You'd think the insane amount of rain we had in July would have allowed me to get more reading done, right? Not so much. I get much more reading done when I am forced to sit by my pool. I know, I know, feel so bad for me for my tough weekends. But I still got 7 books and 2460 pages read this month.
Tumbleweeds by Leila Meachum. (466 pages). This was my first book club book. It was marketed as Friday Night Lights. Texas high school football?! Yes please! After reading it, I'd say Friday Night Lights is a stretch, but it was really good. I seriously had a hard time putting the book down. I read 2/3 of it in one day! Eleven year old Cathy moves to Kersey, Texas, when her parents die. John and Trey Don (yes, his name is Trey Don) are the two most popular boys in the class. They also happen to be orphans (of a sort) as well. They've been told they must look out for her, but both boys fall hard and fast for the beautiful Cathy. A friendship quickly develops and the three become inseparable. A few years later, Cathy and Trey Don become a couple. But all three of them still make plans to spend the future together- at University of Miami so the boys can eventually make it into the NFL and so Cathy can become a doctor. But the week of the big rival game, the game that will clinch their futures, the boys are involved in something that forever changes the relationship. And after that, their worlds fall apart. Trey Don goes on to the U of M and a career in the NFL. John becomes a Jesuit priest. And Cathy stays in Kersey, raising Trey Don's son. A son he refuses to acknowledge (for the most interesting reasons). After 22 years away, Trey Don arrives home in Kersey, with some bombshells of his own. What follows will shake up the lives of them all. The ending was quite shocking. In a good way. I thoroughly enjoyed every page!
Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. (381 pages). The Devil Wears Prada, the sequel? I am ALL in! It's been 10 years since Andy Sachs screamed "F you" at Miranda Priestly on the streets of Paris (a scene I hate that the movie changed). Gone is Alex, the teacher boyfriend (or Nate, the chef boyfriend if you've only seen the movie) who never understood what Andy truly went through at Runway. Best friend Lily has moved to Colorado. In the ensuing years, Andy and former first assistant/enemy Emily have become best friends and own their own high-end bridal magazine. Both are married and Andy has become a mother. One would think everything is perfect without Miranda in their lives. Until Elias-Clark comes calling, wanting to purchase their magazine for a staggering amount of money. And the woman Andy still has nightmares about is back in her life. No one but Andy seems to see the problem with letting this woman back into their lives. And no one is prepared for how right Andy is when it happens. If you liked the original, this one does a fantastic job of following up on Andy, who you just can't help but root for!
Becoming Sister Wives by Kody, Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn Brown. (269 pages). I am obsessed, OBSESSED, with the sister wives. I watch every episode of their show. I can't get enough of polygamous marriages. Couldn't imagine living in one, but find them fascinating. So of course, when I saw this book on sale, I just had to buy it! The book focuses on four things: matrimony, sorority, family and celebrity. Each of the wives has an opportunity to voice her own thoughts about her marriage, her sister wives, their children and their new found celebrity status. I feel like I learned more about them than the show offered. Certainly not the best book I've ever read and probably not everyone's cup of tea, but as a fan of the show, I enjoyed reading more.
Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander, MD. (171 pages). This was my second book club book. I kept comparing it to Heaven Is For Real, which isn't really fair. Other than the fact that they are about near death experiences, they are totally different books. In this one, Eben is a neurosurgeon who is barely more than a holiday church goer. As a man of science, he has no place in his life for faith. Out of nowhere, he contracts E. coli bacterial meningitis, which is rare for an adult. He goes into a coma for seven days. While his family surrounds him, praying for his recovery yet expecting the worse, Eben is somewhere else. He is ready to stay in this place forever, until he feels a pull. He looks around and sees faces. And knows he must return to them. The next thing his family knows, he is waking up. They have been told he will never return to his prior self, his brain has been too damaged. But he does. His oldest son tells him to write down everything he experienced, then to learn as much as he can about near death experiences. As a neurosurgeon, Eben knows everything worth knowing about brains. He knows that his own brain was dead while he was in the coma - no part of the brain that creates fantasies or dreams was alive. So he knew, from a scientific perspective, that he hadn't imagined this place where he went. While I appreciated his explanations (it was definitely cool to have something faith based described by a man of science), I just didn't like his experience in heaven and with the Om (as he described God). His descriptions were of a place that didn't sound all that enjoyable to me - stuck in the Earthworm's View until he could either go up into heaven full time or back down to earth? Never in the physical presence of God, only able to feel a presence and hear the sound of Om (which is why he referred to God by that term)? I'm not sure that's a heaven I want to go to. I liked Colton's experience in Heaven Is For Real much more. Sorry, Dr. Alexander. I'm glad your near death experience worked for you, I'm just not sure it did for me.
Entwined with You by Sylvia Day. (356 pages). The last in the Crossfire Series. The book was just like the ones leading up to it. Lots of sex (but not disturbing sex like in 50 Shades). And a good story. Eva has finally learned why Gideon was pushing her away. And for public appearances, they stay apart (even though they've gotten back together). Reporters stalk them, exes reappear, and surprises are around every corner. But there is no way either of them are going to let the other go. A weekend trip to the Caribbean clinches that determination. I was a little sad going into the last chapter. So much was happening. Imagine my joy at learning Day was going to write another book to continue this most unusual of love stories!
Serena by Ron Rash. (371 pages). I love some Ron Rash and this is one of his more well known. They are even making it a movie. So I was super excited about reading it. And oh. My. Gosh. Was I right to be excited! Seriously, I finished the book in a day. It's 1929. George Pemberton owns a lumber company in the mountains of North Carolina. He travels to Boston for a few months, where he meets and marries Serena, the daughter of a lumber man from Colorado. Together, they return to the lumber camp and begin to ruthlessly take over anything that stands in their way. Unfortunately, George left behind a pregnant young woman when he left for Boston. And this woman stays in the area with George's son. Serena learns, after miscarrying a child, that she will never be able to have another. And her vengeance takes on a more personal note. No one is safe, not the men who cross her and definitely not the illegitimate son her husband barely acknowledges. The ending was absolutely phenomenal. I cannot wait to see Jennifer Lawrence tackle this role!!
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella. (446 pages). I had to return to chick lit because, well, because it never disappoints. Lottie is ready for her boyfriend of 3 years to propose. When a "special lunch" goes horribly awry, she ends the relationship. Her older sister, Fliss, worries that she will make another Unfortunate Choice. Fliss has no idea this time! Ben, Lottie's boyfriend when she was 18, suddenly enters the picture and reminds her of their pact to get married at 30. They immediately get married and jet off to Inokas, the Greek island where they fell in love. It's up to Fliss and Lorcan (Ben's best man) to derail this marriage, or maybe just the wedding night. After all, a marriage isn't a marriage until it's consummated, right? The book was an easy read and fantastic to have on the beach (which is where I read most of it!)
