Cart
|
|
my account
|
wish list
|
help
|
800-878-7323
Hello, |
Login
MENU
Browse
New Arrivals
Bestsellers
Featured Preorders
Award Winners
Audio Books
See All Subjects
Used
Staff Picks
Staff Picks
Picks of the Month
Bookseller Displays
50 Books for 50 Years
25 Best 21st Century Sci-Fi & Fantasy
25 PNW Books to Read Before You Die
25 Books From the 21st Century
25 Memoirs to Read Before You Die
25 Global Books to Read Before You Die
25 Women to Read Before You Die
25 Books to Read Before You Die
Gifts
Gift Cards & eGift Cards
Powell's Souvenirs
Journals and Notebooks
socks
Games
Sell Books
Blog
Events
Find A Store
Don't Miss
Creatives on Creating Sale
Spotlight Sale
Picture Book Sale
Powell's Author Events
Oregon Battle of the Books
Audio Books
Get the Powell's newsletter
Visit Our Stores
Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
(0 comment)
Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
Read More
»
Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
(0 comment)
Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
(0 comment)
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
Customer Comments
Melinda Ott has commented on (188) products
These Are the Moments
by
Jenny Bravo
Melinda Ott
, October 14, 2015
Folks, this is it. This is the book that has convinced me that the world of self-published books is worth exploring. I came across this book by finding the author's blog. I was intrigued enough from what I read there to give her book a try, and I'm glad that I did. I loved Bravo's writing-it is at least as good as anything that comes out of a major publishing house (and, in many cases, better!). She has a fun readable style that is very reminiscent of Rainbow Rowell. Yet, Bravo's real strength is in building characters. Wendy is a well-rounded and complex character, which shouldn't be surprising as she is the main character of the novel. However, Bravo takes the same care with all of the characters of this book, which really brought Wendy's world to life with me. It was surprising because in most books, even books that I consider exceptional, the secondary characters just aren't as full as the main characters. So, bravo for Bravo. This book is told between two time periods--the present day, when Wendy and Simon are both going to be a part of their friends' wedding, and "the past" starting when the two met 10 years earlier. It does alternate chapter by chapter, but Bravo does a good job of bridging the two narratives. At times, though, I wished that she had combined some of the "then" sections so that she could have 2-3 "now" chapters for each "then" chapter. I do want to talk a bit about the genre of this book. I did note early on that I wasn't quite sure what genre Bravo was going for, young adult or new adult. In truth, the book reads well through both lenses--which really is not a detriment as young adult and new adult are pretty much Irish twins in the literary world. But there is something much more interesting when it comes to genres here. Wendy is a devout Catholic. In fact, she meets Simon--and most of the secondary characters--at a youth retreat. Wendy's faith is important, not just in terms of character development, but also in terms of plot. While this book is not "preachy" in the least, the presence of this character's faith would cause any major publisher to slap a "Christian" title on it. But, there is also a lot of drinking, some illusions to drug use, implied sex, and a whole army of f-bombs here--none of which any publisher would allow in a work of "Christian" fiction (and pretty much all of it was important to the story). So, if Bravo had gone the "traditional" publishing route, she would either have had to take out Wendy's spirituality, which would have flattened the main character, or taken out all the other stuff, which would have flattened all the other characters and sucked the life out of the world she created. By self-publishing, she wasn't forced to conform to one genre or another and her story benefited from it. There was one aspect of this book that didn't work for me. I really felt that this story should have been told in the first person voice. As it is, Bravo uses a close third person point of view, much like you would find in a book where the narrative shifts between two characters--which is what I thought this story would be when I started (it isn't--and that's a good thing!). My guess is that Bravo probably would have been more successful using Wendy as a narrator. As it was, there were several points in the book where I was suddenly reminded that the book was in third person and I thought that Bravo had switched viewpoints on me--which resulted in my re-reading sections and interrupting the flow of the book. However, that really is a small point against all the other strengths of the novel (and, I'm a critical reader, so many readers may not even pick up on it). I was wonderfully surprised by this book and now consider myself a Jenny Bravo fan and I urge readers to brave the world of self-published novels to read this gem.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Fates and Furies
by
Lauren Groff
Melinda Ott
, October 07, 2015
The first time I heard of this book, it was prefaced with "the best book of 2015!" I decided that, for a change, I'd try to beat the hype on this one. I can't say that I was entirely successful with that as I continued to hear and read the merits of this book as I began to read. And, honestly, I was perplexed. You see, this book was just painful to read. I'm not talking about the subject matter--while I quickly tired of Lotto and Mathilde's rather narcissistic life, I didn't find anything they did that objectionable (or, frankly, interesting). The language of the book, at least in the first section, is overly stylized in a way that makes it overly laborious to slog through. I found the constant asides that Groff includes--they litter the first section and are used occasionally in the second--disruptive to the flow of the narrative. The second part of the book is better than the first. The first, "Fates" is told from Lotto's point of view and the second, "Furies" from Mathilde's. Both sections tell roughly the same story, but from the two different viewpoints. Mathilde's story is far more interesting than Lotto's and the language in her section is more organized and easier to read. I'm perplexed as to why Groff spent so much time on Lotto's narrative and not as much on Mathilde's as more actually happens in the latter (the book is 60% Lott and 40% Mathilde). As I was reading this, I had posted in a couple of different places that I was having trouble with this book and the response I would receive would be to hang in there, the 2nd half makes it all worth it. I'm not arguing that the second half (or last 40%) is much better than what comes before it, but does it make up for the "Fates"? A number of readers believe so, but I am not one of them. Groff lost me with this book and, by the time Mathilde got to tell her story, I was too far gone. I applaud Groff for what she was trying to do here--I do appreciate when writers "color outside the lines." However, in this case, it just did not work at all for me and I don't think I would recommend this book to anyone, despite all the buzz it is getting.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Girl on the Train
by
Paula Hawkins
Melinda Ott
, September 30, 2015
I had to think about this book for a few days after I finished it to decide how much the hype around it affected my experience reading it. I do realize that I'm one of the last people on the planet to read this....which means I went into reading this knowing that it was supposed to be spectacular. Did I find it spectacular? Not at all. There was much I liked about it. Hawkins has a great writing style and sh mastered the pace of the book so that not only did she control the rate at which information became to available to the reader, but also so that she could build up the necessary dramatic tension. The story is told through the eyes of 3 women, which sounds like a disaster. Hawkins, however, successfully develops three distinct voices so that the reader is never confused about who is who. Rachel, the main character, is expertly drawn. She is at rock bottom at the start of the book and manages to go lower and lower. My reaction to her was not that she was unlikable, but that she was pitiful and I believe that was what Hawkins was going for with her. The story itself is interesting, although I will admit to figuring out the mystery well before I think the author wanted me to. For most of my life, that would be a major strike against the book. However, I've become such a critical reader in the past few years that I've learned to just accept that as par for the course in my reading now. Because of that, I don't think I'm a good source for someone wanting to know if they'll be surprised by twists and turns in this book. My biggest problems with the book was that I couldn't find a single character to really root for. As I said, Rachel was pathetic to the point that she felt like a lost cause. All the other major characters, whoever, were just downright unlikable. I couldn't stand any of them. I think Hawkins tried to make two of the minor characters--Megan's therapist and Rachel's roommate--somewhat "nice" but she essentially failed on both counts. Megan's therapist, well, makes some bad choices. Rachel's roommate, Cathy, on the other hand, is just downright unbelievable. Most of the time, she's little Miss Sunshine and, when she's not, she doesn't really have any teeth in her bite. I'm not saying that Hawkins needed a nice hero in this book somewhere but, as a reader, I needed someone--even a minor character--that I felt had some humanity and who I could root for. Without that, I never felt completely pulled into the book. In line with that, I really felt that there was some serious male-bashing in this book. The men, like everyone else, are not "nice," but they are not nice in very stereotypical and predictable ways. I wish Hawkins had found a more unique way to create the male characters and had stayed away from tired cliches. In the end, The Girl on the Train didn't live up to the hype for me, nor did I feel that it was unique enough to deserve all the hype. However, I can recognize why others would enjoy this book. While I would recommend this book, I would be selective on who I would recommend it to. This book is really for people who are looking for something dark and twisty and are able to get sucked into a book without needing a character for them to root for.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(5 of 7 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Who Do You Love
by
Jennifer Weiner
Melinda Ott
, September 22, 2015
Jennifer Weiner is one of my go-to authors. I find her incredibly entertaining, but not fluffy. She is amusing without being comic and touching without being maudlin. Mostly, I enjoy her take on modern women's lives. This particular book has a special bit of notoriety in my reading life: it is the title that drew me out of the worst reading slump I've ever encountered. On the whole, I enjoyed this book However, I can't say that I enjoyed all of it. The love story is pretty straightforward, but I never felt that in lacked in complexity. While I didn't find it to be one of those love stories that just knocked the breath out of me, it was an entertaining one to read I enjoyed how Andy's character developed. He's quite different from other characters that Weiner has created and I found his growth both natural and surprising. I understood his emotions as portrayed in the book and his actions made sense (even if they sometimes made me furious). Rachel was a different story for me. Frankly, she's a mess. I don't mean she's an emotional mess (or a slob), but she is messily constructed. She is initially presented as being defined by her heart condition and I found that interesting. However, that is dropped completely as she grows older. I understand that her condition is under control, but it was such a formative influence on her early life and then it was just sort of erased from her character. I also found the trajectory of her character frustrating. She starts as a young girl with a heart condition, then she is a teenager looking for love. Once she goes to college, she becomes a shallow sorority sister who doesn't seem to be at all connected to her childhood. Then, the next time she appears, she's the complete opposite of what she was as she becomes a social worker working with families in need. Finally, she becomes, well, a character I know I've read in other books by Jennifer Weiner--the unsatisfied Jewish woman who, in her mind, is just not good enough. That on its own is fine, except that Weiner has used that trope a bit too frequently in her books. At the end of it all, I was never able to form any kind of connection with Rachel and I wished that the book had been Andy's story, with Rachel as a supporting character. The book is told from Andy's and Rachel's viewpoints in alternating chapters. This in itself is fine--and probably necessary for the way Weiner had constructed the book. But I found it disconcerting that Andy's chapters were in 3rd person and Rachel's were in 1st person. I can't say I have a preference of one viewpoint over the other, but constantly switching between the two created what I considered an unnecessary challenge for the reader. Weiner includes a lot of cultural detail in this book. At first, I loved it--these characters are about my age and, when I was reading their stories in their younger years, I became very nostalgic. As the story--and time in the story--progressed, however, it began to just be gimmicky to me. Andy and Rachel found themselves in the midst of several "generation defining" events, the two most notable being 9/11 and the athletic doping scandals. The latter was necessary for the story, but the former seemed a little too, well, Forrest Gump-ish to me. But, as I said, I did enjoy this book--enough that it pulled me out of my slump (and, trust me, that is quite an accomplishment). Do I think it was Weiner's best work? No. (I'd still go to In Her Shoes for that....), but it certainly wasn't her worst. If you are looking for a not-so-fluffy love story and are willing to overlook a few flaws, Who Do You Love might be for you.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Race for Paris
by
Meg Waite Clayton
Melinda Ott
, September 09, 2015
hink everyone just needs to agree with this fact: you can never have too much WWII Historical Fiction. I'm sure that there are readers, somewhere, who reading nothing but WWII Historical Fiction and they are never lacking for material. Even if you aren't one of those readers, this is definitely a book to consider. This is a fast paced book--although one could probably guess that just from the title. The plot is constantly moving as the action moves through Europe. Yet, among all this, Clayton is still able to successfully develop the three main characters. The story is told in first person, from Jane's point of view, which I found interesting choice given the circumstance. While she tells the story, she more of an observer than an active participant. Liv is clearly the center of this book. She is the one who wants to make it to Paris and she is the one who has the most to prove by doing so. Jane and Fletcher tend to orbit Jane. I really enjoyed how Clayton explored the relationship between Liv, Fletcher, and Jane. It's a difficult dynamic and she doesn't shy away from it. I loved all the historical detail in this book and it is rare that I feel that I learned anything new when reading historical fiction (I read quite a bit of it and I have a degree in History, so I go into these books with my feet already wet). I had yet to read an account of this period of World War II from a journalistic point of view, so that was a nice change for me. I do feel that I have to put this out there, though. This book is what I would consider "heavy" on the history--there are a lot of details and, even though Clayton expertly weaves them into the narrative, some readers might find this book to be bogged down by them all. I would not necessarily call this a strike against the book, but I would take it into consideration when recommending it to someone. I think you really need to be into the history to truly enjoy this book. I had one gripe about this book--it wasn't especially major, but it was big enough that it did impact my enjoyment of the overall book. As I said, the book is told in first person from Jane's point of view. I have no problems with the first person point of view, but there are some pitfalls with it--and Clayton falls into one. There are passages scattered throughout the book where Jane relates scenes she is not a part of and is able to tell what is going on inside someone else's head. There are boundaries with any point of view, and probably more with the first person than any other, and Clayton sometimes steps over those boundaries. This was an exciting and action-packed, yet not flawless, read. I enjoyed my experience reading it and I would recommend it to other fans of serious Historical Fiction.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Kitchens of the Great Midwest
by
Stradal, J. Ryan
Melinda Ott
, August 13, 2015
I really don't know if there is a book out there that is more suited to my tastes than this one. I love food and cooking (well, I don't always love cooking--but I love the idea of cooking), I love short story collections (this is a short story collection in novel form, if that makes any sense), and I love the Midwest. So, you know, sign me up. This book lived up to all of my expectations and then some. The mechanics of this book are unique, which is something I don't come across too often. As I said, it is a short story collection in novel form. By that, I mean that each chapter is a distinct chapter, but they are all tied together through the character of Eva Thorvald. So, is Eva the main character? Well, yes and no. She is definitely the axis around which this book turns, but she appears less and less in the book as it progresses. In turn, other characters take center stage as their lives are touched in surprising ways by Eva. Honestly, if someone told me this was how it went, I never would have thought it would work But it does--marvelously. At its heart, this is a story of parents and children, specifically mothers and daughters--but you don't see that until you've read the last word. Stradal is not overbearing with his theme and lets it develop organically over all the stories he includes. I appreciated that I wasn't hit over the head with THIS IS WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT and that Stradal let me discover it on my own. And the food! Yes, there are recipes and I have a mostly love, but a little hate relationship with recipes in novels. I appreciate them but, unless they are collected at the end of the book, I find that they sometimes break up the flow of the narrative. Stradal not only doesn't save the recipes for the end, he puts them right smack dab in the middle of the narrative. Again, this should irritate the heck out of me, but he does it in a way that actually works. This is partly because there aren't that many recipes and also because, when he does include them, it is part of the action of the plot. Oh, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be making Pat Prager's Peanut Butter Bars in the very near future! Let me close with this, several people that I know will most likely receive copies of this book for Christmas. It is that good!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Last Summer At Chelsea Beach
by
Pam Jenoff
Melinda Ott
, August 11, 2015
When I said that I was reading this book, a number of people told me how much they loved Pam Jenoff's books. I was a little ashamed to admit that this is the first of her novels that I've read. But, I can say now, that it definitely won't be the last. This book had a lot going for it with me from the get go. I love immigrant stories and World War II historical fiction. Addie is a strong female character who is working to make it on her own but is enamored by the big Irish family next door (at least during the summer). Jenoff delivers on all these points and then some. I really enjoyed Jenoff's voice. The story is told from Addie's point of view and she sounds like, well, like a young woman in the early 40's--not like an author from the early 21st century. I also really appreciated that Addie faced not only the obvious challenges like, oh, World War II but also some more subtle ones, such as gender equality in relationships. This book is all over the place, but I mean that in a good way. Addie travels from Italy to the United States and then to England and back, but the action of the only spans 4 years. I found it fascinating how much Addie's world changed in such a short time, but I did question how easily she was able to travel across the Atlantic at pretty much the spur of the moment during wartime. It shouldn't be a surprise that Addie is the most developed character, but Jenoff keeps the supporting cast from becoming to static. Each of the Connally brothers has a distinct personality, which helps to keep them straight at times. I also liked how Jenoff drew Addie's Aunt Bess. The impression the reader has of her is clearer (and fairer) than the one that Addie gives us. This was a perfect read at the perfect time for me. It was an intriguing read that kept my attention with a fast plot and tight writing, but it wasn't so heavy that it became a chore. I would definitely recommend this book and I know I'll be reading more by Pam Jenoff in the future.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Sweet Water
by
Christina Baker Kline
Melinda Ott
, August 07, 2015
It is no secret that I, like so many others, loved Christina Baker Kline's Orphan Train, which was her most recent novel. Sweet Water was her first novel, and it shows how much she's grown as a writer. That's a polite way of saying this book is downright painful. First off, a warning...I will probably tiptoe into spoiler territory. I try to avoid that when I write reviews, but I'm kind of in the "why bother" mode in this one. So, if you still want to read this book at this point, you may want to tune out now. I will say that Kline's writing talent is evident here. Her prose is readable and mature, but not heavy-handed. The problem with this book is not in the writing, it is in the construction. The plot is barely there and ill-defined. Is it about Cassie trying to "find what she's looking for" with her mother's family? Is it about Cassie's Grandmother's secret? Is it about Cassie's quest to find out what happened to her mother? The answer to all those is this: um, kinda, sorta? I don't think Kline ever had a clear idea of what this book was about and the reader certainly doesn't as they make their way through the story. Then there are the stereotypes of southerners. Let's see...we have the catty frenemies, the holier than thou preacher's wife, the wild child (there are a couple of those), the old drunk, and the town gossip. All of these characters have shown up in any number of superficial Southern novels, movies, or TV shows. And, if that wasn't enough, there is probably one of the most offensive (and, really, inaccurate) Southern stereotypes out there. I'll give you a second....yep. We have a fair dose of explicit cousin on cousin action. Now, Kline does try to diffuse the situation by stating that they aren't "real cousins" because one of them is adopted. But, then she includes a few post-coital observations about how much the two look alike--very pointed observations (which are both yucky and annoying because she never closes that loop...). Yes, I know...you need a shower now. As I said, the one positive aspect was Kline's language. It was the one thing--well, that and the fact that I knew what she could do in Orphan Train that kept me going. However, I'm not going to let this book turn me off Kline's writing. As I said, this was her first novel and, when you compare it to her latest, you can see how much she has grown. If anything, it makes me more likely to read her next book. But, save yourself from the experience of this book and just take my word on it, okay?
