I did okay in December. 4 books, 1649 pages. So let's get to it!
The Kill Order by James Dashner (338 pages). This was the prequel to the Maze Runner series. Mark and Trina are teenagers when the Flares decimate the earth. Separated from their families, they end up meeting Alec and Lana, both veterans from the Army. They finally find a new settlement in North Carolina and are somewhat happily living there. Until one day a Berg shows up and opens fire with darts. The next thing they know, people are getting sick and dying from a virus. A virus that starts mutating. They head off to find out what is happening in the world and find Deedee, a five year old girl who had been infected but showed no signs of the virus. Mark and Alec eventually learn the truth and find a way to send the immune Deedee to safety. Deedee, who is eventually renamed Teresa by the people at WICKED. The people who created the Maze. This one was both my least favorite and the one I liked the most because it gave some good background information of the dystopian world Dashner created. I read most of it in November, but left the book at the office over Thanksgiving. Oh well. It ended up taking me 16 days to read because of the unexpected break. But I did read the last 100 pages in one day!
Somerset by Leila Meacham (607 pages). The prequel to Roses, which I loved. The story of how the town of Howbutker came into existence. The background of the Tolivers, Warwicks and DuMonts told in far more detail than Roses could have. This is the story of the grandfathers of the main characters in Roses. Silas Toliver is the second son of a wealthy plantation owner, left with no inheritance when his father dies. So he and his best friend Jeremy Warwick decide to travel to Texas, where they know their fortune lies. Each of them will carry with them the roses of their family- the red Lancaster roses of the Tolivers and the white York roses of the Warwicks. Jessica Wyndham has just returned home to South Carolina from school. She and her maid, who is truly her best friend, enjoyed the freedom of Boston and its abolitionist thinking. Jessica doesn't really fit in with the society in which she grew up; she's a little too forward thinking. Silas is engaged to the beautiful Lettie and ready for her to be the stepmother to his son. But a change in finances leaves him indebted to Jessica's father and he finds himself married to the young woman. Before their wedding, Silas' mother tells him that there will be a curse on his family if he goes through with this marriage. Nonetheless, the marriage happens and the wagon train leaves South Carolina. They travel to New Orleans, where Silas and Jeremy meet Henri Dumont, the son of a merchant. Henri wants to join them and, after leaving several of the women and children in New Orleans, they head to Texas. They stay closer to the east than anticipated, but when Silas asks Jeremy, "how about here," they know they have found what they are looking for. Silas purchases Somerset, Jeremy turns to lumber, Henri opens a store, and the town of Howbutker (short for "how about here") is born. Jessica and Silas truly fall in love. Jeremy and Henri each find wives. Then the Civil War breaks out. Silas has already begun agreeing with Jessica's stance against slavery (some of the events actually brought me to tears). And the outbreak of war (with its threat of taking the life of his last remaining son) is too much for Silas. He worries that his mother's threat might finally come true. His son, and most of the other founding sons, make it home from war. But life is forever changed for everyone. The Toliver line eventually suffers more loss. But the families persevere, their traditions intact. I loved this book just as much as Roses and Tumbleweed- Leila Meacham is a fantastic author. You become completely enthralled in her stories. I technically started this book at the end of November, but didn't get most of it read until the end of December. I actually read about 300 pages in one day. The lack of TV shows during Christmas is fantastic for reading!
Winds of Salem by Melissa de la Cruz (306 pages). The third book in the Witches of East End series. It's been a while since I've read the books. But I enjoyed the TV show (until it bit the dust). The problem is that the show and the books are so different that I couldn't remember which storyline I was supposed to be following! In this book, Freya (former goddess of love and modern day witch) has been transported back to Salem Village in 1692 (you know, not a very good time for witches, either real or fake). She has no memory of her life. But she should have known that Killian, her true love, would find her in any century. And that his troublemaking brother Loki, her other true love, would be there too! Eventually she remembers who she really is and from where she really came. Meanwhile, back home in North Hampton, her sister Ingrid, twin Freddie and parents Joanna and Norman are doing everything in their power to rescue her. But their powers are dwindling, as something has shifted within the magical world. Will they rescue Freya before she is hanged as a witch (again)? Because this time, she will not be resurrected. Once I got back into remembering the differences between the books and the show, this one sped along. I finished it in 3 days.
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult (398 pages). I've loved Picoult since the very first book of hers that I read (The Pact, btw). And she's only had one misstep as far as I'm concerned (Songs of the Humpback Whale- it was torture, y'all!) Yes, she can be a little predictable. But lately, her novels have been a little less typical that her earlier ones. Her most recent, The Storyteller, was AMAZING! And so different that what she normally does. In this book, Jenna Metcalf was three when her mother, the famous elephant scientist Alice, disappeared after a freak accident on the family's elephant sanctuary that left one of the caregivers trampled to death. Ten years later, with her father in a psychiatric hospital, Jenna decides that she is going to find her mother. She enlists the help of former a-list and now powerless psychic Serenity and Virgil, the cop who had been on her mother's case. In typical Picoult fashion, the story is told through different characters' eyes. Jenna, Serenity, Virgil and Alice. Alice's chapters told the story that led up to the fateful night, while everyone else's focused on modern day. I especially loved the elephant facts that were interspersed in Alice's chapters. Also, in typical Picoult fashion, the ending wasn't what I expected. But it was absolutely perfect. It only took me 4 days to read it and I read over half the book on the last day of 2014- hurrah for no plans on NYE!
So there you have it- 2014 is over. Another year's worth of reading is done. All together, I read 45 books (which is way below my monthly average) and 16,593 pages. But considering the fact that there are some people in this world who don't even read one book a year, I guess I did okay. I need to read at least 50 books next year. I can totally read 4 books a month!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Monday, December 1, 2014
Another No Read November for this girl
Seriously- I read two books this month. I should've at least finished three, but I left one at work over the Thanksgiving weekend. One that I only had 90 pages left to read. Ugh. So 2 book, 825 pages. Embarassing.
