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2013: #17 – The Jane Austen Book Club (Karen Joy Fowler)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; May 20th, 2013
janeausten

Title: The Jane Austen Book Club
Author: Karen Joy Fowler
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Release Date: April 26, 2005
Publisher: Plume
Source: personal copy (PaperbackSwap)

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ 

In California’s central valley, five women and one man join to discuss Jane Austen’s novels. Over the six months they get together, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and love happens. With her eye for the frailties of human behavior and her ear for the absurdities of social intercourse, Karen Joy Fowler has never been wittier nor her characters more appealing. The result is a delicious dissection of modern relationships.

Dedicated Austenites will delight in unearthing the echoes of Austen that run through the novel, but most readers will simply enjoy the vision and voice that, despite two centuries of separation, unite two great writers of brilliant social comedy.

My thoughts:

I guess this is one of those books that you should only read if you’ve also read a lot of Austen, because I just didn’t get it at all. And it definitely wasn’t witty.

The only character that was actually interesting was Grigg, the sole man in the group.  Compared to him, the rest of them seemed like unhappy, bitter old ladies, even though two of them are not old at all. Most of the time, it seemed like they didn’t even like each other all that much, and it made me wonder why they even had a book club at all. Especially a book club with such a limited scope. They don’t even continue once they’re finished the Austen books! What kind of book club is that? Plus, their conversations about the books weren’t even particularly interesting.

We won’t even speak of the horridly annoying use of first person (us, we) in the narration.

Maybe I was missing some sort of subtle connection in each chapter that related to the Austen book they were discussing, but based on some other reviews I’ve seen, I don’t think I was. I have heard that the movie is actually good, so this may be one of the rare instances of the movie being better than the book.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “A fun, quick read that is best read after having devoured all of the Austen novels.” — The Bennet Sisters
  • “Overall, while the book has many merits (i.e. The Jane Austen Magic 8 Ball, the parallels between Grigg and Catherine Moreland, and the narrator’s sharp wit), I think this is one of those situations where the movie adaption is more satisfying and successful than the novel.“ — Austenesque Reviews

2013: #16 – The Snow Child (Eowyn Ivey)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; April 25th, 2013
snowchild

Title: The Snow Child
Author: Eowyn Ivey
Format: Kindle
Pages:  416
Release Date: February 01, 2012
Publisher: Reagan Arthur / Back Bay Books
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart–he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season’s first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone–but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

My thoughts:

This is not the sort of book I usually pick up on my own. I gravitate more towards heavily plot-driven fiction, and this book is more of a slow walk through the beautiful, snow-laden woods.

That’s not to say it wasn’t good. There was something charming about Mabel and Jack, even if they spent a lot of their time unhappy and wondering if they had made a huge mistake trying to make their home in Alaska. Mabel’s sadness, in particular, is palpable. By moving to Alaska, she’s merely run away from her grief, not dealt with it, and the isolation isn’t improving matters.

My main issue with the book is that I wish the author had either gone all the way in with the magic or not alluded to it at all. Instead, we get this weird mish-mosh of circumstances that lead to Faina being real, yet not real. I think the book would have been stronger if her (somewhat) logical origins weren’t explained, and the reader had been left guessing who, or what, she really is until the very end.

But, when it comes down to it, this was a sweet story, and I’m not sorry I picked it up after all.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “The Snow Child does not tell the most exciting of stories, and many will probably find it to be too slow for their tastes.  Those who do not mind such books, however, will want to pick this up immediately.” — Cuddlebuggery Book Blog
  • “One of those rare cases where you should believe the hype, this book is a fantastic and thought-provoking tale that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the final page.” — Book Chick City
  • “Despite the strengths of the novel and my early enjoyment of it, I did not end up loving this book which spans many years in the lives of the characters.” — Caribousmom

2013: #13 – Sarah’s Key (Tatiana de Rosnay)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; April 4th, 2013
sarahskey

Title: Sarah’s Key
Author: Tatiana de Rosnay
Format: Audio
Length:  9 hrs 58 min
Release Date: June 12, 2007
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★½☆ 


Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family’s apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France’s past. Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv’, to the camps, and beyond. As she probes into Sarah’s past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and silence that surround this painful episode.

My thoughts:

This book had some very good parts. Sarah’s story, the story of the Vel d’Hiv round-up, representative of countless other children taken from Paris that day, was tragic and captivating. And because it is the story of a French girl, rather than a German or Polish one, it gives us a bit of a different perspective on what was happening. In fact, Sarah’s story is so good that I wish it had been the entire book. But instead, we are stuck discovering it through Julia.

I wasn’t a big fan of Julia. She was fine early on in the book, when we had Sarah’s narration to break hers up. But later in the book a lot of things about her rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like her obsession with Sarah’s story was very over-the-top, despite the connection to her apartment. Her neglect of her pregnancy, in particular, bothered me. I also didn’t like that we only got the bad things about her husband. He is almost never displayed in a good light, when there must have been some good there for her to marry him in the first place.

I also didn’t care for the way the book finished. Not because of how Sarah’s story ended — that actually made a lot of sense — but because of the relationship that Julia forms. It just didn’t fit for me.

Overall, this story is worth reading if you want to learn something about France during the war. But don’t be surprised if Julia kills it for you.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “That said, I have to say that I found both plot and characters of ‘Sarah’s Key’ to be unconvincing.” — The Buddha Diaries
  • “This is a good story and tells of a time that is not well known in World War II history, so for that purpose, I would recommend it.” — Crazy for Books
  • “Sarah’s Key is an excellent novel with many thought provoking questions.” — S. Krishna’s Books

2013: #9 – The Paris Wife (Paula McLain)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in 1900-1920, general fiction, historical fiction; Tagged with ; March 4th, 2013
pariswife

Title: The Paris Wife
Author: Paula McLain
Format: Kindle
Pages:  352
Release Date: February 22, 2011
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures the love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking, fast-living, and free-loving life of Jazz Age Paris. As Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history and pours himself into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises, Hadley strives to hold on to her sense of self as her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Eventually they find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.

My thoughts:

Confession: This book was not on my to-read list. Not in the slightest. The description reminded me of Loving Frank, which I tried to read and did not like, so I had mentally filed this into my “not for me” pile. And then the list of upcoming reads for my book club was handed out, and this was on the top of the list.

I’m happy to admit that I was completely wrong about this book. I found it to be not only readable, but quite interesting. I can’t really call it surprising — after all, it only takes a cursory knowledge of Hemingway’s life to know that he had more than one wife — but certain things about Hemingway did surprise me. For one, I never thought about his early struggle to not only get published, but to find his voice. Living with that sort of artist would be difficult under the best of circumstances, but add in an unfamiliar country and an “accidental” child, and it’s a long row to hoe.

The truth is, though Hemingway later considered Hadley the great love of his life, they weren’t a particularly good match. She was older than him in age, if not in maturity, and never possessed the sort of free spirit that he gravitated towards. I also don’t think she ever had a complete grasp of his work and its importance. There’s one thing she does in the novel that, as a writer, made my heart hurt. She doesn’t do it on purpose, but it is a perfect illustration of her lack of understanding. For a while, she was exactly what he needed — someone to validate his work, no matter what. But when her opinion started to differ from his, you could see him change. There’s more than one occasion when you want to grab him and shake him and ask “who would agree to that?”