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Year Of Biblical Womanhood How A Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting On Her Roof Covering Her Head & Calling Her Husband Master
by
Rachel Held Evans
Melinda Ott
, August 05, 2015
This was one of those books that was....exactly what you would think it would be. That isn't a bad thing...it just is what it is. I think the first issue that I should address is the similarity between this book and A.J. Jacob's The Year of Living Biblically. Yes, they are similar--and Evans even mentions that in one point. However, I really feel that Evans has the upper hand in this face off. For one thing, this book has a better focus than A.J. Jacobs' work. While Jacobs seems to come from the viewpoint of, "Hey, let's try to be religious," Evans goes into her project to explore an issue--Biblical Womanhood--that she encounters in her own life. I will admit I had a little trouble categorizing this book in my mind. On one hand, there is a definitely "Christian Living" element to that. However, while Evans does talk about her own faith, the book itself is more of a cross between a memoir and historical research. This isn't a book I would say is JUST for Christians. It doesn't come across as preachy at all and non-Christian readers, provided they are tolerant of others' beliefs, would probably enjoy it as well, In fact, if there was a group who would be more likely to be offended by this book, it would be Conservative Evangelical Christians. I really enjoyed Evans's writing. It was casual and conversational, but not at all glib. She is very respectful of beliefs that don't match her own--and my favorite parts were when she referred to Orthodox Judaism and her virtual friend who was serving as her expert. She also includes some of her husband's diary entries, which adds a nice dimension to her narrative. She did visit some communities and people who were on the more extreme ends of the spectrum--the Amish, a polygamist, a quiverfull follower. I will say that, while these episodes were interesting, they didn't stick with me as much as other parts of the books. Mostly, I remember reading Evans' mishaps as she tried to adopt some extreme behaviors. All in all, it was a readable, if not exactly surprising, book. I would recommend it to most anyone, and would definitely recommend it over other similar books.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
How to Bake a Perfect Life
by
Barbara O'Neal
Melinda Ott
, July 31, 2015
Here we have a book featuring a baker and, honestly, I felt like it was baked in a microwave. Some parts were perfect, some parts were overdone and tough, and some parts were raw and undeveloped. I'm left feeling deflated because, what I liked about this book, I really, really liked. Ramona is a fantastic character. She has a history--she was an unwed teen mother who recently broke with her family and started her own business. She's guarded, as one might expect, but still yearning for companionship. I appreciated that she was human, not perfect. While I rooted for her without, I could still she that she had her own flaws. O'Neal presents four major plots here (and four, for a book like this, is just too many). Ramona is struggling in her business and wondering what her next steps are. Her very pregnant daughter's husband was critically wounded and must go to him, which understandably causes Ramona worry and stress. Ramona is also needed to become the guardian to her tween step-granddaughter. And, to top all this off, there is a romantic element when "a man from her past" comes back on the scene. I know that it is the romance that is the selling point of this book, but I felt that this was the least necessary (and least interesting) aspect of the book. Honestly, O'Neal could have lifted that entire plot and its character out of the book and still have enough for a good novel. Or, if this book really was meant to be a "romance," one or two of the other plots should have been left out. I did think that O'Neal's writing was tight and readable, but I did have one complaint. I'm not a prude, but detailed sex scenes (or, as my mother calls them, "biology lessons") are rather annoying, especially if they don't fit in with the fabric of the book. The more intimate scenes just didn't fit with the narrative style of the rest of the book (but, as I said before, that whole plot didn't really fit). At times, I felt almost as if she had outsourced those pages while she wrote the rest of the book. Another thing that bugged me...there is a supernatural element in this book. I have nothing against supernatural elements, but I feel that they have to be handled with care. I wouldn't say that O'Neal isn't committed to this element--she follows it throughout the book--but I really felt that she should have handled it differently. How, exactly, I'm not sure. Perhaps she should have made it a larger part of the whole story...I don't know. What I do know is that it just didn't quite jive here. I don't want to give the impression that I hated this book. As I said, I really enjoyed the main character. The plot(s) also kept me going until the end, even if they sometimes left me scratching my head. This is a lighter read and problems in books like that are easier to forgive. In the end, it was still an entertaining read and is great when you just need something lighter to read when you have a few minutes here and there.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Interestings
by
Meg Wolitzer
Melinda Ott
, July 29, 2015
As anyone who has had any contact with me while I was reading this, they already know that I did not enjoy this book. In fact, I've said--and I stand by he sentiment--that if I, myself, had not been the one to recommend this to my book club, I would have DNF'd it. I know, what a way to start out a review...but stick with me here There were two things that really bothered me about this book. First of all, I'm just tired of books about the intelligentsia of New York. I don't mean the actors, writers, etc of New York, but the rich folk whose talent seems to be more due to their birth and trust funds than any skills they develop. Secondly, the sort of turning point plot line hit a bit too close to home for me as it was very reminiscent of some things going on with people close to me, But, you see, while those are valid reasons for me not to like this book, I will admit that they are very subjective reasons. Because of that, I can't base on whether or not I would recommend this book on how I felt about it. So, let me try to take my feelings out of this and look at the mechanics of the book. There were things that I did like this book, and things that I found problematic. I enjoyed Woltizer's writing--it kept me engaged, which is saying a lot since I didn't actually like the book. She does an impressive job of placing the narrative in time. This story spans from the early 70's to the current day and the reader always feels like they are in the same time as the characters. One of my favorite scenes was near the end (not a spoiler!) where the two elderly owners of the camp are reminiscing about the camp's glory days--I was immediately transported to the scene in Dirty Dancing where Max Kellerman and Tito Suarez are talking about how things are not like they used to be in the Catskills (and it is always a good thing when a book evokes Dirty Dancing!). I felt the characters well-rounded, but I can't say that I liked any of them. In fact, the only character I did like was the tertiary Rory, who is fun and wild and doesn't fit at all with the her family and the other characters in the book. Then there is the issue of Jonah. There is nothing wrong with the character of Jonah--except the fact that he is completely superfluous to this book. He could be completely lifted out of the narrative and it would have no impact on the story whatsoever. In fact, there were times when I completely forgot about him--only to have him turn up and have 100 pages devoted to him. Ultimately, if I take my own personal feelings out of this book, I will admit that there were some great things about it and some things that just did not work. Would I recommend it? Well, I probably wouldn't offer up this title as a recommendation, but if someone asked if they should read it, I'd tell them to go ahead. They might like it. Or they might not.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
by
Gabrielle Zevin
Melinda Ott
, July 23, 2015
Some books are just more "bookish" than others. I know that sounds crazy--how can books be more or less bookish?--but it is true. This is a book for people who love books, and who understand the power of literature. A.J. Fikry is a prickly fellow when we first meet him, still reeling from the death of his wife several years earlier, and determined to drink himself to death. Then, things change and, due to circumstance, he begins to let a few more people into his life. I liked that A.J. was rather prickly when we first met him and, even though his life circumstances change dramatically, he still maintains a bit of that prickliness. Too often, characters make an unrealistic transformations where they go from angry, bitter, what have you to bundles of joy and rainbows. A.J. is not like that....he is who he is. I loved the fictional island of Alice. Zevin created a quaint town and brought it to life without going all Lake Wobegon on it (Lake Wobegon is great, but a town as "full" of that would not have worked there). There were a few "townsfolk" who were brought into the main narrative, which was just enough for a novel of this scope. I was immediately sucked into the narrative in a way where I was happy to just go along with what has happening,so I didn't think too much about what was coming next in the plot. Because of that, I personally didn't find the plot predictable, but I can't speak for others. There were a couple minor things that bugged me. Some of the time jumps were just a bit too long for my tastes. I would have preferred more time jumps of less time that less time jumps of greater time. There was also a character, who was set up to be a major player, that was cut out of the plot rather abruptly and, in my opinion, in a clumsy manner. Still, these complaints are minor and they don't change the fact that this is one of the most enjoyable books I've read all year. I would recommend it to any reader.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Bishops Wife
by
Mette Ivie Harrison
Melinda Ott
, July 22, 2015
This is one of those cases where, even though I have some real concrete complaints about this book--and complaints that would lead me to DNF another book--I just could not stop reading this and, as much as I hate to admit this, I enjoyed the experience, even if I can't say that I enjoyed the book. I had heard quite a bit about this book in the months since it had been published, but much of what I heard was mixed, so the bar was--well, there was no bar for my expectations going into the reading. This is not a Cozy Mystery, but it definitely has some of the hallmarks of that sub-genre: The somewhat of a buttinsky main character who becomes an amateur detective, a close-knit society (in this case, the LDS ward), and the relatively clean storytelling. However, it is much darker than a cozy mystery and lacks any of the (intentional) quirkiness that one would find in those books. The fact that this book was somewhere between a Cozy Mystery and a Thriller might have been what sucked me in. I am not a Mormon, although I grew up in an area with a large LDS population, so I know maybe just a tad more than the basics about the religion, but I can't say I have any first-hand experience. I did notice from other reviews that people are split as to whether this book is an accurate description of the Mormons or not. I don't know, but I will say that the details were at least interesting, but my views of the LDS remain unchanged. I can't say that I found the characters to be especially dynamic--Linda, as the main character, was the most developed, but I didn't really feel that she grew as a person as the book progressed. The other characters all seemed pretty one-dimensional, which I can mostly overlook. I did wish that she had given Linda's husband, Kurt, more personality. I also felt that she left a couple character points unfinished--specifically with two of her sons. It felt like she was going to explore something with them, but it never happened. There are actually two mysteries in this book that are related thematically, although they are separate in the plot. Strangely, it works here and Harrison handles juggling these two plots well. Harrison's writing style isn't particularly memorable, but I didn't feel like I was tripping over her prose. I did wish, however, that she infused more emotion into her words. Plot-wise, this book moved at a good clip. There were plenty of twists and turns so that I stayed interested, but things did get melodramatic at the end, which was a letdown for me. But, my biggest problem with this book was something else: victim shaming. There was a character in this book who does a fair amount of victim shaming--I'm not saying that victim shaming is ever acceptable, but it was done as part of his character so it isn't anything I can hold against Harrison or this book. Yet, as the story progressed--probably the last 3rd of the book or so--I would say that Harrison herself does a fair amount of victim shaming with the choices she makes about a character and their actions. It didn't really fit with what was going on and, frankly, had it come up earlier in the book, it may have led me to DNF the whole thing. Frankly, I'm not really sure what to say about this book. It has problems--some I can overlook and some I can't. The experience of reading this book was an enjoyable one, even if I can't say that I enjoyed the book once I was finished with it. I may still recommend it, though, depending on the reader and what they are looking for.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Beautiful Ruins
by
Jess Walter
Melinda Ott
, July 21, 2015
This is one of those books that has been near the top of my TBR list for over a year, but it kept getting pushed aside for other books. Then, I received a copy through one of my postal book clubs and had to read it...and I'm so thankful that I did. I have to admit that I was familiar with Jess Walter as a person, but not as an author before reading this. I listen to the podcast he does with Sherman Alexie and the two make a great pair. However, I couldn't quite picture the person from the podcast writing a story as chronicled in the summary. Luckily, it turns out that the man and the story merge perfectly. Reading this book felt like an extravagant vacation--the reader goes to Rome, to a small village on the Italian coastline, to Hollywood, to Idaho, to London and Edinburgh, and to Beaverton (although that last one probably doesn't fall into the "vacation" category!). Obviously, this book is all over the place--not just geographically, but also chronologically. I was worried about that, but it did work for me in this case. I was able to follow all the story lines without any problem. The characters are what really make this book work. I won't go into the specifics about each one (like story lines, characters abound here), but I will say that I found myself relating to all of them, including the one really unlikable (yet entertaining) character. Because there are so many people and story lines, Walter explores facets of the characters instead of developing the entire character. In another book, I would find this annoying. However, there is more than enough here so that Walter's approach is successful. All in all, this was a lovely and satisfying book, with something for every reader. I would recommend it to anyone without hesitation.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(7 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Go Set a Watchman
by
Harper Lee
Melinda Ott
, July 17, 2015
Let me start by saying that this was the most unique reading experience that I've ever had. It wasn't that there was anything especially unusual about the story, but the circumstances around the book are one-of-a-kind. It is important to know the context of this novel--this was the first book that Harper Lee wrote. It was rejected by the publishers with a note that she should explore the childhood of the main character, Jean Louise "Scout" Finch. Lee took that note and wrote another book, To Kill a Mockingbird. This manuscript was filed....until something happened. Things get murky from that point and it isn't really clear when this manuscript was "discovered"and if Harper Lee actually consented to the publication. So, it is set after To Kill a Mockingbird, but it isn't truly a sequel. It is more of a story about an alternate universe Maycomb, Alabama and its famous literary inhabitants. The first question that came to my mind was why was this book rejected in the first place? After reading it, I can think of a couple reasons. For one thing, it might have pushed the boundaries of what was considered "acceptable" in mainstream fiction in the 50s. There are reference to child molestation, someone is compared to Hitler, a lot of discussion about racial issues, and a scene involving an unfortunate pair of falsies (and that last one is excellent!). I have a feeling that some of the things this book touched on may have been a bit too "hot" for a publisher to take on. There is also the problem that, plot-wise, this book is a bit light. The plot isn't "bad," but it isn't really novel-sized. This plot could have been expressed in a short story or a novella, although most of the very entertaining, but non-essential, scenes would have had to be cut. I would love to know what someone who has never read To Kill a Mockingbird would think of this because, for me, this is really dependent on To Kill a Mockingbird. There were also some stylistic things that don't show up in To Kill a Mockingbird that may not have gone over well--mostly things where the narration switches from third-person to first-person stream-of-consciousness. I don't recall this happening in To Kill a Mockingbird and I'll admit that I was a little confused by it at times. The original suggestion that Lee should write about Scout's childhood does make sense. We all know about the wonderfully precocious Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird, but I must tell you that the Jean Louise of this book is freaking awesome. I can't think of another character of that age in literature who I have enjoyed as much as I did Jean Louise (who I will call Scout from here on out--because she will always be Scout in my mind). She's opinionated and brash and knows how to make a situation deliciously uncomfortable. Also, this Scout is a natural evolution of the Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. There are a lot of flashback scenes to her childhood and they read as if they could have come out TKAM. And, now, the elephant in the living room--Atticus. Unless you have no access to the internet (in which case, you wouldn't be reading this review) you know that Atticus is not what we expect in this book. I would like to take a moment to call every outlet (The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Mashable, The Guardian, and others!) who felt that they should spoil this jerks. You are all jerks. There, I said it. But it is an important part of this book. Is Atticus a racist? By, 2015 standards, yes. By Scout's standards, yes. By mid-1950's standards? Maybe not. I mean, this was a contemporary novel when it was written, I mean, by 2015 standards, some of the things that Scout says are racist as well. (And to be fair, neither is as racist as Ma Ingalls....) I'm not excusing any of this, but I think that it is important to place it in history. I think that modern readers should be upset about the racism here--not in a "how dare you" sort of way, but in a "we were wrong" sort of way. I think that a reader needs to be able to separate the myth of Atticus Finch from the literary Atticus Finch. I have to say that because what I'm about to say next may not sit well with some people: In my mind, I can see that the Atticus of To Kill a Mockingbird can become the Atticus of Go Set a Watchman. I'm not saying that Atticus was racist in TKAM--but what I'm saying is that he could have been. Remember, TKAM was told through the eyes of a child who idolized her father. In Go Set a Watchman, that child has grown up and lived on her own in another part of the country. Should you read this book as a sequel or as an unrelated book? I don't think you can read it as a completely unrelated book--there is just too much overlap between the two. But I don't know that you can read it as a strict sequel either as there are things that just don't add up. For example, the trial of Tom Robinson is alluded to in passing in this book, but the details-and outcome--were different, I guess you have to find where you are comfortable between the two options and read it from that point. I will say, though, that this book does seem dependent on To Kill a Mockingbird. However, I am a person who has read TKAM several times, so I already had that at the forefront of my mind going into Go Set a Watchman. I'm going to close with what I thought was so profound about this book--and that is that it was published when it was. The issues this book deals with are still with us. The same arguments that are used against Civil Right in this book are used to support flying the Confederate flag today. Things that are said about African Americans are still said about minorities. It is amazing how little has changed in 50+ years. I am immensely glad to have read this book (and I truly hope that Harper Lee DID give consent to its publication). The experience in reading it is something I will never experience again and it takes the issues that are raised in To Kill a Mockingbird and brings it home.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Newport
by
Jill Morrow
Melinda Ott
, July 10, 2015
Here is what I knew about this book going into it: It was set in the 1920's and deals with the rich in Providence, RI. That's it. I'm not sure why I didn't know more--after all, I had the book with the synopsis on the back in my hand--but I didn't. I honestly can't say if that impacted my enjoyment of this book or not, but I think it is something I should disclose because one thing that I enjoyed about this book is that I never really felt like I knew what was going on. Okay, I know that sounds like a negative, but it really works here. Of all the characters in this book, there are 2 that the instinctively know they can trust, and one of them is a very peripheral character. I don't know if I would say that the characters are unreliable, but more than Morrow is very careful about what information she gives out and when. I never knew if I was dealing with the supernatural or an elaborate hoax. Not only does this add a new dimension to the characters, but it keeps the reader pulled in from beginning to end. I was describing this book to my mother and her response was that it sounded very stressful. While I can see how she'd get that from my description, the truth is that this book is not stressful at all. I'm not sure if I can adequately describe my experience with this book, but here's my best attempt: Sometimes, I read a book and think that it would make a great movie. With this book, I felt like it would make a great stage play. It is a very contained story in that the cast of characters is limited and, with the exception of a series of flashbacks, the action takes place in one location. For me, this was a great summer read--the plot was fast and evenly paced. The characters, while sometimes a bit cliche, were entertaining. And, when it was done, I felt like my time had been well-spent while not personally feeling spent. This is the first novel by Jill Morrow that I've read and I'll be watching for more from her in the future!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Almost Famous Women Stories
by
Megan Mayhew Bergman
Melinda Ott
, July 09, 2015
This was somewhat of a weird read for me. I think the premise of this collection is genius and I was quite excited about it. Yet, I really felt that I would have enjoyed these stories--any of them--more if they were not in a collection. I think my biggest problem was that there really isn't a different narrative voice between most of the stories (there are two that are exceptions). Because it sounded like the same voice telling all of the stories with a similar theme, things started to just meld together for me. Successful collections need to either have stories with varying themes or (or, possibly and) differing voices for each story. Instead, this collection began to be a bit monotone for me. That being said, I do like Bergman's writing style. I think in a novel or in individual stories, she is or could be quite effective. She was not overly verbose and she was able to capture the emotions of her characters in a way that the reader could understand them, but still keep them in the context of their setting. As I mentioned above, there were two stories that sort of broke the mold in this collection. One was "The Internees," which is a "short" short story told in the plural first person about the survivors from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. I was particularly taken with this story and consider it one of the best in the collection. The other was "The Lottery, Redux," which is a "cover story" (Bergman's description) of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. As a story it was interesting and a good read--but it just didn't fit in this collection and left me wondering why it was even included. But, in the end, I might still recommend it. I think, if one were to read this book, my suggestion would be to read it slowly--perhaps one story every couple of days or so. The stories are good, even if the collection as a whole is a bit flat.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
If I Stay
by
Gayle Forman
Melinda Ott
, July 07, 2015
I will come clean...I cry at everything. Sad movies, happy movies, books, commercials featuring pets, and--worst of all--preschool graduations. Seriously. It is not a feat to make me cry. This book did not make me cry. I'd say I have stone-cold heart, but since I cry at everything else, I don't see how that can be true. I know I was supposed to cry...everyone I know who has read this book said I would cry and, believe me, Forman tried her best to squeeze tears out of me, but it just didn't happen. I get that the premise--a girl whose entire family is killed in a car accident and her out-of-body self has to decide if she wants to lie or die--is tough. I'm not heartless, after all. But I just was never able to get emotionally invested in this book. After I finished I tried to figure out why this book left me so cold, and I think three things come into play. First of all, only 2 things happen in this book. Mia is in a car accident and then she decides whether she'll live or die. Yes, there are some other minor incidents of activity (the biggest being her boyfriend and musician friends try to break into the ICU), but as far as plot goes, it is just those 2 things and a lot of introspection. I was definitely left wanting more plot and, strangely, more introspection. And introspection is my second issue--in that it isn't. Introspection and flashbacks are not the same thing. I would say a good 3/4 of this book is told through flashbacks, but the flashbacks are really just recounting of things past--there is never really a tie to what happened back then to the decision Mia needs to make now. I found this very frustrating because I felt that all these flashbacks were the literary equivalent of treading water and I wanted this book to go somewhere. Finally, I didn't think that there was a single original character in this book. Every character--the gifted but shy Mia, her musician boyfriend, her ex-rocker parents, her outspoken best friend--were just the usual stock characters that are commonly found in young adult literature. I don't mean to bash YA fiction by saying this--I've read some fantastic books where writers have taken the "usual" characters and transformed them--but I just didn't feel that it worked here. I had seen all these characters before, several times, and nothing they did or said really interested me at this point. In fact, the only character that had any real stock in was Mia's friend, Kim--not because she was unique, but because she was at least the most interesting of the cliches. Look, I know people LOVE this book and I'm not saying they are wrong. I read a lot and I critique what I read and maybe I'm cynical and the heart on my sleeve may be covered by several layers of literary gortex at this point. But I can say that, ultimately, this one just didn't have the teeth to cut through to my emotions.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Ana of California