The Death Cure by James Dashner (324 pages). Book 3 in the Maze Runner series. Thomas has been separated from the Gladers, from Teresa and from his new friends Brenda and Jorge. And he's been told that while he does have the Flare, he's actually immune to all of the effects of it. He finally reunites with his friends and they are able to escape from the people who have been using them in the Trials. But it's still not over. The outside world isn't easier. And they finally learn how they can stop the group that had been trying to use them. It took me about 10 days to read. I really like it- all three books in the series kept my interest.
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (501 pages). This was my book club book. Considering this author wrote Practical Magic (the book that the movie about witches was based on), it was a lot more religious than I would've imagined she would write. Masada was a Judean fortress. During the 70's AD, the Sicarri, a group of Jewish extremists, took over Masada. This book was the ficitionalized story of some of the women at Masada. The flame haired Yael- her mother died prior to childbirth and her father and brother were members of the Sicarri and trained assassins. After several months in the desert searching for her brother (who they assume is at Masada), they finally find him. Yael isn't the girl she was when she left Jerusalem- she has matured and truly become a woman (losing her heart and her purity to a married man). When they arrive at Masada, Yael goes to work in the dovecotes. There she meets the other women who are the main characters in the book. The older Revka- her only daughter was brutally murdered, while her young grandsons looked on. Those sons, with only a grandmother to care for them and a father who seems bent on revenge, seem lost at Masada, rendered mute by the brutality they witnessed. Revka doesn't hold punches- she is harsh in her judgments but deep down very loving. When Yael's father strikes her out of anger for her illegimate pregnancy, she moves in with Revka and her grandsons. The four of them speak the same language- that of silence. Revka is there for Yael when she finally gives birth to her son. The exotic Shirah and her daughters Aziza and Nahara- Shirah is in charge at the dovecotes. She is from Alexandria and is also a bit of a witch, peppering her faith in Adonai with faith in the goddesses of her youth. Aziza, a strong warrior herself who was raised as a boy by the Moabite her mother married, briefly falls for Yael's brother while Nahara falls for Malachi, a powerful young man among the Essenes who found their way to Masada. Aziza eventually comes into her own as the warrior she should have been, in love with a warrior who matches her (no longer Yael's brother). Nahara and the Essenes leave Masada for a nearby cave, hating the violence that surrounds them and yearning for the End of Days. Shirah came to Masada to be with the man she loved (who happened to be the leader at Masada and married to a very evil woman). Each woman traveled a different path to reach the safe haven of Masada. However, their lives are intricately intertwined, even before they arrived. One day, legions of Romans arrive. They lay siege to Masada for several months, taunting the people in the fortress. Then the Romans finally begin to breech the impenetrable fortress in the sky. Rather than be murdered or enslave, the 953 Jewish people killed themselves. Only two females and five children survived (some of our characters). It took me 10 days to read, but I actually read the bulk of it (over 300 pages) in one weekend. I really, really liked it.
The Death Cure by James Dashner (324 pages). Book 3 in the Maze Runner series. Thomas has been separated from the Gladers, from Teresa and from his new friends Brenda and Jorge. And he's been told that while he does have the Flare, he's actually immune to all of the effects of it. He finally reunites with his friends and they are able to escape from the people who have been using them in the Trials. But it's still not over. The outside world isn't easier. And they finally learn how they can stop the group that had been trying to use them. It took me about 10 days to read. I really like it- all three books in the series kept my interest.
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (501 pages). This was my book club book. Considering this author wrote Practical Magic (the book that the movie about witches was based on), it was a lot more religious than I would've imagined she would write. Masada was a Judean fortress. During the 70's AD, the Sicarri, a group of Jewish extremists, took over Masada. This book was the ficitionalized story of some of the women at Masada. The flame haired Yael- her mother died prior to childbirth and her father and brother were members of the Sicarri and trained assassins. After several months in the desert searching for her brother (who they assume is at Masada), they finally find him. Yael isn't the girl she was when she left Jerusalem- she has matured and truly become a woman (losing her heart and her purity to a married man). When they arrive at Masada, Yael goes to work in the dovecotes. There she meets the other women who are the main characters in the book. The older Revka- her only daughter was brutally murdered, while her young grandsons looked on. Those sons, with only a grandmother to care for them and a father who seems bent on revenge, seem lost at Masada, rendered mute by the brutality they witnessed. Revka doesn't hold punches- she is harsh in her judgments but deep down very loving. When Yael's father strikes her out of anger for her illegimate pregnancy, she moves in with Revka and her grandsons. The four of them speak the same language- that of silence. Revka is there for Yael when she finally gives birth to her son. The exotic Shirah and her daughters Aziza and Nahara- Shirah is in charge at the dovecotes. She is from Alexandria and is also a bit of a witch, peppering her faith in Adonai with faith in the goddesses of her youth. Aziza, a strong warrior herself who was raised as a boy by the Moabite her mother married, briefly falls for Yael's brother while Nahara falls for Malachi, a powerful young man among the Essenes who found their way to Masada. Aziza eventually comes into her own as the warrior she should have been, in love with a warrior who matches her (no longer Yael's brother). Nahara and the Essenes leave Masada for a nearby cave, hating the violence that surrounds them and yearning for the End of Days. Shirah came to Masada to be with the man she loved (who happened to be the leader at Masada and married to a very evil woman). Each woman traveled a different path to reach the safe haven of Masada. However, their lives are intricately intertwined, even before they arrived. One day, legions of Romans arrive. They lay siege to Masada for several months, taunting the people in the fortress. Then the Romans finally begin to breech the impenetrable fortress in the sky. Rather than be murdered or enslave, the 953 Jewish people killed themselves. Only two females and five children survived (some of our characters). It took me 10 days to read, but I actually read the bulk of it (over 300 pages) in one weekend. I really, really liked it.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
I hang my head in shame
I did not get a lot of reading done in October. Reason 1- no more vacation or pool days. Reason 2- the fall TV schedule has started up. Reason 3- I've just been very busy! I only got 3 books read (that's a pathetic 958 pages. Ugh).
Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston (325 pages). No, not THAT Frozen. In this book, the world is completely frozen over. And it's a totally different place. Very structured, with all sorts of rules. But also very ruthless. Certain places are still quite active, including New Vegas. Nat is a blackjack dealer, searching for a safe place to live. She learns that the Blue, a mythical place where there is sunshine and no ice, might really exist. She hires Wes and his crew to help her make the dangerous escape. It only took me three days to read it. But I never really got into it. The characters were strange (some people are born marked, meaning they have magical powers. And there are sylphs. And smallmen. And drakons). This was the first in a series and I am pretty sure I won't waste my time with the rest of them. Which is odd because I have loved all of de la Cruz's other series.
The Mockingbird Next Door by Marja Mills (273 pages). In 2001, the mayor of Chicago chose To Kill a Mockingbird for One Book, One Chicago to read. Marja Mills, a reporter, was sent down to Monroeville, Alabama, to try to track down any information on the illusive Harper Lee. What she ended up finding was a whole new life, for a brief time. She got along so well with Nelle (as Harper's friends called her) and sister Alice that, when she took medical leave for lupus, she moved into the house right next door to them! The boo is a recounting of her interactions with the Lee sisters and their friends. It was full of fun tidbits about the Lees, from Nelle's lifelong friendship with Gregory Peck, to Alice being one of the first female attorneys in Alabama, to Nelle's fallout with Truman Capote, to the truth about their mother's breakdown, to the fact that all kids who are named Harper, seemingly after Harper Lee, are actually named for the doctor who saved middle sister Louise's life (she clearly had some form of reflux and only Dr. Harper found the food that she could handle). The Lee sisters, even at their advanced ages, seemed funny and fun. I'd have loved to have met them! I finished this book in three days (decided to take advantage of a weekend).
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (360 pages). Book 2 in the Maze Runner series. Thomas and the rest of the Gladers are finally free of the Maze. But it turns out that they still aren't free. What faces them next is Phase 2 of their trial. The Scorch. They have two weeks to make it 100 miles across the most awful desert in the most awful sun-scorching conditions that they have ever faced. Their motivation? Well, they learn that they have been infected with the Flare, a condition that began affecting people when the sun basically exploded and causes you to go insane. If they make it to the Safe Haven, they will receive the sure. Teresa, their only girl, has disappeared right after their escape from the Maze. She's been replaced by Aris, who informs them that he was the Teresa in a Glade full of girls. Curiouser and curiouser. They all also discover that they have been tattooed with subject numbers and descriptions. Thomas is none too happy with his. After two weeks of attacks and more deaths of Gladers, they finally make it to the Safe Haven. Only to discover that the torture still isn't over! What faces them next is in the next book, I guess. It took me a week to finish, but that's only because I don't have time to read during the week!
Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston (325 pages). No, not THAT Frozen. In this book, the world is completely frozen over. And it's a totally different place. Very structured, with all sorts of rules. But also very ruthless. Certain places are still quite active, including New Vegas. Nat is a blackjack dealer, searching for a safe place to live. She learns that the Blue, a mythical place where there is sunshine and no ice, might really exist. She hires Wes and his crew to help her make the dangerous escape. It only took me three days to read it. But I never really got into it. The characters were strange (some people are born marked, meaning they have magical powers. And there are sylphs. And smallmen. And drakons). This was the first in a series and I am pretty sure I won't waste my time with the rest of them. Which is odd because I have loved all of de la Cruz's other series.
The Mockingbird Next Door by Marja Mills (273 pages). In 2001, the mayor of Chicago chose To Kill a Mockingbird for One Book, One Chicago to read. Marja Mills, a reporter, was sent down to Monroeville, Alabama, to try to track down any information on the illusive Harper Lee. What she ended up finding was a whole new life, for a brief time. She got along so well with Nelle (as Harper's friends called her) and sister Alice that, when she took medical leave for lupus, she moved into the house right next door to them! The boo is a recounting of her interactions with the Lee sisters and their friends. It was full of fun tidbits about the Lees, from Nelle's lifelong friendship with Gregory Peck, to Alice being one of the first female attorneys in Alabama, to Nelle's fallout with Truman Capote, to the truth about their mother's breakdown, to the fact that all kids who are named Harper, seemingly after Harper Lee, are actually named for the doctor who saved middle sister Louise's life (she clearly had some form of reflux and only Dr. Harper found the food that she could handle). The Lee sisters, even at their advanced ages, seemed funny and fun. I'd have loved to have met them! I finished this book in three days (decided to take advantage of a weekend).
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (360 pages). Book 2 in the Maze Runner series. Thomas and the rest of the Gladers are finally free of the Maze. But it turns out that they still aren't free. What faces them next is Phase 2 of their trial. The Scorch. They have two weeks to make it 100 miles across the most awful desert in the most awful sun-scorching conditions that they have ever faced. Their motivation? Well, they learn that they have been infected with the Flare, a condition that began affecting people when the sun basically exploded and causes you to go insane. If they make it to the Safe Haven, they will receive the sure. Teresa, their only girl, has disappeared right after their escape from the Maze. She's been replaced by Aris, who informs them that he was the Teresa in a Glade full of girls. Curiouser and curiouser. They all also discover that they have been tattooed with subject numbers and descriptions. Thomas is none too happy with his. After two weeks of attacks and more deaths of Gladers, they finally make it to the Safe Haven. Only to discover that the torture still isn't over! What faces them next is in the next book, I guess. It took me a week to finish, but that's only because I don't have time to read during the week!
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
I stepped it up with my September reading
Thank goodness for vacation in September. It helped me get 7 books (at 2547 pages) read this month. I will admit that the month slowed down to a crawl once I landed back in Columbia in the middle of the month. Stupid having to work... :)
Roses by Leila Meacham (609 pages). I had actually read another of this author's books (Tumbleweeds) for book club and really loved it. This one was her first novel. And it was fantastic! It tells the story of four generations of the three founding families in the town of Howbutker, Texas (btw- the story of how the town got such a strange name is kind of fun). The novel really focuses on three generation and their loves, losses and lives. The Tolivers own a cotton plantation, the Warwicks are lumber magnets and the DuMonts own high end department stores. From the history of the town's beginnings and the importance of roses to the founding fathers, the families are so intertwined that their lives can barely be divided. I really, really liked this book. I don't want to give too much away, other than two of them should have gotten married and didn't. And then had to live with the mistake that they had made that nearly destroyed their families. It took me six days from start to finish (but I only had a chance to read for three of those days!)
