Bibliophile By the Sea

Mailbox Monday

2012-02-20T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. February's host is Kim of Metroreader. This week's new books:

The Receptionist: A Education at the NewYorker - Janet Groth (Algonquin)
Far From Here; Nicole Baart - (Howard Books)
The House of Velvet and Glass; Katherine Howe (Shelf Awareness/Voice)
Defending Jacob; William Landry (paperback swap)
A Walk Across the Sun; Corban Addison (paperbackswap)

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop Begins Today!

2012-02-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

The Literary Giveaway Blog Hop is hosted by Judith of Leeswammes Blog. It runs from Saturday, February 18th through Wednesday, February 22nd. (58) bloggers are participating, each will be giving away some literary selections in the process.

If you are a new visitor to my blog, I'd describe it as a mixture of book reviews generally, literary or contemporary fiction, with some non fiction, with an occasional review of a children's book I may find delightful. I also like to showcase soon to be released books that appeal to me and, I've been known to post occasional photos I take, hoping that some readers might enjoy a change from just books now and then

For first time visitors, I hope you will become regular visitors after today. If you are an old friend, THANK YOU, as you all make blogging worthwhile. I LOVE COMMENTS, and will try to visit your blog as often as time allows in return.

Here's what the winner will receive:

Winner will select (1) Literary Fiction Title from Amazon.Com

DETAILS for a Chance to Win

Open to US and International residents
One entry per person
If you are new to my blog and have never commented here before today, you MUST become a follower to be entered in the giveaway.
Leave a comment telling me which Literary fiction book you would like me to send you if you win, and a way to contact you
Current friends and followers - I know who you are): What literary fiction title would you like to win?
You need not have a blog to enter

GOOD LUCK to EVERYONE who gets entered.
Winners will be selected after 8PM on the East coast on Wednesday - February 22nd
THANKS so much for stopping by. I hope you visit again sometime.
Now I'm off to visit other participating blogs.

Below is a complete list of the blogs participating in this giveaway:

A Moveable Feast; Hemingway ~ Read-a-Long - Weeks (1) (2) and (3)

2012-02-17T22:40:00.000-05:00

In Week # 3 - I was fascinated by what I read about F. Scott Fitzgerald, and his wife Zelda (one crazy lady).

(Hemingway about Fitzgerald)

"...If he could write a book as fine as The Great Gatsby, I was sure he could write an even better one. I did not know Zelda yet, and so I did not know the terrible odds that were against him. But we were to find out soon enough."

Zelda was a big drinker often drinking more than her husband. When F. Scott did not join her, she called him a "spoilsport" or even ridiculed him publicly. She was jealous of Scott's writing, so when he sat down to do some serious writing, she'd claim she was bored and get him to leave his writing and go and party and get drunk. As jealous as Zelda was of Scott's writing, Scott was equally as jealous about Zelda and other men. She was good at making him feel insecure about his manhood and his ability to please her sexually.

Hemingway had a deep affection for Fitzgerald, nursed him when he was sick, encouraged him, and detested Zelda for the way she treated her husband.

"Scott did not write anything any more that was good until after he knew she was insane". (We later learn that Zelda had at least one nervous breakdown)

I found a few interesting links I wanted to share about Hemingway, and also about the nickname "Tatie" that Hemingway's wife Hadley gave him. http://www.timelesshemingway.com/content/lifefaq

Paula McLain, author of Paris Wife states that "tatie" was a name they called each other, but I'm still not sure why?. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/feb/20/paris-wife-paula-mclain-review

For more feedback of this week's reading visit, Unputdownables.

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In Week # 2 - participants were asked to read through Chapter 17, (50 pages), and although chapters still held my interest, I did not enjoy these chapters quite as much as much as I did last week's reading.

"In those days we did not trust anyone who had not been in the war, but we did not completely trust anyone...."

In these chapters the reader was introduced to Ezra Pound and he wife Dorothy (both seemed to be struggling a bit financially at that time, by the way their studio was described. Hemingway teaches Pound to box. There seemed like a lot of interest in gambling related activities: poker playing, horse racing, boxing.

We also see Hemingway's friendship with Gertrude Stein slip away, but in these chapters he gets to spend time with F. Scott Fitzgerald. This author seemed like a piece of work. He was also one who seemed to enjoy alcohol a bit too much.

At one point F. Scott asks Hemingway to meet him in the morning to take the train to Lyon to pick up his car, and then they could drive back together. Hemingway was looking forward to spending time with the older and more experienced writer. F. Scott, however, was not at the train station in the morning. Hemingway was annoyed and had a temper, but by the time the (2) of them eventually hooked up, he got his anger out of his system but, he "demoted him from F. Scott to Fitzgerald".

(I liked this passage) -- "I rang for the waiter. He didn't come and I rang again and then went down the hall to look for him. Scott was lying with his eyes closed, breathing slowly and carefully and, with his waxy color and his perfect features, he looked like a little dead crusader. I was getting tired of the literary life that I was leading, and already I missed not working and I felt the death of loneliness that comes at the end of every day that is wasted in your life......"

Probably the thing I noticed most about Hemingway in last week's chapters was, how very sexist he seemed. I realize it was the 1920's but he really seemed to enjoy writing about the way the women he met were built!

(p. 84 - Hemingway's description of the (2) models posing for the painter Pascin)...."The two models were young and pretty. One was very dark, small, beautifully built with a falsely fragile depravity. She was a lesbian who also liked men. The other was child-like and dull but very pretty in a childish way. She was not as well built as her sister, but neither was anyone else that spring."

(p.86 - Hemingway's description of Pound's wife Dorothy) "Dorothy's paintings I liked very much and I thought Dorothy was very beautiful and built wonderfully."

(p. 121 --There was a wonderful German girl who skied with us. She was a great mountain skier, small and beautifully built...."

In Week # 1 of the "A Moveable Feast" Read-A-Long, participants were asked to read through Chapter 7 (oops -- it was suppose to be to Chapter 9 -- I goofed). Despite that, I admit that isn't a lot to expect of readers, but with several books going at once and a very busy busy weekend with no time for reading, I found myself starting and reading all the chapters required in one sitting one Friday during a long lunch.

For those who are not familiar with this book, it is a memoir of Ernest Hemingway's time spent in Paris in the 1920s The writing style is very casual, readable and at times tender and affection. I found his accounts of his very poor beginnings starting out as a writer, both interesting and engaging.

"It was wonderful to walk down the long flight of stairs knowing that I'd had good luck working. I always worked until I had something done and I always stopped when I knew what was going to happen next. That way I could be sure of going on the next day. But sometimes when I was starting a new story and I could not get it going, I would sit in front of the fire ans squeeze the peel of the little oranges into the edge of the flame and watch the sputter of blue that they made. I would stand and look over the roofs of Paris and think, Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write again now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you now."

The chapter are very short and the way they flow makes it each chapter flow into the next quite well. I especially liked the introduction and description of Gertrude Stein and her companion. It made me chuckle.

Miss Stein was "very big but not tall and was heavily built like a peasant woman. She had beautiful eyes and a strong German-Jewish face.........." Her companion (Alice) had a very pleasant voice, was small, very dark, with a haircut like "Joan of Arc in the Boutet de Monvel illustrations and had a very hooked nose........"

Hemingway and his wife Hadley (who called her husband Tatie), developed a friendship with the couple while in Paris. Stein, as I'm sure many of you know was an influential writer, and art collector of post-impressionist art. Even though Stein is extremely opinionated, I did enjoy their discussions about books and authors. And speaking of books, I also loved reading about the rental library of Shakespeare and Company, a library and book store owned by Sylvia Beach. Beach was a sweet, charming and welcoming sort of person who was always delighted to see Hemingway.

I'll continue my post about book next Sunday, but I already can tell I'm going to enjoy it very much. I know some of my readers have also enjoyed this one. Have you read it? Loved it? Hated it?

Bleak House ~ Charles Dickens ~ Read-A-Long Sign Ups

2012-02-16T07:26:00.000-05:00

A 3- month long read-a-long of Bleak House is being hosted by Unputdownables beginning in March and continuing through May. I've been wanting to read this one as one of my classics in 2012 so I'm planning on joining. Here is some info about the event:

Some Facts About the Read-a-Long:

You do not have to be a book blogger to join.
We will be reading the book in March, April, & May (13 weeks), with the first discussion happening on Friday, March 2nd / the book is 817 pages (paperback, Barnes and Noble Classics edition) so that’s roughly 9 pages a day.
Don’t be intimidated. We will be going at a slow pace and discussing the book throughout our reading. The discussions are quite fun, and make the reading process very enjoyable!

The following is the reading and posting schedule for this read-a-long. Please note, we will be reading roughly 63 pages per week (about 9 pages a day). I have excluded the introduction (as it will be different with each edition). Because it is always easier for us to stop at chapters (rather than on page numbers, because of different editions), I’ve had to round to the nearest chapter each week. This means that some weeks are longer than others, but I’ve tried to keep it as close to 9 pages a day as possible. Please look at the week’s page amount to best plan your reading in order to keep up.
Note: I am reading from the Barnes & Noble Classics edition and my discussion posts will be based off of this version. You by no means need to read from this version, but if you are deciding which edition to read, I find these the best editions for classic works as the notations are on the same page as the reading (and they translate any foreign language throughout the book). They also have informative endnotes and introductions.

Schedule:

Beginning Friday, Febraury 24th and ending Friday, May 25th.
READING SCHEDULE:

Week #/ dates :: Place in which to STOP
Week One/ February 24- March 1 :: Chapter 6
Week Two/ March 2-8 :: Chapter 10
Week Three/ March 9-15 ::Chapter 15
Week Four/ March 16-22 :: Chapter 20
Week Five/ March 23- 29 :: Chapter 24
Week Six/ March 30- April 5 :: Chapter 30
Week Seven/ April 6-12 :: Chapter 34
Week Eight/ April 13-19 :: Chapter 39
Week Nine/ April 20-26 :: Chapter 45
Week Ten/ April 27- May 3 :: Chapter 51
Week Eleven/ May 4- 10 :: Chapter 56
Week Twelve/ May 11-17 :: Chapter 61
Week Thirteen/ May 18-24 :: The End

POSTING SCHEDULE:
Post #/ date post should be up on blog:
Start up Post/ Today!
Week One/ March 2nd
Week Two/ March 9th
Week Three/ March 16th
Week Four/ March 23rd
Week Five/ March 30th
Week Six/ April 6th
Week Seven/ April 13th
Week Eight/ April 20th
Week Nine/ April 27th
Week Ten/ May 4th
Week Eleven/ May 11th
Week Twelve/ May 18th
Week Thirteen/ May 25th (Final Review)

What about you? Have are you up for this event? Have you read Bleak House?

Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love and Loss; Rose Marie Terenzio

2012-02-15T22:17:00.000-05:00

Title: Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love and Loss

Author: Rose Marie Terenzio

Publication Year: 2012

Publisher: Gallery Books

Edition: eBook / Kindle

Source: Purchase

Date Completed: 2/13/2012

Rating: 1/5
Recommend: no

I'm one of those people who has long been fascinated by the Kennedy mystique. Remembering vividly where I was when I learned that President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and where I was when I learned that JFK Jr's plane en route to Hyannis had disappeared on the fateful day in July of 1999. Since I haven't read much about JFK Jr's adult life, I couldn't wait to read this memoir, written by his executive assistant, who worked for him during the last (5) years of his life.

I had a hard time writing this review because, I was very disappointed by this book. It was very boring, lacked any real depth or insight into the lives JFK Jr or his wife Carolyn Bessette. The book did not even have any photographs of people, just a few photos with some hand-scratched notes. I wondered as I read why the author waited over (12 Years) since the couple's death to write this book as well.

The author, Rose Marie Terenzio, had been working for a PR firm in NYC when her boss began a new business venture with JFK Jr, hence, how she landed the job as his executive assistant. She shares day to day experiences about screening John's calls, keeping his appointments straight and the secrecy required working for such a high-profile individual, and the launching of George magazine. She writes about when he began dating Carolyn, shortly after his mother died, and how he asked Carolyn to marry him while out on a boat fishing on Martha's Vineyard the following year. We learn very little about their very small and private wedding on an island in Cumberland, GA, the planning which all had to kept a secret. The reader does learn that John was a fly by the seat of his pants sort of guy, often disorganized, and known for springing plans last minute on his wife and others.

I guess what annoyed me about this book was the fact that while I was lead to believe, it was about lessons that Rosie might have learned from working for John, but what I was really left with after reading this book was a feeling of a lot of self-promoting by the author. She tells how she was envied because of her job. How she was included in all of the special functions, getting the best seat to concerts, and how Carolyn took her under her wing, gave her a sense of style and often picked up the tab as well. Rosie shared Carolyn's unhappiness about being badgered by the media, and photographers trying to snap shots of her every time she walked the dog or went for coffee. To me, those were things that most people already knew about Carolyn already.

Very disappointed I bought this book -- There really wasn't anything interesting or new to be learned about John or Carolyn.

Has anyone else read this book? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Waiting on Wednesday; Broken Harbour; Tana French

2012-02-15T00:30:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating! Want to participate? Post your own WOW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. My pick is:

Broken Harbour; Tana French

(cover is from UK edition)

US Pub - Viking - July 24, 2012

In Broken Harbour, a ghost estate outside Dublin - half-built, half-inhabited, half-abandoned - two children and their father are dead. The mother is on her way to intensive care. Scorcher Kennedy is given the case because he is the Murder squad's star detective. At first he and his rookie partner, Richie, think this is a simple one: Pat Spain was a casualty of the recession, so he killed his children, tried to kill his wife Jenny, and finished off with himself. But there are too many inexplicable details and the evidence is pointing in two directions at once. Scorcher's personal life is tugging for his attention. Seeing the case on the news has sent his sister Dina off the rails again, and she's resurrecting something that Scorcher thought he had tightly under control: what happened to their family, one summer at Broken Harbour, back when they were children. The neat compartments of his life are breaking down, and the sudden tangle of work and family is putting both at risk ...