by
Andi Teran
Melinda Ott
, July 05, 2015
I'll come out and say it: whether or not you enjoy this book is dependent completely on your expectations going into it. This is a modern re-telling of Anne of Green Gables. Anne-with-an-e, the spunky turn of the century orphan, has been replaced by Ana-rhymes-with-fauna, a Mexican-American foster child who was orphaned when her parents were killed in gang violence. There, I said it. I love Anne of Green Gables, but I also recognized going into this that I could not, and should not, expect the whimsy of Anne Shirley and her life in Avonlea to be transferred to Ana's life. If you do expect that to happen, this book probably won't work for you. Now, after that dire warning, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I actually loved that Teran took the framework of such a beloved classic and brought it forth into the reality of the current day. There are some very clear parallels--Ana goes to live with a brother and sister on a farm, (although the brother is more like Marilla and the sister is more like Matthew), "the boy" insults her hair, there is a hair incident, and there is a "bosom friend". And then there are other elements that are turned a bit--and I won't go into those because I think you should read the book to find them! There are some really dark elements in this book, which is not surprising given Ana's backstory, that have no equal in the source material. Also, while Anne of Green Gables is sort of an age-less classic, in that it appeals to everyone from children to adults, Ana of California is very firmly in the Young Adult Genre. Ana is a high school student and Teran brings up issues that kids today face in high school. Ana is a dreamy and spunky girl, but not in the same way that Anne is. Ana is a fighter--she's scrappy and scared. While Anne has wonder for the world, Ana is just trying to get through the world. But, again, Ana with Anne's wonder just would not work and would not believable for the reader. The cast of supporting characters were interesting. There were a few that were pretty direct translations--such as the Rachel Lynde and Josie Pye characters. Others, however, are more of a jump. As I've mentioned, there seemed to be a bit of a gender swap with the Matthew and Marilla characters (which probably works better here). Rye, who is the "Diana" character, still fills the role of the BFF, but her relationship with Ana is a bit more problematic. On a final note, I also would not go into this thinking that, since you've read Anne of Green Gables, you will know how this book goes. Trust me, it is a bit more complicated than that. But, that is really what makes it interesting. Teran doesn't re-tell Anne of Green Gables, she recreates it.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Little Paris Bookshop
by
Nina George
Melinda Ott
, July 02, 2015
First off, I now need to take a vacation cruising the canals of France. There are a few different ways you can take this book and one is a travel novel--and it is quite successful in that. Trust me, you'll feel like you are cruising along with Monsieur Perdu and his friends. Tben, of course, there is the food. One of the characters is a chef and the dishes he whips up will make your mouth water (and recipes are included if you want to try them yourself!). I appreciated that the recipes were in an appendix to the book instead of sprinkled throughout, which seems to the be the style in so many books these days. Of course, the heart of this book is not travel or food, but literature. Like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (a book I was reading when I started this one), this is a truly bookish book. While I think anyone would enjoy this book, book lovers would truly "get it." We bookish folk understand that books can be a salve for what ails us, that can treat conditions that medicine can't touch. In short, we get Monsieur Perdu. I loved the writing style--I'm assuming a translator was involved, but I couldn't find who that might be with my electronic copy. However, it could be that the author translated her own work--I really don't know and haven't been able to figure out. In any case, I will say that this book does not read like a translation. The prose is poetic and flows nicely. There is also (and unsurprisingly) what I would consider a "European flair" about it. By that, I mean that it is a little more dramatic and emotional than I recall ever reading in a North American author, but I have read similar prose from European authors. This is not a bad thing by any means--it simply adds to flavor of this novel. The plot moves fairly steadily, although there are a few times when George seems to get stuck on one point or another. I'm more forgiving about this in translations because, unless you read the work in its original language, you can't really be sure if this is due to the author or the translator. Still, the book kept me interested from the first page to the last. Another minor--and I do mean minor--gripe I have is that the title of the book doesn't represent the actual story. Monsieur Perdu's "bookshop" is never called as such--it is referred to as a barge or as the Literary Apothecary--and it spends very little of the book in Paris and doesn't really have any ties to the city. I can't knock George for this as the publisher frequently assigns the title (especially in translations), but the title just isn't the best. While I would recommend this book to anyone, I would especially recommend it to my book loving friends. And my France-loving friends. And my travel-loving friends. And my food-loving friends.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Virgins Daughter A Tudor Legacy Novel
by
Laura Andersen
Melinda Ott
, May 29, 2015
When I heard that Laura Andersen was coming out with a new trilogy, I jumped at it. I loved her Boleyn Trilogy (The Boleyn King, The Boleyn Deceit, and The Boleyn Reckoning) and couldn't wait to see what she had in store next. The answer: more of the same. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing--after all, I truly enjoyed her first trilogy. However, this book is like the 4th book in a trilogy. The 3 books of the Boleyn Trilogy read like a trilogy--they worked together as a whole and came to a satisfying ending. Now, we have a continuation of the story with Dominic and Minuette's children and Elizabeth's daughter (in Andersen's alternate universe, Elizabeth was married to Philip of Spain). Is this a problem? Not really, except that you really need to read the original trilogy before starting this book. Seriously. I can't see how anyone who had not read the first 3 books would have any clue what is going on here. On a petty side note, I feel like I have to mention the cover art. The first three books had very nicely designed covers and I wish the designers had carried that through to this book. Frankly, I find the cover of this book a bit tawdry. Okay, back to the bones. So, this book is called The Virgin's Daughter but, it isn't about Elizabeth's daughter. Princess Anne Isabel (called Anabel), who is the daughter of Elizabeth and Philip of Spain, is a character in the book, but she is secondary at best. Instead, this book is about the oldest daughter of Dominic and Minuette, Lucette, who was born in the last book of the previous trilogy. Lucette was a fun, if not realistic, character. Elizabeth basically uses her as a spy, which would never have happened in the "real" Elizabethan England, but in this one--sure, why not? Lucette is, of course, smart and beautiful--but not too smart, and I think that is what I liked most about her. She made mistakes and she misread things. Basically, she wasn't perfect. She is sent to visit (er, spy) the home of her family's friend, Renaud LeClerc (a character in the first trilogy) to sniff out a possible conspiracy to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. There she meets up with the two LeClerc brothers, who themselves are estranged. There are a cast of supporting characters, both historical and fictional. In this book, Andersen uses more fictional than historical characters, which is change from her first trilogy. Among the "real" people, we have Elizabeth I, Philip of Spain, Sir Francis Walsingham, Dr. John Dee, and Mary, Queen of Scots. The rest of the characters are of Andersen's creation, which makes this one more step removed from fact. I say this only because some people (okay, I am one of them) are sort of sticklers for historical accuracy, so they need to keep in the forefront of their mind that this is "alternate" history. I hope that the next two books more deeply explore the younger set in these books. This is Lucette's book, but will the next be Anabel's or Pippa's (Lucette's younger sister, who I found very interesting)? We can only wait and see, but Andersen has set up some interesting possibilities for the coming books. I found the plot of this book to be fast moving and fun, but Andersen's writing didn't seem quite as tight as it did in her first trilogy. I'm willing to forgive that because I do think she has an interesting story here. While I'm still trying to figure out if I'm reading a new trilogy or an installment of a series, I would recommend Andersen's books. I would strongly, strongly urge any reader to start with The Boleyn King and go from there but, if you've already read her Boleyn "trilogy" and enjoyed it, this would be a "must read" for you.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Pieces of My Mother
by
Melissa Cistaro
Melinda Ott
, May 28, 2015
Oh my, where to start. Anyone can tell from reading the summary of this book that it is going to be heart-wrenching. I am lucky in that I can't personally relate to Cistaro's story, yet I was still deeply affected by this book. I can only imagine how someone who can relate to Cistaro's story would experience this. I enjoyed Cistaro's writing quite a bit and she wasn't afraid to go all in. I suspect it can be hard to articulate the feelings that Cistaro had to go through in her life and I applaud her for that. In fact, this book reminds me of another well-known memoir of a woman coming to terms with her mother's death and I think readers of that novel (you know what book I'm talking about!) may be interested in this book. I will admit, though, that I did have some problems with the pacing of this book I felt that Cistaro did a fabulous job of digging deep and explaining her feelings, but I also felt that most of this book was stuck in neutral. I never felt that Cistaro was getting closer to making peace with her feelings about her mother until, well, she had made peace. I wish that there had been more of a forward-motion in the narrative throughout the book. Would I recommend this book to others? Yes, although not universally. I don't think this is a book for just anyone and a reader needs to be in a certain "head space" for it. But, for some, this is an excellent memoir.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Under the Same Blue Sky
by
Pamela Schoenewaldt
Melinda Ott
, May 26, 2015
Folks, I'm scratching my head over this one. There are definitely some wonderful things about this book, and I enjoyed the experience of reading it, but there were issues that I just can't overlook. I'll start with the positive. This is my second book by Pamela Schoenewaldt (Swimming in the Moon was the first) and, once again, I was drawn in by the language in this book. It is not overly verbose, but the prose is still lovely and completely readable. I was immediately attracted to Hazel as a character. She is a young woman very much at a crossroads in her life. As is typical among young people of that age, she is restless and then she discovers a family secret that leads her to question her life as she knows it. I liked that while Hazel was a proactive character, Shoenewaldt still gave her time to process these things that go on in her life. The real draw for me with this book is how well Schoenewaldt draws America during World War I. I've read a fair amount of WWI fiction, but I think it was all from a European viewpoint. The United States had a unique experience with the war--while we didn't join in until late in the game, the war was fought by citizens on the streets of America. Schoenewaldt captures this expertly and, for that alone, I would recommend this book. But, as I said, there were things that just didn't work. My biggest problem is that it seemed like Schoenewaldt took 3 passes at this before settling on a plot, but the first 2 possible plots are still included, but never finished. The first of these is Hazel's family secret, which is introduced, ignored for a bit, and then brought up briefly before being dropped for the rest of the book. The second story line involves some magic realism. It is not that I don't like magic realism--I actually quite like it when done well--but I do believe that it is something that an author needs to commit to and carry through the entire work. Schoenewaldt does not do this. It happens in only one part of the book and then is dropped again. Throughout the rest of this book, I kept hoping I'd see a return, or at least an explanation, of the magic realism, but it never happened. Because of this, I felt like I was reading 3 distinct stories (or 2 beginnings of stories and one complete story) instead of one cohesive novel. I really think that a but more editing and the removal of "story stumps" would have greatly improved this novel. But, I cannot discount the beautiful language and Schoenewaldt's description of WWI-era America. Even with its flaws, I would still recommend this book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Martian
by
Andy Weir
Melinda Ott
, May 21, 2015
Once again, I'm probably the last person around to read this. However, this time at least, there is a good reason for it. It was the selection for my book club this month and I try to read the selections within a month of the meeting. So, I've owned a copy of this book for months but had to wait (well, made myself wait) until just recently to read it. The big question is: does it live up to the hype? Yes, yes it does. I was actually a little wary of this book going in. From what I had heard about it, I was afraid it would be a Castaway scenario where it would be one character talking to himself (or to an inanimate object). Thankfully, that is not the case. Yes, the bulk of the book is Mark Watney trying to survive on Mars, but there are also scenes with NASA and with Watney's crew as they travel away from him. And Mark never talks to a soccer ball, or personifies any other non-living thing, so that is a plus. There is a a staggering amount of science in this book, but don't let that scare you off. I do not have a scientific mind at all and I was able to get through it. I will say I did better when Mark was going through the science than when the people from NASA or the Hermes crew were relaying it. Weir created a great voice with Mark, which is necessary since the bulk of the book is in his voice. He has a great sense of humor and even the driest science monologue was entertaining when it was coming from him. However, I am kind of amazed at how much chemical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering he knows as a botanist (yes, I know everyone had multiple roles but...wow....) The movie version will be out later this year and I am in now way making a dig at the book when I say I think it will make a great movie. It does have a very linear plot which translates well to film but doesn't always work on the page. Here, however, is an exception. The fact that Weir has directed everything in this book to one point is truly effective and I think that, if he had deviated at all from that, the whole narrative may have fallen apart. I read this book in one day, which I am rarely able to do these days. Once I picked it up, I just couldn't put it down and I'm pretty sure that most people would have the same experience.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Love & Miss Communication
by
Elyssa Friedland
Melinda Ott
, May 13, 2015
Let's start with the good--and there is a lot of good here. I guess the proper review format would be to save my "bottom line" for the end of this, but I'm going to be a rebel and start with it. I really enjoyed this book and it was exactly what I needed when I read it. Friedland's writing style is exceptionally good for this type of book in that there seems to be a fair amount depth to her writing and she fleshes out the main character of Evie quite nicely.The secondary characters are more one-dimensional, but since the novel is so focused on Evie, it isn't really an issue. The premise of this book is both unique and timely. If you are reading this review, you are plugged in. Evie goes completely off the grid. Like, she won't even look at a computer screen (at least not when it is turned on). I know I couldn't do it and I doubt many others could either. I kept thinking there was no way she would be able to function in life without the internet, but she makes it and it is pretty awe-inspiring. Honestly, I would recommend this book on the premise alone. Now, the critical part. Before I go on, let me reiterate that I did enjoy this book. It is on the lighter side, and I knew that going into it, so even though I have these criticisms, they were not big issues for me. First off, I knew exactly what was going to happen in this book. There was nothing that caught me by surprise and I knew pretty much from the start how the book would end. However, this book could fall under the "chick lit" umbrella and such books usually follow the same formula, so the fact that this book was not surprising is not surprising. I also wish Friedland had spent more time on what Evie went through the first few days and weeks of going off-line. Did she go through the typical withdrawal symptoms? Did she eat all the chocolate in the world? I don't know, because Friedland never really went into that. It seemed like giving up the internet was just as easy as deciding to do so and I really, really, really doubt that. My final little criticism is that the epilogue of this book just doesn't fit with the rest of the book. You could just skip it and not miss anything but, if you choose to read it, you might be scratching your head, trying to figure out how it relates to anything. Epilogue should tie up loose strings, this one just tangles up a whole other ball of yarn. Still, this was an enjoyable read for me and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a beach read where they don't get WiFi.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Ladies in Low Places
by
Mary Ann Henry
Melinda Ott
, May 08, 2015
Short story collections are things that I love, but somewhat hard for me to review. Obviously, reviewing something with several distinct stories can be tricky but the bigger problem for me is that I usually read short story collections over a long period of time. For example, it took me 53 days to read this 263-page book. The fact that it took me so long to read this book is not a commentary on the quality. I just like to go slowly through short story collections, reading no more than one story a day. I like to have a little "space" between each story so that I can enjoy each one on their individual merits. Unfortunately, the fact that it takes so long for me to read books like this means it can be harder for me to keep the earlier stories fresh in my mind. So, I'm going to address this book with an overall eye. For this book, this works well because Henry's style is fairly uniform throughout the book. This isn't to say that this book is monotone. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Henry does an admirable job of including stories of women from all walks and stages in life. You can, however, tell that every story was written by the same author, which isn't a bad thing at all. I actually loved Henry's voice and it even sounded Southern in my head as I read it. Henry is an expert at creating the world of the Lowcountry here. I've never been there (the closest I've been was when I went to college in the Tidewater region of Virginia) but I could clearly see it in my mind's eye and, yes, I would really love to visit now. The fact that she was able to pull this off is what really holds this collection together. This is a very readable collection and I would recommend it to readers new to short story collections, as well as to fans of Southern fiction from a female viewpoint.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by
Sherman Alexie
Melinda Ott
, April 29, 2015
I was supposed to read this book about a year ago--it was one of the selections in my book club, but I wasn't going to be able to attend that meeting so I ended up not reading this book. Then, I needed something to read on my phone during National Library week (or whatever) and this book had come up as being the most challenged book in libraries. Well, I love a good controversy, so I finally got around to reading this. And, here is my question...what is supposed to be so controversial about this book. According to the ALA, it is: Reasons: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying” Anti-family? Really? If anything, this book is incredibly pro-family! Junior's parents are not perfect, but they are the best they can be and they love Junior and Junior loves him,. I'm not sure how that qualifies as being anti-family. Cultural insensitivity? This is one of the most culturally sensitive books I have ever read. And, yes there are some scenes of drugs/alcohol/smoking, a few f-bombs here and there, and a description of what Junior does in his alone time (I'll give you a hint--it's the same thing almost every single 14 year old boy on the planet does). However, none of that is presented in a gratuitous way. It's Junior's life and this book would not be true with a white-washed version of his life. Look, I'm not going to go any further arguing the so-called "reasons" for challenging this book--it just makes me too upset. I'll get off my soap box now.... Obviously, I loved this book. Junior was a fantastic character and I fell a little bit in love with him (and then went head over heels for him in the scene where he's interviewed by local media). The depictions of life on the reservation are hard to read, but I believe that they are realistic. I know life is hard on the reservations, and Alexie does not shy away from that. Yet, at the same time, he does not fall into self-pity. What I found unexpected was how Alexie contrasts Juniors reservation world and his "white" world. In short, neither world is perfect, but neither world is doomed. People are people and everyone has their own value and their own struggles. I don't know if I was expected for own group to come out ahead of the other in some way, but I am very glad that didn't happen. I truly feel that this is an important book for young people to read. Yes, it examines the struggles of modern Native Americans but, more importantly, it is about finding your own place in the world. And to all those people who try and challenge this book....don't worry, when my children are older, they won't be checking this book out of the library. I'm going to buy them their own copies.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(17 of 18 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Boy Who Drew Monsters A Novel
by
Keith Donohue
Melinda Ott
, April 17, 2015
Horror is not a genre I normally read. I have read it and I have enjoyed it, but it just isn't the section of the bookstore I tend to go to. The truth is, I have a sort of strange relationship with it. I am one of those people who is scared very, very easily. I can't watch horror movies or listen to ghost stories. Heck, I can't even go into haunted houses. Yet, I'm very rarely scared when I read. In fact, I've only been frightened by 2 books (The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Salem's Lot, the first AND LAST horror novel by Stephen King I've read). I think that is why I've stayed away from horror--I felt like it wasn't working for me as it didn't scare me. In time, I realized that getting a creepy or eerie feeling was probably okay and, let's face it, I shouldn't bemoan the absence of nightmares. So, when I come out and say that I didn't find this book frightening, it should not be taken as a commentary on the work. I did find it eerie, and definitely a little creepy, so that is a win in my book. However, I can't say if reader who are--and want to be--scared by such books would be. I think those of you who fall into that category will have to rely on other reviews to see if this book is spine-tingling. All that being said, I did find this a solid novel. I don't know if you can much creepier than a creepy kid and, in that department, this book delivers. Jack Peter has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, although it is clear very quickly to the reader that there is more to the boy than that diagnosis. One of his more major issues is his agoraphobia--a fear of the outdoors. He has not left the house in 3 years, except for necessary trips to the doctor. Instead, he surveys the Maine Coast from the windows in his parents' "dream house." Jack Peter seems to have 2 outlets--drawing and his friend, Nick. His parents encourage both, but Nick is not so sure about Nick. The two boys have a complex relationship and one that Donohue fleshes out well. The truth is that both boys need each other on one level and resent each other on another. And Nick is not so sure about all the drawings Jack Peter makes with an almost fevered urgency. That is the canvas on which this story is painted. From here we have ghosts and monsters, family secrets and a mysterious woman. I really don't want to get too far into the plot because I'm not sure how to do so without employing spoilers. I will say this, though...this was a good horror novel for a reader like me, who doesn't read horror very often.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Bookseller
by
Cynthia Swanson
Melinda Ott
, April 13, 2015
I'm not proud to admit this, but I went into this book thinking I would know exactly how things would go. I'm not saying that I thought it would be trite or predictable, but rather that it fell firmly into a trope of a life that is and a life that could have been. And, to be sure, that is what The Bookseller is, but not in the way I thought it would be. I'm going to be especially careful writing the rest of this review as I think this is an unusually easy book to spoil and I really, really don't want to do that--I want you all to read it! Let me start with Kitty/Katharyn, who I call K from here on out. I felt she was a strongly constructed character and robust enough to really carry this book. She has to switch between two settings, sometimes with only a partial knowledge of her current world, but she is written such that she stays just one character. The other characters in the novel are more one-dimensional, which normally is a drawback for me, but is actually necessary in this case (no, I'm no going to tell you why....read the book!). Setting in this book is paramount. Both lives that K experiences is set in Denver, but in different worlds in the same city. If my memory is correct, I've only been to Denver twice and both times I was stuck in the airport. So, I have no way of knowing if the portraits of Denver Swanson draws are accurate--but they are definitely evocative (for the record, it seemed like a hybrid between Portland and Tucson, which probably isn't too far off). I felt like I was right there in Denver of the early-60s. And, speaking of the time period, Swanson also uses current (to the time) events to set things up, something which I appreciated as a reader. In a book where reality is questioned, it was nice to have an"anchor." If I had a complaint about this book it would be that the moment when the situation becomes clear is a little muted. I don't mean that I felt that there should have been more "action," bu I do wish it had been a bit more of an "a-ha moment." In the end, though, this was a dazzling debut and one that I'd recommend to pretty much anyone...but I will give this warning; you'll probably start paying more attention to your dreams after reading this!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Paper Towns