Another plus of this novel was its illustration of the jazz age. We meet Gertrude Stein, the Fitzgeralds, and other well-known authors of the time. Hemingway’s circle of friends was not timid. They also were not Hadley’s.

At a certain point in the book, I struggled not to go to Wikipedia and peek ahead in Hemingway’s life. I’m glad I didn’t, and let the story unfold for me on its own. But I did go to Wikipedia once I was done, and if you’re curious, Hadley is the grandmother of Margeaux and Mariel Hemingway. I won’t say more than that!

Overall, this felt well researched, and I thought it was well-written. Whether you’re familiar with Hemingway’s life or not, I think this is a worthwhile read.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “Hemingway fans, historical fiction lovers, Francophiles and devotees of the Lost Generation will find plenty to devour in McLain’s enveloping work.” — write meg!
  • “The story is depressing – it’s sad to see their relationship unravel as they become more and more like the “bohemian” (aka licentious and immoral) culture they’ve surrounded themselves with in early 20th Century Paris.” — Beth Stone Studio
  • “Overall, the read was pleasing, fast, and has engendered in me a curiosity about one of the most famous American authors and ALL his wives. Check it out!” – Cannonball Read 5

2013: #8 – Notorious Nineteen (Janet Evanovich)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in audio, comedy, romantic adventure; Tagged with , ; February 27th, 2013
notorious

Title: Notorious Nineteen
Author: Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum #19
Format: Kindle
Pages:  320
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Publisher: Bantam
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is certain of three truths: People don’t just vanish into thin air. Never anger old people. And don’t do what Tiki tells you to do.

After a slow summer of chasing low-level skips for her cousin Vinnie’s bail bonds agency, Stephanie Plum finally lands an assignment that could put her checkbook back in the black. Geoffrey Cubbin, facing trial for embezzling millions from Trenton’s premier assisted-living facility, has mysteriously vanished from the hospital after an emergency appendectomy. Now it’s on Stephanie to track down the con man. Unfortunately, Cubbin has disappeared without a trace, a witness, or his money-hungry wife. Rumors are stirring that he must have had help with the daring escape . . . or that maybe he never made it out of his room alive. Since the hospital staff’s lips seem to be tighter than the security, and it’s hard for Stephanie to blend in to assisted living, Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur goes in undercover. But when a second felon goes missing from the same hospital, Stephanie is forced into working side by side with Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, in order to crack the case.

The real problem is, no Cubbin also means no way to pay the rent. Desperate for money—or maybe just desperate—Stephanie accepts a secondary job guarding her secretive and mouthwatering mentor Ranger from a deadly Special Forces adversary. While Stephanie is notorious for finding trouble, she may have found a little more than she bargained for this time around. Then again—a little food poisoning, some threatening notes, and a bridesmaid’s dress with an excess of taffeta never killed anyone . . . or did they? If Stephanie Plum wants to bring in a paycheck, she’ll have to remember: No guts, no glory. . .

My thoughts:

Once you’ve reached the 19th book in a series, there’s not a whole lot to say about new installments. At least, not in this series. This was really just more of the same. Stephanie + Lula + Morelli + Ranger + some weirdo skips = hijinks. While the same old, same old works well for the straight romances Evanovich used to write, it’s not working for a series this long. I did like the mystery in this one more than the last one — at least it made some sense to me. But otherwise, this series just doesn’t excite me any more. It might be time for Stephanie to take everyone’s advice and retire.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “I think the main thing that’s getting me down with the latest Stephanie Plum books is that the series is just going on for way too long.” — I’d So Rather Be Reading
  • “Another reviewer complained that Stephanie doesn’t grow as a character, she’s always broke, she’s bad at her job and she can’t make her mind between Ranger and Morelli.  What gives?  I read the books for all those reasons.” — Romance & Beyond
  • “I’m relieved Evanovich has returned to classic Stephanie Plum.  Things were getting a little silly there for a while.” — Peppermint Ph.D.

2013: #5 – Trail of the Spellmans (Lisa Lutz)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in comedy, mystery, private investigator; Tagged with , ; February 14th, 2013
trailspellmans

Title: Trail of the Spellmans
Author: Lisa Lutz
Series: Spellman Files #05
Format: Hardback
Pages:  384
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: library

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

FOR THE FIRST TIME in Spellman history, Isabel Spellman, PI, might be the most normal member of her family. Mom has taken on an outrageous assortment of extracurricular activities—with no apparent motive. Dad has a secret. Izzy’s brother and sister are at war—for no apparent reason. And her niece keeps saying “banana” even though she hates bananas.

That’s not to say that Izzy isn’t without her own troubles. Her boyfriend, Henry Stone, keeps wanting “to talk,” a prospect Isabel evades by going out with her new drinking buddy, none other than Gertrude Stone, Henry’s mother.

Things aren’t any simpler on the business side of Spellman Investigations. First, Rae is hired to follow a girl, only to fake the surveillance reports. Then a math professor hires Izzy to watch his immaculate apartment while he unravels like a bad formula. And as the questions pile up, Izzy won’t stop hunting for the answers—even when they threaten to shatter both the business and the family.

My thoughts:

This book made me a little frustrated with Izzy. The more she avoids things she’s not comfortable dealing with, the more immature it seems. Though based on some of the family secrets revealed in this book, there’s no surprise that she’s more than a little damaged. The way she handled her relationship with Henry made me wonder how they managed to stay together for 2 years. Apparently, he’s a masochist.

But regardless, I still enjoy this series. Is this the last? Who knows… I think it was supposed to end two books ago.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “I continue to enjoy how these books are put together and how the various Spellmans and adopted family members go along.” — Speed-Reading Book Nerd Reviews
  • “It’s like if the Royal Tennenbaums were middle classed private investigators living in the San Francisco area.” — Book It.
  • “Overall, the book holds up very well. Cases are resolved, family obligations are sorted out – and a new beginning looms for the Spellmans.” — Lost in a Great Book

2013: #3 – The Spellmans Strike Again (Lisa Lutz)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in comedy, mystery, private investigator; Tagged with , ; January 29th, 2013
spellmansstrike

Title: The Spellmans Strike Again
Author: Lisa Lutz
Series: Spellman Files #04
Format: Kindle
Pages: 404
Release Date: March 16, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

At the ripe old age of thirty-two, former wild child Isabel “Izzy” Spellman has finally agreed to take over the family business. And the transition won’t be a smooth one.

First among her priorities as head of Spellman Investigations is to dig up some dirt on the competition, slippery ex-cop Rick Harkey—a task she may enjoy a little too much. Next, faced with a baffling missing-persons case at the home of an aging millionaire, Izzy hires an actor friend, Len, to infiltrate the mansion as an undercover butler—a role he may enjoy a little much.

Meanwhile, Izzy is being blackmailed by her mother (photographic evidence of Prom Night 1994) to commit to regular blind dates with promising professionals—an arrangement that doesn’t thrill Connor, an Irish bartender on the brink of becoming Ex-boyfriend #12.

