Wednesday Spotlight | The Angel at the Devil’s Gate by Mocha Pennington

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About the book:

Troubled teen Eli Nunn is moved back to Kansas City following the aftermath of a violent drug deal. Returning to a school where his ruthless reputation still thrives, Eli encounters and instantly connects with Angel, a beautiful and mysterious black-clad orphan. Their flourishing romance begins to grow darker when Eli learns details of Angel’s chilling past. Conflicted with alarm and intrigue, Eli accepts a proposal from Angel that puts both their relationship and lives in danger.

The Angel at the Devil’s Gate is a psychological suspense about two teenage outcasts whose growing bond takes a twisted turn down a murderous path.

About the Author:

Mocha Pennington was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and has a passion to write since childhood.  She attended the University of Central Missouri for journalism with a minor in creative writing.

*Content sent by the author for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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MAY is Short Story Month (Part I)

LIST

On the other side of the planet, May is Short Story Month. I don't think Philippines shares in the celebration, but no one is trying to stop anyone who wants to celebrate either. As far as The Page Walker is concerned, it's an opportunity to take.  It seems such a waste not to take advantage of the few days before May gives way to June.

For this purpose, I've sought out this collection from the church library. I've chosen and marked seven (7) stories that I will read from May 24 (Sunday) to 30 (Saturday).

• Six Feet of the Country by Nadine Gordimer
• The End of the Party by Graham Greene 
• The Burning City by Hjalmar Söderberg
• The Guest by Albert Camus
• Among the Paths to Eden by Truman Capote
• The Man Who Could Work Miracles by H.G. Wells
• Marriage À La Mode by Katherine Mansfield

It's not too late to make your list too. Post links here.

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THE INTUITIONIST by Colson Whitehead

  

The story began in an unnamed noir metropolis; it was simply referred to as the most famous city in the world, but the reader will notice that Whitehead used an allegorical New York. The time setting was never identified too, although we can infer through the mention of black people as colored and that certain car models populate the metro.

THE INTUITIONIST, in general, is about the achievement of vertical expansion through elevators. Passenger elevator was invented by Elisha Graves Otis in the 1850s, who was one of the primary people (then) that helped civilization advance to the modern age. Elevators, after all, made it possible for the erection of high rise buildings and undeniably the dominant symbol of victory in these present times.

At the center of the story is Lila Mae Watson, the first black female Elevator Inspector. She is something of an outsider among her co-workers in the department –she is female, black and an Intuitionist. The Intuitionists practice an intuiting method of inspection, by merely feeling the elevator ride and listening to its movements.  Meanwhile, the opposing Empiricist school graduates use the traditional technical verification of the elevators with instruments and such. In spite of the prejudices, Lila was able to perform professionally and managed to maintain a spotless record.

However, a day after Lila’s inspection of the Fanny Briggs Memorial Building, elevator no.11 went into a complete free fall. Politicians and people from the Elevator Guild were quick enough to jump in and blame Intuitionism. Lila sensed that this incident is more than a mere accident, and it may very well end her career as an inspector. So, she began her own investigation. It didn't take long ‘til Lila was sucked into complicated political squabbles.

In the last few days she has learned how to read, like a slave does, one forbidden word at a time.

As much as the book is about elevators and the discovery of the black box, the perfect elevator, it is Lila Mae Watson that captured my attention. Her willpower and resilience are her best traits, and it was fascinating to follow her investigation. She was a small fry from the beginning of the story with little friends to aide her, but her stubborn resolve to fight both racism and sexism will not budge.

We do not need cities and buildings; it is the fear of the dark that compels us to erect them instinctively, like insects. Perspective is the foot-soldier of relativity. –James Fulton

With its nostalgic sense of the past, Whitehead submerged the readers into a fictional history blended seamlessly that it was easy to suspend which is fact and what is created. It was easy to visualize a civilization that could have been our own. Change and modernization are visible in every direction nowadays, it is not so difficult to be intrigued by Whitehead’s what-if scenarios and thematic elements. This is an enjoyable read; detailed, yet easy on the palate. 

Book details:

Title:  The Intuitionist

Author:  Colson Whitehead

Publication:  Doubleday; 1st edition (December 29, 1998)

Genre:  Speculative Fiction

Rating:   ★★★★

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SOUP REVIEWS | 5

Crime Series.

Who Buries the Dead (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, #10) by CS Harris

This latest installment in the series is set in London, 1813. A plantation owner in Jamaica and eclectic collector, Stanley Preston, was found decapitated at the Bloody Bridge. The crime itself was gruesome enough, but when a coffin strap was found with the inscription “King Charles, 1648” Devlin was doubly intrigued.

