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Recommend this book:
The Measure of Ella
Toni Bird Jones
2020 Silver Medal
338 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Gobi Jane for Readers' Favorite
The Measure of Ella by Toni Bird Jones is a mix of crime, romance, and adventure, a story that follows a strong female character in her pursuit of the dream of her life. Having lost her father a year ago, Ella Morgan is ready to realize her dream of opening her own restaurant. Selling her father’s tugboat is the one thing that will help her. Alone and away from her home in New England, she is determined to succeed, but the tugboat turns out to be junk and Ella sees her hopes dashed. But she won’t give up. Davis, a man she’s been dating, gets killed by pirates during a raid and when Rich, her co-sailor, makes her an offer to help him pull off a drug run, she sees an opportunity to make quick money that will contribute to her plans to start the restaurant. But things quickly turn bad and she finds herself fighting for her life in a deadly world of pirates and drug lords.
This is a beautiful story and I loved the way the author crafts the characters. Ella is a sophisticated character, a sailor, flawed in many ways, which makes her relatable. She’s suffered loss, she is an orphan, and she has a strong determination to succeed in starting her restaurant business. It is a motivation that is at the heart of the conflict, for she will do anything to raise funds for her business. The plot is filled with adventure and those who enjoy the high seas will love it. The author demonstrates a unique understanding of the underworld of drugs and crime and allows it to come alive in the narrative. The Measure of Ella is an engaging story and Toni Bird Jones’ characters are compelling.
The Measure of Ella by Toni Bird Jones is a mix of crime, romance, and adventure, a story that follows a strong female character in her pursuit of the dream of her life. Having lost her father a year ago, Ella Morgan is ready to realize her dream of opening her own restaurant. Selling her father’s tugboat is the one thing that will help her. Alone and away from her home in New England, she is determined to succeed, but the tugboat turns out to be junk and Ella sees her hopes dashed. But she won’t give up. Davis, a man she’s been dating, gets killed by pirates during a raid and when Rich, her co-sailor, makes her an offer to help him pull off a drug run, she sees an opportunity to make quick money that will contribute to her plans to start the restaurant. But things quickly turn bad and she finds herself fighting for her life in a deadly world of pirates and drug lords.
This is a beautiful story and I loved the way the author crafts the characters. Ella is a sophisticated character, a sailor, flawed in many ways, which makes her relatable. She’s suffered loss, she is an orphan, and she has a strong determination to succeed in starting her restaurant business. It is a motivation that is at the heart of the conflict, for she will do anything to raise funds for her business. The plot is filled with adventure and those who enjoy the high seas will love it. The author demonstrates a unique understanding of the underworld of drugs and crime and allows it to come alive in the narrative. The Measure of Ella is an engaging story and Toni Bird Jones’ characters are compelling.
Recommend this book:
Better Endings
Can be read as a stand-alone (Tammy Mellows Series)
Tina Hogan Grant
2020 Gold Medal
272 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
Better Endings is the second book in the Tammy Mellows Series by Tina Hogan Grant; an engrossing novel with a strong female protagonist. Having had her share of heartache and abuse, Tammy Mellows finally escapes from Steven, the heroin-addicted father of her son. Now she thinks she can rebuild her life on her own terms. But then Dwayne comes into her life and a new love blossoms. The only problem is that Tammy can’t trust herself; haunted by memories of a bad relationship and her own woes, she is uncertain. But she wants to do it right this time. The choice to become a commercial fisherwoman gives her the opportunity to test her strengths, face her deepest fears, and craft a path that leads her to herself. But in a male-dominated business, a unique set of challenges await her. Can she achieve inner freedom and also nurture the love that is already taking center stage in her life?
Better Endings is a beautiful story that explores a woman’s heart and I enjoyed the way Tina Hogan Grant builds resilience in the protagonist. The journey that Tammy makes is inspirational and will give hope, especially to female readers who have suffered abuse and have experienced unhealthy relationships. Tammy's character is well handled and the growth process that happens in her life is well-captured in the story. Tammy grows from someone who is prone to fear to a woman who takes control of her life, creating the kind of life she wants. Themes of family, love, and adventure are deftly handled and it is easy to develop a fondness for the sea after reading Better Endings. Great prose, exciting characters, and themes that evoke the realism of everyday life.