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2012-02-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometimes two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's selection is from Jodi Picoult's soon to be released novel (2/28/2012), Lone Wolf.

(Emily Bestler Books/Atria)

(CARA)

" Seconds before our truck slams into the tree, I remember the first time I tried to save a life.

I was just thirteen, and I'd just moved back with my father. Or, more accurately, my clothes were once again hanging in my former bedroom, But I was living out of a backpack in a trailer on the north end of Redmond's Trading Post & Dinosaur World. That's where my father's captive wolf packs were housed, along with gibbons, falcons, an overweight lion, and the animatronic T. rex that roared on the hour. Since that is where my father spent 99 percent of his time, it was expected that I follow. "

Do you plan to read this one? What do you think of the intro?

Mailbox Monday

2012-02-13T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. February's host is Kim of Metroreader.

This week's (by mail arrivals):

The Orphan Master's Son; Adam Johnson (thank you PBS book swapper)
Lone Wolf; Jodi Picoult (thank you Atria/S&S - so excited)
The Boiling Season; Christopher Hebert (thank you Harper)

The Orchid House; Lucinda Riley (Thank you Atria/S&S)
The Boy in the Suitcase; Kaaberbol and Friis (thank you PBS book swapper)

How was Your Week for New Books?

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop (Feb. 18-22)

2012-02-12T19:26:00.004-05:00

The awesome Judith is once again coordinating a Literary Giveaway Blog Hop. I've participated in a few of these Literary Giveaways previously, and it was such fun finding new book blogs in the process. This event is taking place from Saturday February 18th until (and including) Wednesday February 22nd. If you’ve been wanting to give away a book to your readers, maybe to show your appreciation or because you have a special celebration, this is your chance to join up with others.

More details:

This event is an opportunity to give away prizes and get more traffic to your blog. You will run your own giveaway, but it will be linked up to all other participants via a links list (which I will give you just before the event). That way, not just your readers, but also the readers from the other participating blogs will stop by your blog.

You can offer one or more books, a gift voucher, or anything else related to books and reading. There is no minimum or maximum value that your prize should have.

The only restriction is that if you’re giving away a book, that it should have some literary merit. It does not have to be the most difficult classic ever, but please no romance, urban fiction or YA. Thrillers, poetry and non-fiction are fine, as are contemporary fiction, literary fiction and any other genres not in the categories above.

Further information on the prizes: a book can be new or “gently read”. Your giveaway can be just for your country, for your continent, or word-wide.

Last day for signing up is February 15th. Only sign up if you intend to have a giveaway post up on your blog on February 18th.

I'm thinking about giving away something similar to that which was well received last time:

(Specifics Will Be Announced on 2/18)

Watch for more details

Saturday Snapshot ~ Christmas Memories

2012-02-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

The quality of this photo/scan isn't great, but this " when is Santa coming?" moment, (photo taken in the late 1970's) remains one of my favorites of when the children were little. It warms my heart as this brother and sister duo are just as close today as they were when they were little.

No Buddy Left Behind; Terri Crisp and Cindy Hurn

2012-02-10T22:42:00.000-05:00

Title: No Buddy Left Behind

Author: Terri Crisp and Cindy Hurn

Publication Year: 2011

Publisher: Blackstone Audio

Edition: audio

Reader: author - Nicole Valencia (very good)
Source: Library

Date Completed: 2/10/2012

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: yes

No Buddy Left Behind: Bringing U.S. Troops' Dogs and Cats Safely Home from the Combat Zone, was such a wonderful audio book experience. Pet lovers everywhere will be able to relate to the lost, lonely, empty feeling that most likely would hit us if we had to leave the country and also leave behind our animals that have helped us through many sad and uncertain times.

In the midst of a country torn apart by war, American Soldiers forced to leave their families behind in the states, tried to make the best of a very difficult situation. Loneliness and depression were often commonplace, and although soldiers were forbidden to befriend stray animals they came in contact with while fighting a war, the rules were often bent to give the servicemen something positive, something to care about and look forward to at the end of their long days.

With a genuine concern for what would happen to the soldier's new best friends, when they left Iraq and Afghanistan, several military personnel contacted Terri Crisp, International Program Manager for Operation Baghdad Pups with the SPCA International to plead their case as to what their new companion meant to them, and why their animal should be shipped back to the U.S.

Although there is strict criteria which needs to be met, if the animal is eligible for the program, the organization provides all of the veterinary care, and makes all the necessary transportation arrangement to make things go as smoothly as possible. Since 2008, Terri, along with a team of dedicated volunteers rescued and transported some 280+ animals out of the war zone and eventually into a loving home of a serviceman or their family members. This book tells not only the personal stories of what the military personnel have endured while at war, but it also tells the stories of what the animals (mostly dogs and some cats) have endured. Despite the conditions the animals endured, they still were able to give something back to those who rescued them. It was a win -- win for man and their 4-legged friend. The stories are very personal, and although for the most part heartwarming, there are sad moments when tears were shed as well. I loved everything about this book, and I especially enjoyed the afterward, in which we learned a bit about what life was like once the animals had homes in the States. What a wonderful organization! What a wonderful book!

A must-read or must-listen to for animal lovers everywhere.

Catch Me; Lisa Gardner

2012-02-09T22:08:00.001-05:00

Title: Catch Me

Author: Lisa Gardner

Publication Year: 2012

Publisher: Dutton

Edition: eBook

Source: Net Galley
Setting: New England (mostly Mass)
Date Completed: 2/7/2012
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

In Lisa Gardner's newest novel, released earlier this week, several characters from Gardner's previous novels return, including, Boston Detective DD Warren. Warren is back to work after the birth of her son, and shes back into action at the scene of a murder. It is here that she is confronted by a woman who claims that she is going to be murdered in just (4) days. The woman is Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant, and she has reason to believe she is next on a killer's list. Charlene wants to be sure that DD Warren, one of Boston's best investigators will find her killer after she is dead.

Charlene (Charlie) grew up with a psychotic mother, and at an early age she witnessed plenty of violence including the death of (2) siblings. When her mother is finally put away, Charlie is taken in by an aunt who lives in New Hampshire. In NH, Charlie has (2) best friends and the girls do everything together. But even with best friends, some secrets are too painful to talk about, so Charlie's friends do not know what she has endured. After high school the friends start separate lives, but Charlie has no plans for college, so she stays behind to help her aunt run her B&B. The demons of her childhood, however, are never put to rest. She recalls the vivid details of things she witnessed as a child.

After Charlie learns about the murders of her best friends, (1) year apart, in different states, but on the same day and same time -- 8:00 p.m. on January 21st, she fears she must be the killer's next victim. There seem to be no clues, no forced entry and no motive. Not only does Detective DD Warren have this case troubling her and January 21 quickly approaching, but there are pedophiles luring young children via the internet. These pedophiles are turning up dead as well. As the detective begins to look into Charlies background she has several questions she will need answers to, making DD Warren and the reader wonder if Charlie has something to hide?

This is one of those psychological thrillers that had me guessing until the end, and only toward the very end did I finally figure this one out. It's the kind of story that if read by parents of young children, it will open their eyes to some of the tactics used by pedophiles to lure young unsuspecting kids, and it might make you think twice about what your children are using the internet for.

Although this book is part of a series, it could be read as a stand alone without confusing the reader. I've read all of this author's work, and Catch Me is certainly a page-turner I think many readers might enjoy.

Waiting on Wednesday ~ The Bellwether Revivals; Benjamin Wood

2012-02-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Bellwether Revivals; Benjamin Wood

Bright, bookish Oscar Lowe has escaped the urban estate where he was raised and made a new life for himself amid the colleges and spires of Cambridge. He has grown to love the quiet routine of his life as a care assistant at a local nursing home, where he has forged a close friendship with the home's most ill-tempered resident, Dr. Plsen. But when he meets and falls in love with Iris Bellwether, a beautiful and enigmatic medical student at King's College, Oscar is drawn into her world of scholarship and privilege, and soon becomes embroiled in the strange machinations of her brilliant but troubled brother, Eden, who believes he can adapt the theories of a forgotten Baroque composer to heal people with music. Eden's self-belief knows no bounds, and as he draws his sister and closed circle of friends into a series of disturbing experiments to prove himself right, Oscar realizes the extent of the danger facing them all.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2012-02-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometimes two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's selection is a NYRB (New York Review Book) - I just love the uniform look of this imprint.

The Mountain Lion; Jean Stafford

NYRB - New York Review Book Classic

"RALPH WAS TEN AND MOLLY WAS EIGHT WHEN THEY HAD scarlet fever. It left them with some sort of glandular disorder which was not malignant, but which kept them half poisoned most of the time and caused them, frequently, to have such bad nosebleeds that they had to be sent home from school. It nearly always happened that their nosebleeds came at the same time. Ralph, bleeding profusely, would stumble into the corridor to find Molly coming out of the third-grade room, a handkerchief held in a sodden bunch at her nose. Their mother could not bear the sight of blood and her distress, on seeing them straggle up the driveway, never lessened even when these midday homecomings had become a habit. Each time, she implored them to telephone her so she could send Miguel, the foreman, in the car. But they never did, for they liked the walk home, feeling all the way a pleasant superiority to their sisters, Leah and Rachel, who were still cooped up in school with nothing to do but chew paraffin on the sly."

Has anyone read this one? If not, would you continue reading?

Mailbox Monday

2012-02-06T05:30:00.000-05:00

The Loved One; Evelyn Waugh

(sent by a paperback swap member)

Heading Out to Wonderful; Robert Goolrick

(sent by Algonquin)

Until Next Time; Kevin Fox

(sent by Algonquin Books)

All Woman and Springtime; Brandon Jones

(sent by Algonquin Books)

All That I Am; Anna Funder

(finished copy sent by Harper)

(New eBooks)

Fairy Tale Interrupted; Rosemarie Terenzio

(Kindle Purchase)

The Snow Child; Eowyn Ivey

(Kindle Purchase)

Saturday Snapshot

2012-02-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

Everyone is getting excited about having a baby in the family after such a very very long time without a little bundle. My DIL made this lovely sweater (such a nice change from lots of pink). Isn't she talented? My son selected the bunny buttons:)

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother; Amy Chua

2012-02-02T22:39:00.001-05:00

Title: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Author: Amy Chua

Publication Year: 2011

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Edition: audio

Reader: author - Amy Chua (very good)
Source: Library

Date Completed: 2/1/2012

Rating: 4/5 (as a memoir) 1/5 (as a parenting role model)
Recommend: yes

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is the brutally honest memoir of a Chinese-American mother, and how the Chinese parenting style, she used to raise her two daughters, is so different, and in her opinion, superior to the way most Western parents raise their children. In the author's opinion, Western parents were too easy on their children, and too worried about their self-esteem. The result is often soft-hearted, thin-skinned children instead of tough resilient ones. Western parents, according to Chua, don't push their children enough to be the very best they can be, and she claims that they also allow their children to make too many of their own decisions. According to Chua, Western children often select activities that she deems are not in the child's best interest. Examples of these are, cheer leading, drama club or any other sport or activity that you can't win a medal in.

Amy Chua and her husband Jed Rubenfeld, are both Yale Law professors and authors. The couple agreed early on that Amy would decide on the parenting style for their daughters, and as for religion, the girls would be raised Jewish like their father Jed, even though Amy was raised Catholic.

High expectations, and respect for authority were a given, and the girls were raised to believe that "nothing is fun unless you are good at it". To achieve this, one had to work hard and endure long hours of practice, practice and more practice. After school the girls often had to practice up to (4) hours each evening. Building confident and successful children was all that was important to this mother. When it came to studies, a grade of (A-) was unacceptable. The girls, Sophia, the oldest, and Lulu, the younger child, were never allowed to have play dates, sleep overs, watch television, be in a school play, play computer games, nor could they choose their own extracurricular activities. Friends outside of school were not allowed, as they had to fit them into a busy schedule, often for a year in advance. In school, not being #1 was never an option. The only subjects that were not important to Amy for their daughters was gym and drama -- in Amy's world, if you couldn't win awards it wasn't something worth spending time on.

Sophia was always respectful and eager to please her parents, she was tops in her class gifted as a Suzuki piano student. She was subjected to rigorous lessons, special teachers and the girls even had to practice when the family vacationed. Amy even chose hotels based on whether a piano would be available for Sophia to practice on.

Lulu was also highly intelligent, and a talented violinist, but she was a rebellious child with a mind of her own. She was a girl who often went head to head with her mother with neither willing to back down.

I'm not going to elaborate on the parenting methods Amy Chua used on her girls. You probably wouldn't believe me, and you really should read this book for yourself. At times while reading this book, I felt a bit like a voyeur, peeking into the windows and looking at the daily life of this family. Honestly, had that been the case, I probably would have called CPS (Child Protective Services) on at least a couple of occasions about this mother.

Although her tough Tiger Mom style seemed, in most cases, to produce the results she was hoping for, I wonder what price the girls paid emotionally in their attempts to please their mother, and how she will be remembered by the girls later on. It always seemed like nothing they did was good enough for their mother, and that they could have done better. Even though the reader did learn a little about Jed, the girl's father, and the way he was raised as a child, I got the impression that Jed rarely interfered with the demands placed upon the girls by their mother.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely, even though I don't agree with her parenting style, and I also thought she carried this huge chip on her shoulder. Perhaps a blend of Chinese and Western parenting styles might be the answer to raising a smart, self-confident and sane child.

Waiting on Wednesday

2012-02-01T06:40:00.001-05:00

The Year of the Gadfly; Jennifer Miller

May 2012 - Houghton Mifflin

Storied Mariana Academy was founded with a serious honor code, its reputation unsullied for decades. Now Prisom’s Party threatens its placid halls.

A budding journalist whose only confidant is the chain-smoking specter of Edward R. Murrow, Iris Dupont knows that she can break into the ranks of The Devil’s Advocate, the Party’s underground newspaper, and there uncover the real source of its blackmail schemes and vilifying rumors. Some involve her favorite teacher, Mr. Kaplan. Others point to an albino student who left school abruptly, never to return. And everything connects to a rare book called Marvelous Species. But the truth is not without its own dangers, leaving Iris torn between her allegiances, her reporter’s instinct, and her own troubled past.

