Book Review - Tilt by Emma Pattee

 

 

Tilt by Emma Pattee is about a woman, Annie, who survives a massive earthquake in Portland, Oregon.  

Annie is nine months pregnant. She decides that she has procrastinated long enough about getting a crib. On the spur of the moment, she decides to go to IKEA to get it. As she is shopping, a devastating earthquake hits and leaves the city in ruins. Annie barely made it out of IKEA alive. Unfortunately, she lost her car keys, phone, and money in the rubble. She has no way of reaching her husband who is across town. The entire city is left in chaos and Annie decides there is nothing else she can do but walk.

As Annie makes her way to her husband through the wreckage and destruction of her beloved city, she comes across all different types of human behaviors. She sees strangers helping others, riots at a grocery store, and people who are trying to make sense of everything that has happened. She also befriends a young mother that she met in IKEA; it was an unlikely friendship that Annie comes to appreciate. As Annie walks, she contemplates and reflects on her struggling marriage and career and her anxiety about having a baby with no money. She feels that if she can make it home, she can change her life for the better.

The novel’s story takes place in a day. Surprisingly, I found the book to be an entertaining read. I thought it was going to be a boring read, but I found myself being curious to read more of what becomes of Annie. I was curious to see if she was able to find her husband but also I liked reading about her past life. I liked reading about her desires, dreams, and disappointments. The ending was a bit disappointing, but I would still be up to reading more books by the author.

 

Book Review - Sainted Love Vol. 1: A Time to Fight by Steve Orlando

 

 

 

 

Sainted Love Vol. 1: A Time to Fight by Steve Orlando is about a gay couple who time travels to fight an evil force that is against their union.  Malcolm “Mac” Irina is one of the greatest inventors of his time. Unfortunately, no one has ever heard of him. His partner, John Wolf, is the toughest bare-knuckle boxer in the city. Mac is almost finished with his greatest invention, the Chronocorridor. He wants to travel to a time where he and John can live and love together freely.  Before he can complete his invention, a detective named Felt raids Mac’s lab, and the couple dives through the power-up portal to escape capture by Detective Felt.  The pair end up in a different timeline but find they are being hunted by an organization that is determined to end gay love. Will Mac and John be able to find a place where they can be themselves?

I didn’t like this graphic novel. I did finish it, but I found that the animation style and story were a bit too graphic for my reading preferences. I didn’t like the artwork and it seemed every few pages, there was an orgy.  I found the story and the characters to be one-dimensional and boring. They just seemed to be bickering about random things that didn’t add anything to the storyline. I don’t think I would continue reading the rest of the series.

 

Book Review - The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

 

 

 

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden is about a woman, Isabel, who is forced to share her house with her brother’s girlfriend. In 1961 in the rural Dutch province of Overijssel, the war was over. Life has begun to move on and settle into a new pace. Isabel is living alone in her late mother’s country home by herself. She is disciplined and spends her day following the same routine. Everything is kept in its place and there is no disorder.

That all changes when her brother, Louis, requests to have his girlfriend, Eva, to stay with Isabel for the season. Isabel is annoyed by Eva and her looming presence. Isabel considers Eva to be loud and brash and the opposite of her.

Isabel becomes convinced that someone is stealing things from the house. She starts noticing little things are disappearing. First, it was a spoon, then a knife, and a bowl. Isabel tries to voice her suspicions to her family, but everyone thinks she is overreacting. As Isabel and Eva start to spend more time together, Isabel makes a startling discovery that will change everything she has ever known.

The novel was a cozy read. I was able to guess where the novel was heading and the reason behind Eva’s visit early on. It was an entertaining read but, I did find both Isabel and Eva to be annoying some of the time. They both had hidden motives but their attraction to each other came out of nowhere. I thought the book was an okay read but, I would be open to reading more books by the author.

 

Book Review - Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron

Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron is about a woman, Jana, who goes on vacation unexpectedly with her ex, Anil.  Jana Suleiman is known for being perfect, strict, and rule-following. She rarely has fun. She feels that she never quite fits in and rather spends time by herself. The one time Jana let herself go, she ended up with a broken heart and a baby born out of wedlock.

Jana has learned her lesson and has kept her heart (and having fun) under lock and key. She was recently invited to be a bridesmaid for a close friend. The wedding is a destination wedding that takes place in the Serengeti National Park. Jana was looking forward to the break until she realized that practically everyone she knows will be there, including a potential new boss. Surprisingly, her lying ex-boyfriend will also be there.

While Jana doesn’t trust Anil romantically, she knows he is a great dad. She still hasn’t forgiven or trusted him after lying to her. Jana is determined not to let him get to her and prove to him that she is over him. Jana’s friends want her to let loose and have a fun time, so they create a plan of fun out-of-the-box things for Jana to do. While crossing everything off her list, Jana finds herself letting go and enjoying herself. However, while she is having fun, she finds herself getting attracted to Anil again. 

The romance novel is a fun and easy read. It did have a few funny moments and some raunchy humor.  I did like the novel but at times, found the characters to be annoying. Jana was upset and betrayed by Anil’s lies but instead of talking to him, she would address the issue with someone else. Anil seems to want to have a better relationship with Jana even if it’s platonic, but he could have also communicated better. I did find it weird that Jana was so concerned about how sociable and what she does outside of work, would affect her job. This is the third romance I've read that was written by an Asian novelist where the protagonist is highly encouraged to be more social in their personal time for work. Previously, I never read a book with this storyline and I found it weird to have it so prominent in a novel. Overall, I did enjoy the book and would be open to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

 

 Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle is about a young woman, Rose, who notices these weird demonic creatures following people around. In Neverton, Montana, the people are God-fearing and it’s also home to Camp Damascus. The camp claims to be very successful with gay conversion and is one of the most effective ones in the country. They promise that attendees will be able to live free of their “sinful past”. Rose has no memory of attending Camp Damascus, but she has been seeing weird creatures and flashbacks from the camp. Will she be able to figure out what is causing the creature to follow her?

The novel is marketed as an adult horror novel, but I thought this would have been more appropriate for young adults. The gore and some scenes might be too graphic but, the protagonist acted more like a teenager than an adult at times. The writing felt stilted and awkward at times. And some of the behaviors of some characters were confusing. I thought the camp would have a heavier focus in the novel but, it was mostly the after-effects of attending the camp. The novel was an interesting read, and I would be open to reading more books by the author.