by
John Green
Melinda Ott
, April 09, 2015
It is no secret that John Green has a bit of a cult following--and it is easy to see why. He's a talented writer and he is tuned in to what young adults feel. He's not afraid to tackle tougher topics, but he also doesn't dumb things down for his audience. For that, I have great respect for him. My first encounter with John Green came when I read The Fault In Our Stars, a book I greatly enjoyed. Since the movie version of Paper Towns is soon to be released, I decided that I would make this my 2nd Green read--so I can only compare it to The Fault In Our Stars. I say this because, based on these two books, I get the feeling that John Green is a formulaic writer. Both books feature characters at a crossroads, which admittedly is not uncommon in Young Adult Fiction. They also feature scenes of property damage sprees and unbelievably understanding parents. Okay, that last part isn't necessarily a bad thing. The fact that there is a framework may not bother many people. Let's face it, if it were a universal sin to be a formulaic writer, Dan Brown wouldn't have a prayer. Unfortunately, it does bother me. John Green is a very talented writer, but I really wish that he would get out of the box of his own making--at least I hope he does. I will most likely read more of his books in the future so, you know, it could happen. Heck, it may have already happened for all I know. But the fact that this book was so similar to the other one of his books that I read did negatively impact what I felt about this book. However, let me address what I did like. I liked Quentin as a main character. I found him to be a believable narrator. He's an essentially good kid--a young man who is trusted by his parents, gets good grades, and has a good social circle. I enjoyed reading his interactions with his friends, who were the sort of people I knew in high school. Yet, putting him next to Margo highlights what a troubled young woman she is. As I said, I am a fan of Green's writing--he is eloquent without being dramatically poetic. I think this is what makes him so appealing to young adults. Let's just say there is no shortage of quotable passages in this book. Yet, he is still able to capture the vernacular of high school students and weave it seamlessly into his prose. Now, to my main problem with this book--and I have to admit that my own experiences greatly affected my feelings here--which is Margo Roth Spiegelman. You see, I knew a Margo when I was in high school--granted my Margo wasn't as clever as Green's Margo and she never led us on a cross country hunt (probably because it never occurred to her), but I know first hand how damaging someone like this can be. In many ways, Green romanticizes Margo and that just left a bad taste in my mouth. Margo is a very, very troubled person and that is never truly addressed. Quentin actually sacrifices quite a bit for her, yet he never really sees the cost of what he's done for her. In this respect, I found the book unsatisfying. So, I'm torn on this. Was this a successful book for me? No. Would I recommend it to others? I don't know. I do think that the younger the reader, the more likely they are to enjoy this book. Yet, the farther the reader is from their own youth, the more likely they are to see the consequences of the characters' actions and behaviors and, as a result, the more likely they are to be dissatisfied with this story.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Childrens Crusade
by
Ann Packer
Melinda Ott
, April 07, 2015
Phew! You know all those jokes about having to get drunk or behave in some other such activity after spending too much time with your family? Well, that is how I felt after spending time with the Blair family. This is not to say that this is a bad book--there is actually much to recommend it--but I, personally, did not enjoy it. Admittedly, I'm not a reader who needs to enjoy a book in order to appreciate a book and, for the most part, I did appreciate this one. The best way I can think of to describe this book to someone is to think of an unfunny and dramatic version of Parenthood--the movie, not the TV show. Four adult children come together to deal with their childhoods under the shadow of their ever-present (but deceased) father and their absent mother. As is common with families, each child had a role--the oldest, the responsible and only girl, the treasured one, and the"bad" one and, as adults, they are all dealing with these roles. The drama in this book is very realistic and, because of that, very painful. I am sure that readers who enjoy family dramas will have more success with this title than I did. Each of the children are explored, both as kids and as adults, and that results in 4 thorough character studies. I found the oldest two children, Robert and Rebecca, the easiest to relate to. The youngest, James, was at least understandable by the end of the book. Ryan, however, never really gelled as a real character for me. My guess is that Packer was trying to play with the idea of gender with him--he is heterosexual, but very feminine. While I don't think there is anything wrong with that, I don't feel it was done in a way that was effective and I'm not sure why that is. It wasn't that he was or wasn't likable, he just seemed like a lot was put on him, but he didn't have the depth as a character to pull it off. The two people who were very problematic for me were the parents, Bill and Penny. We never really get to know Penny--there are a few passages that were told from her point of view, but mostly she was removed from the rest of the family. On the whole, I understand why Packer did this--the fact that Penny was not involved in her children's lives is an important element of the development of the children's characters. However, I wish Packer had committed to either telling more of the story from Penny's eyes or opted not to tell anything from her eyes. Then we have Bill. Honestly, Bill makes Cliff Huxtable look like Al Bundy on a bad day. Really, this guy is just too good to be true. And the fact that he didn't seem true to me was a big issue for me as it seemed to undermine the entire book. I kept wishing that there would be some kind of character flaw in this guy to make him human. I am the first to admit that family dramas can be hard for me as I find them intrinsically stressful. I know that there are many, many readers who are more interested in this than I am and I think that, if family drama is in your wheelhouse, this may be a good book for you. I also think that this would be an excellent book club selection as families always provide much fodder for conversation. However, if you prefer your family drama to be a bit--I don't know--lighter, you may want to approach this book with caution.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Rosie Project
by
Graeme C Simsion
Melinda Ott
, March 26, 2015
This book has been sitting in my Kindle account for quite some time. I think it fell victim to my aversion to hyped books, or at least that is what I'm telling myself. I recently won a copy of The Rosie Effect in a giveaway and I thought I should probably read this one first. I went in expecting something light and quick. Don't get me wrong--this was light and quick. Light in that it wasn't a book that I felt like I had to work to read and quick because I could not put it down. To assume, however, that it being "light and quick" means it is fluffy is just wrong. While this book is definitely smooth going down, shall we say, it definitely packs a punch. It took me a little time to settle into this book, to no fault of the books. You see, I am a devoted fan of The Big Bang Theory and this book is very similar. The main character is a man with Asperger's and a scientist. Yet, it quickly becomes clear that Don Tillman is not a Sheldon Cooper clone...he wants to have a relationship and take pro-active, and questionable, steps to achieve that goal. The other characters in this book are well-drawn as well. Rosie is an interesting woman and she turns out to not be what I initially thought she would be. I can't say that I "liked" Gene, but he was an effective foil for Don and one that I wouldn't expect. But, there was quite a bit about this book I didn' expect--I thought I had figured the Father Project out and was a bit flummoxed to realize that I had guessed wrong. There is great comedy in this book (including some unorthodox uses for skeleton) but there is great emotion as well. Don's feelings are crystal clear to the reader long before he ever has the slightest inkling of going on. Yet, when he does figure it out, it hits you like Billy Crystal's speech in When Harry Met Sally (but it is not when Don actually recites that particular speech...yes, that happens!). I think the greatest strength of this book is how Simsion develops Don without Don actually knowing it. And, yes, this is a love story--a quirky and sweet romantic tale, but it isn't what I would consider a "romance." Don's relationship with Rosie is the tool that leads to his self-realization, not the other way around. It has been a while since a book so quickly worked its way into my heart as this one did. Ignore the hype (even though it is all well-deserved) and pick up this book!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Mademoiselle Chanel
by
C W Gortner
Melinda Ott
, March 23, 2015
I will admit that I knew very little about Coco Chanel before reading this book. I knew that she was French and worked during the first part of the 20th century. I had a general idea of the "Chanel Style" and was very familiar with the iconic Chanel No. 5, as that is the perfume my mother wears. And that was the extent of my Coco Chanel knowledge. It is somewhat unusual for me to go into a historical novel being somewhat ignorant about the subject matter and, frankly, it is a treat. Usually with historical fiction, I know the parameters in which the story has to operate but, in this case, I really only knew that there were some major (like World Wars I and II) events that would be happening. I hesitate to say that Coco's story is a rags to riches story...it's more of a "raise yourself up by using every single tool at your disposal" story. While there are some "happy coincidences" in Coco's young adulthood, her success is still her own and, at times, comes at her expense. There is not mistake: Coco is a tough, tough woman. Yet, I admired her, even if I felt that some (okay, many) of her choices were questionable. She reminded me of one of those quintessential and glamorous 20th century anti-heroines, usually played on the silver screen by the likes of Bette Davis or Joan Crawford. Gortner creates the France, and especially the Paris, of this time period exquisitely. Sometimes I get the feeling that authors just expect us to know what Paris is like and they get a little lazy in building it for us, but Gortner does not do that. He illustrates every detail beautifully and lets the city evolve as it did through this tumultuous time period. Here is the difficult part of the review for me. What I'm about to say did not actually bother me about this book, but I can see how some readers may have a problem with it. As I said, I knew little about Coco Chanel going into this book. Once I finished, however, I did some admittedly light research (by "light" I mean wikipedia and a few other sites). Gortner was very accurate about his facts. However, judging by what I found online (and, again, it was "light" research), I think he gave Coco's character a very generous dose of the benefit of the doubt when it came to her actions during World War II. I won't go into the details as I don't want to spoil the book, but it sounded to me that the "real" Coco was a little more, how should I say this?, opportunistic during the Nazi occupation of Paris than Gortner's characterization of her. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this--this is, after all, a novel and, frankly, no one really knows what Coco Chanel was thinking and feeling during that time. Who knows? It could be that Gortner was spot on with Chanel's motivations and just looking at the hard facts might give someone the wrong impression. Still, readers who are more knowledgeable about the subject matter and more concerned with accuracy may have problems with this. Overall, though, this was an exceptionally good read. Even though it is a work of historical fiction, it is definitely more of a "character" novel and that Coco--well, she was quite a character!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
When Mountains Move
by
Julie Cantrell
Melinda Ott
, March 18, 2015
This is a difficult review to write for a few reasons. It is the sequel to another novel, which means that there is substantial back story and, in this case, I would recommend that people read Into the Free before reading this book. Also, because it is a sequel, several elements of the plot actually began in the first book. So, this is sort of a review of both books. I also want to put out that, while this is labeled as a "Christian Fiction" work, that is due more to the fact that it was put out by a Christian publishing house than with subject matter. Yes, faith is mentioned, but not any more than one would find in a mainstream novel. Readers who go in expecting a Christian novel probably won't be disappointed, but neither will readers wanting something mainstream. I would hate for someone to pass by this book simply because it is labeled as religious. As for the book itself, I did enjoy Into the Free, but felt the ending was abrupt and unsatisfying (THEN I found out there was a sequel!) so I almost think that these two books should be read together. Because Cantrell does a complete job of developing characters in the first book, the main characters are pretty much brought on in this book "as is." There are a few secondary characters, the neighbor, Kat, and the ranch hand, Fortner, that Cantrell explores. Kat is developed in a more natural fashion, while Fortner is an enigma until the end of the book. Other than that, the secondary characters who were not previously introduce in Into the Free are kept in the background. The plot of this book is quieter than its predecessors. Quite a bit went on in Into the Free, whereas this book is more streamlined and deals with fewer topics. I believe it was because of that more than anything else that led me to enjoy this book even more than the first. In retrospect, Into the Free more than anything served as a set up for this book, which brings everything to a close. There were parts that I found predictable, but that didn't irritate me too much. By the time these scenes came up, I was already invested in the story. I did feel that the ending was a bit too condensed. By that, I mean that Cantrell wrapped up a lot of threads at once and that was somewhat frustrating to me as a reader. While I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read Into the Free, I would heartily recommend both books together to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, no matter what their religious beliefs may be.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Three Wishes
by
Liane Moriarty
Melinda Ott
, March 11, 2015
I was initially a bit hesitant to read this. I had read her most recent novel, Big Little Lies, a few months before and, while I enjoyed it, I felt that it was a bit on the satirical side. That is fine now and then, but I had the feeling--unfairly--that this tone would show up again in Moriarty's other novels. But, then came the day I needed something light to read on my phone (I'm hiding my face in shame as a I type that....) and, scrolling through the many, many kindle titles I own, I settled on Three Wishes. I did not realize that this was Moriarty's first novel until after I had finished it--there is nothing less mature about this book compared to her latest novel. In fact, I found this book to be superior to Big Little Lies, The strongest aspect about the book is how well Moriarty crafts here characters. At the center of the story, of course, are the triplets. Each woman has a very distinct personality, and Moriarty doesn't base their characters solely on the fact that they are triplets (I've read a number of books with twins as characters where this was the case). Yes, there is some element of their birth in their personalities, especially in Gemma's character. Lyn and Cat are identical and Gemma is not, which would, of course, have some impact on her. For the most part, however, the women are shaped by what they experienced in their back story and will experience as the plot of this book. Even the secondary characters--the women's parents, their assorted parents, and their grandmother-come to life and, with the exception of the Grandmother, are able to buck any cliches (and, even though she is a bit stereotypical, Nana Kettle is still a treat). Moriarty deftly structures this novel so that you are sucked in at the opening scene and you spend the next 3/4 of the novel getting back to that point. It doesn't read as a flashback--instead, it is almost like looking at scene through a window and then walking through a door into the scene itself. I was afraid that the last 1/4 of the would be a letdown. Once the reader swoops back to the original scene, where can they go? While Moriarty does use this part of the book to wrap up the rest of the story, it doesn't fell like a throw-away. She takes the time to draw each character's arc to a satisfying conclusion. There is only one point that keeps me from giving this a 5 star review. Two of the sisters are or were involved in adulterous situations, but on different ends. Moriarty makes a few comments about this, enough to make the reader think that this should be a point of contention between the two characters, but then she drops it without offering any closure. I think Moriarty missed a great opportunity to delve even deeper with these two sisters. In the end, though, this was a delightful read and one that convinced me that Liane Moriarty is more than Big Little Lies. This is a book that I would recommend to just about anyone looking for sometime fun and light--but not fluffy--to read.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Killing Time Grimm
by
Tim Waggoner
Melinda Ott
, March 05, 2015
Let's face it...all readers have that guilty pleasure that they don't want to admit that they read. It might be romance or cheap sci-fi or YA or erotica. For me, it's these Grimm tie-in novels. Well, to be fair, it is this Grimm tie-in novel. This is the third one to be released and all three novels are standalone (from each other, not fom the show) and have different authors. I will admit that I chose not to read the first, The Icy Touch, because every single review I read all said that it seemed like the author had never seen the show. I did read the second, The Chopping Block, and it was fine. It could be an episode of the show except the subject matter was over the line for network television. But, it left me with a low bar for the third book. Well, folks, I was surprised with The Killing Time. This is actually a pretty darn good book! Like The Chopping Block, it is set up like an episode of the show, which is a nice little treat when the show is on hiatus. Waggoner stays true to the characters of the book and uses them all (except Adalind, who is--thankfully--absent from the story) very well--better than the show's own writers frequently use the characters. Every one of the major characters--Nick, Hank, Juliette, Renard, Monroe, and Rosalee--have an important part in the plot and come together in a seamless way. Waggoner also created an interesting new Wesen, a shapeshifter suffering from dementia, that I would love to see in an actual episode. I did have some tiny nitpicks and one major irritation. There were a number of little details that just seemed, well, silly. We're talking a Wesen phone chain and a hug-fest. Really. But, whatever. As I said, I didn't expect art with this. But, here is my irritation--every time a character was introduced, we had to get their entire backstory. This novel is set between the 3rd and 4th episodes of the 3rd season, so there is one heck of a backstory for every. single. character. I felt that it interrupted the narrative and, well, I already knew all of that. I mean, I get it...if someone who has never watched the show read this book, they'd be lost without that. Yet, how many people who have not seen Grimm are reading this book? (In other words, you should be watching Grimm, it's a heck of a show!) I wish all of the backstory recitations had been cut so hat we could just get on with the story. So, even with those things that rubbed me the wrong way, I found this book a fun, quick read. No, it wasn't literature, but sometimes you just need fun. If you've enjoyed the show, I highly recommend checking out The Killing Time. If you don't watch the show, you should!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Reluctant Midwife
by
Patricia Harman
Melinda Ott
, March 03, 2015
When I agreed to review this book, I realized that I should probably read the first book, The Midwife of Hope River, first. I'm normally one of those readers who just can't jump into a series mid-stream and starting with The Reluctant Midwife just didn't sit well with me. So, before I go any further with this review, I do feel I should address the "sequel" aspect of this book. Yes, The Reluctant Midwife is the second book in the series and, in many ways, it feels like a second book. However, the two books are very different. The first installment addresses several issues of the time and delves deeply into midwifery. This book, however, addresses far fewer issues--it mostly focuses on the Great Depression--and deals more with general nursing than with midwifery. Speaking for myself, I'm glad I read The Midwife of Hope River first. However, I don't think that is absolutely necessary. If someone were to read only The Reluctant Midwife, they would recognize that there was a previous book that fleshed out some of the supporting characters, but not reading The Midwife of Hope River would not affect the actual story of The Reluctant Midwife. While I wouldn't go so far as to call this book a standalone, I would say that its plot does not depend on the preceding book. Okay, now that I have that out of the way.... This was a comfortable read for me. Harman again does an admirable job of recreating Depression-era Appalachia. I think it is probably easy for modern readers to think of the Great Depression as something a little bit worse than the recent recession, but Harman makes it perfectly clear how hard that part of our history truly was. At the same time, because she doesn't focus on too many aspects of the Depression, this is one of the historical fiction novels that readers who don't normally read historical fiction might like. In this installment of the Hope River series (I'm not sure if Harman is planning any other novels, but we'll just call it a series for right now), Harman has created a tight story--the plot is centered entirely on Becky Myers, a once professionally and financially comfortable nurse who now finds herself penniless and in charge of her former employer, who has suffered some sort of mental break and is in an almost unresponsive state. I didn't always like Becky, but I always admired her. Yes, she had her periods of self-pity and what some may consider ugliness, but who wouldn't in her position? I found the plot to move at a nice clip, which should appeal to many readers. I will admit that I found the end to be a bit predictable, but that didn't make it any less satisfying for me. Instead, it seemed more natural than predictable. While I would still recommend The Midwife of Hope River, I do think that this book--due to the fact that it is more streamlined than its predecessor--might be more appealing for some readers. Whether you read this book on its own or as part of the Hope River series, I think it would be well worth your time.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Station Eleven
by
Emily St John Mandel
Melinda Ott
, February 24, 2015
This book has been out for less than 6 months and I already feel like I'm the last person in the world to read it. That alone should tell you something about this book. The post-apocalyptic theme is big now--I don't want to write it off as a trend (such as the vampires of a few years ago) because I think there is more to it than that. I think our interest in these storylines says something about where we are in our current world. While I find the dystopian flavor of this idea to be little too common, I do appreciate books such as Station Eleven (and Karen Thompson Walker's The Age of Miracles) that take a more present look at a post-apocalyptic world. There are three major time settings in this book. We start as the pandemic--the Georgia Flu--hits the world and kills the vast majority of the population. Mandel doesn't focus too much on the actual deaths, but rather on the survivors, which is something I appreciated (especially as I started reading this shortly after my own bout wit an obviously less deadly, but still icky, flu).. We then jump ahead almost 2 decades where the world is a lawless place populated by small settlements in the ruins of our current world. In the midst of this, we also have flashbacks to well before the pandemic and the life of the actor Arthur Leander, his friend Clark, and his 3 ex-wives. I should warn potential readers here that this is a book based at least equally on flashbacks as on the current narrative. Mandel handles this with ease and I think she uses these different pieces well to bring the story together However, I know that there are people who don't like excessive use of flashbacks in use. While I don't think that Mandel's use is excessive, I can see how it might not work for some readers. Mandel's language is just lovely and I found her way of taking the mundane and making it art interesting. For example, there is a fair amount of Shakespeare in this story--Arthur dies during a performance of King Lear, the actors from the Traveling Symphony perform A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the entire plot is, well, Shakespearean. However, in the same way and given almost the same weight, are lines from Star Trek: Voyager. And,no, it does not come across as pop culture pandering. Instead, it shows that there is art and beauty in every age (I'll take Mandel's word on the importance of Star Trek: Voyager, though...) It is hard to pinpoint one main character in this novel. There is Arthur, who dies as the novel begins, but whose life ties everything together. Circling around Arthur are 2 of his 3 ex-wives, his best friend, the man who tried to save his life, and the child actress who witnessed his death. Other than ex-wife #2 who was more a plot device than anything, these character worked their way into my heart and I think I fell a little bit in love with all of them. This book is a quiet one, quieter than one might expect after reading the synopsis. It is not as if nothing happens in this book, but it is much more concerned with the characters, their lives, and their experiences that create the beauty of this book. I would recommend this book to anyone (who doesn't have a flashback aversion).