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
This month was just not good- slow reading, losing non-essential organs....
I had every intention of reading lots of books this month. Pool time would be every weekend. It was going to be great. Then I had an emergency appendectomy (really, is there any other kind than an emergency?!) and ended up so freaking tired for over two weeks that I could barely keep my eyes open to do much of anything, let alone read. But now I'm back and the weekends can be spent poolside, book in hand. I did manage 1634 pages worth of books. So that's not too bad, huh?
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan (301 pages). This was my second book club book. I was a little iffy about it, as I kind of hated Atonement (same author). A fact which may or may not have had a lot to do with the fact that I saw the movie first and absolutely detested it. But I gave this book a go anyway. It wasn't my favorite book ever. But it was certainly better than Atonement. Well, it was up until the ending. McEwan's endings piss me off. Serena Frome is a beautiful mathematics major from Cambridge during the 1970's. She also happens to be a very avid reader - of mostly modern novels. After an affair with a professor which ends dramatically, she manages to land a job with MI5. You know, Britain's Secret Service. At first, she is just an intake clerk. But after becoming sort of involved with a coworker (fine, she had a crush, he led her on), she quickly rises through the ranks and eventually becomes an agent. Her mission is code named Sweet Tooth. It involves convincing an up and coming new author, Tom Haley, that she has important connections to the literary world. And that he needs to espouse MI5's political views (without actually telling him that's what he's to do). Or something like that- I'm still a little foggy on the details and no one at book club seemed to understand it any better than I did. Anyways, Serena and Tom quickly fall for each other and begin a wonderful (or so it seems) love affair. But can that love overcome the lies that surround them? Stupid STUPID ending that totally pissed me off. I mean seriously, McEwan, you are dead to me.
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (503 pages). The next in the Beautiful Creatures series. And more frustration in regards to the South Carolina aspect of the story. Of course, there is no Gatlin, SC (which is fine). But there's also no Gatlin County. And no University of Charleston (seriously, just use C of C!!) I found myself not liking this book as much as I'd liked the first one. It kind of seemed to drag at first. Lena's depressed over the death of her uncle and is pulling away from Ethan. Then, it picked up. Lena's mother, the most powerful Dark Caster ever, is calling Lena's Seventeenth Moon early, so that Lena will Claim herself. And Ethan and his motley crew of Mortals, Seers and once dead Casters must help her learn who she truly is. Thank goodness the book picked up by the end. Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd have wanted to read the next one.
Beautifuyl Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (518 pages). Lena's Claiming (she learned she is both Dark and Light, the first of her kind) upset the natural Order of the World, both for Supernaturals and for Mortals. Now, the race is on to determine how to fix the Order, all before someone's Eighteenth Moon (and this time, it's not Lena's). But when the answer finally reveals itself to them, does the One have the strength to do what needs to be done? This one reminded me a little more of why I liked the first one so much. But still couldn't reclaim my utter enjoyment of that first book. I'm kind of glad there's only one left in the series. Now I'm just ready for it to arrive so I can be done with the whole thing!
The Woman Before Wallis by Andrew Rose (312 pages). This one was history, pure and simple. I completely turned my back on the fiction portion of my favorite genre. But this book seemed to fascinating to pass up. I had no idea Prince Andrew had been involved in scandal after scandal, long before abdicating the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. In 1917, Prince Edward met Marguerite Meller, already an established Parisian courtesan. After an 18 month affair, filled with lustful encounters and indiscreet letters, Prince Edward ended the affair. Marguerite was incensed, but was willing to bide her time. After all, she had blackmail worthy letters in her possession. Fast forward to 1922 - Marguerite has met Ali Fahmy, a WEALTHY Egyptian playboy nearly 10 years her junior. They quickly wed and spend the next year traveling and fighting all over Egypt and Europe. Their fights become almost legendary. Both keep pistols handy because neither trusts the other. Eventually, they make their way to London, where Prince Edward is happily ensconced in his princely duties. After a particularly horrendous fight in the hallway of their hotel, Marguerite pulls out her pistol and fatally shoots her husband three times IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. Next came the sensational trial- seriously, Jodie Arias had nothing on this action! However, it was imperative that the Prince's past with this woman not come out. And a deal, of sorts, was reached. Fortunately, the jury unwittingly adhered to the deal and rendered a not guilty verdict. I remembered why I don't like history- it's boring and can come across a little pretentious. But the trial was fascinating. And there were some great lines in the book. In describing the judge in the trial, the author had this to say - "it seems that Swift's chubby features and ruddy complexion were due to a fondness for drink, a failing not exactly unknown in the legal profession." Truth! Anyway, if you like history, this one was great. And if history bores you, this was still a pretty interesting story.
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan (301 pages). This was my second book club book. I was a little iffy about it, as I kind of hated Atonement (same author). A fact which may or may not have had a lot to do with the fact that I saw the movie first and absolutely detested it. But I gave this book a go anyway. It wasn't my favorite book ever. But it was certainly better than Atonement. Well, it was up until the ending. McEwan's endings piss me off. Serena Frome is a beautiful mathematics major from Cambridge during the 1970's. She also happens to be a very avid reader - of mostly modern novels. After an affair with a professor which ends dramatically, she manages to land a job with MI5. You know, Britain's Secret Service. At first, she is just an intake clerk. But after becoming sort of involved with a coworker (fine, she had a crush, he led her on), she quickly rises through the ranks and eventually becomes an agent. Her mission is code named Sweet Tooth. It involves convincing an up and coming new author, Tom Haley, that she has important connections to the literary world. And that he needs to espouse MI5's political views (without actually telling him that's what he's to do). Or something like that- I'm still a little foggy on the details and no one at book club seemed to understand it any better than I did. Anyways, Serena and Tom quickly fall for each other and begin a wonderful (or so it seems) love affair. But can that love overcome the lies that surround them? Stupid STUPID ending that totally pissed me off. I mean seriously, McEwan, you are dead to me.