At Spellman headquarters, it’s business as unusual. Doorknobs and light fixtures are disappearing every day, Mom’s been spotted crying in the pantry, and a series of increasingly demanding Spellman Rules (Rule #27: No Speaking Today) can’t quite hold the family together. Izzy also has to decipher weekly “phone calls from the edge” from her octogenarian lawyer, Morty, as well as Detective Henry Stone’s mysterious interest in rekindling their relationsh . . . well, whatever it was.

Just when it looks like things can’t go more haywire, little sister Rae’s internship researching pro bono legal cases leads the youngest Spellman to launch a grassroots campaign that could spring an innocent man from jail—or land Rae in it.

The Spellmans Strike Again is hands down the most hilarious, thrilling, and moving book in this bestselling, award-nominated series. And it proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Isabel Spellman, no matter how much she matures, will never be able to follow Rule #1: Act Normal.

My thoughts:

Despite there not being one main mystery in this book, I thought this was one of the better books in the series. Isabel is growing up a bit (better late than never), and she’s discovering that there are lines that even she will no longer cross. I was particularly amused by the storyline with Isabel’s friend pretending to be a personal valet and discovering that he enjoyed it a bit too much, even if I could never remember what she was actually investigating. The dynamics are shifting in the Spellman family, and I’m curious to see where things go next.

I do think the author is a little too enamored with her footnotes. It seems like the longer the series continues, the more unnecessary they are. Perhaps I just found them a little too annoying while reading it electronically.

This is a series you definitely need to read in order. But it’s worth it.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “I love seeing the characters grow up (but not too much), Isabel in particular.” - Speed-Reading Book Nerd Reviews
  • “These books won’t be mistaken for literary fiction. They’re lite and easy to read. If you want something easy to pick up and hard to put down, give this series a try.” — Joe Beernick
  • “If you haven’t read any of these books, you really should go back and start with The Spellman Files. You’re in for a wonderful trip.” — Jandy’s Reading Room

2013: #2 – The Sea is My Brother (Jack Kerouac)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; January 22nd, 2013
seabrother

Title: The Sea Is My Brother
Author: Jack Kerouac
Format: Hardback
Pages:  240
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Source: library

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

In the spring of 1943, during a stint in the Merchant Marine, twenty-one-year old Jack Kerouac set out to write his first novel. Working diligently day and night to complete it by hand, he titled it The Sea Is My Brother. Now, nearly seventy years later, its long-awaited publication provides fascinating details and insight into the early life and development of an American literary icon.

Written seven years before The Town and The City officially launched his writing career, The Sea Is My Brother marks a pivotal point in which Kerouac began laying the foundations for his pioneering method and signature style. A clear precursor to such landmark works as On the Road, The Dharma Bums, and Visions of Cody, it is an important formative work that bears all the hallmarks of classic Kerouac: the search for spiritual meaning in a materialistic world, spontaneous travel as the true road to freedom, late nights in bars and apartments engaged in intense conversation, the desperate urge to escape from society, and the strange, terrible beauty of loneliness.


My thoughts:

I’ve never read any Kerouac, so when this book was chosen for my book club I decided to give it a go.

I thought it was an interesting story, if a bit aimless. Its main purpose seems to be an exploration of two aspects of Kerouac’s own personality — the responsible, academic side, and the nomadic free spirit that’s more evident in his later works. Each aspect is depicted as a different character.  There is also a lot of rhetoric surrounding communism and fascism and the Spanish Civil War. Those are the parts of the book that didn’t really appeal to me. I’m not a fan of reading long-winded conversations and/or monologues regarding people’s personal philosophies.

Having never read Kerouac before, I had no frame of reference when it came to his writing style. However, according to others in the club who have read his works, this one isn’t as well written as his later work, though you can see the beginnings of his style.

I’m generally of the opinion that “lost” works were probably lost for a reason.  But, if you are a fan of Kerouac, I think there’s enough here to keep your interest. Otherwise, you may want to start with one of his more known works.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “Would I recommend this book? To a Kerouac fan or lit geek, for sure.” — Thoughtful Edits

2013: #1 – The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in general fiction, magical realism; Tagged with ; January 20th, 2013
nightcircus

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Format: Kindle
Pages:  401
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Anchor
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

My thoughts:

“They want to believe that magic is nothing but clever deception, because to think it real would keep them up at night, afraid of their own existence.”

This is one of those books I was ambivalent about before I started it. I had seen both good and bad reviews of it, so I had placed it in the “eh, maybe I’ll get to it someday” section of my TBR list. Turns out, “someday” was the end of December, as it was chosen for the January read in Jen’s (The Literate Housewife) book club. And my fears were unfounded. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop.

At its heart, The Night Circus is a love story. Celia and Marco start out as pawns in a game with roots much older than them. To their instructors, they are not their children, but instruments being used to prove a point. The Circus is no more than a venue for their battle, until it becomes everything.

If you’re looking for a fast-moving plot, this may not be the book for you. The story meanders a bit, moving back and forth in time. I found that to be a bit confusing early in the story, but later you’re flipping between the same month in two different years, and I thought that was easier to follow. In-between parts of the story are short vignettes written in the second person (you), which I believe are meant to place the reader directly in the circus, to see what it would be like as a visitor who has no idea about how everything works. Truthfully, those bits could probably have been cut from the story with little damage, but they do make for a nice break from the story.

The best part of the book is the richness of the descriptions. You can visualize everything the author describes, even if it’s something you’ve never seen before in your life. And the circus is full of things like that — ice gardens, rooms full of clouds, libraries of bottles filled with memories.

Is it a perfect book? No. Some of the characterization could have been more robust, and sometimes the explanations of how the magic worked were a bit hard to understand. But I was charmed by the story, much much more than I expected to be. So give it a shot… you may be charmed too.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “The Night Circus sucked me in and I couldn’t stop marveling at every page.” — this ain’t livin’
  • “This book grabbed my attention in a very clever way and then I simply couldn’t put it down.” — Book Chick City
  • “The Night Circus is a feast for the senses, conjuring up beautiful scenes and luscious scents.” — Caribou’s Mom

2012: #64 – The House I Loved (Tatiana de Rosnay)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; December 27th, 2012
houseloved

Title: The House I Loved
Author: Tatiana de Rosnay
Format: Kindle
Pages:  239
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

From Tatiana de Rosnay, the New York Times bestselling author of Sarah’s Key and A Secret Kept, comes The House I Loved, an absorbing new novel about one woman’s resistance during an époque that shook Paris to its very core

Paris, France: 1860s. Hundreds of houses are being razed, whole neighborhoods reduced to ashes. By order of Emperor Napoleon III, Baron Haussmann has set into motion a series of large-scale renovations that will permanently alter the face of old Paris, molding it into a “modern city.” The reforms will erase generations of history—and in the midst of the tumult, one woman will take a stand.

Rose Bazelet is determined to fight against the destruction of her family home until the very end. As others flee, she stakes her claim in the basement of the old house on rue Childebert, ignoring the sounds of change that come closer and closer each day. Attempting to overcome the loneliness of her daily life, she begins to write letters to Armand, her beloved late husband. And as she delves into the ritual of remembering, Rose is forced to come to terms with a secret that has been buried deep in her heart for thirty years.

My thoughts:

My thoughts as I started this book: “Huh, I didn’t know Napoleon remodeled Paris in this way. This should be interesting!”

