Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan

PageHabit Subscription - June - Mystery

A debut novel for Mr. Sullivan and I give kudos to him.  While this wasn't an edge of my seat suspense thriller (alright I was a little nervous during the Hammerman scenes), it was a well-written whodunit.  The messages left by Joey are ingenious!  The pages turned quickly with red herrings tossed in and a well played out message of our secrets can destroy multiple lives.

PageHabit's addition of author annotated Post-It Notes really added some flavor to the book as to the author's motivations for adding certain locations and props.

A good read for vacation, road trip, something not too heavy and just intriguing enough to keep you entertained.

Quotes:   "He was going through something, as well do sometimes, and I was his friend, so I would stay at his side because that's what you do."

"Listen.  I guess I'm telling you that your presence on this planet is requested, okay?"

Sleeping Angel by Greg Herren

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a YA or middle grade novel by and author who identifies as LGBTQ

Sadly, I didn't currently have any books on my bookshelves that fit this challenge.  Not that it was by design, frankly I don't choose books by authors, but by genre, subject, and general interest in the story being told.  An acquaintance was recently asking for suggestions of female authors because he read primarily male authors and this was so foreign to me as I just read books, I don't choose by male, female, gay or straight authors.

In trying to select a book by an LGBTQ author I really struggled.  Primarily because SO many that I came across were romance or erotica.  Which I understand, the LGBTQ hasn't been permitted this "taboo" genre in mainstream literature.  While I'm not opposed to erotica or a gay romance generally, its simply that I don't read romance - gay or straight.  Oh I had my Danielle Steele era, but after enduring enough of my own real heartbreak I don't need to read about unrealistic romances (come on, those guys written on the page will never be found in flesh and blood) nor do I need to read/relive heartbreak.

So, I stumbled upon Greg Herren.  While he started in writing adult mystery he delved into YA books in 2010.  I read a few interviews with him and was pleasantly surprised that they were focused on his works and not on his gayness!  It seems like with every gay artist the interviews will focus on "when did you come out" "how was your coming out, were you accepted", etc.  They certainly don't ask straight artists this:  "when did you know you were straight".  It was refreshing to see the focus being on Herren's works rather than his sexuality.

As to Sleeping Angel, this was a good, easy read.  A mystery being unraveled by the reader and the protagonist who suffered from amnesia following a car accident.  A little bit of supernatural elements (nothing too over the top to be deemed a fantasy novel), some life lessons about how we treat others in life, bullying and not surprisingly gay characters in the mix, but no gratuitous sex scenes.  I think there is a misconception that gay authors all write about gay sex.  But Herren said it well in an interview referencing the cancellation of a speaking event he was to attend:  "The notion that I was going to show up at a high school and talk to teenagers about erotica and sexuality, that my being gay made me somehow incapable of knowing or comprehending what was and wasn't appropriate discussion for teens, was incredibly insulting and demeaning."

I'm not a huge YA fan so I don't know if I'll pick up any of Herren's other YA books, but he has two adult mystery series about gay private eyes in New Orleans.  Similar only in that both protagonists are private eyes - one is dark and cynical while the other is happy-go-lucky, seeing humor in everything.  Both series sound equally intriguing!!!

The Epiphany Machine by David Burr Gerrard

PageHabit Subscription - July - Literary Fiction

More than 24 hours have gone by and I still don't know how I feel about this book.  It was a heavy book, with rather unlikeable characters and a strong message of how you can't always judge others at face value (or rather arm tattoo value).  Yet, what obligation do we have if we believe or more importantly know the evil about someone.

PageHabit has approximately 10 Post-It notes placed throughout the book of the author's annotations and this one felt a little autobiographical at times.  But then maybe many books are as author's will always have a piece of themselves in their works.

I found myself having to push through a bit to get to the end of this one, though I liked some of the tweaks to historical people (John Lennon), but at the end I felt almost relieved that it was over.

While the depth and obscurity of this book may lead me to want to recommend it to select readers, the over-the-top sexual scenes will prevent me from doing so.

Quotes:  "If there is something gnawing at you, that means you're delicious.  That gnawing is the universe trying to get at the tasty juice inside of you.  Your entire unsatisfying life is just the rind."

"And why do these people say that family members are suppose to reconcile before one of them dies"

"..and literature has exactly one thing to teach us:  that it is our deepest and highest moral obligation to accept punishment for things that are not exactly our fault."

"The website they visit, terms they type in to search engines, emails they send, preferences they express in various ways - it all gets fed into an algorithm, and the algorithm generates an epiphany..."

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a book that has been banned or frequently challenged in your country.

I have quite a few banned books on my bookshelves and have read many in my lifetime (ooh I'm such a rebel).  I do not believe in censorship of books.  I believe in free speech, even when I do not agree with what you say, or if I am offended by what you say.  My fear in censoring any speech, writing, art, etc. is who are the judges that are promoting/doing the censoring.  While I may not agree with what you say or write or create, it doesn't mean that it is wrong, just because it doesn't conform to what society says is "right".  What happens when someone judges my words because they go against the norm of society at that given time?  Where is our right to express our thoughts and feelings even if it rebellious, confrontational or simply honest.

So, onto the book I choose for this challenge - again, a book that languished on my shelf and I honestly don't recall exactly why I picked it up (well before the TV series came out) other than I was intrigued as to how the author would tackle the subject of teen suicide.

The book was in the Top 10 of banned books in 2012 and because of the TV series and subsequent increase in the book's popularity, many school district's are newly banning it.  It has been banned for "drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group" (American Library Association).  The TV series has been criticized for glamorizing teen suicide.

I've not seen the TV series to know how the book has been portrayed but I think it is a shame to ban the book.  The book opens the door for a conversation about teen suicide, even suicide generally, a taboo subject in schools, in families and among friends (and this was the author's hope).  It is written in a unique way so that not only do you get a hindsight perspective, but you get the reactions of those who touched Hannah's life, good and bad.  This is not just a book for those who have ever contemplated suicide and need to not feel alone and need to understand they need to seek out someone to talk to, but it's for those who have ever bullied, teased, ridiculed others or kept silent in the face of the same.  It is to remind the reader that your words and actions have effect, even if you see it as something small, minute, it was a moment, a passing in the hall or on the sidewalk, a reaction to another's anger/sadness/indifference - your action may be the final straw for that other person, the final push from the edge on which they were standing.  Just as a kind word, a smile, a nod of understanding, a moment from your busy schedule or your phone or your posts on social media to listen to someone, may be what pulls them from the edge, may be the one action that restores their hope.

Quotes:  Pages 51-53 (event in the Blue Spot Liquor store) - too long to type here, but good explanation of the sexual objectification of women.

"You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own.  And when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're not messing with just that part.  Unfortunately, you can't be that precise and selective.  When you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life."

If you are contemplating suicide, are in emotional distress and feeling alone or believe a friend or loved one is please, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.  You are not alone.  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

And to all of us - be kind to one another.  In the end, all we have, all that really matters is humanity.