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Closet Full of Coke Review

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Title:  Closet Full of Coke  Closet Full of Coke

Author:  Indra Sena

Published:  2012 by Indra Sena

Genre: Memoir

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About the Book: 

Narrated by the teenage girl who lived it, Closet Full of Coke tells the true story of how a New York suburban fifteen-year-old girl’s savvy and wit helps turn the small-time drug business of Armando, a Colombian drug dealer, into a multi-million-dollar cocaine operation that puts them on the DEA’s Wanted List.

This intimate diary gives readers a fast-paced glimpse of the couple’s speedy rise to riches, and their inevitable descent.

These wannabe drug lords of the 1980s New York-to-Florida drug scene end their story only three years later with an untimely death, betrayal, and revenge.

Here is a true account of drug dealers whose obsession with money, power, sex, and glamour drives them to a lifestyle of deceit and recklessness, ending in tragedies that destroy lives forever.  (Provided by Pump Up Your Book.)

I was so excited to read this book!  Does anyone remember Go Ask Alice?  That’s the first thought that came into my mind when I saw the synopsis and I thought, I haven’t read a book like that in a while.

Like the synopsis says, this memoir tells the story of a 15 year old drug dealer.  Indra is about to make a buy at her dealer’s house (she currently sells at her high school) and he isn’t there but Armando, her dealer’s supplier is.  She goes for a car ride with Armando and soon he becomes her dealer and boyfriend (even though he’s married).

There is so much potential in this book and for it to be based on real life is crazy.  It seems like something one would see on a TV special, 20/20, or a movie.  It was a fast paced suspenseful read, but I just felt as if a few details could have made it amazing instead of good.

There are a few characters in the book that are frightening.  If you make them mad, there is no telling what they might do.  One of those people is Armando.  Indra knows that he beat up his wife, she saw the bruises on her face so of course she is scared of him.  We as readers know this, but my heart didn’t pump in fear in situations when it should have.

The other person was Carlos, Armando’s brother in law.  This guy was a legit psycho; he got off on violence.  I know Indra must have felt terrified in some of the situations with him, and I wanted to feel it with her, but I just didn’t.  Maybe some situations should have just been worded differently?

My heart breaks for the author and her parental situation growing up; it just sounded plan awful.  Her parents were addicts and selfish, and being a parent myself, this just broke my heart.  Another thing that seriously bothered me was Indra’s non actions in getting a woman she worked with out of jail after they both got in trouble.  The woman, Janet I believe, had a kid, and Indra just seems to blow it off.  I know she was young, but man, it made my blood boil.  (Obviously these situations were well written for me to have reactions such as these.)

Although some things bothered me, and I do feel like it could have been amazing instead of just good, I do think it’s a good book.  I read it within a few days, and enjoyed it.  And perhaps a teenager on the brink of a bad decision will read this and will change their mind about their future actions.  Although it does not have a happy ever after, I still do recommend it.

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

**I received this book free from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for an honest review.***

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About the Author:

You can visit Indra Sena’s website at www.closetfullofcoke.com. Indra is currently working on her second memoir. It covers two years in her twenties, where she joined the Rainbow Family and traveled the US and abroad.

Her latest book is the memoir, Closet Full of Coke.

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Labor Day Review

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Image from Goodreads

Title:  Labor Day

Author:  Joyce Maynard

Published:  2009 by William Morrow

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

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It was the end of summer and Henry was just happy to be out of the house.  His mother, Adele, doesn’t like to leave the comforts of home, and going out has become a rarity.  They are at the store because Henry has grown and needs new clothes.  Henry is minding his own business reading a magazine when an injured man asks him for help.   He noticed that Henry came in the store with his mother, and he wants them to take him to their house.  Adele agrees.  Turns out, this man, Frank, is a fugitive and on the run, but Adele just takes the news in stride as does Henry.  A relationship ensues between Adele and Frank, but is it for real, or just another part of the fugitive’s plan to escape the law?

Adele is going to be brought up in a lot of book clubs.  Is she a bad mother?  Let’s see, she talks to Henry about things that are definitely inappropriate.  Adele is in dire need for a friend.  And since she only has one kind-of friend/acquaintance, Henry gets to listen to all of Adele’s thoughts some which he shouldn’t be privy too.

What about Henry’s dad?  Should he be the one raising Henry?  Well, Henry’s dad is remarried with a stepson and a new baby.  Henry did try living there, but poor kid just didn’t feel like he belonged in the ‘new’ family.

Back to Adele, what was she thinking bring a bleeding stranger home with her and her son?!?!  Again, she definitely has issues, and you do find out what they are.  She definitely needs companionship in her life.

And what about Frank the fugitive?  I wasn’t sure about him for a while.  Is he the bad guy?  Is he just faking his feelings for Adele?  For Henry?  Well, I guess you’re going to have to read it to find out.

One thing that just wasn’t for me was the style of writing.  The author didn’t use quotation marks at all during conversations between characters.  It was different, but not for me.

As some of you know, this book is now a major motion picture; and I haven’t had the chance to see it yet.   It was definitely a good book, just not life changing or great.  That’s why I gave it three stars.

 

My Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

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~Pam

*****I purchased this book for myself.*****   

A Lot of Pride and Some Prejudice Review

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Title:  A Lot of Pride and Some Prejudice

Author:  Petronela Ungureanu

Published:  2013 by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC

Genre:  Historical Romance, Novella

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Portia Thorpe grudgingly agrees to a marriage arranged by her father to Lord Salisbury.  He is much older than her and she has no interest in him; she just decides to do it for her father’s sake.  But Portia changes her mind when she meets Lord Salisbury’s brother, Phillip.  She feels an instant attraction to him and decides to back out of the marriage.  However, things don’t always go as planned as there is a sudden death in Portia’s family that turns all her plans around.