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (503 pages). The next in the Beautiful Creatures series. And more frustration in regards to the South Carolina aspect of the story. Of course, there is no Gatlin, SC (which is fine). But there's also no Gatlin County. And no University of Charleston (seriously, just use C of C!!) I found myself not liking this book as much as I'd liked the first one. It kind of seemed to drag at first. Lena's depressed over the death of her uncle and is pulling away from Ethan. Then, it picked up. Lena's mother, the most powerful Dark Caster ever, is calling Lena's Seventeenth Moon early, so that Lena will Claim herself. And Ethan and his motley crew of Mortals, Seers and once dead Casters must help her learn who she truly is. Thank goodness the book picked up by the end. Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd have wanted to read the next one.
Beautifuyl Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (518 pages). Lena's Claiming (she learned she is both Dark and Light, the first of her kind) upset the natural Order of the World, both for Supernaturals and for Mortals. Now, the race is on to determine how to fix the Order, all before someone's Eighteenth Moon (and this time, it's not Lena's). But when the answer finally reveals itself to them, does the One have the strength to do what needs to be done? This one reminded me a little more of why I liked the first one so much. But still couldn't reclaim my utter enjoyment of that first book. I'm kind of glad there's only one left in the series. Now I'm just ready for it to arrive so I can be done with the whole thing!
The Woman Before Wallis by Andrew Rose (312 pages). This one was history, pure and simple. I completely turned my back on the fiction portion of my favorite genre. But this book seemed to fascinating to pass up. I had no idea Prince Andrew had been involved in scandal after scandal, long before abdicating the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. In 1917, Prince Edward met Marguerite Meller, already an established Parisian courtesan. After an 18 month affair, filled with lustful encounters and indiscreet letters, Prince Edward ended the affair. Marguerite was incensed, but was willing to bide her time. After all, she had blackmail worthy letters in her possession. Fast forward to 1922 - Marguerite has met Ali Fahmy, a WEALTHY Egyptian playboy nearly 10 years her junior. They quickly wed and spend the next year traveling and fighting all over Egypt and Europe. Their fights become almost legendary. Both keep pistols handy because neither trusts the other. Eventually, they make their way to London, where Prince Edward is happily ensconced in his princely duties. After a particularly horrendous fight in the hallway of their hotel, Marguerite pulls out her pistol and fatally shoots her husband three times IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. Next came the sensational trial- seriously, Jodie Arias had nothing on this action! However, it was imperative that the Prince's past with this woman not come out. And a deal, of sorts, was reached. Fortunately, the jury unwittingly adhered to the deal and rendered a not guilty verdict. I remembered why I don't like history- it's boring and can come across a little pretentious. But the trial was fascinating. And there were some great lines in the book. In describing the judge in the trial, the author had this to say - "it seems that Swift's chubby features and ruddy complexion were due to a fondness for drink, a failing not exactly unknown in the legal profession." Truth! Anyway, if you like history, this one was great. And if history bores you, this was still a pretty interesting story.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Summertime and the reading is easy!
Now that it's finally time to sit by the pool, I'm getting a lot more reading done (as I expected). I also decided to add into my blog how many pages each book is. Because I was not enough of a nerd already! Here we go!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. (493 pages) This was my second book club book. It's the story of Francie Nolan, creative eldest child of handsome ne'er-do-well Johnny Nolan and hard, hard-working Katie Rommely. Francie grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the early 1900's. She is an avid reader, an imaginative child, who longs for something more out of life than what her parents have. She has the best of both families running through her, but with something else in her- "what God ... puts into each soul that is given life- the one different thing such as that which makes no two fingerprints on the face of earth alike." The story is about Francie's coming of age. The hardships of living in Brooklyn in the 1900's, the loss of a parent, falling in love, the importance of education. I must say- I totally understand why this book is a classic. As someone in my book club said, they don't write like this anymore. Beautifully written, I was rooting for Francie to get everything she wanted out of life!
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin. (272 pages) This was my first book club book. It took me a few chapters to figure out what was happening in the story and to get the characters straight, but once I finally got into it, I couldn't put it down! Larry (white) and Silas (black) used to be friends as boys. Then, a forced fight ruined their friendship. A few years later, a girl in their high school disappears while allegedly on a date with Larry. The accusations fly and he is forever branded. Silas escapes their small town to play baseball, but eventually comes home and becomes constable. Then another girl disappears and Larry is found shot. Immediately, Larry is the assumed kidnapper/eventual murderer of the girl, a man who tried to commit suicide because of his guilt. But Silas knows better. The things that come out in the investigation were pretty interesting. The story does go back and forth between past events and current events quite a bit (I think that's what I found most difficult until I got into the rhythm of it). Interesting story- I rather liked it. It was an Edgar Award nominee, so clearly the writing is good. And so was the mystery!
Up Where We Belong by Emily Giffin. (372 pages) I decided to return to an old standby- chick lit. And if you are going back to an old standby, you must go back to a master of the craft. And boy- is that Giffin! Marian is thirty-six years old and living the perfect life. She's a TV producer living in NYC and dating the man of her dreams. Nothing can touch her! Until the baby she gave up at 18 shows up on her doorstep. Kirby, herself 18 and somewhat lost, turns Marian's world upside down. All of a sudden, memories flood back- memories of Conrad, Kirby's father and the love of Marian's life. As Kirby is searching for who she really is, Marian learns she isn't who she wanted to be either. This was perfect pool-side reading (which is exactly where I was when I read it!)
Z by Therese Anne Fowler. (367 pages) When in doubt, it's always back to historical fiction for me! In 1918, Zelda Sayre met army lieutenant Scott Fitzgerald for the first time. She is 17, from a very prominent family and Southern. He is none of those things. But their love is so passionate, so overwhelming, that they defy the odds to be together. Through Scott's successes and failures, through Zelda's frustrations and misdiagnosed bi-polar episodes, through the birth of their daughter and the loss of family members, through knock-down fights and wild parties, their obsession for each other wavered but never faded. What I love about historical fiction is that I find myself doing research to discover how much of the novel is true. And when is learning a bad thing?! This book was particularly enjoyable because there was some crossover with The Paris Wife, another favorite book. Obviously, there was quite of bit of common events and friends between Fitzgerald and Hemingway, including their own obsessive friendship/mutual hatred. But having read some of the events from Hadley's perspective, it was fascinating to read them from Zelda's! I STRONGLY recommend this book!!