Men after another are dropping as Devlin digs into the root of the crime. He and his wife, Hero, soon found out firsthand the dangers these investigations are rousing. Devlin’s suspects run from the Home Secretary to Devlin’s previous senior officer during the war, and to Jane Austen’s brother (yes, that Jane).

I enjoy reading this series not just because Sebastian St. Cyr is a great protagonist, but because Ms. Harris is a great historian. Her writing always grabs me from the first page. Her detailed description of London comes alive, from the high streets to the down-trodden Fish Street. This is a very enjoyable read despite the macabre subject.

Book details:

Title:  Who Buries the Dead

Author:  CS Harris

Publication:  NAL, March 3, 2015

Rating: «««««

The Geneva Strategy (Covert-One, #11) by Jamie Freveletti

High government officials are being kidnapped around the US capital. All of them are involved in the drone military program. The Covert-One team is mobilized to recover these missing people. Along the way, Jon Smith has to figure out the connection between his recent run with some furtive men trying to abduct him with a drone in tow, and Fort Detrick’s institutionalized researcher Dr. Laura Taylor and her research on a memory drug.  

This is Ms. Freveletti’s 2nd contribution to the series. Her story outline and foundation are very interesting. The momentum flows very well, never hard to follow. I admire Ms. Freveletti’s effort in handling this series, seriously I do. But I didn't enjoy this the way I used to. It feels like she’s stirring the characters in a different direction. This series started with great and rounded characters, built slowly over time. And readers have invested in them for a long time. To give them a sudden shift is like reading a diluted version of them.

I do, of course, realize that Robert Ludlum is one hard act to follow. It’s just that I always look forward to this series and expected a lot.

Book details:

Title:  The Geneva Strategy

Author:  Jaime Freveletti

Creator:  Robert Ludlum

Publication:  Grand Central Publishing, February 3, 2015

Rating:  «««½

Lemon Meringue Murder (Hannah Swensen, #4) by Joanne Fluke

Summer in Lake Eden is always something to look forward to, especially the July 4th parade and fireworks. The Cookie Jar is thriving and they are now selling pies every Friday. People swarm the place with pre-orders every time. Norman Rhodes bought the house near the lake from Rhoda Scharf. He plans to demolish everything down and built their “dream house” on top of it. With Norman’s permission and assistance, Hannah and her mother, Delores, agreed to scout the place for some antiques worthy of resale.

When they arrived, they are welcomed with a box of Hannah’s very own Lemon Meringue pie laid on the kitchen counter with only a slice eaten off. But the real surprise is Delores’ discovery of Rhoda’s dead body down in the basement.

This is one cozy series. I like how this is growing on me and the characters, too. A good, easy read. And the recipes are plus factors, no doubt.

Book details:

Title:  Lemon MeringueMurder

Author:  Joanne Fluke

Publication:  Kensington; First Edition edition, March 1, 2003

Rating:  «««

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Book Review | The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto

   

February 27, 2014
Penguin

Fatima Bhutto’s stunning debut novel chronicles the lives of five young people trying to live and love in a world on fire. Set during the American invasion of Afghanistan, The Shadow of the Crescent Moon begins and ends one rain-swept Friday morning in Mir Ali, a small town in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas close to the Afghan border.
In this beautifully observed novel, individuals are pushed to make terrible choices. And as the events of this single morning unfold, one woman is at the center of it all. ~ Goodreads

It is no surprise that Fatima Bhutto found her voice in the literary world. Coming from one of Pakistan’s political family, she had firsthand knowledge and experience of a turmoil-ridden country. Hence, the conviction and yearning to put words into paper.

THE SHADOW OF THE CRESCENT MOON will unfold in three (3) hours in the morning of the Eid holiday. Through Bhutto’s writing, Mir Ali, a town in the tribal region of Waziristan bordering Afghanistan, will come alive –tangible and fully-experienced. A place where it is “hard not to die” and “Everything – success, comfort, respect – felt out of reach [in Mir Ali].”  

Bhutto described the generations of injustice and aggression suffered by the town’s people. From every angle and scene described, poverty is the least of the people’s problem, and only independence from the ruling military government will end all their sufferings.

You will have to pay for your choices…

Three brothers are used to represent the people of Mir Ali, and, maybe, the whole of Pakistan itself. The eldest wished to leave everything behind and start afresh someplace else; the next one prefers to stay and live with the sufferings to care for the people; while the youngest stays and fights as brutally as he sees fit.

