Deaths of Jocasta by J.M. Redmann

Deaths of Jocasta by J.M. Redmann

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Note: those with issues/problems with reading depictions of rape/rape-like/torture/abuse/etc. should not read this book.

Sex. Something of the main theme of my review for the first book in this series. I think I must have forgotten that this book here was a lot more 'drenched in' sex than the first. Plus - cheating. This is a messed up group of friends in a lot of ways. I think that two of the, I believe, six friends are borderline 99.9% sane, while the other four border on being . . . oh, kind of messed up - (I might be under or over counting -> in the 'messed up column': Danny, Micky, Joanne, Cordelia (least 'messed up'); 'sane-ish' - Elly (I think that's her name), Alex (again, think that's her name).

Danny spent a good deal of time in the first book, and a lot of time in this book taking every opportunity to make snide, smearing, awful comments about and to Micky (who, unless she's drunk, takes it as her due, because she knows she's garbage (which doesn't mean she won't lash back) (view spoiler)[Not exactly sure how 'I occasionally 'faked it' with you' is loads worse than 'you are a slutty slutty worthless whore' but, whatever (hide spoiler)]). Due entirely to the fact that the two women were lovers 8 years ago, and Micky freaked out when the relationship went super serious (what with Danny using the L word), and did everything she could to kill the relationship that would make herself look bad (i.e., fucking everything around her that was female, while drinking enough to selflessly keep several alcohol business in operation).

Micky – well, she’s the main character. Messed up childhood (I’d be more explicit, but spoilers), messed up relationships with her family (including abuse – both physical and mental), messed up adulthood – what with thinking of herself as garbage (bayou trash), drinking away her pain, and fucking everyone around her (I think there’s only one female friend Micky hasn’t slept with – of the six already listed, which I note since I’m leaving people like Emma off this specific list, for reasons). Well, of course the book starts with Micky attempting to better herself (two months sober and celibate), which isn’t helped by Danny still beating her up, and the others expecting Micky to be Micky – a drunken player.

Joanne has her own messed up childhood, has very . . . odd ideas about the word ‘love’ and the word ‘relationships’, as can be seen by her moving from being among the few women Micky hadn’t slept with to the thousands who have ((view spoiler)[then tries to rape her while drunk; one of those ‘I’m fucking you, you said yes at some point, so that means you gave consent even if you don’t now’ type of actions; but that’s a different story (hide spoiler)]).

I do not really want to say why Cordelia is messed up for . . . reasons but . . .. She fools around with Micky (this occurring in the prior book), but then says she isn’t sure she can be with Micky, but give her time and she’ll be more definite yes or no . . . later. She’ll call. That was two months before the start of this story, and the first time Micky and Cordelia actually see each other again is at a party and Cordelia appears to arrive with a date (still without, you know, having ever let Micky know where she stands relationship wise with Cordelia). Cordelia plays a lot of games, creates a lot of drama, even though she gives off the vibe of being super serious and not being a drama-queen while at the same time leaping to conclusions – always going for the negative interpretation when Micky is involved.

Ah well. Weird mix of messed up adults.

The mystery? Quite an interesting mystery. Two part – someone is killing women through botched abortions – is it a sloppy doctor? Serial killer? Something else? The police, because of evidence so far gathered, strongly suspect Cordelia; second part – everyone at the shared clinic/community building Cordelia works at are being harassed by letter and/or phone (this is where Micky comes in – she’s hired to investigate part two; she looks into part one of the mystery because of the chief suspect and her lack of belief that Cordelia could be a murderer).

The romance? The Joanne-Micky-Alex triangle reads like it could fit in perfectly in a lesbian pulp book of the 1950s/60s. Heck, I think I even read this specific story-line in a book from then. First book didn’t really have a romance, and wasn’t a ‘romance’ but a mystery (other than the pursuit of Cordelia by Micky); second book, this one, is also a mystery not a romance. Though there was that love triangle mentioned, plus further pursuit of Cordelia by Micky. On a side note, I never really liked the Micky/Cordelia thingie, but whatever.

Mystery, romance, hmms . . . what else . . .. Family – you can’t choose your blood relatives, but you can chose your ‘family’ or something like that. That little saying doesn’t work here – her horrible family, i.e. Aunt Greta and Baynard aren’t actually blood relatives; and the chosen family, i.e., the Danny/Elly/Joanne/Cordelia/Alex/Micky friendship, is bloody messed up. Hell, even Torbin got on my last nerve in this book, and he was barely in it (the one ‘good’ ‘not-really-a-relative’ of Micky’s, a cousin).

