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!