My thoughts as I finished this book: “Hmmm… well, that happened.”

I guess I was expecting more than I got from this story. What I wanted was a story of a woman fighting against progress to save her beloved home. What I got was a story of a woman repeating herself over and over, visiting one city official, and then refusing to leave her home. But not in a “chain herself to her front door” sort of way.

And Rose’s secret? Well, it’s blatantly telegraphed in the 3rd chapter, so nothing is a surprise. By the time Rose gets around to writing about it, all you can think is “yeah yeah yeah get on with it already!” And I had a very hard time buying her depth of feeling for her son, because she obviously didn’t care a lick about her daughter.

No one’s actions in this book really make any sense at all, and I think that’s what’s most frustrating. This could have been so much better.

I’ve heard great things about de Rosnay, even from others who have read this book and disliked it, so I’m sure I’ll read some of her other work. But if you skip over this one, you won’t be missing anything.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “For me, this book serves as a tribute to women and citizens like Rose living in Paris during this tumultuous time of uprooting, as well as a reminder that where we live can “house” our happiest and our saddest memories within the walls.” — eating bender
  • “Overall, this story was just alright for me.” — The Maiden’s Court
  • “I had hoped to be swept away in a world that is no more, a world of a time gone by that can only now be accessed through literature. Instead, de Rosnay focused 95% of her novel on the internal dialogue of her main character.” — Becoming Madame

2012: #63 – The Cutting Season (Attica Locke)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; December 27th, 2012
cuttingseason

Title: The Cutting Season
Author: Attica Locke
Format: Kindle
Pages:  384
Release Date: September 10, 2012
Publisher: Harper
Source: ARC from Edelweiss

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

In Black Water Rising, Attica Locke delivered one of the most stunning and sure-handed fiction debuts in recent memory, garnering effusive critical praise, several award nominations, and passionate reader response. Now Locke returns with The Cutting Season, a riveting thriller that intertwines two murders separated across more than a century.

Caren Gray manages Belle Vie, a sprawling antebellum plantation that sits between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, where the past and the present coexist uneasily. The estate’s owners have turned the place into an eerie tourist attraction, complete with full-dress re-enactments and carefully restored slave quarters. Outside the gates, a corporation with ambitious plans has been busy snapping up land from struggling families who have been growing sugar cane for generations, and now replacing local employees with illegal laborers. Tensions mount when the body of a female migrant worker is found in a shallow grave on the edge of the property, her throat cut clean.

As the investigation gets under way, the list of suspects grows. But when fresh evidence comes to light and the sheriff’s department zeros in on a person of interest, Caren has a bad feeling that the police are chasing the wrong leads. Putting herself at risk, she ventures into dangerous territory as she unearths startling new facts about a very old mystery—the long-ago disappearance of a former slave—that has unsettling ties to the current murder. In pursuit of the truth about Belle Vie’s history and her own, Caren discovers secrets about both cases—ones that an increasingly desperate killer will stop at nothing to keep buried.

Taut, hauntingly resonant, and beautifully written, The Cutting Season is at once a thoughtful meditation on how America reckons its past with its future, and a high-octane page-turner that unfolds with tremendous skill and vision. With her rare gift for depicting human nature in all its complexities, Attica Locke demonstrates once again that she is “destined for literary stardom” (Dallas Morning News).

My thoughts:

I found myself sucked into this story right from the start. I have a bit of a thing for old homes, and tour them every chance I’ve get. I’ve even been to Oak Alley Plantation, outside of New Orleans, which I believe is the inspiration for Belle Vie. So the unusual setting for this novel appealed to me.

The writing is beautiful, and I liked the characters, for the most part. I actually found Caren to be one of the weaker characters. There’s not very much that is interesting or unique about her, other than her ability to mess up every relationship she’s ever had, romantic or familial. I’m still not sure I quite understand what her problem with her mother was. And she really just happens upon the solution to the mystery, rather than actually figuring it out.  I also ended up confusing a lot of the Belle Vie workers with one another, especially towards the end.

As far as the mystery goes, I found myself more interested in its effect on the workers of Belle Vie than in finding out whatever happened to the poor woman. I also ended up feeling a bit cheated, because you’re lead to believe that there is a connection between this woman’s murder and the disappearance of Caren’s ancestor, and it doesn’t pay off. In fact, we never truly find out what (or who) it is that was found in the fields.

Overall, I found this to be a relatively satisfying read. There’s a definite undercurrent of social issues, but the author’s agenda is not overpowering. I certainly liked it enough to pick up something else by Locke.

“Still, she took it as a sign. A reminder, really, that Belle Vie, its beauty, was not to be trusted. That beneath its loamy topsoil, the manicured grounds and gardens, two centuries of breathtaking wealth and spectacle, lay a land both black and bitter, soft to the touch, but pressing in its power. She should have known that one day it would spit out what it no longer had use for, the secrets it would no longer keep.”

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  •  “There are truly so many highlights from this novel that I am only going to be able to touch the surface in this review.” — Booking Mama
  • “This book had a lot going for it; a love story, history, politics, murder. I enjoyed the hell out of it and definitely look forward to reading more of her books.” — red headed book child
  • “The Cutting Season falls a little short of the impossibly high standards Locke set with Black Water Rising, but it will enchant fans of fiction with social justice themes.” — nomadreader

2012: #62 – Dare Me (Megan Abbott)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; December 26th, 2012
dareme

Title: Dare Me
Author: Megan Abbott
Format: Kindle
Pages: 305
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Addy Hanlon has always been Beth Cassidy’s best friend and trusted lieutenant. Beth calls the shots and Addy carries them out, a long-established order of things that has brought them to the pinnacle of their high-school careers. Now they’re seniors who rule the intensely competitive cheer squad, feared and followed by the other girls — until the young new coach arrives.

Cool and commanding, an emissary from the adult world just beyond their reach, Coach Colette French draws Addy and the other cheerleaders into her life. Only Beth, unsettled by the new regime, remains outside Coach’s golden circle, waging a subtle but vicious campaign to regain her position as “top girl” — both with the team and with Addy herself.

Then a suicide focuses a police investigation on Coach and her squad. After the first wave of shock and grief, Addy tries to uncover the truth behind the death — and learns that the boundary between loyalty and love can be dangerous terrain.

The raw passions of girlhood are brought to life in this taut, unflinching exploration of friendship, ambition, and power. Award-winning novelist Megan Abbott, writing with what Tom Perrotta has hailed as “total authority and an almost desperate intensity,” provides a harrowing glimpse into the dark heart of the all-American girl.

My thoughts:

“I know what that’s like,” he says. “The way you can be saved without ever knowing you were in trouble.”

This book was odd, but very compelling. I have to admit that I had a hard time putting it down. What’s unusual about that is that there really isn’t a likeable character in the whole book.

Addy and Beth are at the top of the high school social pyramid. But Addy is starting to pull away, and the arrival of a new cheerleading coach makes the divide wider. Beth is a “mean girl” in every sense of the term, often cruel just to amuse herself. Sooner or later, Addy is going to have to make a choice — either she’s with Beth, or she’s against her.

