A Bookish Way of Life

Our Man In The Dark: A Novel by Rashad Harrison

2012-01-23T16:30:00.000-05:00

About book:

A stunning debut historical noir novel about a worker in the civil rights movement who became an informant for the FBI during the months leading up to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Feeling underappreciated and overlooked, John Estem, a bookkeeper for Dr. King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), steals ten thousand dollars from the organization. Originally planning to use the money to seed a new civil rights initiative in Chicago, he squanders the stolen funds.

To the bookkeeper's dismay, the FBI has been keeping close tabs on Dr. King and his fellow activists - including Estem - for years. FBI agents tell Estem that it is his duty, as an American and as a civil rights supporter, to protect the SCLC from communist infiltration. The FBI offers Estem a stipend, but in case he has any thoughts about refusing the assignment, they also warn him that they know about the stolen money.

Playing informant empowers Estem, but he soon learns that his job is not simply to relay information on the organization. Once the FBI discovers evidence of King's sexual infidelities, they set out to confirm the facts to undermine King's credibility as a moral leader and bring down the movement.

This timely novel comes in light of recent revelations that government informants had infiltrated numerous black movement organizations. With historical facts at the core of Our Man in the Dark, Harrison uses real life as a great inspiration for his drama-filled art.

My thoughts: (I haven't finished the book, but here are my thoughts so far)

I am loving this noir style of historical fiction. It is truly making for an enjoyable read. I am so caught up in Estem's story that I simply can't put the book down. From his flawed character to the imperfections of Dr. King, I am riveted by how this story is unfolding.

Harrison has written the story of a man named John Estem. Working as the bookkeeper for the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Estem often finds himself being ignored by his colleagues and his ideas overlooked by his boss, Gant. He simply wants for Dr. King to be aware of him and his ideas and know that he is someone who should be a part of their closed door meetings and that he can help with promoting their civil rights movement agenda. Instead, Estem is left with picking up Gant's dry cleaning and going over the accounts. With regards to his personal life, it mirrors his work life - ignored and overlooked. In love with Candy, this woman he has known for ages, Estem is frequently showing up at her place of work only to be told by Candy and her boss/boyfriend to leave her alone. At the end of the day, Estem is left with his leg brace and the occasional hangover. Did I mention he wears a leg brace - its due to his bout with polio as a child.

However, one day, Estem decides to take action. He steals some money from the SCLC and uses it to buy some fancy clothes and a car - all in the hopes of finally getting Candy's attention. Once again rebuffed, he finds himself outside in the alley getting beat on by some of Candy's boyfriend's hired thugs. Except, the beating stops when headlights shine down on them and two men with guns tell the thugs to back off and leave Estem alone. Suddenly, things are about to get seriously turned around in Estem's world. Turns out the two men are from the FBI and they have been watching Estem, the SCLC and Dr. King and have decided that it was time to call on Estem for some help. Aware of the money he has stolen, they use that information as leverage to make Estem an informant for the FBI in the investigation of the SCLC and Dr. King. They want to make sure that neither party has been infiltrated by the communist party as they have proof that Gant has communist ties from his past. Shocked by the facts that are laid out before him, but also wanting to prove himself, Estem agrees to become an informant for the FBI. Plus, he realizes that in order to pay back the money he stole, he will need the weekly earnings that the FBI is promising him. And so, the story really begins as we read on to see how Estem will handle being an informant and the ways in which this new line of work will affect him personally and professionally. Estem will soon learn that the FBI expects more than he is willing to give and that people are not all what they seem. He will need to learn to stand up for himself and for what he believes in - the only question is, will he be able to do so.

Written with such vivid detail and compelling characters, Harrison has created a must-read book. The story is engaging and keeps you on your toes as you keep on reading to find out what will happen next to Estem. Plus, the fact that Dr. King is one of the characters, well, that alone makes for some fascinating reading. You will not be disappointed! I would definitely recommend this fantastic debut novel, Our Man In The Dark, by Rashad Harrison to everyone interested in history, noir and fiction - you will get the best combination of all three in this one book. Enjoy! ( I know I'm enjoying the book! And now I'm off to finish it!)

Thank you TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

An Exclusive Love: A Memoir by Johanna Adorjan

2012-01-20T19:14:00.000-05:00

About book:

An Exclusive Love is at once a brilliantly constructed memoir and a gorgeous romance. As the author writes, "This book tells the story of Vera and Istvan, Hungarian Jews who survived the Holocaust, fled during the 1956 uprising in Budapest to Denmark, and in 1991 in Copenhagen took their own lives. They were found in their bed, hand in hand. It is the story of an unusual love. The story of my grandparents."

My thoughts:

I just finished reading this one last night and all I can say is, "Wow." This book fascinated me from the beginning and left me crying at the end. Its a book about searching for answers and self-reflection. Its a book that will definitely leave you thinking about life, death and the choices we make.

On October 13, 1991, Vera and Pista committed suicide. They were found lying side by side in bed holding hands. Pista had been ill and was not going to live much longer, but his wife, Vera, was healthy and had many more years left to live. So, why did they choose to end their lives together before their time had truly come? That is what Johanna, their granddaughter, is seeking the answer to, along with a host of other questions that she hopes will help her understand her grandparents better.

Written as a memoir, this book is a combination of imagined history and a series of interviews with old friends and family members who have known her grandparents for ages. The imagined part is due to Johanna recounting the day her grandparents committed suicide - their last day events so to speak. From waking up and getting out of bed to the toast they eat, every detail is recalled with clarity, as if Johanna were there watching her grandparents go about living out their last day alive. It all makes for quite an emotional read, because you can't help but get involved in this story of unanswered questions. You can't help but hope Johanna finds the answers she is searching for and you can't help but cry at the tragic realization that Vera and Pista really did commit suicide.

I can only imagine how difficult it must have been at times for Johanna to have written this book about her grandparents and their past and their death. From the discoveries she made along the way to the understanding that this suicide was a plan in the making for quite some time, Johanna learns quite a bit about her family and herself. This is a well written story about real people and the choices they have made during their lifetime. These people are flawed, unhappy and survivors of a genocide that left them emotionally scarred for life. Yet, they are also happy, successful and completely in love with one another. This is a book that will leave you in a rather emotional state when you are done reading, which I think speaks volumes about the level of storytelling - it is riveting and quite beautiful the way Johanna has chosen to explore her grandparents' past and share their story with us. You will not be disappointed!

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone interested in the memoir genre or anyone who enjoys a well written and solid read. This is a book that will stay with you for quite some time afterward - or at least I know it will stay with me for quite some time. And just so you know, An Exclusive Love: A Memoir will be released in paperback on January 30, 2012. So, go out and get yourself a copy of this must read!

By the way, thank you to Allie Bodack from W. W. Norton & Company for providing me with a copy of the book.

Night Swim: A Novel by Jessica Keener

2012-01-12T20:50:00.002-05:00

About book:

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Kunitz lives in a posh, suburban world of 1970 Boston. From the outside, her parents' lifestyle appears enviable - a world defined by cocktail parties, expensive cars, and live-in maids to care for their children - but inside their five-bedroom house, all is not well for the Kunitz family. Coming home from school, Sarah fins her well-dressed, pill popping mother lying disheveled on their living room couch. At night, to escape their parents' arguments, Sarah and her oldest brother, Peter, find solace in music, while her two younger brothers retreat to their rooms and imaginary lives. Any vestige of decorum and stability drains away when their mother dies in a car crash one terrible winter day. Soon after, their father, a self-absorbed, bombastic professor begins an affair with a younger colleague. Sarah, aggrieved, dives into two summer romances that lead to unforeseen circumstances. In a story that will make you laugh and cry, Night Swim shows how a family, bound by heartache, learns to love again.

My thoughts:

What a fantastic debut novel! The writing was great, the characters interesting, and the story gripping. You can't help but get caught up in the lives of the Kunitz' as their facade of a picture perfect family begins to crack and crumble. We have a father who is self-absorbed, a mother who blames her children for everything, a son who runs away, two little ones who hide behind their imagination and a rebellious teen-aged daughter - talk about dysfunctional!

When her mother passes away, we find the teen-aged daughter, Sarah, struggling to come to grips with her grief. Feeling more and more disconnected from her family, she chooses to fall into the arms of boys and summer flings. As a result of her romantic entanglements, Sarah is left to deal with some unforeseen consequences long after summer is over.

Heartbreaking at times, Night Swim makes for quite an emotional read. You can't help but feel Sarah's angst as she itches to become a woman, or shed a tear or two as you realize how truly broken this family is. Keener has done an excellent job with her observations and portrayal of a dysfunctional family. She has created a strong character with Sarah and you can't help but find yourself relating to her at times. The quite strength and vulnerability that Sarah exudes makes you feel compassionate towards her and has you realizing that in spite of her teen-aged(ness), Sarah is still a child. And, truthfully, you can't help but be amazed with this world that Keener has created.

Night Swim is a book that I would definitely recommend to everyone looking for a good read- you will not be disappointed! I know that I'm looking forward to reading more of Keener's work in the future.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with copy of the book!

Situations Matter: Understanding How Context Transforms Your World by Sam Sommers

2012-01-09T21:07:00.001-05:00

About Book:

A fascinating exploration of the invisible forces that influence your life - and how understanding them can improve everything you do.

The world around you is shaping your innermost instincts and your most private of preferences, and you don't even realize it. Every day we overlook the enormous power of context in our lives. That's a mistake, says Sam Sommers in Situations Matter: Understanding How Context Transforms Your World. In this provocative and surprising book, Sommers reveals the powerful influence that context has in our lives and uses these insights to rethink how we see the world, making us more effective at work, at home, and with others.

My thoughts:

To kick off 2012 I thought I would start off with something in the nonfiction genre, so I picked up Sam Sommers' Situation Matters. Its a self-help type of book that has you looking at the bigger picture - looking at a situation as a whole and not just in the context of how it relates to only you. Basically, we need to expand our awareness, because the context of situations do matter and the way we react to them does in fact influence and impact the ways in which we conduct our daily lives. Pretty interesting stuff, eh? Actually, it was.

Sommers writes about this topic in such an open and engaging manner that you can't help but soon become immersed in all things situational. From the beginning, Sommers has you relating to him and a situation he found himself in at the airport. The plane was delayed and he wanted a voucher for a hotel room for him and his wife, since the delay was caused by the airline. Of course, waiting in line at the airline's counter, he notices that everyone is complaining and yelling at the airline representative and as a result no one is getting anything - no vouchers! So, instead of heading to the counter and giving the rep a piece of his mind, he chats with the rep about the situation and makes sure to mention that he knows there must be something that she can do to help, even though he understands it is not the airline's policy to do anything. In a final bid to really relate to the woman, Sommers confides that his wife is two months pregnant and that the airline rep is the second person to find out the news - the first being the doctor. This secret seals the deal and soon enough, Sommers and his wife are resting at a hotel that very night. So, one can infer from this situation that it always pays to be nice and that sharing confidences can really bond strangers (to an extent).

Throughout the book, Sommers mentions a variety of scenarios that really test people's limits by gauging how far they will or will not go to help out a stranger to how quickly people judge one another if and when their actions are not to our liking. He uses pop culture references as another means of illustrating his point that raising out awareness is the key to really figuring out how to handle the various situations that life throws our way. Instead of rushing through life, we need to stop and pay attention - you know, smell the roses. Sommers is basically saying that we need to be more mindful of our actions and responses, because they are representative of who we are and can determine how we see others and how they see us. We need to be more aware.

Suffice it to say, reading this book has definitely made me more conscious of how I react to situations. In fact, I recognize now how badly I tend to overreact, which does not help me in any way. Plus, I have this horrible habit of interrupting, which again, does not do me any favors. Of course, now that I'm aware of these shortcomings, its all I see. Talk about tunnel vision. Anyhow, at least I'm working on breaking out of those bad habits. I'm also working on paying closer attention to situations, so that I can learn how to handle myself in a manner that will not only benefit me, but everyone involved. I realize that context really does matter - how you read someone or something definitely influences your reaction and the end result. Instead of getting upset over something that I have no control over, I need to really take stock of what matters and focus on the positive. I know that these ideas that Sommers discusses are ones we already know on some level, but just the same, I feel as if I am learning them all over again. Sometimes it helps to remind yourself of what you already know.

Anyhow, I just want to say this has been one fascinating read - definitely a great way to kick off 2012! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone - you will not be disappointed!

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

The 2011 Indie Lit Awards Short List is here!!

2012-01-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

Finally! We have the short lists for the 2011 Indie Lit Awards. And here they are:

Biography/ Memoir

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (Penguin)
Bossypants by Tina Fey (Reagan Arthur Books)
I Pray Hardest When Being Shot At by Kyle Garret (Hellgate Press)
Little Princes by Conor Grennan (William Morrow)
Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch (Harper)

GLBTQ

Well With My Soul by Gregory Allen (ASD Publishing)
Swimming to Chicago by David Matthew Barnes (Bold Strokes Books)
Songs of the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout (Circumspect Press)
Nina Here Nor There: My Journey Beyond Gender by Nick Krieger (Beacon Press)
Huntress by Melinda Lo (little brown books for young readers)

Fiction

Dance Lessons by Aine Greaney (Syracuse University Press)
Cross Currents by John Shors (Penguin Group: NAL Trade)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Knopf/Doubleday Publishing Group)
Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill)
The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (Penguin Group)

Mystery

Missing Daughter, Shattered Family by Liz Strange (MLR Press)
The Cut by George Pelecanos (Reagan Arthur/LIttle, Brown)
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (St. Martin’s Press)
The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey (Dutton)
Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski (Mulholland Books/Little, Brown)

Non-Fiction

Berlin 1961 by Frederick Kempe (Putnam Adult)
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (Crown)
Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff (Harper)
Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku (Doubleday)
The Social Animal by David Brooks (Random House)

Poetry

Beyond Scent of Sorrow by Sweta Vikram (Modern History Press)
Catalina by Laurie Soriano (Lummox Press)
What Looks Like an Elephant by Edward Nudelman (Lummox Press)
Three Women: A Poetic Triptych and Selected Poems by Ramos, Emma Eden (Heavy Hands Ink)
Sonics in Warholia by Megan Volpert (Sibling Rivalry Press)

Speculative Fiction

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Candlewick)
The Magician King by Lev Grossman (Viking)
11/22/1963 by Stephen King (Scribner)
Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor Books)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Crown)

What great lists! I can't wait to find out which titles will win! The winners will be announced mid-March. Until then, I'm off to read a stack from the Biography/Memoir category (which is the category that I'm voting in ). If you want any more information on the Indie Lit Awards, check out the site.

End of Year Survey

2011-12-26T17:00:00.000-05:00

Borrowed this from Dolce Bellezza who stole this from The Literary Stew who stole it from The Perpetual Page- Turner. And so here goes:
1. Best Book(s) You Read in 2011?

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
An Object of Beauty - Steve Martin

2. Most Disappointing Book?

Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson - expected it to better than it was.
A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cosse - expected more from the book.
Bossypants by Tina Fey - definitely love Fey on 30 Rock, but didn't really care for her book.

3. Most Surprising (in a good way!) Book of 2011?

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

4. Book(s) you recommended to people most in 2011?

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin
Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

Don't really read series that often, so... none.

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

Simon Van Booy
Ann Patchett
Steve Martin

7. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

8. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

9. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

10. Most memorable character in 2011?

I have two - Aomame and Tengo from 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.

11. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

12. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin

13. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

Villette by Charlotte Bronte

14. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read in 2011?

I have too many to remember, but they were mostly found in 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami and Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

15. Book that you read in 2011 that you would be most likely reread in 2012?

Not sure which one I would read again in 2012 - the ones I loved I would rather wait a few years before reading again. So I suppose my answer is none of them.

16. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami had plenty of these types of scenes.

A Day in Books Meme

2011-12-22T10:43:00.000-05:00

I found this on The Literary Stew's blog and thought I'd give it a go. Here goes:

I began the day with A Visit From the Goon Squad
On my way to work I saw A Horseman in the Sky
and walked by A Novel Bookstore
to avoid The Radleys
but I made sure to stop at The Gin & Chowder Club
In the office, my boss said "Swing Low."
and sent me to research An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge
At lunch with Irma Voth
I noticed An Object of Beauty
under Shiny Objects
then went back to my desk Chosen
Later, on the journey home, I bought 32 Candles
because I have Bedbugs
then settling down for the evening, I picked up The Three Weissmanns of Westport
and studied Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough
before saying goodnight to Rip Van Winkle

Happy Holidays!!

The Printmaker's Daughter by Katherine Govier

2011-12-12T21:32:00.004-05:00

About book:

Recounting the story of her life, Oei plunges us into the colorful world of nineteenth-century Edo, in which courtesans rub shoulders with poets, warriors consort with actors, and the arts flourish in an unprecedented moment of creative upheaval. Oei and Hokusai live among writers, novelists, tattoo artists, and prostitutes, evading the spies of the repressive shogunate as they work on Hokusai's countless paintings and prints. Wielding her brush, rejecting domesticity in favor of dedication to the arts, Oei defies all expectations of womanhood - all but one. A dutiful daughter to the last, she will obey the will of her eccentric father, the man who created her and who, ultimately will rob her of her place in history.

Vivid, daring, and unforgettable, The Paintmaker's Daughter shines fresh light on art, loyalty, and the tender and indelible bond between father and daughter.

My thoughts:

I liked this book. It was interesting and rather rich in detail; which made it easy to imagine nineteenth century Japan. Plus, the fact that Oei is based on an actual historical figure added an element of authenticity to the story. Reading about the art work and the relationship that Oei had with her father was fascinating. She devoted her life to him and in return he expected more and more from her. Her art work surpassed her father's in talent and scope, yet Oei would not take any credit for it. Instead, she would allow her father to pass her work off as his, thereby cementing his place in the art world. His desire for the limelight far outweighed any paternal inklings he may have felt for his daughter, which made Oei resentful. She struggled to deal with the fact that her relationship with her father was completely one-sided; her talent hidden beneath his name.

Suffice it to say the characters definitely captured my attention. Their struggles and passions were captivating to read about. Oei was a young woman who eschewed Japan's societal construct of what a woman should be - obedient wife. Instead, she chose to focus on her art and embrace some of the wayward ways that were impressed on her as a child. Hokusai, Oei's father, took her around with him as he traveled and worked on his painting; and as a result, they were usually surrounded by a circle of peers that consisted of fellow artists, prostitutes, writers and actors ( the very people who bucked society's rules ). Definitely an interesting group of people to have influence your daughter, wouldn't you say?

As for the art work - well, after reading so much about it and picturing it in my mind, how could I not seek it out? Luckily for me, the author has included examples of both Oei and Hokusai's pieces on her website. Definitely something I enjoyed checking out.

Aside from enjoying the story and characters, I found the writing to be solid and engaging. The pace was perfect for a sweeping epic, which is just how I would characterize this historical fiction text. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, Japanese culture and history and Japanese art.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book!

Chosen: A Novel by Chandra Hoffman

2011-11-30T20:47:00.001-05:00

About Book:

It all begins with a fantasy...

A caseworker in her "paperwork-signing" suit alongside beaming parents cradling their adopted newborn: this is the blissful picture that keeps Chloe Pinter, director of Portland's Chosen Child domestic adoption program, happy as she juggles the demands of her boss and the incessant needs of adoptive and biological parents.

