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!
Saturday, November 1, 2014
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.
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.
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