My book club discussed this book, and we came to one major conclusion about the story: there are no authority figures. Parents are essentially non-existent. Even when they do show up in the story, they are either incompetent or too damaged to pay attention. Would your father casually mention to you that the police want to talk to you, and then not even go with you? Even within the school, the coach and her cheerleaders are able to get away with a lot that I don’t believe would really fly. These girls are drinking, doing drugs, staying out half the night, and destroying their bodies with eating disorders, but it appears that no one really cares – or even notices.

You are getting the entire story from Addy’s point of view, so it’s possible that this lack of authority figures is simply because they don’t register on her radar.  It’s possible that her narration is more unreliable than we expect. And I think that’s part of what makes this book so interesting.

I don’t think this is a 5-star read, but I do think it’s a solid 4-stars. It’s very dark, and I think that if I had a teenaged daughter I’d be doing all I could to make sure she wasn’t a cheerleader.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “I think there were some problematic themes, especially for less mature readers, and I think the writing could have used some tweaks, but I enjoyed the story and was engrossed in finding out what would happen.” — Book Hooked Blog
  • “While this is not my favorite of the three of Abbott’s books I have read – that distinction probably goes to the only one I haven’t reviewed, Bury Me Deep, she does continue to be very successful in engaging me in the worlds she creates, which means I have every intention of continuing to read her.” – Devourer of Books
  • “I’ve thought about this book quite a bit since I read it and needed to talk about it with someone after I did, so I think book clubs could find a lot to discuss in its pages.” – BermudaOnion

2012: #44 – Faking It (Jennifer Crusie)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in audio, comedy, romance; Tagged with ; November 4th, 2012
fakingit

Title: Faking It
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Format: Audio
Length: 11 hrs 23 min
Release Date: April 14, 2003
Publisher: St. Martin’s
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Meet the Goodnights, a respectable family who run a respectable art gallery—and have for generations. There’s Gwen, the matriarch, who likes to escape reality; Eve, the oldest daughter, who has a slight identity problem (she has two); Nadine, the granddaughter, who’s ready to follow in the family footsteps as soon as she can find a set that isn’t leading off a cliff. And last, Matilda, the youngest daughter, who has inherited the secret locked down in the basement of the Goodnight Gallery, a secret she’s willing to do almost anything to keep, even break into a house in the dead of night to steal back her past.

Meet the Dempseys, or at least meet Davy, a reformed con man who’s just been ripped off for a cool three million by his financial manager, who then gallantly turned it over to Clea Lewis, the most beautiful sociopath Davy ever slept with. Davy wants the money back, but more than that, he’ll do anything to keep Clea from winning, including break into her house in the dead of night to steal back his future.

One collision in a closet later, Tilda and Davy reluctantly join forces to combat Clea, suspicious art collectors, a disgruntled heir, and an exasperated hit man, all the while coping with a mutant dachshund, a jukebox stuck in the sixties, questionable sex, and the growing realization that they can’t turn their backs on the people they were meant to be…or the people they were born to love.

My thoughts:

If there’s one thing that Crusie is good at, it’s writing a fun story. From the moment Tilda and Davy bump into each other in Clea’s closet to the final page, there’s ne’er a dull moment in the lives of the Goodnights and Dempseys.

It’s hard to imagine a dull moment in their lives even without that bump in the night. Everyone in this book is a character with a capital “C”. It could have been overkill, but I think Crusie gives them enough “real” characteristics to balance out the wacky.  You want to root for them, even for the unconventional hit man.

The search for the Scarlett paintings gives a bit of meat to the romance, and I enjoyed it. For the most part, I really like what Crusie does. It’s a little like if Carl Hiaasen wrote romance books.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “This quirky, light-hearted romantic comedy was an enjoyable read that stands alone just fine, but I do wish I’d stop backing into series this way.” — Dangerously Curvy Novels
  • “I can’t complain about this book. It…just didn’t do anything for me.” — OSgA Book Reviews
  • “Faking It was the first Crusie book I read and the reason that I’ve purchased several of her books.” — An Abundance of Books

2012: #43 – Jemima J (Jane Green)

2 comments By Jaime Filed in general fiction, women's fiction; Tagged with ; November 2nd, 2012
jemima

Title: Jemima J
Author: Jane Green
Format: Paperback
Pages:  384
Release Date: June 05, 2001
Publisher: Broadway
Source: personal copy

Rating: ½☆☆☆☆ 

Jemima Jones is overweight. About one hundred pounds overweight. Treated like a maid by her thin and social-climbing roommates, and lorded over by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented but better paid) at the Kilburn Herald, Jemima finds that her only consolation is food. Add to this her passion for her charming, sexy, and unobtainable colleague Ben, and Jemima knows her life is in need of a serious change. When she meets Brad, an eligible California hunk, over the Internet, she has the perfect opportunity to reinvent herself–as JJ, the slim, beautiful, gym-obsessed glamour girl. But when her long-distance Romeo demands that they meet, she must conquer her food addiction to become the bone-thin model of her e-mails–no small feat.

With a fast-paced plot that never quits and a surprise ending no reader will see coming, Jemima J is the chronicle of one woman’s quest to become the woman she’s always wanted to be, learning along the way a host of lessons about attraction, addiction, the meaning of true love, and, ultimately, who she really is.

My thoughts:

I don’t usually read reviews of a book before I read it. If I’m considering ordering a book online and the star-rating is low, then I may second-guess it, but as a rule I don’t go looking for opinions ahead of time. This time, I wish I had.

I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so insulted by a book, both personally and intellectually. And because I don’t want to encourage anyone else to read it, I’m not going to hold back on the spoilers.

On its face, this starts out like it’s going to be your typical “fat girl gets skinny and finds herself” story. Which is fine. Only mildly insulting, in the way that it insinuates that a fat girl can’t be loved. But as soon as Jemima starts to change her life, things go downhill, and fast.

The entire beginning of the book is spent telling us how fat and pathetic and hopeless Jemima is. People stare at her, she has problems getting around, frankly, she’s as big and ugly as a house!! So when she decides to go and join a gym in anticipation of meeting her online boyfriend, and has to step on a scale, I am expecting a number in the 300lb range. Or at least in the high 200s. Something in Biggest Loser territory.

So what’s the magic number? 204lbs. 204. Seriously. The average 200lb woman probably wears a size 18 pant. Maybe 16. Sizes that you don’t even have to go to the plus-size section of the store to find. I don’t mind telling you that I weigh more than 204 lbs, and I certainly am not stared at by random passers-by, nor do I have problems getting around, nor do people look at me weird when I eat. I do not evoke feelings of pity from the general public. I do not have problems fitting in chairs. But Jemima? Poor sweet Jemima is horribly hindered by her ginormous bulk. At 204 pounds.

I almost stopped reading there, but then I got curious about just how bad it could get. And yes, it got worse.

Jemima’s approach to losing weight is simple: eat almost nothing, and exercise as much as possible. But don’t worry! According to the author, she is definitely not anorexic! She says so, right there! No, this is a perfectly healthy approach! Anyone can survive on mineral water, lettuce, and a chicken breast every day! And look at those results! Not only has Jemima lost roughly 80 pounds in 3 months, she has a fabulously tight, perfect, body! Never mind that this is absolutely unrealistic…it’s impossible. And a horrible message to send.