The Maze Runner by James Dashner (374 pages). Thomas wakes up in a metal box/elevator, with no memories of his life. The box opens and he is met by a group of boys in the Glade. The Glade is a safe haven in the middle of the Maze, a maze that changes every night and from which there is no escape. The very next day after Thomas arrives, normalcy is thrown out the window. A girl arrives in the Box, with a note stating that she is the last one. There has never been a girl in the Glade before. And with her arrival, everything changes. What kind of crazy experiment are these boys being forced to participate in? The book has been turned into a movie and, I'm not going to lie, I really want to see the movie now! The book was kind of Hunger Games-esque in a way. And there are more in the series for me to go buy. It only took me two days to read. See why I love vacation?!
Tell the Wolves I'm Coming Home by Carol Rifka Brunt (355 pages). This was my book club book. June is 14 years old in the winter of 1987, the winter her beloved uncle/godfather/best friend dies of AIDS. Finn was a famous artist and he painted one last painting before he died, a painting of June and her older sister Greta. After Finn's death, June slowly befriends his boyfriend, Toby. Unbeknownst to her family, who hates Toby, without knowing him, for allegedly giving Finn AIDS. The relationships between the mother and Finn, between June and Greta, between Toby and June, between June and Finn, even between Toby and Finn, are examined. There were still some questions left unanswered (like who really gave who AIDS). Honestly, I don't really think I liked the story. It made me think and it made me feel. But I don't think I enjoyed it. I finished the book in only two days (seriously, is anything better than vacation?!)
The Au Pairs: Skinny-dipping by Melissa de la Cruz (289 pages). Total teen chick lit. It's the second in a series, but it had been a while since I read the first one. Eliza, Mara and Jacqui were au pairs for the Perry family in the first book. There was love, secrets, typical sixteen year old drama (but set in the Hamptons). This summer, Eliza is working at a hot new nightclub in the Hamptons and Mara and Jacqui are back at the Perry's. Same old drama, same designer attire. It was total fluff. And took me less than a day to read.
Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall (308 pages). Starla Jane Claudelle is nine years old in the summer of 1963. She's living with her strict grandmother in Mississippi, missing her oil rigger daddy who is in the Gulf and her trying to be a superstar mother who is in Nashville. So one day, she's had enough and runs away to find her mother. She begins hitchhiking and is picked up by Eula, a black woman, and baby James, a white baby in the back seat. Thus begins a road trip that will forever change her life. They have adventures, meet misfortunes, and finally find what they are looking for. And learn along the way that sometimes what you think you want isn't what you need. And that family is so much more than blood. The book was pretty good. I finished it in one and a half days.
Family Pictures by Jane Green (344 pages). Sylvie has the perfect marriage out in California- a husband of eleven years who adores her, a daughter from her first marriage who is her best friend, and a wonderful group of friends. The only drawback is that her husband travels for work a lot. Maggie has the perfect life- a gorgeous home on the Connecticut Gold Coast, three wonderful children, a wealthy husband of twenty-five years who travels a lot for work. But both women's lives are turned upside down when their daughters happen to become friends and the truth comes out. To be honest, I figured out the "twist" pretty quickly. The way the two families recover was the fascinating part. Sylvie and Maggie end up okay. The children- well, it takes a little more time for them. I like Jane Green's writing style. The chapters are short and told from different characters' perspectives. It took me about a day and a half to finish.
The Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin (268 pages, plus 47 pages of footnotes that I didn't read). Unlike the book I read last month that was based on the story of Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan, this was their story. I found their love story kind of sad. She was the same age as one of his daughters (and younger than one of his sons) and kind of in a vulnerable position as an unmarried, fatherless actress. He was the most popular author of his time. Of course she was flattered that he paid her any attention. And kicked his wife out of the family for her (even though he couldn't publicly let that cat out of the bag). But the pregnancies that couldn't be acknowledged, the love that couldn't be acknowledged, all of it was depressing to me. Even though this book didn't focus on Dickens' wife, I still felt bad for her. You spend your life loving a man and giving birth to his 8 children, only for him to publicly humiliate you. So sweet of him. I have even less respect for Dickens after reading this book. He didn't nothing to help Nelly out. Other than make her life a lot more difficult in so many ways. I was very happy that she was able to find a man who loved her and wanted to marry her once Dickens died and she was free. I did feel bad for her children, who slowly began to find out that their mother had lied to them about so many things. This book took me two weeks to finish. But I blame that on vacation being over and only having one post-vacation pool day.
Roses by Leila Meacham (609 pages). I had actually read another of this author's books (Tumbleweeds) for book club and really loved it. This one was her first novel. And it was fantastic! It tells the story of four generations of the three founding families in the town of Howbutker, Texas (btw- the story of how the town got such a strange name is kind of fun). The novel really focuses on three generation and their loves, losses and lives. The Tolivers own a cotton plantation, the Warwicks are lumber magnets and the DuMonts own high end department stores. From the history of the town's beginnings and the importance of roses to the founding fathers, the families are so intertwined that their lives can barely be divided. I really, really liked this book. I don't want to give too much away, other than two of them should have gotten married and didn't. And then had to live with the mistake that they had made that nearly destroyed their families. It took me six days from start to finish (but I only had a chance to read for three of those days!)
The Maze Runner by James Dashner (374 pages). Thomas wakes up in a metal box/elevator, with no memories of his life. The box opens and he is met by a group of boys in the Glade. The Glade is a safe haven in the middle of the Maze, a maze that changes every night and from which there is no escape. The very next day after Thomas arrives, normalcy is thrown out the window. A girl arrives in the Box, with a note stating that she is the last one. There has never been a girl in the Glade before. And with her arrival, everything changes. What kind of crazy experiment are these boys being forced to participate in? The book has been turned into a movie and, I'm not going to lie, I really want to see the movie now! The book was kind of Hunger Games-esque in a way. And there are more in the series for me to go buy. It only took me two days to read. See why I love vacation?!
