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!)
Monday, September 1, 2014
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.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
I MAY need to read more books next month, because this one was a bust
Now that it's pool weather, you'd think I'd have gotten more books read. But I've been out of town or busy pretty much every weekend last month, so here's what I was able to read. 4 books, 1406 pages. Maybe June will be a better month....
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (337 pages). This was the backup book club book for May. I finished the first one early enough and thought I'd read this one too. I didn't really like it much, despite it being "one of the year's best books." It covers several overlapping stories. The first is in 1962, when actress Dee Moray shows up at Pasquale's family's hotel on the coast of Italy. She's been sent there by the man who got her pregnant/told her she had stomach cancer. Pasquale goes to the movie set (you know, just Cleopatra) and thinks that it's one of two men, Michael Deane (an assistant on the movie) or Richard Burton (yes, THAT Richard, of Elizabeth and Richard). Years later, like recent times later, Pasquale goes to LA to track down Michael Deane, who is now a famous movie producer. He meets Shane Wheeler, a young man who is there to pitch a movie. The intervening years are also covered- Dee raising her son, Pat. Her inability and eventual ability to live the life she's been handed. The Deane party (Michael, his assistant, Pasquale and Shane) makes their way out of LA to track down Dee. The ending was a lot better than I could've hoped for. There was some good closure and I felt happy with how everything turned out.
Melissa Explains It All by Melissa Joan Hart (262 pages). I love a good memoir. And this one was cheesy fun, from start to finish. I had absolutely no idea that MJH actually got her start in commercials, then moved on to Broadway before she got Clarissa Explains It All. Sounds like she actually got some good, active training as an actress as a kid. It also sounds like she had a lot of fun before settling down with her husband and having her three boys. A little wild, but what 20 something with lots of money and fame wouldn't have (especially before the Internet was so huge)?! Good, mindless reading. If you like MJH. Which I do.
Defending Jacob by William Landay (421 pages). I've been told about 50 trillion times that I needed to read this book. And everyone was correct! I read 3/4 of it sitting by my pool one afternoon. It was so good! 14 year old Jacob Barber, son of the first assistant DA in Newton, is accused of murdering his classmate, a classmate who had bullied him. Most of the book leads up to and covers the trial. Interspersed throughout is a transcript from Andy Barber (the dad) and Neal Logiudice (the DA who handled the murder trial) one year after the trial. I 100% thought that Andy was being accused of the murders. Turns out, I was way wrong! I was sitting in sunshine when I finished the book and legit got goose bumps.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (386 pages). The fact that I've never read this boo (or seen the movie) shocks even me. The fact that it's a true story made it even cooler. The cast of characters in Savannah was amazing! Jim Williams (the gay antiques dealer), the Lady Chablis, Joe Odom (no, not Lamar's dad. This one is a raucous host about town), Danny (Jim's employee/sometimes lover) and a host of others. When Jim shoots Danny in self-defense, the trial(s) are all sorts of crazy. Now I really want to watch the movie. And of course, it's not on Netflix Instant Stream!
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (337 pages). This was the backup book club book for May. I finished the first one early enough and thought I'd read this one too. I didn't really like it much, despite it being "one of the year's best books." It covers several overlapping stories. The first is in 1962, when actress Dee Moray shows up at Pasquale's family's hotel on the coast of Italy. She's been sent there by the man who got her pregnant/told her she had stomach cancer. Pasquale goes to the movie set (you know, just Cleopatra) and thinks that it's one of two men, Michael Deane (an assistant on the movie) or Richard Burton (yes, THAT Richard, of Elizabeth and Richard). Years later, like recent times later, Pasquale goes to LA to track down Michael Deane, who is now a famous movie producer. He meets Shane Wheeler, a young man who is there to pitch a movie. The intervening years are also covered- Dee raising her son, Pat. Her inability and eventual ability to live the life she's been handed. The Deane party (Michael, his assistant, Pasquale and Shane) makes their way out of LA to track down Dee. The ending was a lot better than I could've hoped for. There was some good closure and I felt happy with how everything turned out.
Melissa Explains It All by Melissa Joan Hart (262 pages). I love a good memoir. And this one was cheesy fun, from start to finish. I had absolutely no idea that MJH actually got her start in commercials, then moved on to Broadway before she got Clarissa Explains It All. Sounds like she actually got some good, active training as an actress as a kid. It also sounds like she had a lot of fun before settling down with her husband and having her three boys. A little wild, but what 20 something with lots of money and fame wouldn't have (especially before the Internet was so huge)?! Good, mindless reading. If you like MJH. Which I do.
