The Guncle by Steven Rowley

Rating: 3 of 5 stars 

Duration: 11:24:00
Published: May 2021

I've had an audio copy on my Audible app of The Guncle by Steven Rowley for a couple of years now. The premise sounded intriguing, and I suspected I might enjoy it audibly. Guncle is a portmanteau of gay and uncle, and in this story, Patrick is the titular character. He is often referred to as guncle and also gup for Gay Uncle Patrick by his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant respectively. Sadly, we meet the children just after their mother, Sarah, has died from cancer, and their father is trying to overcome depression and drug addiction. Greg, the father, asks his brother, Patrick, to take care of the children over the summer in California while he is at a nearby recovery facility. So, Patrick reluctantly takes the children from the east coast to his home to help his brother and help the children during this dark time. 

Patrick has some sadness of his own he's trying to heal from and in the midst of helping Greg, he self-actualizes and fulfills a greater purpose for his extended family. Throughout the novel, he espouses his "guncle rules." I think the author intended these as comedic relief for heavier topics; however, I honestly do not remember many of them. They were a lot and difficult to keep up with on audio. I do remember chuckling at some of them and the scenarios that necessitated the rules. 

My main issue with this book is the religion bashing. I don't understand why religion and homosexuality always have to be pitted against one another and we can find a way to co-exist in real life and in fiction. The multiple religious mentions in a condescending manner were a put off and soured the book. 

Recommendation: I finally hit play on this audiobook in hopes to quickly move to the sequel - The Guncle Abroad. However, this one didn't meet my expectations, so I instead, moved to something else more appealing. I think this book is for a specific audience that I am not a member of. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 320 pages
Published: August 2022

I’m not gonna lie. When I first read the title of former child star Jennette McCurdy’s book, I’m Glad My Mom Died, I thought it was a little harsh. Who really thinks that? Who actually says that? Who writes that down for all the world to see? Well, apparently, Jennette McCurdy does. And after reading her memoir, I’m less judgey about her title. Honestly, I’m kinda glad her mom died too. 

McCurdy grew up in a dysfunctional household with a manipulative narcissist for a mother who coerced her into child acting well before the age of 10. Many parents and their children grew to love her as she played the character of Samantha Puckett on Nickelodeon’s iCarly and spin-off Sam & Cat sitcoms. I do not have children, and I was too old to watch these shows at the time they aired, but what seems like a fun thing turned out to be a grueling career - especially for someone so young. 

I think McCurdy did an excellent job with the writing in this book. She presents her autobiographical information in such a way that the tone and thought processes align with her age at the time being described and not her synthesis of it as a young adult. I think this made the book very engaging and also allowed the reader to feel the emotions she was feeling. There were so many times when I just wanted to give 6-year old Jennette a big ole hug. The first third of the book is dark, the second third is very dark and the last portion of the book offers some hope and much-needed light. The reason for my less than five-star review is that I felt that some of the stories jumped around a bit and often made it difficult to follow the timeline. Having said that, if you don’t get caught up in those details and just focus on the emotion and challenges, I don’t think it takes too much away from the story. 

I took away so many things from McCurdy’s story, but one of the main things that is still troubling me after completing the book is the use of child actors for such graphic shows and films. For example, do we really need to be employing and featuring child rape victims on Law & Order? Yes, I get that those situations and storylines are a reality, but do we need to subject real children for fictional stories to satisfy our need for entertainment. Additionally, I think every child actor should have a third-party advocate that stands to gain no financial benefit from his or her career but rather be put in place to guard against children basically being forced into a career with grueling schedules like McCurdy faced. Overall, we must work to protect the physical and mental well-being of children. 

Recommendation: This was a difficult but necessary read. I pray blessings and continued growth for McCurdy. I wouldn’t recommend reading this book at a dark time in your life as it is very depressing in certain parts, but I would encourage everyone to read it - especially mothers. And take it in bite-sized chunks. This is easily accomplished with the short 91 chapters in 320 pages. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 264 pages
Published: September 2020

I have had a difficult time pulling together a review for Yaa Gyasi’s sophomore novel, Transcendent Kingdom I absolutely loved Homegoing. I read it twice, which is something I rarely do. (There are simply too many books to read.) Gyasi is a talented writer, a gifted storyteller. However, despite warnings by the publisher, critics and the author herself, I wanted Transcendent Kingdom to be like Homegoing. It was not. The story was told in a stream of consciousness format from Gifty, the main character’s viewpoint of she and her mom healing from a husband and father who deserted them and a son and brother who died of an opioid addiction. As a result of these traumatic events, Gifty has dedicated her education to studying addiction and trying to find a cure to help people overcome it. This is where we find her in the opening of the book - in the midst of her PhD research on the subject. In addition to healing from the loss of her brother, Gifty is also trying to come to terms with her father’s return to Ghana from the United States many years earlier. And she is trying to reconcile her dedication to science while being the daughter of a devout Christian mother.