But it doesn’t stop there! I actually didn’t have any problem with her rather successful meeting with her online boyfriend, but the reason why their relationship doesn’t work out is ridiculous. We are supposed to believe that he loves his fat (supposedly – who really knows) assistant, but that it would ruin him professionally if anyone knew about it. Really? Really? And their solution to this problem is for him to find a trophy wife? Just how exactly was that supposed to work out? He would just cheat on both of them forever? They’d become polygamists? How?

The entirety of the story was so ridiculous that I didn’t even care about the “hey girls, get skinny and you can find love too!” message. Or the constant switch between 1st person and 3rd person.

And don’t throw that “it’s just a fairy tale!” crap at me. Fairy tales are allowed to make sense.

It’s obvious that not only has the author never been overweight, she doesn’t even know any overweight people. Or at least has never asked them what they really weigh or how they really feel. I have read (and enjoyed) Jane Green’s books before, but this book made me angry enough that I will think twice before I pick up another.

So yeah. Don’t bother reading this book.

Available from: I don’t want you to buy this!!

Other reviews:

  • “This is an amazing, uplifting Cinderella story.  No matter what her weight, I loved Jemima’s character. “ — Fancy That… Fancy This
  • “This was a fairly amusing adaptation of the age-old Cinderella tale. It was rather fascinating to see Jemima make herself over, and the results that follow her transformation were both fun and thought provoking. “ — All About Romance
  • “This book was exceedingly frustrating to read. Let me count the ways.” — A Chick Who Reads

2012: #39 – Sacre Bleu (Christopher Moore)

4 comments By Jaime Filed in comedy; Tagged with ; October 16th, 2012
sacrebleu

Title: Sacré Bleu
Author: Christopher Moore
Format: Audio
Audiobook length: 11 hrs 40 min
Release Date: April 03, 2012
Publisher: Avon
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

In July 1890, Vincent van Gogh went into a cornfield and shot himself. Or did he?

Vincent’s friends, baker-turned-painter Lucien Lessard and bon vivant Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, have their doubts. Now they’re determined to answer the questions surrounding van Gogh’s untimely death—like who was the crooked little “color man” Vincent claimed was stalking him across France . . . and why had the painter recently become deathly afraid of a certain shade of blue? Ooh la la, quelle surprise, and zut alors, what follows is a surreal odyssey and brothel-crawl deep into the art world of late-nineteenth-century Paris, as the one, the only, Christopher Moore cooks up a delectable confection of intrigue, passion, and art history . . . with cancan girls, baguettes, and fine French cognac thrown in for good measure.

My thoughts:

I confess that despite being a Christopher Moore fan, I was reluctant to start this book. I don’t usually enjoy reading about art. Do I appreciate art? Generally. Do I understand the intricacies of composition and theme and whatnot? Not so much. So a book that revolves around art makes me anticipate my eyes glazing over. Thankfully, my husband is also a Christopher Moore fan and insisted we listen to this book on a recent road trip.

It’s difficult to decide how exactly to describe this book. At the beginning, we meet some artist friends of Vincent Van Gough, who has recently shot himself in a cornfield. What follows is the stories of these men, as well as a story that is older than man himself. Two constants in all of their lives are mysterious women and a certain shade of blue.

There is a lot of Moore’s usual absurdity here, but there is also a distinct strand of sadness. In many ways, this is not a happy story. There is a lot of desperation and a lot of depression, but perhaps this is the lot of the tortured artist. There is also a fair bit of meandering, and I may have slept through a section or two (we were in the car, after all).

One sweet spot for me is Moore’s portrayal of Henri Toulouse-Latrec. Ever since seeing Moulin Rouge, I’ve enjoyed stories that include Toulouse-Latrec. And he’s a rather large part of this story.

Should you expect to emerge from this story with a better understanding of art history? Probably not. But you will be entertained.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “The plot is not a terribly complex one. It could have been relayed quite well in a short story rather than a novel, but then we would not have been able to hang out in late Nineteenth Century Paris with some of the most entertainingly eccentric characters you will ever meet, real or fictional.” — D.L. Morrese
  • “While I do think that Sacré Bleu has a fascinating jumping off point (imagining another reason behind Van Gogh’s death), color me completely underwhelmed by this book.” — As the Crow Flies (and Reads!)
  • “It is a fun romp through art history, and while the details may not always be exactly accurate (remember Lamb?) it is still a great introduction to some famous paintings.” — Novel Novice

2012: #38 – The Next Best Thing (Jennifer Weiner)

2 comments By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; October 9th, 2012
nextbestthing

Title: The Next Best Thing
Author: Jennifer Weiner
Format: Kindle
Pages:  400
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Atria Books
Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 


Actors aren’t the only ones trying to make it in Hollywood.…At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders left her childhood home in Massachusetts and headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to make it as a screenwriter. Six years later, she hits the jackpot when she gets The Call: the sitcom she wrote, The Next Best Thing, has gotten the green light, and Ruthie’s going to be the showrunner. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on her boss, and her grandmother’s impending nuptials.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of Los Angeles show business culture, with an insider’s ear for writer’s room showdowns and an eye for bad backstage behavior and set politics, Jennifer Weiner’s new novel is a rollicking ride on the Hollywood roller coaster, a heartfelt story about what it’s like for a young woman to love, and lose, in the land where dreams come true.


My thoughts:

I had mixed feelings about this book.

On one hand, I really wanted to like Ruth. I related to her close relationship with her grandmother (I spent at least 25% of my time living with my great-grandmother until I graduated high school), and I sympathized with the difficulties her disfigurement caused her (because we all know a Jennifer Weiner protagonist has to be “damaged” in some way). But that was pretty much it. I didn’t love her, and I feel like I only rooted for her because the author told me to.

The book has its good points. The peek inside the world of sitcom production was enlightening (if at all accurate), and I enjoyed Ruth’s attempts at managing her cast. I also really liked the Two Daves, if you remove the parts of that storyline that were wrapped up a little too conveniently (*cough* Dave’s girlfriend *cough*). But there was entirely too much foreshadowing in the construction of the story. I wish it had been told more linearly, so I could be surprised when disaster came, rather than reading the equivalent of “so, that didn’t exactly work out, here’s what happened”.

Was it a triumphant ending? Eh, yes and no. Overall, the book was good enough, but not great. Kinda like Ruth’s sitcom.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “I was frustrated with Ruthie’s meekness and willingness to accept poor treatment from men, actors, and executives.” — Book, Line, and Sinker
  • “This was a great story with a ton of balance!  There is drama, both political in the crazy world in Hollywood and personal drama for many of the character, romance, excitement, disappointment, frustration, exhaustion and so much more. “ — Lisa’s World of Books
  • “While The Next Best Thing is funny, quirky and enjoyable, that is about where I would leave it.” – Book Journey

2012: #36 – Santa Olivia (Jacqueline Carey)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in coming of age, dystopia, science fiction; Tagged with , ; September 17th, 2012
santaolivia

Title: Santa Olivia
Author: Jacqueline Carey
Series: Santa Olivia #01
Format: Paperback
Pages:  341
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Lushly written with rich and vivid characters, SANTA OLIVIA is Jacqueline Carey’s take on comic book superheroes and the classic werewolf myth.