Defending Jacob by William Landay (421 pages). I've been told about 50 trillion times that I needed to read this book. And everyone was correct! I read 3/4 of it sitting by my pool one afternoon. It was so good! 14 year old Jacob Barber, son of the first assistant DA in Newton, is accused of murdering his classmate, a classmate who had bullied him. Most of the book leads up to and covers the trial. Interspersed throughout is a transcript from Andy Barber (the dad) and Neal Logiudice (the DA who handled the murder trial) one year after the trial. I 100% thought that Andy was being accused of the murders. Turns out, I was way wrong! I was sitting in sunshine when I finished the book and legit got goose bumps.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt (386 pages). The fact that I've never read this boo (or seen the movie) shocks even me. The fact that it's a true story made it even cooler. The cast of characters in Savannah was amazing! Jim Williams (the gay antiques dealer), the Lady Chablis, Joe Odom (no, not Lamar's dad. This one is a raucous host about town), Danny (Jim's employee/sometimes lover) and a host of others. When Jim shoots Danny in self-defense, the trial(s) are all sorts of crazy. Now I really want to watch the movie. And of course, it's not on Netflix Instant Stream!
Monday, May 5, 2014
April wasn't too good a month for reading either.
I'm a little late in posting about my readings for April. But here goes! Only three books and 1190 pages.
Seven Years to Sin by Sylvia Day (320 pages). I like Sylvia Day so much more than EL James. Even though there's sex, there's always a story in her books. Always. And it's a pretty good story. This one occurs in the 1800's. Lady Jessica, on the eve of her wedding, sees something that changes her views on sex (much to her future husband's delight). She sees a young man (a third or fourth son, I couldn't figure that part out) and an older woman in a gazebo. She quickly learns that he is a gigolo. Seven years later, Jessica is widowed and on her way to Jamaica to sell the plantation she inherited from her husband. The owner of the ship she travels on is Alistair, the young man she watched having sex so many years ago. The passion that ignited between them that night in the garden cannot be ignored. But both of them have so much baggage. Can true lust become true love? You betcha! With a supporting cast of characters (Jessica's brother-in-law, who is madly in love with Jessica's sister Hester, who is married to the abusive Regmount and a myriad of others), it's a pretty good story. With some darn good sex.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (550 pages). This was my book club book for May. It's told from Death's point of view. Which at fir4st was a little strange (Death likes to make interjections throughout the story). But I really found myself enjoying it after a while. Liesel Meminger is nine years old when she finds herself given (by her mother) to a foster family, the Hubermanns. Her younger brother died on the train to Molching and at his graveside, Liesel stole the first of many books. She finds a new life with the Hubermanns. She learns to read and learns the value of words, she gains a new best friend and learns to love, and she steals more books. But it's 1939 and this is Germany. There is no such thing as security for Liesel and her neighbors. The son of a man Hans Hubermann fought with during World War I finds himself at the Hubermanns' door. Max is Jewish. The Hubermanns keep him hidden in their basement for months, until he finally decides they are in too much danger with him there and he leaves. But not before making an indelible imprint on Liesel's life by writing two books for her. Hans is taken off to fight, but a fortunate injury sends him back home for a bit (and allows him to escape Death's clutches, yet again). Liesel eventually sees Max again, as he is being marched through the streets toward a concentration camp. Liesel begins to write her own story every night in the basement. The last night she spends writing is the night that an air raid happens, an air raid that is a surprise. No sirens, no warnings. Everyone asleep on Himmel Street, only Liesel safely in a basement. Death came to Himmel Street and took away almost everyone who was improtgat to Liesel. A few years after that, Max finds Liesel. And many many years after that, Death finds Liesel. Death, who has carried her story book with him since Himmel Street. I found my eyes welling up with tears quite frequently. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to see the movie!