Even though the page count is a little over 250, the book had so many layers. I found it to be very complex and reflective but also very sad. The book does have some elements of hope but overall it basically focuses on the psychological struggle of a young woman attempting to synthesize the very heavy life experiences she’s faced. 

Recommendation: This is not a book that ties up neatly in the end. It’s one that you have to consider the journey more so than focusing on the ending. While I loved Homegoing much more, Transcendent Kingdom is good in its own right. It is different, but the writing is solid and I would recommend picking it up when you’re in the mood for an in-depth read. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Shadows by Alex North

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 336 pages
Published: July 2020

The Shadows by Alex North was my second indulgence from my July Book of the Month subscription service. The synopsis is what prompted me to purchase this mystery thriller. Paul Adams, the protagonist, has returned to his hometown to take care of his ailing mother. Twenty-five years prior Paul's classmate, Charlie Crabtree disappeared after an unsolved murder. Everyone believes that Charlie must be the killer because he disappeared without a trace after the crime. Upon high school graduation, Paul left town and never looked back until he was forced to return and when he does he finds himself drawn right back into the mysterious case again. 

This is the first book I've read by this author. I think he does a good job creating suspense and giving the reader a reason to continue the journey with the narrator. I found the pace of the book to be just right; not too fast, not too slow, and the conclusion a satisfying one. My only critique would be about the issue with Paul and his high school love interest. I don't think the author did a good job of fully developing that twist in the plot. I won't write anymore so as not to spoil this relatively new release. 

I think North is a good writer, and this was a compelling story. It prompted me to purchase The Whisper Man for my August subscription. Review soon to come! 

Recommendation: If you're looking for a mystery with dark tones and intrigue, I'd highly recommend this as your next read. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Pages: 311 pages
Published: March 2020

I am going to be direct with my review of this book. I am always honest with my opinion of what I read, but normally I preface it with a soft introduction. I'm not doing that today. I hated this storyline. I absolutely hated it. I probably will not read anything else by this author. I do not think she researched well for this book, even though she assures us she has in her author's note at the beginning of the novel. I think she took pain that is all too familiar to the African American community and trivialized it in an attempt to profit from it.

The story is about a biracial (African American and Caucasian) teen boy who falls for his neighbor, a Caucasian teen girl. Not knowing about the teen crush, the boy's mother starts a bit of a civil war with the girl's father. The result is a series of unfortunate events with heart-wrenching consequences. Fowler is a gifted writer. Her sentence structure is captivating, but the plot of A Good Neighborhood is a horrible story filled with stereotypes and over-characterizations. Additionally, I wasn't a fan of the method of narration she employed.

After I finished reading this book, I wanted to throw it in the trash. I read for entertainment, and this book caused stress, frustration, and anger. I guess that could be considered a win for some - that it evoked such an emotion. But this book is not a winner, in my book.

Recommendation: I purchased this book using one of my Book of the Month club credits. I wish I would have spent the money on something else. I've tried to be direct here, but just in case it's not clear - I do not recommend this book.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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When You Read This by Mary Adkins

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Pages: 375 pages
Published: February 2019 

I may have mentioned this before, but I really do enjoy reading epistolary novels. I like getting a peek into others' correspondence and thought processes. So, when my fellow blogger friend offered this book up for review, I quickly put myself on the hold list for When You Read This, Mary Adkins' debut novel.

In short, this novel is about, Iris, a lady who dies of cancer like a lot of people do - way too young. The unique angle is she leaves behind a digital trail of blog and message board posts where she shares her journey of her illness leading up to her untimely death. As a dying wish of sorts, Iris leaves these writings behind for her boss, a public relations professional, Smith. (Yes, Smith is his first name.) Smith must work with Iris' sister Jade, who is reluctant to have the material compiled in book form.

This book is a quick read since it's all emails, text message chains, and digital postings. However, don't equate the quickness for weakness. The book tackles the heavy subject of death and the grief of those we leave behind. But it's not all darkness, I had several laugh-out-loud moments while reading this book. There were also points that made me reflect. In the end I appreciated the character growth illustrated through flawed but likable characters.

Recommendation:  I think this book is for anyone. It has a myriad of elements that would appeal to most any reader. The summer may be for light reading, but I think this book gives the reader a nice balance heavy and light material. This is a strong 4.5 out of 5 stars for me!

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

Read More