But the dream job that offers Chloe refuge from her turbulent personal life soon becomes a nightmare involving three very different couples: the college sweethearts who, after suffering fertility problems, are now expecting their own baby; the wealthy husband and desperate wife for whom adoption is a last chance; and the couple who has nothing - except the baby everyone wants. But when a child goes missing, perceptions of family and future are challenged, posing the questions: What happens when you get what you thought you wanted? How far would go if it wasn't what you wanted after all?

My Thoughts:

I'm not very familiar with the adoption process, so to say this book opened my eyes would be an understatement. This book focused on every aspect of the adoption process, from the high costs to the emotional struggles that the biological and adoptive parents both endure as they become further enmeshed in each other's lives, along with the realization that the idea of a baby is vastly different from the reality of having a baby become a part of your life and family.

Solid and engaging, this story does tug at your heart strings and brings you along the journeys of three couples as they attempt to discover what "family" means to them. We have the couple who is giving up their baby and wanting the adoptive family to provide financial support to them; another couple who have tried fertility treatments to start a family, but have been unsuccessful with the results and so have opted for adoption; and the third couple, who have finally had a baby of their own after being rejected as prospective adoptive parents. Along with the couples, we have Chloe, the caseworker dealing with the drama from her latest adoption case, who is also trying to figure out her life and relationship issues. Definitely enough characters to make for a page-turning read. As for the characters themselves, they are not as fleshed out as I would have enjoyed and truthfully it would have been nice to learn more about Chloe. However, I do recognize that the book's main purpose was to focus on the adoption process and not just the caseworker's personal life.

Overall, the book was a good read. Its not my usual choice of reading fare, but it was definitely interesting. My only gripe was that the use of alternating chapters to tell us the story from each character's perspective was disappointing. Instead of aiding the flow of the story, it made following the story a bit difficult at times. Oh, and just so you know, none of the characters are truly likable (except for Chloe I suppose), which doesn't bother me when reading a book (but I figured you should know in case you don't like reading books about unlikable characters). I suppose I would recommend this book to anyone interested in reading about the adoption process and anyone else looking for a good, solid read on a rainy day.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book!

Ghellow Road: A Novel by T.H. Waters

2011-11-21T20:26:00.011-05:00

About Book:

Ghellow Road is a literary diary of a young girl's journey through the tangled labyrinth that is her life. Theresa's story begins in a large midwestern city where she is born to loving parents in 1965. For a brief moment in time, her life is full, as is her heart, and the world is hers to receive without consequence. As times passes and Theresa grows, supernatural forces begin to shape her existence, no matter how carefully her father colors the empty spaces of her world. After a series of tragic events, Theresa and her family seek refuge in a small Minnesota town nestled near the shores of Rainy Lake. She creates a new life for herself there, sharing adventures with friends and riding the ups and downs of adolescence. Yet through it all, her mother remains forever lost in the prison of her own mind and forever lost to Theresa. The young girl feels as though she is leading a double life, one that no one else could possibly understand. She begins to peer at the world as if looking through a thick, black veil, never certain which pieces are illusion and which are not. Through the kindness and support of the townspeople, she eventually summons the strength to survive. This is a story of tragedy and triumph. This is the story of my life...

My Thoughts:

Truthfully when I was given the opportunity to read Ghellow Road I wasn’t really sure what to expect. However, I am so happy I read this amazing memoir about a childhood filled with pain and struggle. It truly captivated me from the start and I could not put it down - in fact, I read it all in one sitting on a rainy Saturday.

What we have is a story about a family that becomes fractured and completely broken as a result of the mother's battle with mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. The mother is terribly depressed and often talks to the voices that only she can hear - incidents that Theresa is witness to at such an early age. Of course, being so young, Theresa is unable to understand why it is that her mother is home one day and gone the next. Instead she must deal with being shuffled around to different homes, without a parent to watch over her. Her father is so lost and unable to handle his wife's mental illness. And her brother leaves home as soon as he can and doesn't look back - he doesn't want to deal with the fact that his relationship with his mother is nonexistent.

It’s really rather heartbreaking having to read how alone these children were and the ways in which they had to fend for themselves. Reading about Theresa managing childhood and the angst-ridden teen-aged years is sad and riveting. The ups and downs that life throws her way makes you wonder how Theresa will turn out - will she be a victim of a broken home or will she be an exception and grow up to be a strong and independent woman capable of tackling the world? The answer is that you will be happily surprised and amazed at the positive direction that Theresa manages to steer her life. Thanks to some dear friends and members of her community, Theresa is able to finally get some help and support, which truly do make a difference in her life. Not only does she realize that there are good people and experiences out there in the world, but that there are people who care about her. Plus, Theresa envisions a future for herself, which I believe is the biggest success of all.

Well written, compelling and very character-driven, Ghellow Road is a memorable book that will leave you feeling sad and happy. Though heartbreaking to read at times, you will enjoy the few happy moments that Theresa recalls, along with the ending where she finds herself heading toward her future. Broken up into two books, “Living in the Shadow of The Invisibles” and " Fumbling through the Tangled Labyrinth”, this story does not contain any chapters and simply flows from one memory to the next. You can get a sense of how Theresa is remembering her childhood and teen-aged years. Definitely a good read! I would recommend this book to anyone interested in memoirs, books on family dysfunction and stories that involve mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. This is one book that I will not soon forget.

I want to thank T. H. Waters for providing me with a copy of this great book - it was engaging and emotional and completely captivating!

Shiny Objects: Why We Spend Money We Don't Have in Search of Happiness We Can't Buy by James A. Roberts

2011-11-08T10:39:00.000-05:00

About Book:

In Shiny Objects: Why We Spend Money We Don’t Have in Search of Happiness We Can’t Buy, James A. Roberts, a leading researcher and expert on consumer behavior, exposes the hidden motivations and erroneous assumptions behind our spending habits. He also reveals the key to reversing the devastating and ever-increasing effects of materialism in modern culture, showing readers how we can actually increase our well-being by scaling back.

In addition, Roberts poses important questions like:

Do you have an emergency fund of at least $2500 for that proverbial rainy day?
Do you have at least six months’ worth of living expenses in the bank in case you lose your job or become ill?
Are you regularly making investments to a retirement account?

If the answer is no to any of these, Shiny Objects offers the lessons needed to change spending habits and develop smarter saving strategies. With a series of quizzes and questionnaires developed over years of consumer research—and full of staggering new research on credit card abuse and compulsive shopping—Shiny Objects will help readers examine their day-to-day behavior, offering tips and tools to make the necessary changes.

A perfect antidote to the fiscal anxiety that’s been sweeping the nation—and out just in time for the holiday shopping season—Shiny Objects sheds some much-needed light on the science of spending, and demonstrates how we can cultivate lives of real value.

My Thoughts:

Talk about a fascinating read. Roberts has written a book that details the history of how American consumerism originated and has spun so out of control that our economy is on the brink of collapse. He discusses our need to spend money on objects that bring us instant gratification and how these spending habits are not only similar to an addiction, but how we perceive them to be representative of our social and economic status. Along with the history, are stories of people getting trampled during holiday shopping and the ways in which they manage their maxed out credit card debt. However, the most interesting parts of the book are the quizzes included in each chapter. These tests allow for us, the reader, to profile our own spending habits and take a look at the ways in which we are participating in America's consumer culture. Its sort of like a self-help assessment - which, being a fan of self-help books, I was game for taking some quizzes. Plus, its always interesting to learn new things about your self and find some solutions to help you figure out how to curb your over-spending ways (which I admit to being guilty of at times).

Will buying something really make us happy? That is truly the question at the heart of this book and it is really interesting to be able to see just how much emotion is connected with the concept of spending. Roberts not only examines the economic and social aspect of spending, but he also looks at the roles politics and religion play - two areas that I wouldn't have really thought of examining with regards to consumer consumption. And along the way, Roberts does provide some solutions to help you recognize your bad spending habits and the ways in which you can work toward reigning them in. Definitely makes you look twice at your Christmas shopping list - LOL!

Anyhow, Shiny Objects turned out to be quite a good read and I'm glad that I was able to get my hands on a copy of it. This is definitely an interesting book that will help you look at your own spending habits and reflect on how much of a role your material possessions play in your search for personal happiness. Plus, it makes a great topic for discussion. I would definitely recommend it to anyone fascinated by America's obsession with consumerism and anyone wanting to explore their own personal spending ways.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book!

The Radleys: A Novel by Matt Haig

2011-10-21T12:09:00.001-04:00

About book:

Just about everyone knows a family like the Radleys. Many of us grew up next door to one. They are a modern family, averagely content, averagely dysfunctional, living in a staid and quiet suburban English town. Peter is an overworked doctor whose wife, Helen, has become increasingly remote and uncommunicative. Rowan, their teenage son, is being bullied at school, and their anemic daughter, Clara, has recently become a vegan. They are typical, that is, save for one devastating exception: Peter and Helen are vampires and have - for seventeen years - been abstaining by choice from a life of chasing blood in the hope that their children could live normal lives.

One night, Clara finds herself driven to commit a shocking - and disturbingly satisfying - act of violence, and her parents are forced to explain their history of shadows and lies. A police investigation is launched that uncovers a richness of vampire history heretofore unkown to the general public. And when the malevolent and alluring Uncle Will, a practicing vampire, arrives to throw the police off Clara's trail, he winds up throwing the whole house into temptation and turmoil and unleashing a host of dark secrets that threaten the Radley's marriage.

My thoughts:

Another one bites the dust. Yes, I have now read two books for RIP VI Challenge, which means I have completed the challenge (I chose to enter at the Peril the Second level). YAY! Anyhow, on to the book.

The Radleys are a family of four living a quiet life in small town in England. Peter (dad) is a doctor and Helen (mom) is a housewife. Their two teenaged children are, Rowan, who gets bullied at school, and Clara, a recent vegan who has befriended the new girl. Everything is humming along nicely, until one evening when Helen gets a disturbing phone call from her daughter Clara. Turns out Clara just ate her date. She was saying 'no', but he wasn't listening and something deep within woke up and the next thing you know there is blood everywhere. Of course, Clara's drunk most of it. You see, the Radleys are vampires. Except, Clara and Rowan weren't supposed to find out, because their parents had been taking great pains to avoid that lifestyle and figured they could teach their children to suppress that part of themselves. Well, the bat's out of the bag and the kids want answers.

Suffice it to say, drama does unfold as a result of Clara's incident. Old family members come to visit and vampire society's are discussed. Marital discord rings loudly between Peter and Helen. Unquenchable thirst becomes a problem for some and well, things get a bit out of hand. Plus, some secrets are revealed and they leave a bitter taste in your mouth. All in all, a really good read. Haig's writing was great and his ideas for the story lines were a treat to read. I enjoyed all of the characters, even the annoying next door neighbors. This was definitely a perfect choice for RIP VI - had vampires in it and wasn't too scary to get through (this is essential for me, because lately I've been a scaredy cat when it comes to horror films and books). Crikey, that's sad. Oh well. I'm off to read something else.

Falling For Me: A Memoir by Anna David

2011-10-19T15:22:00.000-04:00

About book:

Like most women, whether they've chosen the Fortune 500 career path or have had five kids by 35, Anna David wondered if she'd made the right choices. Then she came upon the book Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown, Cosmopolitan's fearless leader from the mid-sixties to the late nineties. Immediately connecting with Gurley Brown's unique message of self-empowerment combined with femininity, Anna vowed to use Sex as a lesson plan, venturing out of her comfort zone in the hope of overcoming the fears and insecurities that had haunted her for years. Embarking on a journey both intensely personal and undeniably universal, she becomes adventurous and spontaneous - reviving her wardrobe and apartment, taking French lessons, dashing off to Seville, and whiling the nights away with men she never would have considered before. In the process, she ends up meeting the person really worth changing for: herself.

My Thoughts:

Falling For Me: How I Hung Curtains, Learned to Cook, Traveled to Seville, and Fell in Love is a memoir by Anna David, a young woman who is searching for love and winds up finding herself. Sounds like a good read, right? I thought, that being 33 and single, I would really enjoy reading this woman's story. We both have similar insecurities and are looking for love (in all the wrong places). How could I not enjoy this book? Well, it turns out it was pretty easy not to like.

There was just something about the author that made me apathetic toward her self-exploration process. I just found that I couldn't really connect with her as much as I had thought I would and found her rambling to be rather pedantic at times. The writing was solid-ish and the overall idea of using a book to revamp her life was somewhat interesting, but overall I just found the book to be lacking. And the thing is that I've read some rather glowing reviews of this book that are comparing it to Eat, Pray, Love, which for many would be reason enough to give David's book a read. For me, not so much. I was not a fan of Eat, Pray, Love, so that comparison falls flat for me.

I'm not really sure who I recommend this book to, except for fans of Eat, Pray, Love. All I know is that this is one memoir I won't be remembering.

By the by, here's the link to Anna's book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rQ_9WwHbjY

Maybe, you'll want to read the book after watching it. After all, according to the other blogs I've read, I seem to be the only one who didn't like the book.

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

Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard

2011-10-14T19:26:00.000-04:00

About book:

A recently widowed mother of two, Sylvie Bates-McAllister finds her life upended by a late-night phone call from the prestigious private school founded by her grandfather where her adopted son, Scott, teaches. Allegations of Scott's involvement in a hazing scandal cause a ripple effect, throwing the entire family into chaos. For Charles, Sylvie's biological son, it dredges up a ghost from the past who is suddenly painfully present. For his wife, Joanna, it forces her to reevaluate everything she's hoped for in the golden Bates-McAllisters. And for Scott, it illuminates harsh truths about a world he has never truly felt himself a part of.

But for all the Bates-McAllisters, the call exposes a tangled web of secrets that ties the family together: the mystery of the school hazing, the event that tore Charles and Scott apart the night of their high school awards ceremony, and the intended recipient of a certain bracelet. The quest to unravel the truth takes the family on individual journeys across state lines, into hospitals, through the Pennsylvania woods, and face-to-face with the long-dormant question: What if the life you always planned for and dreamed of isn't what you want after all?

My thoughts:

Family drama! Scandal! Secrets and Lies! Wow! I felt like I was reading a soap opera script, which is a good thing. Who doesn't love a good soap filled with all those crazy dramatics and juicy story lines that just keep you coming back for more? I do! Actually, I haven't seen a soap since I was in grad school and I got hooked on Eastenders and Hollyoaks - I was studying in England at the time and those were my vice. Anyhow, Sara Shepard's novel, Everything We Ever Wanted filled me with the same joy I would get from my evening fix of watching those soaps. Except, those shows went on for ages and this book was a one day read.

And what a good day of reading it turned out to be. Shepard's writing is great! Its engaging, solid and truly gripping. I didn't want to stop turning the pages. As for the characters, they were extremely uncommunicative with one another, which of course, made me frustrated with them, but also eager to find out what they would do next. Now, I don't want to give anything away with regards to the plot, because the fun in finding out the secrets is to read it for yourself. All I can say is that this is one family you want to read all about. Their story is entertaining, suspenseful and very interesting.

I would definitely recommend Sara Shepard's Everything We Ever Wanted to anyone and everyone - especially those who love a good family drama.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book!

The Grief of Others: A Novel by Leah Hager Cohen

2011-10-03T16:58:00.000-04:00

About book:

It begins with loss. John ad Ricky Ryrie are stricken by the death of their third child only fifty-seven hours after his birth. Struggling to regain a semblance of normalcy, they find themselves pretending not only that little has changed, but that nothing was wrong before this baby came so briefly into their lives. Yet in the aftermath of his death, long-suppressed uncertainties about their relationship come roiling to the surface. A terrible secret emerges concerning what Ricky knew about her pregnancy and concealed from everyone, even John. And the couple's two older children, struggling to understand the tensions around them, begin to act out in their own idiosyncratic ways. Ultimately, though, the grief that was initially so isolating allows the four family members to connect powerfully with the sadness and burdens of others - to the grief that is part of every human life and has within it the power to draw us together.

My thoughts:

This is a sad and rather depressing book. It tells the story of the Ryrie's difficult and heartbreaking loss of their third child - a son who lived for 57 hours after being born with anencephaly. Reeling from this devastating loss, the family find themselves grieving individually and disconnecting from one another. Ricky and John (the parents) try to pretend to move forward with their lives by continuing to work and presenting a united front to those around them. Meanwhile, their children, Paul and Biscuit, are having to deal with this loss all on their own. They don't truly comprehend what happened to their baby brother, but have no one to talk with about it. And they can't help but notice the mounting tension growing bigger and bigger every day between their parents. You see, Ricky has been keeping a huge secret and when it finally comes to light, John can no longer look at her the same way. And soon, we are privy to a set of lies that has been looming over this family for years and has finally come out to either break them apart or bring them closer.

This is definitely a difficult book to get through, because you don't care for any of the characters. Well, except for Paul and Biscuit. Kids shouldn't be left to deal with grief all on their own, especially when they are unable to fully understand what has even happened. I suppose it just goes to show how selfish Ricky and John could be - ignorant of the pain and sadness enveloping their children's lives.
Overall, this was a well written book about the topic of grief and how it is handled within a family. I felt that Cohen explored the different ways people deal with loss superbly. She created characters that were unlikeable, but fully developed and quite realistically flawed. The tone and flow of the story was slow and depressing, which fit in perfectly with the story lines. And the fact that the book was difficult to get through shows just how engaging it was to read, even though it took a toll on your emotions. Definitely a book I would recommend.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book!

Swing Low: A Life by Miriam Toews

2011-09-12T21:23:00.000-04:00

About book:

Reverberating with the emotional power, authenticity, and insight of works by Susan Cheever, Gail Caldwell, Mary Karr, and Alexandra Styron, Swing Low is Miriam Toews' daring and deeply affecting memoir of her father's struggle with manic depression. Toews recounts her father's life as she imagines he would have told it, in his own voice, right up to the day he took his own life. A gracefully written and compassionate recounting of a man's battle with depression in a small Mennonite community, Swing Low is a moving meditation on family, illness, faith and love.

My thoughts:

This is the story of a man named Mel Toews: a husband, a father, a teacher and a member of the Mennonite community. During his life, Mel battled with manic depression so severe that it eventually led him to commit suicide. In an attempt to understand her father's illness and death, Miriam Toews has written Swing Low. Told entirely from her father's perspective, Miriam is able to recreate the downward spiral Mel's mental state of mind took him through. She is able to get inside of his head and share with us the somewhat confusing and meandering manner his thoughts tended to take as he would dwell on the past. You can't help but get caught up in Mel's life and wonder how trying it must have been for him and his family to deal with his frequent bouts of despair and silence. At school, Mel shone as a teacher and was considered to be quite outgoing. However, once at home, he would just shutdown completely and deprive his family of himself . Imagine how hard it must have been for his children to see him at school laughing with their classmates, while at home a cloud of sadness seemed to surround him. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been for Miriam Toews to write this book about her father. All I know is that it is a true testament to her love for her family and her talent with writing, that she was able to produce such a moving and heartbreaking piece of work. Swing Low is an honest portrayal of a man consumed by his disease.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in nonfiction, memoirs and books about manic depression. It is an interesting and compelling book to read. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book!