Hemingway's Girl by Erika Robuck (321 pages). My old standby (historical fiction) AND Hemingway's Key West?! I'm sold! It's 1935 and Mariella Bennett is 19 years old the first time she lays eyes on Ernest Hemingway. Her father is dead, her mother is floundering, and she is sole breadwinner for the family (she has two younger sisters). She gets a job as a maid for Hem and wife #2, Pauline (the one he left Hadley for, the one who had all the money, the one who's uncle actually bought their Key West home). Mariella has a front row seat to the Hemingways' lives - the alcohol, the jealousies, the fights. She feels an instant attraction to Hem (from what I understand, who didn't?!) and he to her. One night, after dinner at Sloppy Joe's, Mariella and Hem head to the Blue Goose for Friday night fights. There, Mariella sees Gavin Murray for the first time. He's fighting one of the local champions. He's a vet, down in the Keys to help build the new overseas highway. She can't deny her attraction to Hem and she can't deny her attraction to Gavin. Hem symbolizes freedom, Gavin symbolizes her future. After a summer in Bimini with the Hemingways, Mariella returns home. And that's when disaster strikes in the form of the hurricane of 1935, a hurricane that the government knew was coming and still didn't evacuate the vets (and their families) who were working on the highway. The loss of life was devastating (250 vets and 400+ civilians died). But Mariella gets her happy ever after. The book opened and closed in the year 1961, the year of Hem's suicide. Because no line was ever crossed, Hem and Mariella remained close until his death. It was a good book. Probably because I was just in Key West in December and could picture so many of the places described in the book.
Seven Years to Sin by Sylvia Day (320 pages). I like Sylvia Day so much more than EL James. Even though there's sex, there's always a story in her books. Always. And it's a pretty good story. This one occurs in the 1800's. Lady Jessica, on the eve of her wedding, sees something that changes her views on sex (much to her future husband's delight). She sees a young man (a third or fourth son, I couldn't figure that part out) and an older woman in a gazebo. She quickly learns that he is a gigolo. Seven years later, Jessica is widowed and on her way to Jamaica to sell the plantation she inherited from her husband. The owner of the ship she travels on is Alistair, the young man she watched having sex so many years ago. The passion that ignited between them that night in the garden cannot be ignored. But both of them have so much baggage. Can true lust become true love? You betcha! With a supporting cast of characters (Jessica's brother-in-law, who is madly in love with Jessica's sister Hester, who is married to the abusive Regmount and a myriad of others), it's a pretty good story. With some darn good sex.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (550 pages). This was my book club book for May. It's told from Death's point of view. Which at fir4st was a little strange (Death likes to make interjections throughout the story). But I really found myself enjoying it after a while. Liesel Meminger is nine years old when she finds herself given (by her mother) to a foster family, the Hubermanns. Her younger brother died on the train to Molching and at his graveside, Liesel stole the first of many books. She finds a new life with the Hubermanns. She learns to read and learns the value of words, she gains a new best friend and learns to love, and she steals more books. But it's 1939 and this is Germany. There is no such thing as security for Liesel and her neighbors. The son of a man Hans Hubermann fought with during World War I finds himself at the Hubermanns' door. Max is Jewish. The Hubermanns keep him hidden in their basement for months, until he finally decides they are in too much danger with him there and he leaves. But not before making an indelible imprint on Liesel's life by writing two books for her. Hans is taken off to fight, but a fortunate injury sends him back home for a bit (and allows him to escape Death's clutches, yet again). Liesel eventually sees Max again, as he is being marched through the streets toward a concentration camp. Liesel begins to write her own story every night in the basement. The last night she spends writing is the night that an air raid happens, an air raid that is a surprise. No sirens, no warnings. Everyone asleep on Himmel Street, only Liesel safely in a basement. Death came to Himmel Street and took away almost everyone who was improtgat to Liesel. A few years after that, Max finds Liesel. And many many years after that, Death finds Liesel. Death, who has carried her story book with him since Himmel Street. I found my eyes welling up with tears quite frequently. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to see the movie!
Hemingway's Girl by Erika Robuck (321 pages). My old standby (historical fiction) AND Hemingway's Key West?! I'm sold! It's 1935 and Mariella Bennett is 19 years old the first time she lays eyes on Ernest Hemingway. Her father is dead, her mother is floundering, and she is sole breadwinner for the family (she has two younger sisters). She gets a job as a maid for Hem and wife #2, Pauline (the one he left Hadley for, the one who had all the money, the one who's uncle actually bought their Key West home). Mariella has a front row seat to the Hemingways' lives - the alcohol, the jealousies, the fights. She feels an instant attraction to Hem (from what I understand, who didn't?!) and he to her. One night, after dinner at Sloppy Joe's, Mariella and Hem head to the Blue Goose for Friday night fights. There, Mariella sees Gavin Murray for the first time. He's fighting one of the local champions. He's a vet, down in the Keys to help build the new overseas highway. She can't deny her attraction to Hem and she can't deny her attraction to Gavin. Hem symbolizes freedom, Gavin symbolizes her future. After a summer in Bimini with the Hemingways, Mariella returns home. And that's when disaster strikes in the form of the hurricane of 1935, a hurricane that the government knew was coming and still didn't evacuate the vets (and their families) who were working on the highway. The loss of life was devastating (250 vets and 400+ civilians died). But Mariella gets her happy ever after. The book opened and closed in the year 1961, the year of Hem's suicide. Because no line was ever crossed, Hem and Mariella remained close until his death. It was a good book. Probably because I was just in Key West in December and could picture so many of the places described in the book.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
March readings- we'll just pretend the month was a week long.....
