"It cost an arm and a leg just to live on your knees,
And I'm trying to keep my sanity, God help me please"
- Snoop Dogg, Midnight Love
As an 80's kid g"It cost an arm and a leg just to live on your knees,
And I'm trying to keep my sanity, God help me please"
- Snoop Dogg, Midnight Love
As an 80's kid growing up in Australia, Hip Hop & Hymns provided the nostalgic trip down memory lane I didn't know I was craving until after I'd consumed every crumb off my plate. Commonwealth Banks' Dollarmites program, Bi-Lo, The Source - these were parts of my childhood I got to relive through the authors' easy flowing writing style. Yet, Hip Hop & Hymns takes the trip further, providing a behind the curtains look at a perspective most Aussie kids aren't privy.
"To make bread I gotta steal for sport,
So I stole the show and made some pennies for my thoughts"
- Onyx, Last Dayz
Dabbling in petty crime, exposure to drugs and alcohol and making bad decisions with members of the opposite sex paints a picture a lot of teenagers can relate. The raw honestly is refreshing and welcome. The ying to the yang in the ups and down of life is so eloquently depicted in Hop Hop & Hymns.
"I rap divine Gods check the prognosis, is it real, or showbiz?
My window faces shootouts, drug overdoses,
Live amongst no roses, only the drama, for real"
- Nas, Memory Lane
While there's plenty of drama, the strife life in Hip Hop & Hymns is accessible and relatable. The influence of circumstance and situational bias we experience as teenagers resonates throughout our adult lives and is beautifully articulated here. It's so pleasing to feel the profound impact rap has on author Mawunyo Gbogbo, equally as much as it has had in this reviewer's formative years.
True, there's a distinct lack of shootouts or drug overdoses in this memoir (per the Nas reference above), however the themes of hardship, perseverance, resilience, and survival in the face of adversity resonate throughout the chapters. Despite featuring little reference to the Queensbridge emcee; Nas' early albums Illmatic and It Was Written were playing on constant rotation in my head as Mawunyo Gbogbo took me by the hand and walked me down her memory lane, not shying from any truths or tribulations as she laid bare her story for all.
"So put your money on the bread winner.
I kick lyrics so dope that the brothers call em head spinners."
- Lady of Rage, Afro Puffs
I get a kick out of reading 'feel-good stories', particularly those where real people overcome hardships, personal demons, and bad situations for the betterment of their growth and maturity. It's inspirational and relatable. Hip Hop & Hymns makes for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience....more
The Operators could've been an entertaining yarn had it not been for the excessive filler content which stagnated the story.
The opening stanza hintedThe Operators could've been an entertaining yarn had it not been for the excessive filler content which stagnated the story.
The opening stanza hinted at this being a thriller but that soon dried up as man-bags, facebook, and a trip to Indonesia to see a rare flower bloom took over. The pacing and excessively polite dialogue and overwhelming respect towards strangers, mates, and, to a certain extent, criminals was annoying and read like the author was more concerned with offending someone as opposed to telling a dangerous kidnap and recover story.
Additionally, too often the author delved deep into character backstory (including bit players) which, when it came to the crunch, didn't actually add anything meaningful to Wally Flannagan's predicament. The same can be said for the passages about communication during wartime's on the front; whilst insightful, there was just too many pages devoted to it which hindered, more than it helped.
Despite my obvious misgivings about The Operators, I did enjoy some moments, notably the kidnapping scene and some passages describing the elaborate kidnap caper and the high powered criminal enterprise behind it.
I'm sure there are readers who will lap up the slower pace but it just wasn't for me....more
David Ash is a paranormal investigator/debunker who finds himself drawn back to the events surrounding the untimely death of his child sister years eaDavid Ash is a paranormal investigator/debunker who finds himself drawn back to the events surrounding the untimely death of his child sister years earlier when he’s commissioned to investigate a haunting at a rural estate. Whilst these events are largely unrelated, there’s cause for linking them as the story progresses.
Haunted doesn’t bring anything new to the haunted house sub genre and reads more as a gothic horror but it does maintain a heightened level of tension throughout. The ending is pretty easy to guess which dampers the experience somewhat but overall Haunted is a quick two-sitting horror read with some subtle (and some not so subtle) horror elements. ...more
As much as I tried, I couldn't get past the made up slang. A rare DNF for me. As much as I tried, I couldn't get past the made up slang. A rare DNF for me. ...more
I tried really hard to like this book but in the end the story just didn't connect with me. If anything the story was confusing and almost nonsensicalI tried really hard to like this book but in the end the story just didn't connect with me. If anything the story was confusing and almost nonsensical with the narrator and story becoming interchangeable.