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. (563 pages) I do enjoy a book about supernaturals. I didn't see the movie that came out a while ago, but read a lot of reviews about how it destroyed the book. Of course, when is the movie EVER as good as the book, said the English major. Looking at the actors cast in the movie, I certainly understand one frustration I read about- Emmy Rossum, as gorgeous and talented as she is, had to have been totally wrong for her character, a curvy blonde. But back to the book, you know, the whole reason for this blog. Ethan was born and raised in (fictional) Gatlin, SC. And all he does is dream of escaping. And of a girl. Amazingly, that girl appears one day. Lena is the niece of the town recluse. And a Caster to boot. Basically, it's Garcia/Stohl terminology for a family of witches. Lena's family, and Gatlin itself, has an interesting past, one that Lena and Ethan want to discover. Hanging over their heads is Lean's upcoming 16th birthday, the day she will be Claimed for either Dark or Light, as all members of her family are. Good or evil, light or dark. Which will win? Excellent mindless reading, as most supernatural character books are. My biggest complaint? While I'm all for creating a fictional town, when an author then reference real places that surround the fictional town, please do your research. Do not make the only grocery store in town a Stop and Shop. That is a chain that exists only in the Northeast, definitely NOT in the South! If they'd called it some sort of mom and pop name or a Winn-Dixie, I'd have found it a lot more believable. But either way, I'm ready for the next three in the series to arrive from Books-a-Million!
The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern. (512 pages) At first I thought it was a little Something Wicked This Way Comes (book turned old school Disney movie), except not so evil. Then it seemed a little The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (also a movie, a VERY strange movie), except an easier story to follow. Turns out it was its own thing entirely. Prospero and Alexander are long time rival magicians. And when I say magicians, I don't mean they just perform slight of hand tricks. These men have serious powers. And they love to challenge each other, usually involving their students as their pawns. This time around, it's Prospero's daughter Celia who will be his ultimate student, and ultimate victory. The game is set in motion long before Celia and Marco, Alexander's protege, even meet. And there can only be one victor and one survivor. Marco is the right hand man of Mr. Lefevre, proprietor of Le Cirque de Reves. Celia, the Illusionist, is one of the attractions. Both of them actually have a hand in creating the attractions that make Le Cirque such a success. They also have a hand in keeping Le Cirque safe and ageless. Eventually, the game becomes something more. They fall in love. And discover a way to end the game and save both of their lives. The circus itself, and the characters who are intertwined with it, might be the most interesting part of the story. The "magic" that surrounded all of them was so intriguing, so captivating. Just a fantastic book! Side note- I decided to read some reviews after I finished and darned if the novel wasn't compared to Something Wicked This Way Comes!
So that's it- 6 books, 2579 pages. Man, I love summer!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. (493 pages) This was my second book club book. It's the story of Francie Nolan, creative eldest child of handsome ne'er-do-well Johnny Nolan and hard, hard-working Katie Rommely. Francie grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the early 1900's. She is an avid reader, an imaginative child, who longs for something more out of life than what her parents have. She has the best of both families running through her, but with something else in her- "what God ... puts into each soul that is given life- the one different thing such as that which makes no two fingerprints on the face of earth alike." The story is about Francie's coming of age. The hardships of living in Brooklyn in the 1900's, the loss of a parent, falling in love, the importance of education. I must say- I totally understand why this book is a classic. As someone in my book club said, they don't write like this anymore. Beautifully written, I was rooting for Francie to get everything she wanted out of life!
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin. (272 pages) This was my first book club book. It took me a few chapters to figure out what was happening in the story and to get the characters straight, but once I finally got into it, I couldn't put it down! Larry (white) and Silas (black) used to be friends as boys. Then, a forced fight ruined their friendship. A few years later, a girl in their high school disappears while allegedly on a date with Larry. The accusations fly and he is forever branded. Silas escapes their small town to play baseball, but eventually comes home and becomes constable. Then another girl disappears and Larry is found shot. Immediately, Larry is the assumed kidnapper/eventual murderer of the girl, a man who tried to commit suicide because of his guilt. But Silas knows better. The things that come out in the investigation were pretty interesting. The story does go back and forth between past events and current events quite a bit (I think that's what I found most difficult until I got into the rhythm of it). Interesting story- I rather liked it. It was an Edgar Award nominee, so clearly the writing is good. And so was the mystery!
Up Where We Belong by Emily Giffin. (372 pages) I decided to return to an old standby- chick lit. And if you are going back to an old standby, you must go back to a master of the craft. And boy- is that Giffin! Marian is thirty-six years old and living the perfect life. She's a TV producer living in NYC and dating the man of her dreams. Nothing can touch her! Until the baby she gave up at 18 shows up on her doorstep. Kirby, herself 18 and somewhat lost, turns Marian's world upside down. All of a sudden, memories flood back- memories of Conrad, Kirby's father and the love of Marian's life. As Kirby is searching for who she really is, Marian learns she isn't who she wanted to be either. This was perfect pool-side reading (which is exactly where I was when I read it!)
Z by Therese Anne Fowler. (367 pages) When in doubt, it's always back to historical fiction for me! In 1918, Zelda Sayre met army lieutenant Scott Fitzgerald for the first time. She is 17, from a very prominent family and Southern. He is none of those things. But their love is so passionate, so overwhelming, that they defy the odds to be together. Through Scott's successes and failures, through Zelda's frustrations and misdiagnosed bi-polar episodes, through the birth of their daughter and the loss of family members, through knock-down fights and wild parties, their obsession for each other wavered but never faded. What I love about historical fiction is that I find myself doing research to discover how much of the novel is true. And when is learning a bad thing?! This book was particularly enjoyable because there was some crossover with The Paris Wife, another favorite book. Obviously, there was quite of bit of common events and friends between Fitzgerald and Hemingway, including their own obsessive friendship/mutual hatred. But having read some of the events from Hadley's perspective, it was fascinating to read them from Zelda's! I STRONGLY recommend this book!!
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. (563 pages) I do enjoy a book about supernaturals. I didn't see the movie that came out a while ago, but read a lot of reviews about how it destroyed the book. Of course, when is the movie EVER as good as the book, said the English major. Looking at the actors cast in the movie, I certainly understand one frustration I read about- Emmy Rossum, as gorgeous and talented as she is, had to have been totally wrong for her character, a curvy blonde. But back to the book, you know, the whole reason for this blog. Ethan was born and raised in (fictional) Gatlin, SC. And all he does is dream of escaping. And of a girl. Amazingly, that girl appears one day. Lena is the niece of the town recluse. And a Caster to boot. Basically, it's Garcia/Stohl terminology for a family of witches. Lena's family, and Gatlin itself, has an interesting past, one that Lena and Ethan want to discover. Hanging over their heads is Lean's upcoming 16th birthday, the day she will be Claimed for either Dark or Light, as all members of her family are. Good or evil, light or dark. Which will win? Excellent mindless reading, as most supernatural character books are. My biggest complaint? While I'm all for creating a fictional town, when an author then reference real places that surround the fictional town, please do your research. Do not make the only grocery store in town a Stop and Shop. That is a chain that exists only in the Northeast, definitely NOT in the South! If they'd called it some sort of mom and pop name or a Winn-Dixie, I'd have found it a lot more believable. But either way, I'm ready for the next three in the series to arrive from Books-a-Million!
