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My Own Choose Your Comment Adventure
If you've been a blogger for any length of time, you've probably noticed the general decline in not just blog reading but also in blog commenting. I still spend a sizable chunk of time doing both, but no one has ever accused me of keeping up with trends! Megan over at Leafing Through Life is also sad that commenting has gone out of fashion. In order to bring back the blog commenting love, she launched a little thing she calls Choose Your Own Comment Adventure. To have an "adventure," you choose a book blog, read the most recent post, make a thoughtful comment, then click on the first commenter's link and head over to their blog. Repeat the process until you've visited ten (or more) blogs. I love this idea! I've been meaning to go on an adventure of my own ever since Megan posted about her first one. Now that she's provided a linky to join in the fun, I'm totally going for it! Here's the journey I took around the book blogosphere today:
1. Back to Books: The first blog that showed up in my Bloglovin' list was this one, written by a Canadian book lover. I've been visiting Nicola's blog off and on for years and have discovered lots of great books because of it. Unfortunately, the book she most recently reviewed—Crazy Dead by Suzanne F. Kingsmill—doesn't sound like my cup of tea. Nicola wasn't wild about it either. She said the plot was a mess and the characters behaved in ways that just weren't believable. Hate that! I'll pass on this book, but I'll definitely return to Back to Books.
2. Mystica/Musings from Sri Lanka: Mystica was the first commenter on Nicola's post, so I headed over to her blog next. She reviewed a book that sounds like the exact sort of read I would enjoy. Still Mine by Amy Stuart is a mystery about a missing girl and an outsider who refuses to give up on finding her. She says the book is descriptive, atmospheric, and twisty. I added it to my Goodreads TBR list. Can't wait to see what I think of it.
3. Bermuda Onion: This blogger has been around for a long time and is well known for her generous commenting. It's no surprise that her blog came up. I was intrigued by her Wondrous Wednesday post, highlighting words I'd never heard of. I learned the definition of "ruminants" (gross!) and "coelacanth" (interesting!).
4. The Book Sage: The first comment on that post led me to a new-to-me blog. Lloyd's most recent post was a recap of an author event he had attended. Yaa Gyasi, author of Homegoing—which has been getting excellent reviews—is a local author. Gyasi, who's originally from Ghana, sounds like a fascinating person. Her book has been on my Goodreads TBR list for many weeks.
The first comment on this post was from Bermuda Onion, so I went back to my Bloglovin' list and started over, which led me to:
5. Bart's Bookshelf: This is another blog that I've been reading for years. Darren reviews a lot of sci fi/fantasy and dystopian books and has provided me with some excellent reading recommendations in the past. His newest review is lovely. He talks about The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Milwood Hargrave, which, he says, is worth the buy just for its gorgeous writing. However, he insists readers should get themselves a paper copy because the book itself is so beautiful. Verdict? Sold.
6. The Written Word: The first commenter on that post was Kailana, another Canadian book blogger. Her most recent post was a "week in review" summary. Her loved ones have been sick, so it's been a bit of a rough one for her. On the bright side, she's reading two books that I enjoyed: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and The Cutting Season by Attica Locke. She also posted some gorgeous scenic shots that she took. Very impressive.
7. I Wish I Lived in a Library: Kailana's first commenter was Katherine P, whose blog I visit frequently. Her most recent post is a review of An Address to Die For by Mary Feliz. The book revolves around a professional organizer who is moving into a new house. When she drives up, she's shocked to see that the home is in terrible disrepair. Even more disconcerting is the dead body in the basement. The plot sounds similar to The Dead Cat Bounce by Sarah Graves. I enjoyed that one and am quite sure I'll dig this one as well.
8. Quinn's Book Nook: That post led me to Quinn's review of P.S. I Like You, a new YA romance by Kasie West. Quinn said it took her a little while to warm up to the characters in the book, but that she enjoyed it overall. Like West's other books, it's a light, cute romance. I enjoy West as well, so I'll check this one out soon.
9. Nick and Nereyda's Infinite Booklist: Quinn's commenter led me to another new-to-me blog. The most recent post by N&N is a fun guide to their "Favorite Friends to More Romances." I've only read 1 1/2 of the books on the list, so I got a lot of great recommendations on what to try next.
10. Lekeisha the Book Nerd: The last stop on my adventure was another new discovery for me. Lekeisha's Waiting on Wednesday post featured The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis. Like me, she's a fan of McGinnis' writing. Even when she doesn't like one of the characters or plot devices in one of the author's books, Lekeisha said McGinnis' prose is always "on point." I agree wholeheartedly.
Phew! So, there you have it. I had a fun commenting adventure, which led me to new blogs and back to old favorites that I hadn't visited in awhile. Thanks for the inspiration, Megan! If you'd like to join in the commenting fun, head over to Leafing Through Life and sign up. I'd love to hear about the blogs you discover on your own journey. Until then, happy commenting!