Scout Books: American Shorts

2011-09-12T07:42:00.000-04:00

About Scout Books and their American Shorts:

Scout Books is a small Portland, OR-based publisher, and they have just launched a new imprint: Good Ink. The first series to come out of Good Ink will be titled, American Shorts. This series will pair ten classic American short stories with ten really great contemporary cartoonists and illustrators (including Vanessa Davis, Tom Neely, Aaron Renier, and Gemma Correll). What a great way to add a fresh and modern take on some of American's most unforgettable classics! Plus, it'll bring attention to ten amazing short stories!

Here are some the American Shorts I read:

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce

Illustrated by Francois Vigneault

This story is about a man named Peyton Farquhar who has been condemned to death by hanging. As he stands over the edge of the bridge contemplating his life and family, we read about the events that have brought Peyton to this death sentence. We learn about the plan for sabotage and how Peyton wound up set up in a trap. However, the hanging commences and as Peyton falls, the rope breaks and he is soon fleeing from death. Strange things seem to happen to Peyton as he makes his way home, when suddenly...well, I don't want to give away the ending. Suffice it to say, there is a twist and its a good one!

What a gripping short story! Loved the writing and found that I could not wait to see what happened to Peyton next. As for the illustrations, they were great! Definitely provided a clear picture of what Peyton must have been feeling as he stood over the bridge with sweat dripping down his face - fear, regret and sadness.

A Horseman in the Sky by Ambrose Bierce

Illustrated by Francois Vigneault

(included with An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge)

This story is set in Virginia and is about a young man named Carter Druse. His loyalties are divided and tested. Fighting for the North, Carter finds himself responsible for the death of a spy, who turns out to be someone from Carter's past. Let me just say, I was pretty shocked by who Carter shot - it just seemed unreal and so beyond wrong. Definitely a short story that stuns. And the illustration of the horseman was excellent - definitely fit what I had imagined in my head.

Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

Illustrated by Bwana Spoons

Reading this short story was great fun. I had never read it before - I'd only heard about the tale as a kid. Suffice it to say I wound up laughing at the craziness of it all - how this lazy man wanted to escape his nagging wife and wound up falling asleep for twenty years. Talk about avoidance issues - ha ha ha! This was definitely a treat to read. And I enjoyed all the illustrations by Spoons - they were whimsical and fun - a perfect fit for RipVan Winkle.

I really enjoyed these two pocket sized books of short stories and just wanted to say thanks to Scout Books for providing me with copies of the books.

By the way, if you are interested in learning more about what other short stories will be released with illustrations, just check out Scout Books. I know I'll be heading over to that website ASAP!

Irma Voth: A Novel by Miriam Toews

2011-09-09T07:55:00.000-04:00

About book:

Nineteen-year-old Irma lives in a rural Mennonite community in Mexico. She has already been cast out of her family for marrying a young Mexican ne'er-do-well she barely knows, although she remains close to her rebellious younger sister and yearns for the lost intimacy with her mother. With a husband who proves elusive and often absent, a punishing father, and a faith in God damaged beyond repair, Irma appears trapped in an untenable and desperate situation. When a celebrated Mexican filmmaker and his crew arrive from Mexico City to make a movie about the insular community in which she was raised, Irma is immediately drawn to the outsiders and is hired as a translator on the set. But her father, intractable and domineering, is determined to destroy the film and get rid of the interlopers. His action sets Irma on an irrevocable path toward something that feels like freedom.

My Thoughts:

When I first started to read this book I wasn't sure if I was going to continue with it. I just could not get my head around Irma's narration - it was a bit off putting for me, because I didn't know what to make of her. However, I'm truly happy I kept reading, because Irma Voth has to be one of the most odd and interesting characters I've read in quite some time. She's nineteen, married and a Mennonite living in Mexico. Her husband, Jorge, has left her and now she is truly alone. She lives in the house next door to her parents' home - a house that was given to her and Jorge on the condition that they work for free for her father. Irma's dad, Julius, is unhappy with her, because she married a Mexican. She is no longer a part of their Mennonite community. In fact, Irma can't speak to her mother or little brothers or even her younger sister, Aggie. Luckily, Aggie likes to sneak away from home and visit Irma - she is always begging to come and live with Irma.

Life doesn't seem to be moving along happily for Irma, when suddenly a film crew arrives at the house next door (also owned by her father). They are setting up shop, because they are making a film about the Mennonite community. In need of a translator they hire Irma, who also agrees to cook and clean for them. She needs the money and needs people to talk with. Soon enough, Irma is enmeshed in this strange world of movie-making and is dealing with depressed actors, uncooperative weather conditions and budget cuts. She befriends Marijke the female lead and Wilson, whose confessed to her that he is dying. Things seem to take a turn when Irma's dad shows up and demands that Aggie return home or he will shut down production on the film - Aggie has been hanging around Irma and the crew much to the dismay of her father. However, after witnessing what happened to Aggie last time she went home, Irma decides to take things into her own hands. Deals are made, trucks are borrowed and flights are arranged. Irma, Aggie, and Ximena (or X as they call her) are on their way to Mexico City. Did I mention that X is Irma and Aggie's baby sister - she was just born and their mother begged Irma to take her with them when they left. What does that tell you about their family?

Now, I'm not going to write any more about what happens, because so much does happen in the book, before and after Mexico City. Its a story you need to read for yourself. Irma Voth is a character that will break your heart and make you smile at the underlying courage that glows from within her. She may be a bit off putting at first, but soon enough you will become so enraptured with her story that you wont' be able to put the book down. Miriam Toews has written an amazing book that is lyrical in tone and strong in plot points. Her characters are intriguing and strange. You will not be disappointed!

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

Death of the Mantis: A Detective Kubu Mystery by Michael Stanley

2011-09-06T21:36:00.000-04:00

About book:

In the southern Kalahari area of Botswana - an arid landscape of legends that speak of lost cities, hidden wealth, and ancient gods - a fractious ranger named Monzo is found dying from a severe head wound in a dry ravine. Three Bushmen surround the doomed man, but are they his killers or there to help? Detective David "Kubu" Bengu is on the case, an investigation that his old school friend Khumanego claims is motivated by racist antagonism on the part of the local police. But when a second bizarre murder, and then a third, seem to point also to the nomadic tribe, the intrepid Kubu must journey into the depths of the Kalahari to uncover the truth. What he discovers there will test all his powers of detection...and his ability to remain alive.

My Thoughts:

Alright, so I'm going to be honest and admit that I signed up for this tour, because I wanted to read a book that I thought would be similar to one of my all time favorite series, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. Let me just say, I didn't get what I wished for. Instead of being carried away by the engaging voice of a lovable character like Mma. Ramotswe, I was introduced to Kubu. He's the detective trying to solve the murder of Monzo, a ranger whose body was found surrounded by three Bushmen. Kubu is a likable enough character, but he doesn't have the appeal to draw me in to the story. I found myself rushing through the book to finish it - I wanted to be done.

The writing is solid, but not as captivating as I would have hoped for in a mystery. As for the mystery itself, the big reveal was not a big surprise for me - I had already figured it out. The characters were the most interesting part of the book, but they alone couldn't turn the book into a great read for me. And the setting of Botswana was nice - its always been one of my favorite characters in The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. All in all, this is not a series I will be continuing with. However, just because I didn't appreciate Death of the Mantis doesn't mean you won't. I've read some wonderful reviews of this book and the series itself, so I'm sure many people would enjoy reading all about Kubu as he solves mysteries in beautiful Botswana. I say check out the series if you are a fan of detective stories or books set in Botswana.

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

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY!!! Bedbugs: A Novel by Ben H. Winters

2011-09-05T20:40:00.000-04:00

About book:

SLEEP TIGHT.

Susan and Alex Wendt are the perfect couple in search of the perfect brownstone - and they find their dream house in the heart of Brooklyn Heights. Sure, the landlady is eccentric, and the handyman drops cryptic remarks about the previous tenants. But the rent is so low, it's too good to pass up.

Big mistake: Susan soon discovers the brownstone is crawling with bedbugs - or is it? She awakens every morning with fresh bites, but neither Alex nor their daughter Emma has a single welt. An exterminator searches the property and turns up nothing. The landlady insists the building is clean. Susan fears she's going mad - until a more sinister explanation presents itself: She may literally be confronting the bedbug problem from hell.

By the way here's a link to Quirk Books' awesome book trailer for Bedbugs:
http://www.quirkbooks.com/bedbugs

My Thoughts:

Reading this book gave me the creeps. I felt like bedbugs were crawling all over me - YUCK!! So, it really was the perfect way to kick off Carl's, R.I.P. VI Challenge. There was a bit of the supernatural mixed in with some crazy people and tons of creepy crawly blood suckers swarming about to make you itch and gasp in surprise.

Bedbugs tells the story of the Wendts - Susan (wife), Alex (husband), and Emma (daughter) - a small family looking for a dream home in a better neighborhood. Susan wants space to set up an art studio where she can paint and Alex wants a kitchen big enough so that he can cook up gourmet meals for his family. All they want is a good school for their daughter and parks nearby where she can run and play. Oh, and a monthly rental payment that will still leave them with money to spare. Talk about pipe dreams, right? Especially considering that they live in NYC, where rent is anything but cheap.

Well, consider Alex, Susan, and Emma extremely lucky, because thanks to the internet, it looks like they have struck gold - a brownstone apartment in Brooklyn Heights for under $4000 a month ( aka DREAM HOME). After checking out the place and talking with the landlady, Alex and Susan decide to go for it and are soon faxing over a signed copy of the lease. The topic of bedbugs does come up, but only as an afterthought. Soon boxes are being moved and excitement fills the air.

Life for the Wendts appears to be good. They are adjusting to their new digs and the surrounding area nicely. Alex is working crazy hours, Susan has set up an art studio and Emma has made friends in the park - everything is moving along smoothly. Until a tiny speck of blood appears on Susan's pillowcase one morning. Bedbugs! The thought crosses her mind rather fleetingly, but she pushes it away and chalks up the stain to paint. However, strange things begin to happen that start to make Susan think that maybe her house isn't as bug-free as she had thought. As the story progresses, bites are discovered, exterminators are called, accusations are thrown and a family is torn apart. Oh, and some pretty creepy stuff begins to happen that makes you wonder if the house is haunted or if Susan is possessed and doesn't even know it. You even start to wonder about the old handyman who takes care of the property and the dotty old landlady, whose moods shift at the drop of a hat. Now, I'm not going to provide any more details, except to say that the ending will definitely leave you SURPRISED - and feeling itchy all over.

Bedbugs was a good, fun, and creepy read. The writing was solid, the storyline current and the characters were caricatures of people you probably know in real life (so they were interesting to read about) - overall a good book to have on a rainy fall day. You will not be disappointed!

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Thanks to Quirk Books for providing me with a copy of this bug-ilicous book to read and to give away!! Yes, I'll be giving one lucky reader a copy of Bedbugs courtesy of Quirk Books. Open to US residents! All you have to do is leave a comment and include your email address and you'll be entered in the giveaway. I'll use the random number generator to select a winner. Contest will end September 15, 2011! Good luck!!

Oh, and this book will definitely count towards my R.I.P. VI Challenge goal of reading four books - YAY! I always try to read at least two for this challenge, but this year I'm going for four. And now I'm off to pick up my next spooky read!

Salvage the Bones: A Novel by Jesmyn Ward (Review and Giveaway!!)

2011-09-04T22:11:00.000-04:00

About book:

A hurricane is building over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the coastal town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and Esch's father is growing concerned. A hard drinker, largely absent, he doesn't show concern for much else. Esch and her three brothers are stocking food, but there isn't much to save. Lately, Esch can't keep down what food she gets; she's fourteen and pregnant. Her brother Skeetah is sneaking scraps for his prized pitbull's new litter, dying one by one in the dirt. Meanwhile, brothers Randall and Junior try to stake their claim in a family long on child's play and short on parenting.

As the twelve days that make up the novel's framework yield to their dramatic conclusion, this unforgettable family - motherless children sacrificing for one another as they can, protecting and nurturing where love is scarce - pulls itself up to face another day. A big-hearted novel about familial love and community against all odds, and a wrenching look at the lonesome, brutal, and restrictive realities of rural poverty, Salvage the Bones is muscled with poetry, revelatory, and real.

My Thoughts:

Read this book - you will not be disappointed! The writing is excellent and the characters truly are unforgettable. Your heart will break reading about Esch and her family and the extreme poverty they live in; plus, you won't be able to put the book down once Hurricane Katrina makes her way to their home and starts wreaking all sorts of havoc. Consisting of twelve chapters, each one representing a day in the life of the Batiste family, Salvage the Bones, tells the gripping story of four siblings and their drunken father, all of whom are trying to make do with the various situations they find themselves involved in. We have a pregnant fourteen year old named, Esch, who is trying to work up the courage to tell Manny (her crush and brother's best friend) that he is about to be a father, all the while hiding her baby bump behind baggy clothing. An older brother nicknamed, Skeetah, who is obsessed with making sure his one true love, China, is mending well after giving birth to her first litter of pups. And then their is Randall, who is trying to figure out how to get himself to basketball camp, and Junior, the baby brother who always seems to be in the way. Rounding out the story is Claude, the patriarch of the Batiste family; he's busy drinking and talking about hurricanes, that he has no idea what his children are really up to. Throw in a hurricane of epic proportions and you got yourself a story so mesmerizing that you won't be able to take your nose out of your book. I haven't felt so emotionally engaged with a book in so long, that reading Salvage the Bones was a great reminder of how fantastically riveting literature can be. This book focuses on family, tragedy, abandonment, and poverty in such an honest way, that you can't help but become consumed by the Batiste's dramas and livelihood. You want nothing but the best for these four forgotten children who have had to grow up too fast too soon.

On a personal note, having experienced a hurricane as devastating as Katrina firsthand (mine was Hurricane Andrew), I can definitely attest to the realistic portrayal of the flooding, howling winds,
and destructive aftermath of trees bent in half, roofs torn off buildings, cars overturned, and houses reduced to piles of rubble. Reading all about the preparations of boarding windows, gathering supplies, filling the sinks and tubs with water and hearing about evacuation instructions made me think back to my own experience. I could remember the feelings of uncertainty, fear and disbelief at not only witnessing the destructive storm, but also upon seeing the complete destruction of my home and the town I grew up in. It was as if Ward had taken a peek at my memories about a storm I had long forgotten about and brought them out for me to revisit. My heart was racing as I read about the Batiste's house flooding through and how they struggled to find shelter from the storm - I felt like I was getting pelted with water. And if a book can touch you on a variety levels, just like this one did for me, then it is definitely a book worth reading. I would recommend Jesmyn Ward's, Salvage the Bones to everyone - it is a must read!! You will love it!!

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book to read and a copy to give away. Yes, you can win a copy of this awesome book! Just leave a comment and include your email address so that I can contact you if you win. I'll choose a winner by using the random number generator. Oh, and this giveaway is only open to those in the US/Canada. Good luck!!!

Indie Lit Awards - Nominations now Open!!!

2011-09-01T21:39:00.000-04:00

September is here and you know what that means - its time to nominate books for the 2011 Indie Lit Awards!!

What are the Indie Lit Awards?

The Independent Literary Awards are book awards given by literary bloggers. Lit bloggers write about books and literary related items. They are the fastest growing form of publicity in the literary world, though most are still independently run and do not receive compensation for their reviews or recommendations.

The Independent Literary Awards is currently in its second year and will be presenting the winners for the 2011 calendar year in March of 2012. The genres that will be represented and receiving awards for 2011 are:

Biography/Memoir
GLBTQ
Literary Fiction
Mystery
Non-Fiction
Poetry
Speculative Fiction

Now lets get to talking about nominations. All readers not just book bloggers, will be eligible to nominate books for this year’s Indie Lit Awards! That means YOU!! Let us know which books were your favorite by heading over to the ILA website and nominating them. Just find the genre (s) you want to add a title to for nomination and go for it! We can't wait to see which books have made the cut this year!

And as far as the awards process goes, here are the details:

Titles are collected via nominations in each of the above listed categories. To see the nomination lists or to add a title to them, please see the specific genre page.(Nominations are open September through December.)
Nominated titles will be tallied and the top 5 nominated titles from each category will be placed on a Short List.
Short List titles will be read and voted on by the Director and Voting Members of each category.
The top 2 titles from the Short List will be considered Finalists.
The winners from each category will be chosen by the Director and Voting Members of each category from the Finalist titles.

So, lets get to nominating!

Oh, and if you have any more questions, just head on over to Indie Lit Awards or contact Wallace, she's the brains behind the ILA (Indie Lit Awards), and can be found here (her book blog, Unputdownables) and here (ILA website).

Have fun!!

R.I.P. VI Begins NOW!!!!

2011-08-31T20:30:00.000-04:00

Exciting news!!! Carl has decided to start this year's R.I.P. VI Challenge today!! So, pick up those spooky stories and dive right in! For those of you who don't know what the R.I.P. VI Challenge is, here are the details:

The challenge runs from September 1st thru October 31st.
The goal - have fun reading books from these genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Dark Fantasy, Gothic, Horror and Supernatural.
The perils (there are quite a few to choose from and you can choose to participate at any peril or in multiple perils if you want):

Peril the First - read four books that are scary (any length)
Peril the Second -read two scary books (any length)
Peril the Third -read 1 scary book (any length)
Short Story Peril - read spooky short stories
Peril on The Screen - watch spooky movies or tv shows
Peril of the Group Read - join in on any one of Carl's group reads (three are scheduled).

The only rule of the challenge - ENJOY!

If you are interested in participating, head on over to Carl's site and sign up now!

As for me, I'm still deciding which books I want to read for this exciting challenge. I'm pretty sure I'll be participating at Peril the Second, but am aiming at finishing at Peril the First. I do know that I want to read The Reapers are the Angels and A Discovery of Witches, but that's about it for now. Hmmm. I should probably go and peruse the bookshelves and see what else I have that qualifies as scary. If you have any ideas on what I should consider reading for this challenge, please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know. Until the next post, Happy Reading!!

Domestic Violets: A Novel by Matthew Norman

2011-08-29T07:52:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

Tom Violet always thought that by the time he turned thirty-five, he'd have everything going for him. Fame. Fortune. A beautiful wife. A satisfying career as a successful novelist. A happy dog to greet him at the end of the day.

The reality, though, is far from different. He's got a wife, but their problems are bigger than he can even imagine. And he's written a novel, but the manuscript he's slaved over for years is currently hidden in his desk drawer while his father, an actual famous writer, just won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His career, such that it is, involves mind-numbing corporate buzzwords, his pretentious arch nemesis Gregory, and a hopeless, completely inappropriate crush on his favorite coworker. Oh...and his dog, according to the vet, is suffering from acute anxiety.

Tom's life is crushing his soul, but he's decided to do something about it. (Really.) Domestic Violets is the brilliant and beguiling story of a man finally taking control of his own happiness - even if it means making a complete idiot of himself along the way.

My Thoughts:

I heart Tom Violet! He is my first bookish crush. He's smart, creative, funny, and flawed - just the type of guy you want to marry and have babies with (yes, I still want to marry him in spite of that night with Katie). Tom is such a realistically drawn out character: he's struggling with his marriage; battling his arch nemesis, Gregory, at work; crushing on his assistant Katie; and dealing with the fact that his father, the famous Curtis Violet, has just won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. You see, Tom wants to be a writer, too. He wants to produce something that will provide him with his own piece of glory, which is why he's bummed that no one (wife, mother, and almost agent) has read his book yet, to let him know just how awesome his writing is.