Better Endings is the second book in the Tammy Mellows Series by Tina Hogan Grant; an engrossing novel with a strong female protagonist. Having had her share of heartache and abuse, Tammy Mellows finally escapes from Steven, the heroin-addicted father of her son. Now she thinks she can rebuild her life on her own terms. But then Dwayne comes into her life and a new love blossoms. The only problem is that Tammy can’t trust herself; haunted by memories of a bad relationship and her own woes, she is uncertain. But she wants to do it right this time. The choice to become a commercial fisherwoman gives her the opportunity to test her strengths, face her deepest fears, and craft a path that leads her to herself. But in a male-dominated business, a unique set of challenges await her. Can she achieve inner freedom and also nurture the love that is already taking center stage in her life?
Better Endings is a beautiful story that explores a woman’s heart and I enjoyed the way Tina Hogan Grant builds resilience in the protagonist. The journey that Tammy makes is inspirational and will give hope, especially to female readers who have suffered abuse and have experienced unhealthy relationships. Tammy's character is well handled and the growth process that happens in her life is well-captured in the story. Tammy grows from someone who is prone to fear to a woman who takes control of her life, creating the kind of life she wants. Themes of family, love, and adventure are deftly handled and it is easy to develop a fondness for the sea after reading Better Endings. Great prose, exciting characters, and themes that evoke the realism of everyday life.
Recommend this book:
New Horizons
Host Saga Book 4
Michael Farlow
2019 Finalist
340 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
New Horizons is the fourth book in the Host Saga series by Michael Farlow, a fantastic science fiction story that features a phenomenal conflict, higher levels of weaponry, and technology. Humanity is facing the most devastating threat ever: the Arkon attack is imminent! Aided by an AI companion and teacher left on Earth by the Galactic Host, Van Childs prepares for the ultimate assault from the Arkon, seeking allies and developing the Host technology that could withstand the assault. But the progress in allied shipbuilding is impaired by piracy and something more disturbing happens — an unexpected attack engineered by the Arkon that destroys the allied fleet and Zarminia. Can the cruiser New Horizons help, and can Van Childs get the New Horizons ready before it's too late?
New Horizons is one of the best things I have read in science fiction for a while now and I was left with the impression that this author is a shipbuilder in real life. First, the reader is introduced to a phenomenal conflict, a monumental threat looming over humanity. The plot is intricately done and readers will enjoy the complexity in the relationships — humans with humans and humans with artificial intelligence entities. The language is beautiful, crisp, and enriched by the witticism that flows through the exciting dialogues. The novel is action packed, intense, and emotionally charged, one of those books readers would enjoy on screen. The concept of the book is bold, the language confident, and the plot so cunningly done it keeps the reader's imagination gripped. You'll fall in love with the characters and you will care about them so much you want to see where they move from here. New Horizons is engrossing with the complexity of a chess game.
New Horizons is the fourth book in the Host Saga series by Michael Farlow, a fantastic science fiction story that features a phenomenal conflict, higher levels of weaponry, and technology. Humanity is facing the most devastating threat ever: the Arkon attack is imminent! Aided by an AI companion and teacher left on Earth by the Galactic Host, Van Childs prepares for the ultimate assault from the Arkon, seeking allies and developing the Host technology that could withstand the assault. But the progress in allied shipbuilding is impaired by piracy and something more disturbing happens — an unexpected attack engineered by the Arkon that destroys the allied fleet and Zarminia. Can the cruiser New Horizons help, and can Van Childs get the New Horizons ready before it's too late?