Tell the Wolves I'm Coming Home by Carol Rifka Brunt (355 pages). This was my book club book. June is 14 years old in the winter of 1987, the winter her beloved uncle/godfather/best friend dies of AIDS. Finn was a famous artist and he painted one last painting before he died, a painting of June and her older sister Greta. After Finn's death, June slowly befriends his boyfriend, Toby. Unbeknownst to her family, who hates Toby, without knowing him, for allegedly giving Finn AIDS. The relationships between the mother and Finn, between June and Greta, between Toby and June, between June and Finn, even between Toby and Finn, are examined. There were still some questions left unanswered (like who really gave who AIDS). Honestly, I don't really think I liked the story. It made me think and it made me feel. But I don't think I enjoyed it. I finished the book in only two days (seriously, is anything better than vacation?!)
The Au Pairs: Skinny-dipping by Melissa de la Cruz (289 pages). Total teen chick lit. It's the second in a series, but it had been a while since I read the first one. Eliza, Mara and Jacqui were au pairs for the Perry family in the first book. There was love, secrets, typical sixteen year old drama (but set in the Hamptons). This summer, Eliza is working at a hot new nightclub in the Hamptons and Mara and Jacqui are back at the Perry's. Same old drama, same designer attire. It was total fluff. And took me less than a day to read.
Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall (308 pages). Starla Jane Claudelle is nine years old in the summer of 1963. She's living with her strict grandmother in Mississippi, missing her oil rigger daddy who is in the Gulf and her trying to be a superstar mother who is in Nashville. So one day, she's had enough and runs away to find her mother. She begins hitchhiking and is picked up by Eula, a black woman, and baby James, a white baby in the back seat. Thus begins a road trip that will forever change her life. They have adventures, meet misfortunes, and finally find what they are looking for. And learn along the way that sometimes what you think you want isn't what you need. And that family is so much more than blood. The book was pretty good. I finished it in one and a half days.
Family Pictures by Jane Green (344 pages). Sylvie has the perfect marriage out in California- a husband of eleven years who adores her, a daughter from her first marriage who is her best friend, and a wonderful group of friends. The only drawback is that her husband travels for work a lot. Maggie has the perfect life- a gorgeous home on the Connecticut Gold Coast, three wonderful children, a wealthy husband of twenty-five years who travels a lot for work. But both women's lives are turned upside down when their daughters happen to become friends and the truth comes out. To be honest, I figured out the "twist" pretty quickly. The way the two families recover was the fascinating part. Sylvie and Maggie end up okay. The children- well, it takes a little more time for them. I like Jane Green's writing style. The chapters are short and told from different characters' perspectives. It took me about a day and a half to finish.
The Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin (268 pages, plus 47 pages of footnotes that I didn't read). Unlike the book I read last month that was based on the story of Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan, this was their story. I found their love story kind of sad. She was the same age as one of his daughters (and younger than one of his sons) and kind of in a vulnerable position as an unmarried, fatherless actress. He was the most popular author of his time. Of course she was flattered that he paid her any attention. And kicked his wife out of the family for her (even though he couldn't publicly let that cat out of the bag). But the pregnancies that couldn't be acknowledged, the love that couldn't be acknowledged, all of it was depressing to me. Even though this book didn't focus on Dickens' wife, I still felt bad for her. You spend your life loving a man and giving birth to his 8 children, only for him to publicly humiliate you. So sweet of him. I have even less respect for Dickens after reading this book. He didn't nothing to help Nelly out. Other than make her life a lot more difficult in so many ways. I was very happy that she was able to find a man who loved her and wanted to marry her once Dickens died and she was free. I did feel bad for her children, who slowly began to find out that their mother had lied to them about so many things. This book took me two weeks to finish. But I blame that on vacation being over and only having one post-vacation pool day.
Monday, September 1, 2014
August readings weren't august, but they were really enjoyable
Only 5 books and 1,892 pages. But two of them were pretty long. So there you go....
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker (563 pages). Nora's life is far from perfect. Her grad school thesis is at a dead end. Her long distance boyfriend comes to visit, not to propose but to let her know that he is getting married. To someone else. When she bumps into a strange man at school, he tells her she only gets three. Turns out, it's wishes she's getting. And when she wishes for a different life, she gets it. In a whole other realm. She is swept up in the magical world of Illissa and her handsome son, Raclin. Days, weeks, months later, she finds herself married to Raclin. And in a darker nightmarish world than she ever could have imagined. Nora finally escapes Illissa's clutches, only to find herself unable to get home. She is taken in by Aruendiel, a powerful magician who begins to teach her magic. Eventually, after magic and wars, Nora finds a way home. But is home really where she wants to be anymore? It reminded me of one of my favorite young adult books, Time at the Top (the heroine only gets three in that book as well) and True Blood (the show more than the books). It took me 17 days to finish this book. More for the length of the book and the lack of time I had to devote to reading.
Four by Veronica Roth (285 pages). This was a prequel to the Divergent series, only told from Four's perspective in four separate "stories." Why he joined Dauntless, his initiation process. And eventually meeting Tris. It was kind of cool to read scenes from his perspective. He saw such a different side of Dauntless than Tris did, being a member and an initiate trainer. Apparently, Roth originally started the series with Four as the narrative character. Let's face facts- this series isn't Shakespeare. But this one was just as enjoyable as the others. It only took me 2 days to finish.
The Great Santini by Pat Conroy (471 pages). This marks my fourth Conroy novel. Arguably the one that truly started it all for him. The one that told the truth about his family life. Well, a fictionalized version of his family life. Bull Meecham was quite a character - equally parts loved and feared by everyone who knew him. He was an ace Marine fighter pilot. And a violent, yet amusing, family man. His son Ben hated him. Yet yearned for his respect. I can't imagine growing up in a household like that. I'm surprised that Conroy turned out even halfway normal (and understand why other family members didn't). Finished this one in 2 days flat- it was nice to have some downtime by the pool finally.