The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern. (512 pages) At first I thought it was a little Something Wicked This Way Comes (book turned old school Disney movie), except not so evil. Then it seemed a little The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (also a movie, a VERY strange movie), except an easier story to follow. Turns out it was its own thing entirely. Prospero and Alexander are long time rival magicians. And when I say magicians, I don't mean they just perform slight of hand tricks. These men have serious powers. And they love to challenge each other, usually involving their students as their pawns. This time around, it's Prospero's daughter Celia who will be his ultimate student, and ultimate victory. The game is set in motion long before Celia and Marco, Alexander's protege, even meet. And there can only be one victor and one survivor. Marco is the right hand man of Mr. Lefevre, proprietor of Le Cirque de Reves. Celia, the Illusionist, is one of the attractions. Both of them actually have a hand in creating the attractions that make Le Cirque such a success. They also have a hand in keeping Le Cirque safe and ageless. Eventually, the game becomes something more. They fall in love. And discover a way to end the game and save both of their lives. The circus itself, and the characters who are intertwined with it, might be the most interesting part of the story. The "magic" that surrounded all of them was so intriguing, so captivating. Just a fantastic book! Side note- I decided to read some reviews after I finished and darned if the novel wasn't compared to Something Wicked This Way Comes!
So that's it- 6 books, 2579 pages. Man, I love summer!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
April- there wasn't as much pool time as I'd have liked.....
April was kind of miserable on the weekends. And I read a 500 page book. (Yes, these are my excuses of my slacking off. Sue me)
The Cove by Ron Rash. This was the book club book for my second book club (as far as my first book club book, I'd already read it, so I won't be writing about it again.) Back to the book. The story takes place close to the end of World War I. Laurel and her brother Hank live in a small cover near a small town in the Appalachians. Their parents are dead and Hank lost an arm in the War. Laurel, who was born with a birthmark covering some portion of her body (I think it must be most of her torso), is shunned by the locals and thought to be a witch. She has resigned herself to a life of solitude. Until one day, she comes across an injured man near their home. Walter is mute. But somehow, he and Laurel overcome that hurdle and fall in love. There is a mystery surrounding Walter though, and once Laurel discovers the truth, she must decide if love is enough. The ending was a complete shock (I seriously did not see it coming AT ALL.) I will say that the story was kind of hard to get into at first, but by the second half, I was hooked. This is the third Ron Rash book I've read. And I have enjoyed each of them. He really captures the feel of the time, the culture, the locale, all of it. He's slightly Faulkner-esque in his style of writing (of course he is, he won the 2007 Faulkner award). Which is something that I really like about his writing!
The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve. Kathryn Lyons is used to not having her husband Jack around all the time. As the wife of a pilot for sixteen years, she's grown accustomed to his crazy schedule and doing some of the heavy lifting with their fifteen year old daughter Mattie. But Kathryn isn't prepared for the knock on her door late one night, a knock that rocks her world. Her husband's plane has exploded off the coast of Ireland. As rumors start surfacing about the explosion, Kathryn's world is even further rocked by the revelations she uncovers about Jack. And she begins to wonder if she ever really knew her husband. I really enjoyed this novel- it drew me in from the very beginning.
The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling. I don't really know what I was expecting when I started this novel. I knew it wasn't Harry Potter. But boy, it REALLY wasn't Harry Potter. Opening chapter, Barry Fairbrother drops dead from an aneurysm on his nineteenth anniversary. Turns out Barry was a councilman in his small British town of Pagford. There's a lot more to Pagford than meets the eye. The town has a rivalry with a neighboring town. And a hatred for the government housing that lies in-between the towns (but somehow became Pagford's problem). Barry's death leaves a casual vacancy on the council. And quite a few of the townspeople want the job. In typical small town fashion, there is drama behind every door. Old family feuds, love, hatred, drugs, even more death. Parents vs. children, husband vs. wife, neighbor vs. neighbor. Yes, the style was reminiscent of Potter. But the story was all its own! Even though it took me a long time to finish (500 pages is nothing to sneeze it), I enthusiastically give it two thumbs up! I'd give it more, but I only have two thumbs!
The Cove by Ron Rash. This was the book club book for my second book club (as far as my first book club book, I'd already read it, so I won't be writing about it again.) Back to the book. The story takes place close to the end of World War I. Laurel and her brother Hank live in a small cover near a small town in the Appalachians. Their parents are dead and Hank lost an arm in the War. Laurel, who was born with a birthmark covering some portion of her body (I think it must be most of her torso), is shunned by the locals and thought to be a witch. She has resigned herself to a life of solitude. Until one day, she comes across an injured man near their home. Walter is mute. But somehow, he and Laurel overcome that hurdle and fall in love. There is a mystery surrounding Walter though, and once Laurel discovers the truth, she must decide if love is enough. The ending was a complete shock (I seriously did not see it coming AT ALL.) I will say that the story was kind of hard to get into at first, but by the second half, I was hooked. This is the third Ron Rash book I've read. And I have enjoyed each of them. He really captures the feel of the time, the culture, the locale, all of it. He's slightly Faulkner-esque in his style of writing (of course he is, he won the 2007 Faulkner award). Which is something that I really like about his writing!
The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve. Kathryn Lyons is used to not having her husband Jack around all the time. As the wife of a pilot for sixteen years, she's grown accustomed to his crazy schedule and doing some of the heavy lifting with their fifteen year old daughter Mattie. But Kathryn isn't prepared for the knock on her door late one night, a knock that rocks her world. Her husband's plane has exploded off the coast of Ireland. As rumors start surfacing about the explosion, Kathryn's world is even further rocked by the revelations she uncovers about Jack. And she begins to wonder if she ever really knew her husband. I really enjoyed this novel- it drew me in from the very beginning.
The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling. I don't really know what I was expecting when I started this novel. I knew it wasn't Harry Potter. But boy, it REALLY wasn't Harry Potter. Opening chapter, Barry Fairbrother drops dead from an aneurysm on his nineteenth anniversary. Turns out Barry was a councilman in his small British town of Pagford. There's a lot more to Pagford than meets the eye. The town has a rivalry with a neighboring town. And a hatred for the government housing that lies in-between the towns (but somehow became Pagford's problem). Barry's death leaves a casual vacancy on the council. And quite a few of the townspeople want the job. In typical small town fashion, there is drama behind every door. Old family feuds, love, hatred, drugs, even more death. Parents vs. children, husband vs. wife, neighbor vs. neighbor. Yes, the style was reminiscent of Potter. But the story was all its own! Even though it took me a long time to finish (500 pages is nothing to sneeze it), I enthusiastically give it two thumbs up! I'd give it more, but I only have two thumbs!