Domestic Violets is a breath of fresh air - its clever, hilarious, honest and real, which makes it such a great book to read. Matthew Norman has truly hit it out of the park with his debut novel - not only has he demonstrated what a talented author he is with this cast of unforgettable characters, but he's also created this year's must read novel. I would most definitely recommend this novel to everyone! The writing is spot on and the story itself is so engaging that you can't help but find yourself so completely immersed in these character's lives that soon you are not only cheering them on to succeed, but also shedding a few tears when bad news finds them. Reading this book was such a treat, that I wish I hadn't read it in one day and instead taken my time with it so that I could prolong reaching the end. Now I can't wait for Norman's next book, because I'm sure its going to be just as brilliant as Domestic Violets was.

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

Wherever You Go: A Novel by Joan Leegant

2011-08-26T14:57:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

In this sweeping and beautifully written novel, Joan Leegant weaves together three lives caught in the grip of a volatile and uncompromising faith. Yona Stern has traveled to Jerusalem from New York to make amends with her sister, a stoic mother of five dedicated to the hard line West Bank settlement cause. Mark Greenglass, a gifted Talmud teacher and a former drug dealer saved by religion, has lost his passion and wonders if he's done with God. Enter Aaron Blinder, an unstable college dropout with a history of failure who finds a home on the radical fringe of Israeli society. Emotionally gripping, timely and prophetic, Wherever You Go tells the story of three Americans in Israel and the attractions - and dangers - of Jewish religious and political extremism.

My Thoughts:

I've just finished this book and so the story is still fresh in my mind. I still have Yona's voice in my head and can picture Greenglass' broken body lying in the hospital bed, all the while I want to strangle Aaron for everything he's done. To me, feeling so much emotion for these characters is a sign that the book is good. And it is good. However, there were times when I found myself disengaging from the story, because the flow became disrupted or the pace slowed down and the story veered off into a direction that was less than compelling. I suppose my main problem with the novel was the narrative structure. There are three main characters (Yona, Greenglass, and Aaron) and each of their stories is told via alternating chapters. So, we get a distinct shift in perspective each time we begin a new chapter. Now, I've always enjoyed reading a book that utilizes this style of narrative, because I think it helps provide a better understanding of each character. However, with this book, I didn't get that feeling. I just found that as soon as I became immersed in Yona's story, I would be thrown into Aaron's story, which I didn't find as interesting (at first), and it would put a damper on my enjoyment of the book. Each character was so well developed and their story was so real and engaging that I didn't want to be interrupted. In fact, I think that each character's story would be better told as a stand alone short story or novella - I would definitely enjoy reading about each one separately.

Aside from my gripe with the alternating chapters, I found the book to be really interesting. The writing is great and the characters are unforgettable. Themes of religion, family, atonement and love are explored throughout each character's personal story. Yona wants forgiveness from her sister for a past indiscretion which has torn them apart. Greenglass wants to find his passion for life and love and faith. Aaron is lost and confused and finds himself plotting a horrific crime against innocent people. All three characters are realistically portrayed and make for some very good reading (some more than others). The tone and pace of the book does falter at times, but overall keeps the connection between characters and their stories linked rather seamlessly. I do wish there was more to read, because I feel as if Yona, Greenglass and Aaron's stories aren't finished. I want to find out what happens next in their lives - how have they changed as a result of their time in Jerusalem after the bombing? Will Yona finally open her heart to love? What part does God play in Greenglass' life now? And, will Aaron's act really go unpunished (I don't believe the deal he got is punishment)? Oh well. I suppose I can just imagine for myself where their stories end. All in all, I enjoyed this read. I would recommend Wherever You Go to anyone and everyone.

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

Everything Beautiful Began After: A Novel by Simon Van Booy

2011-08-01T20:35:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

Rebecca is young, lost, and beautiful. A gifted artist, she seeks solace and inspiration in the Mediterranean heat of Athens - trying to understand who she is and how she can love without fear.

George has come to Athens to learn ancient languages after growing up in New England boarding schools and Ivy League colleges. He has no close relationships with anyone and spends his days hunched over books or wandering the city in a drunken stupor.

Henry is in Athens to dig. An accomplished young archaeologist, he devotedly uncovers the city's past as a way to escape his own, which holds a secret that not even his doting parents can talk about.

...And then, with a series of chance meetings, Rebecca, George, and Henry are suddenly in flight, their lives brighter and clearer than ever, as they fall headlong into a summer that will forever define them in the decades to come.

My Thoughts:

I'm in love with this book. I want to keep this book in my handbag all the time, so that I can re-read it and memorize passages from it and quote it to my friends and loved ones (which sounds annoying, but I just feel like the words that Simon Van Booy has written need to be heard). I don't think I've encountered a book that has left me feeling this way, since I read Jean Rhys', After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie (just so you know, it left me awestruck). And so, I now realize that I must read everything Simon Van Booy has written, because I've been missing out.

As for this particular story, its about three lost souls, who move to Athens in the hopes of escaping secrets from their past. Along the way the stumble into each other's paths and soon find themselves working together at an archaeological dig. Confusion and tension abound at first, when it comes to light that George is in love with Rebecca, who is now involved with Henry (who happens to be George's new best friend). Awkward love triangle? Nope. Not for this unlikely trio, who somehow manage to push past all the uncomfortable feelings and form a deep bond of friendship. Its almost unreal how these intense and intimate connections appear to blossom so quickly, but somehow Van Booy makes it all work. And then tragedy strikes and you are soon mired deep in a sadness and despair so heartbreakingly real that you can't help but shed tear after tear as you read on.

Simon Van Booy has written a wonderfully rich novel that will leave you more than satisfied. It will remind you just how good literature can be. Now, I've purposely didn't delve any deeper into what happens within the novel, because you have to read it for yourself, ASAP!! Suffice it to say that themes of love, loss, sadness and friendship are explored through three unforgettable characters' journeys to self-discovery. You will not be disappointed!

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

The Paris Wife: A Novel by Paula McLain

2011-07-30T21:25:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

In Chicago in 1920, Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness - until she meets Ernest Hemingway and finds herself captivated by his good looks, intensity, and passionate desire to write. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group of expatriates that includes, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

But the hard-drinking and fast-living cafe life does not celebrate traditional notions of family and monogamy. As Hadley struggles with jealousy and self-doubt and Ernest wrestles with his burgeoning writing career, they must confront a deception that could prove the undoing of one of the greatest romances in literary history.

My Thoughts:

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! It is beyond fantastic!! This is now my favorite read of 2011! I'll admit I was hesitant to read this book because of the wonderful reviews it had received and I worried that I would be disappointed - how wrong was I? This book most definitely lived up to all the praise it has been getting from book bloggers, critics and anyone else who has read it. It is mesmerizing and unforgettable!

McLain has written an unputdownable story about Ernest Hemingway's first wife, Hadley Richardson - dubbed the Paris wife, because of the fact that the couple lived in Paris during the 1920s. We get to read all about the first time they meet to the letters they write one another during their courtship. Richardson is older and a bit reserved, whilst Hemingway is young and carefree. And he is passionate about his writing - it is who he is. Without his work, Hemingway feels rather empty. And it definitely doesn't help that they happen to befriend some of literature's most renowned figures, like Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Mind you, they are also just starting to make names for themselves.

I should note, that though this book is about Hadley ( whom I loved reading about ), I found myself much more interested in Hemingway's character. I loved reading about how his short story collections came about and how hard he worked on The Sun Also Rises (my favorite Hemingway book). And I'll admit that I hated Hadley for a split second when she lost all of Tatie's (they were big on nicknames for one another) work on a train - how could she leave the bag unattended and not think someone might steal the bag (thieves do exist!)? why did she even think to stuff all of his writings in one bag and take it with her to begin with? - I did forgive her, eventually. And there are other times that I'm disappointed with her decisions, but I realize that she was just trying to figure out how to make the best of some truly bad situations (absent husband, infidelity, betrayal).

This is a book that leaves you wanting more - more of McLain's work and most definitely more of Hemingway's. You want to devour his writings and try to make sense of this damaged man who could be so cruel to his loved ones and yet be able to produce such amazing stories. Its hard to remember that though you are reading about real life people, you are in fact reading a fictionalized version of them and their life story. Or at least it was hard for me. Either way you will not be disappointed with this fantastic novel. It is worthwhile read for all fans of literary fiction (and fans of Hemingway).

By the by, this was my final read for the Paris in July Challenge. I was a bit late to the game, but I've definitely enjoyed participating. Thanks to BookBath and Thyme for Tea! Looking forward to next year's Paris in July Challenge!! And now, I'm off to listen to some Tiersen. Adieu!

Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard

2011-07-29T08:07:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

In Paris for a weekend visit, Elizabeth Bard sat down to lunch with a handsome Frenchman - and never went home again.

Was it love at first sight? Or was it the way her knife slid effortlessly through her pave au poivre, the steak's pink juices puddling into the buttery pepper sauce?

Lunch in Paris is the story of a young woman caught up in two passionate affairs - one with her new beau, Gwendal, the other with French cuisine. Plunging headlong into the most romantic of cities, Bard encounters bustling open-air markets, hipster bistros, and size-two femme fatales. She learns to gut her first fish (with a little help from Jane Austen) and soothe pangs of homesickness (with the rise of a chocolate souffle). The deeper Bard immerses herself in French cuisine, the more Paris itself begins to translate.

My Thoughts:

An American in Paris falls in love with a Frenchman and soon enough finds herself relocating to the City of Light - how could I not read this book? From the beginning I was caught up in Elizabeth's world of falling in love and moving to Paris, a city that is both foreign and new to her. A city that will cause her to struggle, not only with the language, food and culture, but also her sense of self. Once married to Gwendal, Elizabeth finds herself falling into the role of the so-called traditional, dutiful wife - keeping house, cooking, and taking care of her husband and his family (her new family). Whatever goals she had with regards to her career fall to the wayside and she soon finds herself riddled with insecurities and fears. As her husband, friends and family find success and happiness, Elizabeth's floundering catches their attention and they begin to worry about her. They try talking to her about what it is she wants to be doing with her life, but unable to discuss these issues aloud, Elizabeth retreats into her cooking and role of caretaker. Eventually though she does acknowledge the fact that her life is in a rut, far from where she had planned on being (professionally) and so she sets out to change her life in ways that will not only help to maker her happy, but also fulfilled.

Filled with recipes and good writing, Lunch in Paris is definitely a great memoir to read. It provides a look at Paris through the eyes of a newbie - someone who is slowly discovering the city bit by bit. Someone who makes mistakes when ordering fruit and veg at the market, someone who learns that simple ingredients can make a delicious meal and also that asking for seconds is a definite no-no. We get to read about all the wonderful delights the city has to offer, along with all the negatives that leave one feeling rather deflated and confused. There are descriptions of love, marriage, family, death and depression. And each chapter ends with recipes, which I actually found to be rather nice. After all, who doesn't need a few new recipes to add to their cooking repertoire, right? I suppose in a way, this book definitely leaves you with a lot of food for thought. Ha ha ha! I know, lame joke.

Anyhow, I must admit that when I first picked up the book I thought it was going to be all about the romance of being in love in Paris, but the more I read, the more I realized it was about so much more. Elizabeth Bard has written a delightfully, engaging book that I would recommend to anyone interested in reading memoirs, or books about France and food. This has definitely been the perfect read for the Paris in July Challenge 2011 - it had Paris, love, sadness and food ( all the makings for a very good read ).

A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cossé

2011-07-28T07:28:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

A devotee of Stendhal who has shunned the company of his fellow human beings to live on the outskirts of a tiny village in Savoy is kidnapped and left for dead along a forest road. A middle-aged mother who spends much of her time shuttling her numerous offspring along twisting mountain roads loses control of her car and ends up injured but alive in a gorge. Meanwhile, an elderly man of unbreakable habits is taunted and threatened by two unknown men while on his morning walk along the cliffs of Brittany. Mystery abounds but A Novel Bookstore is no everyday mystery. The victims here are not members of the underworld, toughs or thugs, but mild, meek and apparently ordinary people. In the eyes of their aggressors, they are guilty of only one crime: expressing their tastes in literature.

Indeed, all three victims are members of The Good Novel's secret selection committee. Tucked away in a corner of Paris, The Good Novel bookstore offers its clientele literary masterpieces, both contemporary and classic, selected by a top-secret committee of authors. The store has proven an instant success, but nobody could have imagined that such success would unleash a tide of hatred. Now, there are those who will stop at nothing to destroy The Good Novel. One by one, the pieces of this puzzle fall ominously into place, as it becomes clear to the store's owners, Ivan and Francesca, that their dreams of an ideal place for books may be shattered by envy and violence.

My Thoughts:

I liked this book. It was a solid read that held my attention throughout, except for the few times that I found myself skimming the pages to skip ahead. I think what I enjoyed most about the book was that it provided me with a list of new books to add to my current TBR list - talk about a never ending list! As far as the story goes, it was pretty interesting. Who wouldn't want to read a book about a bookstore that only sells good novels? Isn't that every bibliophile's dream - to open a bookstore just like that? Of course this leads to two big questions: What makes a novel 'good'? and Who decides which novels are 'good'? Both questions are repeatedly addressed throughout the novel, so we definitely get a feel for what everyone is thinking. In fact, its really interesting to find out which authors make the cut, and even more interesting to find out which ones don't.

As for the store itself, we do eventually learn about how it came to be. We learn about Francesca and Ivan, the owners of The Good Novel (the bookstore in question). And we learn about the secret selection committee that is comprised of eight authors who will be in charge of selecting which novels the bookstore should sell. We read about the immediate success of The Good Novel and how excited everyone seems to be that such a book shop finally exists. Of course, we also find out about all the negative campaigning against the bookstore. There are articles in the paper and comments on the radio that are aimed at ridiculing and harassing the owners of The Good Novel and this concept of a good novel. However, these attacks are tame in comparison to the ones the secret selection committee receives. They are subjected to much worse - from being kidnapped to getting in a car wreck.

Now, I don't want to give away anything else about the book, like, who is narrating the story - which surprisingly once revealed left me feeling rather deflated. And I don't want to give away any information about the unrequited love storyline that leads to the unraveling of a woman; or even the fact that we learn about the history of The Good Novel bookstore at a police precinct. None of these events provided the proper punch that I felt they intended to make. Instead they just left me feeling slightly disappointed.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. The writing was great and the idea for the story was fun. The characters really were characters and I found myself taking a liking to them. As for the story itself, though it was flawed and not as mysterious as I had hoped, it still was a great book to read. Definitely a perfect pick for the Paris in July Challenge!

A Good Hard Look: A Novel by Ann Napolitano

2011-07-21T20:29:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

Forced by illness to leave behind a successful life as a writer in New York, Flannery O'Connor has returned to her family farm in Milledgeville, Georgia. She desires a quiet, solitary existence, but her mother, Regina, insists that she engage with the life of their small town, and she drags Flannery to the wedding of a family friend.

Cookie Himmel embodies every facet of Southern womanhood that Flannery lacks: she is revered for her beauty and grace; she is at the helm of every ladies' organization in town; and she has returned from her time in Manhattan with a rich fiance, Melvin Whiteson. Melvin has come to Milledgeville to begin a new chapter in his life, but meeting Flannery pushes him further than he ever imagined. She knocks down the suppositions on which his life is built, until the whole house of cards threatens to collapse.

Melvin is not the only person in Milledgeville who feels that life is passing him by. Lona Waters, the dutiful wife of a local policeman, is hired by Cookie to help create a perfect home - a stark contrast to the unhappiness in her own. When Lona is offered an opportunity to remember what it feels like to be truly alive, she seizes it with both hands, regardless of the consequences.

In the aftermath of one tragic afternoon, these ordinary and extraordinary people are forced to take a good, hard look at the choices they have made.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! When I first picked it up to read, I wasn't sure what I was in for. Let me just say I was beyond pleasantly surprised. Napolitano has written an excellent book about a small town filled with quirky, but very real characters. Oh, and she's included the author, Flannery O' Connor and her posse of peacocks as one these unforgettable characters. Yes, Napolitano has taken someone real, a famed author in fact, and embedded them into the story so well, that you easily forget how real Flannery was -in spite of the mention of her books and writing and fame. Now I've never read much Flannery, so to me, everything mentioned in the book in relation to her was new to me - which I felt helped me take the story in so easily. Also, I loved the idea that I was reading this fiction book based on an actual person - it just made the whole story feel so real.

Told in a variety of perspectives, each chapter provides a look into the various lives of these residents of Milledgeville, GA. You find yourself connecting with their struggles, sorrows, bouts of insecurity and rare instances of happiness and peace. All they want is confirmation that they are on the right path and that the choices they've made in life have been the right ones. These people want to be happy, which makes it so easy to empathize with them, because at the end of the day, all anyone wants is to be happy in life. As for the town itself, well, its reminiscent of those quaint little towns you see depicted in movies like Steel Magnolias - the kind where everyone knows everyone's business. I love reading about those types of towns - they are just special and rare. And the pace of the story is perfect - its slow and steady at first, then quickly picks up speed as the tension builds and soon enough you are caught up in these lives that are moving on a track that gets completely derailed when tragedy strikes and everything goes wrong. Its captivating how Napolitano handles these tragic events and the new paths she steers our dear friends, Melvin, Cookie, Flannery and Lona toward. Talk about unputdownable reading!

I know I didn't go into detail about the story lines or the characters themselves, but that is because I want you to read this book for yourself. I want you to get lost in this truly wonderful novel that Napolitano has created. It is such a compelling story filled with unhappy marriages, illness, peacocks, unlikely friendships and so much more. In fact, it does make one wonder about their own life and the choices they've made. This is definitely a story that will stay with you long after the last page has been turned. It is a must read for anyone interested in reading a good piece of literature.

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

The Secret Lives of the Four Wives by Lola Shoneyin

2011-07-11T07:19:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

Attempting to rise above the secrets of her past, Bolanle, a university graduate, marries Baba Segi, who promises her everything in exchange for agreeing to become his fourth wife. Thus she enters into a polygamous world filled with expensive clothes, a generous monthly allowance...and three Segi wives who disapprove of the newest, youngest, most educated addition to the family. There's Iya Femi, a fiery vixen with a taste for money; Iya Tope, a shy woman whose kindness is eclipsed by terror; and Iya Segi, the first, most lethal, and merciless of them all.

Bolanle quickly becomes Baba Segi's prized possession...until her very presence unlocks a secret that the other wives have long since guarded, and unleashing it could change life as they know it.

My thoughts:

I liked this book. The writing was solid, the characters were engaging and the story itself was interesting to read. However, the secret that gets revealed at the end was rather obvious long before the end, so throughout the book you are left wondering why its taking so long for anyone to figure out this secret. As for all the sex, I suppose I expected it, because we are discussing a polygamist family and sex is definitely a huge part of it - days are divided amongst the wives and they are aware of which wife gets an extra day. Plus, Baba Segi expects his wives to bear his children, so when Bolanle enters the picture and she is unable to become pregnant, that definitely brings up many questions regarding sex and fertility issues. There is also a long established pecking order within the household amongst the wives that Bolanle must adhere to, or else she will be verbally or physically attacked. For example, as the newest wife who has yet to produce any children, Bolanle is not allowed to sit on an armchair in the living room, so when she is given one to sit on next to Baba Segi, the other wives make sure to put an end to that privilege ASAP! They also make sure that their children ignore Bolanle when she enters a room or speaks to them. These women are determined to find a way to have Bolanle thrown out of the house. They use a variety of tactics - lies, voodoo accusations, poison and pure hostility. Bolanle is hurt and confused by these women's behaviours toward her, when all she has done is be nice to them and their children, offer to help around the house, and teach them all to read. Baba Segi appears to ignore all of this drama, as he is only concerned with the fact that Bolanle has yet to become impregnated. Doctors are visited and tests are taken and the result is one that will leave a household forever changed.

