THE GRACE YEAR by Kim Liggett

THE GRACE YEAR by Kim Liggett

✯✯✯✯                                                                Review by Astrid Galactic

Women's oppression and the various ways this is carried out is a popular theme in the world of Literature, be it Fiction or Non-Fiction. In the area of Fiction, it's often portrayed in ways we have experienced throughout history in the manner we read about in works of Non-Fiction. Occasionally, an author comes along and presents the subject in a whole different light such as we've read in works from Margaret Atwood and Marge Piercy. Throw in a heavy dose of religion and superstition and we have The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Kim Liggett offers up such a work in her new book The Grace Year set for release in September of 2019. 

The Grace Year is a reference within the book to a girl's 16th year in Garner County, an isolated community with its own set of standards and laws not at all favorable to its females. On a specific day, Veiling Day, a set number of the girls shall be presented with a veil which is equivalent to a proposal of marriage from one of the males in the community. The girls have no say as it's solely up to the available males to offer up the veil to a female of his choosing. Those selected will then become the bride of the presenter but not until after they've survived a full Grace Year in a wilderness camp set up for that year's girls. Survival is the key word as it's rugged, dangerous and along with the other girls who can be deadly vicious due to their own insecurities and twisted beliefs. If that isn't enough, they have to be very careful to avoid the poachers in the woods outside the camp. 

Our protagonist is Tierney, a very strong and rebellious girl who has just reached her time for this year's pickings. Due to her free-spirited nature, no one expects for Tierney to be selected to receive a veil. In fact, she doesn't even want to be veiled because she's just not the type to be beholden to any man. But, as luck would have it, Tierney is presented with a veil. It is not allowed in Garner County for any women to speak her mind, so off to her Grace Year excursion she must go. 

Mind you, this is not the Girl Scouts or any other such wilderness outing that one would venture into as we know such things to be. Imagine the girls from The Crucible forced to go off for a year in a test of survival from a community much like that from M. Night Shyamalan's film The Village. It's all rather frightening with twists and turns you weren't expecting at every juncture, all making life barely livable. 

As the year progresses, Tierney is essentially banished by the others which forces her to survive on her own against all odds. But Tierney is a survivor. She's smart, strong and has several interesting encounters and finds that keep her going.  

The Grace Year is billed as being a Feminist novel. The book portrays extreme misogyny and patriarchy while repressing women to unimaginable degrees. As mentioned, there's also a very independent minded female lead who doesn't step in line to follow anyone's lead as she is a leader herself in her own right. Personally, I appreciated that Liggett manages to create a character who fights against male oppression yet does not turn the book into a screed against all males. Tierney is not anti-male at all. She just hates the subjugation of females by males within her community and acts to bring equality to all in the best ways she can. 

All in all, I found this to be a rather interesting book that allows one to consider alternative societies and how what was intended to become a utopia too often ends up being a miserable dystopia. The book reads well and great for when you want to spend the weekend getting lost in a book that you just can't put down. 

(ARC)

(Paperback)

Science Fiction

Dystopian

Hardcover, 416 pages 

1250145449 (ISBN13: 9781250145444)

Expected Publication: October 8th, 2019 by Wednesday Books

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THE HOUSE SWAP by Rebecca Fleet

THE HOUSE SWAP by Rebecca Fleet

✯✯✯                                                                                                                              by Astrid Galactic

The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet is a story of addiction, of obsession, and the damage caused by these weaknesses. Though not billed as the core theme, we soon see that these are at the root of the husband and wife, Francis and Caroline, each suffering from the grip of their personal inner demons. 

The main character is Caroline who develops an unhealthy sexual obsession on a work mate, Carl. Meanwhile, part of what weakened the marital relationship between Caroline and Francis is Francis's ever growing addiction to drugs. Fleet's attempt at juxtaposing Caroline's obsession against Francis's addition was a clever pairing. It was interesting to see how each of their dependence on an external crutch played a part in causing damage to the relationship while also becoming more and more the very thing they each ran to when they felt they needed a personal boost because of their faltering marriage.  

