Woof-hoo! It’s summer time, summer time, sum-sum, summer time! Doo-whop, doo-whop.

Kimber here. Mom and I are celebrating August with something a little special. I was lobbying for filet mignon. But nooooo! Mom decided on a quick run-down on recently read titles. To save you some time. So you can avoid the clunkers. And enjoy the goodies.

And hey. What’s summer without baseball, right? So I suggested we categorize titles as either Hits and Misses or as Strike Outs and Home Runs. Brilliant huh? (Mom helped a little. But it was mostly me.)

So here are five kinds of each book. Five duds. As in, swing-from-the-heels strike-outs and don’t waste your time. And five awesome-dawsome, tail-wagging, bonafide home runs. (One is somewhere in the middle, depending on which bat you choose.)

So… batter up!

Strike Outs

 

1.Olive , Again

By Elizabeth Strout

Adult Fiction

This ain’t gonna be a popular opinion. But Mom and I don’t care. Our blog. Our rules. Our opinions.

So. If you like soap operas and random, haphazard characters tossed into a random, haphazard plot like paint thrown on an easel – if you can call it that – you’ll love Olive, Again.

Yes, this book has moments of lucidity and levity as it chronicles Olive’s journey into old age through two husbands, a son in New York, grandkids and… a bunch of other marginally relevant bunny trails. But it’s mostly just tiresome and nuttering.

The final page of this clunker couldn’t come too soon.

2.Like Lions 

By Brian Panowich

Adult Fiction

Small town sheriff Clayton Burroughs has a new baby, an unhappy wife, and an unsavory past. His father headed a notorious crime family. But a rival group of thugs and dead beats is trying to take over, with the sheriff’s wife and child in the crosshairs.

This book should’ve come with a warning label. Brutal and violent, with few redeeming characters. Not exactly a poster child for the Peach State.

Two Strikes

3. Espionage in the Divided Stuart Dynasty

By Julian Whitehead

Non-Fiction

Throwin’ this extra in for free.

This prodigious historical tome spans thirty years and chronicles the epic struggle between two religious factions – Catholics and Anglicans – and its consequences for England and the throne.

The text includes a head-spinning chronology of names, dates, places and the crucial role that accurate, timely intelligence played in all of the above. Readers are also introduced to a vast and complex array of characters.

Thoroughly documented and meticulously researched, Espionage isn’t for the faint-hearted. Casual readers unfamiliar with English history, the monarchy, or government may get lost in the dense forest of 17th century England. Some will find it as dry as the Atacama Desert. Serious history lovers will enjoy the journey. If that’s not you, you’ll probably want to grab another bat.

4. Wednesday, After*

By Richard Sherry

A brittle, predictable plot with cartoonishly caricatured characters.

Kimber: Gag me with arugula!

We’ve been around long enough to recognize a political rant thinly disguised as a “political thriller.” We’ve also been around long enough to recognize propaganda when we see it. Ugh.

So. Got this book as part of a blog tour. We couldn’t stomach more than about 90 pages. Which was probably 70 pages too many. Bowed out of the tour. Cuz, really. Reading is supposed to be fun. Not painful. Or dripping with Pecksniffian sermonizing disguised as “dialogue.” If we want that kind of super-heated political scree stuff, we’ll tune into the News. (Kimber: Gag me again).

5. An Innocent World*

By Douglas A. King

Where’s the Tylennol?

This is a flimsy and fragmented frappe of convoluted assumptions, presumptions and prognostications that make Geraldo Rivera’s Al Capone’s vaults look smart. So between mondo bizzarro flights of fancy and natterings in Neverland, the text packs the punch of stale kale. With a side of green cheese. (We could go on. But you get the idea.)

There. Just saved you about 160 pages of the most convoluted and contorted pages we’ve ever read. You’re welcome. Check out our full review.

Home Runs!

1.The Enemy Between Us

By Melinda Sue Sanchez

Historical Romance

Set in Sicily during WWII, this historical romance is a powerful story of forbidden love, betrayal, loss, courage, and hope. It also opens a unique window into an oft-overlooked slice of the war and the Italian resistance.