Loup Garron was born and raised in Santa Olivia, an isolated, disenfranchised town next to a US military base inside a DMZ buffer zone between Texas and Mexico. A fugitive “Wolf-Man” who had a love affair with a local woman, Loup’s father was one of a group of men genetically-manipulated and used by the US government as a weapon. The “Wolf-Men” were engineered to have superhuman strength, speed, sensory capability, stamina, and a total lack of fear, and Loup, named for and sharing her father’s wolf-like qualities, is marked as an outsider.

After her mother dies, Loup goes to live among the misfit orphans at the parish church, where they seethe from the injustices visited upon the locals by the soldiers. Eventually, the orphans find an outlet for their frustrations: They form a vigilante group to support Loup Garron who, costumed as their patron saint, Santa Olivia, uses her special abilities to avenge the town.

Aware that she could lose her freedom, and possibly her life, Loup is determined to fight to redress the wrongs her community has suffered. And like the reincarnation of their patron saint, she will bring hope to all of Santa Olivia.

My thoughts:

Jacqueline Carey is well known for her epic fantasy, but this book is more science fiction mixed with a little dystopia. It does share one major element with her Kushiel series — love, in all of its forms, is very important to the story.

Santa Olivia is a town without a country, caught in a no-man’s land between the U.S. and Mexico and ruled by the military. It’s the town no one knows about, in a world that has been decimated by war and the flu. All the townspeople have to live for is the hope that one day, one of them will be allowed to leave. This honor is supposed to be bestowed upon the man who can beat the army’s choice in a boxing match.

Loup is an outcast in a town of outcasts. She’s always been unusual, even as a baby, incapable of experiencing fear. It’s a trait passed on to her by her father, a mysterious man on the run who disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Her older brother Tom is her protector, until they become orphans and he isn’t able to give her the care she needs. She then ends up at the parish church, which doubles as the town’s orphanage.

What follows is the struggle for survival in a town where conditions are deteriorating. Between the never-ending boxing losses and suspicions that the war being fought doesn’t really exist, the townspeople are restless and the military is cracking down. The conditions are just right for a savior to appear.

Carey’s writing is beautiful and expressive and descriptive without being overdone. One thing that she writes about very well is relationships, whether they are familial, friendly, or romantic, and those relationships are the real star of this story. The heart she injects into this bleak landscape is what makes you keep reading. You care about everyone, from Loup and her friends, to Tom, to the unorthodox clergy caring for them all. You cry when they cry, and cheer when they cheer, and above all, you root for their escape. Because, like them, you have no idea what is truly happening outside of the town’s walls.

If it’s not evident, I will definitely be continuing this series. This is the first book I’ve read in a while that I had difficulty putting down.

“They said that the statue of Our Lady of the Sorrows wept tears of blood the day the sickness came to Santa Olivia. The people said that God had turned his face away from humankind. They said that saints remember what God forgets about human suffering.

Of course they said that in a lot of places during those years.”

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “I’m pretty sure Carey could write a tax-preparation manual and it would still be beautifully written. That is, her language is lyrical and an almost physical pleasure to read, even if the story itself isn’t to your taste.” — Alpha Heroes
  • “If you’re looking for a unique heroine and an all-around great story, READ THIS BOOK. Seriously. It’s excellent.” — Smexy Books
  • “While not the most original out there, the idea, a kind of ‘superhero-meets-government-conspiracies’ story, was really intriguing.” — The infinite Curio

2012: #31 – 11/22/63 (Stephen King)

2 comments By Jaime Filed in general fiction; Tagged with ; August 13th, 2012
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Title: 11/22/63
Author: Stephen King
Format: Kindle
Pages:  849
Release Date: November 8, 2011
Publisher: Scribner
Source: personal copy

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Dallas, 11/22/63: Three shots ring out.

President John F. Kennedy is dead.

Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in a Maine town. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away . . . but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke. . . . Finding himself in warmhearted Jolie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten . . . and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful.

In Stephen King’s “most ambitious and accomplished” (NPR) novel, time travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.

My thoughts:

Stephen King’s books were among the very first “adult” books I read (I devoured The Stand when I was in 7th grade), but as an adult I’m wishy-washy about him. Some of his books appeal to me, and others (like Lisey’s Story) don’t appeal to me at all. In fact, this will be only the second fiction book of his that I’ve reviewed on this blog in the last 7 years. I’ve always been more a fan of his straightforward horror stories, so I was pleasantly surprised by this, which I would consider part historical fiction and part science fiction.

Jake Epping is just a run-of-the-mill English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine when the local diner owner, Al, comes to him and tells Jake he wants to show him something. That “something” turns out to be some sort of hole in time and space, which transports Jake (or Al, or anyone) from present-day Lisbon Falls to the Lisbon Falls of 1958. Unknown to anyone, Al has spent the last 4 years in the past, trying to right one of the biggest wrongs in American history – the assassination of JFK. But cancer is claiming him, and his dying wish is that Jake carries on his work.

If there’s one thing that Jake learns on his mission, it’s that history doesn’t want to change, and Murphy’s Law is in full effect. Jake has 5 years to live before he can try to stop Lee Harvey Oswald, and those years give us the most interesting parts of the book. Jake not only struggles with the forces of the universe, but also with himself. With the power to change history, how far should he go? Who is worthy of his benefaction? How could anyone not be worthy? And if he doesn’t act, can he continue to live with his choices? If he screws up, does he have time to try it again?

I really enjoyed this book. King has a tendency to be long-winded, but I never felt bogged down in the story. Things move right along, so much so that from time to time, you forget that Jake has a larger mission to complete. And the ending is not what you would expect. Not completely happy, but not completely sad either.

There are a lot of easter eggs in the book for devoted King readers. And even a personal easter egg for me. On page 10 (or thereabouts) of the paperback:

“He also took a picture of us, which he later hung on what he called the Town Wall of Celebrity. Other ‘celebrities’ represented included the late Albert Dunton, founder of Dunton Jewelry; Earl Higgins, a former LHS principal; John Crafts, founder of John Crafts Auto Sales; and, of course, Father Bandy of St. Cyril’s.”

Albert Dunton was my great-uncle! I think it’s that level of attention to detail that really illustrates King’s love for Maine. I also enjoyed the brief focus on Moxie, that strange little soda that I still hold fondly in my heart. I actually found it in a local store here in Virginia, and every once in a while I have to go get one as a treat. My husband thinks it smells like motor oil.

This book made me excited about Stephen King again. I plan to tackle Under the Dome in the not-so-distant future, and I’m also looking forward to Joyland, set to come out next summer. If you’ve ever been scared of Stephen King, for whatever reason, this is a great novel to start with.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “Despite its heft, the novel is intriguing enough to keep even the most distracted reader turning the pages.” — Caribousmom
  • “I enjoyed this book a lot. I loved the 1950s feel. It was clear that King had spend time researching the details to make this a convincing story.” — Leeswammes’ Blog
  • “The story raises some philosophical questions which would make for a great book club discussion…” — at home with books

2012: #29 – More Than You Know (Penny Vincenzi)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in family drama, featured reviews, general fiction; Tagged with ; August 6th, 2012

More Than You Know Title: More Than You Know
Author: Penny Vincenzi
Format: ARC Paperback
Pages: 608 (2012 total – 7,817)
Approx. Word Count: 152,000 (2012 total – 2,159,014)
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Doubleday
Categories: general fiction
Source: Amazon Vine
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Back of the book:

It all comes down to love or money in a harrowing custody battle over a little girl, set against the glossy backdrop of the magazine and advertising worlds in 1960s London.