Early on, while perusing the internet, Caroline wanders across an opportunity for a house swap. Basically, the occupants of one home swaps homes for a week with the occupants of the other. What could be thought of as a cheap vacation of sorts to another part of the country. Caroline and Francis maintain a flat in the city-center of Leeds and agree to a house swap four hours away in the small town of Chiswick, England thinking this might help renew their relationship. 

Once the couple arrive at their destination, odd things continue to occur upsetting what should be a nice get-a-way. Part of the mystery is the strange young woman, Amber, who lives in the neighborhood who shows up at weird times and becomes a bit too friendly with Caroline. All the while, Francis continues to try to make amends with Caroline that don't always work out and Caroline continues to obsess over Carl whom she suspects has something to do with the house swap. 

The story is told from varying viewpoints of the main characters in the book with some of it involving past history. Fleet does a commendable job making it clear as to whom is speaking and at what part of the history of the story by how she titles her chapters and, in some cases, the use of italics when she needs to withhold some aspects for revelation later in the book. 

The basic premise of the book was interesting but I did have a problem with a few areas that I believe could have enhanced the story by refining some of the characters and their involvements with each other. For starters, I felt like the inclusion of their son, Eddie, was a wasted opportunity early on in the book to show the love of the couple as a growing family. We are told that Caroline and Francis were, at one time, very much in love but it would have been more convincing if we saw a little bit of that in the family bonding once Eddie came along. As it was written, Eddie was nothing more than a device for one or the other to tend to when they were interacting, or, most likely, ignoring each other. By creating a believable loving bond between the couple because of Eddie, would have had so much more of an impact when we then see that family being torn apart by each of their addictions. 

The other issue that I had was how much of the writing involved Caroline's sexual obsession with Carl. Yes, I get it, when a person has such an obsession, they think about it all of the time. It was just that there were times when I wondered how much of it was necessary to the story or just a means for the author to get lost in a little of her own fantasies. Most of it was relevant to the story but it seemed to me that a little of it could have easily been left out in place of other details defining her psychological and emotional state. 

All in all, I found The House Swap to be an okay book. I wish Fleet would have delved even deeper into the interplay between the addictions of the couple as being similar destructive factors for both their relationship as well as their family and made us care more about them. As it was, I found that I didn't really care that much about Caroline as one should when they are the central character of the story. I wanted to care but as the book evolved, I found that I liked her less and less as time went on. The final outcome was interesting but you'll need to read the book to find out. 

Fiction
Thriller

Paperback, 304 pages

014313325X (ISBN13: 9780143133254)

Published May 7th, 2019 by Penguin Books (first published May 22nd, 2018)

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MR. KNOW-IT-ALL: THE TARNISHED WISDOM OF A FILTH ELDER by John Waters

MR. KNOW-IT-ALL: THE TARNISHED WISDOM OF A FILTH ELDER by John Waters

✯✯✯✯                                                                                                                          by Astrid Galactic

Another book and, for me, another must read. Having followed John and his works for many more years than I sometimes want to admit up to without fessing up to my years on this planet, he's become a habit. John's latest book Mr Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder is his latest collection of memoirs, Baltimore and Hollywood movie gossip, tales of John's daily life, and a collection of rants and what might be called artistic ideas.

Being a long time Water's fan, I pretty much knew what to expect and how seriously I should take his work without getting bent out of shape over a few instances or circumstances that were beyond my personal sensibilities. That's John. Though he would swear he's serious about everything he writes, I know him well enough to know that behind that filthy exterior, he's actually a fairly down-to-earth somewhat decent guy; albeit, on the twisted side. All of that is what makes John so accepted and loved by people the world over including some of those in, eh hem, polite society. A man who knows how to shock yet also knows when to be gracious, and he's damned funny when he's not being oh so gracious. Well, usually, and here's where my dilemma lies.