New Horizons is one of the best things I have read in science fiction for a while now and I was left with the impression that this author is a shipbuilder in real life. First, the reader is introduced to a phenomenal conflict, a monumental threat looming over humanity. The plot is intricately done and readers will enjoy the complexity in the relationships — humans with humans and humans with artificial intelligence entities. The language is beautiful, crisp, and enriched by the witticism that flows through the exciting dialogues. The novel is action packed, intense, and emotionally charged, one of those books readers would enjoy on screen. The concept of the book is bold, the language confident, and the plot so cunningly done it keeps the reader's imagination gripped. You'll fall in love with the characters and you will care about them so much you want to see where they move from here. New Horizons is engrossing with the complexity of a chess game.
Recommend this book:
Cucina Tipica
An Italian Adventure
Andrew Cotto
2019 Finalist
281 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Charles Remington for Readers' Favorite
Jacoby Pines loses his job as a result of a text message finding its way unintentionally to his boss. He is fortunate to have a well-heeled fiancée who has a commission to spend a year in Italy researching off-the-beaten-track eateries for an English travel journal. But the best part is that the now unemployed Jacoby is invited to accompany her. She is unaware that Jacoby is in possession of an old photo of a woman seated outside a Tuscan villa which he found in his mother’s effects, and has wondered ever since if there could be any family connection. So commences Cucina Tipica (a typical dish or recipe), subtitled An Italian Adventure, by Andrew Cotto. Jacoby and his fiancée Claire take up residence in an old converted barn located in the hills above Florence, and very quickly start to explore the rustic cantinas and sample the delectable food and wines of the area. All does not go well, however, and Claire decides to continue her exploration without Jacoby. Although disappointing, the unfortunate circumstance enables him to concentrate on exploring the possibility that he may have family connections in Italy – a land in which he immediately felt at home.
Through a number of culinary adventures and helped by local people who become friends, the narrative, drenched in the Tuscan sunshine and steeped in the local wine, slowly delivers an enticing story along with a satisfactory ending to the puzzle. The book really got going once Jacoby was left to his own devices and began to interact with the local people. Tuscany and the surrounding area are beautifully described, as is the ‘cucina tipica’ of the area. The wines also play a large part in the storyline and the characters are solid and well-drawn. The narrative necessarily contains a lot of Italian and I was impressed with Cotto’s command of the local language and idioms. An impressive piece of work which I am sure will find a ready audience with those dreaming of lazy days in the Tuscan sunshine and heady nights in the Florentine trattorie.
Jacoby Pines loses his job as a result of a text message finding its way unintentionally to his boss. He is fortunate to have a well-heeled fiancée who has a commission to spend a year in Italy researching off-the-beaten-track eateries for an English travel journal. But the best part is that the now unemployed Jacoby is invited to accompany her. She is unaware that Jacoby is in possession of an old photo of a woman seated outside a Tuscan villa which he found in his mother’s effects, and has wondered ever since if there could be any family connection. So commences Cucina Tipica (a typical dish or recipe), subtitled An Italian Adventure, by Andrew Cotto. Jacoby and his fiancée Claire take up residence in an old converted barn located in the hills above Florence, and very quickly start to explore the rustic cantinas and sample the delectable food and wines of the area. All does not go well, however, and Claire decides to continue her exploration without Jacoby. Although disappointing, the unfortunate circumstance enables him to concentrate on exploring the possibility that he may have family connections in Italy – a land in which he immediately felt at home.
Through a number of culinary adventures and helped by local people who become friends, the narrative, drenched in the Tuscan sunshine and steeped in the local wine, slowly delivers an enticing story along with a satisfactory ending to the puzzle. The book really got going once Jacoby was left to his own devices and began to interact with the local people. Tuscany and the surrounding area are beautifully described, as is the ‘cucina tipica’ of the area. The wines also play a large part in the storyline and the characters are solid and well-drawn. The narrative necessarily contains a lot of Italian and I was impressed with Cotto’s command of the local language and idioms. An impressive piece of work which I am sure will find a ready audience with those dreaming of lazy days in the Tuscan sunshine and heady nights in the Florentine trattorie.
