. They help make the story believable.
Storyline: This is a great storyline. What makes it superior to other novels is its tone and the author’s writing style.
Writing style: POV is on cue, flawless. The entire tale unfolds through Andy’s eyes only. This is single POV at its best.
Landay’s writing is flawless. He doesn’t overwrite scenes. There are no too-wordy descriptions. He shows and tells magnificently. He “tells” interestingly by using Andy’s inner thoughts.
The story is believable. Landay’s readers feel as if they’re sitting in the courtroom during the day and go home with Andy at night.
When people ask me to recommend a book, I tell them Defending Jacob, hands down.
Read this author again: Yes. Because I loved his writing, I’ll read any novel by this author. I need to sort through my to-read list and open up space for one.
Read on!
Read on!
_________________________________________________________
CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here .
Follow her on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books on Amazon.
Read more about Zahner in Voyage Raleigh at https://voyageraleigh.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-cyndie-cj-zahner-of-wendell-falls-area.
April 5, 2022
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms
Rating: 7
General Rating: A fun summer read.
Skip factor: 4%. I skipped a little, not much.
Who should read: If you are a single, unappreciated mom or a woman immersed in the dating world, you’ll like this book.
Summary: Amy Byler’s ex-husband up and left three years ago, so when she runs into him in the drug store, she’s shocked, to say the least. John, the ex, went to Hong Kong on a business trip and never returned. He left Amy alone to raise their two children, Corrinne (Cori) and Joe, and moved in with a much younger woman, as his son Joe puts it, “to rebuild his self-esteem at the expense of his family.”
With the help of Amy’s best friend Lena, Amy gathers herself together, lands a library job at her kids’ school, and carries on as best she can.
But when John comes back in the hopes of reconnecting with his children, Amy, for the first time ever, is able to concentrate on herself. A little frightened, she takes off to a conference in New York City and her life does a complete three-hundred-sixety degree turn.
While she had thought she and John might reconnect, she begins dating, strikes a romantic relationship, and begins questioning her life and where she is going.
Characters: Harm’s characters are both realistic and unique. Amy’s children and friends each have their own quirky personalities, and I especially liked her daughter, Cora, and looked forward to reading the remarks she sent her mother.
Storyline: Simply, this is the story of a mother who finally has time for herself. I rated this a bit lower because I couldn’t identify with the main character in that, she sometimes appeared sorry that she had children. I couldn’t fathom a mother even remotely feeling that emotion. The story evolved into a happy medium between being a good mother and finding yourself, but I liked Amy the least after that.
Writing: Writing is good. This wasn’t a page-turner, but it was a fun, easy read. While I didn’t have a passionate desire to return to it, I did look forward to finding out how the story would wrap up.
Read this author again? Yes. I’d try another of Harm’s books.
Read on!
Read on!
_________________________________________________________
CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here .
Follow her on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books on Amazon.
Read more about Zahner in Voyage Raleigh at https://voyageraleigh.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-cyndie-cj-zahner-of-wendell-falls-area .
My Husband’s Wife by Jane Corry
Rating: 7.5
General Rating: Great suspense but a little congested. Found this gem at a reading library at a NC Preserve!
Who should read: Mystery and Women’s fiction lovers.
Skip factor: 2% toward the end. I’m not rating this as high but it did keep my attention.
Summary: I began writing this summary and realized there are so many moving parts to this story. I’ll try to be brief.
Lily, an attorney, marries Ed only to realize he was under pressure to marry before age thirty for his inheritance. Next, his old girlfriend comes back into the picture, and Lily never feels Ed completely loves her. Life isn’t easy. Ed is a failing artist; he has an affair; Ed and Lily have a mentally challenged son. No wonder Lily develops feelings for a man in prison, Joe, whose case she appeals. After his verdict is reversed, she wins notoriety but then realizes, Joe really was a murdered.
Enter a beautiful but not-so-nice, little Italian girl, Carla. Ed paints her. Wins some respect for his paintings, and yatta, yatta, yatta, the girl comes back into their life years later to have an affair with Ed. By then, Lily is an accomplished attorney. What she doesn’t know is Joe has been helping her by providing clues to her secretary. Yikes. That’s when it stopped being believable for me.
Characters:
I didn’t love anyone in this book. I particularly couldn’t understand why Lily liked Joe.
Storyline & Writing: I am combining these two elements because I thought the author threw in too many side stories and it became unbelievable, yet the writing was good enough to keep my attention. The many moving parts made me feel like the author had backed herself into a corner and was struggling to get herself out. She never came back to address Ed’s family and the inheritance. (I was waiting for that.) Yet! What the heck? I read eighty percent of this fast and furiously.
Read this author again? Yes, I want to try her again. I’d like to see if her next book is as congested.
Read on!
_________________________________________________________
CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene , a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream , two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House , women’s fiction. Zahner’s Dream Series novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. Listen to her interview about her 9/11 a premonition here . Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here . Listen to her Online Book Circle podcast here .
Follow her on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , Goodreads , BookBub , or LinkedIn . Purchase her books on Amazon.
March 22, 2022
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Rating: 9.5
General Rating: Reading this book is a little like going on a dinner date with a genius. You can’t insult him by leaving too soon, but he’s a tad confusing. Long-winded. Using proper utensils. Announcing the origins and imported flavors of every bite—in French. Then Latin. You’re out of your element, aren’t sure what you’ve eaten, and dread the thought of some flame-throwing dessert. Then out it comes—the end—an ice cream cone with sprinkles.
