The Case of the Firecrackers (Chinatown Mystery) Review

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The Case of the Firecrackers (Chinatown Mystery) ReviewThe title of my book is The Case of the Firecrackers by Laurence Yep.
Lily, her great-aunt Tiger Lil, her brother Chris, Chris's girlfriend Evie, and 'Grandpa Eng' are enjoying a nice dinner when, suddenly, the phone rings. Lily, Evie, Chris, and Tiger Lil are on their way to meet handsome teen heartthrob, Clark Tom!
While visiting Clark, he asks the group if they wouldn't mind playing a small role in his next Chinatown movie. Of course, they all oblige and are quickly dressed and whisked away to the set. Norm, the director of the movie, had hired a gang member to play the murderer of Clark Tom. While the scene was rolling, the gang member got ready to shoot blanks. Bang! Instead of shooting blanks, he shot real bullets! Tempers began to flare, fuses ignited as the gang member is arrested and hauled away for the attempted murder of Clark Tom. But Tiger Lil doesn't think he's the one who exchanged the blanks for the real bullets. Auntie Tiger Lil and her crew follow a trail of firecrackers, gangs, bad food, and gambling to dead ends. How will they ever find the real culprit?
Overall, I give this book a 3 out of 5. The book uses great words and a climax that never seems to end. There is a similar book called Maude, but that story was about a witch trying to put a spell on a little girl. It related to The Case of the Firecrackers because they both used firecrackers, spells, and mysterious people in the plot to add suspense. Once you start to read this book, I guarantee you won't be able to put it down! Happy reading!The Case of the Firecrackers (Chinatown Mystery) Overview

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China Court Review

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China Court ReviewI fell into this book as into water and didn't come up until the last word. I cannot say enough about Rumer Godden's gift for words. I keep hoping I will find something I haven't read by her. I would encourage anyone to read every word she has ever written. It is like being in the middle of riches! Read the children's books!! The child in us loves all of her books. Enjoy!China Court Overview

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The Painter from Shanghai: A Novel Review

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The Painter from Shanghai: A Novel ReviewJennifer Cody Epstein steps into the pantheon of fine contemporary writers with her first book THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI, a work of 'historical fiction' so polished in research, so rich in detail not only of the turbulent period in China during the first half of the 20th century, but also in the mysterious social customs of that country, and a source of insight into the changes in the manner in which the visual world was captured by artists as East and West met and married in the art capital of the world - Paris. Yet overriding all of this fascinating information is Epstein's gift for delivering a story of passion and love with a poetic prose style that comes together in this novel in a manner not unlike creating the painting technique that this novel's heroine describes her world. It is a grand feat and a work worth repeated readings.
Westerners may not be familiar with the name Pan Yuliang, one of the more important Chinese artists who influenced the Post-Impressionist art movement, but in Epstein's eloquent novel we grow to know this gifted artist from her birth as Xiuqing in 1895, and her early years as an orphan protected by her opium-addicted uncle who sold her into a brothel at age fourteen. Enough space is allotted in this tale to allow us to learn the traditions of the 'flower houses' and the brutalities and consequences of life as a prostitute, but Epstein is careful to balance the sad with the radiant in the relationship between the newly renamed Yuliang and her beautiful 'teacher' Jinling with whom she has her first love affair, and Yuliang's subsequent rescue from the brothel through the kindness and concern showered upon her by a handsome gentleman Pan Zanhua - the man with whom she not only enters into the relationship of being his concubine, but also benefits from his support of her position as a woman and as an artist.
The story spans Pan Yuliang's life from these early beginnings to her death in 1977, a life that brought her exposure to the West, with awards from the schools of art in China, Italy and France resulting in renown as a gifted artist who just happened to be a woman with a past, the many private and public pains she endured as her native country moved from the reign of the Emperors through the rise and fall of Chiang Kai-shek, the invasion by the Japanese, and the new order of Communism, and the influence of the world perception of art that included defeat of some of the finest artists as the battle of the sexes altered the perception of painting the nude figure as an acceptable subject matter in a climate of global turmoil.
Epstein manages to write as intricately about history and Chinese tradition as well as luminously about the act of creativity. Few writers can match the descriptive language of the emergence of the visual: 'But true art must contain an emotional range that speaks to the viewer. Speaks...not by lulling them into a false sense of complacency, but by probing. Challenging. Even hurting, if need be. Anything to force us beyond life's easier thoughts.' 'Has it ever occurred to you that our wounds are what drive us to create?...What if those who've lost something compensate for it in their work? In that case the damage helps them. It's what compels them to create...And it might explain why the best artists tend to be the poorest.'
THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI begs to become a film. But until that happens, this elegant and passionate book is one to treasure repeatedly. It is a work of art. Grady Harp, July 08The Painter from Shanghai: A Novel Overview