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Lovers Set Down Their Spoons
by
Heather A. Slomski
Melinda Ott
, February 19, 2015
I've recently become a fan of short story collections--I can read a story a day or every two days and feel like I've been able to savor it. On the flip side, I sometimes find them hard to review--do we review it in parts or as a whole? It depends on the books, but in this case I think it is best to look at the stories as a whole. These are not "feel good" romances, which is what one might expect from the title. Instead, they are more like what happens after "happily ever after" or when real life invades our romantic dreams. I think that the short story format works very well with such themes. Slomski is able to tell her story with just enough plot and detail to convey her point, but she never runs into the danger of become too maudlin over the frustrated lovers. There is a very "experimental" feel about this collection. Some stories are a page long, others a few pages, and a couple border on novellas. Scene and narration style change between each story, yet Slomski uses theme to tie everything together. It would be hard for me to pick a favorite story. I would really love to read "Neighbors" developed as a novel and the first story, "The Lovers Set Down Their Spoons" was very visual and read almost like a scene from a movie. I found the final story, "Before the Story Ends" especially heartbreaking because, sadly, I could relate to it. As much as I enjoyed this collection, I hesitate to say that it is something I would universally recommend. As I said, the stories feel experimental, which is something I think people who are just "looking for a book to read" might not appreciate. While I appreciate authors pushing the boundaries a bit, I know that some readers may have problems with that. However, I would readily give this title to anyone looking for a fresh new voice in short fiction.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Midwife of Hope River A Novel of an American Midwife
by
Patricia Harman
Melinda Ott
, February 17, 2015
First, I have a confession. This book has been sitting on my bedside table, waiting to be read, for over 2 years. Obviously, the premise of this novel intrigued me enough to buy the book, but I just never had that push to actually read it until recently when I as contacted to review The Reluctant Midwife, the sequel to this novel. That was what I needed to finally get this book out of the TBR pile. I was a little wary of this book. While I love Historical Fiction, it is a genre that tends to breed one of my biggest bookish pet peeves--stories with just too much going on it. To be sure, there are many, many issues addressed in this book--the Great Depression, race relations and the Ku Klux Klan, domestic abuse, women's rights, union and--of course--midwifery. Honestly, if I had known that Harman was going to go into all of these topics, I may not have even started the book. So, it is probably a good thing that I was in the dark about the plethora of subjects. You see, Harman is probably the first author I've come across who successfully handled so many topics in one novel. This is due in most part to the structure of the novel. Patience Murphy is a woman with a past, and Harman metes out that past slowly over the course of the book. While I never felt that Harman was keeping information from me, I was always aware that there was more to Patience than I knew. Another factor is, of course, the setting in time and place. This book is set in Depression era West Virginia. In fact, the book begins the day after the stock market crash of 1929. I don't know how Harman could have told many aspects of Patience's story without touching on these areas. This is a very character-driven book and Harman has created a memorable character in Patience Murphy. Because we (eventually) get her life story, she comes across as a well-rounded, three-dimensional character. She is not perfect, but that makes her human. She is surrounded by a strong supporting cast. There is Bitsy, who she took on almost in charity when she was about to be fired from her domestic position and who became Patience's roommate, assistant, and friend. Mrs. Potts is the aging midwife who hands her "business" over to Patience. And there is Dr. Hester, the vet with whom Patience begins a professional relationship that soon turns into one of trust and friendship. There are some graphic childbirth scenes which may be hard for squeamish readers. Yet,I found some of those scenes to be the most fascinating in the book. Patience is the first to admit that she is barely qualified to be a midwife and her journal about her work become almost a textbook-in-progress for her. As she meets families in their homes, readers are brought into the hardship of depression era Appalachia. As I said, this is a very character-driven book, which I enjoy. As a result, the plot is subdued--this is not to say that there is not a plot in this book, but it definitely plays second fiddle to the characters and setting. Because I am a reader who values characters over plot, this did not bother me. However, I can see how other readers may feel that this book lacks the backbone of a strong plot. Even though it took over 2 years for me to finally read this book, it was worth it and I am now eagerly looking forward to starting The Reluctant Midwife. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in fiction dealing with women's history or 20th century US History.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Divergent 02 Insurgent
by
Veronica Roth
Melinda Ott
, February 12, 2015
After reading Divergent, I had decided I wouldn't read the rest of the trilogy, but instead would wait for the movie. Then, my husband and I watched Divergent (which I thought was mediocre, but my husband enjoyed) and my non-reader husband wanted to know what happens next. That, of course, meant I had to read Insurgent (not him, of course). So, I did--because I'm a good wife. In retrospect, I probably just should have waited to see the movie. This is one of those books that drives me crazy--it's not so much a novel as an outline for a motion picture. It has everything one could want in a movie--action, romantic tension ("I love you, but I can I trust you?" "Is he going to break up with me over this?" etc.), and a self-conflicted heroine. Well, maybe not that last part. I think Roth tries very hard to make Tris into Katniss 2.0, but she fails. Katniss doubts about herself arise from her backstory and what has happens to her as the story develops and seems very organic and believable. Tris's are, well, they just sort of appear for no reason that I can find out. Roth's writing is clear, but basic. I hesitate to say this, but when people criticize young adult fiction, this is the kind of book they are talking about (and, to be clear, there is a plethora of wonderful YA literature out there). I really wanted more depth here, I wanted more back story--things like more of an insight into Caleb's and Tris's earlier relationship or more details of Tobias's pre-Dauntless life would have amplified the story. There were also some weird inconsistencies. For example, at one point Tris is put into a "time out" room in one of the factions. About 50 pages later, Tris mentions that the factions have these time out rooms, but she's never been in one. Uh.....weren't you in one a few chapters earlier? I found the characters really flat and, at times, ridiculous. Tris, who was somewhat interesting in Divergent, seems to have been demoted to a horror film heroine. She opens a door, thinks that it is a bad sign that the door is unlocked, and continues to walk right through it. The only difference is that she'd have been killed in a horror movie fifteen minutes in. Here, however, was my biggest problem with the book was the fact that much of it was just unnecessary. There is an episode of The Big Bang Theory where Amy destroys Sheldon's world by pointing out that the character of Indiana Jones is completely superfluous to the Indiana Jones movies. Everything that happens in those movies would have happened if he weren't part of that. That is sort of how I felt about the action in this book. There are several confrontation and action scenes, but nothing ever comes out of any of them. The next confrontation would have happened anyway if the previous one hadn't. Instead of a plot, it seems like this is just a string of rather unrelated incidents. Honestly, to get from the beginning to the end of this book, you only need about 1 confrontation and even that one is pretty straightforward. Okay, after all this complaining, I will say that there are 2 positives about his book. It did keep me reading it, even if it was sometimes out of disgust. Secondly, I am interested to see how the trilogy ends now. I could wait for the movies (because we all know that there are 4 movies in a trilogy now....), but it would probably be faster to just bite the bullet and read Allegiant. Maybe I will, after I get the taste of this one out of my mouth.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Benjamin Franklins Bastard
by
Sally Cabot
Melinda Ott
, January 29, 2015
Ah, good old Benjamin Franklin--the guy we all love even though we know he was a bit, well, smarmy. He was, of course, our Bacchanalian Founding Father and we all can identify that balding old man with the Mona Lisa smile who seems just so charming and eccentric. Let's start with the fact upon which this novel is based. Benjamin Franklin had a long relationship with a woman named Deborah Read. They were never legally married, but she became his common-law wife after they had lived together for 7 years. Into this relationship, he brought his illegitimate son, William (my guess is that Franklin had more than one illegitimate child, but William is the only one he acknowledged). Benjamin and Deborah also had two children together, Francis and Sally. The identity of William's biological mother is not known. This is where Cabot starts her novel. She begins with Deborah meeting Benjamin, who soon leaves for England and, in doing so, leaves Deborah in the lurch. Cabot then introduces Anne, a woman born into the lower classes and, while working in a tavern, meets Benjamin Franklin and the two begin a relationship which results in William. I don't want to go too much into the plot because I think in doing so I would be ruining part of the experience of reading this book. I do want to talk about how Cabot handles her characters. None of the major characters are heroes or heroines are ever completely likable (there is one secondary character, Grissom, who I did find very sweet). But they also are not unlikable. It is easy to see how Deborah develops into the woman she ultimately becomes because, well, almost anyone in her position would do the same. It is also easy to understand the motivation behind many of Anne's decisions. This novel is written in 3rd person, but Cabot goes into the minds of Deborah, Anne, and, later, William. She does not, however, go into the mind of Benjamin and I think that was a very wise choice on her part. Most readers will go into this book with an idea about Benjamin Franklin and, while she doesn't destroy this view, she definitely adds dimension to it and makes you think about him in a bit of a different way. She does knock Benjamin Franklin off his pedestal and puts him down among the rest of the humans--something Franklin himself probably would have hated, but, hey...not even Benjamin Franklin can escape humanity. There was another thing about this book I really appreciated and I'm going to be a bit vague about it as I don't want to reveal any plot points for readers not familiar with the Franklin family, but stay with me. Both Patriot and Loyalist views are expressed in this book and Cabot very skillfully illustrates that both of these views have value and that one side is not right and the other is not wrong. In my reading experience, the American Revolution and the European theater of World War II are really the only two conflicts where writers are able to get away with clearly labeling "good guys" and "bad guys." I'll leave the Nazis out of this, but I find this really frustrating when it comes to the American Revolution. I find it really frustrating that characters who have Loyalist sentiments are always painted as villains (with the exception of one book I read a year or so ago, where the Patriots were the bad guys...it was still annoying on the other side of the table). Cabot, however, doesn't do that and I believe that is a very important take away from this book. All in all, Cabot's writing is readable and enjoyable. I did feel, in the second half of the book, she tended to drop and pick up Anne a bit and wish she had a bit more continuity with that character, but other than that, I have no complaints--but plenty of admiration--for this novel. I really would recommend this book to anyone to read. Yes, it is a historical novel set during the Colonial and Revolutionary period, but I do believe it transcends its setting and genre and makes for an excellent read.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Girl Before a Mirror
by
Liza Palmer
Melinda Ott
, January 27, 2015
It has only been in the last year or so that I discovered Liza Palmer and I've enjoyed how she is willing to dig into deeper issues than many contemporary writers. When I read the synopsis of this novel, I will admit that it did sound a little light, but I figured that Palmer would be able to go deeper than first appearances. I do believe that Palmer tried to flesh this plot out as much as possible. Unfortunately, the pieces of this book just didn't fit together as well as I would have liked. There were definitely positives to this book. I thought Anna was a well drawn character and I did relate to her and all her issues. Palmer was successful in creating a realistic character in Anna and she is worthy of her own book. Palmer's writing style does shine--she can deal with tough issues and still throw out a biting line of dry humor. If someone was looking for a book to bridge from "chick lit" to something a little heavier, I would recommend one of Palmer's books and, in that area, this book fits the bill. But here's where the trouble started for me. There are a lot of pieces to the plot of this book, which in itself if not necessarily a bad thing. However, I never felt like the pieces all came together as we should. For example, a big chunk of this book revolves around Anna and Sasha trying to set up a marketing campaign for a body wash and, to do this, they are somehow enlisting some male romance cover models. The theme of the campaign is "Just Be." Folks, I have absolutely no idea how this works. I think the gist is that women are all great the way they are and they should "just be." Okay, then, what is with the male models and how does that fit in? I tried over and over again while reading this book and I could never come up with any idea of what this campaign is. Anna's relationship with Lincoln could work, but it really just feels shoe-horned into this book. I think that Lincoln could have fit well with Anna and her "issues," but there was something--and it may have been the fact that the relationship starts as a one- (or three-) night stand while Anna is staying at a hotel for a Romance Novelists convention--that was just too cliche and I couldn't completely buy it. Then, in the midst of all this, we have Anna's addict brother--an issue that just sort of pops up on you-- and her toxic friends. All these floating pieces really kept me from enjoying this book the way I wish I had. I'm the first to admit that I'm a critical reader and my experience with this book may have been negatively impacted by that. Other readers may not have the issues that I did with this book. I still consider my self a fan of Liza Palmer, but this one just didn't work for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Worlds Strongest Librarian
by
Josh Hanagarne
Melinda Ott
, January 22, 2015
This was one of those book that I've been meaning to read for over a year. People have raved about it and recommended it. I've had it out of the library at least 3 times, every time it returned unread due to my "reading load." And then, finally, it ended up on the 2015 schedule for my book club! Now, I had to read it! And, boy, was the wait worth it. I worried a bit about it not living up to the hype, but this book fared that storm admirably. I am chalking that up to the fact that this is, at its core, a humble and personal story from someone who strives only to live his best life. There is a lot in here. I'll admit that I know very little about Tourette's and I know enough about strength training to know that it is not my favorite form of exercise. I do, however, know quite a bit about libraries--of all the jobs I've held in my life, my favorite is that first one right out of college--at the public library! Hanagarne is an incredibly likable guy--I sincerely want to be this guy's friend. And get access to his reading list (beyond Stephen King). I related to his childhood in that I was also that kid who never quite fit in and had to find my own world (mine through writing and his through reading). He was a normal teenage guy with normal teenage guy feelings who just happened to have a syndrome that makes life much more of a challenge. I appreciated that Hanagarne was honest--with and about himself. Something that I find common, and annoying, in memoirs is that people tend to hold themselves in a better light than they should. When I find a writer who does not do this, I want to shout, "Look! THIS is how to write a memoir!" I don't want to read about perfect beings, I want to read about real people and Hanagarne is one of those people. This book is very readable--each chapter begins with a scene from the library and then goes back into an episode in his life. I found this structure very unifying for the book--it tied Hanagarne's current place in life to where he was, which I think is important in a memoir. I will admit that there were sections--okay, they dealt with the nuts and bolts of his strength training--where things got a little slow for me. However, I think this is a preference issue more than any defect of the book. I'm sure that there are readers who found the library sections tedious, but I loved them. This is one of those books that has something for everyone and it is one that I feel that I could recommend to anyone--however, I feel it is an especially good book to recommend to those who do not normally read memoirs, as I feel that this is a good "gateway" book to the genre. But, even if memoirs are your genre of choice, this should be a fulfilling read for you.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
I Love You More A Novel
by
Jennifer Murphy
Melinda Ott
, January 20, 2015
Lately, I've been drawn to mysteries and I've labeled this book as mystery, but I'm not sure that is an accurate description. There is, of course, a murder mystery...but that isn't what this book is about. Instead, this is a book about relationships. There is precocious Picasso's relationship ith her father and her relationship with her mother. Then we have Kyle's relationships with Picasso and Picasso's mother. And, finally, we have the wives' relationships--with each other and with their shared husband. Murphy chooses to tell this story in an interesting way. The narration is shared between Picasso, Kyle, and the corporate voice of the wives. It sounds weird, I know. And, frankly, I thought I would hate it, but it was actually very effective. I also found the individual narratives fascinating. Kyle's voice is fairly straight-forward. The reader has no reason to question him, although it is clear he doesn't know everything that is going on. Picasso is an unreliable narrator, which I like. You are always wondering if she is telling you the truth--after all, she states early on that she is an accomplished liar. Then, we have the wives. This was the most fascinating narration of the three. Three women talking as one is tricky, and it is even trickier to tell their individual stories through this, but Murphy succeeds completely on this point. I was captured most by Picasso. Murphy expertly draws Picasso out just enough at a time to keep the reader guessing. She is a girl at an age when children begin to really try to figure out their world, and her world is turned upside down. As I said, she's unreliable as a narrator, but it makes sense that she would be so. I did have a few quibbles about the book. For one thing, I suspected the resolution of Oliver's death early on in the novel, even though I still found the ending satisfying. I also had a hard time believing that Picasso was only 11 or 12 years old. She came across as a girl in her mid-teens, instead. But, those were minor faults in my experience with this book. Ultimately, I enjoyed this a great deal and would readily recommend it to others.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Me Before You
by
Jojo Moyes
Melinda Ott
, January 16, 2015
Warning: We are about to entire "unpopular opinion territory." Nearly everyone I know--either in real life or in the book blogosphere--loved this book. I....did not hate it. Really, I liked it...I just didn't love it enough to jump on the bandwagon. This is, in many respects, an interesting book. Moyes has taken a hot-button social topic and has centered a love story around it. I try to stay away from spoilers, but I can't really review this book without talking about that topic.... (I'm not really sure this is a spoiler as it is strongly hinted at in the summary, but I'm giving you space to back out now....) Death with Dignity or Physician-Assisted Suicide is not a comfortable topic but Moyes tackles it head on. While I believe she did the best she could within the confines of the genre of this book, I really felt that she needed to go deeper . It is not that I'm personally offended by the topic--although I can see how some readers might be--but I do think that it is a serious enough topic that it needs it due. Moyes scratches the surface of things--Will's mother doesn't want him to do it, but she loves him; Lou doesn't want him to do it and thinks life can be better than he thinks; a random dude in a chat room totally gets why Will wants to do it. But, other than Will stating, when his mind is made up, why he wants to do it, we really don't get any of his struggle in the decision. I really felt that this aspect of the story needed, well, more. I also felt that Lou was not a fully developed character. The Lou at the end of the novel was not much different from the Lou at the beginning of the novel and what few changes did happen were made to or for her and not by her. I really felt that there should have been more growth in her character after everything that happened in this book. I also had some problems with the structure of this book. There are a few chapters that are told through the eyes of some secondary characters (Will's medical caregiver, his mother, his father, and Lou's sisters). I thought this was a nice touch, but I found it odd that these didn't appear until about two-thirds of the way through the book. At that point, it became jarring to suddenly switch viewpoints. If Moyes had scattered these more evenly through the book, I think they would have been more effective. Also, I will admit that I cried at the end of the book--which isn't really that notable since I cry at pretty much everything. However, the ending was not the emotional climax for me. Instead, that came a few chapters earlier in a section from Lou's sister's point of view. That chapter was incredibly well written and may have had the truest emotion in the book--which is both great and not so great. You see, the ending of the book should have surpassed that and it just didn't, which left me feeling a little disappointed, which is what I carry from the book, It wasn't horrible--I like Moyes writing and am looking forward to reading more by her. I applaud her for taking on such a subject, even if I felt she wasn't completely successful in doing so. And she made me cry which, while not a difficult feat, is still something I appreciate in a book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Divorce Diet
by
Ellen Hawley
Melinda Ott
, January 14, 2015
Ah, a book about diets (that isn't actually a diet book)...something I know a bit about! This book came to me at a time when I was needing something lighter and, on that point, it did not disappoint. That is not to say that this a fluff read--Hawley does explore some deeper issues, but it is an easy to read book. It is written in diary form and reminded me of Bridget Jones' Diary, which I'm sure will appeal to many readers. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of the Bridget Jones books and that similarity, while purely a preference issue and no fault of Hawley, made it hard for me to get into this book. That being said, I did feel that Hawley used the diary format to her advantage. She was able to show the evolution of Abigail's character without hitting the reader over the head with it, and for that I commend her. The actual "diet" part of this book is actually a rather minor plot convention, which is a good thing. Instead, Hawley focuses on Abigail's transformation to an essentially dependent wife to an independent woman. There were things that did frustrate me about this book. Abigail's husband is a little more than a cliche and I found it hard to understand what Abigail ever found attractive about him. He was very clearly a donkey's rear from the moment he shows up in the narrative and Hawley never really gives us a reason for Abigail falling in love with him--other than we was good looking. If I don't understand why she is in the marriage, I am not emotionally invested in her getting out of the marriage. I also felt unmoored with this book. It feels almost (but not quite) like a British novel, but it is set in Ohio. I read that Hawley is American, but has lived in the UK for quite some time, so I can kind of see why that is, but I don't think it excuses it. I wish Hawley had honed the local color here, either for the US or the UK, so that the reader would feel that this Abigail's story was grounded in some sort of reality instead of somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I did begin to enjoy the book as it went along and, but the time I hit the final third of it, I was hooked. Once Hawley stopped doing a day-by-day form of the book and went to a higher view of the story, I found it more readable. While I do wish the hook had come sooner in the book, I was glad that it finished strong. It also has recipes at the end, and recipes are always a good thing! Would I recommend this book? Probably--to someone who enjoys books along the lines of Bridget Jones' Diary and who wants something that is pretty easy to put down and pick up--and, of course, someone who appreciates recipes. While it served my need for something light in the moment, it wasn't a book that touched me in any way.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Magicians Lie
by
Greer MacAllister
Melinda Ott
, January 13, 2015
Oh my goodness, a traveling magic show with some real magic thrown in! How can I resist that? I was immediately drawn in to this book by the initial setting--a murder and a magician on the run. Officer Virgil Holt is drawn as down-on-his luck young man and the one least likely to capture a fugitive (he made me think of Colin Hanks' character in TV's Fargo). I think that the officer would have to be a character such as that, or else Arden's revelations would feel contrived. Arden is a fantastic character We get her entire life story and it is clear from early on that she is a survivor. I found myself admiring her and rooting for her throughout this book. I enjoyed Macallister's writing style and found her voice to be clear and lyrical. One thing I did like about her writing is that things never seemed to unfold how you would think they would. You could be reading along and feeling pretty sure you knew what was coming next, and then something else entirely would happen. As for the resolution of the story, I will say that I did figure out what happened, but only very shortly before it actually did. I was just as sucked into Arden's tale as Virgil was. I did have one complaint--and this is probably something only picky people who write too many book reviews might notice. The chapters alternate between Arden telling her story in the first person to Virgil and conversations on the night of the rest between Arden and Virgil, told in third person. For me, there wasn't enough difference in voice between these two. The style of Arden telling the story is the same style of Arden and Virgil's conversations. Also, the chapters or Arden telling her own story didn't sound to me like someone telling someone a story--it just felt like a novel written in first person. It didn't read like an oral recitation of someone's life, but rather as, well, just as a novel. Again, though, that is really down to the nitty gritty and, honestly, it didn't bother me too much. All in all, this was a fascinating and interesting book that I would happily recommend to others.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Vanessa & Her Sister
by
Priya Parmar
Melinda Ott
, January 06, 2015
I feel I should start this review with a tip. If you are like me and know little about the Bloomsbury Group, I would recommend reading this book in hardcover rather than on an e-reader or listening to an audiobook. Parmar includes a list of the major characters at the beginning of the book, which is quite useful as that she doesn't provide detailed explanations of the characters as they enter the narrative. However, if you are reading this on an e-reader or listening to an audiobook, it is difficult to flip back and refer to this list. I say this not as a criticism as a book, but as a heads up for a prospective reader. Now, with that out of the way, onto the book. As you can probably tell from my first paragraph, I was not overly familiar with the Bloomsbury Groop. I knew who Virginia Woolf was, of course, and I had read most of E.M. Forster's books. I had a recollection of the names of many of the other characters, but that was about it. I didn't even knew that Virginia Woolf had a notable sister. The character list at the beginning of the book is very useful as there are so many characters showing up here, and to compound things, many go by nicknames. So, that was my starting point with this book. It is told mostly through Vanessa's (fictional) diary entries, with correspondence between several characters included. I will say that diary-centered novels are a bit problematic for me--I frequently finding myself questioning such detailed entries (does anyone have that kind of memory and ability to write so much without developing a debilitating cramp?). While these thoughts did pop into my head a couple of times while reading this book, on the whole the diary format irritated me far less in this book than it did in others. I will say that there were a series of letter from Roger Fry to others, such as his mother, peppered through the book, which I found a little disconcerting because Roger doesn't really come on the scene as a character until much later in the book. The center of this book is the relationship between Vanessa and Virginia. Vanessa does have a bit of a complex--her family has let her know that her artistic pursuits are less impressive than her sisters literary pursuits. It is also mentioned that her parents had told her that Virginia was "remarkable" and that Vanessa must take care of her. The truth is that Virginia is mentally ill. And she is manipulative. Parmar is skilled in showing that these two things--her mental illness and her manipulativeness--are two separate things and one is not a byproduct of the other, which is something I appreciate. While Virginia is not a likable character, it is easy to see how the other characters of the book are charmed by her. All this shows what a difficult position Vanessa finds herself trapped in. Vanessa is, not surprisingly, far more likable. For one thing, she is sane. For another, she sees Virginia for what she is. Vanessa is also not a shrinking violet--she is not a character who is willing to just accept her lot and deal with it, even though she does make an attempt to do so. It is when she realizes that she, alone, is in charge of her life that she truly blossoms. At the core, this book is about a woman coming into her own and learning to live her life on her terms, despite the expectations of family and friends. On that count, Parmar succeeds and brings to the forefront a remarkable woman.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Boston Girl
by
Anita Diamant
Melinda Ott
, December 10, 2014
The only other book by Anita Diamant I've read is The Red Tent, which is one of my favorite novels. Because of that, I was a little surprised at this one as it is so completely different. The Red Tent is lush and evocative. The Boston Girl is a Jewish Grandmother recounting her life. And it is absolutely delightful! I think this book hit me on two emotional levels. For one thing, Addie Baum reminds me of my grandmother. Sort of. On the surface, there probably isn't that much in common between Addie, a Jewish girl growing up in the North End of Boston, and my grandmother, a Norwegian girl growing up in small town North Dakota, other than they are about the same age. But, Addie reminded me of what I always pictured my grandmother to be as a young woman--spunky and ahead of her time. The other tie for me was that this book takes place in Boston and I lived there for 3 years. While I don't miss the city, it is fun to read about place with which I'm familiar. Diamant vividly creates early 20th century Boston and it was great fun for me to take a trip back in time with her. This book reads exactly like what it is: a grandmother telling her granddaughter about her life and what shaped her into the woman she became. There are several times in the book where Addie makes asides, telling her granddaughter not to tell her mother something or, well, hinting about things that happened in her life that probably wouldn't be proper to talk about (her granddaughter, as you discover at the end of the book, gave up the hinting and just lays at all out--I almost snorted tea through my nose when that little bit came up!). This was one of those books that I just could not put down--I plowed through it in a little over a day, which is pretty fast for this mother of young kids. Yet, I still kept scratching my head about how this was so different from Diamant's The Red Tent. I guess it is the measure of a skilled author to be able to write in such different voices. I highly recommend this book to, well, just about anyone. Just be warned...if you think you'll be reading something along the lines of The Red Tent, you'll need to adjust your expectations (trust me, it will be worth it!)
