Jennifer Haupt

This collection is marvellous, let me tell ya. COVID is driving me (and everyone else, it seems) insane. Being stuck inside, being forced to work to pay bills, being scared and anxious and worried... We're all in the same boat, even when we're not. We're all in this together. And this book reminds readers of this.

Faith Adiele's The New Old Vocabulary showed me COVID from a very different angle. I'm up in Canada, just chilling at home, doing full time school and reading my little heart out. I'm picking up new hobbies and trying my best, but her comments... It put life into a perspective. I complained about being alone, but having the opportunity to be semi-safe, but not everyone in the U.S.A. is. The stats about African American men being arrested when they're just trying to help homeless people... It hurts. It makes my soul ache. Really ache.

Andre Dubus the Third's story made my eyes well up, reading about his mother-in-law's thoughts on COVID. It hurt. It hurt real bad. But at the same time, it made me not feel alone. I'm not the only one questioning why this is here. It made humanity feel so much better than the crazies in my town screaming and threatening each other if they get 10 feet near them.

Laura Stanfill's story about Priya... It makes me weep. It's so close to home, yet so beautifully written. Grace Talusan's also made my heart feel so sad. Jean Kowk's gave me hope, and made my heart sing because I related to it in so many ways.

Then there's more poems, and essays, and interviews, and short stories throughout. Some will bring tears, some will open your eyes and some will give you hope. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a piece of work in this for everyone. It'll make you feel connected to a community you didn't know was there. It made me feel more at home then I have in months, which is a feat all in itself. It's nice knowing that we're not alone in this big battle.

There's love, hate, fear and hope throughout. This is one absolutely incredible collection that I am so happy and proud of picking up. We need books to remind us of our humanity sometimes, and this book did it.

Also, the reminders of George Floyd, and the racism and hate that still lingers... It's as bad as COVID, if not worse. Because racism is avoidable if people could be kind, COVID and super viruses, not as much.

We need justice.

Five out of five stars.… (more)

Come As You Are by Jennifer Haupt is a recommended novel that is part family drama, part coming-of-age story.

Zane and Skye meet as creative, lonely young teens, 14 and 12, and become best friends. As Zane is the lead singer for his band, the two become part of Seattle’s grunge scene in the early ’90s and dream of moving to LA. Then an accident happens to Skye's sister that totally changes their world. The two become lovers, Skye becomes pregnant and they leave their homes and any support system behind. Now, ten years later Zane has been long gone for years, Skye is a single mother to daughter Montana (Tana) and is newly engaged to Aaron. The Skye's estranged father dies, Zane calls her, and she decides to finally return to Seattle after a long absence.

The narrative unfolds through a dual timeline, alternating between the early 90's in Seattle and the present, in 2002, in New Mexico. There are also flashbacks. Often I appreciate novels that use alternating timelines, but the plot device wasn't entirely successful in this novel. Perhaps it was the number of transitions between the earlier time period and 2002, as well as flashbacks, that made this narrative device seem an overly confusing ploy rather than a good choice to propel the plot forward. After sticking with the novel, it was easier to just go along with the writing choice in order to find out what happens.

Many readers will be entranced by the depiction of the early grunge scene in Seattle. Really, much of this novel consists of characters coming-of-age while all repeatedly making bad choices and bad decisions as they deal with family drama. That can be entertaining whether you find the characters appealing or not. The characters can be a bit frustrating because of their choices, but, then, much of that is due to immaturity. The ending wasn't entirely believable for me, however, plenty of readers are going to enjoy Come As You Are.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Central Avenue Publishing via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/12/come-as-you-are.html… (more)

Historical fiction about three women coming to terms with grief and seeking personal peace in Rwanda. Each of the three primary characters has experienced loss. All are connected to Henry Shepherd, a photojournalist, who has abandoned two families. The storyline revolves around the unraveling the mystery of Henry’s disappearance, while gaining an understanding of how the people of Rwanda are coping with the aftermath of the 1994 genocide.

This is an American look at an African tragedy. It is about a search for family and the healing of wounds, some of which are so deep they may never be mended or forgiven. This book involves multiple narrators and jumps back and forth to different timelines from before, during, and years after the genocide. Haupt includes enough information about Rwanda’s history without overgeneralizing. This is an ambitious novel, covering a variety of complex interpersonal relationships and tackling heavy subjects such as race, grief, compassion, loneliness, belonging, and vulnerability.

Haupt’s writing is beautifully detailed and descriptive, providing a sense of place and community. The characters are well-developed and believable, and the conclusion is satisfying. There are a few plot holes and inconsistencies, and the inclusion of a romance seems unnecessary, but this is a promising debut.
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This is the second book I have read by author, Jennifer Haupt. I am not disappointed. In fact, I am looking forward to reading her next book. As soon as I started reading this book, I was instantly transported back in time. It is as if I could see everyone as clear as if they were standing in front of me.

Zane and Skye shared a complex history that was filled with sorrow, heartache, friendship, and love. Yet, the way that they interacted with each other was lovely. They showed how much they grew from the teenagers that they were to the adults that they had become.

This book is very character driven and I am all for it. Thus, the reason that I enjoyed this book so much and Jennifer as an author. She really does infuse such life into her characters. This is a book you will want to check out.… (more)