The Year of the Gadfly is an exhilarating journey of double-crosses, long-buried secrets, and all the charge of adolescence, following in the footsteps of classic school novels like Prep and The Secret History, and reminding us how these years haunt our lives forever.

January 2012 in Review

2012-01-31T20:58:00.000-05:00

I can't believe the first month of 2012 is over already.

Instead of worrying about the number of books I read or meeting some self-imposed monthly goal, in January I just went with the flow --reading what I felt like reading and not worrying (too much) about review books. I have to admit I loved it and I ended up really enjoying what I read a lot, except for one audio review book which was just so so. Here is what my month looked like (I decided to include the movies I saw as well) ---

January

A Sense of an Ending; Julian Barnes (5/5) - literary fiction
Lethal; Sandra Brown - 4/5 (suspense - audio book)
The Girl Who Played With Fire; Stieg Larsson - 4/5 (books to movies)
Heft; Liz Moore - 4.5/5 (contemporary fiction)
The Odds: A Love Story; Stewart O'Nan - 4/5 (contemporary fiction)
Home Front; Kristin Hannah - 3/5 (contemporary fiction - audio book)
East of Eden; John Steinbeck - 5/5 (classic challenge - audio)
The Invisible Ones; Stef Penney - 4/5 (arc/mystery)

Books in Progress

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother; Amy Chua (NF-audio) - OMG - what a mother!!
In This Way I Was Saved; DeLeewua
Catch Me; Lisa Gardner (eGalley)
Fairy Tale Interrupted; Terenzio (eBook - NF)

Movies

War Horse - 10/10
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - 7/10
Water for Elephants - 6/10

February Plans

Finish ALL Books in Progress
A Moveable Feast; Hemingway - Read-a-Long
A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty; Josilyn Jackson
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking; Susan Cain (NF)
(3) Random Picks

First Chapter First Paragraph - Tuesday Intros

2012-01-31T00:30:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometimes two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's selection is a book that is scheduled to release on February 7th from Dutton Publishing. Lisa Gardner is a favorite suspense/thriller author of mine.

Catch Me - Lisa Gardner

(eGalley provided through NetGalley

quoted text may differ in final copy)

"My name is Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant.

I live in Boston, work in Boston, and in four days, will probably die here. I'm twenty-eight years old. And I don't feel like dying just yet.

It started two years ago, with the murder of my best friend, Randi Menke, in Providence. She was strangled in her living room. No sign of struggle, no sign of forced entry. For a while the Rhode Island cops thought maybe her ex had done it. I guess there'd be a history of domestic assaults. Nothing she ever told me, or our other best friend, Jackie, about. Jackie and I tried to console ourselves with that, as we wept together at Randi's funeral. We hadn't known. We just hadn't known or of course we would've done ...something. Anything.

That's what we told ourselves."

Woukl you continue reading? (The paragraphs that follow these are even better!)

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. January's host is Alyce@ At Home with Books.

Sorry about the photo chop-job, but (4) books arrived last week. The top (2): Five Chiefs; Stevens and Digital Photography; Horenstein were blog wins from Kim and Leslie. (Thank you so much, as well as the publishers for their generosity).

The bottom (2) The New Republic; Shriver and Waiting for Sunrise; Boyd, came to me from Shelf Awareness and the Amazon Vine Program.

The Invisible Ones; Stef Penney

2012-01-29T20:58:00.000-05:00

Title: The Invisible Ones

Author: Stef Penney

Publication Year: 2012

Publisher: Putnam

Edition: ARC

Source: Amazon Vine
Setting: England

Date Completed: 1/22/2012

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

Some of you may recall that a few weeks ago I quoted an intro from Stef Penney's new novel, The Invisible Ones. It was one that really made me curious for more....(here it is again in case you missed it):

St. Luke's Hospital

"When I woke up, I remembered nothing--apart from one thing. And little enough of that: I remember that I was lying on my back while the woman was straddling me, grinding her hips against mine, I have a feeling it was embarrassingly quick; but then, it had been a while. The thing is, I remember how it felt, but not what anything looked like. When I try to picture her face, I can't. When I try to picture the surroundings, I can't. I can't picture anything at all. I try; I try really hard, because I'm worried.

After some time, one thing comes back to me: the taste of ashes."

In this unusual mystery, set in the 80s, Ray Lovell is a private investigator who finds himself in the situation quoted above. Ray, because of his gypsy descent, has been hired by Leon Wood, to help find his daughter Rose, who went missing seven years earlier after marrying Ivo Janko. Leon is a gypsy himself, who does not trust the authorities, and thinks Lovell, is the one who can help find Rose. The Janko family is a tight knit family of gypsies who keep to themselves. After Rose disappeared, no one bothered to even notify authorities, so Leon is suspecting that she may have been a victim of foul play. The Jankos think she ran off with someone else, and have hoped to have seen the last of her.

The story alternates between two narratives, Ray, the investigator, and JJ (Jimmy Janko) a 14-year old who is concerned about his uncle Ivo. JJ is also concerned about little Christo, Ivo's young son who is suffering from a rare disease, that has stricken other male members of theJanko family, including Ivo when he was a young child.

PI Lovell has his work cut out for him, as there is plenty of misinformation which he needs to dissect, and plenty of twists and turns along the way,. The secrets are plentiful in the story, so even though the plot line moved slowly at times, I was sucked in early and anxious to find out what was actually going on.

I cannot recall ever reading a mystery quite like this one. It was interesting to find out about the gypsy culture, and the author really did a good job in this respect. Readers who enjoy a good mystery that will keep you wondering until the end should enjoy this book. I was totally taken by surprise with the ending.

Saturday Snapshot

2012-01-28T06:58:00.000-05:00

My coworker designed this pattern, and then bit by bit, over a long period of time, she painted the dining room ceiling in her old Victorian home. Some people obviously have a lot more creativity and patience than me -- I couldn't imagine taking on a project this huge. (This is only a third of the ceiling, the rest still needs to be done.)

East of Eden; John Steinbeck

2012-01-26T22:50:00.000-05:00

Title: East of Eden

Author: John Steinbeck

Publication Year: (originally 1952)

Publisher: Penguin (2002) (Recorded Books - audio)

Edition: trade softcover and audio book

Source: my copy and Library audio book
Setting: (mostly Salinas Valley, California)

Date Completed: 1/20/2012

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: yes - a must read!

It's always difficult for me to write a review about a book I absolutely loved. I can't believe I waited this long to read this epic masterpiece. The writing is beautiful, the story and characters memorable; it's one of those stories you will never forget, but you will want to reread even though you know what will happen.

--just one of my favorite passages---

"In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved. Indeed, most of their vices are attempted short cuts to love. When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he dies unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror. It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world".

We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never ending contests in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is."

The book is 600 pages and the audio book was read by Richard Poe, a favorite reader. I loved the audio, but needed to reread sections, just because the writing was so wonderful. The story is somewhat autobiographical and it also reminds the reader of the biblical story of Cain and Abel from the Book of Genesis. It is a story which spans a period covering the Civil War and World War 1, but yet, it is not a story about our country at war.

It's a story of three generations and two families. The family of Samuel and Liza Hamilton, Irish immigrants. Samuel was a wise and loving man, and a wonderful husband and father to nine children. The other family is Cyrus and Alice Trask, and their two sons Charles and Adam. Cyrus is a tough on his boys as well as his wife.

Adam and Charles Trask are brothers with personalities as different as day and night, from an early age they vie for their father's love and approval. Adam is gentle, Charles is mean. After their mother passes away and later their powerful father, Cyrus, the brothers are left a large sum of money. Adam marries a woman named Cathy, who he knows very little about. Not only is she conniving, she has a sordid past and is pure evil. She's a woman who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. Shortly after they move away to Salinas Valley, California, Cathy gives birth to twin sons, who she wants nothing to do with. Not only doesn't she want to be a mother, she has no interest in being a wife either. She does what she must to escape her situation.

Lee, is a Chinese cook and servant for the Trasks who basically raises the young boys, after Cathy leaves. Adam is devastated after his wife has left and unable to deal with the young twins. It is only after she is gone that the twins are even given names after Lee insists on it. They are named Caleb (Cal) and Aron, after Cain and Abel.

Lee was an amazing character, a gentle and smart man who shares his bits of wisdom though out the story. The boys, like their father and his brother Charles, are opposites, and each compete for their father's love and affection as well. As the boys grow up Cal learn bits and pieces about the mother they knew. Eventually they meet her, and one son fears he shares some of his mother's evil traits.

While the first half of the book tells mostly the story of the Hamilton's, Cyrus and Alice Trask and their son's Charles and Adam. The second half's focus is on the sons of Adam and Cathy, Caleb (Cal) and Abel.

The entire story held my interest, and the 600 pages and numerous audio discs came to an end all too quickly. I want to read it again already. So happy I read this book -- you must move it up on your TBR list--you'll be glad that you did. This is sure to be a new top 5 books of all time.

A Moveable Feast; Ernest Hemingway - Read-a-Long

2012-01-26T07:28:00.001-05:00

Hosted by Wallace

(thanks for hosting)

In my efforts to read more classics in 2012, I've decided to participate in the February (month long) read a-long. It's a short book so you'll only be required to read about (8) pages a day.

Here is a little info about the read-a-long, but please go read the post for more information and to sign up.

Some Facts About the Read-a-Long:

You do not have to be a book blogger to join.
We will be reading the book in February (4 weeks), with the first discussion happening on Friday, February 3rd / the book is 210 pages (paperback, excluding introduction) so that’s roughly 8 pages a day.
Don’t be intimidated. We will be going at a slow pace and discussing the book throughout our reading. The discussions are quite fun, and make the reading process very enjoyable!

In case this one isn't right for you, here is the complete 2012 list for other Read-a-Longs.

Click Here to Sign Up for Read-a-Long Reminders

2012 Schedule

Currently Reading! January 2012: Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald *

February 2012: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

March/ April/May 2012: Bleak House by Charles Dickens *

June/July 2012: On the Road by Jack Kerouac

August 2012: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde *

September/ October 2012: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte *

November/ December 2012: The Fran Lebowitz Reader by Fran Lebowitz

Waiting on Wednesday - Life Everlasting: The Animal Way of Death; Heinrich

2012-01-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

Life Everlasting: The Animal Way of Death; Bernd Heinrich

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - June 19, 2012

(overview)

When a good friend with a severe illness wrote, asking if he might have his “green burial” at Bernd Heinrich’s hunting camp in Maine, it inspired the acclaimed biologist/author to investigate a subject that had long fascinated him. How exactly does the animal world deal with the flip side of the life cycle? And what are the lessons, ecological to spiritual, raised by a close look at how the animal world renews itself? Heinrich focuses his wholly original gaze on the fascinating doings of creatures most of us would otherwise turn away from—field mouse burials conducted by carrion beetles; the communication strategies ravens, “the premier northern undertakers,” use to do their work; and the “inadvertent teamwork” among wolves and large cats, foxes and weasels, bald eagles and nuthatches in cold-weather dispersal of killed prey. Heinrich reveals, too, how and where humans still play our ancient and important role as scavengers, thereby turning—not dust to dust—but life to life.

First Chapter ~First Paragraph~Tuesday Intros

2012-01-24T00:30:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's selection is a book that has been on my shelf since 2009. The1st paragraph has me wanting more ---- what do you think?

In This Way I Was Saved; Brian DeLeeuw

I ENTER THE LOBBY of Claire Nightingale's apartment building, here to tell her I have murdered her only son. As always, the marble foyer is hushed and dim, almost sepulchral, and, as always, two doormen stand watch over the evening shift. The one who opens the door for me is named Victor. He recognizes my face--of course he does, he's worked here for years--and he says, "They starving you at college? I can see your ribs, buddy."

The Stephen King Project ~ 2012

2012-01-23T22:42:00.000-05:00

Somehow I overlooked signing up for this challenge for January 1st, but my 2012 plans definitely include reading more Stephen King novels. I finished 2011 reading his latest novel, 11/22/63 (which I loved) so he is once again on my "must read more author's list".

The Stephen King Project is being hosted by: Natalie at Coffee and a Book Chick and Kathleen at Boarding In My Forties. It runs from January 2012 thru December 2012, and there are different levels of participation. You can sign up HERE.

My Goal (3) Books - A Lil Bit of King
(tentative list subject to change)

Under the Dome
Misery - REREAD (loved the book and the movie)
The Stand

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. January's host is Alyce@ At Home with Books. (2) new to me books last week - both came from other paperback swap members:

The Forgotten Waltz; Anne Enright

And So it Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life; Charles Shields

Saturday Snapshot

2012-01-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

This isn't a great scan, but the photo is of my parents wedding in September of 1940. My mother's oldest sister is to the right of her. Both of my parents died in the late 80's at the ages of 69 and 72, but my mom's oldest sister lived to be 97 and just passed away in 2010.

I was one of those surprise babies who arrived 9 and 11 years after my (2) brothers. Sadly, they too have also passed away way too young (both in were their 60's).

Home Front; Kristin Hannah

2012-01-19T19:18:00.002-05:00

Title: Home Front

Author: Kristin Hannah

Publication Year: 2011

Publisher: MacMillian Audio

Edition: audio

Reader: Maggi - Meg Reed (very good)
Source: Amazon Vine

Date Completed: 1/18/2012

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: no

Kristin Hannah's latest novel, Home Front, explores how war affects families.

Jolene Zarkades, is a wife, a mother of two young daughters and a Black Hawk Pilot with the National Guards. She has been deployed to Iraq. Their marriage of 12 years is on shaky grounds, and to make matters worst on the day before she learns that she must go to Iraq, her husband, Michael, tells her he doesn't love her anymore.

Michael is a successful defense lawyer, who works long hours. He is not happy is not happy, nor is he support of what his wife is doing. Fortunately, Michael's mother, Mila is supportive of Jolene and is there for her grandchildren as well. The 12 year-old daughter is angry and is having issues at school, and the youngest child, only 4 years-old is a child who wants her mama around all the time. It isn't until Michael is put in the position of defending a client who murdered his wife while suffering from PTSD, that he begins to realize what fighting for one's country does to a person and what war is really like.