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(5 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Landline
by
Rainbow Rowell
Melinda Ott
, December 05, 2014
I love me some Rainbow Rowell--both Eleanor and Park and Fangirl are on my "highly recommended list. When I found out about her newest book, I knew that I would be reading it. Unfortunately, this may have been a case of unrealistic expectations on my part. I can't be sure, but I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it had not been written by Rainbow Rowell. It's not badly written, but it just didn't feel like a Rowell book for me. At first, it reminded me of Jennifer Weiner (whom I enjoy) and then, when the magic realism kicked in, it reminded me of an American Cecelia Ahern (whom I enjoy). It did not, however, seem like it was written by the same person who wrote Eleanor and Park and Fangirl. I never felt that Rowell reached the emotional heights (or depths?) that she had in her other books. I kind of felt that Georgie always knew what the problem was with her marriage, so she never really had any big revelation. And, this may just be my prejudices, but I didn't really like Georgie. I will say that the book did keep my attention, even if I found parts of it lacking. While I felt that Rowell never dove deep enough into the plot, I was at least interested enough to turn the page. And, honestly, I think someone who has never read anything by Rainbow Rowell would probably enjoy this book more than I did.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Astor Place Vintage
by
Stephanie Lehmann
Melinda Ott
, December 03, 2014
This is one of those books that has been on my radar for a while but I just now had the chance to sit down and read it. It was definitely a promising prospect--the plot convention of two stories separated by time is something that appeals to me, as is the time period of Olive's story. And, indeed, there were things I found enjoyable. I really loved how Lehmann took the time to juxtapose the New York City of 1907 upon the New York City on 2007. She does an admirable job of really going over the geography of the city and how things have changed. I also appreciated the period photographs she included in the book. I also found Olive's story line intriguing. A young woman who, through no fault of her own, falls from her place in society but still has the gumption to pull herself up and achieve her dreams. Lehmann spends quite a bit of time highlighting Olive's naivete in the ways of passion, which actually fits quite well into her character and serves to draw a clear distinction between the life she lost and the life she had to live. On the other hand, I found Amanda's story line almost unbearable. A woman who has been a 6 year relationship with a married man and then wonders why she's stuck? That is just a tired story that's been told too many times. I never felt any empathy for Amanda and, therefore, had no patience for her. I can see how Lehmann was trying to tie the characters of Olive and Amanda together, but it either just didn't connect, or it connected too easily to be believable. There were some other issues with this book. I respect Lehmann's attempt to illustrate the issues women had to face in the early 20th century in Olive's narrative, but she just tried to cram too much in. She talked about religion, women in the workplace, childbirth, birth control, sexual fidelity, and immigration. Phew! I also didn't find Lehmann's style as readable as I thought I would. She isn't a difficult author to read, but there is just something a bit uncomfortable in her voice that I found a bit irritating. It was almost as if she were not completely natural in her writing. I think if this book had been just about Olive, I would have loved it. As it is, it was just a lukewarm read for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Curiosity Thrilled the Cat
by
Sofie Kelly
Melinda Ott
, November 25, 2014
Cozy Mysteries are what I read when I want to just relax and give my mind a break. I will admit that I'm not the sort of mystery reader who consciously goes through the book looking for clues and challenges myself to solve the mystery before the reveal; instead, I read these more as a straight novel and just enjoy the story as I go along. It had been quite some time since I last read a Cozy Mystery when I picked up this book. I really didn't know much about it other than it had cats (which I love) and that was the first in the series (which is a must for me). Other than that, I went into this book with an open mind. This was an enjoyable read for me. I immediately liked Kathleen and found I could relate to her. As is common in such books, Mayville Heights is full of quirky characters, although I will admit that a number of them sort of blurred together for me. I have a feeling that they will become more distinct as the series progresses, so I hesitate to hold that against this book. Another thing that I'm hoping will become clearer in later books (as you can tell, I've already decided to go further into this series) is how these two cats, Owen and Hercules, are magical. In this book, their "magic" seemed to be limited to stealing and then getting stoned on catnip and walking through closed doors. Still, I found these cats charming, even if their powers were a bit vague. I thought I had figured this mystery out until the very end, which is a good sign. I also didn't feel that there was an unbelievable jump needed for Kathleen to solve the mystery. I also appreciated that Kathleen didn't act like a detective throughout this book Frequently in Cozy Mysteries, you get a baker or librarian or what not basically doing police work and that was not the case in this book. If you are looking for a new series, I would definitely recommend this book and series. I'm hoping the following books are as good as this one!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Away
by
Amy Bloom
Melinda Ott
, November 18, 2014
I really, really thought I would love this book. The summary sounded fascinating and I was quickly pulled in by Bloom's writing. She has a poetic voice that I found hypnotic. Unfortunately, that was not enough to save this book for me. I tried to put my finger on what went wrong for me and I came up with two big problem areas. The first was the story itself. From the summary, it sounds like this is one of those vast novels, but then you look and the book is less than 300 pages. There are basically 3 sections of this book--New York, Seattle, and Canada/Alaska and Bloom just sort of drops the reader in each one--and I had a lot of trouble buying how Lillian got to Seattle and then to Alaska. Bloom also dives a bit in to the world of the soap opera dramatics, which did not appeal to me. I felt that a lot of what happens to Lillian just wasn't necessary and I would have rather that Bloom had used those pages for something else. The other problem was Lillian herself. I just never felt any connection with or sympathy for her--which is strange because I can understand the desire to find your child, but it just didn't ring true for me with Lillian. I never felt that I was able to get into her enough to feel her compulsion to go on her trek to find her daughter. Instead, she seemed like such a survivor (and I don't mean that in an entirely positive sense) that I couldn't see her give up her comforts to return for a daughter she was told was dead. It's a shame as I think that Bloom is a fantastic writer and this book sounded great, but it just didn't work for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Language of Sisters
by
Amy Hatvany
Melinda Ott
, November 14, 2014
I have to be honest, I almost put this book aside. It was not due to any fault of the book, it was just that the subject matter was incredibly distressing to me. I guess it is a credit to Hatvany that she could write about the situation so well that it left me physically shaken. So, yes, let's just say this is not a "fun" read. Trust me, it's far more intense than the summary would lead you to believe. It's pretty raw and heartbreaking--but I soon went from wanting to stop to not being able to put it down. Hatvany does well with highly emotional material and this is no exception. I felt for Nicole--she had it coming from both sides. Not only did she have to take over the care of her sister, but she also had a bevy of unresolved issues with her mother. Her childhood friend comes back into the picture, who becomes a lifesaver to Nova (and she's kind of a kick--right when the reader needs something a little lighter going on in the story!). Hatvany said in the afterward that she has a sister with the same disability as Jenny, so I'm pretty sure that much of this came from the heart with her...and you can tell. There is a bit of romance in the novel, but not so much that it overwhelms the plot. I think the story could have stood on its own legs without the romance, but its presence didn't really distract me. I think the more important aspect was the relationships Nicole had before she returned to Seattle. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone looking for something "light" to read. However, this is something I would heartily recommend it to someone looking for something that will hit their emotions with both barrels.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Milk Glass Moon
by
Adriana Trigiani
Melinda Ott
, November 12, 2014
So, yeah, I gave this book 3 stars--but I feel I have to explain that rating a bit. I actually liked this book more than I enjoyed any other 3 star book, but I just didn't feel I could give it 4 stars. I gave he two books that precede this one the series (Big Stone Gap and Big Cherry Holler) 4 stars each and, despite the fact that I enjoyed this book, it just wasn't as good as the other two. First off, this is not a stand alone book. If you haven't read the two previous books, this one will make no sense. I'm not counting that against Milk Glass Moon, but I do feel I should say that. However, for those of you who have read (and enjoyed) Big Stone Gap and Big Cherry Holler, Milk Glass Moon will feel like coming home. The characters are still as lovable and quirky as ever .... which is both good and bad. It's great if you want something familiar. Yes, the fact remains that no one has really changed--including Ave Maria. Because of that, this book felt a bit stalled as the characters haven't really developed since the first and second books. Ave Maria is still dealing with the same feelings that she doesn't belong that she did in the first book, feelings that I felt had been (or should have been) resolved already. This book also seemed to lack any real plot. It takes place over about 4 or 5 years and at times it really feels like Trigiani is just skipping through time. Without a strong plot to hold such a long time period together, an author has no choice but to write only on the topmost layer of things. I guess what I'm saying here is that it was like visiting old friends who are always the same, but it wasn't a satisfying read. I'm glad I read it, but I think I could only recommend it to people who are fans of the first 2 books and want a "check in" with the characters. There is one more book in the series, which I will be reading at some point in the not-so-distant future, and I hope that Trigiani returns to storytelling with the conclusion to this series.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Way Life Should Be
by
Christina Bak Kline
Melinda Ott
, November 07, 2014
The only other book by Christina Baker Kline that I had read before this was Orphan Train, which I loved. The Way Life Should Be is an entirely different kind of book. It is firmly in the women's fiction genre, bordering on chick lit. I don't say that derisively, as I feel both are valid types of reading material. So, it became clear to me early on reading this book that I had to banish Orphan Train from my mind in order to give The Way Life Should Be a fair shake. I definitely find this book to be more "Women's Fiction" than "Chick Lit." While these two genres are sometimes used interchangeably, for me the line is that Chick Lit is more romantically based while Women's Fiction tends more towards introspection in the characters. There is a small romantic element in this novel, but it is more a plot convention than anything (and leads to what I found to be a rather amusing exchange about halfway through the novel). I liked Angela as a character and I could relate to her--I understand that feeling of not being in the right place and still trying to find home. While I found her family situation less than unique, it still fit with the character. I could completely understand why Angela would move to Maine almost on a whim and, more importantly, I could understand why she stayed. I like Kline's style of writing, but it is different here than I expected after reading Orphan Train. In this book, she is lighter and more prone to humor. Part of this I expect is due to the subject matter, but it is still markedly different from her most recent (and successful) novel. The Way Life Should Be is definitely a lighter read and I think that readers expecting something meatier would be disappointed. However, I think one must judge this book on its own merits and, for me, it is one of the more successful Women's Fiction titles I've read recently
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Ship of Brides
by
Jojo Moyes
Melinda Ott
, November 04, 2014
Jojo Moyes has become of the "it" authors nowadays, yet this is the first of her novels I've read. I say this because, whenever I mention to anyone that I'm reading this, they ask how it stacks up to Me Before You--and I just don't know. The premise of The Ship of Brides was interesting to me, but I will say that it isn't unique. I've read several "war bride" novels and I usually enjoy them. This was no exception. This is one of the better war bride novels I've come across. Moyes has an inviting voice and paces her novel quite well--just when you think you might have a chance to put it down, she draws you right back in. It wasn't a perfect book--the plot was a bit predictable, but that may be because I've read so many War Bride novels and there is only so much variation one can realistic do with that framework. Margaret and Frances were great characters, but I felt that Avice was more one-dimensional and I felt that Moyes didn't fully finish her story line. Still, it was an enjoyable book and something I would recommend to someone wanting something a little heavier than chick lit, but lighter than some other historical fiction.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Juliets Nurse
by
Lois Leveen
Melinda Ott
, October 23, 2014
I had to really concentrate on going into this book with an open mind. You see, I really don't like Romeo and Juliet. I do enjoy Shakespeare, but that particular play is probably my least favorite of the ones that I've read. It was only when several history professors told me that modern audiences had it wrong--in Shakespeare's time, the tragedy was not the death of two young lovers, but the fact that two kids died because they DID NOT LISTEN TO THEIR PARENTS--that I finally had any real appreciation of the play. So, I went in with as open a mind as I could and, well, I was surprised. I enjoyed this book far more than I had expected. The main character (Juliet's nurse, obviously) is Angelica--a middle aged woman who has buried all her sons and then the infant daughter she did not know she was expecting. As was common, Angelica is then contracted to be a wet nurse for a wealthy family's infant daughter, Juliet di Cappelletti (or, you know, Capulet). The bulk of the book develops Angelica and her relationship to Juliet. It's a complex one, and one that is completely heart-wrenching. Angelica also becomes a mother figure to Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, who is also a well-drawn character (and far more interesting here than he is in Shakespeare's play). I loved Leveen's writing. She did an exceptional job at creating 14th-century Verona for the reader. Her voice is lyrical and readable and I found myself drawn into her prose. I was worried that the book would begin to drag towards the end when Leveen's narrative would meet Shakespeare's. After all, we all know how this one is headed (answer: not well) and I didn't see how Leveen could keep momentum going as she zoomed towards and already defined ending. Here again, I was surprised. Leveen is able to not only avoid lagging, but also to accelerate the speed of the plot in a way that the reader can't put the book down, even though they know how it all ends. And, even with the pre-determined ending, I found the conclusion of this book very satisfying. I did have a few minor quibbles about the book. I wish Leveen had flushed out Juliet's character more--she took such care with Tybalt that I was surprised that she did not do the same with a more major character. There were also times where Leveen used lines from Shakespeare as dialogue. While that is clever, they didn't match the dialogue in the rest of the book, which I found a little unsettling. Those, however, are small things. They may have kept Juliet's Nurse from being a perfect book, but they did not stop this from being a highly enjoyable book that I would readily recommend to others.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good A Memoir of Food & Love from an American Midwest Family
by
Kathleen Flinn
Melinda Ott
, October 22, 2014
We all know that there is such a thing as Comfort Food, but there is also Comfort Reading--those books that feel like a hug and restore your faith in everyday people. Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good gives you both Comfort Food AND Comfort Reading! The Flinn family is a typical mid-Century, mid-American family. There are now celebrities in this family and the only one that crosses this family's path is Michael Moore in his younger years. They aren't the saccharine kind of family that you might find on a sit-com or family drama. No, the Flinn's are a fun and loving bunch who pull together through the ups and downs. Folks, I want to be a part of this family. The parents love each other (really, they are always running off on countless "second honeymoons"), they have an array of eccentrics in their extended family, and Flinn's sister actually runs away to be a clown! Yes, a clown! Oh, and then there is the food. Other than Julia Child's Beouf Bourginon, we aren't talking about "fancy" food. This is stick to your ribs and warm your soul fare. This is the kind of food that I grew up with--my mother being a good mid-Century, mid-American woman. And there are RECIPES! I really wish I had the hardcopy of this book as it would be easier to go back to the recipes! I related to this family--like Kathleen, I was the youngest by FAR and was at home long after my siblings had moved out (in my case, many of my siblings had moved out before I was born). While my family didn't especially struggle financially while I was growing up, there were some definite hard times before I came along. For readers who are into serious memoirs, this may be a bit light. For everyone else--especially foodies--this is a treat. I laughed, I sobbed, and I wanted to eat!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
I Shall Be Near to You
by
Erin Lindsay McCabe
Melinda Ott
, September 26, 2014
My friends, it is books like I Shall Be Near To You that made me a reader. It is no secret that I love historical fiction and it had been a while since I read anything set during the Civil War, so it was with a shrug of my shoulders and a, "what the heck" that I took this one on. I'm almost ashamed to admit that was my initial reaction because this book completely blew me out of the water. The idea of a woman fighting as a man seems almost exotic to readers, but as is said in the summary, there were over 250 documented accounts of this happening during the Civil War (so much for those who say women aren't fit for combat). I have read other such stories, but they've always had this sort of "hero complex." You know--amazing woman fights stereotypes to fight for her country and become a hero...blah blah blah. I'm not discounting that, but all the stories with this subject that I had read were pretty much the same thing. This book, however, is different. Rosetta does not don the life of Ross Stone for any lofty nationalistic reason, Instead, she joins to be with her husband--who joined up to earn the money for the two of them to start a new life in the west. Both Rosetta and Jeremiah are characters I could really sink my teeth into. As the book begins, Rosetta lives in a world where she doesn't feel she belongs. With Jeremiah, she finds the "home" she has always wanted, but he's soon gone and she's thrust into a situation worse than before she married him. While I can't imagine ever facing the horrors of war, I never once questioned Rosetta's choice to do so. Jeremiah, on the other hand, has to fight between want he feels is best for his wife and letting her choose her own path. I really can't think of another character in this situation written as well as Jeremiah. Throughout the book, McCabe shows the horror of war--not graphically, but in the emotional reactions of Rosetta and her fellow soldiers. While there is some battle descriptions (McCabe could not have written this book without them), there is also a deep sense of humanity. Among the soldiers, we see--in addition to the husband and wife of Jeremiah and Rosetta--fathers and sons, brothers, friends. My favorite secondary character was Will, a young soldier with his own burden, but also a deep faith and great compassion. This is also the story of a marriage. To say that Rosetta and Jeremiah are facing some stressful situations is an understatement. While there is a beautiful sense of romance, this is not a "romantic" book. Instead, it is an illustration of true love and devotion--something that the saccharine "romance" label cannot capture. I'll admit that I sobbed at several points in this book and I'm tearing up just writing this review. I know there are still a few more months left before I can really make this declaration, but I have a feeling that this will end up being my best read of the year. Just. Read. This. Book. Okay?
