Leni Zumas's writing crackles. Her books are sharp, bleak, funny, and possibly dangerous. When her collection of short stories, Farewell Navigator,...
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What really drives this book are the characters. They are so well written they will seem real to you. You really do care about what happens to them. Danica and Etsell Greene seem an unlikely match. They have been together since they were teenagers and married young. He is a pilot and she hates, even fears flying. Etsell is offered a chance to help another pilot in Alaska. He and his plane go missing on his last flight. Dani tries to find out what happened. There are many twists and turns that happen in the course of her search. Her mother-in-law, Hazel, hinders rather than helps. The friendship with a local Pastor, Ben, saver her sanity and helps her get on with her life. I found this a sweet and sad story with a great ending. I highly recommend this book, very entertaining and you'll hate for it to end.
Three different main characters, three different time lines.Cait is a journalist in the present, Billie is a struggling college student in 1979 and finally there is Bridget who is an Irish nanny in 1916. I usually do not like books using this format. But, Pamela Redmond did a wonderful job of telling each story and also to intertwine them. Both complex and well balanced, this will keep you reading until the conclusion. Each woman faces a difficult choice dealing with pregnancy and child birth. The book explores how these choices can effect people far in the future. This would make a good book club book. Much to discuss, love, family, race and relationships. Plus it is an easy, quick and enjoyable read.
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
This story takes place from the early 1970's to present day. It follows the Erickson family though all their times, good and bad. it is set on the farms of Iowa, also Chicago and some time in Italy.
At first, I found the format, told in vignettes that skip around in time, annoying. After a time I was able to ignore the time shifting and just relax and enjoy the family saga. A good read, an excellent choice for book clubs, it is sure to generate a lot of discussion.
A group of twenty-year old friends and relatives leave a wedding reception, they are happy, a little high and somewhat drunk. They hit and kill a little girl crossing the road. The book follows the people through several decades. It shows how this event changed their lives and how each of them dealt with it.
This is beautifully written and the characters so real, you won't want to put it down. The end brought a tear to my eye and left me breathless.
I highly recommend it.
I love books about the holidays. Especially around the holidays. This novel takes place in 2007 on Thanksgiving day. The extended Olson clan gets together to celebrate the day. Due to kitchen malfunctions the whole group pile into their cars and moves the feast to another house.
The house they are headed for is Gavin and Eleanor's. Kijo and Spider are two urban black kids. Mrs. Olson is their teacher and they know she will be away for the holiday. They plan some mischief. Armed with red spray paint cans they are painting one word on the upstairs bedroom wall.
As they finish they hear cars drive up, doors slamming and voices entering the house. They are trapped.
The characters in this book are vividly drawn and you think you know them. Think again. As the drama plays out you will be surprised by who will step up to deal with the situation and who will completely fail to do so. This would be a perfect book club choice. There are so many topics to talk about. Racial issues, moral issues, and how you may not know the people you are close to as well as you think. This book will stay with you a long time, it is very powerful. I highly recommend it.
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janmah51 has commented on (39) products.
Far from Here by Nicole Baart
janmah51, March 12, 2012
What really drives this book are the characters. They are so well written they will seem real to you. You really do care about what happens to them. Danica and Etsell Greene seem an unlikely match. They have been together since they were teenagers and married young. He is a pilot and she hates, even fears flying. Etsell is offered a chance to help another pilot in Alaska. He and his plane go missing on his last flight. Dani tries to find out what happened. There are many twists and turns that happen in the course of her search. Her mother-in-law, Hazel, hinders rather than helps. The friendship with a local Pastor, Ben, saver her sanity and helps her get on with her life. I found this a sweet and sad story with a great ending. I highly recommend this book, very entertaining and you'll hate for it to end.The Possibility of You by Pamela Redmond
janmah51, February 1, 2012
Three different main characters, three different time lines.Cait is a journalist in the present, Billie is a struggling college student in 1979 and finally there is Bridget who is an Irish nanny in 1916. I usually do not like books using this format. But, Pamela Redmond did a wonderful job of telling each story and also to intertwine them. Both complex and well balanced, this will keep you reading until the conclusion. Each woman faces a difficult choice dealing with pregnancy and child birth. The book explores how these choices can effect people far in the future. This would make a good book club book. Much to discuss, love, family, race and relationships. Plus it is an easy, quick and enjoyable read.(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson
janmah51, January 9, 2012
This story takes place from the early 1970's to present day. It follows the Erickson family though all their times, good and bad. it is set on the farms of Iowa, also Chicago and some time in Italy.At first, I found the format, told in vignettes that skip around in time, annoying. After a time I was able to ignore the time shifting and just relax and enjoy the family saga. A good read, an excellent choice for book clubs, it is sure to generate a lot of discussion.
Carry the One by Carol Anshaw
janmah51, December 23, 2011
A group of twenty-year old friends and relatives leave a wedding reception, they are happy, a little high and somewhat drunk. They hit and kill a little girl crossing the road. The book follows the people through several decades. It shows how this event changed their lives and how each of them dealt with it.This is beautifully written and the characters so real, you won't want to put it down. The end brought a tear to my eye and left me breathless.
I highly recommend it.
Strangers at the Feast by Jennifer Vanderbes
janmah51, December 13, 2011
I love books about the holidays. Especially around the holidays. This novel takes place in 2007 on Thanksgiving day. The extended Olson clan gets together to celebrate the day. Due to kitchen malfunctions the whole group pile into their cars and moves the feast to another house.The house they are headed for is Gavin and Eleanor's. Kijo and Spider are two urban black kids. Mrs. Olson is their teacher and they know she will be away for the holiday. They plan some mischief. Armed with red spray paint cans they are painting one word on the upstairs bedroom wall.
As they finish they hear cars drive up, doors slamming and voices entering the house. They are trapped.
The characters in this book are vividly drawn and you think you know them. Think again. As the drama plays out you will be surprised by who will step up to deal with the situation and who will completely fail to do so. This would be a perfect book club choice. There are so many topics to talk about. Racial issues, moral issues, and how you may not know the people you are close to as well as you think. This book will stay with you a long time, it is very powerful. I highly recommend it.
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