The story gives readers an eye-opening account of how war affects military personnel and their families. Without going into what happens to Jolene, of course what happens is the wars changes her. The picture it paints is not pretty.

Did I like this book? Not really, for a few reasons. While I felt it was an important story, the writing seemed overly sentimental, predictable and often very repetitive. Although the audio book reader, Maggi - Meg Reed did a good job, at times I just really got tired of listening to this story.

Waiting on Wednesday

2012-01-18T05:30:00.000-05:00

The Good Dream; Donna VanLiere

July - 2012 - St. Martin's Press

From The New York Times bestselling author comes a poignant, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting novel about an unlikely path to motherhood, and of two lost souls healing each other

1950 Tennessee, a time and place that straddles the past and present. Ivorie Walker is considered an old maid by the town (though she’s only in her early thirties) and she takes that label with good humor and a grain of salt. Ever since her parents passed away, she has hidden her loneliness behind a fierce independence and a claim of not needing anyone. But her mother’s death hit her harder than anyone suspects and Ivorie wonders if she will be alone forever.

When she realizes that someone has been stealing vegetables from her garden—a feral, dirty-faced boy who disappears into the hills—something about him haunts Ivorie. She can’t imagine what would make him desperate enough to steal and eat from her garden. But what she truly can’t imagine is what the boy faces, each day and night, in the filthy lean-to hut miles up in the hills. Who is he? How did he come to live in the hills? Where did he come from? And, more importantly, can she save him? As Ivorie steps out of her comfort zone to uncover the answers, she unleashes a firestorm in the town—a community that would rather let secrets stay secret.

The Odds; Stewart O'Nan

2012-01-17T20:17:00.000-05:00

Title: The Odds: A Love Story

Author: Stewart O'Nan

Publication Year: 2012

Publisher: Viking

Edition: eGalley

Source: Net Galley
Setting: Niagara Falls, Canada

Date Completed: 1/16/2012

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

The Odds: A Love Story is a short but enjoyable novel of fewer than 200 pages. It's the story of Art and Marion Fowler, a couple married nearly 30 years, whose marriage is facing tough and desperate times. Both have lost their jobs, their home in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio is at risk of being foreclosed, credit card debt has mounted, and bankruptcy seems to be the next step. The Fowler's have been stuck in a rut, and the mounting pressure has caused the couple to see divorce as a likely possibility.

In a last ditch effort to save the marriage, Art convinces his wife to take what money they have left in their savings account, and travel by bus for a Valentine's Day, for a second honeymoon to Niagara Falls. He has a plan which involves gambling their remaining savings in the casino's roulette wheel. He's calculated "the odds", and is convinced they can hit it big, hoping that they can save their marriage in the process.

The story moves back and forth in time over the couples 30 year marriage. As the couple spends their time eating, drinking, and some sight-seeing, and at a concert, the reader gets a glimpse at the tender times and troubling times of Art and Marion over the years. The author goes deep into the inner and unsaid feelings of both Art and Marion, to let the reader know what is going on in their heads, including the grudges they have harbored against each other. The things each has done and regretted, and all the many issues that lots of couples married that long may be faced to deal with at one time or another.

I loved the way the story was written. The beginning of each chapter features: "The Odds" of some event happening. For example, The Odds of a Married Couple Making Their 25th Anniversary: 1 in 6. I loved these headers, as they occasionally gave the reader a little prelude to what was to follow in each chapter. The Odds: was a treat to read. It's the story of a marriage, with all of it's ups and downs. It's not all doom and gloom; there is parts that made me laugh as well. It's a story that might make you rethink your own relationship as well. I'm happy to have had the chance to read this one, and I think most readers will enjoy it.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph ~ Tuesday Intros

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's "intro" is from a classic I've been wanting to read for a long time.

East of Eden; John Steinbeck

" The SALINAS VALLEY is in Northern California. It is a long narrow swale between two ranges of mountains, and the Salinas River winds and twists up the center until it falls at last into Monterey Bay.

I remember my childhood names for grasses and secret flowers. I remember where a toad may live and what time the birds awaken in the summer--and what trees and seasons smelled like--how people looked and walked and smelled even. The memory of odors is very rich."

(I've been listening to the audio version (amazing) as well as reading the above print edition and I'm really enjoying this powerful story). Have you read it? What were your thoughts?

Mailbox Monday

2012-01-15T20:06:00.003-05:00

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. January's host is Alyce@ At Home with Books. (3) new to me books last week:

(all 3 books were sent by paperbackswap members)

Arthur and George; Julian Barnes - loved - A Sense of an Ending so wanted to read something else by Barnes.
Last Man in the Tower; Aravind Adiga (read and author's previous book White Tiger)
Brideshead Revisited; Evelyn Waugh (recommended by Zibilee@ Raging Bibliomania)

Get any new books last week?

Saturday Snapshot

2012-01-14T14:00:00.002-05:00

My 1st Grandchild @23.5 weeks!

Isn't she precious ?

Friday the 13th - Are you Superstitious?

2012-01-13T07:11:00.000-05:00

"We're not really all that superstitious, but since our dad can be a bit accident prone, we figured it might be a good day to stay indoors and read or sleep." How about you? Do you take extra care in what you do on Friday the 13th?

Heft; Liz Moore

2012-01-12T22:26:00.000-05:00

Title: Heft

Author: Liz Moore

Publication Year: 2012

Publisher: W. W. Norton

Edition: eGalley

Source: Net Galley
Setting: New York

Date Completed: 1/9/2012

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: yes

Heft is a wonderful story that will make you want to rethink what the word "family" really means.

Arthur Opps once was a college professor, but that was 18 years ago. Now, Arthur is a 58 year-old shut in who weighs in excess of 500 lbs. His best friend, who lived next door, passed away in 1997, and the last time Arthur has left his house in Brooklyn was in September 2001. The internet has made his reclusive life easy, since food and anything else he needs is delivered right to his front door. He has no family, no friends, no job, and no one to talk to, so over the years, his only comfort has come from the food he consumes, and occasional letters from a former student named Charlene Turner, who was 20 years younger than him.

Charlene and Arthur were two lost souls. Both were sad and lonely people, who spent hours talking over the course of the semester. When the class was finished, Charlene never took another course, but began to write Arthur letters. First he was rather shocked, but when he lost his job soon after, to him she seemed like the only friend he had.

(Arthur)...."And partly it was that I recognized myself in her---in her awkwardness, her loneliness, her being very out of place, an outsider in a roomful of compatriots. These feelings I recognized as my own. She spoke differently than her classmates. She had that accent, which I came to love, and that hopefulness that won me completely. One of the things I loved most about her, what I valued, was her lack of awareness."

Then abruptly the letters stopped, until one day many years later she contacts Arthur to reveal a little more about her life, and to ask him a favor. Her son Kel Keller, who is in high school is in need of some guidance, and since Arthur was the smartest man she had ever known, she asks that he help point her son in the right direction. On the surface, Kel seems to have a lot going for him, but he is dealing with some difficult issues which he tries to conceal from others.

Suddenly, Arthur's spirits seem brighter at the possibility of seeing Charlene again after almost 20 years. He hires a cleaning service to get his house in shape, and when 19 year-old Yolanda shows up, he finds himself looking forward to the days she cleans and their conversations which follow. Little by little life seems a bit brighter for Arthur.

The way in which the story unfolds is not perfect, but I cared so much about the characters that I was able to overlook any flaws in the story structure. The story alternates between Arthur's story, and Kel Keller's story. Both stories are heartbreaking at times. Heft, was one of my favorite kinds of novels, complete with dysfunctional, but well developed characters that I was cheering on all the way. It's a story that made me rethink what a "family" really is, and a story that left me feeling at least somewhat hopeful. It's a page-turner.

Waiting on Wednesday;

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Red House; Mark Haddon

June 12, 2012 - Doubleday

An dazzlingly inventive novel about modern family, from the author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
The set-up of Mark Haddon's brilliant new novel is simple: Richard, a wealthy doctor, invites his estranged sister Angela and her family to join his for a week at a vacation home in the English countryside. Richard has just re-married and inherited a willful stepdaughter in the process; Angela has a feckless husband and three children who sometimes seem alien to her. The stage is set for seven days of resentment and guilt, a staple of family gatherings the world over.

But because of Haddon's extraordinary narrative technique, the stories of these eight people are anything but simple. Told through the alternating viewpoints of each character, The Red House becomes a symphony of long-held grudges, fading dreams and rising hopes, tightly-guarded secrets and illicit desires, all adding up to a portrait of contemporary family life that is bittersweet, comic, and deeply felt. As we come to know each character they become profoundly real to us. We understand them, even as we come to realize they will never fully understand each other, which is the tragicomedy of every family.

The Red House is a literary tour-de-force that illuminates the puzzle of family in a profoundly empathetic manner -- a novel sure to entrance the millions of readers of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The Girl Who Played With Fire; Stieg Larsson

2012-01-10T20:11:00.002-05:00

Title: The Girl Who Played With Fire

Author: Stieg Larsson

Publication Year: 2010

Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard

Edition: trade

Source: Purchased
Setting: Sweden

Date Completed: 1/7/2012

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

In this follow up to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, the second book of the Millennium series, The Girl Who Played With Fire, was probably even more fast paced than book one. In my opinion, you should read these books in order, as you'll really get a better feel for Lisbeth Salander, and what has been going on with her.

As this story begins, Lisbeth Salander enjoying her new wealth, altering or should I say enhancing her appearance through plastic surgery, and relaxing at a hotel in Grenada as a terrible storm looms. Back in Sweden no one knows where she is, but Mikel Blomkvist, publisher of Millennium magazine, is preparing to run an explosive feature exposing of the underage sex slave business in Sweden, which involves some top-ranked officials and crooked cops. The day before the feature is to run the journalist responsible, Dag Svensson and his partner Mia, are murdered. The following day there is another murder, that of Nils Bjurman. Although he seems unconnected to the other two, he happened to be Lisbeth Salander's legal guardian.

When the same fingerprints show up in both of these cases, the hunt is on for the elusive Lisbeth Salander. Even her old pal Blomkvist has no idea where she is, but he believes she is innocent and wants to help prove it. Having tapped into his computer, Lisbeth communicates in cryptic ways sending clues about who might be responsible.

The book started out full steam, but then had several lulls throughout the 600+ page storyline (much could have been eliminated, in my opinion). There were too many unnecessary details, throughout the book. Don't get me wrong, this was still a fantastic story. I liked the direction the continuation of this series took, and while some interesting things were revealed about Lisbeth's family history, I felt the that the introduction lead the reader to believe that we would learn a lot more about why she is the way she is. That just didn't happen. The story did pick up again in the last third of the book, with lots more action and revelations, which made me as the reader anxious to read the final book of the series.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2012-01-10T00:30:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's "intro" is from an ARC of : The Invisible Ones; Stef Penney:

January 5, 2012 - Putnam

St. Luke's Hospital

After some time, one thing comes back to me: the taste of ashes."

What do you think? Curious for more?

(I haven't started this one yet, but I hope to in a few days)

Mailbox Monday - January 9, 2012

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. January's host is Alyce@ At Home with Books.

It was a quiet week for new books, but it's okay as I do have plenty of unread ones to keep me busy for a few years :)

First You Try Everything; Jane McCafferty

Harper - January 17th

(description) - An engrossing tale of a marriage that’s falling apart and a wife who will stop at nothing to keep it together.

From their early days in college, Evvie and Ben were drawn to each other by feelings of isolation stemming from their wounded childhoods, passionate idealism, and zeal for music. Sheltered by their love, they weathered the challenges and trials of the imperfect world around them. But as the years passed, they grew apart. Now Ben has his sights set on a completely different kind of future—alone, or with someone else.
Convinced that Ben cannot live without her, Evvie begins to unravel, as she obsessively devises ways to reclaim the love that she cannot let go of. She gambles on a spectacularly dangerous scheme, one that may ultimately have devastating consequences.

Jane McCafferty has written a highly original, utterly beguiling, and emotionally satisfying novel about marriage. Told from alternating viewpoints, this gripping, psychologically astute, and madcap novel illuminates the power of love to define and transform our lives, for better or for worse.

The Glass of Time; Michael Cox

(purchased for my Kindle)

(this one is a sequel to The Meaning of Night which I already own)

(description) - The author’s first novel, The Meaning of Night (2006), set in London in 1854, was told from the viewpoint of a scholar turned murderer, but this sequel, set some 20 years later, is narrated by an innocent, 19-year-old Esperanza Gorst. Orphaned as a child, she has been raised in relative luxury in Paris by her guardian and given an excellent education by her tutor. However, her world is upended when they inform her that she is to leave for England in two months, where she will be employed as a lady’s maid by the widowed Baroness Tansor on the vast estate of Evenwood. It is to be the first step in what they call the Great Task, but Esperanza’s ultimate goal will only be revealed to her in phases. Although she appears far too refined for her occupation, Esperanza is immediately embraced by the family, but Lady Tansor proves to be a difficult employer, given to hysterics due to her tragic past—the love of her life, the pretentious poet Phoebus Daunt, was murdered by an old friend. Cox so cleverly incorporates the plot of his first novel that his new one can be read by both those who are familiar with The Meaning of Night and those who have never read it. Great period atmosphere, a cunning plot, and an intelligent narrator make this one a special treat for those who like some history with their mystery.

Saturday Snapshot

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, just as the sun had gone down, I stopped by a local florist, and snapped this "gerber daisy" photo with my iPhone.

Lethal; Sandra Brown

2012-01-06T21:30:00.002-05:00

Title: Lethal
Author: Sandra Brown
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Hachette
Edition: audio
Reader: Victor Slezak (excellent)
Source: Library
Setting: Louisiana
Date Completed: 1/5/2012
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

Honor Gillette is a widow. Her husband Eddie was a police officer, who was killed in a suspicious automobile accident. Two years later, Honor is trying to resume some since of normalcy in her life. Her little girl Emily is now 4 years-old. As the story opens, Honor and Emily have been baking cupcakes at their isolated home located somewhere near the Louisiana Bayou. Emily tells her mother that she sees a sick man in their yard. When Honor goes outside to check it out, she finds a dirty and injured man lying on the ground in the bushes. When she tries to help, he grabs her at gunpoint and forces her into the house, holding her and little Emily as hostages.

