This month was far less rainy than last month. And I went to the beach for a long weekend. But I was also busy two Saturdays in a row. So there went my good reading days. But I must say, 8 books at 2786 pages was not too shabby.
Saints at the River by Ron Rash. (237 pages). Yet another Ron Rash book. I loved Serena so much that I wanted to read another sooner rather than later. Maggie Glenn is a photographer for a newspaper in Columbia, SC (I can only assume it's The State, but they never say). When a 12 year old girl drowns in the Tamassee River, Maggie and her coworker Allan go back to her hometown to cover the story. Because the body is trapped in the river, the girl's parents want to do whatever it takes to recover the body; locals and environmentalists do not want the river, which is protected by federal law, to be disturbed. Maggie has her own issues with being home - childhood incidents have left a schism between her and her father. Eventually, the decision is made to bring in a temporary dam so that the body can be recovered. But the Tamassee has its own ideas about if and when it will relinquish the body. The locals are suddenly faced with their own loss. And Maggie comes to terms with her father during the weeks that follow. Seriously, Ron Rash is a Southern author genius.
Confessions of a Rebel Debutante by Anna Fields. (272 pages). I saw this on sale at Books A Million ($4.97, y'all. Hello bargain shopper!) And it seemed funny (and quite possibly my own life story). So I had to buy it. Halfway through the introduction, I realized I was wrong - this wasn't my life story. I was a Deb. Two balls, thank you very much. The author, not so much. But I was right on the funny side of it! Anna grew up in North Carolina and went to finishing/boarding school. Yet was never asked to be a Deb. Instead, she forged her own path - attending Brown (a Yankee school!), moving to LA, going to NYU (another Yankee school!) for graduate school for writing. She worked for Diana Ross, she was the tutor for Jill Zarin's daughter, she had a lot of funny stories to share. It was an easy read (no seriously, I read it in less than a day).
Bossypants by Tina Fey (275 pages). This was my second book club book. My second book club that, alas, is no more. We didn't even meet to discuss the book. [sad tear] Anyway, I knew I liked Tina Fey, at least what I knew of her from SNL. And yes, she's a hysterically funny writer (in case her years as a writer on SNL weren't a hint to that). I loved the fact that she went to UVa and made a reference to Mr. Jefferson (only people with a connection to UVa will understand that). It certainly wasn't a thought-provoking life history or anything like that. It was light-hearted and enjoyable (no, seriously, I read it in the other half of the day).
South of Broad by Pat Conroy (512 pages). Almost exact three years ago, I was down in Edisto, telling my parents about this guy I'd just started dating. He had given me Lords of Discipline to read (he was a Citadel grad). Ironically, the owner of the beach house is also a Citadel grad. So I found it only fitting to read another Conroy book while down there! This book was amazing. I am 100% a Conroy convert now. It's the summer of 1969. Leo King is entering his senior year of high school. In his short life, he's already lost his beloved older brother to suicide, been in and out of mental hospitals, been arrested for cocaine possession and now faces the uncertainty of senior year friendless. Then he is asked by his mother, who's also the principal at his high school, to meet some orphans, Niles and Starla Whitehead, and make their transition to high school easier. That same day, he meets Chad Rutledge and Molly Huger, rich kids who were arrested for cocaine and will now be attending public school; Sheba and Trevor, the Poe twins; and Ike Jefferson, his new football teammate and son of the new black football coach. Leo has no idea that these seven people, and another orphan named Betty, will become the most important people in his life. Sheba goes on to become a famous actress, Trevor moves to San Francisco and contracts AIDS, Ike marries Betty and becomes chief of police, Chad and Molly marry (despite his inability to remain faithful) and Leo marries Starla, who is never able to shake off the damaged psyche of her youth. Through tragedies and love, through triumphs and sorrows, these eight people provide as much stability as they can for each other. When lifelong secrets and horrors are revealed, they are there. Just like a family. It was an amazing story. I read the entire thing in one day. And I. Am. Hooked. On. Conroy.
