Review: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

 









A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This novel is a mixed bag for me ... in some ways it was more of a 2 but in others it was more of a 4. So, I split the difference and am giving it a 3!


All in all, I found this to be a very readable novel. I was never bored. I never struggled with any aspect of reading it. I found the creative use of format throughout the novel to be interesting and kept me reading, curious to see what might come my way next. I really enjoyed the unorthodox-ness of the entire book - the format, the characters, the movement of the narrative, and even the prose itself! All of that deserves a strong 4!

Now for what I didn't find quite so interesting ... I found the unusual format of narrative to be confusing and sometimes difficult to follow. I worked it out but it wasn't always easy! And sometimes I felt that the work to keep it straight wasn't ultimately worth it. The characters were not compelling to me. It was difficult for me to care much about quite a few of them. I don't usually mind unlikeable characters but given the difficulty following the narrative, the character payoff just wasn't great for me.


All in all, an interesting read! I'm glad I read it but I'm not sure that I agree with all the raves that I'm seeing in reviews. I found that it was interesting enough to keep me reading but it fell flat in the end. It just wasn't as successful as it could have been.


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Review: The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and the Giants of the Ocean

 









The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Yet another non-fiction surprise! I've been on a non-fiction roll! I really enjoyed this book all about waves and the ocean. When I heard Ann Kingman raving about this one on the Books on the Nightstand podcast, I couldn't resist giving it a read despite my complete and utter lack of interest in the ocean, surfing or waves. She made it sound fantastic! And she was right! It really was a great read overall.


I truly enjoyed the surfing components of the book. The other more commercial and scientific aspects were much less interesting. But, combined together, they offer a really interesting look at the ocean and its mysteries.


Given how much we DO know scientifically, this book really captures the fact that we know very little about the ocean. And it reminded me just how small we humans are in the big picture.


I really enjoyed this journey into all things ocean. I found Casey's writing compelling and interesting. I learned so much about surfing that I didn't know. It's a great read for anyone who enjoys a great non-fiction read!


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Review: Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand

 










Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've had this on my TBR for ages but never got to it but I'm so glad that I finally did! First - I should note that I have absolutely NO INTEREST in horses or horse racing. In fact, I would say that the idea of a book about horses and horse racing makes me want to roll my eyes out of boredom. And then came along Laura Hillenbrand!!!


It is her writing that really makes this book special - That makes it about more than a horse or a race or a sport. She makes the people and places come alive on each page. She made me CARE about what I was certain that I would never care about! She kept me turning the page late into the night when I really should have gone to sleep.


I definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys good, solid writing and wants to be swept away by a fantastic story!


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Review: The Invisible Bridge: A Novel by Julie Orringer

 









The Invisible Bridge: A Novel by Julie Orringer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was a bit worried about this book despite the rave reviews I'd read from a few other bookish friends ... the size of the book was intimidating and I'm not sure I was up for another Holocaust book. But, wow, was I surprised! This book was nothing like I'd imagined. It was a wonderful read that I didn't want to put down for a moment. The novel was the perfect combo of great writing, storytelling and historical information! The book is a commitment due to its size but I felt the time was well spent!


I cannot believe that this is Julie Orringer's first novel. She is quite a talented writer and I cannot wait to see what she has for us as she grows as a writer. She has a way with words ... she kept a very long novel compelling to me in part because I wanted to keep reading her prose. Her writing is simply fantastic! Her ability to spin a tale is excellent. Orringer's ability to balance the optimism of the book with the inherent despair and darkness surrounding the characters without resorting to melodrama really makes this novel something special. It has all the elements of a good melodrama but none of the overdone emotion.


The novel is romantic, epic, painful, dark, difficult while also being informative. The characters were one of the things that made this novel just 'sing.' The dimension that each character (major and minor) have just jumps off the page! Yes, it is a Holocaust novel but it is also so much more. And, I would venture to say that its a Holocaust novel that is not like most other Holocaust novels that I've read. There is something special about this one! I had never fully understood Hungary's role in World War II so the historical aspects of the novel were quite new and interesting to me.


Although I certainly loved the book, there were flaws ... the book was not perfect. I think it could have been edited a bit and some of the novel could have been condensed without taking away from the overall novel. Although I didn't find the relationship in the novel to be sappy, I can see why some have described it that way. Sometimes the language did venture into the excessive - but I was not bothered by that because I really loved her writing overall. I enjoyed the level of detail. However, I can see why someone might be put off by that aspect of the novel, particularly given its size.


And so ... in the end, I recommend this book with a note that it is a commitment to read this book. It's not a quick, easy read. But, if you put in the effort, I think you will be pleasantly surprised!


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Mini Reviews ...

I thought I would do another set of mini reviews on some of the books that I read during my hiatus (I think I'm beginning to come out of that now lolol) ...

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

My rating: 3 and a half stars!

