Paco's Story and Close Quarters

Paco's Story and Close Quarters by Larry Heinemann

I am going to write about these books together. Why? They are both by the same author and they are both about the Vietnam War, although two very different stories. Larry Heinemann is a Vietnam War Veteran who served with the 25th Division and even though the books are both fiction you have to wonder how much of himself and his experiences did he put in them.

Paco’s Story is unique, it is told by the ghost of soldier who died when Fire Base Harriette was attacked by the Vietcong. Paco Sullivan was the only survivor. He lay in the mud for days before he is rescued. His wounds are infected and covered with maggots. His body burned and shattered. Paco is taken to the states where his healing begins, both physically and mentally. This is his journey.

Close Quarters is the story of Philip Dosier. You follow Philip from his first days with the 25th Division in Vietnam to his returning back home to Chicago and all the brutally in between. If you liked The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien you will like this book. Be warned it is not for the faint of heart.

Teeth

 Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
This has to be one of the strangest books I have read and believe me I have read a few. When I first started to read it  I was skeptical, a story about a fish boy and magical fish, come on. I kept reading and I have to say I liked it. The story is dark at times but it is also about family, friends and choice. How far would you go to save the one you love? It is not always easy doing the right thing, sometimes someone gets hurt.

The story is told by Rudy. A lonely boy whose family has moved him and his younger brother, Dylan, to an isolated island where the fish have magical healing powers. Dylan is dying from cystic fibrosis and the fish could heal him. Rudy is the only teenage boy on the island and is feeling very lonely and isolated that is until he meets beautiful Diana and sullen Teeth. Both have secrets but Teeth's could kill.

Butter

Butter by Erin Jade Lange
We all know that high school can be a painful place but for Butter it was a prison he could not escape. Butter was obese and relentlessly bullied. He was going to put an end to all of his torment. After one particularly bad day at school, he went home and built a website, ButtersLastmeal.com. People could watch him eat himself to death, in fact they could even choose his meal. As his webcast goes live something unexpected happens, Butter becomes popular. He creates an online alter ego P.J. who is everything he is not, cool. P.J. even starts chatting with Anna, a girl Butter has had a crush on for along time, but the problem with secrets are they are eventually uncovered and the results this time a devastating.

 Butter deals with some tough subjects. bullying, suicidal thoughts, obesity and over eating but Lange handles them beautifully. I think this is a must read.

Meet Me At The River

Meet Me At The River by Nina De Gramont
Plain and simple this is a love story with one heck of a twist. If you read any of my other reviews you  know that I do not do warm and fuzzy. Meet Me At The River is anything but warm and fuzzy.

Luke and Tressa are teenager lovers with a twist, Tressa's mom married Luke's dad so that makes them step brother and sister. Their relationship is frowned upon. Despite the disapproval of everyone around them their loves grows. Luke is always by Tressa's side, even after his death. Tressa is trying to move on but Luke is always there. At first his is a welcome sight and she looks forward to his visits but now she wants to move on but he won't let her....

Good Behavior a memoir

Good Behavior a memoir by Nathan L. Henry
Distrubing. I think this book does for juvenile crime what Go Ask Alice did for drugs only Nathan L. Henry is alive at the end. Good Behavior is about the year 16 year Nathan spent in jail for armed robbery and how he got there. The chapters alternate between his childhood and the year he spends in jail. This a tough read but one worth reading.

Enon

Enon by Paul Harding
This is the story of a father, Charlie Crosby, who has to come to terms with the death of his daughter and the end of his marriage. Charlie is lost in "what could of been" and starts drinking and taking drugs to cope or just forget.

I thought this was a beautifully written book. You feel his grief and at times you just want to shake him. This is not a feel good book but it is one I would recommend.

Sex & Violence

Sex & Violence by Carrie Mesrobian
Evan is a 17 year old high school student who thinks of girls in only one way and are here for only one thing. But his world is rocked when he becomes the victim of a violent attack. Evan and his father retreat to their lake house where Evan has to heal both emotionally and physically.  

 The characters are strong and flawed, especially Evan. This is his story told in his words and it will grab you from the start.