As a mystery, I really enjoyed this book. As a ‘slice of life’, ‘people have fucked up lives’ . . . I also enjoyed this book. So, 4 instead of 5? Well, enjoyed, not loved. It’s hard to push this into a ‘love’ column when so many people are fucked up in this book.

Last point, tied into review for first book –once again I started a book roughly corresponding to previous read, as in Feb 18 2014 vs. Feb 19 2017. Again unplanned, that. Heh, just noticed it took me longer to read this book this time – just one day in 2014, 4 days this time. Though there was a three-day weekend that occurred – I read less on weekends. Let me see, using this as a theme, book three reread will occur . . . oh – I should have already read book three, what with how I appear to have read the book February 19 2014. Hmm. Oops.

February 22 2017



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Fury's Bridge by Brey Willows

Fury's Bridge by Brey Willows

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*I received this book from NetGalley, and Bold Strokes Books in return for a fair review.*

Genre/tags: Fantasy
Location: Earth; USA; California; Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Cal State
Characters: Main - Selene Perkton (philosophy professor at Cal State, specifically a trans-human philosophy person), Alectho 'Alec' Graves (Avenging fury)

Side characters
: Zed (Alec's boss); Tis & Meg (sisters of Alec); Frey Falconi (famous philosopher dude who a) 'makes philosophy accessible to the masses' and b) wants to start a movement with Selene); Mika (Selene's long term (multiple year) girlfriend who is very logical, coldish, and 'exact' (7 means 7, if Mika arrives somewhere she is expected at 7 and she arrives at 6:42, she'll stand outside starring at her watch until 7).
Storyline: The furies wander around 'punishing' the bad, one of Alec's jobs. Selene is teaching while struggling with her cold logical robot, I mean girlfriend; and with a man who wants her to join him in a 'movement' (Frey). Unbeknownst to Selene, she is also 'needed' by the furies, and that's one of Alec's main jobs - to 'get her'.

This is not your normal kind of urban/paranormal fantasy. At least not mine. Most of the urban/paranormal fantasies I’ve read include such things as vampires, shifters (mostly werewolves, but occasionally others) and the occasional other ‘odd-ball’. Most of those, even the few that include demons and angels (oddly enough) do not actually delve that deeply into religious matters. Oh, there might be the occasional comment by a vampire about churches, or crosses or the like, but mostly in a ‘that’s fiction, this is real life’ kind of way. This book here is different – religion plays a massive role in this book.

Selene Perkton is a philosophy professor and is involved in attempting to ‘raise up’ humans, to get them to evolve to the next level. Something that doesn’t have to ‘rely’ on the ‘superstitious crutches of the past.’ This is why she was contacted by a fast rising pop-philosophy star, Frey Falconi. Falconi also wants to help break humans free from the taint of religion, in his words (Selene is less ‘breaking free from taint’ and more ‘letting people live their lives, those that believe believe, but making sure everyone has the full information’), and he wants Selene to join him in his mission. Frey, and to a certain lesser extent Selene, see humans as basically good – and freed from religion, can reach great heights (which, in its way, seems odd – since one of the major reasons they wish to break people away from religion is because so much ‘bad stuff’ has been done by ‘bad people’ pretending to be acting in ‘insert deity’s name here’ name; remove deities, they’d use some other cloak/cover for their bad actions).

And there has been a relatively steady decrease in believers. Which is somewhat unfortunate, at least it is for a certain group of people who happen to work out of an office building just off the beach in Santa Monica California. They work for Afterlife Inc. And they are gods, goddess, and various other assorted religious types. And they are starting to fade – actually many have already faded. (view spoiler)[For the power of man creates them, and the lack of belief causes them to fade away, to poof. (hide spoiler)] There is this prophesized oracle, though, indicating that a certain someone will save them. That someone being Selene – the ‘rational thinking atheist’. The other lead in this story is sent out to ‘get her’ to join their side – that being Alectho Graves, one of the three furies.

This was a very interesting story. Quite enjoyable. Not one I’ve read a million different versions of under different names, but something more unique. Though, no, it isn’t completely original. I thought as I read that I’ve read some similar things. Like Bill Willingham’s Fables series (view spoiler)[(there the power of ‘fame’ creates beings; here the power of ‘belief’ creates beings – and the lack or lessening of either takes away the power of both). Fame as in – the written word has brought to man such things as, say, the fairy tales of the Grim Brothers, which have been repetitively told by others, filmed, etc. – so such creatures as ‘Cinderella’, ‘Beauty’, ‘The Beast’, ‘the big bad wolf’ are given form and flesh; while belief, in this book here, creates literal gods. (hide spoiler)]

Another thought I had while reading the book – this work did not seem like it was the first thing the writer had written. Quite well written and stuff. And I had the impression that this was the author’s first work, though I now see that ‘she has published a large handful of short stories’ part in her biography.