While reading the book, I found that I either loved and enjoyed what I was reading or became frustrated and bored with parts of the book. Ultimately, I ended up perceiving it as being two different works all rolled up into one. Let me start with what I didn't like. There were a couple parts where John extrapolated on various artistic ideas he had for future films, living spaces or other endeavors. I'll be harsh in saying that I found those to be like scat smeared over the walls which John would probably approve of as a piece of Waters' art. After a few lines of that, I found it all tedious, juvenile, boring and just downright stupid. He's been there, done that before and, after awhile, it's not even shocking anymore which is his ultimate goal. Shock value for the sake of shock value. After so many years, we've become desensitized to that and crave something more with some depth and substance. It's now all just repetitive and, quite frankly, not very interesting. Sorry, John, I've got to be honest and I know you are capable of so much more.

One example is his concept of a restaurant he'd like to own. Not one anyone in their right mind would ever want to go anywhere near. (Of course, that's his point.) Horrid food, bad service, deplorable conditions and sure to be a big failure from opening night. Clearly, this is conceptual and not a real idea for a personal business venture. Regarding the food, that concept was already done by the Italian Futurist Filippo Tommaso Marinetti with his publication of the Futurist Cookbook. Never meant to be a serious cookbook but part of the Art movement a hundred years ago, meant to break ground with new ideas. I actually own a copy but something only found on the shelves of those with a love of Modern Art.

If John would have condensed his shocking artistic ideas to one chapter, it probably would have made for a much better publication. Better yet, start adding some depth and substance to some of these ideas. We want more than a shocking glimpse. Work up to an exciting story as we've seen in some of his works from the past.

Then there is the other side of the book - the memoirs, tales of his adventures, insider quips and general details on how he lives his life. Those where the fascinating parts of the book, and thankfully, there were plenty of those. He starts out with little stories of some of the dealings he's had to go through with funding and creating a few of his films. For we movie buffs, it's always interesting to learn about what goes on behind the silver screen even if we are already fairly clued in. With John's rich sense of humor, not only do you get some insider baseball, it's presented with an array of laughs.

As the book progresses, he treats us with stories of how he spends his summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts as well as a particular trip he took for old time's sake. He pursues and finds a long time idol of his. There are tales of his childhood and how music is a big influence for him. Of course, there's also a few stories about things that happened while making a few of his movies which always capture the interest of many of us. He eventually recounts Divine's death and how it encouraged him to make arrangements for his future demise. Then there's Bill, his son. Uh, you'll have to read the book to believe it.

John's niece Lucy was quoted as saying, "You're sick Uncle John! Just plain sick!" The girl knows her uncle! But if you know even a little bit about John Waters, you'd know that he can only regard that as the highest of compliments, and that is why so many of us love John Waters so much.

___________

*Of special interest to Tea With A Bookworm, John discusses how he starts his day everyday with a cup of Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme tea. One of several teas that I too very much enjoy. 

For a special discount of $5 off for new members at Harney & Sons, use the following link. (Must use this link for your discount.) 
Harney & Sons $5 Discount

Nonfiction

Autobiography

Hardcover, 384 pages

0374214964 (ISBN13: 9780374214968)

Published May 21st, 2019 Farrar, Straus And Giroux

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THE FLOATING FELDMANS by Elyssa Friedland

✯✯✯✯                                                                   Review by Astrid Galactic



In today's world of cruise vacations, there are all sorts of themed cruises. Psychic cruises, gay cruises, AA & NA cruises, Oldies music cruises, craft beer cruises and any number of other possibilities can be found if you look hard enough. The one type you probably won't find is a dedicated dysfunctional family cruise. Why, you say? Because that would be redundant - they are all full of dysfunctional people, especially families if you're being honest. Elyssa Friedland takes that concept and runs with it (or should I say, "sails") in her latest book The Floating Feldmans. 