I am actually quite a fan of Emily Giffin's books. Although not great literary fiction, they are nice, escapist books that seem to always entertain me! This particular novel is not one of my all time favorites of her novels but I did enjoy it. I found it to be fairly predictable and it just wasn't as solid as her previous novels. However, I did enjoy it. It kept me interested throughout. I thought the story was nice, nothing earth shattering but a good solid story. There were a number of flaws i ...more I am actually quite a fan of Emily Giffin's books. Although not great literary fiction, they are nice, escapist books that seem to always entertain me! This particular novel is not one of my all time favorites of her novels but I did enjoy it. I found it to be fairly predictable and it just wasn't as solid as her previous novels. However, I did enjoy it. It kept me interested throughout. I thought the story was nice, nothing earth shattering but a good solid story. There were a number of flaws in the plot but nothing that made the book terrible. I didn't find the characters in this novel nearly as compelling as some of her previous work which may account for the fact that I didn't love this one as much as I'd hoped. I really struggled with rating this one and decided on 4 although its really more like 3 and a half. 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins


My rating: 3 stars!


I didn't write a big review on this one ... mostly because I found it so disappointing especially since the first 2 in the trilogy were so fantastic. This one was just EHHH for me. Very sad, in my opinion.

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner


My rating: 4 stars!


Nice, solid beach read type of book. Interesting story that kept me reading. Definitely liked this one better than Weiner's last novel which I was a bit disappointed in. All in all, a good, worthwhile novel. Light, entertaining but not particularly complex. 

Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross

My rating: 2 stars!

I liked the idea of this novel much more than the reality of it. It had such promise but it just failed to engage me. Adam Ross is a good writer ... the story had a great deal of potential. The twist was really interesting but didn't have enough impact to save the novel as a whole for me.

  
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

My rating: 5 stars!

Very haunting novel with a big twist SO I'm not telling you much about it but its a fantastic read - compelling characters, a storyline that is realistic and frightening. Brilliant novel!

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner


My rating: 3 stars!


I was SO hoping for this one to be a 4 or 5 star read for me. Especially since the first in the series was a 3 star. Most of my issues with the first novel were NOT resolved in the second one. And the story itself (the Scorch Trials) was not quite as compelling as the one in the Maze Runner. That was disappointing. I will say that James Dashner does do a good job of making the reader want to keep reading, even with the material itself isn't particularly compelling. I still want to know what happens so I'll read the next one. But, I was a bit frustrated at the lack of growth between the first book and this one. It just didn't meet my expectations. I felt a bit let down. This book had potential and it just didn't make it ...

 
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford


My rating: 4 stars!


This is a really solid book. I've been hearing good things for a long time and it was definitely worth the wait! 

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

My rating:  4 stars!

Really fantastic book that I definitely recommend! This is a very accessible but very smart mystery with a strong sense of place. The characters are complex and captivating! Really great read ... very satisfying and compelling! I'm a big fan of southern fiction and this one is a standout of its genre! Although the mystery aspect of the novel is expertly done, it is the characterizations of the two primary characters that really make this book stand out for me. I was expecting something a bit more 'dumbed down' for some reason and WOW was I surprised - this is smart mystery writing in all the best ways! Don't miss out on this one!  

The Tiger by John Vailiant

My rating: 4 stars!

Had someone told me that I'd read a book about tigers and LOVE it, I would have thought that they were batty! However, this was a wonderful book - very engaging, well written, and interesting! I definitely recommend this even if you have no interest in tigers or animals. I was constantly surprised, based on the material, how John Vaillant kept me turning the pages so rapidly. I feel like I learned a lot while reading this book but I never felt as if I was learning! Great non-fiction book that even those who typically don't enjoy non-fiction (ME!!) will devour!



Thanks so much for sticking it out with me during my hiatus ... I feel like I'm getting back on a reading roll so look for more reviews and other bookish things to come! I love to hear what you think about the books that I'm reviewing so definitely post your thoughts in the comments!!

Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

 









The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


As a person who isn't particularly interested in medical non-fiction, I found myself really engaged in this non-fiction account of HeLa cells and the woman whose cells have had such an impact on modern medicine. I'm not a huge non-fiction reader (primarily because I find it difficult to find compelling non-fiction) but this particular book is fantastic. It's very engaging, very accessible and not at all 'over my head.' The mix of science and human interest was blended so effortlessly by Rebecca Skloot. I was amazed at how readable the medical aspects were for me. How Skloot made those sections interesting and relevant to a non-science fan like me!


The human interest pieces were just heartbreaking for me. The honest look at poverty, racism, education and crime was very well done. Skloot's skill at weaving these more heartfelt pieces with the necessary biographical, medical and ethical pieces was just incredible! It came off so effortlessly to me as a reader.


I felt bad for Henrietta's children and the impact of her death and all that came after that for each of them. They did not/have not have/had easy lives. I definitely think that the anger that they expressed repeatedly through the book was directly related to poverty and a lack of education. It came off as almost being greed in some instances in the book but I think that it really comes down to the cycle of poverty and abuse. The family couldn't understand any of this to any level of depth which I think made it impossible for them to understand the nuances that are at play when it comes to compensation, ethics, etc. In the end, I am thankful that the Lacks had Rebecca Skloot in their life to help them gain a better understanding of things. It seemed to me that once the understanding was there, the anger began to dissipate. And they were able to move beyond the anger into understanding and pride that their mother's cells were able to help so many people.


I found a great deal of the socioeconomic aspects of the book just heartbreaking because of how difficult it is for someone surrounded by poverty, abuse and dysfunction to make the right choices that will lead down the right path. It happens but it is RARE. As a former social worker who worked with many families and individuals that struggled with escaping the cycle of poverty and abuse, it's very very very difficult even when opportunities come about. It's difficult to step out of your comfort zone (no matter how dysfunctional, depressing or heartbreaking it may be) to try to change yourself or your circumstances. I also think that any compensation for the family would not have actually help them economically or otherwise. They really needed to heal as a family and get perspective on something that was outside of their understanding.