The man is Lee Coburn and he is wanted by the police and suspected of killing seven people the night before where he worked. Coburn didn't just show up at Honor's house by chance either. He seems to believe that her late husband Eddie, hid something in the house which he is desperate to find. While carefully watching Honor's every move, he begins to tear the house apart in search of that "something". Honor has no idea what her husband might have hidden or why Coburn is so insistent about finding it. At the same time, there is a manhunt going on for Coburn.

Initially, Coburn comes across as a man you wouldn't want to cross or try to escape from. However, towards the end of the book, he seems to soften a bit and there is some romantic tension in the air as well. Little Emily is so sweet and innocent. She offers Coburn cupcakes and begins to ask him lots of questions, which seemed perfect pitched for a precocious 4 year-old. The audio version was excellent as the reader, Victor Slezak was terrific and he did a great job with the voices, including capturing a perfect-pitch, believable voice of little Emily.

Without giving away too much about the plot, I'll just say this suspense thriller has a little bit of everything in it. There is corruption, bad cops, good cops and plot twists along the way. There's more to Coburn than what we are first led to believe as well, and before long it seems as if Coburn may be the only person Honor and her daughter can really trust.

I liked this audio book a lot, especially since the reader was so good, but I was let down by the way the story ended. Despite that, it's still a fast paced story and fun to listen to as well.

The Sense of an Ending; Julian Barnes

2012-01-04T20:15:00.002-05:00

Title: The Sense of an Ending
Author: Julian Barnes
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Knopf
Edition: Kindle
Source: Library
Setting: England
Date Completed: 1/2/2012
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: yes

In this story, the protagonist is an average guy; he's Tony Webster. Sixty-something, divorced, retired, and living a comfortable and somewhat unremarkable life near London.. The story covers two periods of Tony's life. One period was 40 years earlier (1960s) when he was attending a private school outside of London. At that time, he briefly dated a girl named Veronica Ford, who was clearly out of his league. At school, he was also part of a circle of young men, which included the enigmatic Adrian Finn. When Tony and Veronica split up, Adian and Veronica become an item. School ends and the group goes their separate ways, and for the next 40 years Tony really hadn't thought about any of them.

Flash forward to the present and Tony learns that Veronica's mother has died and has made him an unusual bequest: money and the diary of his dead friend. It is this that causes Tony's mind to travel back to his younger days. He tracks down old friends, and before soon uncovers secrets to the past that makes him reevaluate his life and his relationships with others.

Some of the passages that resonated with me:

"remembering isn't always the same as what you have witnessed"

"It strikes me that this maybe one of the differences between youth and age: when you are young, we invent different futures for ourselves; when we are old, when invent different pasts for others."

"How often do we tell our own life story? How often do we adjust, embellish, make sly cuts? and the longer life goes on, the fewer are those around us to challenge our account, to remind us that our life is not our life, merely the story we have told about our life. Told to others, but --mainly -- to ourselves."

" Sometimes I think that the purpose of life is to reconcile us to its eventual loss by wearing us down, by proving, however, long it takes, that life isn't all that its cracked up to be."

The Sense of an Ending, winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize, is a short novel (fewer than 160 pages) that packs a punch. The writing is simply gorgeous, and it tackles one of my favorite themes and plot techniques, the human condition and the reliability of our distant memory. This is one of those stories that after you turn the final page, you may have several unanswered questions. It may even cause you to reread some of the sections a second time -- it did me, but in the end, I felt it was well worth it. It's thought-provoking and literary fiction at its finest. I loved this one.

Waiting on Wednesday ~ The Uninvited Guests; Sadie Jones

2012-01-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

The Uninvited Guests; Sadie Jones

May 2012 - Harper

(isn't the cover awesome?)

(overview)

One late spring evening in 1912, in the kitchens at Sterne, preparations begin for an elegant supper party in honour of Emerald Torrington's twentieth birthday. But only a few miles away, a dreadful accident propels a crowd of mysterious and not altogether savoury survivors to seek shelter at the ramshackle manor - and the household is thrown into confusion and mischief. The cook toils over mock turtle soup and a chocolate cake covered with green sugar roses, which the hungry band of visitors are not invited to taste. But nothing, it seems, will go to plan. As the passengers wearily search for rest, the house undergoes a strange transformation. One of their number (who is most definitely not a gentleman) makes it his business to join the birthday revels. Evening turns to stormy night, and a most unpleasant game threatens to blow respectability to smithereens: Smudge Torrington, the wayward youngest daughter of the house, decides that this is the perfect moment for her Great Undertaking. The Uninvited Guests is the bewitching new novel from number one bestseller Sadie Jones. The prizewinning author of The Outcast triumphs in this frightening yet delicious drama of dark surprises - where social codes are uprooted and desire daringly trumps propriety - and all is alight with Edwardian wit and opulence

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2012-01-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's "intro" is from: The Girl Who Played With Fire (book 2 in the series).

(1st paragraph of prologue)

"She lay on her back fastened by leather straps to a narrow bed with a steel frame. The harness was tight across her rib cage. Her hands were manacled to the sides of the bed."

(1st paragraph of the 1st chapter)

"Lisbeth Salander pulled her sunglasses down to the tip of her nose and squinted from beneath the brim of her sun hat. She saw the woman from room 32 come out of the hotel side entrance and walk to one of the green-and-white-striped chaise lounges beside the pool. Her gaze was fixed on the ground and her progress seemed unsteady."

(Although I really liked book # 1, this one has me totally addicted. I read the first 147 pages in one sitting.) Have you read this one? What do you think?

Mailbox Monday - January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. January's host is Alyce@ At Home with Books.

Last week I was feeling too lazy to join in, so these are my new books for (2) weeks - no books were received as holiday gifts, but I did receive some Amazon Gift cards.

Home Front; Kristin Hannah (amazon vine and St Martin's Press)
Midwife of Venice; Roberta Rich (Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster)
Me Before You; JoJo Moyes (sent by author)
All I Did Was Shoot My Man; Walter Mosley (Riverhead Books and Shelf Awareness)
The Possibility of You; Pamela Redmond (Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster)

Any new books for you?

Thoughts on Blogging and Less Stress in the New Year

2012-01-01T13:06:00.002-05:00

In 2012, I want to smile more and stress less!

(thoughts on books and reviews)

I love reading, but don't always enjoy reviewing. Granted, some books are easier to review than others, but for me, HAVING to feel like I must follow some format and review every book I read, almost always takes the fun out of having read the book in the first place.

In 2012, my reviews will be even more brief than in 2011. They will be more in a format of my feelings and reactions to the book and what worked or didn't work for me, rather than an analysis writing style, plot devices etc.
I will still plan on posting my thoughts here as well as Good Reads and Amazon.com.
I will still use a rating system and let readers know whether I recommend the book or not.

(thoughts on reading challenges)

Like in 2011, I only signed up for a few (left side bar) 2012 Reading Challenges. They are ones, I know I can be successful at. Why put pressure on ourselves? After all reading is suppose to be fun!

(thoughts on blogging)

In 2011, I found a weekly format that worked well for me. As far as routines and the type of posts you can expect here each week, it'll look something like this :
Sundays - Book Review or Post about my week
Mondays - Mailbox Monday - New books which found their way into my house the previous week
Tuesdays - First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros (where I decided to read a book based on the opening paragraph).
Wednesdays - Waiting on Wednesday - a book that I heard about that won't be published for a few months.
Thursdays - Book Review
Fridays - (nothing consistent - Book Review or whatever strikes my fancy)
Saturday - Saturday Snapshot (photo taken by me or a family member).

(thoughts on books on my shelf and new purchases)

In 2011, I weeded my print books from about 700 to 500. In 2012, I hope to reduce my print books, by at least 100 more. For every (1) new print book that comes into the house (2) MUST leave the house. (I found this is easier than it may sound. For me personally, I am no longer interested in reading about any character that has AIDS, cancer or any other fatal disease. No more books about war, Holocaust, or sisters and female friendships either.) See ....once you understand the type of books that no longer interest you or work for you, cleaning off your shelves and donating books becomes very easy. I only have about (15) books on my shelves that I've read and can't part with, so that part is easy as well -- once it gets read it leaves my house one way or another.
Any new book purchases will be as an eBook (except - I will be starting to purchase a collection of picture books for that 1st grandchild who will be here in early May - who could fault me on that?)
Print books will still be purchased on occasion, mainly at Library Book sales, or obtained through Paperback Swap.

Thanks to all of my loyal followers who make this blog a thing for me to smile about and not stress about.

How about you? Any blogging changes planned for the new year?

Happy New Year - 2012

2012-01-01T11:26:00.000-05:00

Wishing you good health, peace and happiness

in the New Year

Europa Challenge - Perpetual

2012-01-01T11:20:00.000-05:00

(Perpetual Challenge)

Progress to Date

A Kind of Intimacy; Jenn Ashworth - 5/5
The Lost Daughter; Elena Ferrante - 4.5/5
The Days of Abandonment; Eleana Ferrante -4.5/5
Troubling Love; Elena Ferrante - 4.5/5
Treasure Island!!! Sara Levine - 3.5/5

Picture Book Challenge - 2012

2012-01-01T11:18:00.003-05:00

Goal (12)

Back to Classics Challenge - 2012

2012-01-01T11:16:00.001-05:00

Goal (4)

(tentative plans)

East of Eden; John Steinbeck - 5/5 (print and audio)
David Copperfield; Charles Dickens
Travels With Charley; John Steinbeck
A Moveable Feast; Hemingway

Audio Book Challenge - 2012

2012-01-01T11:15:00.000-05:00

Goal (25)

Lethal; Sandra Brown - 4/5 - romantic suspense
Home Front; Kristin Hannah - 3/5 - contemporary fiction
East of Eden; John Steinbeck - 5/5 (classic challenge - audio)
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother; Amy Chua - 4/5 (memoir-audio)
No Buddy Left Behind; Terry Crisp and Cindy Hurn - 5/5 (non fiction)

eBook Challenge 2012

2012-01-01T11:13:00.000-05:00

Goal (25)

Heft; Liz Moore - 4.5/5 (contemporary lit - eBook)
The Odds: A Love Story; Stewart O'Nan - 4/5 (contemporary lit - eBook)
Catch Me; Lisa Gardener - 4/5 (psychological thriller - eBook)
Fairy Tale Interrupted; Rose Marie Terenzio - 1/5 (memoir - eBook)

Books Read in 2012

2012-01-01T11:09:00.001-05:00

Goal (125)

A Sense of an Ending; Julian Barnes (5/5) - literary fiction
Lethal; Sandra Brown - 4/5 (suspense - audio book)
The Girl Who Played With Fire; Stieg Larsson - 4/5 (books to movies)
Heft; Liz Moore - 4.5/5 (contemporary fiction)
The Odds: A Love Story; Stewart O'Nan - 4/5 (contemporary fiction)
Home Front; Kristin Hannah - 3/5 (contemporary fiction - audio book)
East of Eden; John Steinbeck - 5/5 (classic challenge - audio)
The Invisible Ones; Stef Penney - 4/5 (arc/mystery)
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother; Amy Chua - 4/5 (memoir)
Catch Me; Lisa Gardner - 4/5 (psychological thriller)
No Buddy Left Behind; Terri Crisp and Cindy Hurn - 5/5 (non fiction)
Fairy Tale Interrupted; Rose Marie Terenzio - 1/5 (eBook)

Best Books of 2011 ~ the year in review

2011-12-31T17:27:00.000-05:00

2011 was a very good year us and our family: good health, no job loss, and much to look forward to in 2012.

I joined (6) challenges in 2011 and was able to complete them all (posted on left side bar).

I was trying to figure out why I read (46) fewer books in 2011 - 121 in (2011) and 167 in (2010)?? I quickly remembered how I became addicted to the Scrabble App on my iPhone about mid-year. I have played over 2,500 games since, with (2164 wins and 401 losses). I have had fun with this alternate form of mental stimulation so I really can't complain.

I've been having fun reading all of your posts about your favorite reads of 2011, and have added a few more books to my must read list as a result. I've been going back and forth with my own favorites for a week or so now and still keep coming up with (at least the same top 5). Here's my top picks:

Favorite Fiction

A Kind of Intimacy; Jenn Ashworth - Annie is a whacky gal, who I found endearing in a bizarre sort of way. At times I pitied her, and her desperate attempts for love and acceptance. The story is dark and addictive. An unforgettable birds-eye view of the dark side of a fractured mind.
A Good Hard Look; Ann Napolitano - a fictionalized version of the life of the late author Flannery O'Connor. An at times heart-wrenching story, which changes everyone, as they quickly understand what the author meant when she said, "the truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." This book made my go out and purchase all of Flannery O'Connor's books. Loved it.
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake; Jenny Wingfield - A richly detailed account of good and evil in 1950s Arkansas. It's both heart-breaking and uplifting; simple wonderful.
11/22/63; Stephen King - Having been born in the early 50's, reading this novel was like a blast from the past. Whether it was the music references, the vehicles, or the laughable price of gasoline, every detail from that period seemed authentic. It's one of those books that if you allow yourself to suspend belief and just go along for the ride, I think you'll agree it was worth your time.
Of Mice and Men; John Steinbeck - The story of two drifters, Lennie, a mentally challenged, gentle giant, and George, the man who looks after Lennie. Heart-breaking but wonderful.
Sing You Home; Jodi Picoult - Having read all of Picoult's novels, this one --her 18th, is probably her most controversial yet. A powerful story about what constitutes a family, and why committed gay couples should be seen no differently from straight couples when it comes to marriage and raising a family.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog; Muriel Barbery - The Elegance of the Hedgehog is truly a beautiful novel about life, and about looking for the beauty in every person you meet. It gave me so much to think about. It's not the type of story with lots of action, it more philisophical, but don't let that scare you. It's a wonderful character study that examines not only what makes the main characters tick, but it is also a deep exploration of all that surrounds us in the world we live in.
State of Wonder; Ann Patchett - Pharmaceutical researcher Dr. Marina Singh sets off into the Amazon jungle to find the remains and effects of a colleague who recently died under somewhat mysterious circumstances.Beautiful writing, page turning plot.
How to Read the Air; Dinaw Mengestu - A wonderful story about the immigrant experience. The writing is beautiful and detailed and the story intimate. If you love introspective stories, this one gets high marks in that area.
The Easter Parade; Richard Yates - This book too deals with the disenchantment of everyday life, and the longing for something more....the illusive butterfly, that if found, would make our life just perfect. The people in this novel drink too much, make bad choices in relationships and live their lives afraid to share how they really feel. It's wonderful.