Annette Feldman is turning 70 and just wants to celebrate her birthday with her entire family. She and her husband David decide that what better way to do so than to coax her children and grandchildren to come along with them on a fully paid for cruise so they can all spend some quality time together. Just pack your bags and show up. Of course, some of that baggage turns out to be of the family dysfunction variety which finds its way onboard as aired dirty laundry. 

As the Feldmans gather round, piece by piece, the dirty laundry makes itself known from themed sweatshirts to porno balloons, each providing the reader with plenty of laughs. Admittedly, the book is as predictable as the itinerary of a Caribbean cruise but, as many often say, the fun is in the trip sailing port to port. Friedland makes that trip ever so fun for us for the entire journey. She allows us to get to know each Feldman with their own personal histories and how they affect each and every other family member. They all have their own problems, as well as virtues, that allow us to see, at heart, they are truly a loving family even when the seas get rough. As with real families, it isn't always apparent but through their foibles, it all comes out in the end. 

One could say that this is yet another rewrite of the classic plot of those Thanksgiving with the family gatherings that most don't want to attend but do so out of obligation. Just change the date on the calendar and lock them all up on a Caribbean cruise for a week and you pretty much get the same effect. Why do writers and filmmakers keep using this same old ploy? Because it works, it's often funny and, most importantly, in some way, we can all relate. As long as it's not us, there's something very cathartic, yet humorous about this whole scenario. 

To Friedland's credit, she presents us with plenty of juicy detail but never strays to the point of being onerous or boring. Every bit fills out each character and their place within the Feldman family story as well as their crazy, dysfunctional circumstances. There's the shopaholic daughter Elise, the insecure and hopefully college bound teenage grandson Darius and the legal marijuana dealing son Freddy with his hot, young girlfriend Natasha to name just a few. I was also happy that she never took anything too extreme or wrote about anything too unrealistically whacked out which I often take to be an insult to my intelligence. She kept most things fairly credible yet highly entertaining, maybe more so than some cruises if you get stuck on one much like the Ocean Queen, the vessel the Feldmans became sequestered on for their high seas adventure of bad food, obnoxious tourists, irritating announcements and other annoyances beyond all of their family intrigue. 


All in all, I very much enjoyed sailing with the Feldmans and getting to know them, warts and all. If by some chance, you must take such a vacation with your own dysfunctional family, The Floating Feldmans would be a great escape for those moments you get to sneak out and poke your nose in a book. Happy sailing! 


(ARC)

Fiction
Contemporary
039958689x (ISBN13 9780399586897)
Paperback, 368 pages
Expected Publication: July 23, 2019 by Berkley

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Uh, What? I Don't Remember That

                                                                          Commentary by Astrid Galactic

Come on, admit. Don't you hate it when you can't remember whether or not you've read some book? It's not just an age thing. There's just too much in life to try to remember. 

On more than one occasion, I've gotten deep into a book only to realize that I've already read the thing before. Sometimes it was worth another read and other times I got pissed at myself for wasting my time on reading this piece of crap again. Many, many years ago I developed a little notation system that I would put in my books to let me know if I've already read it. I always put my name in the front of the book. Once complete, I then put a tiny little dot next to my name. Strangely enough, it feels ever so satisfying to dot off that book when complete. It's been such a wonderful trick that helps me keep organized in my reading world. Even stacking bookcases after another move is easier when I can see which books can be stocked towards the back or in other hard to reach places in favor of the unread books getting an easier to reach location. 

Since then, I've reached a critical point in my life that I have had to come to terms with. That's to finally allow myself to get rid of some of my books. (No! For shame!) You have to realize that this is a monumental step for me. My books have always been some of my most prized possessions. They are my children and my pride and joy, even my used tattered up books which bring me so much joy. It was that TV show Strange Inheritances that finally did it. The show is actually pretty good and features all of these spectacular inheritances that loved ones know are of great value but can't maintain. Besides me just not having the space anymore, I had to face the fact that when I die, the odds were pretty good that too many of my books would probably end up in a trash can or given to some charity shop that too would tend to trash too many of them. (I've learned that many of these type places, as well as institutions, often trash items that are donated to them which totally unnerves me.) I've come to accept that my personal library will still exist but just won't live together anymore if I take steps now to work on finding good homes to other book lovers. Boy, are those little dots coming in handy now! Of course, many especially loved books I'll still keep. 