The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls (267 pages). Her first novel was a memoir. Her second book was called a novel, but was more of her family history (just the history that occurred before she was born). This one was a novel, pure and simple. No family history. Which allowed her creative abilities to shine. The story was pretty good. Liz and Bean (real name Jean) are basically abandoned by their mother. So they go to live with their uncle in Virginia, in a town their mother ran from long ago. And they begin to learn some of their family history (ok, fine. There was family history in the story. Just not Walls' personal family history). Integration has just made its way to this small southern town. The girls slowly start taking part in the community. Then, Liz is attacked by the local mill foreman. Which starts a chain of events that affects the whole town. It was an easy read- it only took me 2 days.
Becoming Josephine by Heather Webb (306 pages). Historical fiction- my favorite! This book covered the life of Marie Josephe Rose Tacher de la Pagerie de Beauharnais Bonaparte, from when she left home until she became divorced from the love of her life. I learned several facts about Josephine Bonaparte that I didn't know. Like that she was born in Martinique. And originally went by the name of Rose. And was imprisoned during the Revolution (her first husband was guillotined during their imprisonment). And had an affair with one of Napoleon's lieutenants that caused his complete adoration of her to fade, just a bit. Yes, the story was historical fiction, which means some of it was fiction. But a lot of it was historically based. And the fact were amazingly interesting. Took me 5 days to read (but that's because I don't get as much reading done during the work week as I do on a pool weekend. Not because I didn't enjoy the book!)
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker (563 pages). Nora's life is far from perfect. Her grad school thesis is at a dead end. Her long distance boyfriend comes to visit, not to propose but to let her know that he is getting married. To someone else. When she bumps into a strange man at school, he tells her she only gets three. Turns out, it's wishes she's getting. And when she wishes for a different life, she gets it. In a whole other realm. She is swept up in the magical world of Illissa and her handsome son, Raclin. Days, weeks, months later, she finds herself married to Raclin. And in a darker nightmarish world than she ever could have imagined. Nora finally escapes Illissa's clutches, only to find herself unable to get home. She is taken in by Aruendiel, a powerful magician who begins to teach her magic. Eventually, after magic and wars, Nora finds a way home. But is home really where she wants to be anymore? It reminded me of one of my favorite young adult books, Time at the Top (the heroine only gets three in that book as well) and True Blood (the show more than the books). It took me 17 days to finish this book. More for the length of the book and the lack of time I had to devote to reading.
Four by Veronica Roth (285 pages). This was a prequel to the Divergent series, only told from Four's perspective in four separate "stories." Why he joined Dauntless, his initiation process. And eventually meeting Tris. It was kind of cool to read scenes from his perspective. He saw such a different side of Dauntless than Tris did, being a member and an initiate trainer. Apparently, Roth originally started the series with Four as the narrative character. Let's face facts- this series isn't Shakespeare. But this one was just as enjoyable as the others. It only took me 2 days to finish.
The Great Santini by Pat Conroy (471 pages). This marks my fourth Conroy novel. Arguably the one that truly started it all for him. The one that told the truth about his family life. Well, a fictionalized version of his family life. Bull Meecham was quite a character - equally parts loved and feared by everyone who knew him. He was an ace Marine fighter pilot. And a violent, yet amusing, family man. His son Ben hated him. Yet yearned for his respect. I can't imagine growing up in a household like that. I'm surprised that Conroy turned out even halfway normal (and understand why other family members didn't). Finished this one in 2 days flat- it was nice to have some downtime by the pool finally.
The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls (267 pages). Her first novel was a memoir. Her second book was called a novel, but was more of her family history (just the history that occurred before she was born). This one was a novel, pure and simple. No family history. Which allowed her creative abilities to shine. The story was pretty good. Liz and Bean (real name Jean) are basically abandoned by their mother. So they go to live with their uncle in Virginia, in a town their mother ran from long ago. And they begin to learn some of their family history (ok, fine. There was family history in the story. Just not Walls' personal family history). Integration has just made its way to this small southern town. The girls slowly start taking part in the community. Then, Liz is attacked by the local mill foreman. Which starts a chain of events that affects the whole town. It was an easy read- it only took me 2 days.
Becoming Josephine by Heather Webb (306 pages). Historical fiction- my favorite! This book covered the life of Marie Josephe Rose Tacher de la Pagerie de Beauharnais Bonaparte, from when she left home until she became divorced from the love of her life. I learned several facts about Josephine Bonaparte that I didn't know. Like that she was born in Martinique. And originally went by the name of Rose. And was imprisoned during the Revolution (her first husband was guillotined during their imprisonment). And had an affair with one of Napoleon's lieutenants that caused his complete adoration of her to fade, just a bit. Yes, the story was historical fiction, which means some of it was fiction. But a lot of it was historically based. And the fact were amazingly interesting. Took me 5 days to read (but that's because I don't get as much reading done during the work week as I do on a pool weekend. Not because I didn't enjoy the book!)
Friday, August 1, 2014
July wasn't the month I expected it to be
July wasn't quite as successful as I thought it would be. I actually started a rather long book on the 19th that I normally could've finished before the end of the month. But, well, things happen. And that book will be finished (and blogged about) next month. I still managed to get 4 books and 1,607 pages read. So let's get going.
Girl in the Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold (414 pages). The back of the book spoke of Charles Dickens and his scorned wife Catherine, who wanted his letters to her published post-mortem so the world would know he had once loved her. So it took me several pages to realize that the telling part of the cover was when it said "a novel inspired by the life and marriage of Charles Dickens." The book is about totally fictitious characters! Dorothea Gibson was married to Alfred Gibson, the One and Only, for twenty years and had borne him eight children when he publicly shamed her and kicked her out of their home. He kept their children, their home and her sister as housekeeper. He also kept his mistress, an actress who was the same age as his oldest daughter. Ten years after the Gibsons' separation, Alfred died. And Dorothea was faced with the reality of her life. The mistress. Her estranged children and sister. Her solitude. And she began to build a life out of what remained. Not that I was a huge Dickens fan before, but damn - he was cruel to his wife!