In the end, I absolutely enjoyed the reading of this book and recommend it wholeheartedly. It's a fantastic book that will stay with you after you close the book. It will make you think. It will give you perspective. It's just wonderful.


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Review: Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch

 









Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've heard fantastic things about Jon Clinch so I was really looking forward to Kings of the Earth. It sounded like something right up my alley. And it really was a great read ... it was fantastic!


Jon Clinch is a very talented writer ... his writing just made the scenes come alive for me. I didn't want to put the book down ... the writing, the character development, the weaving of time ... it's all wonderful! Clinch brought the world of the three brothers alive for me and I felt as if I was part of the book myself at times. The squalor and poverty were so beautifully portrayed that I almost felt as if I could feel and smell the farm. At first I was worried about the way that Clinch tells the story - through multiple voices that jump around in time. However, it was ultimately a really effective tool and gave the book something special. And, I never became confused or frustrated by the jumping. Clinch did a masterful job of weaving the story together into a cohesive and outstanding story.


In the end, I was sad to put it down ... I didn't want the narrative to end. The complexity of the storytelling and the writing made this book one of my favorites of the year! I can't wait to go pick up Finn which I also hear is fantastic! This is a great novel that I definitely recommend!

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Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

 










Room by Emma Donoghue

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was really concerned that this book wouldn't live up to the hype that I kept hearing about it. The premise sounded amazing, the reviews were fantastic! I shouldn't have worried ... this one was fantastic! I wavered between 4 and 5 stars, ultimately settling on 5 because of the emotional impact this book had on me! It's a really strong book - one of my favorites this year!

The point of view in this book is AMAZING! Having a 5 year old narrator is the very thing that gives the book its impact and it could have gone very, very wrong! Fortunately for the reader, the execution of this book is FANTASTIC!

I've said it before but I rarely 'feel' a book. I rarely find myself emotionally involved to the point that a book brings me to tears, for example. But, this book did. There were moments when I just put the book down and sobbed, sad for this little boy and this woman who are having to deal with the effects of living in the Room. I think part of it was being the mother of two five year olds so they voice of the narrator was extremely impactful to me. I kept imagining my own children and how they'd react to the situation that Jack found himself in.

In the end, it was a good story that ultimately left me hopeful. It wasn't harrowing or frightening, despite the material/subject matter. It was fantastic. An excellent character study and a fantastic example of the use of voice in a story. WOW.

I will say that it took me some time to get into the book which surprised me but once I found a rhythm with the book, I began to fall in love with Jack and his view of the world. It did take me a bit to get there but I think the later impact of the book made the initial slowness of connection irrelevant for me personally. I don't think this is a perfect book but I do think it is an excellent book. Well worth the read!

I can't recommend this one enough. VERY good book, very good writing. Really impactful. Very timely, particularly since there have been several cases lately of this sort of thing around the world. It's left a mark on me and I suspect I'll carry this story and this narrator around with me for some time!

Hiatus

Hello everyone! I'm taking a bit of a blog hiatus because my life has gotten super crazy and busy. I just need to take a little time to get our schedule back on track. I'll come post reviews, etc. as I can but know that it may well be few and far between for a bit! Thanks for understanding!

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to love this book. SO MUCH. Because of great reviews by folks that I really respect and admire. Because of a premise that seemed so unique and interesting. Because of that amazing cover art.

Unfortunately, I didn't love it. I liked it but not as much as I'd hoped. I really struggled with whether or not this book deserved two or three stars. I ultimately decided on 3 but it was really more like a two and a half.

I should preface my thoughts with the fact that I often struggle with magical realism unless its written by Sarah Addison Allen (who I seem to adore!). And this novel just didn't do it for me. But, it wasn't because of the magical realism. I actually think that was very well done in this novel. I enjoyed that aspect of the story. I know that a lot of people felt the novel was 'weird' and I think the magical realism accounts for some of that. But, the writing style and pacing only contributed to that sense of weird for me. I liked the actual magical qualities of the story but the rest just didn't do anything for me as a reader. At all.

I was bothered by the writing style, the somberness, and the pacing of the novel. I am not sure that I'm going to be able to capture my concerns and what I didn't like very well because it was more of a feeling than something concrete. I just didn't enjoy the reading of this book. I kept asking myself why I cared to finish it. I just didn't care enough about it to want to keep reading. Yet, the book was VERY readable which is why I stuck with it.

There were times when I thought the writing was very good but most of it just felt disjointed in some way to me. I just felt that the story, the characters and the sense of place were all jumbled up in some way for me. I never really connected to any of it. It felt like something otherworldly with no connection to me as a reader or even to the characters that I was reading about. This ultimately made me enjoy the reading of the story much less than I'd hoped.

In the end, I was so disappointed with this book. The premise was so clever and intriguing but I just didn't feel like it was executed very well. I have very mixed feelings about recommending this book so I'm going to recommend with a lot of caution. Although not a bad book, this is not even remotely one of my favorites. However, some of my bookish friends who I respect have loved the book. So, because of that, you might want to give it a try!

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Review: Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about this novel over the last few months and couldn't wait to get my hands on it! The entire premise of this novel was so intriguing and interesting to me. Here's an overview from Goodreads on the plot just to set the stage ...