Atmospheric and Haunting, The Cutting Season Gets High Marks From Me
Caren Gray never intended to return to the Louisiana plantation where she grew up. Serving in the "big house" was her mother's ambition—never hers. But, here she is anyway, walking the land where slaves once toiled. If she'd been born 150 years earlier, Caren would have been working alongside those dark-skinned workers—her ancestors—cutting cane, polishing the master's silver, and raising a family in the tiny slave cottages that still stand on Belle Vie's vast grounds. Instead, she makes good money managing the plantation, inviting everyone from schoolchildren to senior citizens to visit and learn from its history. Maybe it's not the career she imagined for herself, but it works for the 37-year-old single mother.
Then, comes a terrible discovery: the body of a young migrant worker is found on the grounds of Belle Vie. Murder. Caren doesn't recognize the dead woman, but the vicious killing rocks her to her core. She's always felt safe at Belle Vie (the plantation's ghosts notwithstanding), but now she worries—are she and her 9-year-old daughter safe living in such an isolated spot? As the police struggle to find the murderer, Caren finds herself and many of the people she works with at the center of the investigation. Caren knows she didn't commit the crime, but who did? Was it someone who knew the woman well, a fellow laborer, perhaps? Or a local, upset with the migrant workers for "stealing" jobs that could belong to him? And then there's Groveland—plenty of people are angry with the corporation's aggressive land-grabbing tactics. Could a fanatic protester have gone too far? Or is the killer something less down-to-Earth? Because, as no one but Caren knows, this isn't the first murder to have happened on the grounds of Belle Vie. Maybe the slaves are finally getting their revenge ...
Although I didn't care much for Attica Locke's debut novel, Black Water Rising, I loved her sophomore attempt. The Cutting Season offers just about everything I look for in a literary thriller—a twisty plot, complex characters, a vivid setting, skilled writing, etc. Atmospheric and haunting, the story kept me mesmerized from beginning to end. I don't give out A's very often, but this one definitely deserves—and receives—high marks from me.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a teensy bit of Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman)
Grade: A-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder invectives), violence and mild sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Cutting Season from the generous folks at Harper Collins. Thank you!
Texas Thriller As Sluggish as a Houston Summer
(Image from Barnes & Noble)When Jay Porter's attempts to speak out against injustice land him in jail, he vows to let so
meone else save the world. All he wants to do is get out and get on with his life. A decade later, he has. He's not exactly living the American Dream, but he's got a wife, a law degree, and a baby on the way. So what if he runs his business out of a shabby strip mall? So what if his most promising client is a brainless hooker? So what if he can barely afford to pay rent, let alone bottles and diapers? He's free, ain't he?
The last thing Jay needs in his life is a complication, but that's exactly what he gets on the night he takes his wife for a birthday cruise through Buffalo Bayou. The muddy waterway winds through some of the worst neighborhoods in Houston - they're floating near Fifth Ward when they hear a scream followed by two gunshots and a splash. Jay has no desire to get involved in whatever's going on out in the darkness, but he jumps into the water anyway. The woman he fishes out of the sludge looks like she walked off Fifth Avenue not Fifth Ward. Clearly, something's not right here. Jay drops the lady off at the police station, desperate to forget the whole thing ever happened.Only, he can't forget. The details of that night continue to haunt him. Before he's even made a conscious decision to investigate, Jay's asking questions. The more he probes, the less anything makes sense. Why is the incident being kept out of the papers? Who is the girl Jay pulled out of the bayou? What was she doing in one of the toughest parts of the city? Guilt wracks Jay's every waking moment - should he go to the police with the little he knows? He can't risk ending up in jail a second time. It's better to keep his mouth shut. Except that the more he learns, the more outrageous the story becomes. Jay learned long ago to let someone else take on all the injustice in the world, but apparently, he's the only one who can fight this battle. Can a struggling black lawyer take on the biggest names in Houston oil? Will he risk everything - once again - to make things right? Or will he go with his first instinct and leave the whole thing alone?
Attica Locke's debut novel, Black Water Rising, is a gritty thriller that examines inequality on every level. It looks at the Civil Rights movement; the disillusionment of freedom fighters who continued to battle racial inequality even into the '80s; the difficulty of rising above one's criminal record (no matter how undeserved); and the struggle of the average man against the supremacy oil money. It was Locke's scrutiny of these big issues, more than anything else, that kept me reading Black Water Rising. The book's characters really didn't speak to me, the plot moves as slowly as a dingy rowboat floating down Buffalo Bayou, and the overall tone is decidedly depressing. Locke's writing impresses, for sure, but I still had a hard time sticking with the story. The action eventually picks up, moving toward a powerful conclusion - it just takes a very patient reader to stay with it for that long. I did like the premise of the novel, it just needed a more exciting execution, a little speed to make it move. Locke's debut proves she has the talent - time will see what she does with it. Regardless, Attica Locke is definitely an author to watch.
(Readalikes: The back cover blurbs compare Locke to Dennis Lehane and Scott Turow.)
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language, violence and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: This review is part of a virtual book tour coordinated by the folks over at TLC Book Tours. To see the rest of the tour stops, click here.

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