Recommend this book:
The Angriest Angel
Chris Halt
2019 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
The Angriest Angel by Chris Halt is a compelling and neatly written science fiction story with powerful psychological underpinnings. The Caelans are a race that has advanced in technology and possesses great mastery of anger and interstellar travel. They have lived among humans for decades and have succeeded in blending in. But now something terrible has happened at their base and some of them are getting infected with anger, the one thing they have conquered long ago. When their leader, Regulus Lafaye, is hit by the disease, he loses control and gets so violent to the point that he begins to use his powers of “psying” to control others. Avery is one of the uninfected Caelans and he encounters Chase Madison who has ADHD and is immune to the “psy” of the Caelans. While Avery hopes to use Chase to find a cure, this also puts Chase’s life in the gravest danger.
Chris Halt is a great writer and one of the things I enjoyed about this story is the author’s ability to create vivid scenes. The writing is crisp and hugely descriptive and this makes it easier for the psychological and emotional connection readers make with the characters. Character development is elaborate. I enjoyed the multilayered characters. Chase has ADHD, but he is a character whose life is a mystery. While he has a psychological condition, he also has a unique gift, one that makes him immune to the influence of the Caelans’ psy. The plot is filled with surprises and from the very opening page, the reader’s curiosity is aroused. One of the things I enjoyed about this novel is the author’s ability to combine mystery with the mundane, to mix sci-fi with strong psychological themes. The Angriest Angel is a huge achievement and a delightful read for fans of psychological thrillers and well-crafted science fiction.
The Angriest Angel by Chris Halt is a compelling and neatly written science fiction story with powerful psychological underpinnings. The Caelans are a race that has advanced in technology and possesses great mastery of anger and interstellar travel. They have lived among humans for decades and have succeeded in blending in. But now something terrible has happened at their base and some of them are getting infected with anger, the one thing they have conquered long ago. When their leader, Regulus Lafaye, is hit by the disease, he loses control and gets so violent to the point that he begins to use his powers of “psying” to control others. Avery is one of the uninfected Caelans and he encounters Chase Madison who has ADHD and is immune to the “psy” of the Caelans. While Avery hopes to use Chase to find a cure, this also puts Chase’s life in the gravest danger.
Chris Halt is a great writer and one of the things I enjoyed about this story is the author’s ability to create vivid scenes. The writing is crisp and hugely descriptive and this makes it easier for the psychological and emotional connection readers make with the characters. Character development is elaborate. I enjoyed the multilayered characters. Chase has ADHD, but he is a character whose life is a mystery. While he has a psychological condition, he also has a unique gift, one that makes him immune to the influence of the Caelans’ psy. The plot is filled with surprises and from the very opening page, the reader’s curiosity is aroused. One of the things I enjoyed about this novel is the author’s ability to combine mystery with the mundane, to mix sci-fi with strong psychological themes. The Angriest Angel is a huge achievement and a delightful read for fans of psychological thrillers and well-crafted science fiction.
Recommend this book:
Realm
Alexandrea Weis
2019 Honorable Mention
399 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite
In Realm by Alexandrea Weis, Roxana's world is turned upside-down overnight when the king chooses her to be his wife, plucking her from her father's doting arms into a world where she would never be fully accepted as fit to be the king's wife. Eventually, Roxana and the king cement their places in each other's hearts but even this will be tested as the king fulfills his obligations to other royal families. They will be betrayed, tried, and suffer great losses but as long as they still have each other, everything will be all right. However, what will she do when tragedy strikes again, leaving her with a future king to protect in a world where she cannot trust anyone?
Realm by Alexandrea Weis is, by far, one of the most memorable historical novels I have ever read and Roxana's story will stay with me for a very long time. It combines romance, drama, war, and an unforgettable pivotal character to bring to life a tale unlike any other. I especially loved how well-rounded and balanced Roxana's character is. She is strong and yet vulnerable, and she is wiser than most but does not have all the answers and still has many lessons to learn. She feels truly human and very easily relatable even though her story is set in a different place and time. Realm is a very emotionally charged story with several moments that will either have you in awe, make you smile, fill you with empathy or have you in tears. Have some tissues with you; you will need it.