With that all said, this is exactly what led me to Goodreads. Now that some of my books are finding new homes, I have no way of remembering what I've read when my mind won't do it for me. At Goodreads, I can make an attempt at listing what I've read. (Not that I can even recall most of them!) Well, one thing led to another and here I am. 

For what it's worth, this is what sparked this diatribe. Don't feel bad. You aren't losing your mind. 

"Why We Forget Most of the Books We Read"


                                                                                     Astrid Galactic

THE ELECTRIC HOTEL: A NOVEL by Dominic Smith.

✵✵✵✵✵                                                                                                       Review by Astrid Galactic

They say that every picture tells a story. Filmmaking, a series of many pictures, tells a much more elaborate story. Dominic Smith tells an intriguing story, involving early filmmaking, with words in The Electric Hotel.

The Electric Hotel, a work of historical fiction, follows the lovelorn life of Claude Ballard from his early life as a photographic apprentice in Paris in 1895 where he also loyally stays with his sister who is dying of consumption. He soon becomes involved with the Lumière brothers which leads him to jump from still photography into silent motion pictures using their latest invention, the cinématographe. His undying love for his sister, as well as his commitment to his art, sets the pace for his adventures and travails throughout the rest of his inauspicious life.

At the heart of Ballard's suffering is the unrequited love he holds for his leading lady, Sabine Montrose, an accomplished French stage actress whom he succeeds in graduating into motion pictures. A woman, lusted after by men worldwide but whom no man can capture her guarded heart. Claude comes ever so close, yet only enough to pique more pain and torture for the remainder of his life.

As with any great novel, there is much more to The Electric Hotel than just a love story. We follow Ballard as he pursues his dedication to the art of filmmaking against all odds as though he was a modern day Job with a camera. No matter how many hurdles he surpasses, there's always another one to knock him down with the biggest of all being the monster corporatist, Thomas Edison. Yes, that Thomas Edison, often known for his many inventions but usually not understood as being one of the Fathers of Corporations as well as their abuses. If Sabine couldn't destroy Ballard, Edison certainly would do his damnedest.

Dominic Smith has done a magnificent job at researching the early art of cinematography, as well as other historical inventions and happenings during the fin de siècle to make this book truly believable in this era. It is very enlightening beyond the storytelling itself. A must read for those interested in early film who like their history spiced up with a delicate blend of fiction while maintaining the flavor of the times.

The details of the story are only the bedrocks of the book. The way that Dominic Smith tells his story was an amazing delight to behold. It dazzles with pure artistry of words befitting any precious personal library. Often, I found it reminiscent of Annie Proulx's Accordion Crimes, one of my personal favorites. The sensitivity of using words to reveal characters, rich in detail and beyond what we normally see in most books. There is also a sequence of events that are very related yet hold their own stories within themselves that could take on a life of their own if the author so chose. This was one of those books that I did not want to end even though the full story was told to its natural conclusion.

Bravo, Mr. Smith. A lesson in history, a fascinating story and work of beautiful prose. A masterpiece!

(ARC)

Fiction
Historical Fiction
Hardcover 352 pages
0374719691 (ISBN13 9780374719692)
Published June 4th, 2019 by Sarah Crichton Books

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THE CURIOUS DREAMER'S DREAM ESSENTIALS by Nancy Wagaman

✯✯✯✯                                                    Review by Astrid Galactic                                                        

"Wow! I just had the strangest dream. It felt like it was real." How many times have you awaken with just that very thought? We've all done that. But here's the thing, they are real to some extent. Maybe not in a literal sense but those dreams of yours are a part of your psyche sending you messages or working out real life concerns within your waking life. They are clues, or the keys as Nancy Wagaman calls them, to your subconscious mind.