Through Shoneyin's rich and engaging writing we are able to learn about all four wives and the ways in which their lives have all led them toward a polygamist family lifestyle. We also learn about Baba Segi and how he has created a career that allows for him to live so comfortably and provide for such a huge household. All of these stories are told in such vivid imagery and distinct voices, that you can't help but become immersed in what you are reading. Yes, I know that guessing the secret early on does take away the element of surprise from the story, but it doesn't really ruin anything else. You are still eager to find out how everything will be resolved and what will happen to Bolanle and the other wives.

Shoneyin has written a very good book that I would glady recommend to anyone to read. Its a book that allows you a peek into a lifestyle and country that you may not be familiar with. And its a book filled with characters that you will not forget. This is a book that will hold your attention and leave you wanting more.

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

The Gin and Chowder Club by Nan Rossiter

2011-07-06T19:33:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

The friendship between the Coleman and Shepherd families is as old and comfortable as the neighboring houses they occupy each summer on Cape Cod. Samuel and Sarah Coleman love those warm months by the water; the evenings spent on their porch, enjoying gin and tonics, good conversation and homemade clam chowder. Here they've watched their sons, Isaac and Asa, grow into fine young men, and watched, too, as Nate Shepherd, aching with grief at the loss of his first wife, finally found love again with the much younger Noelle.

But beyond the surface of these idyllic gatherings, the growing attraction between Noelle and handsome, college-bound Asa threatens to upend everything. In spite of her guilt and misgivings, Noelle is drawn into a reckless secret affair with far-reaching consequences. And over the course of one bittersweet, unforgettable summer, Asa will learn more than he ever expected about love - the joys and heartache it awakens in us, the lengths we'll go to keep it, and the countless ways it can change our lives forever...

My thoughts:

When I first saw this book I thought it would be a nice summer read - a light chick lit type of book. And I was right about it being a light read, however it bordered more toward the Christian lit genre than chick lit. I wasn't expecting to read a book peppered with religion throughout, which is pretty much what I got. Now, I'm not one to read Christian lit normally, so I'll admit that my opinion about this book may be skewed - nonetheless, here goes.

This is a book about infidelity and the ways in which it impacts lives. Asa has known Uncle Nate forever and has grown fond of his wife, Noelle (she's fifteen years younger than Nate and is his second wife - Annie, his first wife passed away years ago). Except, this fondness is starting to turn into lust and well, you can imagine where that takes the story. Noelle kisses Asa (she tells him they are just friends) + Asa can't get Noelle out of his head = an affair is born. Hearts are broken and a baby is born. Oh, and there is a death, which I'm sure is supposed to tug at your heart strings, but it just made me roll my eyes. Why did I roll my eyes? Because I knew who was going to die and what would happen afterward - it was so obvious! I hate when you already know what is going to happen before it happens - it makes for a boring read.

I admit it - I didn't really care for the book. The writing was good, but it didn't really hold my attention. I pretty much read the book in one sitting and found that I was happy when it was finally over. I just felt that the story lacked personality and the characters were cliched. In fact the plot was so unoriginal that I felt like I was re-reading a story. The only things I did like were the book cover (I love hydrangeas) and the bits and bobs that mentioned To Kill A Mockingbird and A Separate Peace - that's pretty much it. This is not a book I will remember.

Just wanted to say thanks to Wallace for letting me participate in her first ever Early Readers Group read with this book!

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

2011-07-03T23:05:00.000-04:00

From bookflap:

Years ago, Marina Singh traded the hard decisions and intensity of medical practice for the quieter world of research at a pharmaceutical company, a choice that has haunted her life. Enveloping herself in safety, limiting emotional risk, she shares a quiet intimacy with her widowed older boss, Mr. Fox, and a warm friendship with her colleague Anders Eckman. But Marina's security is shaken when she learns that Anders, sent to the Amazon to check on a field team, is dead - and Mr. Fox wants her to go into the jungle to discover what happened.

Plagued by trepidation, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the unknown, down into the Amazonian delta, deep into the dense, insect-infested jungle, to find answers from the company's research team. Led by the formidable Dr. Annick Swenson, the scientists are looking into the development of a new drug that could have a profound impact on Western society. But the team has been silent for two years, and Dr. Swenson does not like interlopers inserting themselves into her work, as Marina well knows. The eminent and fiercely uncompromising doctor was once her mentor, the woman she admired, emulated, and feared. To fulfill her mission, Marina must confront the ghosts of her past, as well as unfulfilled dreams and expectations - on a journey that will force her to make painful moral choices and take her to the depths of her own heart of darkness.

My thoughts:

Finally! I now know what all the fuss is about when it comes to Ann Patchett. She is an excellent writer! Her way with words is amazing - she can weave a story and transport you to a different place with such ease, that you truly feel as if you are trekking through the Amazon jungle. And, she creates characters that leave you gasping in exasperation or cringing in disgust - characters that are real and flawed. In fact, take note of the title, State of Wonder, because that is how you are left feeling when you finish the book. I was left in a state of wonder, for two reasons: I was awed by Patchett's writing (I need to read Bel Canto and Run ASAP!) and confused by the bad ending she wrote for this otherwise terrific book. Weird, eh? To enjoy a book with such a bad ending. Well, I guess I'm weird.

Now, I'm not really going to discuss the book at length, because I do believe you should experience it for yourself and become immersed in this world that is dark, filled with secrets, and teeming with life. All you really need to know is that it is a gripping read about a woman named Marina who has gone to the Amazon jungle in search of information regarding the death of her dear friend and colleague, Anders Eckman. Through this journey Marina is forced to confront her past and present fears that have held her back literally and figuratively. We are able to see the transformation Marina undergoes and find ourselves rooting for her to succeed. Unfortunately, the ending comes along and pretty much mucks everything up. Nothing makes any sense with the characters or story - its as if Patchett grew tired of the story and just wanted it to end. Regardless of the disappointing ending, I was still thinking about Marina and the Amazon jungle for days afterward. And I always think that when a book haunts you for days afterward, its a sign of how good the book was. So, Patchett's was definitely a good book.

I would recommend this one to anyone and everyone interested in a good characer driven story set in the Amazon jungle. You will be amazed with the story and wonder why you've never read any of Patchett's works before now. Or at least, that's how I felt. So, enjoy!! Happy Reading!!

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

Paris in July has begun!!

2011-07-01T20:54:00.000-04:00

Paris in July 2011 begins today! Here are the books that I'm considering reading:

And here is the music I'll be humming along to: Yann Tiersen

and my trusty Putumayo cds

Hmmm. I think I'm going to enjoy Paris in July! For information about the challenge you can head on over to BookBath or Thyme for Tea . And, if you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave me a comment. Au revoir! I'm off to have a cafe au lait and a croissant.

The London Train by Tessa Hadley

2011-06-21T22:38:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

After his mother's death, Paul goes in search of Pia, his daughter from a disastrous first marriage, who has disappeared into the labyrinth of London. When he finds her, Pia is pregnant, single, and living in a run-down, illegal flat. But Paul is entranced by her excitement at living on the edge. Abandoning his second wife and their children in Wales, he joins Pia to begin a new life in the heart of London.

Cora, meanwhile, is running in the opposite direction. Escaping both her constrictive career and the

disappointments of her marriage with Robert, she leaves London to return home to Cardiff. But when Robert disappears from work, Cora begins a journey of expiation, which may lead her back to him.

These two compelling protagonists' disparate paths will converge in a chance meeting with immediate and far-reaching consequences.

My Thoughts:

Subtle and engaging are the two words I would use to describe this book. Hadley's The London Train is a slow moving novel that provides glimpses into the daily lives of two very flawed characters, Paul and Cora. In fact, the characters are completely unlikeable - they hurt the ones who love them without abandon and don't even seem to realize how selfish and mean they truly are. These are the types of characters that you don't really connect with, but that you can't stop reading about - you just have to see what they do next. We have Paul, who has recently lost his mother and just found out his oldest daughter is pregnant and shacked up in London. So, what does he do? He decides to leave his wife and two young daughters in Wales and move in with Pia, the preggers daughter. Hmmm. Sounds like a midlife crisis to me. Then there is Cora, she has tired of her life in London, including her husband, and decides to flee the city for Wales - she wants to live in her recently deceased parents' home and enjoy life in the country. Hmmm. Another midlife crisis?

Clearly, both characters have experienced loss and grief within their lives, but instead of dealing with those raw and real emotions, they choose to abandon their realities and make a bid for freedom. Freedom from their spouses, children, friends, responsibilities - whatever they feel is dragging them down into despair. You can't help but feel sorry for the secondary characters and all they have to endure as a result of Paul and Cora's sudden departures. And yes, Paul and Cora do meet on the London train and wind up involved in each other's lives, which is where the two parts of the story overlap - the book is broken into two parts, the first one is Paul's story and the second is Cora's. We never get all the details, but we do get a sense of how and why these two connected with one another - both longing for something different, something new.

Hadley has written a wonderful piece of literary fiction that exudes confidence and intelligence. Her prose is subtle and perceptive. The imagery is vivid and clear - you can easily imagine the streets of London. The mood is gray and detached - you can feel the characters' despair. Its easy to get lost in this book and find yourself wandering alongside Paul and Cora as they navigate the twists and turns life takes them on as they journey to freedom. This is one of those books where not much happens plot-wise, but when it comes to the characters, its bursting with action. Its the type of book that haunts you for days after. I would most definitely recommend The London Train to anyone and everyone. It is one of my favorite reads of this year!

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

Another Reading Challenge!

2011-06-16T08:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Frances of Nonsuch Book, I am joining another challenge. I can't help it - the books involved are going to be such good reads that I know I have to at least attempt to read a few of them. Frances, on the other hand is going to read all of them - that means she will be reading 42 novellas during the month of August and blogging about it (that comes to a book or two a day)! Talk about a voracious reader! So, after Melville House Publishing (they publish these books) found out about the challenge, they created this challenge around Frances' idea of reading all 42 novellas - how cool is that!?!

Anyhow, here are the details:

1. Anyone can join, you don’t need a blog to participate.

2. Read the books in any order you like.

3. Challenge begins August 1 and ends August 31.

4. Here are the levels:

Curious – Read 1 novella

Fascinated — Read 3 novellas

Captivated – Read 6 novellas

Passionate — Read 9 novellas

Mesmerized – Read 15 novellas

Obsessed – Read 21 novellas

Fanatical – Read 27 novellas

Unstoppable — Read 33 novellas

Bibliomaniac — Read all 42 novellas

5. Prizes! Melville House will be giving away sets of The Duels, The Neversink Library, Melville International Crime, individual novellas, novella sets, Bartleby bags, Bartleby bags stuffed full of books, gift certificates to our website and much much more. The prizes will get better everyday.

6. Have Fun!

I'm not sure yet, how many of these novellas I'll be reading, but I do know that I can't wait to start this challenge and I look forward to reading everyone's thoughts on these books! Hope you decide to join in on the fun!

Paris In July Reading Challenge!!

2011-06-14T22:14:00.000-04:00

Paris in July? Sounds like a plan! Thanks to Karen of BookBath and Tamara of Thyme for Tea, I will be immersed in all things Parisian come July - food, music, films and books. I can't wait! I participated in this fun reading challenge last year and had a blast listening to Yann Tiersen and watching 2 Days in Paris. This year I plan to listen to more French music, read a few books (A Novel Bookstore, Lunch in Paris and possibly, My Life in France) and eat some yummy French food whilst watching a French film or two.

In case you are wondering what the rules are, here goes:

Paris in July will run from the 1st - 31st July 2011 and the aim of the month is to celebrate our French experiences through reading, watching, listening to, observing, cooking and eating all things French.

There will be no rules or targets in terms of how much you need to do or complete in order to be a part of Paris in July - just blog about anything French and you can join in.

Some ideas for the month might include:
- Reading a French book - fiction or non-fiction
- Watching a French movie
- Listening to French music
- Cooking French food
- Experiencing French art, architecture or travel (lucky Tamara!)
- Or anything else French inspired you can think of...

If you are interested in being a part of this experience leave a comment at BookBath or Thyme for Tea. And just so you know, there will be weekly French themed prizes during the month.

Sign up now and grab one of the Paris in July buttons that Karen and Tamara have created to add to your blog!

Hope to see you in Paris this July!!

Bossypants by Tina Fey

2011-06-14T12:50:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update", before "Sarah Palin",Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon - from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

My thoughts:

When I first saw this book I was so excited to read it. I figured it would be full of interesting tidbits about Fey's life and make me laugh out loud so many times that the people sitting next to me at the Bucks would think I'm crazy. And, well, I was half right. I did find some of the tidbits somewhat interesting and I did laugh out loud a few times, so I sorta got what I wanted from the book. Except, at the end, I felt as if I should have just skipped this tome altogether. I just feel like a lot of the stories in the book I'd already read in magazines or heard in interviews that Fey has given, so there really wasn't anything that new in it. As for the funny, well, she brought some of it into the book, but not as much as I would have liked.

Overall, the book was okay. There were bits and bobs about how 30 Rock got the go head (Alec Baldwin) to her reluctance about impersonating Sarah Palin for SNL - both of which were interesting to read about (the inclusion of Alec Baldwin's name scattered throughout her 30 Rock stories was funny, as were the excerpts from the scripts themselves). And yes, you can definitely tell what a funny and clever woman Fey is through her writing in this book. However, I just felt like something was missing or maybe my hopes were just too high - either way, I liked the book, but didn't love it. Its weird isn't it? I mean, I can tell she's funny from the book, but I didn't find the book all that funny. Hmmm. Oh well, if I want my funny Tina Fey fix, I still have 30 Rock.

Happy Reading!!

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

2011-06-13T19:56:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

Jennifer Egan's spellbinding interlocking narratives circle the lives of Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Although Bennie and Sasha never discover each other's pasts, the reader does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs, over many years, in locales as varied as New York, San Francisco, Naples, and Africa.

We first meet Sasha in her mid-thirties, on her therapist's couch in New York City, confronting her long-standing compulsion to steal. Later, we learn the genesis of her turmoil when we see her as the child of a violent marriage, then as a runaway living in Naples, then as a college student trying to avert the suicidal impulses of her best friend. We plunge into the hidden yearnings and disappointments for her uncle, an art historian stuck in a dead marriage, who travels to Naples to extract Sasha from the city's demimonde and experiences an epiphany of his own while staring at a sculpture of Orpheus and Eurydice in the Museo Nazionale. We meet Bennie Salazar at the melancholy nadir of his adult life - divorced, struggling to connect with his nine-year-old son, listening to a washed-up band in the basement of a suburban house - and then revisit him in 1979, at the height of his youth, shy and tender, reveling in San Francisco's punk scene as he discovers his ardor for rock and roll and his gift for spotting talent. We learn what became of his high school gang - who thrived and who faltered - and we encounter Lou Kline, Bennie's catastrophically careless mentor, along with the lovers and children left behind in the wake of Lou's far-flung sexual conquests and meteoric rise and fall.

My thoughts:

This book is epic!! I absolutely understand why Egan won the Pulitzer for fiction - how could she not? The book is just that damn good. Honestly, I don't even want to discuss the book, because I want you to read it and see for yourself just how excellent it really is. So, instead I'm just going to highlight a few bits and bobs and then let you decide if you are going to give it a read and hopefully fall in love with it like I did.

"Time's a goon, right?"

Most definitely. Time is the biggest goon of all (its part of the goon squad). What's the goon squad? Well, its basically a metaphor Egan uses to show the ways in which life's obstacles and forces can demolish or catapult a person within their lives. And lets just say, those goons are made very apparent as we dive into this fantastic book and get immersed in the lives of its two main protagonists, Bennie and Sasha.

Spanning 50 years, this brilliantly written novel takes us on a trip through the lives of two very different people whose personal stories connect and disconnect in a variety of ways. Egan has constructed a book that is made up of several narratives that are linked together by multiple thematic threads: time, technology, and music. Truthfully each separate narrative could stand on its own as a short story, because they are just so engaging and you can't help but get caught up in the lives of these peripheral characters. Not only are they tantamount in impacting both Bennie and Sasha throughout their lives, but they are also interesting, complex and relatable - you can't help but want to hear more about some of them. Egan does a terrific job of bringing all of these characters together in such a way that helps to enrich the story and elevate it to another level.

Plus, the vivid descriptions of the cities, music, clothes and atmosphere provide crystal clear images of the various time periods we visit throughout the book. You begin to feel as if you are being transported both backward and forward in time. Its actually quite a trip. From jamming out to punk rock music with Bennie to finding Sasha in Italy, you definitely find yourself immersed in all sorts of situations with all kinds of people. Egan has written such a brilliant book brimming with depth and intelligence, that you will be left thinking about it long after you've turned that last page. This is a book that I highly recommend to everyone - it is definitely a must read!

Happy Reading!!

212: A Novel by Alafair Burker

2011-06-08T21:08:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

A celebrity mogul's bodyguard is slain in his boss's luxurious penthouse at an exclusive Manhattan address. At NYU, a sophomore is menaced on the Internet, stalked...and murdered.

The two cases, equally sordid and shocking, end up falling to NYPD homicide detective Ellie Hatcher and her partner - who soon find out that this is just the tip of the terrifying iceberg.

Because in the city that never sleeps, death doesn't either.

My thoughts:

I don't normally read crime thriller fiction, but have read enough of them to know what to expect. And 212 did not disappoint on that front - it was exactly what I expected - solid writing; somewhat likeable characters; formulaic storyline; and, that description of the dark, gritty reality surrounding cops and their jobs (the kind you see on those L&O TV shows).

The book consists of five parts that are made up of short chapters, some are merely one or two pages long. Each chapter begins with either a time or date on it, letting the reader know the breakdown in the days throughout Ellie's investigation. I suppose it helps the reader keep track of how long it takes for Ellie and Rogan (Ellie's partner) to figure it all out - of course, being that its pretty obvious early on who did what, the reader already has an idea of what's about to happen next. So, no, this book didn't really have that element of surprise that I enjoy in a good thriller, but it still provided an engaging tone that made it easy for me to keep reading.

As for Rogan and Ellie, they are cops through and through- always working to get the job done. Albeit, they do take breaks now and again to either go out on dates; call their mom; and hang out with their brother. Afterall, you have to have some light relief in between all those crime scenes, right? Oh,and don't forget they also need a boss who comes down hard on them when need be - which they have in Robin, who of course winds up dating one of the killers. Oops, did I forget to mention that there are two killers in the book?

Now as far as the homicides within the book, well, one revolves around a young college co-ed who was being stalked on a college gossip website that posts salacious details about everyone and anyone at NYU; the other murder involves a bodyguard who happens to be a part of one NYC's most elite resident's security detail. Both victims are connected by a very tenuous thread, which Ellie and Rogan quickly piece together with the help of google and twitter. Oh, and also with the information they gather via their interrogations of suspects and witnesses - both of whom are always readily available to talk (not very realistic, eh?). And, yes, Burke was inspired by the headlines when she wrote this book - can we say, Eliot Spitzer and Craigslist killer?