I applaud the author's ability to be able to formulate a near cohesive narrative using a minimalist technique encompassing cobbled together lines from other forms of fiction with some originality thrown in. I can see how some readers would lap this up; there are some truly poetic lines in this book but I read for a story, and this just didn't work for me.
My rating: 1/5. I love the idea of using lines from other novels to write a story but unfortunately the story was uneventful and didn't hold my interest. ...more
Open fire! On my burning heart I've never been lucky in love My defenses are down A kiss or a frown I can't survive on my own
If a girl walks in and carves Open fire! On my burning heart I've never been lucky in love My defenses are down A kiss or a frown I can't survive on my own
If a girl walks in and carves her name in my heart I'll turn and run away Everyday we've all been led astray It's hard to be lucky in love
It gets in your eyes It's making you cry Don't know what to do Don't know what to do You're looking for love Calling heaven above
Send me an angel Send me an angel Right now, right now
Reading Furyborn, I'm immediately reminded of the 1980's pop song 'Send Me An Angel' by Real Life as the underlying thematic soundtrack to both Rielle's and Eliana's somewhat reluctant / apprehensive journey to Queendom.
Separated by over a thousand years, these two powerful character story-lines converge in a storm of revelations as the once fabled Sun and Blood Queen lineage is forged in violence and world breaking magic.
Distinctly young adult, the story will appeal to the broader fantasy audience. Sure, some of the dialogue is loaded with a teenage-angst feel but this is balanced out by some interesting world building and a solid platform of fantastical elements incorporating the stereotypical and more inventive genre hallmarks.
My rating: 4/5 stars. Furyborn is a solid start to the Empirium Trilogy which reads as a complete novel with enough plot threads and burning questions to lead into book 2....more
Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions is a cozy historical crime fiction (think cozy mystery without the mystery).
Despite being the third book in the serieMiss Kopp's Midnight Confessions is a cozy historical crime fiction (think cozy mystery without the mystery).
Despite being the third book in the series, Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessionals reads well as a standalone. The main characters come with baggage but there's enough backstory included in the present day setting that the reader doesn't feel lost with what's happened in the previous books.
Constance is an interesting character and the author ensures she gets page time not only in relation to the passages involving the crimes but also in her personal setting, notably when her daughter runs away to join a stage show and the ensuing hunt to track her down. I did like the somewhat humorous aspect to this side show.
Set in 1916, the book provides insight into the laws of the time which seem ridiculous by modern standards, in particular two cases of young women who are charged for waywardness, incorrigibility and moral depravity. Whilst not much happens in this space from a crime perspective, the book delivers on character and charm.
My rating: 2.5/5, it was ok. I found the book more interesting than entertaining but that's more to do my reading tastes rather than the book itself. ...more
See What I Have Done is the fictitious retelling of the Borden murders in 1892 in which Lizzie Borden was accused of having murdered her father and stSee What I Have Done is the fictitious retelling of the Borden murders in 1892 in which Lizzie Borden was accused of having murdered her father and step mother in their home.
The book focuses on the murders themselves, though the culprit is never clearly identified as the murders remain unsolved to this day, the daughters in Lizzie (who was a home when the murders took place) and Emma (who was staying with a friend at the time) and housekeeper Bridget. John, Lizzie and Emma's uncle also gets page time having arrived at house the day prior the heinous event. The book is told from the points of view of these key characters as well as another, Benjamin, a streetwise thug hired by John to take care of Andrew and Abby (the murdered father and step mother) by giving them a scare for their inappropriate treatment of the daughters. Whether or not this meant committing the act of murder is alluded to though not explicit.
One thing that stands out is the atmosphere of the house where the murders took place. Author Sarah Schmidt does a great job at transforming the humble home into a stuffy fortress full of vile smells and intimidating characters.
Reader be warned, there are some stomach churning passages involving mutton broth, vomit and the decapitation of pigeons spattered throughout the book (though not necessarily linked to one another thankfully) which certainly add to the feel of the book.
I liked See What I Have Done but wasn't blown away by it. Of all the characters I thought Benjamin was the most interesting - his backstory was well written and he added another layer of mystery to the murders.
My rating: 3/5 stars, there's reread value in this one.