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old Realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor of the day pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent captive of a sadistic psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered spirit back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Can you see why I was so intrigued?? It sounds amazing. And overall, it is super close to amazing. It's a debut novel that is actually a pretty good one. Many debut novels just don't deliver but this one does ... for the most part. It's not a 5 star but its close!

The psychological suspense of the novel, combined with the intensity of the character study that it entails makes it one of those books you don't want to put down until it concludes! I enjoyed how the events of the past (the kidnapping/captivity) were told through sessions with her psychiatrist. I thought it added some authenticity to Annie's voice. She certainly wasn't particularly likeable but I did enjoy watching her journey throughout the novel.

What I see as the primary flaw in this novel is essentially the ending. I don't want to get too much into it because I do not discuss spoilers in my reviews but it was the ending that really made this a 4 rather than a 5 star book for me. I was captivated with the story throughout the novel ... until the ending. I remember shaking my head and thinking 'Seriously?' I was pretty disappointed in how the ending was handled and how it went from WOW to eh in what felt like moments. I struggled with rating the novel but ultimately decided that it was more of a 4 than a 3 despite the ending and its flaws.

Overall, the book is excellent (minus the ending) and I do recommend it. However, be prepared ... the ending could very well disappoint!

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Mini Reviews ...

I have a few mini reviews to share today because I've been sooo busy and have had little time to get on here and post reviews. So, I ended up with a few pretty short reviews but I still wanted to share so here are some 'hit and run' reviews for you ...

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent mystery/crime fiction! I am so glad that I got keyed in to Michael Connelly and gave his Harry Bosch series a try! It was fantastic reading! Looking forward to starting the second book in the series!



Oprah: A Biography by Kitty Kelley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I rarely read these unauthorized biography but I was curious about this one, particularly when I heard how upset Oprah was about it. I found it to be a decent escape. There wasn't anything earth shattering to me although I will say the book confirmed many of my suspicions about Oprah. I think the book was entirely too long and could have been edited better. It was much less full of 'revelations' than I'd expected, frankly. Anyone who has watched Oprah through the years should already be aware of most of this - particularly her extreme ambition, her relationships with Steadman and Gayle, and her piles of money. Is she spoiled? Is she a control freak? Is she amazingly successful? Is she a philanthropist? Is she more important to herself than anything else? I think its safe to say that Oprah is flawed (just like all of us). I can appreciate the good that she's done while also understanding that much of that was in an effort to support her empire. This book is a nice escapist read for someone interested in Oprah and her world.


Unexpectedly, Milo by Matthew Dicks

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Although I loved 'Something Missing', I could just never get into this one. I REALLY wanted to because it had such an interesting premise and I adore Matthew Dicks. But, I just couldn't force myself to keep reading it. maybe I'll revisit it again later and hope that my perspective has changed enough that I'll enjoy it. But, for now, I'm letting it go ...


The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Unfortunately, I just couldn't ever get into this book. I tried for over 100 pages and I just never came to care about the book AT ALL. I was forcing myself to finish it and then I decided to just let it go because I wasn't interested anymore. I just didn't care to finish. I wish I'd enjoyed it as much as I'd hoped.


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Review: The Scent of Rain and Lightening by Nancy Pickard

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'd heard an interview with Nancy Pickard talking about this book and it sounded wonderful so I'd added it to my TBR list. When it became available at the library, I eagerly jumped on it and dug in. Overall, this was a good, solid book. Nothing outstanding but nothing terrible. Just solid good reading.

The novel has an excellent sense of place - Kansas just comes alive on the page as described by Nancy Pickard. That sense of place was one of my favorite things about this reading experience. Another thing that I liked about the novel was the characters. Although none of them really jumped off the page quite as much as Kansas did for me, they were all good, solid, well written characters. They had interest and complexity. They kept me interested in continuing to read.

The writing was good ... very solid. Nothing flowery or overly expressive but nice, solid writing. The mystery itself was well written. I actually didn't suspect the truth until the big reveal which was really nice. Mysteries rarely surprise me any more but this one really did.

In the end, I enjoyed this one but didn't love it. It was good. It was SOLID. I know that I've said that over and over but that is my ultimate impression of this book ... solid. If you love a good mystery or have an affinity for a good sense of place, I definitely recommend this book.

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Review: Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman

 









Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For a story that revolves around tragic and premature death, Waldman explored the aftermath with such success that I'm a bit taken aback. As all of my expectations fell away, I was able to see the genius in what Waldman did here - she used the tragedy to explore those age old questions of how to manage when your world blows up around you. In the end, it is a book about the human condition. The 'big stuff' that we all experience - love, grief, friendship, marriage, parenting, survival, growth.

What really made this novel superb was a combination of the writing, pacing and characterization. The characters that Waldman created just jump off the page. They are fantastic. They seem real in every way - flaws, strengths, weaknesses. It's all there for the reader to explore. Each character brought something interesting to the table for me - something for me to really think about and explore.

And the writing was just amazing. The first part of the book painted the wedding scene so effectively that I felt as if I was there - smelling the flowers, listening to the conversations, meeting the guests. The descriptive language was so well done! The prose was above and beyond good - it was at times hauntingly good. Certain passages literally brought me to tears. Others made me sit the novel down as I thought through the beautiful language.