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TEA THAT BURNS: A Family Memoir of Chinatown Review

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TEA THAT BURNS: A Family Memoir of Chinatown ReviewMy mother grew up in the mining camps at the turn of the century, (1900) - it would be wonderful if more of the Chinese descendents would write their stories - it was surely a life of great hardship, and a history that needs to be shared. This is a wonderful story of family and life, societal views, prejudice and pain. Many expressions I heard throughout my childhood referred to the Chinese..."...didn't have a Chinaman's chance."..."...the rule was that the sun was not to set on any Chinese in town..." - what torment these people had to endure - yet we have very little literature on this subject. Mr. Hall has provided us with a wonderful, informative read and some true-life views that U.S.History certainly needs.TEA THAT BURNS: A Family Memoir of Chinatown Overview

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Broken China Review

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Broken China ReviewAges 14 and up. From the author of When Kambia Elaine Flew in From Neptune, Lori Aurelia Williams brings a novel dealing with a young mother's struggles and much more. China is 14 balancing going to school full time just barely hanging on and trying to raise her 2 year old daughter almost single handedly, until death is brought upon the family. China is forced to find a job that will require her to make lots of money to make ends meet. Unfortunately, her only option is Obsidian Queens, the local gentlemen's club, which is the only job they will allow a 14 year old high school dropout and that will pay big. Thus, begins her journey down a path filled with detours along the way. Will she break free from her trailing problems or will she collide head on with them?
Complete with lessons on courage, determination, youth, love, and motherhood, Ms. Williams captures China as a person every mother or daughter can relate to. Broken China is for everyone that knows a mother's love has no boundaries, a theory China proves time and time again. This tear jerking novel is sure to touch a place in the hearts of all who believe courage can mend a broken heart.Broken China Overview

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CHINA COURT The Hours of a Country House Review

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CHINA COURT The Hours of a Country House ReviewRumer Godden spins a complex and delicate tale of family, and time, and love. Past, present, and future weave around each other in layers of story centering on an old family home and the generations who live and hate and love there. I first read this story many years ago, and I still find many of Ms Godden's strong characters and unique turns of phrase vivid in my mind. I would recommend this book without hesitation - a re-readable joy.CHINA COURT The Hours of a Country House Overview

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China Boy Review

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China Boy ReviewMost of the reviews here are critical and misinformed. They appear to be written by disgruntled hisgh school students who have probably been assigned to read Lee's book as an effort to heighten their multi-cultural sensitivities. The kids miss the point. This is an excellent, sensitive novel about growing up in many worlds at once. Where ever Kai Ting is, is the wrong place, even home. His way of finding himself, finding a place, is through an unlikely venue, the local Y. There is a gritty truth thst comes off of every page here. Lee is exposing a great deal of his soul and, at the end, I felt part of his life. This was the first work of Lee's I read. My satisfaction with China Boy led me to the rest. He has much talent, a powerful voice and a sharp sense of humor... even when it hurts.China Boy Overview

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Grace from China Review

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Grace from China ReviewThis book does more than teach the reader about the lengthy adoption process in China but also addresses love and loss from a young girl's point of view. I was immediately drawn to Jess, the main character, and really able to identify and empathize with her feelings. There is a wonderful, real relationship between mother and daughter as they begin a journey across the world to meet their new family member. Along the way, the other interesting characters offer support and share the same anxious emotions that Jess and her mother feel. Scenery and detailed language allowed me to step right into the book and travel from the windy city of Lubbock all the way to the busy streets in China. The way I could relate to Jess, even as a young adult, proves that this book is not only for younger readers, but can teach us all a lesson about accepting life changing events. For Jess, this event has lead to understanding there is a reason for everything, and she begins a new wonderful journey in life and love for a new baby sister.Grace from China Overview

