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blurb:

[Accompany Eugene Uttley on a mythological "hero's journey" to another world and back again, and join him as he articulates the prize that he won there -- The  Ultimate Boon.

Through his struggles in coping with schizophrenia, Uttley has come to know what he wants. Now he just needs to figure out how to get it.

This experimental open letter includes original and appropriated prose, poetry, song, prayer... memoir, travelogue, sketches of Uttley's present-day life, and literary exegesis. Its many sources and topics are ranging, but circle always back to the overarching theme of recovery from mental illness through better knowledge of self and becoming more whole, a complex process both mental and spiritual, which entails increasing awareness of connectedness to the greater whole, the infinite.]

I was asked by the author to help with the giveaway. This is my first time doing this . Hope you guys take part in it, you have nothing to lose and the potential of winning 15 bucks.

Who'd say no to that?

Participating sites: 

Oh, Chrys!

D.S. White
Marat M'saev Daan
Man of la Book
Fly High
Brooke Blogs
A Grumpy Young Woman
Delia Bourne
R. Tsoumbakos
BooksRUsOnline
Mary's Cup of Tea
Girl-Who-Reads
Uttley's Take

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Good Gladys ( Embrace the Dead ) by Martin Renaud

A murder mystery with a psychic twist. 

News reports that the famous psychic Good Gladys is missing coincide with the brutal stabbing of her business manager. Gladys's daughter Dara asks an old friend, private investigator Byrne Aase, to help find the murderer. She claims that the man the police have in custody is innocent. In fact, she believes that the accused is her mother, having been transformed into a man during a seance gone awry.GOODREADS




"She has no shame, " thought Sauce......... 

Sauce? yes, that is our protagonists name. It just seems like a really odd name. I think it was mentioned somewhere why he has that nickname but I didn't get it. or is it only because he drinks a lot. First impressions aside: you will love Sauce a.k.a Byrne Aase. 

The story is told from Sauce's POV. This whole book reminds me of one of those old school detective shows or are they games. There's a bunch of people in a house, there's a mystery and they have to solve it. I love those mysteries even if I have a tendency to blame the butler. Good Gladys reminds me of those kind of mysteries  because of the way the characters talked, the way Sauce investigated things and the overall development of the mystery. Together with the protagonist the reader finds clues and tries to figure things out. And when there's a random element thrown in the game like being brought to the governors house, and hearing said governor share his utmost conviction in a psychic who claims to be punished by God and sent back to do a selfless act. You as a reader are as shocked as Sauce. Although it felt like this in the beginning the mood suddenly changes halfway through the book and becomes more suspenseful and bloody.

I'd already chosen sides when I had read chapter one, when I got over the weird name thing. Sauce is this good guy, naive and gullible. He's like a puppy you find on the street, you just know you can't leave it there. That's how easily I got attached to Sauce. Then Dara, his ex shows up asking for his help. Dara is manipulative. In romance novels when the guy forces the girl to go shopping it's romantic but when Dara forces Sauce to go shopping, remodels his whole house. It's aggravating. Sauce's skepticism about the whole psychic thing seeps though the pages or maybe my skepticism  seeps into the book combines with Sauce's skepticism which makes it a really engaging read. Sauce gets curious about the case and gets involved. I had hoped he wouldn't, I had hoped he just wouldn't do what Dara wanted but then there wouldn't be a story.

The way the story unfolds is entertaining. It started to get really interesting when Sauce gets abducted by this crazy family of psychopaths.  Their kids were just excited when they were told they'd get to break Sauces fingers. Of course Sauce gets rescued and when he wakes up the mystery is just about solved.

The last chapters were ridiculous and unbelievable. You know Gladys is a fraud but there are all these people who believe in her ,who willingly allow themselves to be manipulated. Good Gladys the psychic claims on a talk-show to have met Adam and Eve. Claims to have been punished by God and that's why she's in a man's body. and the audience believes her. Sheep, they're all sheep. The one psychic who came back from the other side. Gladys is arrogant, annoying an manipulative. oh and she's also Dara. Turns out the real Gladys died and Dara has been impersonating her to keep the enterprise going.

This is different  from anything else I've read. It's a unique story and a entertaining one. The characters are funny and fascinating  next to Sauce I like the former secret agent, BT who helped Sauce on the investigation and Sauce's cop friend Hammi. I hated Dara because she was so manipulative and overbearing as was Gladys. Gladys sometimes reminded me of those religious people that come to your house. Although I disliked these characters they made the story moving (by this I mean I was annoyed and pissed at what they were doing. Those are emotions as well). 

I enjoyed this book and would love to read more about Sauce. The characterization is great, the writing is awesome. The mystery wasn't complicated and the revelation didn't surprise me. Although getting to know how Gladys tricked everybody was interesting, like finding out how a magician does his tricks. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good old mystery book.

Grade: 

** I was asked to review this book by the author. He said it was a suspenseful, witty,fun and engaging book which it definitely is.

Think Out Loud #8

Think Out Loud.

This is a weekly meme used for bloggers

to post something they would normally not post.

So, post whatever YOU want!