In Realm by Alexandrea Weis, Roxana's world is turned upside-down overnight when the king chooses her to be his wife, plucking her from her father's doting arms into a world where she would never be fully accepted as fit to be the king's wife. Eventually, Roxana and the king cement their places in each other's hearts but even this will be tested as the king fulfills his obligations to other royal families. They will be betrayed, tried, and suffer great losses but as long as they still have each other, everything will be all right. However, what will she do when tragedy strikes again, leaving her with a future king to protect in a world where she cannot trust anyone?
Realm by Alexandrea Weis is, by far, one of the most memorable historical novels I have ever read and Roxana's story will stay with me for a very long time. It combines romance, drama, war, and an unforgettable pivotal character to bring to life a tale unlike any other. I especially loved how well-rounded and balanced Roxana's character is. She is strong and yet vulnerable, and she is wiser than most but does not have all the answers and still has many lessons to learn. She feels truly human and very easily relatable even though her story is set in a different place and time. Realm is a very emotionally charged story with several moments that will either have you in awe, make you smile, fill you with empathy or have you in tears. Have some tissues with you; you will need it.
Recommend this book:
The Lost Ones
Nothing is How it Seems
Carl Lakeland
2019 Bronze Medal
194 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
The Lost Ones is a work of thriller fiction penned by author Carl Lakeland. Taking adventure fiction into a thrilling supernatural new setting, dystopia looms on planet Earth after the devastation of the Fall Wars. Richard Gabriel is our hero, a man stranded with his family on the USS John Steinbeck and desperate to escape the South Pole before they all freeze to death in the darkness. Richard’s plan is to head for Australia, but the post-war world he discovers reveals a terrifying new future for humanity. It’s a race to survive as these lost souls struggle to find safety and hope in the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this excellent adventure novel. Author Carl Lakeland combines believable heroics with supernatural flair and a stylish dystopian world worthy of any Mad Max or Hunger Games fan’s attention. The style is very much for adult readers, though not extreme in its graphics, and the world in which Richard and his family try to survive is realistically grim. The full gamut of human emotion runs through the novel with well paced peaks and troughs that lull readers one moment, then shock them again the next. Like the heroes themselves, you’ll hardly have a moment to breathe before the next terror is upon you, which makes for an excellent, exciting page turner from beginning to end. Overall, I would certainly recommend The Lost Ones to all dystopian thriller fans, as well as those who love disaster fiction and action novels with heartfelt characters.
The Lost Ones is a work of thriller fiction penned by author Carl Lakeland. Taking adventure fiction into a thrilling supernatural new setting, dystopia looms on planet Earth after the devastation of the Fall Wars. Richard Gabriel is our hero, a man stranded with his family on the USS John Steinbeck and desperate to escape the South Pole before they all freeze to death in the darkness. Richard’s plan is to head for Australia, but the post-war world he discovers reveals a terrifying new future for humanity. It’s a race to survive as these lost souls struggle to find safety and hope in the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this excellent adventure novel. Author Carl Lakeland combines believable heroics with supernatural flair and a stylish dystopian world worthy of any Mad Max or Hunger Games fan’s attention. The style is very much for adult readers, though not extreme in its graphics, and the world in which Richard and his family try to survive is realistically grim. The full gamut of human emotion runs through the novel with well paced peaks and troughs that lull readers one moment, then shock them again the next. Like the heroes themselves, you’ll hardly have a moment to breathe before the next terror is upon you, which makes for an excellent, exciting page turner from beginning to end. Overall, I would certainly recommend The Lost Ones to all dystopian thriller fans, as well as those who love disaster fiction and action novels with heartfelt characters.
Recommend this book:
Heir of Ra
Maciek Sasinowski
2019 Silver Medal
310 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Heir of Ra is a young adult action and adventure/historical fantasy novel written by Maciek Sasinowski. Alyssa was enjoying a moderately challenging climb in Peru and was at 358 meters of elevation when she got the call she had been waiting for. Her dad’s appeal to the Egyptian Council of Antiquities had finally, and surprisingly, been granted. Alyssa immediately began figuring out how she could leave the Peruvian dig site and most efficiently get to Egypt when her dad blindsided her with the news that they were only giving him one day to search the site. He knew it was disappointing, but he wanted Alyssa to stay in Peru and continue supervising the site there. But he failed to reckon with the determination of his sixteen-year-old daughter. Even being high up on a cliff face wouldn’t deter her from getting to Egypt and going in with him.