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China Fortunes: A Tale of Business in the New World Review

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China Fortunes: A Tale of Business in the New World ReviewA fascinating and gripping read. What I thought would be a first hand look at how business is done in China and how it has evolved turned out to be that and more. The romance that developed as the prodigal son sought business redemption was dreamlike in its portrayal. It was as enjoyable as following the insights that Jack Davis developed doing business in China over a twenty year period. The Renaissance man that the author created takes the reader on a mystical tour through the Middle Kingdom.China Fortunes: A Tale of Business in the New World Overview

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Chinatown Angel: A Mystery (Chico Santana Mysteries) Review

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Chinatown Angel: A Mystery (Chico Santana Mysteries) ReviewChinatown Angel breathes fresh life into the private dick genre with Latino sage P. I. Chico Santana.
He's the only sensible guy in a senseless world of delusional wannabes and their sychophants. A. E. Roman has a knack for capturing the Bronx, Manhattan and other aspects of urban New York in a kind of loving, romantic haze that reminded me of what the city used to be like and where it is unfortunately going.
Roman does a nice job of framing Chico's world in a context that makes you want to flip the pages, not just for Chico's comical, Quixotic quips but for the passages which at times grabbed me by the throat & short hairs.
If you liked Get Shorty or even Polanski's Chinatown, you might have a hoot with this guy's Latino Noir.
Roman's Puerto Rican P. I. Santana's incurable nostalgia & quick wit peppered in with colorful cohorts add a distinct feel to this first novel. I dug it, big time.Chinatown Angel: A Mystery (Chico Santana Mysteries) Overview

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Chinatown Review

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Chinatown ReviewIn this story, with beautiful jewel-toned illustrations reminiscent of Hopper's paintings, a young child, accompanied by his grandmother, shows the reader various aspects of his life in an urban Chinatown. The busy urban setting takes on the elements of smalltown life as the pair cross a street, watch tai chi practicioners, greet the street cobbler, and visit the produce market, the fish market, the herbalist, a kung fu class and other fascinating places. The story culminates at a parade celebrating Chinese New Year. The colorful pictures, rich with detail, and simple, informative text give lots of opportunities for discussion. My two-year-old son has loved this book from the first time we read it, and requests it over and over again.Chinatown Overview

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A Grey Moon Over China Review

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A Grey Moon Over China ReviewI'm typically not one to write a review, but this book rose above the rest (not in a good way) to warrant a quick review.
A Grey Moon Over China, by Thomas A. Day, had me very excited from both the back cover blurb and the opening few chapters. Mr. Day writes in a very fast paced style that really drew me in... again, at first. The trouble started to occur and the book revealed more and more characters and further plot developments with less and less attention paid to fleshing anything out. While this didn't necessarily confuse me, it did disconnect me from the entirety of events as they occurred in rapid-fire succession over the course of many perspective years.
The book's interesting plot continues to entice as the plot unfolds, however it fails to deliver on any but the most superficial sense. I got the impression that Mr. Day ground a 500,000 word manuscript down to its current size, leaving out fluff such as character development and scene description. I gave up on the book when, around 2/3 of the way in, the main character's own unsurpassed genius (despite his continual relegation as ambassador schmuck) susses out obscure pseudo-scientific details known only to the author. I won't spoil it for anyone who might enjoy Mr. Day's style.
In the end, I would best describe this book as frustrating. Just like a wonderful movie concept spoiled at the hands of an awful director, I believe A Grey Moon Over China is an intriguing plot spoiled by the author.A Grey Moon Over China Overview

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Diamond Ruby: A Novel Review