Monday, April 1, 2013
I'm embarassed by my lack of reading this month. Truly humiliated...
I have absolutely no idea what happened this month, but I came nowhere close to reaching my monthly goals. All I can say is, summer is fast approaching. Which means pool time. Which means more reading will be done!
Snobs by Julian Fellowes. This was the book club book for my second book club. It's written by the guy who created Downton Abbey, so I was convinced I would love it. Wrong. It was very, VERY slow going for most of the book. The nameless narrator espouses upon the courtship of Edith (a middle class girl) and Charles, Earl of Broughton. Edith's eventual marriage to Charles is everything her mother wanted for her. Lord love Charles, he's not everything Edith wants. While she does care for him, she is quickly bored by him (he's not the brightest bulb, but he's got a good heart). When a period drama is filmed at the family home, Edith quickly falls into an affair with one of the (married, GASP) actors. Drama further ensues when she leaves poor Charles for the louse. Edith realizes that she has given up a place in society and stability for passion. Is that enough? I actually enjoyed the end of the book and the discussion a lot more than I enjoyed the book as a whole. Although it made me think, if I just had to read the script of Downton Abbey, would I like it nearly as much as I do watching it come to life? Probably not....
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. This is one of my favorite movies. There are two, count them two, similarities between the book and the movie. The main character is Frances Mayes. And she does buy and restore Bramasole in Italy. In the book, she and her husband Ed purchase the home and renovate it together. Shockingly, for how different it is from a beloved movie, I actually really liked it! Mayes is an exquisite writer. The words just come alive on the page. Some of my favorite phrases from the movie were taken directly from the book, like my favorite "they even smell purple." To be honest, there's not much of a story story here- for Pete's sake, there's two entire chapters devoted to recipes! But I found myself loving the book (I can't tell whether I loved it because it had no story or in spite of having no story though.)
Snobs by Julian Fellowes. This was the book club book for my second book club. It's written by the guy who created Downton Abbey, so I was convinced I would love it. Wrong. It was very, VERY slow going for most of the book. The nameless narrator espouses upon the courtship of Edith (a middle class girl) and Charles, Earl of Broughton. Edith's eventual marriage to Charles is everything her mother wanted for her. Lord love Charles, he's not everything Edith wants. While she does care for him, she is quickly bored by him (he's not the brightest bulb, but he's got a good heart). When a period drama is filmed at the family home, Edith quickly falls into an affair with one of the (married, GASP) actors. Drama further ensues when she leaves poor Charles for the louse. Edith realizes that she has given up a place in society and stability for passion. Is that enough? I actually enjoyed the end of the book and the discussion a lot more than I enjoyed the book as a whole. Although it made me think, if I just had to read the script of Downton Abbey, would I like it nearly as much as I do watching it come to life? Probably not....
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. This is one of my favorite movies. There are two, count them two, similarities between the book and the movie. The main character is Frances Mayes. And she does buy and restore Bramasole in Italy. In the book, she and her husband Ed purchase the home and renovate it together. Shockingly, for how different it is from a beloved movie, I actually really liked it! Mayes is an exquisite writer. The words just come alive on the page. Some of my favorite phrases from the movie were taken directly from the book, like my favorite "they even smell purple." To be honest, there's not much of a story story here- for Pete's sake, there's two entire chapters devoted to recipes! But I found myself loving the book (I can't tell whether I loved it because it had no story or in spite of having no story though.)
Saturday, March 2, 2013
I read some really long books in a really short month
This month, I didn't quite reach my goal of 6 books. But 5 (2 of which were kind of long) isn't too shabby.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova. Alice is 50 years old and a renowned cognitive psychology professor at Harvard when her memory starts slipping. First it's just a word here or there (which seemed all to familiar to me). Then, she starts to forget major things. After finally going to a neurologist, she learns that she has early onset Alzheimer's. For her, the disease acts quickly. Less than 2 years after her diagnosis, she barely remembers anything of her life. This was a freshman novel for Genova. And absolutely beautifully written. I honestly felt Alice's frustrations. I cried for her as she realized what was happening to her. Her adult children were so supportive, doing everything that they could to take care of their mother. Her husband took a lot longer to become supportive. At first, he seems to want to flee from her disease- he doesn't seem to want to give up the life that they have together. But it is always hardest on the primary caregiver, so I did kind of feel for him. It was a truly touching novel.
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. This is the second in the Lunar Chronicles. Meyer manages to rework fairy tales (one of my favorite things!) in an extremely creative way. They are set in the future, a world with spaceships and hovercrafts, androids and cyborgs. This book picks up where Cinder, the first book, leaves off. Cinder is imprisoned in New Beijing for treason and illegal immigration (she's a Lunar which is a citizen of the moon AND a cyborg). She must escape so that she can save our world (because of course she's a princess and the rightful heir to the moon throne, and that means her aunt, the current Empress and crazy conqueror, wants her dead). Meanwhile, in France, Scarlet is trying to find her missing grandmother. She meets Wolf, a street fighter who wants to help her. Turns out Scarlet's grandmother isn't just a farmer. She knows something about the missing Lunar princess. The book goes back and forth between the two stories, until the two girls are finally able to join forces. I absolutely LOVE a reworked fairy tale, so I love this series. Unfortunately, the last two won't be released until 2014 and 2015! Drat!
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. I'm slightly obsessed with the idea of polygamy. I love Sister Wives, loved Big Love. Couldn't imagine living the lifestyle, but find it fascinating nonetheless. This author certainly did his homework on polygamy! The book is actually two stories- one complete fiction, the other historical fiction (my other favorite thing!). In one story, Jordan Scott is a lost boy (for those of you not up on your plyg terms, that's a young man who was kicked out of the church for some made-up reason at a young age, usually preteens, so that he isn't competition to marry any of the young girls). He reads a newspaper article that informs him that his mother, BeckyLyn, Wife #19, has killed his father. He goes home for the first time in six years and ends up trying to help her. Did BeckyLyn kill her husband? All the signs seem to point to yes. Jordan is forced to re-enter a world he was happy to leave in an effort to save his mother. In the other story, Ann Eliza Young is the central character. Ann Eliza was Brigham Young's 19th wife (or maybe 30something wife or maybe 50something wife), the only one with enough guts to leave him, and the polygamist community, behind in the late 1800's. This story, loosely based on fact, tells Ann Eliza's story- how her parents came to the faith and how she was finally able to escape and help end polygamy (or at least officially end it as a part of the regular Mormon faith). Absolutely awesome book- I enjoyed it from start to finish. I loved both stories and found myself doing just a little research on Ann Eliza (the book was pretty close to the truth, as best can be determined due to the extremely secretive nature of the early Mormons). She seemed like she was quite the character. Sadly, no one seems to know exactly what happened to her- rumor has it the Church offed her.
Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz. The final book of the Blue Blood series. I've read every one of these books (and actually managed to do so in order!). They follow Schuyler Van Alen, a teenage girl who learned she was half vampire in the first novel. De la Cruz puts her own spin on vampires in this series. It is actually their blood that makes them immortal. Their blood carries all of their memories, all of their history. The Blue Bloods are actually fallen angels. When Lucifer thought he could overthrow God, many angels fought with him. Several of those angels, realizing that defeat was upon them, stopped fighting. Despite that, they were banished from heaven, although not to hell with their brethren. In this interpretation of vampires, the angels awoke on Earth as immortal vampires who live through cycles of resurrections. They have bond mates, aka twin souls, who are usually their life mates in whichever cycle they live through. They live by the Code of Vampires, the rules that they all follow, with the hope that living in a way that brings peace and beauty to the world will allow them to be forgiven and returned to Paradise. There are also the Silver Bloods, the fallen angels who remain loyal to Lucifer. They actually prey on their own kind, which makes them a deadly foe for the Blue Bloods. All of the characters are the reincarnations of the angels they once were, be it good angels or fallen ones. IN this story, Schuyler, daughter of the angel Gabrielle who became a vampire because she felt sorry for her fallen brethren, is the key to opening the Gates of Paradise, the gates that could lead back to Paradise for the fallen angels. But will Lucifer and his fallen find a way back first? And is redemption truly possible for the fallen angels? I really really loved de la Cruz's take on religion and vampires. A very fresh and different take than the Twilightiness of most other vampire books.
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan. This was the book club book for my first book club. I chose this book, so of course, it's historical fiction! The van Goethem sisters live in Paris in 1878. After their father dies and their mother becomes an alcoholic, older sister Antoinette takes her younger sisters to the Paris Opera to be trained in ballet. She, in the meantime, lands a part in Emile Zola's infamous play L'Assommoir and becomes involved with fellow actor (and eventual murderer) Emile Abadie. Middle sister Marie quickly catches the eye of Edgar Degas and eventually becomes the model for some of his most famous works, including Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Youngest sister Charlotte is the only one with the ability to become a ballerina for the Opera. Each of the sisters eventually finds the happiness for which they were always searching, each choosing a slightly different path that keeps them together as a family.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova. Alice is 50 years old and a renowned cognitive psychology professor at Harvard when her memory starts slipping. First it's just a word here or there (which seemed all to familiar to me). Then, she starts to forget major things. After finally going to a neurologist, she learns that she has early onset Alzheimer's. For her, the disease acts quickly. Less than 2 years after her diagnosis, she barely remembers anything of her life. This was a freshman novel for Genova. And absolutely beautifully written. I honestly felt Alice's frustrations. I cried for her as she realized what was happening to her. Her adult children were so supportive, doing everything that they could to take care of their mother. Her husband took a lot longer to become supportive. At first, he seems to want to flee from her disease- he doesn't seem to want to give up the life that they have together. But it is always hardest on the primary caregiver, so I did kind of feel for him. It was a truly touching novel.
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. This is the second in the Lunar Chronicles. Meyer manages to rework fairy tales (one of my favorite things!) in an extremely creative way. They are set in the future, a world with spaceships and hovercrafts, androids and cyborgs. This book picks up where Cinder, the first book, leaves off. Cinder is imprisoned in New Beijing for treason and illegal immigration (she's a Lunar which is a citizen of the moon AND a cyborg). She must escape so that she can save our world (because of course she's a princess and the rightful heir to the moon throne, and that means her aunt, the current Empress and crazy conqueror, wants her dead). Meanwhile, in France, Scarlet is trying to find her missing grandmother. She meets Wolf, a street fighter who wants to help her. Turns out Scarlet's grandmother isn't just a farmer. She knows something about the missing Lunar princess. The book goes back and forth between the two stories, until the two girls are finally able to join forces. I absolutely LOVE a reworked fairy tale, so I love this series. Unfortunately, the last two won't be released until 2014 and 2015! Drat!
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. I'm slightly obsessed with the idea of polygamy. I love Sister Wives, loved Big Love. Couldn't imagine living the lifestyle, but find it fascinating nonetheless. This author certainly did his homework on polygamy! The book is actually two stories- one complete fiction, the other historical fiction (my other favorite thing!). In one story, Jordan Scott is a lost boy (for those of you not up on your plyg terms, that's a young man who was kicked out of the church for some made-up reason at a young age, usually preteens, so that he isn't competition to marry any of the young girls). He reads a newspaper article that informs him that his mother, BeckyLyn, Wife #19, has killed his father. He goes home for the first time in six years and ends up trying to help her. Did BeckyLyn kill her husband? All the signs seem to point to yes. Jordan is forced to re-enter a world he was happy to leave in an effort to save his mother. In the other story, Ann Eliza Young is the central character. Ann Eliza was Brigham Young's 19th wife (or maybe 30something wife or maybe 50something wife), the only one with enough guts to leave him, and the polygamist community, behind in the late 1800's. This story, loosely based on fact, tells Ann Eliza's story- how her parents came to the faith and how she was finally able to escape and help end polygamy (or at least officially end it as a part of the regular Mormon faith). Absolutely awesome book- I enjoyed it from start to finish. I loved both stories and found myself doing just a little research on Ann Eliza (the book was pretty close to the truth, as best can be determined due to the extremely secretive nature of the early Mormons). She seemed like she was quite the character. Sadly, no one seems to know exactly what happened to her- rumor has it the Church offed her.