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (529 pages). Wow. That's all I can say. I didn't really know anything about the story prior to reading it. I'd just heard it was a must read. And boy was it! Cal is living in Berlin. As a man. Which is strange because he was raised as a woman. You know, because he's a hermaphrodite. He recounts his family's history - from his grandparents who immigrated from Greece to Detroit, getting married on the boat to America. Which was weird because they were brother and sister. To his parents, who were second cousins. To his formative years as a girl. It was amazingly written. Like honestly, I thought it was a memoir at first!
The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison (326 pages). This was supposed to be my book club book, but it got changed to one I'd already read. So I decided to read this one anyway. Why did it get changed? Because two people in book club hated it. Which honestly made me what to read it even more. My verdict? Not as horrible as it was made out to be. Jodi and Todd Gilbert have been together for twenty years. They've built a wonderful, if somewhat predictable, life together. Her, the stable psychologist. Him, the cheating real estate developer. Then, one day, it all falls apart. Todd's twenty-something year old girlfriend tells him she is pregnant. As the Gilberts' world is torn apart, some interesting truths come out. And then Jodi decides that Todd needs to die (I refuse to say SPOILER ALERT when that fact is on the back of the book). That's when it got a little weird to me. Not my favorite book (I really hated the ending), but I definitely didn't think it was the worst thing I'd ever read.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (338 pages). I have seen the play. I have seen several movie versions (musical and not). Yet I'd never read the book! So I decided it was time. It was a very easy read (considering I pretty much already knew the story). I finished the book in the 3 1/2 hours I sat by my pool one Saturday. I love the story of the Phantom. Such sadness, such love, such obsession. I found myself singing the songs from the musical (which aren't in the book. Just some of the words of the songs are in the story). If you enjoyed the musical, the book is good. It gives a little more background to Erik, the Opera Ghost.
Girl in the Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold (414 pages). The back of the book spoke of Charles Dickens and his scorned wife Catherine, who wanted his letters to her published post-mortem so the world would know he had once loved her. So it took me several pages to realize that the telling part of the cover was when it said "a novel inspired by the life and marriage of Charles Dickens." The book is about totally fictitious characters! Dorothea Gibson was married to Alfred Gibson, the One and Only, for twenty years and had borne him eight children when he publicly shamed her and kicked her out of their home. He kept their children, their home and her sister as housekeeper. He also kept his mistress, an actress who was the same age as his oldest daughter. Ten years after the Gibsons' separation, Alfred died. And Dorothea was faced with the reality of her life. The mistress. Her estranged children and sister. Her solitude. And she began to build a life out of what remained. Not that I was a huge Dickens fan before, but damn - he was cruel to his wife!
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (529 pages). Wow. That's all I can say. I didn't really know anything about the story prior to reading it. I'd just heard it was a must read. And boy was it! Cal is living in Berlin. As a man. Which is strange because he was raised as a woman. You know, because he's a hermaphrodite. He recounts his family's history - from his grandparents who immigrated from Greece to Detroit, getting married on the boat to America. Which was weird because they were brother and sister. To his parents, who were second cousins. To his formative years as a girl. It was amazingly written. Like honestly, I thought it was a memoir at first!
The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison (326 pages). This was supposed to be my book club book, but it got changed to one I'd already read. So I decided to read this one anyway. Why did it get changed? Because two people in book club hated it. Which honestly made me what to read it even more. My verdict? Not as horrible as it was made out to be. Jodi and Todd Gilbert have been together for twenty years. They've built a wonderful, if somewhat predictable, life together. Her, the stable psychologist. Him, the cheating real estate developer. Then, one day, it all falls apart. Todd's twenty-something year old girlfriend tells him she is pregnant. As the Gilberts' world is torn apart, some interesting truths come out. And then Jodi decides that Todd needs to die (I refuse to say SPOILER ALERT when that fact is on the back of the book). That's when it got a little weird to me. Not my favorite book (I really hated the ending), but I definitely didn't think it was the worst thing I'd ever read.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (338 pages). I have seen the play. I have seen several movie versions (musical and not). Yet I'd never read the book! So I decided it was time. It was a very easy read (considering I pretty much already knew the story). I finished the book in the 3 1/2 hours I sat by my pool one Saturday. I love the story of the Phantom. Such sadness, such love, such obsession. I found myself singing the songs from the musical (which aren't in the book. Just some of the words of the songs are in the story). If you enjoyed the musical, the book is good. It gives a little more background to Erik, the Opera Ghost.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
June has happened, my summer reading has not....
This month was 5 books, 1715 pages. Better than last month, but still not great.
Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki (296 pages). The memoir of "the best geisha of her generation." Mineko began her training at age 5, meaning that's when she left her parents' home. She was legally adopted by the Iwasaki geisha house, to be the eventual heir to everything the geisha house owed (which was millions of dollars worth of assets). And at age 29, she walked away from it all. The geisha culture is absolutely fascinating, at least to me. The people/celebrities she interacted with, the hardships that she faces, the heartbreak she experiences, the dramas of her life- all of it was so intriguing. Her reasons for walking away were very admirable. And the fact that she was able to find love at the end of it all- even better! I did find myself confused at times with the Japanese words, but overall, really enjoyed the book.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight (380 pages). One of my favorite books I've read in awhile! Literally, I finished it in one afternoon by the pool. Kate Baron was in law school when she got pregnant. She decided to keep her daughter and her legal career, never telling her daughter who her father was. 15 years late, Kate gets a call from Amelia's school that her goody-two-shoes daughter is being expelled for cheating. By the time Kate makes it to her daughter's school, she learns that Amelia has jumped from the roof and is dead. It's initially ruled a suicide. But when a text arrives from a blocked number, stating that Amelia didn't jump, Kate begins a search to find out what really happened to her beloved daughter. What she uncovers is a heartbreaking look at mean girls, bullying and friendship.
Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. (359 pages plus LOTS of notes). From the moment I read about Huguette Clark when she passed away, I found her whole story very fascinating. So I decided to read a little more about her. And I was right- her family's story was amazing! From her father's start in Montana (he literally had the Midas touch with finding copper) to a virtual castle in New York that cost more than the others on Millionaire Row put together, Huguette lived a fairytale existence in many ways. Hers was not a life untouched by sorrows (her beloved older sister died while a teenager, her only marriage lasted a few months), she managed to keep herself happy. But removed from the world in many ways. She spent millions on dolls, doll houses and furniture. She owned two homes that she hadn't seen in over 50 years (one of them she never even spent a night in). And when she moved into Doctor's Hospital, she gave over $30 million in gifts and money to her nurse. When she died at age 104 (after nearly 20 years in the hospital and in perfect health), she left behind two wills. Two completely different wills. That caused a big fight between all of the possible beneficiaries. Was Huguette a victim of her attorney, accountant, nurse, people who took advantage of her generosity? Or was she an iron willed woman who knew exactly what she was doing? Honestly, I still don't know. I feel like there was a little bit of both going on. This book was absolutely fascinating - the life she lived, the photos, amazing.
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (367 pages). This was my book club book. It was a good beach/pool read. Valentine Roncalli's family has operated a couture wedding shoe company since 1903 and Valentine is learning the business from her beloved grandmother. But the business isn't what it used to be. Valentine, in addition to starting a new relationship and dealing with family drama, now has to figure out how to save the business and her home. Valentine takes advantage of her grandmother's annual buying trip to Italy to learn more about her craft, and even herself. It was a fun and easy read.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (313 pages). I bought this book because I was reading an article that suggested some books to read before the movie came out (my copy is hardback, btw. So this article was quite a while ago). I didn't even read what it was about. Then I started seeing trailers for the movie. Yay- I bought a cancer book. Dumb move on my part. But I decided to read it anyway. The book is lovely- Hazel and Augustus' love story is sweet, deep and sad, all at the same time. I'm not sure I can go see the movie- it's one thing to read about people dying and quite another to watch them do it. But for anyone who wants a good gut-wrencher, this one's a good choice. Oddly enough, I didn't find myself as upset as other cancer books have made me. Maybe because it wasn't a parent dying of cancer. I don't know. But I found myself enjoying the life in the story rather than being sad about the death.
Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki (296 pages). The memoir of "the best geisha of her generation." Mineko began her training at age 5, meaning that's when she left her parents' home. She was legally adopted by the Iwasaki geisha house, to be the eventual heir to everything the geisha house owed (which was millions of dollars worth of assets). And at age 29, she walked away from it all. The geisha culture is absolutely fascinating, at least to me. The people/celebrities she interacted with, the hardships that she faces, the heartbreak she experiences, the dramas of her life- all of it was so intriguing. Her reasons for walking away were very admirable. And the fact that she was able to find love at the end of it all- even better! I did find myself confused at times with the Japanese words, but overall, really enjoyed the book.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight (380 pages). One of my favorite books I've read in awhile! Literally, I finished it in one afternoon by the pool. Kate Baron was in law school when she got pregnant. She decided to keep her daughter and her legal career, never telling her daughter who her father was. 15 years late, Kate gets a call from Amelia's school that her goody-two-shoes daughter is being expelled for cheating. By the time Kate makes it to her daughter's school, she learns that Amelia has jumped from the roof and is dead. It's initially ruled a suicide. But when a text arrives from a blocked number, stating that Amelia didn't jump, Kate begins a search to find out what really happened to her beloved daughter. What she uncovers is a heartbreaking look at mean girls, bullying and friendship.
Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr. (359 pages plus LOTS of notes). From the moment I read about Huguette Clark when she passed away, I found her whole story very fascinating. So I decided to read a little more about her. And I was right- her family's story was amazing! From her father's start in Montana (he literally had the Midas touch with finding copper) to a virtual castle in New York that cost more than the others on Millionaire Row put together, Huguette lived a fairytale existence in many ways. Hers was not a life untouched by sorrows (her beloved older sister died while a teenager, her only marriage lasted a few months), she managed to keep herself happy. But removed from the world in many ways. She spent millions on dolls, doll houses and furniture. She owned two homes that she hadn't seen in over 50 years (one of them she never even spent a night in). And when she moved into Doctor's Hospital, she gave over $30 million in gifts and money to her nurse. When she died at age 104 (after nearly 20 years in the hospital and in perfect health), she left behind two wills. Two completely different wills. That caused a big fight between all of the possible beneficiaries. Was Huguette a victim of her attorney, accountant, nurse, people who took advantage of her generosity? Or was she an iron willed woman who knew exactly what she was doing? Honestly, I still don't know. I feel like there was a little bit of both going on. This book was absolutely fascinating - the life she lived, the photos, amazing.
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (367 pages). This was my book club book. It was a good beach/pool read. Valentine Roncalli's family has operated a couture wedding shoe company since 1903 and Valentine is learning the business from her beloved grandmother. But the business isn't what it used to be. Valentine, in addition to starting a new relationship and dealing with family drama, now has to figure out how to save the business and her home. Valentine takes advantage of her grandmother's annual buying trip to Italy to learn more about her craft, and even herself. It was a fun and easy read.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (313 pages). I bought this book because I was reading an article that suggested some books to read before the movie came out (my copy is hardback, btw. So this article was quite a while ago). I didn't even read what it was about. Then I started seeing trailers for the movie. Yay- I bought a cancer book. Dumb move on my part. But I decided to read it anyway. The book is lovely- Hazel and Augustus' love story is sweet, deep and sad, all at the same time. I'm not sure I can go see the movie- it's one thing to read about people dying and quite another to watch them do it. But for anyone who wants a good gut-wrencher, this one's a good choice. Oddly enough, I didn't find myself as upset as other cancer books have made me. Maybe because it wasn't a parent dying of cancer. I don't know. But I found myself enjoying the life in the story rather than being sad about the death.
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