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Story of Land and Sea
by
Smith, Katy Simpson
Melinda Ott
, September 18, 2014
There are books that are suspenseful or romantic or funny....The Story of Land and Sea is beautiful. I was immediately drawn in by Smith's writing. Her voice is surprisingly lyrical for a debut author and, if nothing else, I'm glad that this book introduced me to her work. She was able to vividly recreate the world of late 18th-century North Carolina so well that it made me homesick for the years I spent living in that part of the country. The characters quickly became dear to my heart. We have John, the ex-Pirate (yes!) turned soldier, his vivacious wife Helen, his spunky daughter Tab, and his widowed father-in-law, Asa. Along with this family, we have Moll, the slave given to Helen when they were both children, and her oldest son, Davy. Each and every character came to life as I read and I fell a bit in love with each and every one of them. This book is more a study than it is a story. Smith takes her time to really delve into each and every relationship in this book--and not a single one of them is simple. However, in exchange, this is not a strongly-plotted novel. Personally, I'm fine with that--I would choose a character-driven book over a plot-driven book any day of the week. However, because of that, I feel I can't give this book the 5 stars that it was for me. I suspect that some readers may be frustrated with the less-developed plot, especially if they are more interested in the story than the characters. On the other hand, those who put more stock in well developed characters and setting would likely fall in love with this book as I did.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Rachel
by
Jill Eileen Smith
Melinda Ott
, September 08, 2014
I chose this book almost completely out of curiosity. I had previous read Michal by Jill Eileen Smith and I liked her premise of basing books on wives of notable Old Testament men, but I wasn't sure how she would handle this one. The story of Rachel and Leah is well known, but here is a very high-level run down for anyone not familiar with the story from the book of Genesis. Jacob, who is a sort of shifty fellow in his own right, flees Canaan for the land of Uncle Laban. There, he sees Rachel and falls in love with her. He works out a deal with her father, Laban (yes, they were cousins--but who wasn't?) that he will work for Laban for 7 years in return for Rachel. He does his time, gets married and the following morning when he lifts the veil---there is Rachel's older sister, Leah. Leah is described as having "beautiful eyes" in the Bible, while Rachel is just plain beautiful. Jacob is not exactly happy about this, but agrees to work for another 7 years for Laban to marry Rachel as well. So, now he's married to two sisters, but only loves one. God takes pity on Leah and "opens" her womb and she starts giving birth to son after son after son (which of course would make someone question Jacob's "eyes only for Rachel" policy). Rachel realizes she is barren, so she gives Jacob her maid Billah to have sons in her stead. Leah, not to be outdone, then gives Jacob her maid Zilpah for more sons--while herself still having children--and a full blown baby making war ensues. Rachel does end up giving birth to Joseph, who becomes a major Patriarch and the subject of a Tim Rice / Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, as well as Benjamin. All in all, Jacob ends up with 13 acknowledged children--12 sons and 1 daughter--from Leah, Rachel, and their maids. (And, of course, family dysfunction carries on...and on...and on...) So, this is a story of lots and lots of, well, sex. And that is not exactly something you see a lot of in Christian fiction. It is also a story of a lot of really uncomfortable family dynamics, which isn't always fun for the reader. I was really curious to see how Smith handled this, and to my view, she wasn't completely successful. I will come right about and admit that part of my problem was that I just didn't like how she told this story. Jacob, who has a history of his own scheming (I won't go into it--it's all there in the Book of Genesis) comes across as a lily-white saint. There are some vague references to stealing his brother's birthright, but Smith seems to gloss over that. Frankly, I think he would have been more interesting if Smith had stuck closer to how the Bible's version of him. Before reading this book, I was firmly in the "Team Leah" camp and this book did nothing to change that. I found the character of Rachel to be childish long past the point when her character should have been behaving in such a way. And, I realize this is petty on my part, but it annoyed me every time that Smith referred to Rachel's beautiful eyes. Yeesh! That is the only thing Leah had and you give it to Rachel? Smith does a good job of sticking to the scripture but, and this is probably the only time I will every say this, I wish she had taken a bit of artistic liberty in one area. The "rape" of Dinah comes up at the end of this book--where it does in the Bible--and it is just too big of an event to not devote quite of bit time and energy to. I would have been more than happy to forgive that omission from this story. I will say that Smith does an admirable job of trying to get this story into the "Christian Fiction" genre. Ironically, this book is not overtly "Christian"--what I mean is that a non-Christian reader could read it without feeling they were being preached to or having to struggle with beliefs they may not share. However, I probably wouldn't recommend this to a non-Christian reader--not because of anything in this book, but because there is a much better book out there. Anita Diamant's The Red Tent, which is the story of Dinah, is a fantastic novel that really digs deep into the relationships between all these women and explores the role of women in the days of the Patriarchs. It is not, however, a Christian novel (Diamant herself is Jewish) and it is more graphic than some readers of Christian Fiction would appreciate. It is for those readers I would recommend this book. For me, however, it just didn't work.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
How to Tell Toledo from the Night Sky A Novel
by
Lydia Netzer
Melinda Ott
, September 02, 2014
I picked up this book because I had heard a number of good things about it on a few book podcasts I enjoy. It sounded quirky and fun and a good choice to break up a string of heavier books I'd been working through. This book was both completely and not at all what I expected. It is original and quirky with a touch of magic realism, which I appreciated. Sometimes the quirks were a bit too much for me, but I loved the "not of the world" aspects of the story. Netzer is also fun to read with a keen sense of humor. I will say the premise of the book intrigued me more than the actual book. At the end of the day, this is a romantic novel (I wouldn't call it a "romance," as it doesn't fit that genre). There are two story lines happening--the budding romance between Irene and George and the secret plan concocted by their mothers Unfortunately, I think the presence of two plots sort of short changed both. Neither story really went as deep as I would have liked and I never really felt like I got close to any of the characters. I will readily admit that this might be a case of a book just not being a very good fit for the reader. I have reader friends who I think would really enjoy this book, even though I can't say that I did.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Henna House
by
Nomi Eve
Melinda Ott
, August 28, 2014
I'm really torn about this one. On the one hand, I loved reading about a culture--the Yemeni Jews--about which I knew precisely nothing. I think it is too easy for non-Jewish readers to think that there is only one or two types of Judaism, so I really enjoyed learning about this particular culture. And I think this is the first book I'd ever read that was set in Yemen, so there is that. I also really loved Eve's writing voice. She's lyrical without getting too wrapped up in her own language. She also strikes a nice balance between explaining culture-specific terms and leaving some for the reader to define for themselves through context. I find that many authors writing about another culture either go one way or the other, so I appreciated that Eve was very moderate in this. But, there were some technical things about this book that really bothered me. For one thing, I felt like 80% of this book was just backstory for the last 20%. Then, once I hit the point where the story really began, the pace of the book picked up so much it felt like a race to the finish. I do wish that Eve had evened out the tempo of this book so that the reader doesn't feel like the story starts to fly by them right as it starts getting good. Eve also seemed to have trouble with foreshadowing and extraneous details. There were a number of details that felt like they should be developed into the plot but just never went anywhere. Conversely, the bonafide foreshadowing was very obvious and almost felt like there should be a "dut dut DUN" every time it occured. There was one other thing that made me very, very uncomfortable about this book. I actually tried to ignore it when evaluating my thoughts of this book, but it ended up coloring how I saw much of the book. At one point in the book, rather early on (which was especially unfortunate as it did color most of the book afterwards for me), there is a rather graphic sexual incident between two prepubescent (ages 10 and 11) children. I have a reasonable tolerance for sexual content in books, but not when it concerns children. To me, it was incredibly inappropriate and, frankly, not even necessary to the story. So, there are my jumbled thoughts. I honestly don't know if I would recommend this to another reader--there is, after all, much to commend it. However, there are also enough drawbacks to make me question it as a recommendation.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
House We Grew Up In
by
Lisa Jewell
Melinda Ott
, August 18, 2014
Since it becomes quite obvious early on, I don't think it is a spoiler to say that this book is about, among other things, hoarding. I'm actually rather glad that this wasn't spelled out in the summary because I'm not sure I would have read this book if it was. There are some borderline-hoarders in my family and, well, this isn't a topic that would appeal to me. That being said, I am so glad that I read this book. Jewell has written a masterpiece with this one--we meet the Bird family, centered around the eccentric mother, Lorelei. Lorelei's children (and husband) are aware of their mother's illness and we see how the ripple effects of that illness show up in her children. This story is told in sort of a double-flashback. One one layer, we have the oldest daughter Megan and her daughter (and then other members of the family) in the present day. Then, we go back a few months in time to Lorelei's email correspondence with an internet suitor. Finally, we go farther back in time to when the children were growing up and into their adulthood. This structure shouldn't work....but it does! It sounds confusing, but Jewell actually does this quite seamlessly. I really enjoyed seeing how the characters developed. Each had their own cross to bear and none could escape the effects of Lorelei's illness. I felt that the characters and their evolution were believable--with one exception. Colin's story arc was a bit over the edge for me. It almost felt like Jewell was using him and doing everything in her power to keep a secondary character in the story to catapult part of the greater plot along (if that makes any sense). Lucikly, Colin's storyline was the only drawback for me and, if it hadn't been for that, I would have given this book 5 stars. I heartily recommend it!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
This Is Where I Leave You
by
Jonathan Tropper
Melinda Ott
, August 15, 2014
I wanted to like this book, I really did! This title has been on my radar for some time and, since the movie version will be out soon , I thought I'd better put it at the top of my TBR list. The good part of it, for me, was that I think the overarching store--a family coming together to sit Shiva for their faither--could make a good movie. However, I think that a number of, ahem, liberties would have to be made for that to happen. Frankly, the book just didn't live up to the promise. I think it was from James Joyce's Ulysses where the idea that a man thinks about sex once every 11 seconds comes. Idon't know if that is true, but I think Tropper is trying to prove that in this book. Everything thought from Judd, the main character, seems to be about sex. The characters seem to talk only about sex. It's all just sex--and not really "mature" sex. Instead, it seems more like teenaged boy sex--which would be fine if this book were about a teenaged boy. But it's not. It's about adults--although I guess an argument can be made that these characters are teenagers stuck in adults' bodies. I also was never really sure what this book was about. Is it about Judd and his family? Judd and his unfaithful wife? Judd and the girl who got away? This book was going so many directions at once that I always felt unmoored in it. Tropper is a readable writer and there were some funny (in a potty-humor sort of way) parts in this book. But, ultimately, it was disappointment.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
When the World Was Young
by
Elizabeth Gaffney
Melinda Ott
, August 14, 2014
This was an interesting book, but a rather hard book for me to rate. There were some 5-star aspects of this book, as well as some 3-star aspects--so it was a bit of a mixed bag. I did really enjoy the era in which this book was set. I've read books set during WWII and books set in the 50s, but very few books I've read look at those two periods together. The setting of this book is such a rich time--a nation recovering from war and the early stages of the modern Civil Rights and Feminist movements. I also quite liked Wally--we meet her as a precocious tween who shadows the son of her grandmother's African-American maid and then watch her grow into adulthood. And her world is not typical--both her Grandmother and Mother are physicians in a time when few women went into that profession. However, it took me a while to get into this book. I think part of the problem is the structure. We start at VJ day and then immediately go through an extended flash-back period and then--at least 25% of the way into the book--back to VJ day when the story really starts. It wasn't until we came back to that period that I was really able to invest myself in this book. My other frustration with this book comes as the book ends. While I found the plot interesting, I felt that , as the conclusion neared, Gaffney backed away from delving deeper into the social issues facing the characters. She had done this earlier in the book, which is what made it seem lopsided to me. Ultimately, I'm glad I read this book and I did enjoy it--but I could have enjoyed it more if some of the structural issues had been corrected. I would probably still recommend this book as I found it to be readable and unique, but I wouldn't tout it as being one of the best out there.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Three Bargains
by
Tania Malik
Melinda Ott
, August 13, 2014
This was an interesting book to read and a somewhat difficult book to review. It was an engrossing story and kept my attention from the first page. However, I can't say that I always enjoyed reading it. But, then again, I don't believe that the author meant for this book to be enjoyable. Madan is an interesting character--he almost strikes me as being Dickensian. He's very dynamic as he coasts the arc of this rags to riches to rags to riches to....(I'm not going to tell you how it ends up!). I didn't find any of the other characters in this book to be as faceted as he is. However, for the most part, that is fine. The only character I wish did have more depth was that of Avtaar Singh, who seemed just a bit too mysterious for me. This book came touted as being along the lines of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. While I believe that Three Bargains is in that vein, I wouldn't say it is quite up to the level of The Kite Runner. Like Hosseini's book, there are some truly violent and hard to read to read scenes in this book (although I found the scenes in The Kite Runner to be harder to stomach). However, it doesn't seem to have the same urgency as The Kite Runner. This is definitely a book I'm glad I read and I would recommend it to some readers--specifically to those with an interest in books from different cultures and who can stomach a fair amount of violence and profanity. This would also be an excellent selection for a book club as there is much to discuss in it.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie
by
McClure, Wendy
Melinda Ott
, August 12, 2014
This little fact needs to be made public before I go any further. I purchased my copy of this book at the Ingalls Homestead in De Smet, SD. Folks, I'm not just in the choir, I'm the director! So, the idea of someone going on a Laura Ingalls Wilder pilgrimage didn't seem the least bit strange to me, considering that was exactly what I was doing. I've read one of McClure's earlier books and enjoyed it and I found her humorous style very fitting. I especially enjoyed her stops in De Smet, Walnut Grove, and Pepin as those were my LIW destinations (I need to somehow convince my husband that we need to go to Missouri and Kansas). As much as I enjoyed reading this, I'm not going to say that McClure and I had identical experiences. For one thing, I am revisiting the books and visiting the sites as a mom, which she is not (and this is a distinction she makes in the book). I also seemed to be looking for something else--something that I found. After finishing this book, McClure sounds as though she never found what she was looking for. I certainly cannot blame McClure for the fact that her experience differs from mine and I'm really okay with that. However, there were times when McClure seemed to make blanket statements about other Laura Ingalls Wilder fans that seemed a bit judgmental to me. She tends to speak as if other LIW fans (not including herself) are all camping out and waiting for the apocalypse. However, I was able to--well, if not overlook, at least tolerate--that. On the whole, however, this is an enjoyable book for people who enjoy the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Unamericans
by
Molly Antopol
Melinda Ott
, August 11, 2014
hort story collections are always a nice change of pace for me and I try to read a half dozen or so of them a year. I've had this one sitting in my TBR pile for quite some time and figured it was about time to give it a try. Molly Antopol is definitely a writer to watch. Her style is readable yet polished. I will admit that the overall culture of this book (mostly Russian and Eastern European to America or Israel Jewish culture) is not something I know much about, but that made this book all the more fascinating. If I had to pick another writer to whom I could compare Antopol, I'd probably choose Jhumpa Lahiri. While their subject matter is different, their stories are similar in tone. All the stories in this collection are worth reading and I think that different stories will appeal to different people. Personally, my favorite was "A Difficult Phase," probably because I could most closely identify with the main character. While I would recommend this book to anyone who reads short story collections, I probably wouldn't suggest it as a "first" collection for anyone. The subject matter is a bit heavy at times and I think someone new to short stories might find a lighter collection a warmer welcome to the genre. Still, this reader is eagerly awaiting Antopol's next work (which I hear is a novel!)
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Her Next Chapter
by
Lori Med Day
Melinda Ott
, August 08, 2014
This is a book I can really get behind. I'm an avid reader (obviously) and I know how important it is for children to read. I had planned, in a few years, for my daughter and I to join a Mother-Daughter book club, so I was already in the choir on this one. For anyone who is in my position of being sold on Mother-Daughter book clubs, who might be considering, or has never heard of them, this is a great book. Day sets up the book quite well--the first 3 chapters are devoted to the mechanics of the book club. As a member or alumni of several clubs, I appreciated these tips. From the 4th chapter one, she devotes the books to different topics, complete with recommendations for book and movies (with appropriate age suggestions) and activities. Folks, these are some heavy, heavy topics and it had never occurred to me how valuable something like a Mother-Daughter Book Club could be in relation to these issues. My daughter is still about 3 years away from such a club, but I know that this will be in our future. After reading this book, I do think that I will probably start a club rather than join the one hosted by the library. These clubs are really about relationships--between mothers and daughters, adults and girls, and between the girls themselves--and a drop in sort of arrangement will just not work. I debated whether or not this was a 4 or 5 star book. I normally reserve 5 star ratings for books that I would recommend to just about anyone and this book doesn't really have that scope. However, I think that the quality and usefulness of this book to its intended audience is great enough that it deserves the 5 stars.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Big Cherry Holler
by
Adriana Trigiani
Melinda Ott
, August 07, 2014
This is one of those times that I really want to use half stars again. I enjoyed the first book, Big Stone Gap, quite a bit and gave it 4 stars. However, I enjoyed this book more and, to me it is almost (but not quite) in the 5 star category. So, in my heart, this is a 4.5 star book. While Big Stone Gap was a book about a love story, it did wade at least knee-level into the waters of self-acceptance. Big Cherry Holler dives right into that pool. In many ways, it is the story of what comes after "happily ever after," something that I can really appreciate. While there is quite a bit going on in this book, it really centers around Ave Maria and her marriage to Jack Mac. They are 8 years in, a time when many marriages struggle. Now, add to that the fact that they are dealing with the death of their son (this comes up in the first chapter, so I'm not considering it a spoiler!) a few years prior. That is a huge mine field for couples and many marriages do not survive such a tragedy. Then, to top it off, Ave Maria is still dealing with the "self work" she started in Big Stone Gap. I love Ave Maria more in this book than I did in the first--even though I wanted to shake her several times during this book. But she's human and just the sort of person I'd want as a friend--and I'd want to have her friends, as she has the most entertaining social circle around. I will say it was stressful to read about the issues in her marriage, but when is that not stressful? I do wish that Trigiani had delved a bit more into Jack Mac's side of things--after all, it takes 2 to tango and it almost seemed like Ave Maria was doing a solo out there. But, this book is ultimately about Ave Maria so that isn't bothering me as much as it might in another book. I also wish that Trigiani had either amplified or muted some of the little side stories. They were interesting, but there wasn't enough in there for me to really sink my teeth into. I think if she had either fleshed them out, or got rid of them completely, it would have improved the book. All in all, I loved this book enough to spend surprising little time on the drawbacks. It's a story about real life, and that I can appreciate.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Year After Henry
by
Cathie Pelletier
Melinda Ott
, August 06, 2014
For some reason, the books I've read lately have all had some sort of common thread--dead spouses, dead spouses' mistresses, messages from the other side, etc. A Year After Henry falls right into that pattern. Because I've been reading so many similar books (purely by coincidence), I was a little burned out by the time I came to this book. First off, though, I have a pet peeve that really doesn't have anything to do with the book or the author. The summary given for this book is a bit misleading. While I wouldn't call it a bait and switch, I will say that the book I read was not the book I was expecting based on that summary--however, that is probably a good thing. I did enjoy Pelletier's writing. I felt that she successfully rounded out her characters are conveyed their place in the grieving process--after all, this book was all about grieving. My favorite character, and one of the main characters, was Henry's brother Larry. Like the other two main characters (Jeanie and Evie), Larry is dealing with the grief of losing Henry, but also with the grief of losing his previous life. I believe there was enough there about Larry that Pelletier could have written just about him. My biggest complaint with this book was with the handling of the character of Evie. She was interesting--a pot-smoking medium / bartender who was Henry's one time mistress. However, she really didn't fit in to the overall scheme of the book they way a character carrying that much weight of a book should. I wish Pelletier had either tied her in more to the stories of Larry and Jeanie, or minimized her role in the book. Overall, I would say this book is fine, but not exceptional. It might be a book I would recommend to someone who might relate to its subject matter, but probably not to anyone just looking for an entertaining book to read.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Secrets Of The Lighthouse
by
Santa Montefiore
Melinda Ott
, August 05, 2014
Ireland is one of those places I've always wanted to visit, but have yet to make it over there. In the meantime, there are books like this that can sate my Ireland-fever. Montefiore creates a delightful Irish village full of characters and secrets--one that I think anyone would like to visit. The main character of Ellen was probably the least interesting of the bunch. There isn't anything wrong with her, but I just didn't find her as interesting or as unique as everyone else. The rest of the bunch, however, were all deliciously quirky. I also really enjoyed the spiritual aspect of this book. By "spiritual," I do not mean religious. Caitlin is described as a ghost in the summary--but I think of her more as a spirit in flux and I appreciated the way Montefiore revealed her to the reader. The conclusion of the book was predictable, but still satisfying. I think that Montefiore had a very clear vision of how this book should go and, even though the finale was expected, it seemed to be natural at the same time. This book came to me as a work along the lines of something by Maeve Binchy. While I don't think it is quite up to that level, it was an enjoyable read and one that I would recommend for anyone who had a desire to visit the Emerald Isle.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Widow Waltz
by
Sally Koslow
Melinda Ott
, August 04, 2014
What can I say about this book? It wasn't an easy book for me to read--not because it was badly or heavily written, and not because the subject matter was tough to stomach. No, it was hard for me because I just couldn't get interested in it. This book is advertised as a good beach read--and it is written as such. Koslow has a readable voice and this book is not what I would consider heavy. She does shift between the first person for Georgia and the third person for her daughters. This shift in narrator can work, but it doesn't work here. It just seemed messy to me. Frankly, I just couldn't conjure up any feelings for any of the characters. Maybe I'm just too tired of the New Yorker socialite cliche to care. In fact, every single character in this book is stock and trite. From the betrayed widow, to the diametrically opposite daughters, to the cool gay uncle...all of these characters have been found in countless other books before this one. The plot is predictable from the first page and there was nothing left to keep me guessing. Instead, it made me see all the characters as, well, rather dumb that they couldn't figure out what was going on when I could. I understand why someone might enjoy this book--the same way someone might enjoy a Lifetime Original movie. Ultimately, though, it was not for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Boleyn Reckoning
by
Laura Andersen
Melinda Ott
, July 15, 2014
I've been waiting for this book since I read the last word of The Boleyn Deceit. I'm always wary of alternative fiction, but this series completely sucked me in to the very last page of this, the last book. I read each of the books in this trilogy as they came out, which meant that there was a substantial period of time between my readings of each book. If I had it to do over again, and I would recommend to anyone who is interested in these books, to just binge read the three, one right after the other. None of these, at least of all The Boleyn Reckoning, is a standalone book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I never knew where the plot was going, and that rarely happens to me anymore. Three of the four main characters--the three fictional ones--were all dynamically written. And the fourth, Elizabeth, was--to me--the most interesting of all. Of course, I don't know if I can give all the credit to Andersen for that. Let's face it, Elizabeth I is one of the most captivating women in history. I had only a few minor complaints, and that really reflect on the series as a whole and not specifically this book. I felt some of the secondary "real" characters, such as Jane Grey and Mary Tudor, sort of appeared and disappeared throughout the book and I wish they would have been more present throughout instead of just appearing here and there. This is not meant as a criticism--if anything, it is a compliment--but I felt a little off my bearing by this whole series. I am quite familiar with this period in history (it was my major!), but I kept forgetting that these books were fiction and the at William, Dominic, and Minuette never existed and that none of this ever happened! Unless you are a hard-core purist and accuracy-fanatic when it comes to historical fiction, I would recommend this series to anyone. However, as I said, you need to start at the beginning and read straight through to the conclusion.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Evergreen
by
Rebecca Rasmussen
Melinda Ott
, July 08, 2014
There are books that are non-stop action from the first to the last page and there are books that are more like a meditation. Evergreen is one of those quiet books. It is definitely more a character-driven book than a plot-driven one...if you like those sorts of things. And I do like those sorts of things. Rasmussen has created a group of flesh-and-blood characters, all of whom are dealing with the repercussions of one act and one decision. Rasmussen is smart how she handles this--the book is divided into 4 parts that span the generations from 1938 to 1972. She is able to cut out the superfluous material and get right to the heart of these characters in a way that I've seen few writers do. These characters will get right into the reader's soul. Rasmussen is able to bring out the humanity in each of these characters so all of them are relatable in some way. Rasmussen is also very successful in setting the place of this novel Evergreen is set apart--apart from town, apart from lumber camps, apart from just about everyone except these characters. Even still, I was able to picture this place in my mind's eye and feel like I was there with the characters. As I said, this is a deeply character-driven novel, which I know does not appeal to everyone. However, if you enjoy character novels and, frankly, just beautiful prose, you will enjoy Evergreen.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Big Stone Gap
by
Adriana Trigiani
Melinda Ott
, July 07, 2014
This is a book that has been on my TBR list forever, but I pushed it up the queue when I found out the movie version (written and directed by Trigiani herself) would be out soon. Considering that I now have the following 3 books in the series waiting for me, you can guess that I liked this one! Big Stone Gap is the sort of book that is a bit meatier than a "beach read" but definitely not as taxing as literary fiction. In other words, my ideal summer read. There is a definite down-home, folksy feel to this book which appealed to me, but might not to everyone. The town of Big Stone Gap is chock full of characters, enough that I worried that I would start to get them mixed up. Luckily, Trigiani does an excellent job of developing even the secondary characters so that none of them are forgettable. I especially enjoyed the main character of Ave Maria. I could completely understand why she felt stuck in her life and her plans of leaving town made complete sense to me. While one or two of the plot twists seemed to be a little too out of the blue for me, overall I found this a completely engrossing novel. And now I'm ready to start on Big Cherry Holler!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
In the Field of Grace
by
Tessa Afshar
Melinda Ott
, July 03, 2014
I went into this book a little bit biased--I adore the story of Ruth! I also think that it is one of the easier Old Testament stories to use as a basis for Christian Fiction. Its plot isn't vague, as in the case of Noah and the Ark, and it isn't too detailed in the Bible, as in the case of Esther. It's also a love story--and who doesn't love a romance? I will say that I quite liked Afshar's take on the story. She stays close to the source, filling in details only where needed. She also infuses references to other passages in the Old Testament, as well as sections of the New Testament. She gives a very plausible reason why Ruth would follow Naomi away from Maob and back to Israel, which I appreciated. She also weaves in a few subplots, with mixed results. While the relationship between Adin and Dinah is interesting, I do think she spent a bit too much time on it and I felt that it started to pull away a bit too much from Ruth's story. Afshar may also have had some problems with her transitions. I say she "may" have because I was reading an electronic review copy of this book--the version I read had some very abrupt scene changes. However, it could be that some formatting corrections in the final copy may have cleared these up. This book is very firmly in the "Christian Fiction" genre. If that is not your thing, I would not recommend this book. However, if you enjoy this genre, you should give this book a try!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can Avoid Leading Your Kids to Succeed in Life
by
Tim Elmore
Melinda Ott
, July 02, 2014
As my children approach school age, I'm finding myself drawn to books like these--how to help them without hindering them. Elmore presents a very easy to follow and instructional book for parents in my position. Let's face it, there are some out of control parents over there--those who just don't let their kids grow up (and this can pose some real problems in adulthood. I know a few of these "kids" and, whoa, it's not pretty, folks!) This book is very well organized. I will say that it is a little formulaic, but that works well here. Elmore tackles 12 issues by defining them, exploring them, and then offering suggestions for parents. I would say that very little of what he says is surprising, but the way he phrases it makes the reader realize that they might possibly be treading on thin ice and this might be the time to turn things around. This book is put out by a Christian publisher and it came to me under the "Christian / Parenting" banner. I will say that Elmore keeps his faith-based talk to a very bare minimum. True, what he advocates is in line with what many consider "Christian" parenting principles, but it is really more common sense than anything. I don't think that a non-Christian would have any issue or would be bothered by the contents or language of this book. My only complaint is that Elmore sometimes goes just a bit too far. For example, he frequently talks about how parents go to great lengths to protect their children and he does give some examples--not letting them walk to school on their own (if it is nearby) or advocating that play structures be removed from playgrounds. But he also includes things such as insisting kids wear seat belts and bike helmets. I get it about overreaction to "treacherous" playgrounds, but I do think it is just common sense (and good parenting) to make sure your kids wear seat belts and bike helmets. So, my advice to a reader would be to go in to this book willing to take his hyperbole with a grain of salt. All in all this is a solid parenting book--and one I wish had come out 35 or 40 years ago.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Wake A Novel
by
Anna Hope
Melinda Ott
, June 30, 2014
Let's start this off with the obvious point of this book. This is not an "upper" book. I've been reading quite a few Jazz Age books and, chronologically, this falls at the beginning of that time period. However, I can't put this book in the same group. For one thing, most of the other books were set in the United States, which had a much different World War I experience than England, where Wake is set. Also, unlike those other Jazz Age books, Wake is a novel that looks to the past instead of to the future. I write that all not as a complaint, but as an explanation. You see, this book is about loss and lack of closure. The women here--Hettie, Evelyn, and Ada--have all found themselves in a sort of limbo. Each had a man or boy close to them in the War and they are not dealing with the of the conflict. Hope does an exquisite job of conveying the anguish these women experience, even though each expresses it in a different way. I do wish that Hope had started to tie the three storylines together sooner in the book. I spent much of the first third a bit detatched from the book because I couldn't find anything to anchor the different narratives together. That being said, I was blown away by the prose in this book. As this is Hope's first book, I am anxiously waiting to read more from her. This is a moving and impressive debut novel and one that I would recommend to anyone who can handle more emotionally heavy fiction.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Light Between Oceans
by
ML Stedman
Melinda Ott
, June 25, 2014
Again, I'm probably one of the last people--or at least one of the last book bloggers--to read this. I have no excuse--especially since this has been sitting on my beside table since my mother gave it to me 6 months ago. But, man, I wish I'd read this earlier. This is another one of those (rare) instances where a book actually lives up to all the hype surrounding it. This was apparently an Oprah book--which doesn't necessarily make me think I will like it. Slightly more often than not, I do not enjoy her picks. But this one had me all in. I think part of my reaction to this book had to do with the fact that I am a mother. I haven't read many of the other reviews on it yet (I usually don't check out reviews until after I've written my own review), so I don't know if someone who is not a parent would have a different experience of this book. But, as a mother, this story cut right to my soul. The entire plot hinges on a decision made by Tom and Isabel. Did they make the "right" decision? Probably not. However, I can't say that I wouldn't make the same decision if I found myself in the same circumstances. That's the thing...none of these characters are "bad" or "good," they are just human. I can't say I rooted for or against any of them and, while there were times that Isabel infuriated me, there was never a time that I couldn't relate to her. I truly adored everything about this book--the plot, the characters, the writing--and even found myself tearing up (okay, sobbing) at the end. Really, if you haven't read this, just do it. Now.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Wife the Maid & the Mistress
by
Ariel Lawhon
Melinda Ott
, June 24, 2014
Really, this book can be summed up like this: This is exactly the book you'd expect from a book with that title. It delivers on everything that the title promises: a scorned wife, a seemingly (but not really) ditzy mistress, and a maid who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. It also has gangsters and bootleggers, showgirls and madams, and lots of excitement at the speakeasy, the Club Abbey. I greatly enjoyed this book. It had a very cinematic feel to me and I would definitely be interested in seeing a film version, if that ever happens. Admittedly, the characters were a little bit stock and, normally, this would be a big turn-off for me. But, in this book, it actually works quite well. The plot moves at a nice clip and Lawhon does a good job with dispensing information as the reader needs it and not a moment before that. Yet, in the midst of this, I never felt like I was missing any information but each bit Lawhon dispensed made the story a bit clearer. There were a couple of plot developments that I didn't quite follow, which is really the only negative I could find with this book. All in all, this was an entertaining read that I would readily recommend to anyone looking for something fun and neither too light nor too heavy...and something that reeks of moonshine and speakeasies.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
No Country
by
Kalyan Ray
Melinda Ott
, June 23, 2014
There is quite a bit to commend No Country. Ray has a wonderful style--when he writes about the characters in Ireland, I hear an Irish accent; in India they have and Indian accent, and so forth. For the first half of the book, I was completely drawn in. The characters were so compelling that I just could not put the book down. Unfortunately, something happened halfway through the book. Honestly, I can't put my finger on. The best guess I have is that Ray's long vision for the book--which I think was a family saga--just didn't hold up. As the two branches of Padraig's descendants--those from his daughter Maeve and those from his Anglo-Indian son Brendan--developed, I think they just grew too far apart within the plot for me. I will say that finishing this book was a real chore for me. However, I will concede that it might have been that I was reading this book at the wrong time. Perhaps if I had been reading it when my life was a little less hectic I wouldn't have felt so worn out reading this. This book may require energy and focus I just wasn't able to give. So, bottom line....this is probably a better book than I thought it was. I probably would recommend it to some more ambitious readers, but this is not something that should be read in a "busy season."