Maciek Sasinowski’s historical fantasy/science fiction novel for young adults, Heir of Ra, is a fast-paced and enthralling book that incorporates elements of time travel as Alyssa fights to unravel the mystery of the illness that has left her father at death’s door. Sasinowski’s plot is a marvelous one that recreates Egyptian mythology and refashions it in a thought-provoking and ingenious manner. I loved the high-tech elements of this story, and found the characters to be credible and well-defined, particularly Alyssa, who is a resourceful, strong and independent young woman. This well-written and engaging story is geared toward a young adult audience, but anyone who enjoys archaeological quest novels will have a grand time reading it as well. Heir of Ra is most highly recommended.
Heir of Ra is a young adult action and adventure/historical fantasy novel written by Maciek Sasinowski. Alyssa was enjoying a moderately challenging climb in Peru and was at 358 meters of elevation when she got the call she had been waiting for. Her dad’s appeal to the Egyptian Council of Antiquities had finally, and surprisingly, been granted. Alyssa immediately began figuring out how she could leave the Peruvian dig site and most efficiently get to Egypt when her dad blindsided her with the news that they were only giving him one day to search the site. He knew it was disappointing, but he wanted Alyssa to stay in Peru and continue supervising the site there. But he failed to reckon with the determination of his sixteen-year-old daughter. Even being high up on a cliff face wouldn’t deter her from getting to Egypt and going in with him.
Maciek Sasinowski’s historical fantasy/science fiction novel for young adults, Heir of Ra, is a fast-paced and enthralling book that incorporates elements of time travel as Alyssa fights to unravel the mystery of the illness that has left her father at death’s door. Sasinowski’s plot is a marvelous one that recreates Egyptian mythology and refashions it in a thought-provoking and ingenious manner. I loved the high-tech elements of this story, and found the characters to be credible and well-defined, particularly Alyssa, who is a resourceful, strong and independent young woman. This well-written and engaging story is geared toward a young adult audience, but anyone who enjoys archaeological quest novels will have a grand time reading it as well. Heir of Ra is most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Amie Cut for Life
Lucinda E Clarke
2019 Gold Medal
336 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite
In Amie: Cut for Life by Lucinda E Clarke, Amie is a trained-to-kill spy working undercover for the British Government, but not willingly. The first dramatic scene shows that; her parents spot their “tragically dead” daughter by chance. Amie has orders for a mission to look, listen, and report back, with the bonus that her lover, Simon, is to join her and a group of aid workers in Gaborone. No problem, right? The aid workers act suspiciously, Simon fails to arrive, her communication system with London is sabotaged, and Amie is assaulted and locked in an isolated hut. She is released by four young girls who desperately need her help to avoid tribal mutilation, and to escape sex-traffickers. Can Amie trust charismatic Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Maurin, who claims they are “on the same side”? Will Amie survive?
Amie: Cut for Life is a fast-paced thriller that shows the reader the real Africa, its dangers from the heat, fire, floods, and the wildlife, and its breath-taking beauty. The story held me captivated, and misled me time after time from the first page to the last. The characters are well-drawn, and I loved Maisie, Winnie and Fazia, and especially Linda, the gutsy East End kid. More importantly, Lucinda E Clarke’s Amie: Cut for Life is a shocking revelation of the mutilation inflicted on female African children, a tribal practice designed to benefit men. Worse, it is going on in Britain today: one illegal operation an hour. Does it happen in America? Underground, almost certainly. Read this book for them, and talk about it.