Nancy's book, The Curious Dreamer's Dream Essentials is a guide to help you explore and understand what all that nighttime entertainment is all about. She presents you with your own set of keys to enter your mind so that you can receive a wealth of understanding about what is going on inside of your head. First you unlock the door inside your house, or mind, and then you use the remaining keys to unlock the doors of the many rooms, or parts of your thinking process, to discover what lies inside. 

One of the first things that struck me as I started reading the book was just how amazingly organized Wagaman is as a writer, as well as a teacher. Dream analysis can be rather confusing and daunting when you start to pick the pieces apart and yet try to understand them as a whole in relation to whatever sort of experiences the dreamer is going through. This is a step-by-step guide that starts with the basics and works its way up to an easy to understand method of the core of how one can interpret their dreams for a healthier and more satisfying life. 

Included in Wagaman's explanations are negatives as well as positives. In other words, what particular aspects of your dreams are not as well as what they are. This helps to define, in a more specific manner, what you should not make of your dreams as well as what they may very well, in fact, indicate. There are a lot of beliefs out there by some whom either misunderstand or have been led down a whole different path of what your dreams are meant to be. She does not address any of these concepts at all but it is evident that this is a nuts and bolts method based on scientific study without all of the heavy jargon and more advanced neuropsychological theories. 


If you have any interest in the art of interpreting your dreams, The Curious Dreamer's Dream Essentials is the perfect primer to start your journey. It's organized, concise, yet brimming with all of the basics you need to pack to take along with you on your exploration into the wilds of your inner psyche. Just let your intuition be your guide.

(ARC)

Nonfiction
Psychology, Dream Interpretation
Kindle Edition 104 pages
0998545945 (ISBN13 9780998545943)
Published June 4th, 2019 by Applied Conscious Technologies, LLC

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HOW COULD SHE by Lauren Mechling

✯✯✯✯                                                                   Review by Astrid Galactic                                                                                           

How Could She is a modern day story of the ever changing lives of three friends in an ever changing world that takes place between Toronto and New York City and how these changes affect each other. Three women, Geraldine, Rachel and Sunny, must come to terms with the changes in their careers, their relationship struggles, their living situations and how all of these dynamics affect their friendship with each other. During tough times, they support each other yet they also must deal with each others' dark sides when secrets come out involving a bit of backstabbing. Personalities get in the way but true friendship eventually prevails. 

Lauren Mechling knows how to twist up some splendid written text though sometimes that word buzz doesn't always carry through as well as her wonderful ability to entertain us with her playful and imaginative use of sentences. She can be quite funny and amazingly creative with how she chooses to describe situations. Unfortunately, there were times I felt that she should have devoted a little bit more writing early on in regard to nurturing her characters. It all too easily got confusing as to who the quickly changing cast of characters were. Spending a bit more time enriching their personalities and other aspects about them would have solidified them much more in the reader's mind which would have made for an easier flow. 

Similar things can be said about the two cities, Toronto and New York City. Occasionally, it was confusing as to where any given scene was taking place, especially since she often had to switch gears mid-stream because of having to refer to past history. Sometimes I just felt that I had lost my bearings for a moment and wasn't sure where we were. There was a distinct lack of mis en scene between the two cities. They could have been anywhere. I would have loved more local flavor for each to set the two apart which was actually an important part of the story. Early on in the book, the first time we visit Jeremy's loft, the characters are looking out a window watching the sunset over the Hudson. That was one of the few times I felt that we got a taste of what that particular city was like. New York City started to come alive for me there. I just wish there was more of that life of the city itself on display within the book. It would have created an anchor point so that we would have truly felt that we were reading about two completely different locations. 