I am humiliated by my complete and utter lack of reading this month. Last time, I blamed Buffy. This time, I blame House of Cards. But really, I only have myself to blame. Fortunately, it's starting to warm up. So poolside reading can begin again!
Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (451 pages). The last in the Beautiful Creatures series. I really liked the first book. Hated the next two. But finally found myself enjoying this last one. In the third book, Ethan sacrificed himself to restore the Order to the world. In this book, he battles through the Otherworld when he learns that his page in the Castor Chronicles had been rewritten and he wasn't supposed to die then. Sacrifices had to be made and struggles had to be overcome. But eventually Ethan makes his way home to Lena and his life in Gatlin.
Glow by Jessica Maria Tuccelli (320 pages). This was my book club book (book club that I couldn't attend because it was the parental's anniversary). I didn't like the book at all. It's several generations of stories, all rolled into one. Riddle and Emmaline Young are orphaned at 18 and 6 years of age. They are part Indian. They meet the Bounds, a white family who's patriarch is a preacher. Riddle has a child with the Bounds' black cook, Lossie. The boy is named Alger. Emmaline marries the Bounds' son, Samuel. Fast forward to their plantation, where young Willie Mae Cotton has just been purchased and brought to live. Her former owners were Samuel Bounds' sister and brother-in-law, the Darlings. She had lived there with her mother and another slave, Enoch, who taught her to read and who happened to be Lossie's father. Willie Mae keeps her head covered at all times because, for some reason, her head glows. Huh?! Willie Mae marries Alger, even though she loves her best friend Mary-Mary. Willie Mae and Alger have a daughter, Lovelady Belle. Then Riddle buys his family's freedom. Then the Civil War happens. Fast forward again- Willie Mae and Mary-Mary find a young girl, Ella, beaten up on the side of the road. Her mother Mia (who she actually thinks is her sister) has sent her home while she is in DC, fighting for civil rights. The Darlings' son married an Indian woman. Their eventual descendant? Mia. Rev Bounds had some children with one of his slaves. Their eventual descendant? Obidiah Bounds. Obidiah and Mia were Ella's parents. Confusing enough for you? Mia had some strange adventures of her own. Her best friend growing up was Lovelady Belle, a ghost. Yep, that Lovelady. I"m still not sure I figured out how she died. There were some men and masks and screaming and a creek. Seriously, not one clue as to what was really happening in the book. It jumped around way too much. I didn't like it at all. Not one little bit.
So there you go. 2 books. 771 pages. Embarrassing, NotSoPlainJane. We need to step it up.
Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (451 pages). The last in the Beautiful Creatures series. I really liked the first book. Hated the next two. But finally found myself enjoying this last one. In the third book, Ethan sacrificed himself to restore the Order to the world. In this book, he battles through the Otherworld when he learns that his page in the Castor Chronicles had been rewritten and he wasn't supposed to die then. Sacrifices had to be made and struggles had to be overcome. But eventually Ethan makes his way home to Lena and his life in Gatlin.