Don't get me wrong, the book is a solid read. Its great for airplane reading, the beach, long car rides and when you want something quick to read. It kept me entertained for the day - yes, it only takes a day to read. Overall, the book was okay. I'm not sure I would read Burke again, but I'm glad I gave her book a go - it was a nice change of pace for me and my usual reading fare.

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

Japanese Literature Challenge 5 is here!!

2011-06-02T18:54:00.000-04:00

It's back!! The JLC5 has begun! Hosted by Dolce Bellezza, this reading challenge is all about Japanese Literature. From Murakami to Ogawa to Yoshimoto, there are so many wonderful authors to choose from.

And the rules are simple:

"read one book from June 1, 2011 until January 30, 2012. If you want to read more than one, wonderful. If one is all you can manage, wonderful. Once you've read it, you may wish to post your review on the JLC5 review site."

One book! How easy is that? I know I'll definitely be reading more than one - especially, since I've been putting books aside specifically for this challenge - and, yes, The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto is one of those books! However, if you do need help figuring out which books to read for the JLC5, Bellezza has included a "suggested reading list" on the JLC5 site - check it out!

Alright, I'm off to read! Hope you visit the JLC5 site and decide to join in on the fun! Happy reading!!

Perfect read for JLC5!

2011-05-19T17:53:00.000-04:00

She's back! Banana Yoshimoto's latest work, The Lake is out now! In her new book, she creates "a hypnotic, delicate, and suspenseful tale about a young painter named Chihiro and her relationship with a brilliant but troubled young man named Nakajima who has a mysterious trauma in his past." Talk about a must-read book! I can't wait to get my hands on a copy and dive into Yoshimoto's words - I am positive it will be an excellent read! And of course it will be the perfect book to read for the upcoming JLC5 hosted by Bellezza. Can't wait to read everyone's thoughts on this one and post some of my own ideas about the book.

Don't you just love it when a book makes you excited about reading? Bliss.

And just so you know, a portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to helping those affected by the devastation in Japan.

Indie Lit Awards 2011

2011-05-19T17:03:00.000-04:00

The Indie Lit Awards are back this year - YAY! And this time round, I get to participate in all the fun as a voting judge in the Biography/Memoir category. I've already compiled a list of the memoirs I want to read - luckily, there are some great ones out this year, so I'm excited to start reading. And yes, Bossypants is one of those memoirs - love Tina Fey!

And just in case you hadn't heard of the Indie Lit Awards, here is some info:

The Independent Literary Awards are book awards given by literary bloggers. Lit bloggers write about books and literary related items. They are the fastest growing form of publicity in the literary world, though most are still independently run and do not receive compensation for their reviews or recommendations.

The Independent Literary Awards is currently in its second year and will be presenting the winners for the 2011 calendar year in March of 2012. The genres that will be represented and receiving awards for 2011 are:

Biography/Memoir

GLBTQ
Literary Fiction
Mystery
Non-Fiction
Poetry
Speculative Fiction

And before I forget, this just in:

Are you a blogger who is willing to review books in your favorite genre that are newly released in 2011? Are you a publisher, publicist, or author who is looking to get your newly released (in 2011) book read and reviewed on blogs? Great (on both accounts)! We’ve added Mr. Linky lists to each genre page to enable book bloggers to add their blogs to the list of bloggers who are willing to accept books published in 2011 and review them. Publishers, publicists, and authors: we’ve tried to make it easier for you to find bloggers who review books in your specific categories. Our goals are the same as yours — get books published in 2011 seen by readers! We want as many nominations this year as we can get, and the only way to do that is if readers know which books are out. Sometimes that can be difficult, especially if a blogger is new or if they just don’t have established relationships with literary industry people. So, let’s rectify that and get great books into blogging hands! Please visit our genre pages today to either add your blog, or visit blogs in particular genres.

And, also:

All readers not just book bloggers, will be eligible to nominate books for this year’s Indie Lit Awards! So, start writing down your favorite titles of 2011 for each genre that you read. We’re looking forward to your nominations in September.

If you need any more info about the Indie Lit Awards or have any questions contact Wallace, she's the brains behind the ILA (Indie Lit Awards), and can be found here (her book blog, unputdownables) and here (ILA website).

One Book, Two Book, Three Book...

2011-05-18T14:35:00.000-04:00

I've seen this meme on a number of blogs (last seen at Books and Chocolate; and it originated from Stuck in a Book ) and couldn't help but join in on the fun. So, here goes:

1. The Book I'm currently reading:

Nerds! I love Tina fey! 30 Rock is one of my favorite shows and well, I couldn't resist reading a book written by and about the creator of Liz Lemon. Plus, I need to read more biographies/memoirs this year, so I figured this would be the perfect choice. So far, its a mixed bag. There are parts where I find myself laughing out loud and getting shushed by my sister (we're at the Bucks imbibing copious amounts of coffee to wake us up this morning) and others where I'm speed reading just to get past it. Hmmm. I still have pages to go, so I'll see how it turns out.

2. The last book I finished:

I literally finished this one last night, so I'm still digesting it. Suffice it to say that I was very impressed by Egan's book - the writing was excellent and the characters were interesting and diverse. I can definitely see why she won the Pulitzer - this book is not only intelligent, but also teeming over with themes and issues ripe for discussion (and that are quite relevant in today's culture). Definitely a book I would recommend.

3. The next book I want to read:

I can't wait to dive into this one. I've loved all of Lopez' other books, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to love this one, too. She just has this way of creating characters that you can't help but fall in love with for so many reasons and her writing is just top notch. And the strange thing is that I'm not a huge fan of short stories, but for some reason, I'm always willing to read them by Lopez. I suppose when a writer knows how to write well, it doesn't matter if they've written a short story or epic novel, its just good writing - and Lopez is that good. Or at least I think so.

4. The last book I bought:

I saw this book being praised by quite a few book bloggers and just had to find out for myself if its really that good - so, I finally bought it. Plus, its a book about a bookstore that only carries 'good' books (the owners determine what is good) - who hasn't wished that they could open a bookstore and sell the books that they consider to be worth reading? I know I've considered it. A friend and I even discussed it in college - she would manage the bakery, whilst I handled the bookshop. What a fun dream. Anyhow, this book definitely made it onto my radar and I'm looking forward to it.

5. The last book that was given to me:

My mom bought me this book after I'd mentioned it to her. I read a review of it and just found myself completely engaged in the post. I figured if the post is that effusive about this book, its definitely one I should read. And so, its sitting on my TBR pile waiting to be read. For some reason, I kept thinking the book's title was Lost in Translation - like that Bill Murray movie (which I loved). Maybe, my confusion is a sign that I should dig out that dvd and watch it again. Hmmm.

Anyhow, I'm off to finish Bossypants and start a new read. Hope everyone's having a book-tastic day!

Husband and Wife: A Novel by Leah Stewart

2011-05-14T19:37:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

Sarah Price has never regretted trading her MFA for a steady job so that her husband, Nathan, could write fiction. But at age thirty-five, her world is turned upside-down by a shocking revelation: Nathan's upcoming novel, Infidelity, is based on fact. Reeling from his betrayal, Sarah is plagued by dark questions. How well does she really know her husband? More important, how well does she know herself?

For answers, Sarah looks back to her artistic twentysomething self to try and understand what exactly happened to her dreams. And so begins her quest to discover which version of herself is the essential one - the artist, wife, mother, or someone else entirely - an eye-opening journey that leads Sarah's hundreds of miles away from her marriage and back to herself.

My Thoughts:

Marriage is complicated. Extramarital affairs just add to the complication. And the past, well that can be a complication all on its own. In Leah Stewart's novel, Husband and Wife, we find ourselves introduced to Sarah and Nathan, a married couple with two children. She brings home the bacon, while he stays home to fry it - well, he also writes books and takes care of their kids. In fact, his latest book is set to be a best seller, which should be good news. Except that this book is about infidelity (that's the title of the book) and according to Nathan its based on his own extramarital affair. He tells his wife this fact on the night of their best friends' wedding, where they are set to give a toast all about marital bliss. Stunned at this revelation, all Sarah can think of is that they have a wedding to attend. From this point on we are witness to the topsy-turvy whirl of emotions that Sarah undergoes as she struggles to understand what happened to Nathan, their marriage and her sense of self.

This is a novel that explores what happens when you find out that your spouse has cheated on you. How do you react to such news? Who do you blame? Why did this happen? What are your options - separation, divorce, stay married? All of these questions run through Sarah's head as she decides to pretend it never happened, then decides to throw her husband out of the house, and finally decides to take a road trip with her kids. We are privy to all of Sarah's thoughts and actions, whether they be bad or good. We read about Sarah feeling guilty for leaving her children alone so that she can take long drives in the middle of the night. We read about Sarah kissing her husband's best friend. We read about Sarah learning that her husband's mistress will be in town the exact same weekend he suggested that she should take the kids and get away for a few days. We learn about Sarah's life as a grad student in Austin, Texas where she smoked pot and planned on becoming a poet. We learn about the fact that Nathan resents the changes Sarah has made - such as, maintaining a nine to five job instead of writing poetry, no longer reading books or discussing art house films and instead choosing Spider Man 2 as her favorite movie. We also learn about Rajiv and the fact that he has always been a little in love with Sarah and continues to keep in contact with her.

In fact, being that this book is from Sarah's perspective, we learn quite a few things about Sarah's life and are able to gain a better understanding as to why this betrayal has allowed her to take a closer look at the choices she made throughout her life. Recognizing how much of herself she has sacrificed in order to provide for her family has not only affected her marital life, but also her sense of self (her identity). Once passionate about poetry, Sarah realizes that she has not written a poem in years and begins to question why exactly that is. What has prevented her from creating poems? Why has she allowed herself to stop indulging in a passion that was once a huge part of her life? Why did she choose to let Nathan continue to pursue his love of writing, whilst she gave up hers?

By the end of the book, you may or may not agree with some of the choices that Sarah has made along the way, but you do understand how she got to where she is. You find yourself wondering what will happen next for this couple and their kids - will they ever be happy again? Will they allow their past mistakes to remain in the past? Will Sarah write poetry again?

I don't want to reveal everything that happens in the book, because I don't want to spoil the story for you. Suffice it to say that the ending was what I expected. Overall, this is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary fiction, specifically women's fiction. Its a book about betrayal and the ways in which one struggles to deal with its aftermath. The writing is solid and emotive and allows you to easily connect with Sarah. The story is filled with details from the past and present that hold your attention throughout. And the characters, whether they be peripheral or center stage, are engaging and memorable. This is a book that has left me wondering so many things about marriage and the concept of identity and self. Such an intriguing read - hope you check it out!

Thanks so much to TLC Book Tours for asking me to participate in this tour of Leah Stewart's, Husband and Wife.

The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett and Amanda Pressner

2011-04-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

three friends. four continents. one unconventional detour around the world.

With their thirtieth birthdays looming, Jen, Holly, and Amanda are feeling the pressure to hit certain milestones - score the big promotion, find a soul mate, have 2.2 kids. Instead, they make a pact to quit their jobs, leave behind everything familiar, and embark on a yearlong round-the-world search for inspiration and direction.

Traveling 60,000 miles across four continents, Jen, Holly, and Amanda push themselves far outside their comfort zones to embrace every adventure. Ultimately, theirs is a story of true friendship - a bond forged by sharing beds and backpacks, enduring exotic illnesses, trekking across the mountains, and standing by one another through heartaches, whirlwind romances, and everything in the world in between.

My thoughts:

This book is just what I needed to inspire me to make my 40 before 40 list ( a list of 40 things I want to do before I turn 40 ). Its a book about friendship, travel, inspiration, and discovering who you are.

Three friends (Jennifer, Holly and Amanda) are on vacation in Brazil talking about all the dreaded work that they have to face once they return to NYC and they are most definitely not looking forward to any of it. Jokingly, they discuss what it would be like to take off for one whole year and just travel around the world.

They would finally be able to really see the world and all it has to offer, whilst searching for the inspiration needed in helping them to decide what it is they truly want to be doing with their lives - such as, figuring out if they are on the right career path. Plus, they would be able to achieve some of their dreams, like hiking the Inca Trail, volunteering in Kenya, training to become a yoga teacher and hanging out with the Maasai. One whole year of travel could really change their lives.

Of course, talking about it is one thing. Could these three successful and career-driven women really choose to give up their jobs and lives in NYC for one whole year? Would they be willing to risk what they had worked so hard for in order to take time out for themselves? Yes, they could and yes, they would.

Not long after their vacation in Brazil, Jennifer, Amanda and Holly meet up to discuss turning their year long dream trip into a reality - ASAP! Soon they are sketching out an itinerary of all the places they want to visit and how long they want to spend at each place, along with figuring out how much money it will take to make this trip come to fruition. They also begin to realize just how much this trip will cost them with regards to their careers and personal relationships. Filled with excitement and fear, they book their tickets and are soon packing their bags and headed to their first stop - Peru!

Talk about a fun, interesting and inspiring read. Not only do we get to know Jennifer, Amanda and Holly as they take us along their year long journey, but we also get to learn about all of these new and exciting places they get to visit. Its as if we are right alongside them on this journey of self-discovery - we get to hear about all the yucky roaches, their restroom rating system and the language barriers that cropped up from time to time. We also get to read about their adventures as they trek through jungles, meditate at a yoga retreat, dance til dawn at nightclubs, and sleep on grungy beds in hostels. From the people they meet to the way a sunset makes them feel, we begin to notice the changes slowly taking place within these women and the fact that they are starting to realize just how lucky they are in their lives already. Of course, along the way there are arguments, hugs, lots of laughter and an overall appreciation for one another.

A true testament to friendship, this book really does provide a genuine feel of what these three women mean to each other and what this year means to them; which makes me glad that they decided to chronicle their year of travel. I found this book to be interesting, fun and inspirational. Its made me take stock of what I have in my life and also what it is that I want to get out of life. Of course, its made me want to travel, too. All in all, this is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone interested in reading about friendship, travel and self-discovery.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for letting me be a part of this book's tour.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

2011-04-20T12:48:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

In the small village of Edgecombe St. Mary in the English countryside lives Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, the Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?

My thoughts:

Where in the world have I been - under a rock !?! I can't believe how long it has taken me to finally pick up an read this delicious book. Suffice it to say, I'm just happy I finally did. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is one my favorite reads of this year. It has all of the components that make for a great read: excellent writing, engaging plot, interesting characters, and charm.

Retired, widowed and living in the same village he grew up in, Major Pettigrew is the epitome of the classic English gentleman (meaning he is proper, honorable, and kind). He has just found out that his brother, Bertie, has passed away. Overcome with grief, regret and uncertainty, the Major soon finds himself befriending the local shopkeeper, Mrs. Ali; discovering how materialistic and society hungry his son, Roger has become; and noticing the cracks beginning to surface under his village's facade of being a welcoming, accepting and tolerating community. We are soon swept away into this story, which has the Major fighting over the ownership of a pair of guns - apparently, upon his father's death bed, he bequeathed each son with one of his Churchills ( a pair of guns, he split up so that each son would have one) and made them promise to keep the guns as a pair, if anything should happen to either one of them. The Major has always had trouble accepting the fact that his father split the pair of Churchills to begin with (he always felt that as the oldest, he should have received both as a pair) and when he finds out that his niece wishes to sell the gun, well, suffice it to say, the Major is not a happy camper. Already distracted by this war over the guns (the niece wishes to sell the pair of guns in order to fetch a higher price), the Major is soon faced with his son, Roger, who has decided to marry an American (who at first appears to be just as money hungry and obsessed with climbing the social ladder as his son) ,buy a house out in the country, and who is also clamoring to sell the Churchill guns (he needs the money - its expensive "keeping up with the Joneses"). And then there is Jasmina (Mrs. Ali), a woman who has not only befriended him, but has also awakened a part of him that was long ago put to sleep. Soon, the two are taking walks on the waterfront, drinking cups of tea, discussing Kipling and enjoying spending time with one another. Of course, this relationship is not taken lightly - the village is not too happy about the Major dating a foreigner (Jasmina is Pakistani) and Jasmina's nephew is not keen on his aunt dating an Englishman. And so we must read about the complications that appear to arise as a result of this new friendship and wonder how the Major and Jasmina will handle it all. Will their relationship come to an end or will it buck society's narrow-minded attitude and continue at full speed ahead? What about their families - how will they react? And what about those Churchill guns - will they fetch a tidy sum to tide Roger over?

Now, I don't want to give away the ending to those who haven't read this wonderful book, so, let me just say, that the ending was as it should be. And let me encourage those who haven't sought out this book to do so now - ASAP! This book will not disappoint. The writing is engaging and thoughtful and makes you laugh out loud, cringe in discomfort and sigh with happiness. The characters are unforgettable and easy to imagine. The plot is interesting and covers a variety of topics: family, love, race, class, and tradition - all of which make for quite a compelling read. This book grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. In fact, I was quite sad to see it end and wished it had gone on for several more pages.

This is a book I will not soon forget.

Happy reading!!

My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Park by Cindy Jones

2011-04-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

A delightful novel about a contemporary woman's foray into the past during one magical summer spent re-enacting Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.

Lily is a dreamer. In fact, her dreams of Jane Austen have gotten a little out of control. Not only has she just been let go of her job for reading Northanger Abbey when she should be doing work, she't taken to having an imaginary friend give her advice - Jane herself. This is all because Lily's been having some tough times. For one thing, her boyfriend has just abandoned her for another woman.

So when she gets the amazing opportunity to travel to London to re-enact Austen's Mansfield Park, she leaps at the chance. But though it seems like Lily will be escaping her troubles, the truth is she'll begin facing - and dealing - with them...with a little help from Jane, of course!

My thoughts:

I don't want to be negative, but this book is not delightful. It is 'trying' - as in, it tried my patience. Generally, I like to read books that are Austen inspired - such as Austenland by Shannon Hale (such a fun read!) - however, this particular book did not have any of the charm or wit that I expected it to have. Instead, I found myself reading a book that was lacking in everything. The writing was okay, the characters were dull and the plot was rather messy.

The story is basically about Lily, who has been dumped by both her boyfriend and job. She is desperate to rekindle her romance with her ex, but he has moved on and wants her to stop driving by his house every night to spy on him. As far as work goes, she decides to ask Vera, the owner of her favorite bookstore, for a job - apparently there is this literary festival that she is ready for (whatever that means). And so, we find Lily en route to work in England (after having paid for her own flight); once there, well things get a bit confusing. Does Lily even have a job with Vera? More importantly, does Vera even know what is going on with the literary festival? Its all rather confusing. Of course, Lily always manages to find ways to stick around England, while at the same time seems to be finding herself (which was the whole point of going to England). Scattered throughout the book are literary references, which is always a bright spot (probably the only bright spot in this case). Oh, and did I mention the imaginary Jane Austen? Yeah, Lily has an imaginary friend, who happens to be Jane Austen - I'm not even going to touch that one.