Not sure who the target audience is for this book but it wasn't me. I really had to push myself to finish it. Whilst an easy read, Killing Richard DawNot sure who the target audience is for this book but it wasn't me. I really had to push myself to finish it. Whilst an easy read, Killing Richard Dawson gets boring fast; the crux of the story is about love, life, and loss, all played out across nightclubs and drab inner conflict. There's murder thrown in to keep things interesting but the level of interest is minor at best. There's a twist too but that is easily picked to those with a keen eye for detail (or without, it's easy enough to work out how it's going to end). I won this book via an online competition so at least it didn't cost me anything aside from a couple of reading sessions. Sometimes books just don't work out and unfortunately, Killing Richard Dawson didn't connect with me. ...more
DNF at 213. To this point the story is still waiting to enter into the time travel aspect which is what got me interested in the first place. More of DNF at 213. To this point the story is still waiting to enter into the time travel aspect which is what got me interested in the first place. More of a literary style than sci-fi, it had momentary passages of eloquent writing which kept me ever so slowly turning the page (small print) in hopes of some plot progression but alas the story just meanders on at a snails pace. I think the book, had I persevered would've eventually been worth the time investment but I'm just not invested enough to keep going.
This was an interesting read which gave off some nice horror-western vibes early and more sci-fi and fantasy vibes as the story progressed. What kept This was an interesting read which gave off some nice horror-western vibes early and more sci-fi and fantasy vibes as the story progressed. What kept this back from being a 4 or 5 star read was the fact I kept thinking there was something missing - I never felt like I was viewing the full picture and had to look deeper into the series to make sure this was the first one (it is), and whilst elements of the backstory are spattered throughout, I don't feel like it was enough to truly say I felt satisfied. On a positive note, I really enjoyed the characters and the world building, which for me, felt like a near perfect blend of Stephen King's Darktower series and Brian Keene's Lost Level series. ...more
A serial killer who targets black women in their 40's is leaving a trail of blood and fear in his wake as he terrorizes the female populace in BeantowA serial killer who targets black women in their 40's is leaving a trail of blood and fear in his wake as he terrorizes the female populace in Beantown. Private Eye, Spencer is brought in unofficially to help catch the serial killer when the cops fail to cuff the perp shortly after murder turns multiple.
Susan, a psychotherapist and Spencer's love interest is also part of the unofficially investigation. Once the killer announces himself as being in law enforcement, Spencer and co turn to her for answers of the perps psyche in hopes of stopping him before he strikes again.
Unfortunately for Susan, her input into the investigation becomes a little too 'hands on' with her's and Spencer's worlds colliding when it's learnt that the killer may be one of her clients.
I've not read all of the Spencer novels but still found Crimson Joy (book #15) to be accessible and easy enough to read as a standalone on its own merits. The characters are well written and there is little backstory of relevance given the book focuses heavily on the serial killer with typical and predictable tendencies.
As far the plot is concerned it's a pretty straight forward serial killer cat and mouse chase with little else coming into play. Susan and Spencer's personal relationship adds some depth but really, Crimson Joy doesn't make the grade with the modern day crime fiction.
My rating: 2.5 stars. An easy, 1 or 2 sitting read which provides some nice, but short lived entertainment. ...more
This book is a meaty read comprising political intrigue and corruption, world domination by a powerful and influential 1% faction, globe spanning terrThis book is a meaty read comprising political intrigue and corruption, world domination by a powerful and influential 1% faction, globe spanning terror plots, archaeological elements critical to character motives, and a special ops thriller all entwined into a single cohesive narrative that reads 'real'. Thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.
Side note: despite been book 4 in the Curtis O'Connor series, The Alexandria Connection reads perfectly well as a standalone. I've not read the previous three books and it did nothing to curb my enthusiasm or enjoyment of The Alexandria Connection....more
In BURN PATTERNS, author Ron Elliott has Australia's answer to popular international female crime fiction protagonists such as Kay Scarpetta, Tempe BrIn BURN PATTERNS, author Ron Elliott has Australia's answer to popular international female crime fiction protagonists such as Kay Scarpetta, Tempe Brennan, and Sara Linton to name a few in Iris Foster aka The Fire Lady - a therapist in a city psychology practice who aides the police and fire service profiling arsonists.
BURN PATTERNS pits Iris against a serial arsonist determined to ruin lives of the vulnerable by targeting schools, zoos and churches all filled to capacity. It's a classic race against time crime thriller that blinds the reader in a smokey haze of misdirection as things aren't what they seem. I found myself questioning Iris' mental health and motives on a couple of occasions based on her risky take charge manner and equally haphazard judgement calls - all for the betterment of the story.
"There were always people who visited their damage on others. If the damage involved fire, Iris would keep trying to put them out."
Iris is the kind of flawed character I like to read about and is perfect for this kind of semi procedural crime. I hope to see her in many installments to come.
DNF at 200 pages (just after the first day of battle).
Despite being very well written and quite humorous at times (to balance out the high octane vioDNF at 200 pages (just after the first day of battle).
Despite being very well written and quite humorous at times (to balance out the high octane violence), the story didn't connect with me. Perhaps this is more a case of me having not read the previous books, hence the characters (and their actions / deaths) didn't mean all that much.