Glow by Jessica Maria Tuccelli (320 pages). This was my book club book (book club that I couldn't attend because it was the parental's anniversary). I didn't like the book at all. It's several generations of stories, all rolled into one. Riddle and Emmaline Young are orphaned at 18 and 6 years of age. They are part Indian. They meet the Bounds, a white family who's patriarch is a preacher. Riddle has a child with the Bounds' black cook, Lossie. The boy is named Alger. Emmaline marries the Bounds' son, Samuel. Fast forward to their plantation, where young Willie Mae Cotton has just been purchased and brought to live. Her former owners were Samuel Bounds' sister and brother-in-law, the Darlings. She had lived there with her mother and another slave, Enoch, who taught her to read and who happened to be Lossie's father. Willie Mae keeps her head covered at all times because, for some reason, her head glows. Huh?! Willie Mae marries Alger, even though she loves her best friend Mary-Mary. Willie Mae and Alger have a daughter, Lovelady Belle. Then Riddle buys his family's freedom. Then the Civil War happens. Fast forward again- Willie Mae and Mary-Mary find a young girl, Ella, beaten up on the side of the road. Her mother Mia (who she actually thinks is her sister) has sent her home while she is in DC, fighting for civil rights. The Darlings' son married an Indian woman. Their eventual descendant? Mia. Rev Bounds had some children with one of his slaves. Their eventual descendant? Obidiah Bounds. Obidiah and Mia were Ella's parents. Confusing enough for you? Mia had some strange adventures of her own. Her best friend growing up was Lovelady Belle, a ghost. Yep, that Lovelady. I"m still not sure I figured out how she died. There were some men and masks and screaming and a creek. Seriously, not one clue as to what was really happening in the book. It jumped around way too much. I didn't like it at all. Not one little bit.
So there you go. 2 books. 771 pages. Embarrassing, NotSoPlainJane. We need to step it up.
Monday, March 3, 2014
February is a short month. Yes, let's use that excuse
This month, I only got three books read. For a total of 1,122 pages. Ouch.
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (394 pages). I really loved the first book I read of hers. This one, I'm not so sure. The chapters bounced around between several (eventually overlapping) stories, all occurring in Australia. Which had me way confused for a very long time. The first storyline is in Melbourne with Cecilia, her husband John-Paul and their three daughters (Polly, Esther and Isabel). She has a full and fulfilling life. Until she finds a letter from her husband, to be opened at the event of his death (he's still alive, BTW). The letter is so shocking, so life-changing, that Cecilia's world will never be the same. The second storyline is in Sydney with Tess, her husband Will, their son Liam and her cousin Felicity. Tess learns that her husband and cousin have fallen in love. So she takes her son back to her hometown of Melbourne to be with her mother. And begins to learn more about herself than she thought possible. The third storyline is in Melbourne with Rachel, her son Rob, daughter-in-law Lauren and grandson Jacob. Rachel is a widow who lost her daughter when Janie was just a teenager. A murder that was never solved. Her world stops when Rob and Lauren tell her that they are moving to NYC for two years and taking Jacob, the light of her life, with them. Tess grew up with Cecilia and her husband. Rachel is the secretary at the children's elementary school, where the principal is the ex-boyfriend of both Janie (in high school) and Tess (in her twenties). The worlds begin to overlap and intertwine. Eventually, secrets come out and lives are forever changed. One of my favorite parts- the epilogue, where the author tells us all of the might-have-beens that the characters would've experienced if things had gone differently. I liked the book okay (once I got into it). It was definitely not as good as What Alice Forgot, the first book I read by the author.
Cress by Marissa Meyer (550 pages). Third book in the Lunar Chronicles. The books are strange retellings of fairy tales, set in a dystopian future. In book one, we met Cinder, aka Cinderella (she happens to be a cyborg and a missing Lunar princess) and her compatriot, Captain Thorne. In book two, we met Scarlet, aka Red Riding Hood, and her sidekick, a street fighter nicknamed Wolf. In book three, we met Crescent Moon, aka Rapunzel. Cress has been imprisoned in a satellite orbiting Earth, forced to do the Lunar Queen Levana's bidding (Cress is a techie genius). Unfortunately for the Queen, Cress's sympathies lie with Cinder and her crew. While Emperor Kai of New Beijing prepares for his wedding to Queen Levana (something he's willing to do to save Earth from Lunar soldiers), Cinder and her crew search for a way to save Earth themselves. No way is Cinder going to let Kai, the man she loves, marry an evil dictator who will probably kill him when she, Cinder, is the lost Lunar princess who can save both Earth and Luna from Levana's reign. A rescue attempt on Cress goes wrong and the crew ends up separated- Scarlet on Luna, Cress and Thorne in the Sahara and Cinder and Wolf in their spaceship. Eventually they are all reunited and the revolution can begin- a revolution to take Luna back from Queen Levana's clutches.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (178 pages). I have absolutely no idea what I just read. Seriously- weirdest book ever. The narrator returns to his hometown in Sussex for a funeral. He drives back to the property where his childhood home used to be. He then drives to the end of the lane near his house and sees Hempstock Farm. Suddenly, he is taken back to events that occurred when he was seven. A boarder who had been living with the boy's family commits suicide in the family's car. At the end of the lane. By Hempstock Farm. There, the boy meets Lettie. She's eleven. And there is something most unusual about the Hempstock women. Lettie and the boy inadvertently bring a demon-woman named Ursula Mockton into the boy's life. The Hempstock women must fight to send her back to wherever it is she came from. Lettie sacrifices herself for the boy. Well, sort of. Her mother and grandmother put her body back in their "ocean" so she can live. The boy only seems to remember these events when he returns to Hempstock Farm. And never remembers returning to Hempstock Farm. I for real have no idea what I read. Remind me that I don't really like Neil Gaiman, please!