The writing is top-notch, with memorable characters. The tightly knit plot keeps readers on the edge of their seat. With superb descriptions and expert pacing, An Enemy Between Us also shows that when heaven and hell are “scrambled together,” sometimes keeping your humanity is the only way to defeat evil, especially when it’s staring you in the face.

2. Battle Mountain

By C.J. Box

When master falconer Nate Romanowski teams up with Geronimo Jones you know something’s about to go down in this high-octane thriller set amid the feral beauty of Wyoming. Something Big.

Intent on revenge after family members have been murdered or come close to losing their lives, the ex-military duo are as dangerous and determined as they come. With the possible exception of their mutual friend Joe Pickett. A “Dudley Do Right,” straight-arrow and by-the-book kind of guy, Pickett is a Wyoming game warden. And a huge dog lover. (Kimber: Bonus points! Big time!)

As with most Box books, Battle Mountain lassos you around the collar right out the gate. Ropes you in. Doesn’t let go until the very end. Expert writing propels a riveting plot like jet fuel, rocketing you from one page to the next in record time. Yes, Battle Mountain is a little rough around the edges. But it’s also a skillful blend of mystery, suspense, intrigue, falconry, the Great Outdoors, and Wyoming beauty. Yarak!

Here’s our full review.

3. The Story She Left Behind

By Patti Callahan Henry

In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s magical childhood shatters when her mother, renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, vanishes off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn stunned the world with a book written in an invented language that became a national sensation when she was just twelve years old. Her disappearance leaves behind not only a devoted husband and heartbroken daughter, but also the hope of ever translating the sequel to her landmark work. As the headlines focus on the missing author, Clara yearns for something far deeper and more insatiable: her beloved mother.

This story has a luminous, lyrical quality that’s almost incandescent. Magical and mystical, the story feels like you just landed in Camelot. Or may Oz. Or Pemberley. The POV shifts between Clara (first person) and Charlie (third person). You’re soon immersed in the bucolic quietude and gentle beauty of England’s Lake District with its vibrant gardens, emerald forests and shimmering lakes. This evocative and uber engaging story unfolds here. It’s the perfect setting for a story about being lost. And being found.

Here’s our full review.

 

4. Unveiling the Past

By Kim Vogel Sawyer

Romance/Women’s Fiction

A skillful blend of an edge-of-the-seat whodunit, a clean romance, and a family in search of ties, Unveiling grabs the reader by the throat in chapter 1 and doesn’t let go until the final page.

Besides developing a strong, engaging plot and solid, well-rounded characters, the author has a keen eye for family tensions and dynamics that are chronicled realistically. The story spans three decades but the timeline is clearly labeled so readers don’t get lost. And yes, stubbornness can indeed be “determination on steroids.” Additionally, the author’s descriptions are so rich and vibrant, you can almost feel the prickly summer heat and dank humidity of summer in Arkansas.

Clever and inspiring, this story of loss, betrayal, forgiveness and reconciliation is built on a firm faith foundation without being preachy. It’s a delicious read.

5. Outside the Law*

By Paul Ogden

He was a decorated Marine. A principled cop. An attorney. A dedicated son and father who respected authority and always followed the law. So, what caused Clifton Bruce Davidson to embark upon a dangerous criminal enterprise, eventually becoming America’s most prolific bank robber since John Dillinger? Ditto one of the FBI’s Most Wanted, robbing 38 banks in 26 months?

This eminently engaging non-fiction book reveals the how and why to that question. Kind of. Nutshell version: “Bruce was a man of character, loyal and generous, who had chosen a life of crime because it was his only option left.”

Crisp writing. Pitch-perfect pacing. A true story. Here’s our full review.

***

What are some of your summer hits and misses? Oh yeah. You gonna eat that? Askin’ for a friend.

XXOO,

Kimber

*We received complimentary copies of these books in exchange for an honest review.