I definitely recommend this book. I was very difficult for me to rate. I don't give a lot of 5 stars so I ultimately decided on a 4 star here but it was a really close to 5 rating!

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Review: Bloodroot by Amy Greene

Bloodroot by Amy Greene

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I may well have found my favorite book of 2010 ... or at least one of my top 5! I love, love, love this book!

First, let's do a quick overview of the book (from Goodreads) -

Named for a flower whose blood-red sap possesses the power both to heal and poison, Bloodroot is a stunning fiction debut about the legacies—of magic and madness, faith and secrets, passion and loss—that haunt one family across the generations, from the Great Depression to today.

The novel is told in a kaleidoscope of seamlessly woven voices and centers around an incendiary romance that consumes everyone in its path: Myra Lamb, a wild young girl with mysterious, haint blue eyes who grows up on remote Bloodroot Mountain; her grandmother Byrdie Lamb, who protects Myra fiercely and passes down “the touch” that bewitches people and animals alike; the neighbor boy who longs for Myra yet is destined never to have her; the twin children Myra is forced to abandon but who never forget their mother’s deep love; and John Odom, the man who tries to tame Myra and meets with shocking, violent disaster. Against the backdrop of a beautiful but often unforgiving country, these lives come together—only to be torn apart—as a dark, riveting mystery unfolds.

I'm not even sure where to start except to say that this book spoke to me. It got into my head and wouldn't let go. It was one of the best books I've read in a long time.

This is not a light, happy book. It's a dark, brooding, haunting book. Amy Greene creates a world of places and people that will stay with me for a long time. The novel has the feel of being an oral history. The interweaving voices of the characters gives the book an amazing fluidity that kept me from wanting to put the book down. This novel feels epic, almost like a saga. Yet, there is an intimacy to the novel that made it absolutely and utterly engrossing for me.

The writing is so well done. The seamless way that Greene is able to weave together so many different first person voices into one narrative was nothing short of amazing. When I think of the novel as a whole, I can really see the genius in what Greene created in this novel. She was able to expertly foreshadow so many events without ever giving anything away or giving the reader even a sense of foreshadowing. It's as if she created an amazing intertwining chain of pieces and parts that ultimately come together as a whole. Yet, none of the elements alone would work. It is only by placing them so expertly together that they have the emotional impact that they ultimately do at the conclusion of the novel.

The characters are drawn with such complexity that I was taken by each and every one of them. Good, bad, and indifferent. They were all compelling. Greene has an amazing ability to make you FEEL something for her characters, even the most unlikeable characters. Not only that, but she's able to make you change your feelings about them throughout the novel, as you learn more and more about the events of the plot. I was sure that I felt certain ways about certain characters and then suddenly I would find myself feeling something completely different than I'd expected to feel. I think this speaks volumes about how talented Amy Greene as a novelist. The geography and beauty of Bloodroot Mountain is so well drawn that the mountain becomes a critical character of the book. The sense of place in this novel is so expertly done that I truly felt as if I was there.

There is a great deal of pain, suffering and sadness in this book. It's not an easy read. It's emotionally wrenching. There were moments that simply took my breath away. I had to put the book down and just breathe for a moment. But, to me, that is what makes this book so amazing. It's what has stayed with me and what will likely continue to stay with me. The emotional impact of this book will stay with me for some time.
I could go on and on and on. But, I won't. I'm going to leave it at that. I recommend this novel wholeheartedly. It's certainly one of my favorite books this year. I cannot wait to see what Amy Greene has for us next! She is undoubtedly a talent to keep an eye on!

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Review: Tinkers by Paul Harding

Tinkers by Paul Harding

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to love this little book. Everything about it just seemed to be tailored made for me and my literary interests. But, unfortunately, it just didn't work out for me. It's very well written. Brilliantly written, in fact. I loved Harding's use of language. It was so good. The metaphors and imagery just float off the page so beautifully.

BUT ... the story was not compelling. It was one of those books that appeared to be more about the good writing than anything else. Which is not a bad thing for some people. However, for me, it just wasn't enough. I didn't even want to keep reading it. I only finished it because I kept hoping that it would turn the corner into amazing. Unfortunately, that just didn't happen. It's a simple little book that ultimately struck me as dull, boring and basically content empty. It saddens me to say this but I feel like the novelist didn't fully deliver anything beyond beautiful writing.

I do understand why others enjoyed it. I can even somewhat understand how it won the Pulitzer. And to be honest, if I was rating it solely on the writing, it would be a 5. But, when I look back at the reading experience as a whole, I just didn't like it. I didn't care to keep reading and had to force myself to finish. I feel like I wasted time reading it despite its beautiful language. Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. I wish I could recommend it but I cannot.

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Review: Life Sentences by Laura Lippman

Life Sentences by Laura Lippman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My primary interest in this particular novel was the idea of a story that revolves around a woman who spent seven years in jail for her unwillingness to divulge information about her young son's disappearance. I find the idea of that fascinating and I wanted to see what that was all about. This novel is definitely about that but it is about so much more. It was like an unexpected gift to me as a reader in many ways. It was so much more than a mystery. It explores a lot of different issues that were all handled well - racism, betrayal, friendship, family dynamics and memory.

