Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris

About book:

Los Angeles, 1941.  Violinist Maddie Kern's life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto.  Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo.  Her brother's best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants.  Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day  after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent.  In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.

When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Julliard ambitions.  Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs.  As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.

My thoughts:

Story:  Epic.
Writing:  Thoughtful and thorough.
Overall: Unputdownable.

Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is an epic story.  It is historical fiction and romance wrapped into one.  It takes place during WWII and focuses on the Japanese interment camps in the US.  We read about the experience of being forced to stay at these camps and how it affects the people that are interned, but also their loved ones on the outside. It is both riveting and heartbreaking to get through.  I must admit that prior to this novel I had no idea such camps had ever existed - talk about lack of history in history class.  Either way, I'm grateful that McMorris explored this subject and exposed us to an ugly truth in our history that I'm sure not many people are aware of (or at least that is what I hope, since I don't want to be the only ignorant one). 

Vivid in detail and rich in story, this novel showcases the impeccable and thorough research that McMorris undertook when she created this book.  All of her hard work makes for an incredibly authentic read, that leaves you feeling as if you've stepped back in time and are present for the drama and struggles involved with living during WWII.  You read about the difficult decisions people make:  joining the Army to fight for their country, sacrificing your dreams to follow the man you love, and struggling to come to grips with being treated like an enemy in your own country.  You can't help but get caught up in Maddie's, TJ's, and Lane's lives as they fight for the people they love in the only ways they know how.  McMorris is able to mix history and romance so seamlessly, that you aren't even aware of the shift in story lines, because the writing is just that good.

Told from three perspectives, we get a chance to peek inside each of these character's mind's and learn about what they are going through and their version of the truth.  I actually like it when authors' use this tactic to tell a story - I feel it provides us with more insight and offers a much more layered feel to the story.  And believe me, these are three characters that you want to know.  They are complex, emotional and relatable - which makes them feel like people you might just know.  Their internal and external struggles will tug at your heart strings and leave you an emotional mess.  You want them to get what they want and you won't forget them anytime soon.

McMorris has done an excellent job with this novel.  From the characters, setting, and exploration of themes, such as love, patriotism, and family loyalty, you can't help but be impressed by her talent. I would most definitely recommend Bridge of Scarlet Leaves to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - check it out! You will not be disappointed!!

Thank you to Rare Bird Lit and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

JLC6 is almost here...

Dolce Bellezza's Japanese Literature Challenge 6 (JLC6) begins June 1st (this Friday!!) and I can't wait!  From June 1st thru January 30th, 2013 all you have to do is read one (yep, just 1) book of Japanese Literature or poetry written by a Japanese author or poet to participate - how easy is that?!  The hard part is deciding which books to read (yes, I plan on reading more than one book this year).

Here are my tentative choices for the JLC6:

What do you think? Not a bad selection, eh? If you have any books you can recommend to me for the JLC6, please feel free to let me know in a comment.  And, don't forget to consider joining in on the fun yourself.  If you have any questions, just head on over to Bellezza's site for further details.

My New American Life: A Novel by Francine Prose

About book:

Lula, a twenty-six-year-old Albanian woman living surreptitiously in New York City on an expiring tourist visa, hopes to make a better life for herself in America.  When she lands a job caring for a rebellious high schooler in wealthy, suburban New Jersey, it seems that the American dream may finally be within reach.  But things take a sinister turn when Lula's Albanian "brothers" show up in a black SUV to remind her that all Albanians are family - and that Lula's family has a very serious favor to ask.

Set in the aftermath of 9/11, My New American Life offers a biting and darkly humorous portrait of an era when dreams and ideals began to give way to cynicism, fear, and still-resonating questions about what it means to be an American.

My Thoughts:

Story:  Lackluster.

Writing:  Solid.

Overall:  Disappointing.

My New American Life was not as great a read as I had hoped.  There was just something lacking throughout it all.  The writing was solid enough, but the whole time I just felt like something was missing.  Maybe the fact that the characters were stereotypical and began to grate on my nerves didn't help.  Or it could have been the ridiculous story lines that went from silly to preposterous in a nano- second that also didn't help.  Either way, this was not a good book.