In Amie: Cut for Life by Lucinda E Clarke, Amie is a trained-to-kill spy working undercover for the British Government, but not willingly. The first dramatic scene shows that; her parents spot their “tragically dead” daughter by chance. Amie has orders for a mission to look, listen, and report back, with the bonus that her lover, Simon, is to join her and a group of aid workers in Gaborone. No problem, right? The aid workers act suspiciously, Simon fails to arrive, her communication system with London is sabotaged, and Amie is assaulted and locked in an isolated hut. She is released by four young girls who desperately need her help to avoid tribal mutilation, and to escape sex-traffickers. Can Amie trust charismatic Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Maurin, who claims they are “on the same side”? Will Amie survive?
Amie: Cut for Life is a fast-paced thriller that shows the reader the real Africa, its dangers from the heat, fire, floods, and the wildlife, and its breath-taking beauty. The story held me captivated, and misled me time after time from the first page to the last. The characters are well-drawn, and I loved Maisie, Winnie and Fazia, and especially Linda, the gutsy East End kid. More importantly, Lucinda E Clarke’s Amie: Cut for Life is a shocking revelation of the mutilation inflicted on female African children, a tribal practice designed to benefit men. Worse, it is going on in Britain today: one illegal operation an hour. Does it happen in America? Underground, almost certainly. Read this book for them, and talk about it.
Recommend this book:
Billy Gogan, American
A Novel
Roger Higgins
2018 Finalist
416 Pages
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Billy Gogan, American by Roger Higgins is the fictional tale of a young man's transition from a life in Ireland to his settlement in the United States. It begins with Gogan's Irish backstory at the onset of the country's potato famine, where Billy is prompted to leave under multifarious circumstances. The passage is brutal but he survives (whereas his companion Father O’Muirhily does not) with the friendship of Maire and Fiona. All three make it to New York but only Billy emerges unscathed in New York's Five Points, where Maire and Fiona have seemingly vanished into thin, polluted air. A search ensues and continues as Billy settles in, learns the ropes, finds love, and grows as he crosses paths with some of the Five Points' and Higgins' most fascinating, duplicitous characters. Maire and Fiona resurface, but the brutality of mid-19th century New York and the seemingly omniscient “man in black” continue to haunt Billy and those he loves at nearly every turn.
Billy Gogan, American is a truly ambitious undertaking by Roger Higgins. At times reading as closely to a memoir as it does to a work of fiction, Higgins brings a cast of characters and settings to life with an authenticity that is every history lover's dream. The undertaking could not have been easy, with dialogue that is accented with the same purity imparted in Higgins' detailed scenes. Billy's story is layered and interesting even when the writing (on occasion, but it's rare) lapses into substance over style. This is not a light read but it most certainly is a worthy one, and I'm comfortable recommending it to those who love a good adventure with a deserving protagonist, as well as to readers who get excited over meticulous detail and classic storytelling.
Billy Gogan, American by Roger Higgins is the fictional tale of a young man's transition from a life in Ireland to his settlement in the United States. It begins with Gogan's Irish backstory at the onset of the country's potato famine, where Billy is prompted to leave under multifarious circumstances. The passage is brutal but he survives (whereas his companion Father O’Muirhily does not) with the friendship of Maire and Fiona. All three make it to New York but only Billy emerges unscathed in New York's Five Points, where Maire and Fiona have seemingly vanished into thin, polluted air. A search ensues and continues as Billy settles in, learns the ropes, finds love, and grows as he crosses paths with some of the Five Points' and Higgins' most fascinating, duplicitous characters. Maire and Fiona resurface, but the brutality of mid-19th century New York and the seemingly omniscient “man in black” continue to haunt Billy and those he loves at nearly every turn.
Billy Gogan, American is a truly ambitious undertaking by Roger Higgins. At times reading as closely to a memoir as it does to a work of fiction, Higgins brings a cast of characters and settings to life with an authenticity that is every history lover's dream. The undertaking could not have been easy, with dialogue that is accented with the same purity imparted in Higgins' detailed scenes. Billy's story is layered and interesting even when the writing (on occasion, but it's rare) lapses into substance over style. This is not a light read but it most certainly is a worthy one, and I'm comfortable recommending it to those who love a good adventure with a deserving protagonist, as well as to readers who get excited over meticulous detail and classic storytelling.
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