I felt that Laura Lippman did a number of things really well with this novel. First, she made Baltimore, MD come alive with her words. I've been to Baltimore a number of times but she really gave the city texture with her words. Second, the character of Cassandra was so well written - she is a very complex, not always likeable character. But, I really enjoyed reading about her journey throughout the novel. I think she was really well done. Third, I really enjoyed how Lippman handled the mystery aspect of the novel. She makes it an integral part of the plot while also focusing more on the impact of the mystery on the characters of the novel more so than it simply being a mystery. All in all, I found it to be much more complex than your typical mystery novel.

I found this to be a well written, thoughtful novel that gave me a great deal to think about. I definitely recommend it!
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Review: Faithful Place by Tana French

Faithful Place by Tana French

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yet another fantastic novel by Tana French. She never disappoints me! I have loved both of her previous novels and this one was just as good!

This novel focuses on Frank Mackey, the undercover detective from The Likeness. I am having a hard time giving an overview without giving anything away so I'm going to let Goodreads do it for me -

"The course of Frank Mackey's life was set by one defining moment when he was nineteen. The moment his girlfriend, Rosie Daly, failed to turn up for t ...more The course of Frank Mackey's life was set by one defining moment when he was nineteen. The moment his girlfriend, Rosie Daly, failed to turn up for their rendezvous in Faithful Place, failed to run away with him to London as they had planned. Frank never heard from her again. Twenty years on, Frank is still in Dublin, working as an undercover cop. He's cut all ties with his dysfunctional family. Until his sister calls to say that Rosie's suitcase has been found. Frank embarks on a journey into his past that demands he reevaluate everything he believes to be true."

First and foremost, I have to talk about how much I love Tana French's writing style. She is an amazing writer. She creates dialogue that blows me away. Something about her style, her choice of words, her pacing ... all of it, just speaks to me.

The story in this novel was done very well. I found it to be compelling and it kept my attention throughout the novel. Tana French's writing is the cherry on top! She's such a good writer - her ability to create characters through dialogue amazes me. The characters in this novel just jumped off the page at me and made me feel like I was right there with them! I was impressed at how well done each of them were - well rounded, flawed men and women who really kept my interest peaked. I should mention that the plot itself didn't necessarily blow my socks off but it was good. It wasn't the most unique plot in the history of the novel but it was just fine. This is the only reason that I didn't give this one 5 stars. It was close but not quite a 5!

I definitely recommend this novel (and the 2 previous Tana French novels). This novel is nothing short of good, solid storytelling!

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Review: Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although I'd heard great things about this book, I was weary about reading it ... worried about how compelling it could possibly be. Well, I had no need to worry. This book was really very good. The story was so interesting ... I knew very little about the beginnings of Alice in Wonderland or Lewis Carroll. This book really surprised me in the most pleasant way possible.

This novel tells the story of Alice Liddell Hargreaves, a little girl that inspired Lewis Carroll, aka Charles Dodgson, to write his novel Alice in Wonderland. This novel focuses on the story of Alice's life as a child, a young woman and an older woman.

The story is so well written and absolutely engrossing. I was pleasantly surprised at how taken I was with the stories and the characters. I think Melanie Benjamin managed the storytelling so well! The pacing was very good as was the character development. The two complemented one another so well.
I found this novel to be fascinating ... leading me to go Google more about Lewis Carroll and Alice in order to find out as much as I could about the people I met in the novel. I just couldn't get Alice out of my mind. I found her story to be captivating! I definitely recommend this novel!

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Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

 









Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book has gotten a lot of buzz in the book community but it took me awhile to get to it. I read this one via audiobook. And, in the end, I really enjoyed it. Was it perfect? No. But, it was surprisingly good. I know that there have been a lot of Twilight comparisons which I understand. However, this book is entirely different from that series. Really quite different.

First and foremost, I was surprised how much better written this book was than I'd expected. Maggie Stiefvater is a good writer and really did a very good job with this novel. It could have been too sugary and sweet but I never really felt that way.

I really enjoyed the story and the characters. They were both quite well done. And in many ways, I loved the relationship between Sam and Grace much more than that of Bella and Edward. The other characters were also quite well done. I thought that Stiefvater really captured the entire first love storyline well and made it realistic and interesting. I was really quite surprised how non-cheesy the love story was in this novel.

The audio was pretty good. Nothing stellar but certainly fine. I liked the alternating voices for Sam and Grace. I think both of the actors/speakers did a really good job. A good solid audiobook!

I stayed engaged throughout the book. I thought it was a nice, sweet novel about love and friendship. Although not perfect, I think its a solid YA read. I'm really glad that I read it and I will definitely seek out the next book, Linger.

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Review: Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart

 










Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Although this is my first Beth Kephart novel, I've got several of her books on my TBR pile because I've heard such great things. I really wanted to read this one when I heard about it because it sounded like something right up my alley.

Overall, I would describe this novel as haunting. It's not particularly 'fun' or even entertaining. But, its a strong novel - well written and it really sticks with you!

This novel is historical fiction, Young Adult style. It's based in Philadelphia in 1876, during the Centennial in Philadelphia. The main characters are twin sisters Katherine and Anna. The story revolves around the fact that Anna dies in a tragic accident and Katherine's desire to die due to her feelings of guilt and betrayal. This doesn't really give you the true essence of the story but it does help.

The setting of the novel was amazing and so well written. Philadelphia in 1876 came alive for me as I read Kephart's beautiful prose. She gave the Centennial exquisite texture for me. I felt as if I was walking alongside the characters as they explored Philadelphia during that time.

