HOT MESS by Emily Belden

HOT MESS  by Emily Belden

Well, the title is correct – this book is a hot mess. If you can get past the f bombs and constant sex, one dimensional characters and thin plot, there might be a half way decent short story good for an hour or two on a long plane ride. 

So, what is good about this book.  There are complete sentences.  There is a plot with a beginning, middle and, thankfully, a conclusion. Once Benji is out of the picture so to speak, the book improves.  The story concerning the restaurant is not half bad. The love story is juvenile and unbelievable. 

So – if you don’t mind the language, the immaturity of all the characters and the constant focus on sex, this book might, repeat, might, be worth spending an otherwise boring afternoon with it.

By the way, even though this book is about food and cooking and restaurants , there are NO recipes or even lucid discussions about actual food.

1 of 5 stars

MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS by Vaddey Ratner

MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS  BY Vaddey Ratner

Oh my goodness! What to say about this book. First the good. The writing is lyrical. Some phrases are  exquisite.  The word usage is wonderful.  Then there is the story. I am SOOOOO confused. I tried very hard to like this book, but just couldn’t do it.  The Old Musician and his reminisces wander all over-- future, past, present -- all in present tense.

Somewhere around page 200, the story began to make sense. If you can make that far -- this tale of Cambodia and Khmer Rouge, death, love, life, hate, perseverance, family, faith --  becomes full of life and forces one to engage its loveliness and its heartbreak.

Teera and the Old Musician enter your heart and mind and take up residence.  They stay with you  long after you have read the last page.

Still, only 3 of 5 stars for the slow start, the initial confusion, the ethereal sentences.