W-w-what?
(My rating fluctuated throughout . 8-7-8-9-8.5-9.5)
Who should read: Classic lovers. History buffs.
Favorite line: Fate would not have the reputation it has if it simply did what it seemed it would do.
Skip factor: 5-6%. I skipped in the beginning. Nothing if Nina’s or Sofia’s name crept onto a page.
Summary: In Russia, Count Alexander Roscov is sentenced to spend his entire life in a hotel. (I’m still not sure why. Something about being an aristocrat—too history for me. Evidently, a poem he’s written has spared his life and, yikes. For someone like me who runs and hikes, this is a fate worse than death.) Destined to wander the halls of the hotel Metropol, there he spends time philosophizing about life and his country.
When a child, Nina, makes her way into his daily routine, Roscov grows fond of her curious ways and occasionally engages in tomfoolery. A few friends and several acquaintances (he has no living family) come and go. He forms long-lasting friendships with Metropol staff, but when Nina suddenly returns as an adult in search of her husband who has disappeared, she asks Roscov to watch her child, five-year-old Sofia. Suddenly time is more forgiving. For Roscov and me.
Characters:
I loved Alexander Roscov. He’s charming. Merry. Jaunty. The sort whom everyone relishes. (Is he rubbing off on me?) I liked his friend Mishka, the Metropol staff, his fling/love Anna, but oh how I adored Nina. Then Sofia. These characters were the honey of the story.
Storyline: This is different and I’d like to read it again because by the end, I realized I missed much. It’s deep, of course, the author so well read and knowledgeable on so many levels that I couldn’t comprehend them all. (I barely understood the reviews.) To someone who never reads history, I worried in the beginning that I wouldn’t like this. (I mean, how long can you talk about memories and politics because you’re bored before you, um, become bored?)
Nearly all the history and classics referenced were above me. (Could not seating Paris and Helen next to each other really have averted the Trojan War? Not only do I not know, I don’t care. Yet, if I was sentenced to live my life out in a hotel, I’d probably look it up.)
Writing: Well written, of course. You can’t have a gazillion five-star ratings and not be well written. There were parts that dragged for me despite the exquisite writing. But I agree, the writing is superb.
Read this author again? Hmmm. I may grab a copy of Rules of Civility, but not sure how that will go. I’ve been known to DNF award-winners so why not geniuses with eidetic memories?
Read on!
Read on!
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CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene, a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream, two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House, women’s fiction. These last two novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. See the video of her own paranormal experience, a premonition of 9/11 here. Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, or LinkedIn. Purchase her books on Amazon.
March 21, 2022
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Rating: 10
General Rating: A hat trick! This is the third ten I’ve given Fredrik Backman. Appropriately, it’s a hockey story. Backman keeps outdoing himself.
Skip factor: Another one where I skipped nothing. Not a word.
Favorite line: “It doesn’t take a lot to be able to let go of your child. It takes everything.”
Who should read: Anyone—especially members of athletic families.
Summary: People in Beartown live and breathe hockey, so when the deteriorating, little town realizes their junior ice hockey team has the talent to win the national semi-finals, residents experience a sense of revival. Then tragedy strikes. One of the team’s members is accused of a violent act. And it isn’t just any team member. It is the best player and son of the team’s biggest sponsor.
This isn’t simply a story about hockey. It’s the story of a town, of friendship, of right and wrong. Quietly, Beartown highlights the differences between being raised female versus male. And loudly, it touches the subject of worshipping male athletes to a point where some people allow the line between right and wrong to fade.
This book makes a reader question love and loyalty. When is it good? And when is it errant?
Characters: He’s done it again, had me loving multiple characters. Before I reached page 127, I knew I would rate this book a ten. But on that page, when Kira says, “Oh Fatima, I should be asking if I could sit next to you,” I realized Backman had me falling in love with characters all over again. Like a repeat of A Man Called Ove and Anxious People, one by one they captured my heart.
All of Beartown’s characters are quirky, interesting, and deep. I loved Maya, Ana, Sune, and Benji from their introductions. I fell head-over-heels for Ramona on page 352 and Amat on page 353. Then as if I wasn’t close enough to the end and all out of affection, I fell in love with Bobo on page 374, and Jeanette and Adri on 393 and 394.
There were other characters who had defining moments, like Tails and Kira. You’ll love the masses.
Writing: The writing is magnificent. Backman’s writing in A Man Called Ove and Anxious People was wonderful, but this book? He’s outdone himself. Never say this author can’t write a better book. He keeps turning them out.
Read this author again? Absolutely. I am patiently awaiting the arrival of Us Against You and Britt-Marie was Here. And since I’m a digital-book junkie, you know it’s my favorite author when I order a paperback. They’ll be dog-eared, highlighted, and worn from use.
Read on!
Read on!
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CJ Zahner is the author of The Suicide Gene, a psychological thriller, Dream Wide Awake and Project Dream, two crime thrillers with sixth-sense components, Friends Who Move Couches and Don’t Mind Me, I Came with the House, women’s fiction. These last two novels were inspired by Zahner’s own experiences. See the video of her own paranormal experience, a premonition of 9/11 here. Download her Beyond Reality Radio podcast here. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, or LinkedIn. Purchase her books on Amazon.