Other Favorites (non fiction and childrens)

Steve Jobs; Walter Isaacson
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer; Siddhartha Mukherjee
Fuddles; Frans Vischer
The Magical Christmas Horse; Higgins-Clark and Wendell Minor
Square Cat; Schoonmaker

Have you posted your 2011 favorites yet?

Happy Reading in 2012! Readers Rock!

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo; Stieg Larsson

2011-12-30T20:29:00.000-05:00

Title: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Publication Year: 2009

Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard

Edition: trade

Source: Purchased
Setting: Sweden

Date Completed: 12/28/2011

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

After falling for a clever hoax, financial journalist, Mikael Blomkvist is convicted of libel. Not only does he face a three month prison sentence, but his career in jeopardy as well. Soon after, Henrik Vanger, an elderly, semi-retired executive of a prominent Swedish company hires him to investigate the disappearance of his great niece Harriet, who disappeared 36 years earlier at the age of 14. Initially, Henrik asks him to write about the history of the Vanger family, but is clear that Blomkvist's real purpose will be to solve this decades-old case. Henrik has been obsessed with having this case solved before he dies. There has been no trace of her in all these years and it's assumed she is dead. However, every year on his birthday, he receives a mysterious gift of a pressed flower, like the ones his great-niece used to give him.

As Blomkvist begins to dig into the Vanger history, he hires the smart, highly talented, Lisbeth Salander to help with the investigation. She looks like a punk-rocker, and she is both tough and brilliant, with a talent for computer hacking. She's also heavily-tattooed and antisocial.

For me, this novel started off extremely slow first (150+ pages), and I couldn't understand what all the hype was about. The translation from Swedish wasn't always smooth either, and there are several subplots, but I was determined to finish it as we are planning to see the movie (today). Once the story got off the ground, it had me quickly turning the pages. Each time one mystery seems solved, another one surfaces. The setting is Sweden, and the atmosphere always felt dark and cold -- perfect for this story. The character development, especially of the two main characters was fantastic. Lisbeth was a fantastic character, even though she could be a downer at times. Blomkvist was the perfect compliment to her, in my opinion. I felt like I was inside their mind at times.

Those who haven't read this one yet, should be aware that there are a couple of disturbing incidents of rape and other abuse against women. The story is definitely graphic at times. If you aren't too disturbed as you read, by the end of this novel, I believe most readers will be anxious to read the (2) books which follow: The Girl Who Plays With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Have you read this one? What did you think?

We saw the American version of the movie this afternoon, and we thought it was great. The graphic, sexual violence made me cringe. Despite that it was a terrific movie. I am now anxious to read books 2, and 3.

Hugs from Pearl; Paul Schmid

2011-12-30T09:06:00.001-05:00

Title: Hugs From Pearl
Author and Illustrator: Paul Schmid
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Amazon Vine
Date Completed: 12/29/2011
Rating: 3/5
Recommend: not sure

Hugs From Pearl is a story for very young children. It's about a porcupine who is not happy with who she is, so she tries to change to please others. She loves to hug, but when she hugs her classmates at the Wildwood school, they always yell, "ouch" and end up needing a bandaid after each hug -- those quills hurt!

She tries long baths to soften her quills, she puts pin cushions on her quills, and nothing does the trick. One day she takes a special rose covered pillowcase of her moms, takes a pair of scissors to it and and she uses it as a dress to cover her quills -- problem solved.

I have to say that I sort of scratched my head after reading this book as I'm not sure it sends the right message to young children: trying to change who you are to please others, and also taking things that don't belong to you and using a pair of scissors on them??

The illustrations are simple, but cute (black and white with splotches of pink), and the pages are pastels (light blue and mint green).

All in all I have to say that although it is a cute book, it is not one that would go on the favorites shelf to be read over and over again.

The Accident; Linwood Barclay

2011-12-29T09:46:00.000-05:00

Title: The Accident
Author: Linwood Barclay
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Bantam
Edition: eBook/Kindle (and audio)
Source: Net Galley and Library
Setting: Connecticut
Date Completed: 12/23/2011
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

The Accident is a fast paced thriller that drew me into the story from the very first chapter.

The story is set in the small town of Milford, Connecticut, where Glen Barber, his wife Sheila, and 8-year old daughter Kelly live. Glen is local building contractor, and because of the economy, his business is barely making it. Early on in the story, when Sheila is late returning home from an evening class she has been taking, Glen grows concerned. His concerns are warranted when he learns that Sheila has been killed in a car crash. However, upon investigation, Glen learns that Sheila, never attended class that evening, and was driving drunk. She parked her car on a highway ramp, and the car was hit by another with Sheila still inside. Nothing makes sense. Sheila was only a social drinker, and would have never driven drunk.

Not long after, one of Sheila's friends also ends up dead, then little Kelly, overhears a strange phone conversation while playing hide and seek at her friend's house. When the mother realizes Kelly witnessed the conversation she becomes highly concerned about a secret being exposed.

Could this have anything to do with Kelly's mom's accident? Bit by bit the reader learns that desperate people do desperate things, and even previously stable individuals can see their lives spiral out of control, when they engage in risky behaviors.

Although a bit far-fetched at times, The Accident, was a fast read and an engaging thriller.

I read the eBook and listened to the audio version. The audio was read by Peter Berkrot who did a great job.

Three Bedrooms in Manhattan; Georges Simenon

2011-12-28T20:29:00.000-05:00

Title: Three Bedrooms in Manhattan
Author: Georges Simenon
Publication Year: 1946 (this ed 2003)
Publisher: NYRB Classics
Edition: trade
Source: Purchased
Setting: New York
Date Completed: 12/20/2011
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: yes

Three Bedrooms in Manhattan, first published in 1946, and is a short, introspective novel about two lonely people.

Francios Combe is a 48-year old French actor. After seventeen years of marriage, he's newly divorced, -- his wife left him for an actor half his age. He's a sad sap, living in a rundown place in New York, a man looking for human connection.

"On this chilly October morning, he was a man who had cut all threads, a man approaching fifty, without ties to anything--not to family, profession, country, himself, and definitely not to home. His only connection was to a complete stranger, a woman sleeping in his room in a seedy hotel."

Kay Miller is another lonely, lost soul who had spent a few years in Swiss sanatorium. She was married to a Hungarian Ambassador, and has since been around the block a few times. She has a daughter that lives with an aunt.

"She wasn't beautiful or irresistible, as she thought she was. Her body, like her face was marked by life."

Francios and Kay meet in a diner, two lonely people starved for some human connection. " Two wandering creatures, set apart on the surface of the globe, lost in the thousand identical streets of a city like New York."

The story is narrated by Francios, and it follows him and Kay as they wander the streets of New York, observing the world around them. They wander to and from various bars, stop for food, and end most evenings with a hop in the sack. He is highly critical of her and at times even abusive, yet when the two are apart, they find they need to be together. The writing is straight forward, yet manages to carry some punches. The novel is only about 170 pages, was easy to read, by in the end it left me with a somewhat empty feeling.

This Belgium born author has written some 200 stories, many of which have served as inspiration for various movies and television shows. This is my first read by this author, and I most likely will try another one by him in the future.

Waiting on Wednesday ~ The Affair; Alicia Clifford

2011-12-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Affair; Alica Clifford

March 13, 2012 - St. Martin's Press

(overview)
"All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” —Leo Tolstoy

As a writer, Celia Bayley’s insights into the ways of the human heart made her famous. And why not? She had married a handsome war hero and produced three successful children. Yet, as her family gathers for her funeral, the diaries and notebooks and letters she left behind paint a very different picture, one that shocks those who loved her and will force them to confront the difficult conflicts in their own lives.

A life torn by secrets is revealed. The husband she adored had deceived her early in their marriage and broken her heart, though they persevered as a family. Then, years later while on a trip with friends, she meets a man for whom she feels a passion she never believed possible. In one brief moment, her whole life is turned inside out.

Utterly compelling and beautifully written, The Affair makes vividly real the agonizing choice one woman must make. Powerful and moving, the novel is about marriage, families, and the definition of happiness.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's "intro" is from: The Sense of an Ending; Julian Barnes

"I remember, in no particular order:

-- shiny inner wrist;

--steam rising from a wet sink as a hot frying pan is laughingly tossed into it;

--gouts of sperm circling a plughole, before being sluiced down the full length of a tall house;

--a river rushing nonsensically upstream, its wave and wash lit by half a dozen chasing torchbeams;

--another river, broad and grey, the direction of its flow disguised by a stiff wind exciting the surface;

--bathwater long gone cold behind a locked door.

The last isn't something I actually saw, but what you end up remembering isn't always the same as what you have witnessed."

What do you think? Worth continuing? (I am very intrigued and anxious to pick this up again later today).

December 26 - my laziest day of 2011!

2011-12-26T21:45:00.000-05:00

Was anyone else feeling lazy today? (I didn't even participate in Mailbox Monday this week....sigh..) Heck, I didn't even turn on my computer until now -- you see how lazy I've been. We honestly did nothing but lounge around the house today: watching: Get Shorty (very funny) and Law and Order episodes again and again, took a nap and ate leftovers.

Preparing for Christmas was much easier this year as the few gifts that were purchased were easy, and even the food preparation was simpler, as everyone brought something. We always manage to have too much food. I mean seriously, can (6) people possible eat: an apple pie (gone-my husband ate almost the whole pie), (4lb) cheesecake (1/2 gone), chocolate cream pie (1/2 left), pistachio cake (1/2 left) -- Fortunately, family enjoys dessert leftover as much as the real food.

The best part about Christmas was being together (all of us) - isn't that the perfect gift? Hope your holiday was wonderful as well.

I am so excited because I got out of work on December 23rd and we don't go back until January 3rd. It's all paid as well without having to use vacation time). One of the perks of working in an academic environment. I know the week will fly by, but I do have hopes of finishing: Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, so we can see the movie.. --not loving the book, but it's okay I'm over 1/2 way through. I also want to read Sense of an Ending; Barnes (Kindle Library Loan). Other plans include selecting my top 10 list for 2011, catch up on reviews and just doing whatever or nothing I please (as the hub will be working):

Whatever your plans for the week and New Years - ENJOY!

Saturday Snapshot - Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T07:27:00.000-05:00

"To all of my wonderful readers, who take time out of their busy days to stop by and check in on happenings here.......No matter what you celebrate, or even if you don't celebrate at all, the sentiment remains the same, Enjoy your time with family and friends. Life is so short, make the most of it. Wishing you all a happy and peaceful holiday season."

Merry Christmas!

Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Kwanzaa!

11/22/63; Stephen King

2011-12-21T20:10:00.001-05:00

Title: 11/22/63
Author: Stephen King
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Edition: eBook
Source: Purchased
Setting: Maine and Texas
Date Completed: 12/15/2011
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: yes

I was so anxious to read this book, and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. A hefty tome involving time-travel, this book was my daily lunch companion for over (2.5) weeks. It's Stephen King at his finest: the subject was extremely well researched, and not the horror fest of King's earliest days as an author.

The protagonist is Jake Epping, a 35-year old, divorced, English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. He supplements his teacher's income by also teaching GED students. One of his assignments to the class is to write an essay about an event that had changed their lives. However, Jake was not prepared for what one of his students, Harry Dunning handed in. A terribly written, but shocking essay, about the October night in 1958 when his drunken father, came home, flew into a rage and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a severe leg injury that left him with a pronounced limp. Jake is horrified at what he had read.

A short time later, Jake’s friend, Al Templeton, who owns a local diner, has seemed to age overnight. He shares a secret with Jake, about a portal to the past (1958) which is located off a backroom of the diner. Al urges Jake to try it out, and tells him about what he was working on. On Jake's first attempt down the rabbit-hole and back in time, his plan is to try to prevent the deaths of Harry Dunning's mother and siblings. All does not go as planned, and every action taken to undo the past, causes a "butterfly effect" effecting the future. When Jake returns to 2011, he sees how sick Al is, and decides to carry out Al's plan, of going back in time to (1958), with all the information currently available about JFK's assassination and work to prevent President Kennedy's death.

Jake, travels back in time, from Maine, to Florida to Dallas and then to Jodi, Texas, under his new identity as George Amberson. He finds a job teaching school, falls in love with a woman named Sadie, and settles down in his new life and new neighborhood waiting for Lee Harvey Oswald and wife Maria to settle in as his neighbor, so that he can keep tabs on all of his moves.

Without giving away too many details about the plot, I'll just recommend that you invest the time and read it for yourself. The characters were fully fleshed out, and the writing drew me in and made me feel like I had been transported back in time as well. Having been born in the early 50's, reading this novel was like a blast from the past. Whether it was the music references, the vehicles, or the laughable price of gasoline, every detail from that period seemed authentic. It's one of those books that if you allow yourself to suspend belief and just go along for the ride, I think you'll agree it was worth your time.