I feel badly writing that I didn't care for the book, but its true - I didn't.  However, I have to be honest and admit that in spite of my dislike for the story and characters, the writing itself was rather good.  In fact, the writing is what prodded me to keep on reading - I secretly hoped it would somehow rescue the story at some point (sadly, it didn't).  I know its weird to say the book was disappointing and then admit I liked the writing, but its true.  It was the lackluster story lines that kept me from enjoying My New American Life.  I mean, the story would not have progressed had Lula not accepted to watch a gun for some shady characters that rolled up to her house in a black SUV.  However, the fact that a woman who was worried about her legal status would even agree to such a task was rather absurd.  Then again, this is the same character who found herself attracted to one of these shady guys and enjoying the idea that he might be stalking her.  Seriously!?!   The whole idea for the book seemed  rather farcical in nature, but never really went any deeper than it could have and instead just skated along a superficial surface throughout the entire story.  And that is what lacked from the story - depth, meaning, purpose.  Without anything to engage with, I found myself plodding along unhappily until the last page.

This is definitely not a book that I will be recommending to my friends or family.  However, I don't feel right just labeling it as a bad read.  The truth is that I've read some glowing reviews for this book, so there could be something I missed, and with that in mind, here is the link to the TLC Book Tour page for this book.  Check it out and read some other posts - who knows, maybe you'll wind up loving My New American Life. 

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

Arranged: A Novel by Catherine McKenzie

About book:

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF ANNE BLYTHE'S RELATIONSHIPS HAS ENDED IN DISASTER, SO WHEN FATE LEADS HER TO THE DOORSTEP OF A HIGHLY SECRETIVE ARRANGED-MARRIAGE AGENCY, SHE DECIDES TO TAKE A CHANCE.

Anne Blythe has a great life: a good job, good friends, and a potential book deal for her first novel.  When it comes to finding someone to share it with, however, she just can't seem to get it right. 

After yet another relationship ends, Anne comes across a business card for what she thinks is a dating service.  When her best friend, Sarah, announces she's engaged, Anne can't help feeling envious.  On an impulse, she dials the number on the card... but soon discovers the company isn't a dating service; it's an exclusive, and pricey, arranged-marriage service.  Anne initially rejects the idea, but the more she thinks about it - and the company's success rate - the more it appeals to her.  And so, a few months later, Anne is traveling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack.  And against all odds, everything seems to be working out...

My thoughts: 

Story:  Fun.
Writing:  Enjoyable.
Overall:  Great chick lit read!

Arranged was the perfect light read for a rainy afternoon.  I swear I sat down with my cuppa and  this book for just an hour of reading, but wound up staying put until I finished reading the entire thing.  It was such a fast and fun read that I couldn't put it down.  And truthfully, I was in the mood for a chick lit book and this one fit the bill perfectly.  It had a protagonist I could relate to, some romance, best friend drama, a break up to get through, and of course the typical, "happily ever after" ending that I love. 

The story is about Anne Blythe and her never-ending luck of dating the wrong guy.  She's just broken up for the umpteenth time, when she finds out that her best friend has gotten engaged.  Feeling lonely and a tad jealous, Anne decides to phone a dating service in the hopes of meeting someone new.  However, the dating service she sets up an appointment with turns out to be a company that specializes in arranged marriages.  Curious about the concept of an arranged marriage and the fact that the company boasts a 95 percent guarantee, Anne decides to plunge ahead with the matchmaking process.  She fills out forms, hands over a check and attends therapy sessions all in the hopes of finding her perfect match.  Meanwhile, Anne doesn't tell anyone about her arranged marriage and instead continues to go on bad dates, work on her book (that is getting published!), and discussing wedding plans with her best friend.  However, things go from hypothetical to very real when Anne gets the call that a match has been found.  Soon enough she is flying to Mexico to meet her future husband and find out if marriage really is all that she's always imagined it to be.  Of course, life never goes along with your plans, so there are plenty of highs and lows leading up to and following Anne's wedding day - you just won't believe it!  

Catherine McKenzie has written a smart and entertaining book filled with likeable and relatable characters that you can't help but root for.  And the story line itself, will have you eagerly turning pages to find out what happens next.   Arranged is the perfect read to while away the day with.  I would recommend it to anyone interested in chick lit (women's fiction).

*Thanks to William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) for providing me with a copy of this great book!

Winner of THE EXPATS Giveaway is...

 

 

Kathy from BermudaOnion's Weblog!! Congrats!!