The story is very relevant in today's period of time with it's emphasis on podcasting and the state of flux within the publishing industry, each of which are a major part of the story. The year 2017 is noted which gives it an exact time frame if you can't figure it out on your own by some of the other current historical references. The one point of serious contention that I did have with the book was that I believe that Mechling went too far with some of her political commentary. The first couple were okay because they were more place cards within time. After that, she just went too far to the point of it being detrimental to the book because of a few ridiculously trite and absurdly uncalled for slights that were totally unnecessary. They should have been left out of the book altogether as they provided nothing to legitimize the story as a whole. 

The seeds of the story and the plot line were captivating and the changes everyone goes through had some interesting juxtapositions. Even though there were a few minor aspects, as noted above, that I believe could have enhanced the story, Mechling is a true wordsmith. The passages of words and phrases between the various story points were delightful to read and I had more than a few laughs along the way. You don't have to be a city girl or involved in the Arts to find something in this novel to relate to. You just have to look back at your own loves, careers and, most importantly, friendships to find a piece of you in all three friends.

(ARC)

Fiction
Contemporary, Chick Lit
Hardcover 320 pages
0525559388 (ISBN13 9780525559382)
Expected Publication: June 25th, 2019 by Viking

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FOUR FRIENDS: PROMISING LIVES CUT SHORT by William D, Cohan

✯✯✯✯✯                                                                                              Review by Astrid Galactic


The latest book by William D. Cohan, Four Friends: Promising Lives Cut Short chronicles the lives of four of Mr. Cohan's classmates at the very elite Phillips Academy Andover who had grown to prove to the world that they had something special to offer, yet fate intervened and took them away from us all too soon. We meet and get to know Jack Berman, Will Daniel, Harry Bull and John Kennedy Jr. in ways we may not have known them before. 

The book has a wonderful fluidity that grabs onto you so you never want to put it down making for easy reading yet rich with detail. While all four gentlemen made some sort of impact on society, we aren't bogged down with pages of what feels like excerpts extracted from a history book. Instead, we are treated with lots of anecdotal stories that make us realize that they were all just regular guys; albeit, from money and privilege. 

Somewhat early on in the book, it smells a little pretentious with its Andover banner waving but most of us have some of that regarding our alma mater, especially when it's one with an elite reputation. At one point, Cohan does try to balance that out with stating that he then comes to realize that the education itself really wasn't much better than what some receive in regular schools. The others just aren't given the privilege and networking that Andover provides. A very minor point within the book though. 

All four men are presented in a manner that allows us to see them grow and mature at Andover leading to college and then off to adulthood. We also meet their families and other loved ones and are provided with a little about their backgrounds which affects who these boys become as human beings. It's not just their successes that we see but also their struggles, foibles and sorrows. There's a certain honesty presented that shows us that along with all of their privilege also came a few rejections. None of them had a perfectly easy life as many might assume. We are treated with pieces of their lives that has us laughing with them, cheering them on, hurting when they fail and feeling absolute sorrow when their lives are cut all too short. 


Despite their obvious sad endings, it was a delight reading about these men. A great read from the beach to the bedroom.

(ARC)

Nonfiction
Hardcover 384 pages
125007052x (ISBN13 9781250070524)
Expected Publication: July 9th, 2019 Flatiron Books

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ARROGANT CAPITAL:WASHINGTON, WALL STREET AND THE FRUSTRATION OF AMERICAN POLITICS by Kevin Phillips

✯✯✯✯                                                              Review by Astrid Galactic                                                 
Arrogant Capital by Kevin Phillips was published in 1994. While reading this book in 2019, I had to keep pinching myself to be reminded that this book was written 25 years ago. The whole way through, I kept saying, "Honey, you ain't seen nothing yet!" 

All of the corruption, backdoor deals, elite privilege, class separations, inflation, Wall St abuses, derivative banking scandals, extreme lobbying, nepotism, destruction of the Middle Class, unfair tax levies, broken political structures and many other areas involving political economics have only excelled at a shockingly exponential rate since then. By comparison, today makes 1994 look like the good old days. 

