Last Words of the Holy Ghost

Cashion, M. (2015). Last Words of the Holy Ghost. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press.

Adult / Short Story / Realistic Fiction

I gave this book 5 out of 5 Stars


Publisher's Blurb: Funny, heartbreaking, and real—these twelve stories showcase a dynamic range of voices belonging to characters who can’t stop confessing. They are obsessive storytellers, disturbed professors, depressed auctioneers, gambling clergy. A fourteen-year-old boy gets baptized and speaks in tongues to win the love of a girl who ushers him into adulthood; a troubled insomniac searches the woods behind his mother’s house for the “awful pretty” singing that begins each midnight; a school-system employee plans a year-end party at the site of a child’s drowning; a burned-out health-care administrator retires from New England to coastal Georgia and stumbles upon a life-changing moment inside Walmart. These big-hearted people—tethered to the places that shape them—survive their daily sorrows and absurdities with well-timed laughter; they slouch toward forgiveness, and they point their ears toward the Holy Ghost’s last words.

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It is always difficult to write a review of a book of short stories; however, Last Words of the Holy Ghost by Matt Cashion is solid quality writing from start to finish.  Whether he's describing a landscape or a character, author Cashion provides readers with quick snapshots that have a lasting impact. Through character behaviors, Cashion masterfully shows just enough for readers to make a good call on the true nature of each character.

Before I let somebody drive me crazy, I drive them crazy first. 

That's the secret right there.

To say the characters are memorable is an understatement. The common thread of the characters in the twelve stories is that they all are struggling in some way and are searching for some thing, but their struggles stretch from and lead to a myriad of different situations.  My very favorite story was "Clarissa Drives John-Boy to the Jacksonville Airport," in which Clarissa (my favorite character) is brilliantly brought to life and so real readers will feel like they are in that car with her. Clarissa is a HOOT, and this was the first story where I had laugh-out-loud moments. Clarissa has loads of life lessons, like "Before I let somebody drive me crazy, I drive them crazy first. That's the secret right there," and "Every time you think you escaping, you really just swapping the devil for the witch."

Overall, the book was more melancholy and less humorous than I had hoped, but it was well written (just a few scattered punctuation and agreement errors) and Cashion's perspectives and approaches are unique and unforgettable. I highly recommend this book and thank the publisher for providing me a print copy in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give. 

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View the trailer for the short film Last Words of the Holy Ghost

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Matt Cashion was born in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina and grew up in Brunswick and St. Simons Island, Georgia.  He earned an MFA at the University of Oregon and now teaches at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.  He is the author of two novels, How the Sun Shines on Noise and Our 13th Divorce. He lives in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
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Bruiser

Shusterman, N. (2011). Bruiser. NY: Harper Teen.

Young Adult / Fiction / Supernatural / Audiobook

I gave this audiobook 5 out of 5 stars

Jacket Copy Blurb:

Tennyson:
Don't get me started on the Bruiser. He was voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty" by the entire school. He's the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about. So why is my sister, Brontë, dating him? One of these days she's going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it's not going to end well.

Brontë:
My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way—no right to threaten him. There's a reason why Brewster can't have friends—why he can't care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can't be explained. I know, because they're happening to me.

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman has crafted a chilling and unforgettable novel about the power of unconditional friendship, the complex gear workings of a family, and the sacrifices we endure for the people we love.

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I am a huge fan of Neal Shusterman's Unwind series, and so when an offer popped-up to get a free download of Bruiser, I took it. As a bonus, for $1.99 I was able to add narration. The title sat in my To-Be-Read pile for four months, and then I had a road trip with my son. Unwind is one of the very few books my son has read and enjoyed, so I figured this would be a good listening choice for our trip.  My son's a teenager, and we were driving before noon, so naturally, he slept through most of the book, but for me, Bruiser made six plus hours absolutely fly by. 

The narrators do an outstanding job of voicing the four main characters, and Shusterman has each presenting from a unique point of view: Tennyson is in first person present; Brontë, is first person, past tense; Cody is stream of consciousness; and Brewster is in free verse*. I have never before read a book that did this, but it works very well, and especially with the four distinct voices narrating the audiobook, these characters really come alive. 

And the story. . . Shusterman is truly a master storyteller and as is customary in his books, Bruiser will have readers/listeners thinking deeply about life, relationships, pain (emotional and physical), and sacrifice. And what-ifs: what if you could take on someone else's pain -- would you? What if someone else could take on your pain -- would you let him? What if you could live pain free -- is that even living?

At times, the story is painful to hear/read.  Readers' hearts will ache for Brewster as the people around him are either oblivious to the damage they are doing to Brewster or worse, they know. Shusterman does an excellent job of helping readers to really feel the emotions and turmoil of the characters as the full reach of Brewster's abilities is revealed. 