Overall, I just did not connect with this book. I had to force myself to finish it and am just happy to be done with it. This is a book that I think only Austen fanatics might possibly enjoy, but even then I'm sceptical about recommending it. However, I will mention that I have read loads of positively glowing reviews about this book, so who knows - maybe, I'm just one of the few people who didn't get it. If you want the chance to read it for yourself, I will happily send my copy to one lucky reader - just leave me a comment and include your email address (for US residents only).

By the by, thanks to TLC Book Tours for letting me join this book tour and to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book.

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

2011-04-13T12:55:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

The latest installment in the beloved, best-selling series is once again, a beautiful blend of wit and wisdom, and a profoundly touching tale of the human heart.

At a remote cattle post south of Gaborone two cows have been killed, and Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's No. 1 Lady Detective, is asked to investigate by a rather frightened and furtive gentleman. It is an intriguing problem - including, surprisingly, her own client.

To complicate matters, Mma Ramotswe is haunted by a vision of her dear old white van, and Grace Makutsi witnesses it as well. Is it the ghost of her old friend, or has it risen from the junkyard? In the meantime, one of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices may have gotten a girl pregnant and, under pressure to marry her, has run away. Naturally, it is up to Precious to help sort things out. Add to the mix Violet Sephotho's newly launched run for the Botswana Parliamen and a pair of perfect wedding shoes - will wedding bells finally ring for Phuti Radiphuti and Grace Makutsi? - and we have a charming and delightful tale in the inimitable style of Alexander McCall Smith.

My thoughts:

I can't believe that I forgot this book was coming out. I love this series and somehow, I completely spaced out on the fact that Alexander McCall Smith had released a new one this year. Anyhow, lucky for me I spotted a copy of it at (of all places) Target. Of course, I grabbed it and ran to the cashier to pay for it so that I could get home and start reading it ASAP. And let me just say how happy I was to be taken back into the world of Precious Ramotswe and her home country of Botswana. These books are similar to drinking a good cup of red bush tea and chatting with one of your dearest friends - they are a pleasure.

This time round, we have duplicitous clients, a runaway apprentice, broken heels, and a mystery van. Crikey, makes me think of Scooby Doo and the gang - Ha! Anyhow, in the latest installment, there is drama and more drama and let me just say I loved it - mainly because it gave me the chance to catch up with my dear friends, Mma. Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi. Basically, life is moving forward. Grace is planning her wedding to Phuti and excited at the prospect of having a husband, a new home and a new life. Precious is worried that she is seeing things, because she has spotted her tiny white van around town - this is the van she parted with because it was no longer in working order. And then we have Charlie, who has earned the reputation of deadbeat daddy. Hmmm. What is going on? Will Mma. Ramotswe be able to save the day for everyone, including herself? Of course, she will! I won't tell you how, but suffice it to say, truths are revealed and the return of a dear old friend make for quite a sweet read.

Hope all you fans of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency enjoy this one as much I have.

Happy reading!!

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

2011-04-11T08:04:00.000-04:00

From book flap:

Every life has a soundtrack. All you have to do is listen.

Music has set the tone for most of Zoe Baxter's life. There's the melody that reminds her of the summer she spent rubbing baby oil on her stomach in pursuit of the perfect tan. A dance beat that makes her think of using a fake ID to slip into a nightclub. A dirge that marked the years she spent trying to get pregnant.

For better or worse, music is the language of memory. It is also the language of love.

In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people - even those she loves and trusts most - don't want that to happen.

Sing You Home is about identity, love, marriage, and parenthood. It's about people wanting to do the right thing for the greater good, even as they work to fulfill their own personal desires and dreams. And it's about what happens when the outside world brutally calls into question the very thing closest to our hearts: family.

My thoughts:

Typical Picoult. Drama based story (topic ripped from headlines) that depends on a court room trial to lead us to the end. And yet, knowing how formulaic her writing and story lines are, I once again picked up a Picoult book and read it. Will I ever learn? Now don't get me wrong, the book was good - it had solid writing and a good plot. And I did finish reading it in one day, so obviously I was immersed in the story. However, its the type of book that I compare to beach/airport reads - the books you read, but forget about. You know what I mean - fluff books. Picoult's works are fluff reads to me, which sometimes, is just what I need. And I needed a fluff book, since I wasn't so sure what I wanted to dive into next.

Now, I'm not going to summarize the story and go into any further detail as to how much or how little I liked it. Instead I wanted to mention Picoult's beef with literary critics. Apparently, when Franzen's book, Freedom, came out to glowing reviews, Picoult wasn't too happy about it. She felt that his work was being taken seriously and was receiving oodles of attention, whilst her work was being ignored. You see, Picoult's books are considered commercial fiction (it's often tagged as women's fiction) and as a result she doesn't receive any literary accolades. She's financially successful because of her books and they do top bestseller lists, which means that they get read by a lot of people - yet, the literary critics don't exactly give her the kudos they would and have given to Franzen. And the thing is, according to Picoult, her work focuses on the same themes that the so-called literary authors' works tend to focus on. So, what is it exactly that separates her work from theirs? She considered it could be a gender issue, which wouldn't really surprise me considering how often women writers and their works are neglected by literary critics. As someone who majored in both English and Women's Studies, my research has always focused on Chicana literature and Chicana feminism - two genres that are often ignored - so I can understand why Picoult would think her work was being left out (on the gender level). However, after having read several of her books I can honestly say that it is not about her gender. I love chick lit and women's lit and commercial fiction and all that jazz, but I don't get the same things from it that I would from a Jean Rhys or Sandra Cisneros novel. And yes, I do know that chick lit does deal with issues similar to a Jean Rhys book, but the way that Rhys would tackle these issues is on another level compared to the way that Picoult would deal with them. Honestly, I don't care much for Franzen's work (this is based on my dislike for The Corrections), but I can appreciate his talent as a writer - his work clearly showcases his penchant for storytelling. As far as Picoult goes, well, her work is solid, but formulaic - it is the epitome of commercial fiction. Its the type of writing that satisfies you when you need a quick read. Its not the type of book that will impact you in such a way that it will alter your life. Nor is it the type of book that blows you away because the writing is beyond good. Its the type of book that if you lend it to a friend and never get it back, you won't get upset about it, because you've already forgotten about the book. What do you think? Am I right about Picoult's books? Or do you think Picoult's works should be considered literary fiction? All I know is that after remembering Picoult's complaints about not being taken seriously as a literary writer leaves me wondering why she continues to produce book after book devoted to the same formula (headline news drama, court room trial, happy/unhappy ending). Why doesn't Picoult try to produce quality instead of quantity?

Anyhow, I'm off to read something new. Good riddance to Picoult (I must stop reading her work, its like a bad habit).

The Three Weissmanns of Westport: A Novel by Cathleen Schine

2011-03-28T22:22:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

Betty Weissmann has just been dumped by her husband of forty-eight years. Exiled from her elegant New York apartment by her husband's mistress, she and her two middle-aged daughters, Miranda and Annie, regroup in a run-down Westport, Connecticut, beach cottage. In Schine's playful and devoted homage to Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, the impulsive sister is Miranda, a literary agent entangled in a series of scandals, and the more pragmatic sister is Annie, a library director, who feels compelled to move in and watch over her caprcious mother and sister. Schine's witty, wonderful novel "is simply full of pleasure: the pleasure of reading, the pleasure of Austen, and the pleasure that the characters so rightly and humoroursly pursue...An absolute triumph"(The Cleveland Plain Dealer).

My thoughts:

I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was such an engrossing read. The writing was excellent and the characters were unforgettable. Its a story about everyday life and the ways in which people handle the cruel and biting ways that life can twist and turn when you least expect it. Of course, the rare good bits in life that make you smile are mentioned in the book - they just don't seem to happen that often. Perhaps, that is why I like this book, because of the realistic manner in which life is depicted (messy, complicated and unresolved). Its refreshing to read a book that is made up of moody, broken and completely self-absorbed characters who all seem rather nutty and unlikeable, yet somehow manage to inspire a connection (or at least I connected with some of them on some level). Of course, there were the few characters that bordered on the ridiculous (I laughed out loud when they appeared in the story) - I'm thinking they were inserted into the story line to show us how mundane situations can easily be turned into a melodramatic soap opera. And what is this story about? Well, everything. We have divorce, romance, love, death, money, deception, sexuality, pregnancy, scandal, and family all tied into one big story that revolves around Betty and her two daughters, Miranda and Annie, who find themselves once again all living together under the same roof (which is not exactly turning out to be what they expected) . Betty is refusing to accept the fact that her husband of nearly five decades has filed for divorce, Miranda is hiding out after a horribly embarrassing work scandal has left her bankrupt, and Annie is trying to keep her mother and sister from falling apart, even if that means ignoring her own needs. Each of these women is attempting to find some sort of resolution to their situation, yet neither of them really try to do anything about it. Or at least not at first. As the story progresses and more dramas seem to ensue, we find these women's strength pushing through and aiding them in moving forward with their lives. We see some situations being resolved, while others are pushed aside. And we have an ending which is bittersweet. All in all, a book that makes you laugh, cry and sigh in exasperation - a good read in my opinion. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys women's fiction.

On a side note, reading this book means that I have completed the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011. I joined at the neophyte level, which means I only had to read 1 book if I wanted ( I could read anywhere from 1 - 4 books). Yay, me!! Of course now that I think about it, reading only 1 book does seem rather lazy. Hmmm. Perhaps, I'll read another - like, Sense and Sensibility.

Villette: The End

2011-03-24T10:28:00.000-04:00

I'm done! Villette is dead. Okay not really, but you know what I mean. Its over and I can now rest knowing that I won (okay, so there was no competition, but I won in the sense that I didn't let the book beat me - I beat it (meaning I finished it regardless of how boring it was)). Anyhow, its done and I can honestly say that I didn't hate the book and I'm glad I participated in the read along. I suppose at the end of the day, its just like one of those stuffy classics I had to read for school and immediately forgot about afterward. Anyhow, before I delete the book from my Kindle, here's what happened in the end (and yes, the ending did make me smile).

Lucy and M. Paul finally admit that they have a friendship, a close one - so close, that he wants her to think of him like a brother? That bit was weird - how can you think about someone you want to be with romantically as your sibling? I know he was trying to establish a relationship with her, but seriously? Anyhow, before all of this talk of friendship, Lucy finds out (via an errand Madame Beck has asked her to run for her) that M. Paul was once in love and that the woman died. So he has taken it upon himself to be financially responsible for her family and his priest (the man who encouraged him and counseled him - this is also the guy who listened to Lucy before she fainted). He has chosen to live the life of a pauper, as long as these people are taken care of. This altruistic nature melts Lucy's heart and she realizes what a great man M. Paul is. And so their friendship blossoms and this leads to drama - Madame Beck announces that M. Paul has quit teaching and will be leaving for a faraway country. Lucy is shocked. What!?! Why!?! When!?! And of course, where is he? Lucy hasn't seen him since they discussed their relationship (you know, the whole love me like a brother scene). Each time he is at the school, Madame Beck finds a way to keep them apart - in fact, the day he comes to say goodbye to his pupils, she literally blocks Lucy from being seen and ushers M. Paul out of the room ( I had to laugh at that scene. Come on, Lucy! Why didn't you push her aside or run up to M. Paul?!). Its just crazy how blatant Madame Beck is about keeping Lucy and M. Paul apart and how Lucy doesn't even try to stop her. Perhaps her will is stronger than her tongue, because one night that she is given a sleeping drug, the drug does not put her to sleep, instead it jolts her awake. Overcome with the fear that she will not see M. Paul before he leaves, Lucy sneaks out of the school and wanders around town and sees everyone she knows (and yet, they don't see her? I swear, she really can blend into the background at times). Anyhow, as a result of her spying, she learns that Madame Beck, the priest and the old woman (the one M. Paul is taking care of) have all plotted together to keep Lucy and M. Paul apart. They each have a stake in this new job of M. Paul's - apparently the old woman discovered some land of hers that needs to be tended to for three years, before she can make any money off of it - so all three, who believe they will each get a cut of the money (except for the priest, he just hates that Lucy is Protestant), have decided to get M. Paul to tend to the land - which will take him far away from Lucy. OMG! Lucy is shocked and hurt by this truth. She runs back to school and finds the nun in her bed and wants to scream, but she can't. As she gets closer, she realizes that its not the nun, but just the nun's clothes. Anyhow, Lucy and M. Paul finally get to spend time together and she tells him what she learned as a result of her late night wanderings and he shows her why he has been away from her these past few weeks. M. Paul has acquired a house, which can double as a school and has set it all up for Lucy - he knows that she has been saving her monies in the hopes of one day opening up her own school. He told Lucy that he feared for her being alone with Madame Beck whilst he was gone, so he decided it would be best to have her realize her dream of opening her own school sooner than later - which of course, he would become a part of when he returns in three years. Lucy is stunned and deeply moved by M. Paul's actions and realizes just how much he cares for her and she cares for him. And so, M. Paul leaves to tend the land and Lucy spends the next three years enjoying her new life and awaiting the return of the man she loves. Before I forget, we also find out that Dr. John and Polly get married and have children and remain happy. Oh and Ginerva and her beau elope and she explains to Lucy that it was Alfred (Ginerva's beau) that dressed up as the nun - it was a means of disguise he used in order to sneak around the school to meet up with Ginerva. How crazy is that!?! Poor Lucy, all along she thought she was being haunted by a nun. And so the book ends.

I'm happy that Lucy found love and was able to get away from Madame Beck. And I'm glad that M. Paul turned out to be a somewhat decent man. I'm still not sure how much I liked Lucy or this story - it was dreadfully boring at times and it wasn't until the end that the pace picked up, but I am glad I got a sort of happy ending. After all that loneliness, it was good to see Lucy recognize she didn't want to be alone anymore.

Villette: Week Six

2011-03-17T08:22:00.000-04:00

We are at week six, which means we are covering chapters 26 through 30. And it also means that I am finally enjoying Villette. Yes, you read that correctly, I like Villette - or at least, I like these chapters. Why? Well, Lucy has finally shown us that there is more to her than meets the eye - YAY! And, I believe that I have been correct all along with regards to a certain relationship - Lucy and M. Paul. I have been thinking for some time now that romance is on the horizon for those two. How could it not be, with the way those two carry on with each other? Its rather obvious that M. Paul's horrid behaviour (telling Lucy what to do, rifling through her belongings, spying on her, and glaring at her) coupled with his rare and odd attempts at kindness (leaving behind books for her to read, teaching her math, and asking her to call him friend), all equal love, or something of that nature. Before we get to that, we must cover another story line - Polly and Ginerva. Polly invites Lucy to dinner so that she can see whether or not Dr. John is over Ginerva - which of course must be difficult for Lucy, because I'm positive she held romantic feelings for Dr. John. Mind you, she hasn't heard from him in ages, so who knows why she would think about him so much - did I mention that she rereads his letters much too often and in order to avoid anyone else reading them she bottles them up and hides them away. I swear Lucy reminds me of a silly schoolgirl at times - like with the letters. Anyhow, she attends this dinner and its rather obvious that Dr. John likes Polly and considers Lucy a friend, a "quiet" friend to be exact. This sticks with Lucy, as she becomes aware of how people view her, how little Dr. John truly knows her, and how much more alive she feels when she is around M. Paul. By the by, did I mention that Lucy lets Ginerva have it in the carriage ride home after Polly's dinner (yes, Ginerva was at the dinner, because what better way to see who Dr. John likes better, than to have both young women present). It seems to me that Lucy's spirit is finally peeking through her "quiet" demeanor. And so we continue to read about M. Paul and Lucy's relationship as it continues to evolve. We find Lucy making some sort of belt for M. Paul - she is going to surprise him with it on his special day at the school - that whole scene had me cracking up at the way M. Paul expected presents from everyone and kept waiting for Lucy to brings hers to his desk - hilarious!! Oh, and the we discover the school is haunted by a nun - the same nun that has terrorized Lucy. Apparently, M. Paul has seen this nun, too. Talk about a way to bond. Anyhow, the main point is that I smell love in the air for Lucy and that puts a smile on my face. Not only is Lucy finally speaking out and expressing herself more freely, but she will finally experience love with someone who loves her back. At least I hope that is what happens.

And so I'm off to find out what will transpire between Lucy and M. Paul. Until next week, Happy Reading!!

31 Bond Street: A Novel - Ellen Horan

2011-03-15T16:46:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

Who killed Dr. Harvey Burdell in his opulent Manhattan town house?

At once a gripping mystery and a richly detailed excavation of a lost age, 31 Bond Street is a spellbinding tale of murder, sex, greed, and politics in 1857 New York. Author Ellen Horan interweaves fact and fiction - reimagining the sensational nineteenth-century crime that rocked the city a few short years before the Civil War ripped through the fabric of the nation, while transporting readers back to a time that eerily echoes our own.

Though there are no clues to the brutal slaying wealthy Dr. Burdell, suspicion quickly falls on Emma Cunningham, the refined, pale-skinned widow who managed his house and servants. An ambitious districh attorney seeks a swift conviction, but defense attorney Henry Clinton is a formidable obstacle - a man firmly committed to justice and the law, and to the cause of a frightened, vulnerable woman desperatly trying to save herself from the gallows.

My thoughts:

I'm going to be honest and admit that I am midway through this gripping book. Its just too good of a read to speed through and so I'm taking my time with it - savouring each page. This is a book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys good historical fiction.

Based on actual events (Dr. Harvey Burdell was murdered in 1857 and the crime was never solved), this book is the perfect blend of fact and fiction. Horan has created a book that captures the mood and essence of 1857 so perfectly, that you can't help but be transported back in time. The seamless way her story unfolds, not only yields details surrounding each character, but also provides useful information about issues of that time period - racial conflicts, social and economic politics, the real estate boom and the sensationalist newspapers. Through Horan's excellent writing we are privy to a New York that is long ago forgotten. We are also witness to Emma and Harvey's odd courtship, the discovery of the body and an exciting court room trial - all of which make for quite a spellbinding read. As I keep reading, I find myself falling further and further into this captivating tale of murder and deceit. I'm loving every minute of it!

In fact, when I first began to read this book, the title Alias Grace popped into my head. Atwood's own foray into historical fiction based on a murder involving rather dubious people - in my opnion her best book. I've found Horan's book to be similar to Atwood's in the sense that both are extremely well written and quite compelling reads. Atwood's haunted me for some time after, which leaves me to wonder if Horan's will do the same.

Well, I'm off to finish 31 Bond Street and I most definitey look forward to reading anything else by Ellen Horan.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for asking me to participate in reading and reviewing this fantastic book!

So Close the Hand of Death by J. T. Ellison

2011-03-14T20:26:00.000-04:00

From back of book:

TALENT BORROWS. GENIUS STEALS. EVIL DELEGATES.
It's a hideous echo of a violent past. Across America, murders are being committed with all the twisted hallmarks of the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer and Son of Sam. The media frenzy explodes and Nashville lieutenant Taylor Jackson knows instantly that the Pretender is back...and he's got helpers.

As the Pretender's disciples perpetrate their sick homages - stretching police and the FBI dangerously thin - Taylor tries desperately to prepare for their inevitable showdown. And she must do it alone. To be close to her is to be in motal danger, and she won't risk losing anyone she loves. But the isolation, the self-doubt and the rising body count are taking their toll - she's tripwire tense and ready to snap.

The brilliant psychopath who both adores and despises her is drawing close. Close enough to touch...