I really related to the sense of loss and crisis that Katherine underwent during the novel. Kephart did an excellent job of making Katherine and her emotional state come alive for me. There were a number of themes in the book around salvation, loss, renewal, and personal growth. All of which I think were done extremely well in this novel and really gave me a great deal to think about.

In the end, this is a novel about betrayal and guilt, hope and despair, love, loss, and new beginnings. And it's beautifully written. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy well written novels that stay with you for a time after reading. Haunting. Yes, I think Katherine and her journey will stick with me for some time.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review.

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Top Ten Picks: Fictional Characters

The next top ten picks is all about favorite fictional characters ... from literature, television, movies, etc. This was really tough for me but here goes (in no particular order) ...

I'm kind of cheating for my #1 - I'm going to say the Little Women created by Louisa May Alcott. Although I tend to most identify with Jo, I just love each and every one of the sisters and CANNOT pick just one.

I love Jo for her intensity and her commitment to live life on her terms. I love that she speaks her mind and doesn't hesitate to go against the grain. I love Meg for her steadfastness and her solidity of character. I love Amy for her overall spunk and vanity - she's quite a character - good but vain. A contradiction ... as we all are! And, Beth. Sweet, kind, wonderful Beth. What's not to love about bet! Okay, I may have to go back and read Little Women for the thousandth time! I just love these little women!

#2 - Belle from Beauty and the Beast

I love the idea of a Disney princess that defies the typical blond beauty look of a princess. Belle is a brunette. She's SMART - loves to read, is sensible and cares deeply about her family. She is outspoken and is not interested in the frivolous. She is very compassionate and caring.

#3 - Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series

From the moment that I first read Harry Potter, I completely and utterly related to Hermione Granger. Smart and a bit awkward, she reminded me a bit of me. Although she's much smarter than me, I do relate to the overachiever in her! And I love what a STRONG female character she is! She just ROCKS!

#4 - Michael Scott from the Office

Michael is probably one of my absolute favorite characters on television today. He's hilarious, awkward to watch and just generally cracks me up!  His social awkwardness is classic comedy in action!

#5 - Sookie Stackhouse

Sookie is yet another strong female character that I just love to read about and watch on the True Blood series.  She's outspoken and brave. She's complex and imperfect. And I just love her!

#6 - Claire from The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I loved this novel. It just spoke to me when I read it. Something resonated with me. A lot of that was connected to Claire. I related to so many aspects of her personality - I thought she was strong and delicate at the same time. I related to her love for Henry and her commitment to their relationship despite its hardships.

#7 - Jack McCall from Beach Music by Pat Conroy

This is one of my all time favorite books. I rarely re-read a book but I've re-read this one several times. Something about the story just speaks to me. One of my favorite characters in this novel is the narrator, Jack McCall who is a brilliantly written character - with MAJOR flaws. He makes the book all the more wonderful to me!

#8 - Delores Price from She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

I love a good flawed character and Delores is all about the flaws! Her journey in this book really resonated with me and I remember having difficulty leaving her behind after I finished reading the book.

#9 - Lisbeth Salander

Another amazing female character. She's tough, difficult, out of the ordinary and compelling. She never ceases to amaze me as I read Larsson's books. Her character is definitely memorable!

#10 - Brenda Walsh from 90210

I can't believe I'm admitting this but I remember really relating to Brenda Walsh back in the day when I was pretty obsessed with 90210 (the original show, not the new one). She started out as a fairly nice girl but grew into something much more complex over the series. I really related to her journey. It felt very similar to some of the things that I was struggling with at the time.

Okay, that's it for my top ten ... what about you, what are some of your favorite fictional characters? Leave a comment and let me know!

Top Ten Picks: Series

One of my favorite book bloggers, Random Ramblings, has been doing a top ten picks series for a few months now. I've been meaning to join in but I keep forgetting! So, I'm going to be playing along, catching up! They are on week 17 of these so I'll be doing a number of these for the next little bit, trying to catch up! This is my first ...

Top Ten Picks: Series

This is tough for me because I'm a big fan of the series ... but here are my top ten series (in no particular order) ...

1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

2. Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton

3. Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris

4. Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

5. Rachel Morgan/The Hollows series by Kim Harrison

6. Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

7. Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich

8. Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton

9. Nina Reilly series by Perri O'Shaughnessy

10. Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris

And that's my top ten ... what's yours? I'd love to hear about series that you read that I might want to check out! Leave me some comments and introduce me to some of your favorites! Also, I just realized that ALL of my picks are written by women! How cool is that!

Mini Reviews

I've read a number of books lately that I just haven't had time to review in detail so I thought I'd try something new ... MINI REVIEWS!

John Irving: A Critical Companion by Josie P. Campbell

Are you a John Irving fan? If so, you might enjoy this critical companion. I happen to LOVE John Irving. I think his novels are some of my favorites and I really enjoyed reading this book. This book provides the reader with an exploration of his novels. Specifically, this book focuses on all of his novels up to A Widow For One Year, published in 1998.  The book includes a biographical chapter on Irving's life which I thought was interesting because I didn't know much about his life beyond what I'd read in a few interviews over the years. There is also an overview of his fiction which explores his work more broadly. But, the real 'meat' of the book includes individual analysis of each of this novels that focus on plot, character development and thematic issues. I really did enjoy this book and it made me want to go back and read some of Irving's early work which I have not yet read!


My rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

 Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton

Although I really do love the Anita Blake series, this novella just wasn't as good as I'd hoped it would be. It is a quick, easy read. It wasn't bad, just not great. My favorite part was the breakdown at the end of Hamilton's writing process, etc. That was fascinating and I loved reading about how she gets ideas and makes them come to life.


My rating: 3 out of 5 stars!

 The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Although I did enjoy the Twilight series, I just did not like this novella. I was able to overlook the obvious flaws in the Twilight series but not in this novella. It felt as if the flaws were blown up and I couldn't stop seeing them as I moved forward in the book. I rarely don't finish a book but this is one that I put down. I just CANNOT bring myself to pick it back up so I'm considering it abandoned. My step daughter who is a HUGE fan of the Twilight series, was able to finish it but didn't seem that impressed. She loves the regular series but said the novella was just okay. I personally think she's being overly generous. This novella is just terrible. I do NOT recommend it at all.


My rating:  1 out of 5 stars!

 Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #10)

You can't go wrong with Sookie! I love the series and this was a good book overall. Not great but a solid read. I have to tell you that the hardest thing for me right now is that I read them with the True Blood series in mind which occasionally plays with my head. But, in the end, I love Sookie, Bill, Eric and the rest. All in all, another solid Sookie Stackhouse novel! If you love the series, you'll enjoy this one!

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

I love the Dexter series which I saw long before I read this book. I think the series is smart and interesting. And I was surprised to find that the series really is a good representation of the books, based upon this first in the series. The humor is similar. The characters are very in line with the book. The story is similar but some things were changed for the series.

The best part of this entire series is the concept. The 'in the mind of a killer' focus makes the series pretty incredible, particularly given the specific type of killing that Dexter focuses on. Dexter's wit and attempts to fit into the world are just infinitely interesting to me.

In the end, I think I like the television series slightly more than the books, based upon this first novel. I'll continue to read the novels though. I definitely recommend the novels AND the television series to those who don't mind a bit of gore. These are both fairly intense and sometimes gross books/shows. They are not for everyone but they are wonderful!

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

Review: Heart Sick by Chelsea Cain

 










Heartsick by Chelsea Cain

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've read quite a few serial killer type books because I find the psychology fascinating so I was interested in the Gretchen Lowell books since they focused on a female serial killer. I have to tell you, this book was definitely better than the vast majority of serial killer type books that I've read. It was SO good. I was so impressed with this book - it was well written, the storyline was compelling and the characters were outstanding!

I read this one via audiobook and definitely recommend this particular audiobook. It was SO well done and the narrator was excellent! I think that having the book told to me rather than reading it really helped it come alive for me.

The characters are really what made this book special for me. They are the foundation upon which the entire story is built and it is done so effectively that I found myself amazed at how quickly I found myself falling into the book's world. The story was compelling - rather different than most of the 'serial killer' type books out there. And, Gretchen Lowell is without a doubt one of the most memorable, sadistic characters that I've ever come across. Wow. You just won't believe this woman! She gets under your skin and makes it CRAWL!

I really can't recommend this book AND this audiobook more. It really is good. Very interesting and kept my interest throughout. I just downloaded the audiobooks to the next two books in this series and I can't wait to devour those as well!

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Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

 









The Passage by Justin Cronin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It's taken me almost a month to feel ready to write this review. I wanted to sit with the novel a bit before I came and put my thoughts out there.

I began hearing about this novel months before it came out and there was a lot of hype about it which always makes me weary because I worry that I'll be disappointed. I waited and waited and waited for the release date and giggled when I got the note from the library that it was waiting for me.

And it is quite a book. Very overwhelming. Very hefty. Just huge.

But, from the moment I began reading, I was sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. For awhile, it was book heaven. Excellent premise, interesting characters ... all the elements that I love in a good book. I kept thinking to myself that I love that this book is so long since I was loving it so much, I didn't want it to end. And, then, suddenly ... it seemed to begin to drag for me. I'm not sure exactly what happened but I do know that it went from being extremely compelling to just okay in what felt like one fell swoop. And I was disappointed.

The bottom line is that there are pretty major flaws in this book when I look at it in its entirety, which keep me from giving it 5 stars. Which is unfortunate because it really could have been a 5 star book. It's sad to see such potential peter out into ehhh. The worst part is that the pacing kind of jarred me and my experience of the book. I'd be flying through, loving it then SLAM the pace would slow down to a crawl and I'd be forcing myself to get through it. Moments later, it would race back up and I'd be loving it again. That inherent inconsistency in pacing really took away from the impact of the book.

Cronin obviously has a lot of potential but I was disappointed that he wasn't able to sustain the momentum for the entirety of the book. That pacing problem was a huge issue for me and ultimately made the book a lot less enjoyable for me. However, I do think that the premise is wonderful and I am glad that I read the book. I plan to continue to read the series.

This book has been compared to The Stand by a lot of a reviewers and I have to agree that there are certainly elements of both books that lend themselves to the comparison. However, The Stand is a much more solid book than The Passage, in my opinion. They are both good but if you choose to only read one of them, read The Stand.

I do recommend this book but with reservations. It's not for everyone. Simply reading it is quite a commitment and I feel like its important for readers to know its flaws going in so that they don't feel the overwhelming disappointment that I did. Because I still really wish that I'd loved this one!!!!

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