I was relieved and mostly satisfied with the ending. An epilogue would have solidified things since the ending wasn't absolutely clear-cut and could be open to interpretation for those with an active imagination. The book has no sex or sexual references (a few chaste kisses only) and only a few swear words. There are adult situations with mention of parents divorcing and having affairs and adult consumption of alcohol.  There is child abuse violence, but it's not described in a graphic manner. The book is probably fine for more mature middle grade kids and older. 

About the audiobook...
This story was outstandingly narrated by a group of talented actors: Nick Podehl, Kate Rudd, Luke Daniels and Laura Hamilton. Their performances  really defined each character.  My only complaint is that Brewster’s dialogue was kind of hard to hear. His voice is very low and soft, which is perfect for Brewster but hard to hear with road noise.
 

*NOTE – I listened to the whole book, but then I looked back at the eBook to re-visit and clarify what happened with the ending. It was only at that point that I realized Brewster’s parts were written in free verse. Happily, I also discovered the first fourteen chapters of Challenger Deep, Shusterman's latest novel!  **moves higher on TBR list** And speaking of Challenger Deep and Shusterman -- here's a pic I snapped of Neal and his son, Brendan, signing copies of the book at the TLA Conference this past April. Greatness!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of Bruiser, which was a Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) choice, a YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults pick, and on twelve state lists; The Schwa Was Here; and the Unwind dystology, among many other books. He lives in California with his four children.

Website: http://www.storyman.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nealshusterman

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NealShusterman

Starlet's Web: The Starlet Series #1

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Author's Synopsis–Starlet's Web

Love. Lies. Acting. A novel about celebrity influence & teens in Hollywood. What makes a star shine? Humility empowers the spirit. Sometimes.

Discover the Starlet Series for new adult & college readers and uncover the life of a talented actress caught in Hollywood's web of lies.

I'm actress Liana Marie Michael. I won an Oscar at 17 but whatever. Celebrity is what it is: marketing a product. I'm part of a tight-knit group. I keep to myself and don't complain about my life. I've been happy until lately.

Evan dumping me leveled me. Matthew shocked me. I knew he couldn't hurt me with my bodyguard so near, but his eyes...so I have trust issues. Dating super-hot Byron didn't help clear the confusion either. I'm torn between going to church on Sunday and making a living from pop culture.

But experience builds perspective. My days of shutting up needed to end. First, I told Manuel. Then I told my mom. It turned out awesome until I learned the truth.

Now I'm screwed. Totally. Let's face it: Hollywood's web entangles everyone.

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Hall Ways Review

"I was not the fly in the spider's web. I was the web and the spider and the fly and the force keeping the web strong and in place." Such is the life of eighteen year old celebrity Liana Marie Michael.  As Lia navigates Hollywood while trying to stay true to herself and her beliefs, she encounters more than her fair share of obstacles including exploitation, manipulation, and betrayal -- often from unexpected, but familiar places.  Lia desperately wants to be a regular high school senior, going to prom with her lifelong best friend and hanging out with friends, but removing herself from her Hollywood personae proves nearly impossible. As she tries to make a new life for herself, intending to have boyfriend Manny by her side, Lia wonders, "Will I always be a jigsaw puzzle that loses pieces every time it is moved from one surface to another?" 

 

In this start to The Starlet Series, author Carla J. Hanna introduces us to a cast of characters whose issues are as diverse as their ethnicities, religions, and circumstances. Readers get the most insight into main character Liana, as she is the narrator, but there are enough behavior illustrations and dialogue with the secondary characters to form opinions. (For the record, I am not a fan of Manny and hope that: 1) he grows up; or 2) Lia whips him in shape; or 3) Lia breaks-up with him. There are some red flags.) Liana is confused, and who can blame her? She's been left to be raised by a staff of people because her mom is too consumed by her own acting career and her dad left them to escape Hollywood.  The only real comfort Lia can find is in enjoying nature, which can only be done from her back porch.  Searching for answers, Lia questions the existence of God and real love, and with the Hollywood influence, believes she must have a man in her life and have sex to keep him there. Careful readers will pick-up on author Hanna's foreshadowing to see the major plot twist coming, which is a game changer for Liana and preps the stage for the next book, Starlet's Run.

 

Starlet's Web is a bit heavy on dialogue, which often felt unrealistic, and it has a few typos, but it's enjoyable if readers will push plausibility aside and just read for the guilty pleasure of the peek into the Hollywood scene. I originally thought this was a young adult book, but I'd recommend it for older teens or even the new adult crowd, despite the main character's age.  There are sexual situations (not graphic), considerable reflection on sexuality, explicit language, drug and alcohol use by minors, a near rape, and mixed messages about love and sex that could be confusing/misleading for younger girls. 

Thank you to the author and Masquerade Book Tours who provided me an eBook copy in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.

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About the author: Carla J. Hanna lived in Santa Monica, CA where her children played with the children of celebrities. She mingled with plenty of nannies and a few good celebrity moms. Her award winning books, The Starlet Series, include Starlet's Man, Starlet's Web, Starlet's Run, & Starlet's Light. Starlet's End is scheduled to release September 2015, subject to change from publisher interest.

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Review coming soon!