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-12-21T06:40:00.001-05:00

The Land of Decoration; Grace McCleen

Henry Holt Co - March 2012

A mesmerizing debut about a young girl whose steadfast belief and imagination bring everything she once held dear into treacherous balance

In Grace McCleen's harrowing, powerful debut, she introduces an unforgettable heroine in ten-year-old Judith McPherson, a young believer who sees the world with the clear Eyes of Faith. Persecuted at school for her beliefs and struggling with her distant, devout father at home, young Judith finds solace and connection in a model in miniature of the Promised Land that she has constructed in her room from collected discarded scraps—the Land of Decoration. Where others might see rubbish, Judith sees possibility and divinity in even the strangest traces left behind. As ominous forces disrupt the peace in her and Father's modest lives—a strike threatens her father's factory job, and the taunting at school slips into dangerous territory—Judith makes a miracle in the Land of Decoration that solidifies her blossoming convictions. She is God's chosen instrument. But the heady consequences of her newfound power are difficult to control and may threaten the very foundations of her world.

With its intensely taut storytelling and crystalline prose, The Land of Decoration is a gripping, psychologically complex story of good and evil, belonging and isolation, which casts new and startling light on how far we'll go to protect the things we love most.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2011-12-20T05:30:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's "intro" is from a review copy, so please realize that the final copy could be different.

The Accident; Linwood Barclay

Prologue

" Their names were Edna Bauder and Pam Steigerwald, and they were grade school teachers from Butler, Pennsylvania, and they had never been to New York before in their entire lives. New York was hardly the other side of the planet, but when you lived in Butler, almost everything seemed that way. As Pam's fortieth birthday approached, her friend Edna said you're going to have a birthday weekend you are never, ever going to forget, and on that count she turned out to be absolutely right."

What do you think? I have book an eGalley and the audio version, and let me say, this thriller is addictive so far.

(Overview - in case you want to know a bit more)

In this mesmerizing thriller by acclaimed author Linwood Barclay, a typical American community descends into darkness, as an ordinary man is swept into one of the most violent mysteries of modern life.

It’s the new normal at the Garber household in Connecticut: Glen, a contractor, has seen his business shaken by the housing crisis, and now his wife, Sheila, is taking a business course at night to increase her chances of landing a good-paying job.
But she should have been home by now.

Waiting for Sheila’s return, with their eight-year-old daughter sleeping soundly, Glen soon finds his worst fears confirmed: Sheila and two others have been killed in a car accident. Adding to the tragedy, the police claim Sheila was responsible.
Glen knows it’s impossible; he knew his wife and she would never do such a thing. When he investigates, Glen begins to uncover layers of lawlessness beneath the placid surface of their suburb, secret after dangerous secret behind the closed doors.

Propelled into a vortex of corruption and illegal activity, pursued by mysterious killers, and confronted by threats from neighbors he thought he knew, Glen must take his own desperate measures and go to terrifying new places in himself to avenge his wife and protect his child.

Bold and timely, with the shocking twists and startling insights that have become trademarks of this new master of domestic suspense, The Accident is a riveting triumph, a book that moves at a breathless pace to a climax no one will see coming.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog; Muriel Barbery

2011-12-19T13:06:00.000-05:00

Title: The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Author: Muriel Barbery
Publication Year: 2009
Publisher: Highbridge Audio
Edition: audio and eBook
Reader: Barbara Rosenblat and Cassandra Morris (very good)
Source: Library
Date Completed: 12/17/2011
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: yes (loved it)

A story which started out slow, but quickly changed to something wonderful. It's a novel that ultimately left me with a warm, fuzzy, hopeful feeling -- I loved this book! The central theme of the story explores whether, " life has meaning".

The story is told from the POV of (2) central characters: Madame Renee Michel, is a 50-something widow, and, a concierge for 27-years, of a ritzy apartment building in Paris, where the story takes place. She's very bright (but doesn't show it), has a prickly personality, a poor self-image, yet she is a woman with depth: she finds beauty in flowers, especially the Camellia. She has a love of the simple lives led by the Japanese people, the arts and great literature. She isn't fond of the stuffy people she encounters day in and day out in her job as concierge. She lives a somewhat solitary existence with her cat, Leo (after Tolstoy), and views herself as insignificant.

Paloma Josse, is a 12 year-old, super smart wiz kid. She's extremely introspective, and lives in the same building with her her wealthy parents: a politician father and clueless snobby mother, as well as an older sister who is studying at the Sorbonne. She detests her family and all that they find important. Paloma is a keen observer who sees the world and life as lacking any meaning, and as a result she has vowed to kill herself before her 13th birthday. She's very philosophical, and has decided to keep a notebook which she calls "Profound Thoughts". Paloma and Renee have much in common, although neither realize it. They both love jasmine tea and all things Japanese. In fact Renee thinks, if she had a daughter she would be just like Paloma. Paloma, in turn, thinks Renee, has "the elegance of a hedgehog".

Monsieur Kakuro Ozu is one of the wealthy residents who moves into the same building. He's a Japanese film maker; a distinguished, gentle and kind man who appreciates the arts. He is an extremely keen observor of human behavior, and it isn't long before he is able to ferret out the fact that there is more to Renee and Paloma than what their cool exterior reveals. Before long the three develop a strong friendship, and are enmeshed in discussions of life's ironies and absurdities, which help each work through their issues.

I loved this book! I found myself not wanting it to end. The audio book was beautiful, but I also ended up picking up the print version as there was so much beauty expressed, that I wanted to experience it in print as well. The Elegance of the Hedgehog is truly a beautiful novel about life, and about looking for the beauty in every person you meet. It gave me so much to think about. It's not the type of story with lots of action, it more philisophical, but don't let that scare you. It's a wonderful character study that examines not only what makes the main characters tick, but it is also a deep exploration of all that surrounds us in the world we live in.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Mailbox Monday

2011-12-19T05:30:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A Girl and Her Books and the December host is Let Them Read Books. Here's what arrived last week. Hope you had a good week as well.

House of Silk; Anthony Horowitz (paperback swap)
Running the Rift; Naomi Benaron (Algonquin and Shelf Awareness)
Alice Bliss; Laura Harrington (sent by Amy / Bookcrossing Catch
All Our Worldly Goods; Irene Nemirovsky (purchase)
All the Flowers of Shanghai; Duncan Jepson (William Morrow)
A Discovery of Witches; Deborah Harkness (Penguin)

Fuddles; Frans Vischer

2011-12-18T08:43:00.001-05:00

Title: Fuddles
Author and Illustrator: Frans Vischer

Publication Year: 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Edition: Hardcover

Source: Library

Date Completed: 12/16/2011

Rating: 5/5

Recommend: yes

Fuddles is a fat and pampered indoor cat who one day realizes that his should have more excitement than just, eating sleeping and using his litter box. He wants to go outdoors. Human mom says "no", and he can't understand why -- no one has ever said "no" to Fuddles. Determined to go out, he brushes up on his jumping, hunting, and claw sharpening skills --indoors, and one day sneaks out of the house. He quickly learns that he is too fat to hunt, the bird bath is filthy (and now so is he). He also gets chased by an angry dog, he gets lost and has trouble finding his way home, but one day hears his worried owner calling his name. Fuddles, quickly realizes that pamper cats really do need to be indoors, and is happy to be back home.

The illustrations are awesome, and the story teaches children a lesson, about indoor cats belonging indoors, and that moms really do know best. It is a very cute story and highly recommended.

Cat in the Manger; Michael Foreman

2011-12-18T08:27:00.001-05:00

Title: Cat in the Manger
Author and Illustrator: Michael Foreman

Publication Year: 2001

Publisher: Henry Holt & Company

Edition: Hardcover

Source: Library

Date Completed: 12/16/2011

Rating: 4/5

Recommend: yes

A charming Christmas story told from a barn cat’s point of view. The cat, who lives in a barn with other animals, is all prepared to curl up in a warm spot for the night when some unexpected visitors arrive and need a place to stay. Although initially the animals seem a bit upset by their routine being disturbed, they soon all come together to experience the wonderful event that is about to take place that night. Complete with three "masters" (kings), camels, and an array of other barnyard animals, Cat in the Manager, is a charming story about the Nativity, yet it never mentions, Mary, Joseph or Baby Jesus by name.

The watercolor illustrations were lovely; a unique take on the Nativity told from the perspective of a cat.

Saturday Snapshot

2011-12-17T06:30:00.000-05:00

I loved this winter arrangement when I saw it.
The ornamental cabbage makes it pop!
What do you think?

Anatomy of a Disappearance; Hisham Matar

2011-12-15T19:21:00.001-05:00

Title: Anatomy of a Disappearance
Author: Hisham Matar
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Dial Press (Random House)
Edition: eBook
Source: NetGalley
Date Completed: 12/10/2011
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

"There are times when my father's absence is as heavy as a child sitting on my chest. Other times I can barely recall the exact features of his face and must bring out the photographs I keep in the old drawer of my bedside table. There has not been a day since his sudden and mysterious vanishing that I have not been searching for him, looking in the most unlikely places. Everything and everyone, existence itself, has become an evocation, a possibility for resemblance. Perhaps this is what is meant by that brief and now almost archaic word: elegy."....so begins the semi-autobiographical novel by Hisham Matar, whose own father, a Libyan dissident was captured by Qaddafi's men and imprisoned. The story, in some ways was similar to the author's debut book, In the Country of Men, a story which I enjoyed. In that story, a young boy is trying to understand his father's secret activities and subsequent disappearance in a country experiencing political unrest.

In Anatomy of a Disappearance, Nuri is a fourteen-year old boy of privilege from an unidentified country. His life is about to change significantly when his mother dies, presumably of an overdose. Two years later, Nuri and his father, spot a beautiful young girl on the beach. Nuri thinks she is beautiful, and so does his father. While Nuri is shipped off to boarding school, his father ends up marrying the beautiful Mona. This causes Nuri much sadness and resentment, he feels lonely and lost. He silently wishes that his father, Kamal, an advisor to the King, would just "disappear", and soon after he gets his silent wish --his father is abducted.

The novel is a somewhat quiet introspective story, about the sadness that resolves from Nuri's unresolved loss, in this case the disappearance of Nuri's father. I liked the flow of this novel, and the writing was vivid and descriptive as well. Specific details like ones about the beautiful Mona with her silky hair and yellow bikini stick with me even now. The intro paragraph about a young sensitive boy's deep sense of loss, was particularly touching, especially sense he was never able to form a close relationship with his father prior to his disappearance. Even in the end Nuri never gives up hope that his father might return. The one thing I that left me wanting more was the fact we never really learn what happened to Nuri's mother or father. Despite this, it is still a worthy read.

Waiting on Wednesday ~ Cold Light; Jenn Ashworth

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Cold Light; Jenn Ashworth

William Morrow - March 2012

(about the book) -
I'm sitting on my couch, watching the local news. There's Chloe's parents, the mayor, the hangers on, all grouped round the pond for the ceremony. It's ten years since Chloe and Carl drowned, and they've finally chosen a memorial - a stupid summerhouse. The mayor has a spade decked out in pink and white ribbon, and he's started to dig.

You can tell from their faces that something has gone wrong. But I'm the one who knows straightaway that the mayor has found a body. And I know who it is.

This is the tale of three fourteen-year-old girls and a volatile combination of lies, jealousy and perversion that ends in tragedy. Except the tragedy is even darker and more tangled than their tight-knit community has been persuaded to believe.

Blackly funny and with a surreal edge to its portrait of a northern English town, Jenn Ashworth's gripping novel captures the intensity of girls' friendships and the dangers they face in a predatory adult world they think they can handle. And it shows just how far that world is willing to let sentiment get in the way of the truth.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2011-12-13T05:30:00.000-05:00

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (maybe two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along. This week's "intro" is from a review copy, so please realize that the final copy could be different.

January 23, 2012 - WW Norton Co

Heft; Liz Moore

(ARTHUR)

"The first thing you must know about me is that I am colossally fat. When I knew you I was what one might call plump but I am no longer plump. I eat what I want & furthermore I eat whatever I want. For years I have made very little effort to reduce the amount that I eat for I have seen no cause to. Despite this I am neither immobile nor bedridden but I do feel winded when I walk more than six or seven steps, & I do feel very shy and sort of encased in something as if I were a cello or an expensive gun.

"I have no way of knowing exactly what I weigh but I estimate that it is between five and six hundred pounds. The last time I went to a doctor's office was years ago and back then I weighed four hundred eighty pounds and they had to put me on a special scale. The doctor looked at me & told me I was surely on a path toward early death."

Would you continue reading this one? I definitely plan to, but am curious why (even through it is and ARC) that both "and", and the ampersand..." &" were used in the first two paragraphs?

Mailbox Monday

2011-12-12T05:50:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A Girl and Her Books and the December host is Let Them Read Books. Here's what arrived last week. Hope you had a good week as well.

Eustace and Hilda; L.P. Hartley (purchased) about the book - The three books gathered together as Eustace and Hilda explore a brother and sister's lifelong relationship. Hilda, the older child, is both self-sacrificing and domineering, as puritanical as she is gorgeous; Eustace is a gentle, dreamy, pleasure-loving boy: the two siblings could hardly be more different, but they are also deeply devoted. And yet as Eustace and Hilda grow up and seek to go their separate ways in a world of power and position, money and love, their relationship is marked by increasing pain.

L. P. Hartley's much-loved novel, the magnum opus of one of twentieth-century England's best writers, is a complex and spellbinding work: a comedy of upper-class manners; a study in the subtlest nuances of feeling; a poignant reckoning with the ironies of character and fate. Above all, it is about two people who cannot live together or apart, about the ties that bind—and break.

The Go-Between; L.P. Hartley (purchased) about the book - Summering with a fellow schoolboy on a great English estate, Leo, the hero of L. P. Hartley's finest novel, encounters a world of unimagined luxury. But when his friend's beautiful older sister enlists him as the unwitting messenger in her illicit love affair, the aftershocks will be felt for years. The inspiration for the brilliant Joseph Losey/Harold Pinter film starring Julie Christie and Alan Bates, The Go-Between is a masterpiece—a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naiveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart. This volume includes, for the first time ever in North America, Hartley's own introduction to the novel.

The Girl in the Garden; Kamala Nair (paperback swap) about the book - The redemptive journey of a young woman unsure of her engagement, who revisits in memory the events of one scorching childhood summer when her beautiful yet troubled mother spirits her away from her home to an Indian village untouched by time, where she discovers in the jungle behind her ancestral house a spellbinding garden that harbors a terrifying secret.