For The Heroes its a case of 'it's not you, it's me'. ...more
Tram 83 is a proverbial delicatessen of debauchery where mankind is mere meat readily and willingly consumable.
James Ellroy would appreciate this wriTram 83 is a proverbial delicatessen of debauchery where mankind is mere meat readily and willingly consumable.
James Ellroy would appreciate this writing style. The complex prose presents the reader with a puzzle pieced plot that gradually comes together, weaving its tale of self destruction through a foggy drug induced haze highlighting all the particulars necessary to depict poverty, sexuality, criminality, and the tedious boredom that comes with a fallen high. Tram 83, the destination of the destitute is the biggest character in this unique novel and acts as the glue that binds its noxious narrative with author Fiston Mwanza Mujila not holding back on the evocative nature of the place-setting, its happenings, and its regular customers.
Lucien, Requiem and an accompaniment of characters provide for a broader story that's difficult to fully realize due to the same-same nature of their dialogue yet, as Tram 83 (the place), is at it's core, a story in and above itself, I get the interchangeable nature of characters. That said, I would've liked more independence and distinguishable dialogue from one to another.
TRAM 83 is a book to be savored, read slowly, and with an appreciation for the language.
DNF at page 36. Am putting this down for a while. Whilst the pacing is good and the subject matter interesting, I struggled with the writing style andDNF at page 36. Am putting this down for a while. Whilst the pacing is good and the subject matter interesting, I struggled with the writing style and transitional nature of jumping from place to place without any definable switch in locale.
The historical references, while good footnotes, had a tendency to overshadow the 'information gathering traveler' theme of the book.
I also found the views expressed by the few locals consulted to this point, heavily subjective and were too few to advertise a social mindset to events - perhaps this changes as the book progresses...
I may revisit BETWEEN THE RIVER AND SEA at another time. Shelved as a DNF for now. ...more
With passages reminiscent of the poetic styling of Megan Abbott combined with characterisation akin to Douglas Lindsay’s trademark dark humour, SEE YOWith passages reminiscent of the poetic styling of Megan Abbott combined with characterisation akin to Douglas Lindsay’s trademark dark humour, SEE YOU TOMORROW is a delightful novel of introspection, loss, love, hate, and misguided redemption. Author Tore Renberg takes his characters to a place so dark they can’t see the light for the poisoned haze of addiction. Wallowing in the depths of despair, suffocated by poor choices and semi hidden flaws, each uniquely tainted character battles an all-consuming affliction.
Despite the enveloping sense of hopelessness following the characters like the proverbial raincloud there is an underlying theme of love and the desire to see the better of people despite the cracked façade.
SEE YOU TOMORROW is crime fiction yet it’s not the criminal components that drive the story, rather the characters individual voice and perspective of how they arrived to their present day predicament.
Each character, be it the single parent Pal, the overweight and abandoned criminal Jan, or the teenager with a dark past that threatens to surface in Daniel, was well articulated and three dimensional with enough backstory to add context without detracting from the story.
I found SEE YOU TOMORROW hard to put down and will be on the lookout for more books by Tore Renberg.
THE ROSARY GIRLS is a solid conventional police procedural that pits its protagonists against a heinous spate of crimes that surprisingly spans a shorTHE ROSARY GIRLS is a solid conventional police procedural that pits its protagonists against a heinous spate of crimes that surprisingly spans a short period of time. Throughout the course of a week, new homicide detective Jessica Balzano and her seasoned partner Kevin Byrne are haunted by the ghosts of the Rosary Killers victims; searching for answers in holy places to solve unholy acts of horror.
As the first book in the Balzano and Byrne series, THE ROSARY GIRLS reads rather deep. Byrne is a vet with baggage; murder on his conscious and a personal life devoid of human contact outside of the job. While Balzano isn't your typical rookie cop on the beat. She's a boxer with who packs a punch in the ring just as well as she handles the murder book.
Despite the page count clocking in at 500 (for the mass market paperback) THE ROSARY GIRLS is actually a quick read. I managed to knock it off in three sittings. This is both a sign of a good writer and an engaging plot.
Murder and mayhem during the Australian electoral campaign see Detective Glass face adversity in ways he could only imagine. This blend of satire and Murder and mayhem during the Australian electoral campaign see Detective Glass face adversity in ways he could only imagine. This blend of satire and murder mystery works well as Cotton thrusts the reader into the world of politics and crime. The balance of a light hearted, semi serious look at detective work and the media ensures DEAD CAT BOUNCE doesn’t take itself too seriously, rather focusing on a means to provide an entertaining form of escapism deep in the Australian capital.
Full review can be found on Fair Dinkum Crime, a site dedicated to Australian crime fiction.
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