I was not expecting this book to be so wonderful.  The flow of the sentences was just smooth and refreshing.  I felt like I was thrown back in time.  It was such a nice change from the contemporary romances and other books I’ve been reading lately.

One major issue was the grammar and editing mistakes.  In one instance there were no quotes when someone was talking.  I counted at least three times when people ‘took a sit’ instead of ‘took a seat.’  And I really don’t know if this was done on purpose or not, but the beginning was one huge paragraph.

One other thing that irked me was how quickly Portia fell for Phillip Salisbury.  Her heart hurt a lot when she found out he was engaged.  It is the fact that she only met him the day before that bothered me about that.  Maybe if she had even spent a little more time with him it would have felt more justified.  Or maybe I’m just not a love at first sight type of girl?

Besides the grammar and love at first sight issues, the only thing that I wish was different was that it was a little longer!  It was a super-fast enjoyable read.  If someone could go back and re edit, I think that would make a world of difference.

All in all, I definitely recommend.  Keep an eye out for Petronela Ungureanu for she has a talent with words.

 

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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~Pam

 

*****I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.*****     

***Thanks to Rachel from Parajunkee for the blinky stars!***

Beyond Escape Review

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Image from Goodreads

Title:  Beyond Escape

Author:  Deborah Jenson

Published:  2012 by Beaver’s Pond Press, Inc

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

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Kim is finally divorced from her cheating husband after twenty years of marriage.  The company she works for is closed for a month during Christmas, and she just feels the need to get away.  So Kim goes to stay with her parents at their retirement community.  While there, she meets Camilo, the landscaping boss.  Camilo takes a deep interest in Kim, but Kim isn’t so quick to reciprocate.  After all, she just went through a divorce, and Camilo is young enough to be her son.

Let me start off by saying that I didn’t finish this book.  I read about half, so I feel like I did give it a fair chance.  I guess we’ll start by the things that bothered me about this book.

First, Kim’s friend Connie has the last paragraph or page dedicated to her, from her point of view.  It’s like having another story altogether.  Now I only got halfway through, but I just wasn’t feeling it, nor saw the point of doing this other mini-story within a story.  I guess I would cut it out altogether.

Secondly, Kim and Camilo’s conversations are so dry and scripted.  There was nothing about their outings or conversations that excited me, which is too bad because I wanted to be excited for Kim.  Basically, it just didn’t feel real.

Thirdly, there is a backstory going on about what happened to Kim’s ex-boyfriend.  She is trying to figure out what really happened to him and caused his death, but the way it’s told to the reader is so boring; I really just couldn’t follow.  It was more like a history of his life, and the way it was told just didn’t flow right in the book.

I say this a lot when I give a bad review, but I know it takes a lot for an author to write a book.  There is so much that goes into it.  So while this wasn’t my favorite book maybe it will be somebody else’s.

But for me, the only thing I liked about Beyond Escape was its ability to help put me to sleep.

 

My Rating:  1 out of 5 stars

 

~Pam

 

*****I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.*****           

The Cloud Seeders Review

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The Cloud Seeders

Title:  The Cloud Seeders

Author:  James Zerndt

Published:  2012 by James Zerndt

Genre:  Dystopia

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Eighteen year old Thomas is currently the sole provider and guardian for his nine-year-old brother Dustin.  They haven’t seen their parents in over a year.  Both Dustin and Thomas work on water patrol as Officers of Sustainability.  It hasn’t rained in a very long time, and water is so scarce that people get fined if they are misusing or using too much water.  It’s Thomas’s job to find these people who misuse water.  While Thomas doesn’t necessarily agree with what he does, it’s his way to provide for his small family and keep under the radar.  His girlfriend, Jerusha, is a little more daring, living her life making recycled water and selling it on the black market.  Together with Jerusha they go across country to find their parents.  They find both friends and trouble along the way.

This book was surprisingly unique, unlike any other dystopian I’ve read.  Glancing through other reviews some call it depressing, but isn’t all dystopia depressing?

Thomas is a strong character.  Although he works for the government finding people who misuse water, he slyly gives them a break as well.  One woman his brother and himself happened upon had eight offenses.  Dustin, being only nine, got excited about this, because they get points for each ‘ticket’ they give and can trade them in for fresh water.  Thomas, being older and wiser, sends his brother off and only gives the woman two tickets.

His girlfriend Jerusha is confident and daring.  She knows what’s happening in the world is out of control.  And she’s a great big sister-like figure to Dustin.

Throughout the book we get to read poems by Thomas’s mother and see some memories of her as well.  One such memory is Thomas’s mom teaching him how to surf; he was sure that the wave was way too big.  His mom laughed and said, “Oh, Thomas.  The only limits are the ones you choose to see.”  (page 78).

And another memory Thomas has,

I remember something Mom told us once.  How the world is made up of two kinds of people:  steak knives and butter knives.  For the steak knives, life comes easy.  They cut right through things without any trouble.  For the butter knives, things are a little difficult, take a little longer.  But eventually get the job done.  (page 256)

I like his mom.

So although this book is a little dark it was a page turner and the ending doesn’t leave you sad.  If you like dystopia, definitely give The Cloud Seeders a try.

 

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

 

~Pam

*****I received this book free from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for an honest review.*****

 

About the Author:

James Zerndt lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and son. His poetry has appeared in The Oregonian Newspaper, and his fiction has most recently appeared in Gray’s Sporting Journal and SWINK magazine. He rarely refers to himself in the third person.

His latest book is the YA scifi, The Cloud Seeders.

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***All images in this post were provided by Pump Up Your Book, as well as the wording for the  ‘About the Author’ blurb***