Exploring a Rape Investigation in America

I recently watched the Netflix documentary about Gloria Allred, which highlights the force with which the attorney had to fight so that women victims of crime could have a place to seek justice and be heard. It seemed like the perfect follow-up to read A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong. This book explores a group of detectives investigating a series of rapes, starting at the initial report by each of the survivors. Things get tricky when one of the women, a recent graduate of a lifetime of foster care and abuse, changes her story and stops being taken seriously by those investigating her rape.

This is a thrilling, fast-paced, and informative read. The authors did a great job researching where stereotypes about rape come from, and highlighting the realities of police culture and the need for gender-diverse police forces. Every angle of the investigation is fleshed out, including the unique perspectives and backgrounds of the detectives, the survivors, and even the creepy and calculating serial rapist.

Highly recommended!



I received this copy from Blogging for Books, but all opinions are my own.

A Thriller Focused On Friends

For 2018, I wanted to start my reading year off with a bang and actually finish a book. (I actually received a card from a person I worked with today that referenced my inability to finish any books recently!) So, on New Year's Day, I picked up The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor, and I'm excited to report that I actually finished it.
It's about a group of friends doing what kids do, and then finding a body. It definitely has shades of Stephen King's IT and The Stand, but it was an enjoyable and quick read. I really don't want to say too much, except that it made me think of the sinister lens we often view things through as children, and the true backstories of local myths. Like how, in my town, we kids all thought this guy who walked to work every day must have had a tragic accident and refused to ever get behind the wheel of a car again, but really he just didn't have any family or a car, and we all just judged him like assholes.
Anyway, I'm thankful I received this book from Blogging for Books and would recommend it if you're looking for a quick thriller. It really helped get my reading momentum going again!

The Journey to Becoming a Doctor-Soldier

Lately I've been interested in reading the experiences of doctors. They seem to me to be, generally, a very focused and persistent lot. That's what led me to pick up Crossings: A Doctor-Soldier's Story by John Kerstetter.

It's an engrossing and personal tale of how the author came from an impoverished background on an Indian reservation to become a successful businessman and then take the chance to pursue medicine later in life. When emergency medicine wasn't quite thrilling enough, he decides to join the military. I totally enjoyed reading about the author's determination, thought processes, and the chance to see war through the eyes of someone trained both to heal and to kill.

I received a free copy from Blogging for Books, but am always honest.

Find A Doctor for Your Writing Ailments

Is it totally silly to order a book about finishing a book when you haven't even started a book? Baby steps, I guess. I recently received The Story Cure by Dinty W. Moore and it seems a great volume whether you're currently writing a book or not. From the chapters I've flipped through, Moore is trying to get us to think back to why we write, what purpose stories even have in the world, and the essential elements that every story must have. I think these are all great things for any writer to reflect on.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for sharing a copy with me.

Unfinished Books Make Me Sad

For book lovers, is there anything worse than getting really excited to read a book, then actually getting it and staring at its cover for weeks while you finish some other reading, only to be just totally not into it?
Unfortunately, that's what happened with the book The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel, which I actually got a free copy of from Blogging for Books and feel terrible about not being able to finish. But, it just seemed so melodramatic that I couldn't bring myself to keep reading.

Has anyone read this one? What did you think? Was I totally wrong and it's awesome, or is it totally predictable and lame?

A Bright Voice in the Fight for Social Justice

Many great books on social justice topics have been released in the past few years, and Shaka Senghor's Writing My Wrongs stands out among them. Shaka tells the story of his incarceration at age 19 for a murder he committed while dealing crack after leaving the home he no longer felt wanted in. It's the story of still too many youth today, and Shaka's detailed memories help illuminate not only the struggle of people in prison, but the black youth forgotten and condemned by society to lives without hope and robbed of inspiration.

Having recently read that 47% of Detroit residents are functionally illiterate, Shaka's story of building his knowledge and becoming a light for others out of the darkest place is powerful and extremely relevant, not only for his success story but for his candid look at the racism and black oppression that still plagues our society in the United States.
I am thankful I received a review copy from the publisher, but my opinions are my own.

The Enigma of the Inkblot: Review of The Inkblots by Damion Searls

As Damion Searls states in his introduction to The Inkblots, the Rorschach test is often covered with skepticism in psychology education. When I was a student, Rorschach was presented as somewhat of a quack. Asking someone to tell you what they see in an inkblot is almost laughable. Or, is it? Does the test really reveal things which other modes of psychoanalysis cannot seem to grasp? Does it matter which inkblots are used or if someone has already seen one of the inkblots? How were the inkblots developed and who was Rorschach?
The Inkblots is the book that finally, and thoroughly, addresses these questions and unearths the history of a much-discussed topic in psychology. This is a well-written and enlightening read for any psychology lover or anyone who's ever wondered about the significance of those eponymous blots.
Thanks to Blogging for Books, I received a review copy, but all opinions are my own.