My literary highlights and downsides of 2012

It's already 2013?! Well that went by fast. So here's a random  unstructured post where I review all things related to books and this reviewing page during the year 2012. 

I started reviewing in October 2011 and I'm still going strong today. How about that? this is the most committed relationship I've ever been in. I'm not sure I should have said that.....

Although I am kind of disappointed . This year I didn't finish my Goodreads challenge  which is ironic because my Goodreads challenge for 2011 was 100 books which I completed by 110. This year I reduced it to 75 books which  I didn't complete by 25 (only read 50). It really bugs me ! Of course one shouldn't dwell on the amount of books one reads but the quality right, there's a phrase for that, I can't remember it. 

The best of the 50 books I've read:

#1 Highlight is discovering the ASOIAF saga by GRRM. I'm still not finished with a Dance with Dragons. I'm going slow on purpose . Who knows when GRRM will finish the other two books and S3 of a Game of Thrones isn't coming out for a long time yet.  My reviews of the first four books are my favorite reviews I've written so far. Although they do border on rants. especially a Storm of Swords, which coincidentally is the longest book I've read this year (according to Goodreads)    

#2 Discovering  new authors . James Patterson, I had always seen his name or heard him mentioned along with other authors  I'm ashamed to admit I intentionally didn't pick his book up sometimes. We all have regular authors we read. and although we all know "you should never judge a book by it's cover" we still do! either way Patterson is an awesome writer,  the characters he creates are amazing and talented and human. It's just really easy to connect with them.It's annoying. Neil Geiman, after reading his poem instructions on a fellow reviewers page I was sold. Instructions is a poem about what to do if you find yourself in a fairy tale.  It's an awesome poem and listening to this guy read is like going to a really mellow rock party. I also got the chance to read his comic  The Sandman vol.1 . 

#3 Finishing The Hunger Games. I had hoped for a happy ending when I had finished book one. can't say it was met tho. The ending was bittersweet.  The Hunger Games , The Confession and The Lost Symbol are the most substantial books I read this year.

- The Night Circus is easily the most imaginative book.

- The Silent Girl was the most thrilling

- The funniest now this one's hard: the Scott Pilgrim comics were pretty funny and absurd, so was the manga Yotsuba  and I got to read my first Jane Evanovitch book, Lean Mean Thirteen. I'm impressed by her humor and will definitely be picking up more of her books.

-The twisted, psychological  reads: This is gonna be a tie. but the #1 goes to Red Dragon #2 goes to Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. The title is pretty accurate. Although Johnny is psycho the comic is pretty funny in  a twisted way and has a morbid perception of social life and people. My favorite  sketch will always be Wobbly Headed Bob.

#4 books I bought over the year;

I currently own all four books from the ASOIAF saga and I got the box set for The Hunger Games . I also caved and bought the ASOIAF 2013 calendar. I bought my first mangas, Bleach vol .36 and 37 ( The Pendulum arc) and another Tess Geritsen book, The Silent Girl. Roro @ Roro Is Reading gave me Lothaire (IAD #12)  as a present and I bought the last book in the Lords of the Underworld series #9, The Darkest Seduction. That's two out of the six books I wanted to read in 2012. 

#6 finally picking out a background image for the page . 

#7 garnered some new followers. but My #1 comment-er will always be Kah Cherub @Not Just Nonsense  . and my #2 spot goes to my faithful or maybe occasional readers Mark and Maayra. Who make my day.

#8 this year I received my first autographed book! By none other then one of my friends who won a writing competition and got one of his short stories published  He's well one his way. He's also started reviewing so stop by his page @ Zera's Comic Shelf 
#
#9 I wrote my first review on request which was  for a Bizarro book, A Hollow Cube is a lonely Space. Bizarro fiction is a genre that uses satire and a lot of other crazy stuff to  make weird ,crazy, disgusting stories. A Hollow Cube is a Lonely Space is pretty decent compared to the other titles I saw from this genre. Although it's the only book from this genre I've read so  I can't say that, can I. but I saw some really weird titles. So you've been warned.

#10 I got my second request  to review Good Gladys by Martin Renaud two months ago. finished it yesterday. Review pending.

#11 downside : Helena said Sherlock Holmes had no personality and the plot was obvious .I know everybody is allowed an opinion and I should.. let this go. but really...? no personality..really

#13 the best covers 2012: 

#1 Angelfall by Susan Ee. Awesome book , unpredictable hero and ridiculous but feisty heroin.


#2 The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 

#3 Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

My long term relationship with certain books keep increasing while new ones bloom. According to Goodreads I've been reading Grimm's Fairy Tales since May 2010 and It by Stephen king since June 2010. There are in total 17 books I haven't finished reading. but I do read them on and off, for 2 and a half years apparently . I mean come on, It is a pretty lengthy book and not easy to read. I think the last  thing I read was where this guy was talking to something through the sink. a scary demonic voice that said it was Legion. I'm sorry, but that's the cue to stop reading and run! NOT that I was scared or anything

Then there's a bunch of books I've burrowed but haven't read . and the ever increasing TBR list. But there's still time , there's this new whole year in front of me to read and finish reading books, so come at me 2013.