A privileged girl from a privileged class, Eliza has a dazzling career in the magazine world of the 1960s. But when she falls deeply in love with Matt, an edgy working-class boy, she gives up her ritzy, fast-paced lifestyle to get married.

By the end of the decade, however, their marriage has suffered a harrowing breakdown, culminating in divorce and a dramatic courtroom custody battle over their little girl. Also at risk is Eliza’s gorgeous family home, a pawn in the game, which she can’t bear to give up.

True to form, Penny Vincenzi introduces a devious cast of characters seemingly plucked from the pages of sixties- and seventies-era magazines, as she deftly maneuvers between the glamorous, moneyed worlds of fashion and advertising, and a heart-wrenching custody battle going on in the courtroom where the social mores of the time are on full display.

My thoughts:

I love Penny Vincenzi, though I can’t tell you exactly why.

Part of it is the rich world she delivers. I know little about London in the 1960s, or about fashion magazines, or about real estate, but I was immediately drawn into Eliza and Matt’s lives. I enjoyed reading about how they flit in and out of each others’ lives before they marry. I also liked seeing the social changes happening in the world during that time period.

A larger part of it is the dialogue. Vincenzi relies heavily upon dialogue to tell her story, with some sections having no exposition at all. It can get confusing at times — there were a few sections where it took a paragraph or two before I was certain who was speaking — but her dialogue is so natural and effortless that I couldn’t summon a care.

As for the characters, there are definitely a lot. Not only are there Eliza and Matt and their respective families, but several friends, acquaintances, and coworkers. Each of them works to show a different aspect of the story; no one is superfluous. I liked both Eliza and Matt, and could see each of their points of view, but I definitely thought Matt was a bit too boorish. I understand that Vincenzi was trying to root him solidly in out-dated mid-century views, but sometimes his bull-headedness was a bit overdone. But I guess it balances out when you consider how ridiculously helpless Eliza is at times. You can see why they were attracted to each other, but you can also see that it was doomed from the start.

That all may sound like I really have a beef with the book, but I definitely did not. I loved this, from beginning to end. It was an absolute joy to read. It made me think, and it made me feel, and I’m not sure what more you can ask for.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “More Than You Know is an emotional and entertaining story of the Fullerton-Clark and Shaw families and their friends during a time of great change.” — Bookfan
  • “I really enjoyed the time period that this story was written in as well. Penny has a talent for writing very strong female characters that fight for what they believe in.“ — Cozy Up With a Good Read

Past reviews:

2011: In the Name of Honor (Richard North Patterson)
2010: Food Rules (Michael Pollan)
2009: Can You Keep a Secret? (Sophie Kinsella)
2008: The Friday Night Knitting Club (Kate Jacobs)
2007: From Potter’s Field (Patricia Cornwell)
2006: Divided in Death (J.D. Robb)
2005: Abandoned Prayers (Gregg Olsen)

2012: #27 – The Sandcastle Girls (Chris Bohjalian)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in 1900-1920, featured reviews, general fiction, historical fiction; Tagged with ; July 24th, 2012

The Sandcastle Girls Title: The Sandcastle Girls
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Format: Kindle
Pages: 320 (2012 total – 6,857)
Approx. Word Count: 96,000 (2012 total – 1,910,214)
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Publisher: Doubleday
Categories: general fiction, historical fiction
Source: ARC from publisher via Edelweiss
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Back of the book:

The Sandcastle Girls is a sweeping historical love story steeped in Chris Bohjalian’s Armenian heritage.

When Elizabeth Endicott arrives in Aleppo, Syria she has a diploma from Mount Holyoke, a crash course in nursing,  and only the most basic grasp of the Armenian language.  The year is 1915 and she has volunteered on behalf of the Boston-based Friends of Armenia to help deliver food and medical aid to refugees of the Armenian genocide.  There Elizabeth becomes friendly with Armen, a young Armenian engineer who has already lost his wife and infant daughter.  When Armen leaves Aleppo and travels south into Egypt to join the British army, he begins to write Elizabeth letters, and comes to realize that he has fallen in love with the wealthy, young American woman who is so different from the wife he lost.

Fast forward to the present day, where we meet Laura Petrosian, a novelist living in suburban New York.  Although her grandparents’ ornate Pelham home was affectionately nicknamed “The Ottoman Annex,” Laura has never really given her Armenian heritage much thought. But when an old friend calls, claiming to have seen a newspaper photo of Laura’s grandmother promoting an exhibit at a Boston museum, Laura embarks on a journey back through her family’s history that reveals love, loss – and a wrenching secret that has been buried for generations.

My thoughts:

I didn’t learn of the Armenian Genocide until I was the ripe old age of 19 or 20. I went to college in Waltham, Massachusetts, and one day on a drive through the neighboring town of Watertown, I spotted the Armenian Library and Museum. Realizing I had no idea where Armenians were from, I went home and looked them up.

Bohjalian, the grandson of Armenian survivors, has dropped us into the midst of the genocide, and has given us multiple points of view. First there is Elizabeth, the young Boston girl who is there to do mission work. Her counterpoint is Armen, a young Armenian engineer who is searching for his wife and daughter and surviving solely because of his usefulness. He searches every group of refugees that arrives in Aleppo, Syria after a ruthless march through the desert, but so far, the search is fruitless. These, and the additional points of view, give us the experience from many sides, and I think it’s a crucial part of the story construction.

In the present day, Laura is becoming increasingly obsessed with finding out the story of her grandparents, Armen and Elizabeth, a task made more difficult by their reluctance to talk about their experience. When she began her search, she had no idea the incredible story she would uncover.

I thought Bohjalian told a lovely story, full of joy and sorrow and missed opportunities. We get a taste of the Armenian culture, as well as an idea of the conditions of the genocide, without it being either too whitewashed or too overwrought. When a taste of the true horror is needed, he gives it to you, and when you need a taste of kindness, you get that too.

I’ve recently read another book that was very personal to the author: The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman, set in the time and place where she grew up. In that case, I felt that her closeness to the story was a huge set-back. The Sandcastle Girls is the complete opposite of that. This feels like a labor of love, and I think Bohjalian really did justice to the Armenian people and their troubled history.

Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | WorldCat

Other reviews:

  • “I’ve never read another work of fiction that has more completely and almost effortlessly captured the Armenian genocide of the early 2oth century.” — Devourer of Books
  • “I feel comfortable recommending it to any reader, regardless of what kind of genre they like best, even a crime fiction lover like me.” — Don’t Mind the Mess
  • “‘This is the most important book I’ll write,’ tweeted Bohjalian to me on July 7 when I mentioned on Twitter that I was starting the book.” — Red Shutters

Past reviews:

2011: Pale Demon (Kim Harrison)
2010: Rest in Pieces (Rita Mae Brown)
2009: Vampire Academy (Richelle Mead)
2008: Ice Trap (Kitty Sewell)
2007: The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
2006: Betrayal in Death (J.D. Robb)
2005: Open Season (Linda Howard)

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