C. B. Bernard

I was transfixed!

This tale crept up on me and wouldn’t let go. From Nanuqmiut Village in Alaska where a lonely giant of a man, Farley, lost all he cared about to a bear; to the darkside of Portland, Oregon, where the “under housed” are organizing and occupying space outside apartments. The apartment tenants have to run a gauntlet of harassment and more entering and leaving the building.
One tenant, Lissa nearly looses her daughter Olive after being menaced by a homeless man. Lissa is startled by his dog tied to the bus shelter. It’s raining and a domino effect ensues. Lissa bumps into Olive who falls into the watery gutter just as a truck’s coming. Olive is rescued by Farley. It’s the beginning of a new mission for Farley, not that he knows it at the time.
Olive goes missing, the police ignore Lissa’s pleas, and Farley takes up her cause.
The plot is relentless, empathetic and fascinating.
An unusual story that has attitude and compassion, along with some shocking moments.

A Blackstone ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.… (plus d'informations)

Small Animals Caught in Traps by C. B. Bernard

This book is a gritty meditation on the difficulties of defeating childhood trauma. Former boxer and current fishing guide Lewis Yaw is stuck reliving the worst parts of his past while both dreaming and awake, and is unable to focus on his family. As his daughter Grayling grows up to become his apprentice, and proves herself to be as fiercely independent as her father, Lewis spirals within a murky cage of memories, afraid to see history repeat itself.

This is a book where a lot of action occurs, but becomes meaningless because it also feels like nothing happens. In my opinion, the plot was too predictable. The target audience of this book is obviously male, but I don’t know if it will find that audience ready and willing to read this book, because it’s such a slow burn. It is a bloody and brutal book, but it lacks a fulfilling ending or morals learned. I thought the female characters were poorly written, more fantasy than fully fleshed-out characters. The themes are dark and dreary, and like the name of the town this book is appropriately set in, I felt a lot of Disappointment. The characters are unlikable, the settings feel weak, and the author’s constant use of confusingly obscure and nonsensical similes/metaphors was frustrating. I was extremely unimpressed, and thought that the cover was the best part of the book.… (plus d'informations)