Rating: 4.68

Publication Date: March 1 2017

Review: February 21 2017




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Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I’m not much of an audio book listener, but if there ever was a time to listen to one – it would be for a book written by an entertainer (especially if it’s a standup comedian). Though I mean specifically if that entertainer is also the narrator, I wasn’t trying to undercut the writing ability of entertainers, but to express the greater joy available by way of hearing them speak their own words.

I had the ebook and audio book (cheaper that way than to just get the audio book, well by about a dollar (($11.99 + $7.49) $19.48 vs. $20.95). I mention this less to note the price difference, than to note that there were a few occasions wherein I ‘had to’ actually read the ebook ‘for reasons’. Occasionally had to listen again to those same sections to get the audio book back to the correct position. And the audio book experience was much better – even in those occasions where I was relistening to things already read.

That was basically it. All I wanted to note. That the audio book version is the best way to consume this product. I mean, I could mention how I read the prior book, and seen this fella doing live stand-up, oh, and seen in television stuff; but that’s me not the book. So I won’t.

So: 1) try sample of both audio and ebook; 2) if decide to consume – go with the audio version; 3) it’s a good funny book.




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Hoosier Daddy: A Heartland Romance by Ann McMan & Salem West

Hoosier Daddy: A Heartland Romance by Ann McMan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The humor, for the most part, seemed forced; I didn't like a majority of the people in the story; with friends like these, who needs enemies (but there are 'enemies' as well); I didn't really 'believe' the chemistry between the two lesbians. And I've forgotten what else I was going to say.



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Death by the Riverside by J.M. Redmann

Death by the Riverside by J.M. Redmann

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I had not planned to start this book almost exactly 3 years after I first read it. A trick of fate, in a way, had me start the reread on February 13 2017. I had started reading the book the first time February 12 2014 – and ended it on the same day, different year (February 14 2014 vs. February 14 2017). Weird how things like that can happen.

I initially rated this book something near 3.75 out of 5.00. It’s been three years, but I’ve a vague idea why – all that sex. Coming from a history of reading Robert B. Parker, Dick Francis, Lillian Jackson Braun, Agatha Christie, Beverly Connor, Aaron Elkins, Erle Stanley Gardner, Dashiell Hammett, Peter Lovesey, Carol O'Connell, and others, I was used to a certain type of mystery – it could be cozy, it could be hard hitting/violent (and some downright abusive to their lead characters (looking at you Connor)), but it hadn’t exactly been drenched with sex (with sexual innuendo, yes, but not actual sex). It’s not that I hadn’t read that type of work, or that I didn’t have some ‘favorites’ that were ‘drenched with sex’, but not in my mysteries. So, in its way, I was confronted with a book that seemed quite well written, right along the line of some of the better written mysteries I’d read, but for two differences – the graphic sex, and the lesbian (or bisexual) nature of many of the characters. And no, I did not down-rate the book because of the lesbian nature (though I was aware that its existence among the traits of the characters would cut down on the readership), no, it was for the sex.

Imagine my surprise, in its way, when I reread the book. Yes the book has much sex in it, but it was handled a lot ‘better’ than I had recalled. I never thought it was the main theme, reason for the books existence, or other, more that I’d initially saw it as a distraction. But it isn’t really. It’s important to the story.

Ah, but I’m just babbling here. You want to know about the book? The story involves a rich family with an older dying grandfather type. And some kids running around trying to keep themselves in the will. Against the backdrop of a rather conservative grandfather. So no gay stuff. There are three main contenders for the money, one already took herself out of the running by bluntly telling her grandfather that she was a lesbian (this would be Cordelia), while the other two lied and tried to play it straight while secretly living a much . . . gayer life. So that’s how the story starts off – someone hires Micky to search for a runaway fiancé; some pictures are taken, some wills are changed; and other such stuff occurs along this plot line.

Meanwhile, somewhere along the way a detective sergeant friend adds Micky to go undercover to investigate a company that is suspected as having big ties to drug running (as in, they a drug dealers) – which leads to some connections to the earlier plotline and others.

Meanwhile – Micky drinks a lot, is a dick to her friends, has some emotional issues based on her disrupted early life, and some old history resurfaces. Oh, and she has sex. And solves mysteries. Also spends a lot of time accidentally destroying clothing.

Long and short, this was altogether a very interesting and good book. My only regret is that I initially gave this book such a low rating.

Rating: 5.0

ETA: Micky ages from 29 to 30 during the course of the book (no, the book isn't a year in Micky's life, she was just close to 30 when the book started) - I mention because the book is on both the age-20s and age-30s shelf.

February 14 2017



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