Phillips makes the point that this tends to be the natural cycle of advanced societies as they grow and become ensconced in a system that protects and rewards its elite at the expense of the average citizen. He makes comparisons to ancient Rome, 18th century Netherlands and the fall of the Spanish Empire as well as various periods of rebellion and busts in American and English history.  

Phillips offers what he believes would be changes we (specifically, in the USA) could make to prevent such troubles and make the country equitable for all. Some seem feasible while others I'm not all that sure of. My favorite was the "None of the above" choice for our elections. I know that's one I'd certainly make at times from the highest Federal elections to the smallest local area communities. 


Definitely worth reading if you have an interest in US Politics and/or Economics. Don't let the date fool you because it's as relevant today as it was when it was published.

Nonfiction
Economics, Politics
Hardcover 231 pages
0316706183 (ISBN13 9780316706186)
Published September 1st, 1994 by Little Brown and Company

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DOMINICANA by Angie Cruz

✯✯✯✯                                                                                                    Review by Astrid Galactic

A story of love, family, pain, commitment, fear, obligations, hopes, dreams, suffering and, at last, survival. 

A young and innocent 15 year old Ana is pressured to marry an older man, whom she does not care for, from her hometown in the Dominican Republic to leave and live with him in New York City in the hopes of it leading to a better life for her entire family. Life turns out not to be what she was promised. Instead, she is coerced to stay within the confines of their small apartment while she slaves for this man that neither loves her nor cares that much for her needs. Ana's love of family is much stronger than her dislike for her husband so she struggles onward to make the best life she can for all involved. 

As time goes on and realizing her dismal plight, Ana finds strength, by way of her brother-in-law César, when her husband Juan must return to the Dominican Republic for family business dealings during a time of upheaval which keeps him away for a period of time. This is when Ana learns how to act, love, and to exert her independence in order to make life better for herself without the constraints of others' expectations which leads her to eventually blossoming into the full self-assured woman she needs to become. It's a very painful process but one that is necessary to strip the confining cocoon away that kept her from living her life to her fullest potential. 


Dominicana by Angie Cruz will tug on your heartstrings and have you rooting for Ana during her entire journey of trials and tribulations as she finally comes out on her own two feet.

(ARC)

Fiction
Contemporary
125020593x (ISBN13 9781250205933)
Hardcover 336 pages
Expected Publication: September 3rd, 2019 by Flatiron Books

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HOW NOT TO DIE ALONE by Richard Roper

✯✯✯✯                                                               Review by Astrid Galactic

After the heavy tome with tiny words that forced me to come to terms with my aging eyes, this was the perfect breather. How Not To Die Alone by Richard Roper was the perfect breath of fresh air. The reading is very accessible, fun and a bit quirky which always appeals to me. 

After a bit of mistaken communication during a job interview, Andrew believes he must continue to live an outside life of tending to his seemingly ideal nuclear family with a wife and two kids. One unintended simple lie turns into a whole mountain of lies which naturally complicates his otherwise simple life. Things become increasingly more complex when a boss insists that all the employees host in-home dinner parties as well as the lies getting in the way of a blooming romance that takes place with a new hire. 

As a loner, leading character Andrew, leans towards being very empathetic with all the lost souls whose lives he needs to unravel after they die with no next of kin or other acquaintances known of. His job involves the closing out of the residence and estates of the deceased to locate funds for burials and to contact their loved ones. Being loners themselves, that's often difficult. As a fellow loner, Andrew usually takes his job the next level by seeing them off with some sort of dignity beyond what is required of his job which makes for some rather interesting circumstances.

Though Andrew appears to be an abnormal loner in his real, everyday dull life, I believe we all have a bit of Andrew in us. A fun modern British comedy that will open your eyes to those we too often don't see before they are gone.

*It should be noted that How Not to Die Alone appears to have been the working title for this book which was officially released under the title of Something to Live For.

(ARC)

Fiction
Contemporary 
0525539883 (ISBN13: 9780525539889)
Hardcover 336 pages
Published May 28th 2019 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

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