The Wandering Falcon; Jamil Ahmad - (paperback swap) - about the book -
The Wandering Falcon begins with a young couple, refugees from their tribe, who have traveled to the middle of nowhere to escape the cruel punishments meted out upon those who transgress the boundaries of marriage and family. Their son, Tor Baz, descended from both chiefs and outlaws, becomes "The Wandering Falcon," a character who travels among the tribes, over the mountains and the plains, into the towns and the tents that constitute the homes of the tribal people. The media today speak about this unimaginably remote region, a geopolitical hotbed of conspiracies, drone attacks, and conflict, but in the rich, dramatic tones of a master storyteller, this stunning, honor-bound culture is revealed from the inside.

Jamil Ahmad has written an unforgettable portrait of a world of custom and compassion, of love and cruelty, of hardship and survival, a place fragile, unknown, and unforgiving.

The Cat's Table; Michael Ondaatje

2011-12-11T18:21:00.001-05:00

Title: The Cat's Table
Author: Michael Ondaatje
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Random House Audio
Edition: audio
Reader: author
Source: Library
Date Completed: 12/6/2011
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

The Cat's Table led me on an enjoyable voyage from Columbo (Sri Lanka) to England, aboard the Oronsay. The story unfolds as a man thinks back on a 21-day voyage he took as a young boy. A voyage that shaped his life. Since the author himself took a similar voyage when he was a young boy, this story is believed to be in part somewhat autobiographical.

In this story, Michael, is an 11-year old boy aboard the ship who is traveling to see his mother in England; he hasn't seen her in a number of years. He and several other colorful, underprivileged characters are delegated to a portion of the ship referred to as "The Cat's Table", at mealtime. The area is located as far away from the "captain's table" as possible. Michael is also referred to as Mynah, because he likes to go around and spread gossip about what he learns from other travelers aboard the ship. He is not to be pitied, for he and two other boys, Cassius and Ramadhin, go from one exciting adventure to another. With such antics as sneaking to the first-class deck to swim in the pool and to eat better food, the boys are always up to something.

The most impressive thing about this story for me was that while I thought I might feel sorry for these boys, I did not. What happens to them on the journey, shapes their future lives, exposing them to individuals and experiences which teach them a lot about life and human nature. Literature, jazz, performers, a prisoner in chains, and the alluring power of women are just some of the experiences that occupied their time and opened up their minds. It was interesting to see that even though the boys go their separate ways, what they experienced together, played a part in the men that they become.

While the beginning of the story seemed somewhat choppy and disjointed, a patient reader, or listener in my case, will be rewarded with beautiful writing, at times poetic, fully developed characters and a story that comes together in the end. There were several beautiful passage which I can no longer recall since I was listening to the audiobook, which was read by the author who did a terrific job. The scenes were easy to visualize and a good listening experience overall.

Saturday Snapshot ~ Full Moon and Black Cats

2011-12-09T21:27:00.001-05:00

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ AT Home With Books.

Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online. Last night when I came home I was wondering what photo I could use today. All I had to do was look up at the sky and hope my camera would capture the somewhat eerie, night before the full moon.

Full Moon ~ Black Cat
(and it's not even Halloween)

Buddy

2012 ~ No Willpower Here

2011-12-08T18:39:00.001-05:00

I've always been pretty much an immediate gratification type person whether it be shopping for clothes, books, or even eating something delicious and not worrying about the calories (until later). Well the same seems true when it comes to reading challenges. For 2012, I was pretty sure I'd be going "challenge-free", but then I started thinking how much I really enjoyed the (6) I participated in in 2011, and I completed 5/6 so far and am close to completing # 6 as well. So why not join - it feels right.

2011 Challenges -

100+ Book Challenge (110/100 - right now)
Reading from My Shelves ( 50/50
eBook Challenge (17/20)
Europa Challenge (5/4)
Audio Book Challenge (33/20)
RIP VI (5/4)

So why not join a few in 2012? Just a few, no pressure, ones that seem doable -- reading the kinds of books I want to read anyways in the process.

2012 Challenge Plans:

100+ Book Challenge
eBook Challenge (goal of 25)
Audio Book Challenge (goal of 25)
Back to Classics Challenge (Steinbeck and Dickens plans)

For a full list of 2012 Challenges Currently being promoted, visit...A Novel Challenge, or are IN, or are you going challenge-free in 2012 ?

Waiting on Wednesday ~ Coral Glynn; Peter Cameron

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Coral Glynn; Peter Cameron

2/28/2012 - Farrar, Straus and Giroux

(description)

Coral Glynn arrives at Hart House, an isolated manse in the English countryside, early in the very wet spring of 1950, to nurse the elderly Mrs. Hart, who is dying of cancer. Hart House is also inhabited by Mrs. Prence, the perpetually disgruntled housekeeper, and Major Clement Hart, Mrs. Hart’s war-ravaged son, who is struggling to come to terms with his latent homosexuality. When a child’s game goes violently awry in the woods surrounding Hart House, a great shadow—love, perhaps—descends upon its inhabitants. Like the misguided child’s play, other seemingly random events—a torn dress, a missing ring, a lost letter—propel Coral and Clement into the dark thicket of marriage.

A period novel observed through a refreshingly gimlet eye, Coral Glynn explores how quickly need and desire can blossom into love, and just as quickly transform into something less categorical. Borrowing from themes and characters prevalent in the work of mid-twentieth-century British women writers, Peter Cameron examines how we live and how we love—with his customary empathy and wit.

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Three Bedrooms in Manhattan

Georges Simenon

"He woke up suddenly at 3:00 A.M., dead tired, got dressed, and almost went out without his tie, in slippers. coat collar turned up, like people who walk their dogs late at night or very early in the morning. Then, when he was in the courtyard of the building, where after two months he still couldn't bring himself to feel at home, he glance upward mechanically and realized that he'd forgotten to turn out his light, but he didn't have the energy to climb back up the stairs.

What were they doing, up there in J.K.C's apartment? Was Winnie vomiting yet? Probably. Moaning, at first softly, then more loudly, until at last she burst into an endless fit of tears."

Would you continue reading this one? It is just 158 pages.

(I'm feeling a bit like a voyeur from the intro)

Treasure Island!!! Sara Levine

2011-12-05T21:27:00.000-05:00

Title: Treasure Island!!!

Author: Sara Levine
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Europa / Tonga Books
Edition: review copy
Source: publisher
Setting: Unnamed US city
Date Completed: 11/29/2011
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: depends on the reader

Treasure Island!!! is the story of an unnamed 25 year-old protagonist who is stuck in a rut. She's a young woman looking for some adventure in her life. Thus far, this college graduate, philosophy major, has held several mindless and low paying jobs from "gift-wrap associate" in a department store to part-time clerk at the "pet library" (she calls herself, "Circulation Clerk"), a job which is short-lived and after her unauthorized purchase of a parrot named Richard for the Pet Library. A bird when after being let go, she is stuck with, and a bird she quickly loses interest in. Her boyfriend, Lars isn't particularly exciting either, but without a job she gives up her apartment to move in with him -- this too is short-lived. She is determined to change her life for the better, and maybe his as well.

One day her sister, Adrianna, a 3rd grade teacher, leaves the library book, Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson at her apartment. The last time our protagonist read that book was when she was 9 years-old. She reads the book again, after all she doesn't have anything more interesting to do, and suddenly, it hits her -- she too needs to become adventuresome, like the book's hero, Jim Hawkins. She's determined to begin living her life by the core values of the original book Treasure Island: Boldness, Resolution, Independence and Horn-Blowing.

Unfortunately, her attempts to change her life by being more bold and adventurous, go from bad to worst, because one thing the protagonist lacks is introspection and self-awareness. What follows is a series of interactions and incidents, some are quite amusing, others terribly embarrassing for those involved, but yet she never sees the effects that her actions and boldness are having on others.

While I generally enjoy stories with quirky characters, especially ones who just can't seem to get out of their own way, this lady quickly began to get on my nerves. Yes, some of the things that happened when the heroine (if you could call her that) tried to change her life, were quite funny, although a little of her nonsense went a long way. Although this debut novel was under 200 pages, I grew somewhat tired of her antics and the chaos she caused when she tried to get involved in everyone's business. I'm glad I read this book, but am guessing that the reviews might be mixed on this one.

Mailbox Monday

2011-12-05T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A Girl and Her Books and the December host is Let Them Read Books. Here's what the ~~cat~~ mail lady left at our door.

Micro; Crichton and Preston (audio book) - Thanks to HarperAudio
The Invisible Ones; Stef Penney (Amazon Vine)
A Month in the Country; J.L. Carr (purchase - NY Review Book Classics)
Three Bedrooms in Manhattan; Georges Simenon - (purchase - NY Review Book Classics)

Any new books for you last week?

The Magical Christmas Horse; Mary Higgins Clark with Wendell Minor (illustrator)

2011-12-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

Title: The Magical Christmas Horse
Author: Mary Higgins Clark
Illustrator: Wendell Minor
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Kids
Edition: hardcover
Source: sent and signed by author and illustrator
Date Completed: 12/1/2011
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: yes

Do you like sweet old-fashion Christmas stories? If so, I think you will really like this 2011 Christmas book, written by Mary Higgins Clark, and illustrated by the very talented Wendell Minor.

Eight year-old Johnny Alvern, little brother Liam and their parents live in Scottsdale, Arizona. This year Johnny's dream of returning to the home where his father was born in Connecticut comes true. His family is off to visit his grandparents for Christmas. His grandmother and grandfather live in an old cozy farm house. The holiday festivities are reminiscent of an old fashion Christmas, complete with cookies baking and a Christmas tree farm for cutting down their own tree. The one thing Johnny remembers that will make this holiday special for his little brother is an old fashion wooden horse that Johnny recalled seeing in his grandparent's attic. However, where Johnny searches for the horse, the one he remembered seems to be in a sad state of disrepair. Johnny isn't so sure that his brother's Christmas will be as special as he had hoped after all.

Of course, all the children's books I've ever read have seemed to have a happy ending, and this one is no exception. It's a nice story, and a beautiful book, but what makes it so special are the gorgeous illustrations. The colors and sketches are beautiful and reminded me of quieter and simpler times. This book is a keeper!

The Biggest Kiss; Joanna Walsh, author and Judi Abbot, illustrator

2011-12-04T20:59:00.001-05:00

Title: The Biggest Kiss
Author: Joanna Walsh
Illustrator: Judi Abbot
Publication Year: 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Kids
Edition: hardcover
Source: Amazon Vine
Date Completed: 12/1/2011
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: yes

The Biggest Kiss, written by Joanna Walsh and illustrated by Judi Abbot is a really sweet book, but one intended for the very very young toddlers. There are very few words in this book, but the colorful, whimsical illustrations still make it a delightful bedtime story for your favorite little one.

As the title implies, it's all "about KISSES both big and small....but who has the best kiss of all?"

Bunnies, birds, frogs, dogs, ants, elephants, fish worms, bears? What about snow kisses and rain kisses? They count too.

It's a fun story, a quick before bed story. One that I'm sure will end with the best kiss ever, the one you give to your special little person before they drift off to sleep.

Saturday Snapshot

2011-12-03T09:14:00.001-05:00

Everyone helped with the laundry last week

(except my husband).

Sorry I haven't posted any book reviews this past week (I'm behind by 4) but just not in the mood to review. I am reading though so that's a good thing.

November in Review

2011-11-30T20:43:00.001-05:00

After 10" of snow and power losses at the end of October, November turned out to be a seasonably mild month for us (they cut our grass yesterday and usually stop in mid-October). Makes me kind of nervous about what winter will be like here. November flew by so fast, but it was a really enjoyable month and I feel like I did a lot for some reason.

I'm actually looking forward to December because we get the week between Christmas and New Years off with pay, so i am already thinking about how ~~lazy~~ relaxed I will be. I am so looking forward to seeing the English version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo which releases on December 21st. I MUST read that book first! It's a December priority.

Are you planning on joining any Challenges for 2012. I'm not sure, but thinking I may join a few (not more than 5), as I found that totally manageable this year. I was considering: 100+ Book Challenge; Classics Challenge; eBook Challenge; Audio Book Challenge and probably (1) more.

How was your November in books? Here's what my month looked like:

The Marriage Plot; Jeffrey Eugenides - 4/5 (audio and eBook)
Troubling Love; Elena Ferrante - 4.5/5 (library)
America's Test Kitchens Menu Cookbook - 5/5
The Language of Flowers;Vanessa Diffenbaugh - 4/5 (eBook and audio)
Awkward Family Pet Photos; Mike Bender and Doug Chernack - 4/5 (eBook)
Close Your Eyes; Amanda Eyre Ward - 2.5/5 (audio book)
The Litigators; John Grisham - 4/5 (audio)
Steve Jobs; Walter Isaacson - 5/5 (eBook)
Treasure Island; Sara Levine (no review yet)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Favorite Fiction Book - Troubling Love; Ferrante - 4.5/5
Favorite Non-Fiction Book - Steve Jobs; Isaacson (5/5)
Favorite Audio Book - The Litigators; Grisham (4/5)
New authors - 4/9- YTD - 66/109
Review Books - 5/9 -YTD - 51/109
5 star books - 2/9 - YTD - 25/109
4 star books - 5/9- YTD - 70/109
3 star books - 1/9 - YTD - 9/109
2 star books - 1/9- YTD - 4/109

~~~~~ Challenge Progress ~~~~~

100+ Reading Challenge - 109/100 - COMPLETED
Reading From My Shelves Project - 50/50 COMPLETED
Audio Book Challenge - 33/20 - COMPLETED
eBook Challenge - 17/20
Europa Challenge - 5/ 4 - COMPLETED
RIP VI Challenge - 5/4 - COMPLETED

~~~~~Tentative Plans for December ~~~~~

Finish - Cat's Table, Anatomy of a Disappearance and 11/22/63.
Read - Girl With the Dragon Tattoo; Girl Who Played With Fire; Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest; The Elegance of the Hedgehog (audio); A Different Kind of Pretty; (2) Children's Books;

How about you? Any bookish plans for December?