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (394 pages). I really loved the first book I read of hers. This one, I'm not so sure. The chapters bounced around between several (eventually overlapping) stories, all occurring in Australia. Which had me way confused for a very long time. The first storyline is in Melbourne with Cecilia, her husband John-Paul and their three daughters (Polly, Esther and Isabel). She has a full and fulfilling life. Until she finds a letter from her husband, to be opened at the event of his death (he's still alive, BTW). The letter is so shocking, so life-changing, that Cecilia's world will never be the same. The second storyline is in Sydney with Tess, her husband Will, their son Liam and her cousin Felicity. Tess learns that her husband and cousin have fallen in love. So she takes her son back to her hometown of Melbourne to be with her mother. And begins to learn more about herself than she thought possible. The third storyline is in Melbourne with Rachel, her son Rob, daughter-in-law Lauren and grandson Jacob. Rachel is a widow who lost her daughter when Janie was just a teenager. A murder that was never solved. Her world stops when Rob and Lauren tell her that they are moving to NYC for two years and taking Jacob, the light of her life, with them. Tess grew up with Cecilia and her husband. Rachel is the secretary at the children's elementary school, where the principal is the ex-boyfriend of both Janie (in high school) and Tess (in her twenties). The worlds begin to overlap and intertwine. Eventually, secrets come out and lives are forever changed. One of my favorite parts- the epilogue, where the author tells us all of the might-have-beens that the characters would've experienced if things had gone differently. I liked the book okay (once I got into it). It was definitely not as good as What Alice Forgot, the first book I read by the author.
Cress by Marissa Meyer (550 pages). Third book in the Lunar Chronicles. The books are strange retellings of fairy tales, set in a dystopian future. In book one, we met Cinder, aka Cinderella (she happens to be a cyborg and a missing Lunar princess) and her compatriot, Captain Thorne. In book two, we met Scarlet, aka Red Riding Hood, and her sidekick, a street fighter nicknamed Wolf. In book three, we met Crescent Moon, aka Rapunzel. Cress has been imprisoned in a satellite orbiting Earth, forced to do the Lunar Queen Levana's bidding (Cress is a techie genius). Unfortunately for the Queen, Cress's sympathies lie with Cinder and her crew. While Emperor Kai of New Beijing prepares for his wedding to Queen Levana (something he's willing to do to save Earth from Lunar soldiers), Cinder and her crew search for a way to save Earth themselves. No way is Cinder going to let Kai, the man she loves, marry an evil dictator who will probably kill him when she, Cinder, is the lost Lunar princess who can save both Earth and Luna from Levana's reign. A rescue attempt on Cress goes wrong and the crew ends up separated- Scarlet on Luna, Cress and Thorne in the Sahara and Cinder and Wolf in their spaceship. Eventually they are all reunited and the revolution can begin- a revolution to take Luna back from Queen Levana's clutches.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (178 pages). I have absolutely no idea what I just read. Seriously- weirdest book ever. The narrator returns to his hometown in Sussex for a funeral. He drives back to the property where his childhood home used to be. He then drives to the end of the lane near his house and sees Hempstock Farm. Suddenly, he is taken back to events that occurred when he was seven. A boarder who had been living with the boy's family commits suicide in the family's car. At the end of the lane. By Hempstock Farm. There, the boy meets Lettie. She's eleven. And there is something most unusual about the Hempstock women. Lettie and the boy inadvertently bring a demon-woman named Ursula Mockton into the boy's life. The Hempstock women must fight to send her back to wherever it is she came from. Lettie sacrifices herself for the boy. Well, sort of. Her mother and grandmother put her body back in their "ocean" so she can live. The boy only seems to remember these events when he returns to Hempstock Farm. And never remembers returning to Hempstock Farm. I for real have no idea what I read. Remind me that I don't really like Neil Gaiman, please!
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