Obviously, the novel is not an easy read. Dread and sadness envelopes each scenario. It is narrated in a haltingly detached manner and cryptic language, withholding enough information to build the tension. Somehow, despite the sudden shifts in the timeline, the anxious thoughts and feelings never left. It highlighted the heaviness of the subject matter. Part of me wished that this novel tied up neatly in the end, but I also know it’s too much to ask, because of the current difficulties and devastation brought by the war in Pakistan today.

But the shadow of that moon never faded over Mir Ali. It hung over its sky night after night, condemning the town to life under its shadow.

The novel has the political air to it, but it is undeniably more about human lives. This is an affecting read; the torrent of pain, anguish, and wrath are both inescapable and moving.

Book details:

Title: The Shadow of the Crescent Moon

Author:  Fatima Bhutto

Publication:  Penguin, 2013

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Rating:  3 1/2 stars

*Thanks to Penguin Press for the opportunity to read this.

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READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline

  

      The book took me two days to finish. I hardly had time to post that I started reading this on Goodreads. It's not because the book was hard to get through, but because there’s plenty to soak in. I mean, there are literally worlds of information to soak in. I cannot simply zip through it without enjoying it, right? There are worlds within worlds, as much as there are games within games. Arcade games are played in 3D; there are virtual schools and libraries; players get to have armors, swords, and magical powers; spaceships too; and 80’s music and movies. And that Og guy is ridiculously a-ma-zing. His estate was modeled after Rivendell. He is one of my favorite guys right now because he plays Duran Duran and Billy Idol…  
...Am I making any sense here?

Okay, let me back up a little…

The setting is 2044, the Earth is a mess. There’s an energy crisis, food crisis, and the rest of the crisis we can think of to add on the list. Possibly, the only good thing about that age ahead is the existence of OASIS, a free online simulation of a virtual utopia, wherein anyone can log in and escape their ugly reality.

OASIS was created by James Halliday, who died without an heir to his vast empire and fortunes. After his death, his last will was released to the world. Within the OASIS, Halliday hid an Easter Egg, whoever finds it will inherit everything that he owned, including OASIS itself. Naturally, people want to get their hands on the egg. These egg hunters are called gunters, and among them are Parzival, Art3mis, Aech, Shoto, and Daito. The book is narrated from Parzival’s POV, so it mostly chronicles his adventures. His adventures can be rated from amusing, to excitingly dangerous.

For a bunch of hairless apes, we've actually managed to invent some pretty incredible things.

This book also has everything from 80s pop culture references, to a futuristic dystopian world with virtual and real-life danger, plus plenty of mysteries and quests. The main characters are likable with distinct personalities and typical young-adult angst. This is simply one of those fun books -it’s not particularly deep or thought-provoking. It’s just a plain enjoyable ride.

READY PLAYER ONE is one incredibly detailed and well-thought-out virtual world, constructed with astounding creativity and imagination. For an 80’s kid like me, it feels like coming home. 

Book details: 

Title:  Ready Player One

Author:  Ernest Cline

Publication:  August 16th, 2011, Random House NY 

Genre:  Science Fiction, YA

Rating:  ★★★★

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2015 Reading Challenge: May

Back in my Intermediate years in grade school, the English department would post six (6) books for the Summer Reading Challenge. There'd be extra points for the finishers on the next term. If Ms. Andres and Ms. Mercader were still alive today, they'd probably be pretty happy to know that I've read more than six (6) books last month alone,  just probably. 

• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby - 4/5 stars - TFG book for April.
• Breath by Jackie Morse Kessler - 5/5 stars - It was interesting to know what might happen if Death had a breakdown. Last book from the Riders of the Apocalypse.
• When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro - 4/5 stars - Buddy read this with some TFG mommies.
• Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke -3/5 stars - 4th book from the Hannah Swensen Mystery.
• Twerp by Mark Goldblatt - 4/5 stars - A story about a boy who stood up against bullying.
• In the Woods by Tana French - 3.5/5 stars - 1st book from the Dublin Murder Squad.
• The Likeness by Tana French - 4/5 stars - 2nd book from the Dublin Murder Squad.

Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up with my book reviews as well.

...

Regardless of the current weather today, in which the city is suffering from 36°C, I am still confident in lining up the following books for May:

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - This is TFG's book for May. Although, technically, I already finished reading this late last week.
• The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto – A debut novel set in Mir Ali, Pakistan. As it happens, I’m halfway through this already.
• 12^th of Never, Unlucky 13, and 14^th Deadly Sin by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro – I missed so much from this series, I have to catch up. 

 Hey, stay cool and read!

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