My thoughts:

This is your basic crime thriller filled with suspense and nail-biting scenes. I don't usually read these types of books (truthfully, I'm not even sure why), but I wanted something different to read and so I agreed to read Ellison's book. Let me just say that I'm glad I read it - not only did I enjoy reading this book, but it also pushed me to consider reading more books in this genre (books that I would usually consider fluff, beach/airport reads). I enjoyed the quick pace of the story and the casual way it trapped you into a world of cops, crime bloggers and secrets - a world that is scary, but captivating. I was immediately taken in with the characters of Taylor and Baldwin - I wanted to find out what would happen to them and their relationship as they found themselves being pushed further and further along in their search for the Pretender. The writing was solid and the plot was interesting. There were some predictable revelations in the book, but there were also plenty of twists along the way that kept me on my toes. Overall, it was a satisfying read. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading crime thrillers (think James Patterson).

Villette: Week Five

2011-03-09T16:07:00.000-05:00

Week five and I'm finally caught up and not rushing to read this week's chapters (21-25) - Yay for me! As far as the book goes, well its going. I'm not hating it at the moment, so that is a vast improvement. However, I'm still not loving it. Don't get me wrong, Bronte does have a way with words - after all, I do find myself chuckling now and again or rolling my eyes in annoyance at Lucy's lack of behaviour.

Let's see, we are now back at school and Lucy is receiving letters from Dr. John. He promised to write her and she didn't believe he would and so when she got his first letter she ran to hide it away so that she could save it for later. That actually made me pity poor Lucy - she always makes herself out to be rather pathetic. Anyhow, she is reading her letter and relishing it, when out of nowhere an apparition of a nun appears before her and scares the frack out of her to the point that she rushes downstairs and tells the adults that there is someone hiding upstairs - Dr. John happens to be there and they all rush upstairs and find no one, which is when Lucy realizes her letter is missing - where has it gone? Well, it seems John found it and so he gives it back to her when he sees how overwrought she is about losing the letter. I think he even feels sorry for her, because she is treating the letter like its her most prized possession. And so they continue to exchange letters for a bit and then we find Lucy and Dr. John together at a show, whereupon they rush to the aid of this poor young girl - who winds up being a blast from the past for them both. Yes, it is the return of Polly! Finally! I was wondering when she would show up again - of course her identity is not revealed to Dr. John or Lucy at that time. And so the story progresses to where we find Lucy wondering why she hasn't received word from Dr. John in such a long time - she begins to think something dreadful has happened to him and doesn't eat because she is so worried and feeling rather depressive (those darn nerves of hers - curse them!). After seven weeks of nothing, she finally receives a letter from her godmother. Disappointed its not from Dr. John, Lucy reasons with herself that at least she now knows they are fine and still think of her. In fact, they have invited her to stay with them over this half-holiday weekend. And, it is at casa de Bretton that Lucy is finally reintroduced to Polly. Yes, Polly has finally entered the picture (she was the young girl from the show that they rushed to help - how they didn't realize it then that it was Polly is beyond me. I knew it was her from the moment they begin to describe her minute stature and delicate features, plus when John asked Lucy if the girl was a child that really clinched it for me). From Lucy's observations (which is all the book really is), we find that Polly and Dr. John have rekindled their old friendship and the love bug has bitten them both. I had hoped it would be Lucy and Dr. John finding love with each other, but looks like Polly has replaced Lucy in that equation. Hmmm. I wonder what Ginerva would think. Oh, that's right, she's related to Polly and is beyond annoyed to find Isidore fawning over Polly. I don't think she's going to be too happy when she finds out that Polly will be attending her school - apparently, Papa wants Polly to get educated and
Madame Beck's school happens to be in Villette and Lucy teaches there, so there you have it - a match. My questions now are: What will happen between Lucy and Dr. John, now that all his attention is diverted toward Polly? Will Polly and Dr. John marry? Will Ginerva scream in rage and tear her hair out when she finds out Dr. John chose Polly over her? Will Lucy ever do anything, besides blend in with the tapestries and wallpaper? I suppose I'll find out soon enough.

Happy Reading!!

Angelology: A Novel by Danielle Trussoni and GIVEAWAY

2011-03-08T16:36:00.000-05:00

From the back of book:

Sister Evangeline was just a girl when her care was entrusted to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Now, at twenty-three, she discovers a 1943 correspondence between the convent's late mother superior and the famous philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller that plunges her into a secret history stretching back a millennium: an ancient conflict between the Society of Angelologists and the monstrously beautiful descendants of angels and humans, the Nephilim. Blending biblical lore, the Miltonic fall of the Rebel Angels, the apocryphal Book of Enoch, and the myth of Orpheus, Angelology is a luminous, riveting tale of ordinary people caught up in a battle that will determine the fate of the world.

My thoughts:

I read this book in two days - the first day I read about 3/4 of the book and then I realized that I didn't want it to end, so I tried to slow down a bit on the second day (only to find myself itching to get to the end to see what would happen). And this is what I found: Trussoni has written a richly detailed story about good (humans = angelologists) versus evil (Nephilim = bad angels). A book that is filled with mystery, suspense, action and OMG revelations. Truth be told, I was reminded of Dan Brown's, The DaVinci Code. Angelology has the same thrilling and quick-paced feel that Brown's book had.  Except with Angelology we get so much more. Not only is it well written and obviously well researched, but it is also wildly imaginative and quite engaging. You are captivated by this idea of angels and their wicked history of enslaving humans and this society of angelologists who are always at work trying to thwart the angels' agendas by any means.

I found the novel's tone and mood to be dark, but tinged with a smidgen of hopefulness. The ease and flow of the story allowed for the readers to not only learn as much as the angelologists learned, but it also provided background information on the characters through old books, letters, and diaries. I found myself immersed in a story that details covert operations, a treasure hunt for Orpheus' lyre, lost loves, death and destruction and vivid descriptions of monsters so beautiful and compelling that you want to reach out and touch them. Honestly, I didn't want this book to end and luckily it doesn't have to. Trussoni is hard at work on the second book and let me just say how excited I am to learn that we are going to find out what will happen next for these characters and the battle between good and evil.

I know my review didn't provide much detail with regards to the plot, but that is because I don't want to give away what happens in the story.  Instead I urge you to pick up a copy and enjoy getting to know Evangeline, Gabriella, Verlaine and Percival all on your own - they are characters worth investing in. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for something different to read or someone who enjoys a good thriller. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and hope that you are, too.

Giveaway:

Thanks to the TLC Book Tours, I'm allowed to give away two copies of this book.  All you have to do is leave me a comment with your email address and the name of your favorite book. Two winners will be chosen at random. You have until March 25, 2011. Open to the US and Canada.

Villette: Week Four

2011-03-03T08:06:00.000-05:00

We are now at week four and I've just finished reading chapters 16-20. Basically, Lucy has been enjoying the company of her godmother and Dr. John, whilst recuperating from her mental fainting spell. She is staying at their place, as school is still not in session. During this stay she has come to feel happy and comfortable being surrounded by these two familiar faces and allows herself to be taken to museums and about town. She finds herself feeling free. In fact, she is at the museum looking at a painting of Cleopatra when she runs into M. Paul, who chastises her for being alone in a museum and for staring at that particular painting. He sits her in a corner and tells her to stare at these other works which are much more suitable for her. She finds the whole bit rather odd, but amusing. Oh and then there is the dress - a pink dress. Lucy's godmother gets it made for her since they will be attending a concert. And we all Lucy would rather look drab than fab, so there is a bit of reluctance on her part to wear it, but she easily caves and finds herself satisfied when Dr. John merely glances at her in it. Of course, this stay does include talk about Ginerva - Dr. John's object of affection. Lucy wishes John would look elsewhere for love, since she is privy to the fact that Ginerva is merely using John for the presents he gives her and has no real interest in settling down with him. Luckily, Lucy gets her wish when at the concert - John notices Ginerva mocking his dear old mother and from that moment forth he tells Lucy that he could never be with someone who would belittle his beloved mother. He finds himself disliking Ginverva more and more. Lucy is glad that John is free of his lust for Ginerva, but does ensure him that her bad behavior is not filled with malice, but simple child's play - which he does not believe.

And so you see, we are back with Lucy revealing memories to us that sort of include her, but are really about other people. Where is she in all of this? Why doesn't she want us to know her? Yes, we do learn that she is insecure when she puts on that pink dress for the concert, but that is about it. And yes, we know she hated being alone in the house and freaked out about it and went to church and then fainted - all of which displayed how shot her nerves were. Oh and of course she reveals to John that she recognized him some time ago, but didn't tell him so. My point is that though Lucy does reveal bits of herself, she doesn't really reveal true self with us. I want to get inside of her head, instead of being held back at such a distance. Seriously, where is this book going? Is Lucy even going to matter by the end or are we going to forget about her before the last page is turned? I'm starting to wonder why I decided to give this book a read - its making me mental trying to feign interest in a character who has no character to speak of- all she has are observation skills and a penchant for blending into the scenery. UGH!

Alright, well I'm off to read something interesting and will be returning to Villette next week. Happy Reading!

Tropical Depression by Arin Greenwood

2011-03-02T20:08:00.000-05:00

From back of book:

Nina Barker is a neurotic young New York lawyer whose life is coming apart. After suffering a lost job and a bad breakup, she flees the increasingly painful world she knows in favor of what she imagines - quite wrongly, it turns out - will be a simpler life on the remote island of Miramar. Populated with corrupt politicians, quirky and frequently intoxicated expats, ghosts, strippers, and a guy who may or may not be working for the CIA, Nina soon discovers her tropical escape isn't exactly paradise - it's also not boring.

My thoughts:

Northern Exposure. The t.v. show about Joel ( a NYC doc) who winds up in a small town in Alaska working as their town doc in order to pay off his med school debt. That is what this book reminded me of. Of course, Nina was a lawyer and she chose to run away to Miramar after losing her job and getting dumped by her boyfriend - so, technically its nothing like Northern Exposure. Except that it is, because Miramar is most definitely a strange new world that does not compute on Nina's NYC radar (just like Joel and Cicely)and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the lives and livelihood of this odd little island filled with strippers and fecal filled beaches. In this book, we get to see Nina at her worst (insecure, self-involved and pathetic at times) and then finally at her somewhat less worst (slightly secure, self-aware, and less pathetic). We get to experience an island that seems to be long ago forgotten and yet for many, its a last resort effort at making a go of things when life has you at a standstill. Its an interestingly odd read that leaves you smiling.

Initially I loved the idea of Nina escaping to Miramar, because who hasn't imagined running away to an exotic island when life is not going the way you had planned. Of course, once reality sets in and all the issues you were trying to avoid coming running straight at you, no matter where you are, well, then Miramar doesn't seem like such an ideal place to be. And that is when all the introspection comes into play - where Nina begins to realize that running away means she is not moving forward and that her life is still revolving around other people and not herself. We get to see Nina finally face the truth about her cheating ex-boyfriend and the role she played within that declining relationship. We get to see Nina realize that her future is unknown, but most definitely one that she can handle.

Tropical Depression is a well written book that makes you laugh out loud and sigh in frustration (heck, I even teared up a few times). Its a book that shows us how scary and exciting change can be - when we finally decide to go for it. Its a book that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. (And its also a book that has me looking for Northern Exposure on Netflix.)

Villette: Week 3

2011-02-24T17:40:00.000-05:00

Week three and already I am lagging behind with this book - again. Oh well, what can I say, I've been taken in by another book and am trying to fit in Villette when I can (like when I'm on the treadmill). Anyhow, I'm utterly confused. What the frack is happening with Lucy? I thought she was a likeable character and now I'm beginning to wonder why I ever thought that.

This week we had to read about all the visits from Dr. John and Lucy's refusal to let him know that she knows him, because apparently all along she has known that he is Grahame (her godmother's son). For some reason she won't reveal this to him. Oh, and apparently Grahame is Isidore, one of Ginerva's beaus (the one she gets to buy her all those lovely gifts). Seriously, what is going on? I thought that Dr. John would turn out to be a love interest for Lucy, but apparently he isn't going to - or is he? Anyhow, now I'm wondering if Polly will show up at some point, or if she is already in Villette and Lucy is just refusing to reveal to us which pupil is Polly. UGH! Its rather frustrating to have such an unreliable narrator - I'm depending on her and I'm not getting the story I expected. Hmmm. Perhaps, that is Bronte's point - to trick us. Well, at least I was right about Lucy being more of a behind the scenes kind of gal. I thought perhaps her role as a teacher would move her towards being more involved in the action, but no such luck. Don't get me wrong, Lucy is involved in the story, but not as much or in the way I assumed she would be. Of course who knows what will happen next, right? Anyhow, the book is moving along rather well, although I must admit to skim reading some passages (too much detail is rather boring at times, especially when the details are mere descriptions and not actual information). Nonetheless, I am enjoying this read along so far and am wondering what new surprises will be in store further along the way in Villette.

Alright, well I'm off to continue reading Tropical Depression (which reminds me of Northern Exposure). Cheers!

David Mitchell and 1000 Readers

2011-02-17T17:21:00.000-05:00

Hi! I just wanted to share some info about this email I received with regards to an online project concerning David Mitchell's novel, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet.

"Written by award-winning author David Mitchell (twice short-listed for the Man Booker Prize), the critically acclaimed The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet is being released in paperback in March. Set in 18th Century Japan, the book tells the story of a young Dutch clerk struggling to find his fortune, love and his rightful place in Dejima’s island sea-port, full of corruption, mystery, suspicion and deceit.

To celebrate the paperback release and increase awareness with everyone from hardened David Mitchell fans to the general public, we’re looking for 1000 people to become ‘The Thousand Readers of Jacob De Zoet’ in a unique literary project. This is where I wondered if you’d be interested in getting involved – essentially by offering your readers the chance to become one the first ‘Thousand Readers of Jacob De Zoet’.

By visiting www.facebook.com/thethousandautumns, selecting a theme and responding to the corresponding extract with a short review, image or film, everyone will be in with a chance of becoming an official ‘reader’ and receiving a signed and numbered limited paperback edition of the novel, which includes a letter from the author."

If you are interested in Mitchell's work, check out this fun project. The passages are great because they showcase Mitchell's excellent writing skills and provide a peek at what this story is all about. I've already reviewed a passage and will be posting another review on FB soon. Anyhow, just wanted to share this info. And now I'm off to read. Cheers!

Villette Chapters 1- 11

2011-02-16T22:40:00.000-05:00

Hi, I'm supposed to post about the chapters we've read for the week every Thursday during this read-along, but I didn't get a chance to last week, so I'm making it up this week. Today's post will be about chapters 1-11. Here goes:

I like this book. I didn't think I would, because I'm not a huge fan of the classics. And also, because I didn't care much for Jane Eyre. In fact, I preferred and loved, Jean Rhy's prequel of Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea - a clever and brilliant book which really captures the essence of Rochester and "Bertha". Anyhow, it turns out I'm liking this classic. Hurrah for me! I say this, because I'm trying to read more books outside my comfort zone and this one fits the bill. But I digress.

Let's see, so far, I've read about Paulina (Polly) - who was an annoying little girl left behind to stay with Lucy and her godmother, Mrs. Bretton. At first I wasn't sure where the story was going since Lucy was more behind the scenes then a part of the story - it was all about Polly and her relationship with John Grahame (Mrs. Bretton's son). Don't get me wrong, it was good reading, but we hardly learned anything about our narrator, Lucy Snow. That is until Polly left and then we found Lucy looking for work and winding up being employed by Miss Marchmont. A woman who was generous with her money and who promised Lucy that she would leave her behind with money so that she would be taken care of. This of course gets promised right before she dies, and so with no time to change her will, Miss Marchmont leaves Lucy nothing. Penniless and with no place to live, Lucy heads for London. She belives that in London she will find some work. I thought this to be brave of her, considering she had no clue as what to expect in a city she was not acquainted with. Once in London she hops on a ship and finds herself heading towards France. On this boat she befriends Miss Fanshawe, a young girl on her way to boarding school in Villette. And just like that, Lucy decides to head to Villette and look for work. Soon enough she finds herself working for Madame Beck (the woman from the school that Fanshawe mentioned). One minute she is taking care of some children and the next thing we know Lucy is standing in from of a classroom teaching English. It seems as if Villette is inspriring Lucy to blossom in so many ways. Of course, this must mean that romance is on the horizon and lo and behold enter the doctor. Hmmm. I wonder what will happen next - wink, wink.
This book is getting good. At first I thought it was a bit slow in pace and slightly odd to have a narrator, who I imagined to be integral to the story, be so distanced from the action. Of course, upon reflection, I find that I like that Lucy was not thrown in right away - it was a good introduction to a character that takes awhile to open up. She seems more comfortable describing the scene around her than participating in it. Of course, now that she is in Villette, that is all changing. We are getting to know an adventurous Lucy - or at least that is how I see her. Plus, now I'm enjoying the writing - it slowly unfolds- which is the perfect pace for this story (I see that now). And if I'm honest, I was a bit surprised to find out that Villette was not the name of the main character - yes, I admit that I thought Villette was going to be a person, not a city. Oh well, I've gotten over my initial surprise and now I'm in deep. This book is just getting better and better.

I'm glad Wallace at Unputdownables decided to arrange this shared read - its definitely turning out to be a fun and interesting experience. Join in on the fun, if you fancy reading about Lucy Snowe and her life in Villette. Or if you've already read the book, leave me a comment and let me know if Lucy does find her happy in this book. Well, I'm off to read some more Villette and will be posting about the next few chapters next week. Cheers!

The Ingram Interview: A Novel by K. B. Dixon

2011-02-14T21:16:00.000-05:00

From back of book:

"As a rule I have a tendency to be in favor of moderation - except when it comes to temperature. Sixty degrees, like it is today, is roughly speaking the climatic equivalent of the middle way. It's bland - like modesty. It's probably my least favorite temperature. It's neither stimulating nor stupefying. It's blah - like chicken broth."

The Ingram Interview, K. B. Dixon's unrepentantly quirky new novel, weaves its way interrogatively through the life of Daniel Ingram, a retired, none-too-healthy English professor who has been kicked out of an assisted-care facility, because he was depressing other residents. Moving in temporarily with a former student of his - a young art-film maker named Michael Berger - Daniel works fitfully on a ramshackle memoir as he continues to pursue a reconciliation with his absent ex-wife.

My thoughts:

This review will be short, since I can't seem to find much to write about this book. All I can say about it is that I found it to be both interesting and odd. This is a book told entirely in the form of Q&A, hence the term "interview" included in the title. At first I was a bit put off by this format, but I quickly adjusted and found that I enjoyed reading the story unfold in this manner. Actually, its not really a story, but more of a peek into the day to day life of Daniel Ingram, a man who is not terribly likeable - mainly because he is not very interesting and rather aloof towards people. However, I still found myself wanting to find out whether or not Daniel would be moving in with his ex-wife or if Michael's movie would be a hit - so, I kept reading. At the end of the day, it was a strangely satisfying read. I found myself dipping in and out of the book throughout this past week and enjoying the fact that I was able to do so with such ease and without any disruption to my reading flow. Definitely a book I'm glad I read - mainly because it inspired me to start branching out a bit more with my reading habits. Instead of picking up what is familiar to me, I need to start embracing the unfamiliar.

Well, I'm off to read some Villette (which is unfamiliar to me, because I'm not a huge fan of the classics). Happy Reading!

And, thank you, Ken for The Ingram Interview!