Gates of Paradise by Melissa de la Cruz. The final book of the Blue Blood series. I've read every one of these books (and actually managed to do so in order!). They follow Schuyler Van Alen, a teenage girl who learned she was half vampire in the first novel. De la Cruz puts her own spin on vampires in this series. It is actually their blood that makes them immortal. Their blood carries all of their memories, all of their history. The Blue Bloods are actually fallen angels. When Lucifer thought he could overthrow God, many angels fought with him. Several of those angels, realizing that defeat was upon them, stopped fighting. Despite that, they were banished from heaven, although not to hell with their brethren. In this interpretation of vampires, the angels awoke on Earth as immortal vampires who live through cycles of resurrections. They have bond mates, aka twin souls, who are usually their life mates in whichever cycle they live through. They live by the Code of Vampires, the rules that they all follow, with the hope that living in a way that brings peace and beauty to the world will allow them to be forgiven and returned to Paradise. There are also the Silver Bloods, the fallen angels who remain loyal to Lucifer. They actually prey on their own kind, which makes them a deadly foe for the Blue Bloods. All of the characters are the reincarnations of the angels they once were, be it good angels or fallen ones. IN this story, Schuyler, daughter of the angel Gabrielle who became a vampire because she felt sorry for her fallen brethren, is the key to opening the Gates of Paradise, the gates that could lead back to Paradise for the fallen angels. But will Lucifer and his fallen find a way back first? And is redemption truly possible for the fallen angels? I really really loved de la Cruz's take on religion and vampires. A very fresh and different take than the Twilightiness of most other vampire books.
The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan. This was the book club book for my first book club. I chose this book, so of course, it's historical fiction! The van Goethem sisters live in Paris in 1878. After their father dies and their mother becomes an alcoholic, older sister Antoinette takes her younger sisters to the Paris Opera to be trained in ballet. She, in the meantime, lands a part in Emile Zola's infamous play L'Assommoir and becomes involved with fellow actor (and eventual murderer) Emile Abadie. Middle sister Marie quickly catches the eye of Edgar Degas and eventually becomes the model for some of his most famous works, including Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Youngest sister Charlotte is the only one with the ability to become a ballerina for the Opera. Each of the sisters eventually finds the happiness for which they were always searching, each choosing a slightly different path that keeps them together as a family.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Starting the new year off a little slow....
The plan was to read at least 5 books this month. I came up one short. But sooooo close! Here's what I read:
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. This was my book club book. Very cool reading. Colton Burpo is not quite four when he undergoes an emergency appendectomy because of a burst appendix (that burst 5 days prior to the surgery). Months later, he starts saying things to his parents, things that make them wonder what happened to their son on that operating table. Colton went to heaven. He saw people who had died before he was born, he met Jesus, he sat in the presence of God. The things he knew were beyond human understanding, especially a four year old human! Yet as Todd, Colton's father and a minister, listened to his son, he realized Colton was explaining Biblical descriptions in a child-like way. Descriptions that he, even as a minister's son, was too young to understand. There is no doubt in my mind that Colton went to heaven. The book was very sweetly written. And I loved it!
The Piano Teacher by Janice YK Lee. This is two overlapping stories taking place in Hong Kong. The first is between Will and Trudy, beginning in 1941. The second is between Will and Claire in 1952. In 1941, Japan takes over China. Will is an Englishman in love with Trudy, a Euro-Chinese beauty. In 1952, Claire and her husband have moved to Hong Kong from England. She becomes a piano teacher for a Chinese family and begins an affair with Will, who is now a chauffeur. Trudy, in an effort to save herself, befriends the Japanese. And she manages to then lose everything she loves. Claire, in an effort to find love, begins her affair with Will (a man who is still in love with the long lost Trudy). And she manages to then find herself. There is a little intrigue (when is there not when war and money and love are involved?!) I really enjoyed the book. At least up until the epilogue. Which, for some reason, just ruined the ending for me. It was that one chapter too many....
Destined by PC and Kristin Cast. I thought I had been reading this series in order. But oops- my bad. I skipped one. So let's backtrack a little, shall we? It actually did a nice job of filling in some of the blanks that I had form reading them out of order. Yep, more teen vampire lit. I enjoy it. Don't judge.
Female Troubles by Antonya Nelson. This is my new book club book (yes, I'm in two book clubs now. As if my nerd status weren't already pretty evident...). This was a collection of short stories. I'm still not sure how I felt about them. Other than wondering how strange the woman who wrote them must be. The stories are about strange siblings, infidelity, lies, infertility, you name it. Suffice it to say, this was a strange collection of stories. Kind of depressing. And more than a little disturbing. I'm still not sure if I even liked the stories. I really liked the way they were written, just not sure about the topics.
Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. This was my book club book. Very cool reading. Colton Burpo is not quite four when he undergoes an emergency appendectomy because of a burst appendix (that burst 5 days prior to the surgery). Months later, he starts saying things to his parents, things that make them wonder what happened to their son on that operating table. Colton went to heaven. He saw people who had died before he was born, he met Jesus, he sat in the presence of God. The things he knew were beyond human understanding, especially a four year old human! Yet as Todd, Colton's father and a minister, listened to his son, he realized Colton was explaining Biblical descriptions in a child-like way. Descriptions that he, even as a minister's son, was too young to understand. There is no doubt in my mind that Colton went to heaven. The book was very sweetly written. And I loved it!
The Piano Teacher by Janice YK Lee. This is two overlapping stories taking place in Hong Kong. The first is between Will and Trudy, beginning in 1941. The second is between Will and Claire in 1952. In 1941, Japan takes over China. Will is an Englishman in love with Trudy, a Euro-Chinese beauty. In 1952, Claire and her husband have moved to Hong Kong from England. She becomes a piano teacher for a Chinese family and begins an affair with Will, who is now a chauffeur. Trudy, in an effort to save herself, befriends the Japanese. And she manages to then lose everything she loves. Claire, in an effort to find love, begins her affair with Will (a man who is still in love with the long lost Trudy). And she manages to then find herself. There is a little intrigue (when is there not when war and money and love are involved?!) I really enjoyed the book. At least up until the epilogue. Which, for some reason, just ruined the ending for me. It was that one chapter too many....
Destined by PC and Kristin Cast. I thought I had been reading this series in order. But oops- my bad. I skipped one. So let's backtrack a little, shall we? It actually did a nice job of filling in some of the blanks that I had form reading them out of order. Yep, more teen vampire lit. I enjoy it. Don't judge.
Female Troubles by Antonya Nelson. This is my new book club book (yes, I'm in two book clubs now. As if my nerd status weren't already pretty evident...). This was a collection of short stories. I'm still not sure how I felt about them. Other than wondering how strange the woman who wrote them must be. The stories are about strange siblings, infidelity, lies, infertility, you name it. Suffice it to say, this was a strange collection of stories. Kind of depressing. And more than a little disturbing. I'm still not sure if I even liked the stories. I really liked the way they were written, just not sure about the topics.
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