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Diamond Ruby: A Novel ReviewSet against the backdrop of New York in the 1920s, Joseph Wallace's novel DIAMOND RUBY tells the story of Ruby Thomas, who at 17 loses most of her family in a matter of weeks and is left to raise her young nieces alone. With work difficult to find and starvation constantly knocking at the door, Ruby does anything she can think of to keep body and soul together. All her life, she has worked secretly to perfect her unusual skill: throwing a baseball faster and more accurately than anyone else. Finding ways to make that skill marketable leads her first to Coney Island, then on to professional baseball.
If Ruby is a 1920s David, then sexism, anti-semitism, organized crime, the Ku Klux Klan, and baseball itself are Goliath. Armed with a stone, she can put squirrel stew on the table. Armed with a baseball, she can conquer New York itself.
Wallace's story is rich and textured. Ruby and her nieces, in particular, are beautifully drawn, each commanding a unique voice as she contributes to the story. The novel is full of strong women: Ruby's suffragist mother; her wise and compassionate sister-in-law Evie; her friend and fellow athlete, Helen; and her co-worker and companion, Tania. Each contributes in important ways to Ruby's journey.
The author's love of New York and Brooklyn shines through as he writes the story of a city that can take a series of blows as tough as punches from Jack Dempsey, who plays a part in the story, and come back better and stronger. I don't pretend to know baseball all that well, but it's clear that Joseph Wallace does. When he writes about the game and brings its history to life, the passion he has already demonstrated in several non-fiction books about the history of baseball shines through.
DIAMOND RUBY is a page-turner. I sat down with it after lunch on a Sunday afternoon and read until I turned the last page, long past time for dinner. I've already bought a second copy to lend to friends and given it as a gift to two other people.
Read it; then tell someone else to. They'll thank you.Diamond Ruby: A Novel Overview

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Tiger Cruise Review

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Tiger Cruise ReviewThe crew of the USS Cushing is elated to be finally going home after a tour in the Persian Gulf. The trek home is not straight-lined as the ship will pick up passengers from the Pacific Ocean Island of Diego Garcia and drop them off in Japan. The journey includes navigating the Strait of Malacca that separates the Malaysan Peninsula from the Sumatra states of Indonesia. The ship carries some of the more modern nuclear weapons in its arsenal.
On the island of Bangda, just off the outer rim of the Strait of Malacca, sea pirate Michael Prasetyo plans to hijack the USS Cushing while it sails in the nearby Strait. He believes that he can easily sell the weapons and electronic gizmos to his customers. He feels taking the ship will be easy because the ship sails alone and will be inside the Strait during a typhoon that is predicted to hit the area shortly.
The Royal Australian Navy receives a tip from a reliable source that a Strait of Malacca pirate plans to occupy an American destroyer. The HMAS Tobruk is dispatched with orders to do everything possible to insure Prasetyo fails even if it means killing everyone on board the USS Cushing.
TIGER CRUISE is an exciting, non-stop action high seas thriller. The story line is fast-paced at warp speed (no knots for this tale). The scenario feels plausible although some stretches of acceptance are needed. However, the reader will not care, as this novel is full speed ahead and maneuvers the mandatory sequel in place.

Harriet KlausnerTiger Cruise Overview

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The Caine Mutiny: A Novel Review

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The Caine Mutiny: A Novel ReviewThis is perhaps not the greatest novel ever written about World War Two, but it may be the most readable. This is an engrossing, ingenious, and well-written story of ordinary men at sea, placed in an uncommon predicament. Their predicament is simple: their captain is a spectacularly bad leader. This leads to consequences that Wouk develops brilliantly. Wouk's own experience in the US Navy gives this book a gritty authentic feel. The reader really gets a flavor of what it must have been like to be a junior US Naval officer aboard a destroyer-minesweeper. The discussions of officer efficiency reports, the codebreaking duty, casual discipline, and more, all ring true.
The real story is the maturation of Willie Keith. At the beginning of the novel he is a spoiled, overprivileged lad living an aimless life. His time in the service, and the unusual predicament in which he finds himself, hardens him into a true fighting-man in a way that has happened to countless thousands of servicemen. Wouk tells this story exceedingly well, in a manner that most readers will be able to easily relate to. I found this novel to be an unusually good read primarily for this reason. Wouk's writing is first-rate, and it is easy to see why this novel appealed to readers of the early 1950s, many of them with fresh memories of World War Two. The flavor of that war lingers in the novel even today, and gives the twenty-first century reader a notion of what those times were like.
This is altogether a remarkably good novel, deserving of every one of its five stars.The Caine Mutiny: A Novel Overview

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