Heft by Liz Moore (352 pages). This was my first book club book. And of course, I wasn't able to make it to book club to discuss it. First things first, I HATE it when authors use the ampersand (&) rather than spell out the word AND. It messes with the flow of the writing for me. Oddly, the ampersands were interspersed with the word, so I know she knew the word.... Lucky for the author, I rather liked the story. So I'll forgive her the excessive use of ampersands. Arthur Opp is a retired professor who lives in Brooklyn and weighs 550 pounds. His shame at this fact has led to a completely reclusive lifestyle. Kel Keller is a high school senior from Yonkers. He's a standout baseball player at the very wealthy public school he attends. His mother, Charlene Turner, was one of Arthur's former students. They had a pen pal relationship for years after she left college. One day, everything starts to change. Arthur hires a maid, who quickly becomes a friend. Charlene's alcoholism takes its final toll. And left to deal with all of this on his own is Kel. The book ends with the promise of a meeting between these two men, who would never have met but for their connection to Charlene.
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (460 pages). I have literally read every book Jodi Picoult has written (good ones and bad). And she definitely has a style of writing. Or so I thought. This book is like no other book I have ever read by Picoult - and I loved it. Sage is a 25 year old baker who is involved with a married man. She is in a grief counseling group due to the loss of her mother. In that group, she meets Josef, a ninety something year old man. As they become friends, Josef tells her that he was an SS officer, and one who was at Auchwitz. He also asks a huge favor of her. Sage knows enough about her family history to know that her grandmother Minka survived Auchwitz, but that is the extent of her knowledge. She makes a call to the FBI to report Josef. And in doing so learns more about her family and herself than she ever imagined. Omg- I could barely put this book down. It was fascinating that the novel was interspersed with a novel that Sage's grandmother had written - all about an upior (the Polish version of a vampire) and a beautiful young baker with whom he falls in love. Who's story was Minka telling - her own, that of the Nazis, or her granddaughter's? Picoult's detail during Josef's and Minka's stories was heart wrenching. I found myself wiping away tears and wondering (for the millionth time) how people can be so cruel. It was a gut-wrenching story and one of the best I've ever read from Picoult. I will say that, in true Picoult style, there were some fabulous twists!
Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham (340 pages). And yes, Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls fame (I know she's also on Parenthood, but that show's not my jam). The year is 1995. Franny Banks gave herself three years to make it in NYC as an actress. In 1992. She's now got six months. And she's no closer than she was two and a half years ago. Her roommates are supportive, but of no help. Her acting class is helping her with her craft, but not her career. She finally gets an agent, only to lose the agency's representation. She becomes involved with one of the most successful actors in her class. Or so she thinks. It was a really easy read and very creative (pages from Franny's date book were in between chapters, covered in her notes and doodles). I like Lorelei Gilmore's writing style a lot. The only thing I didn't like? The ending. It left me a bit cold. And more than a bit confused.
Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris (338 pages). The final Sookie Stackhouse novel. To be honest, I didn't watch this season of True Blood. But I seem to remember the characters and storylines from the show more than the ones from the book (they are totally different at this point. I mean, not even remotely the same). So I always end up a little confused when I start reading the books again. In this one, Arlene shows up again. Book Arlene, who tried to kill Sookie and was sent to jail. Show Arlene isn't a murderer. So I like her. A few days after Arlene is released on bail and shows back up in Bon Temps, she is found dead. And Sookie is accused of the murder. All of Sookie's friends, human and supe, start showing up to help her prove her innocence. It was nice to see the return of some old characters. It was nice the way Harris tied up some of the storylines for those characters. And honestly, the ending was perfection. I couldn't have been happier for Sookie and the way her life was starting to turn out. Harris did an excellent job ending the series. It didn't end with a bang, but with a promise of happily ever after.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
July readings went pretty well
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!)
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!)
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.
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