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Benny & Shrimp
by
Katarina Mazetti
Melinda Ott
, June 20, 2014
Honestly, I wasn't even going to bother to review this one because, well, I'm still not entirely sure what I thought of it. It is a very quirky (at least by American standards) book, which is a good thing. I mean, it is definitely unlike other books out there. I will say, first off, that the "official" summary is misleading. Based on that, I was going in to this book thinking I would be reading about people far older than the characters actually were. Perhaps it is just me, but I do not consider early- to mid-thirties to be middle aged. Okay, that being said, I will say that there are a lot of positive things about this book. It is a lighter read, if that is something you are looking for. It is also quite well-written and/or translated from Swedish. There are a lot of little phrases that are interesting--they are probably quite common in Sweden, but were unfamiliar to me. However, I thought that just added to the feel of the book. Benny and Desiree/Shrimp are both very realistic characters--which means that they aren't always likable and, frankly, there were several times when I wanted to knock some sense into one or both of them. I don't feel I can really fault Mazetti for that--after all, that is what a good writer strives to do. Yes, the book was incredibly quirky--in fact, it might be too quirky for some readers. Ultimately, though, I enjoyed the experience of reading this book, even if it left me scratching my head sometimes.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Rummy Club
by
Anoop Judge Ahuja
Melinda Ott
, June 17, 2014
Every once in a while, you come across and author who just "gets it." This was one of those time. "Women's Fiction" is frequently sort of a throw-away genre--just a readable story without much meat. Judge, on the other hand, has written a multi-layered story that stands out among the genre. There are a lot of books about women's friendships that deal with the relationship between 2 women or one group as a whole. Here, Judge has brought 4 distinct characters together and explored not only the relationships between each of the women in the group, but also the relationships the women have outside the group. While the 4 women met at a young age and they have all ended up in roughly the same place 25 years later, they have very different circumstances and Judge highlights this quite well. I also really enjoyed reading the cultural details in this book. I'm not very familiar with the Indian culture and Judge really brought it to life for me-both in terms of the traditional culture and how that culture translates to those now living in the USA. Judge also includes a glossary of Indian terms at the beginning of this book, which I put to good use (and, because of this, I would recommend that anyone who wants to read this book read it in paper form instead of as an ebook). My only complaint about this book is a technical one. Judge employs the 3rd person omniscient narrative most of the time. However, when she tells Divya's story, she switches to the 1st person. This in itself is fine, but I noticed a couple times when she seemed to get a little confused in her narration and she'll start a section or even a paragraph with one narration and end with the other. However, while the stood out for me, other readers may not even notice it. One other criticism I have does not deal with the book itself (and, because of that, I didn't take it into consideration when putting together my thoughts for this book), but with the summary. This is one of my pet peeves...it gives away too much of the story! Authors normally don't write these, so this is not a knock against Judge or this book, but whoever did write it should have stuck with a shorter synopsis that gives potential readers a feel of the book instead of an outline of the plot. Okay, all that aside, this is a book I highly recommend! It is an easy read with a lot of meat that should appeal to readers who like the idea of Women's Fiction, but never seem to be satisfied by it.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Running Secrets
by
Arleen Williams
Melinda Ott
, June 16, 2014
This is one of those cases where I was pleasantly surprised. I was drawn to this book because it was written by a Seattle author and is set in Seattle (and we'll just say that Seattle is "local" to Portland, okay?) and I hadn't read anything local in quite a while. The plot, however, sounded a but heavy and potentially melodramatic. And, to be fair, the plot was heavy, but I didn't find it melodramatic in the least. The main character of Chris has a tough life--her parents, while providing every material thing she could want, failed to ever show her affection or honor her. I will say that I found her parents to be a bit in the mold of the "wicked stepmothers" in fairy tales, but whatever. That was a small thing in my book. The real relationship is the one between Chris and Gemi. Gemi is a joy. Chris initially describes her as a "Mary Poppins" which is not far off (with the cinematic Mary Poppins...not so much with the literary Mary Poppins). Gemi swoops into Chris's life when she needs her the most and helps her through her dark period. Williams could have easily left that there, but she chose to expand on Gemi's character and give her a life of her own, which endeared her even more to me. And, back to the local thing, Williams is skilled in creating place. It's one thing to read about a place you've never been and feel like you're there. It's quite a different thing to read about place familiar to you and realize that the author has it just right. All in all, this was a great read. As I said, it is a bit heavy so I'm not sure I would recommend it to just anyone, but for someone who is in the right head space, this is definitely one to check out.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Hatmaker's Heart
by
Carla Stewart
Melinda Ott
, June 13, 2014
I was excited when this title came across my radar--I've been on a bit of a Jazz Age kick and I thought a "Christian" book set during that period would be interesting. First off, I have to say that the Christian aspect of this book is quite muted--to the point that I'm not sure I would have considered it "Christian Fiction" if it hadn't been marketed as such. It's still a pretty pure book, but the religious aspect rarely shows up. This could be a plus or a minus, depending on the reader (personally, it didn't matter to me). If you are looking for a "Christian" novel, you might be disappointed in this. However, if you aren't looking for something so, well, evangelical, this might be an easier book to swallow. Now, back to my thoughts. I have to be honest. I found this book to be a bit on the dull side. I think that Stewart had a good idea--I liked the idea of a young woman pursuing a career in a period where that still was not common. I felt that the dynamic between Nell and her boss--at first. It seemed like once Stewart set up the situation, she didn't really do anything with it, even though she had ample time and opportunity. It may also be because I've been reading quite a bit of fiction set in this time period lately, but it seemed to me that this book lacked that 1920's feel. I wish Stewart had brought more of that into the book to support the story. Of course, this book wasn't all bad. Stewart has a pleasant, clear voice and the book is very readable and I did find Nell to be an appealing heroine.. I do think that a reader who isn't going into this book expecting a lush jazz age setting will enjoy this book more than I did.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Truth About Alice
by
Jennifer Mathieu
Melinda Ott
, June 11, 2014
I'll come out and say it: This is an ugly, ugly book. Of course, that is a mark of the book's success. I think if this book had been anything but ugly, it wouldn't have been successful. What happens in this book is not something that could happen in any high school in the US, it is something that does happen and Matheiu should be lauded with the care she has taken to write about it. Multiple narrator books have sort of become the bane of my existence, but Mathieu succeeds in that arena. Each narrator has its own distinct voice and Mathieu is able to build up each character and still relate them back to the main storyline. She really mastered the teen vernacular--even though each voice was distinct, they all sounded like something a teen might say. I found the pacing of the story to be effective--this isn't a long book, but it doesn't feel rushed like so many shorter books do. I did feel that Mathieu could have sharpened the passage of time a bit--it seemed like it was Christmas break and then--bam!--we're at summer. But, really, that is my only criticism of the book. I think this is a very important--one that should be read by teens and adults alike. I do hope that The Truth About Alice is as widely read as it deserves to be.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Burial Rites
by
Hannah Kent
Melinda Ott
, June 06, 2014
I realize that I'm probably one of the last people--or at least one of the last book bloggers--to read this book. This is partly intentional. Right after I received this book, the buzz really started brewing about this book and I knew that I didn't want to read it in the midst of all the hype, thinking it would either lead me to think I liked it more than I did or lead me to be more critical than I should be about it. So, I waited months and months before picking it up and, while I am glad I decided to wait out the hype on it, I will say that it was very deserving of the buzz. This is a devastatingly beautiful book. I could gush on and on about this, but instead I will focus on the two most elements of this book I found the most striking. Kent's use of language is exquisite. It is very readable, which is a necessity when the subject matter is tough. But she isn't flowery or overly poetic. If anything, she's a bit stark--which fits well with this book. Iceland, especially in the winter, is a harsh land and Kent chooses a language that fits that. The characters are also very matter-of-fact people and giving them elaborate dialogue just would not fit. Kent also expertly paces this book. It would have been very easy for her to lay down all of Agnes's cards at the beginning of the book and then let her character develop from there. Instead, Agnes first appears mysterious and surrounded in gossip and it is as the book progresses that the layers are peeled away, marching relentless towards the end of the book. Burial Rites is a masterpiece, and one that I think has a wide appeal. I would especially recommend this book for book clubs looking for something meaty, but not overwhelming.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Girls at the Kingfisher Club
by
Genevieve Valentine
Melinda Ott
, June 04, 2014
I am a fan of both historical fiction set in the Jazz age and fairy tales, but I didn't realize that this was a retelling of "The 12 Dancing Princesses" until I after I had finished it and read a few other reviews. That being said, the story did seem oddly familiar to me--but in a good way. The premise on its own is a little outlandish--a man with 12 daughters, some of whom he has never met, keeps them locked up in the attic and, at night, they all sneak out to go dancing. However, I think the vague familiarity with the fairy tale (even though I didn't realize it) made it easy for me to buy the premise. I did really enjoy this book. The character of Jo was very well written and, while most of the other sisters don't get an in depth treatment (because, you know, there are 12 of them!), they were still interesting to me. That being said, I will admit that I did get a few of them mixed up from time to time--but I think anyone would because there are 12 of them! The story does move along at a good clip. In fact, my only complaint about this book is that I wish it had gone deeper at times. Still, it was a fun read and definitely worth a place on beach read lists for the summer!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
French House
by
Don Wallace
Melinda Ott
, June 03, 2014
This was one of those cases when I expected a different book than I actually got. From the above summary, I thought I was going to get a French twist on The Money Pit. There are definitely elements of that in this book, although not in the same slap-stick vein. But, instead, this is really a love story that an American couple has about a way of life. Don and Mindy Wallace are what others may call Bohemians--although they would probably use another word to describe themselves. In the midst of living a paycheck to paycheck Spartan lifestyle in New York City, they buy a ramshackle ruin in a town on an island off the coast of Brittany. I have to admit that I was a bit taken aback by their financial choices, I do think that my reaction actually made this book more interesting to read. However, while there is a fair amount about their purchase and the work in entails, the real heart of this book is the village and its people. Wallace skillfully brings to life the villagers in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of Garrison Keillor and his Lake Wobegon. But this book is essentially French. Wallace pays a great deal of attention to the French--especially the Belle Isle--way of life and how it differs from the American, or even the mainland French way of life. I do feel that you have to read this book in a leisurely way, as if you yourself were on Belle Isle. This is not a book to rush through--it is a book to savor. The beauty in Wallace's writing is in the details and you won't catch them if you are trying to push yourself through this book. His descriptions of the island are breathtaking--and accurate! After I finished this book, I googled pictures of Belle Isle and it was exactly as I had imagined it while reading this book. My only complaint is that it did take me a chapter or two to really settle into this book. In fact, I found the first chapter to not really fit with the rest of the book. But, if you read past the first chapter (which I hope you will), you will find a delightful portrait of a quaint place unlike any other.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(3 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
One Hundred Names
by
Cecelia Ahern
Melinda Ott
, May 26, 2014
I've really enjoyed Cecelia Ahern's previous books and, when I saw she had a new novel coming out, I knew I wanted to read it. I really enjoy her fanciful style and interesting characters and One Hundred Names did have many of those qualities. I will admit that I did not immediately warm to Kitty Logan--but I do think that was intentional. But, as she grew through the book, I grew to like her more. There are a number of very interesting secondary characters in this book and there was something about this book that reminded me of the late Maeve Binchy. However, I can't say that I felt that this was one of Ahern's better books. While I liked reading it, I did feel that there was a bit too much going on. With a book called One Hundred Names, you know that there will be more than a few characters. Still, there were a handful of characters and plot lines that didn't add anything to the story and made the book seem more crowded. One Hundred Names is a quick read--something for traveling or when you want to give your brain a rest. I probably would recommend it to others looking for such a book, but I would do so as a part of Ahern's cannon.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Something Other Than God How I Passionately Sought Happiness & Accidently Found It
by
Jennifer Fulwiler
Melinda Ott
, May 23, 2014
I've been reading Jennifer Fulwiler's blog Conversion Diary for quite some time and had heard a broad summary of her story. When I found out she was writing a book, I pre-ordered it immediately, wanting to know all about her journey. That being said, I went into this book with a little bit of trepidation. My experience with bloggers-turned-book writers has not always been successful and I was afraid that Fulwiler might fall into the less than successful category. I am glad to say that she has made the transition from blogger to writer flawlessly. She has a very readable style, one that differs from the conversational style she has on her blog (a style which is appropriate there, but would not be so in a book). I was interested in how Fulwiler converted--so often, these conversion experiences are like a lightening bolt and--BOOM--all of a sudden you believe. Fulwiler, however, details a different (and more realistic) experience. She struggles with it and fights against it. She starts as a very staunch atheist--she admits that, as a child, she found all the Bibles in the library and reshelved them in the fiction section--and ends up a hard-core Catholic. Not only does she struggle with faith, but also with tenants of Catholicism that she had previously stood against, such as their stand on contraception and abortion. This is not a fairy tale story. It is the story of a woman on a journey who faces battles the entire way. And it is a realistic portrait of a woman coming to faith. I will admit that I have one "quibbling" complaint...and I can't really say it is about this book. I will admit that I am not Catholic and I was raised in and still belong to a mainline Protestant Church. I also have a degree in History and spent more than a few credit hours studying the Reformation. I'm not questioning Fulwiler's experience or knocking the Catholic church in any way. However there were a few comments made about non-Catholic denominations that are not completely correct. I understand that these may come from things that Fulwiler learned while studying Catholicism and what she says is true to her own research. However, these statements are not factually true about the mainline Protestant denominations. I don't want to go into detail about it here, as I want to leave these things up to the reader. As I said, I can't knock Fulwiler's experience or even her writing, but it is something that a publisher should probably have caught (however, the book is put out by a Catholic publishing house, so there is that). All in all, this was a fabulous book for anyone, believer or non-believer, Catholic or non-Catholic, to read and I highly recommend it.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Landing Gear
by
Kate Pullinger
Melinda Ott
, May 22, 2014
I will admit, this book has an intriguing concept. It is inspired by an actual event of someone falling from the landing gear of a plane (and, more recently, a teenager successfully stowed away in the landing gear of a plane and made it all the way to Hawaii!) and I was quite looking forward to reading it. How can I explain my feelings about this book? It's like you get a puzzle to put together, only to realize that half the pieces don't fit anywhere. This is one of those well-intentioned stories that just never came together for me. The first part of the book, during the Icelandic volcanic eruption, seemed to try to set up the characters, but what happened to them really didn't matter that much in the second part, when Yacub landed on Harriet's car. Then, the third part, in which I think Pullinger tried to tie everything together, just fell flat. It's too bad because I think the premise of this book showed promise. I felt the characters of Michael and Jack were superfluous to the story as it was written and I would have liked to have seen them more wrapped up into the central plot. I felt a bit like Pullinger was manipulating me badly with the storyline between Harriet and Emily and I really think that she could have finessed that a bit more. And Yacub--I really wanted to Pullinger to dig deeper into this character than she did. I really wish I was writing a positive review of this book, but it just wasn't there for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Brava Valentine
by
Adriana Trigiani
Melinda Ott
, May 21, 2014
As I said in my review of the first novel in this trilogy, Very Valentine, that I messed up a bit. Not knowing that it was the third book in the trilogy, I read The Supreme Macaroni Company first, which means that I went into both Very Valentine and Brava, Valentine knowing how everything ends up. Because of this, I probably didn't experience this book as I should. So, read my thoughts with that in mind. Frankly, I love the character of Valentine. She's irreverent, flawed, and heartfelt. She doesn't feel like a nicely wrapped package, but rather someone you want to have as a friend. Her family is a kick--think My Big, Fat Greek Wedding, but in Italian-American form. Trigiani has become one of my favorite writers. Her prose is readable and lovely. I read this book in one day--which almost never happens for me. Even though I knew how everything would ultimately end up, it still kept my attention. If I had to find a flaw in this book it would be that it doesn't feel like a complete story as a stand-alone novel. You really need to read Very Valentine first and then follow it up with The Supreme Macaroni Company. In fact, I would suggest reading The Supreme Macaroni Company immediately upon finishing this book--there is no break in time between the ending of one book and the beginning of the next. I feel like a better review would be of the entire Valentine trilogy. While all three books are entertaining, they really need to be read together. Of course, I can't imagine anyone not wanting to finish the trilogy once they meet Valentine.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Cutting Teeth A Novel
by
Julia Fierro
Melinda Ott
, May 19, 2014
This is a book that was right up my alley. Mothers with young children? Check! Mommy group? Check. Unfortunately, what seemed like a perfect fit ended up being just the opposite. Fierro has a great writing style. It's quite readable and her dialogue is spot on. My technical issue with this book is that the various narratives (I think there 6 or 7 narrators) never really comes together for me. I think that Fierro tried to bring everything together at the end, but it just didn't work for me. Now, here is my personal issue with this book. I think that Fierro writes for a reader who has a sense of humor that differs from mine. My guess is that someone who leans toward sarcastic or cynical humor would probably enjoy this book more than I did. Frankly, I found this a very hard book to stand. The characters, in my view, were just stereotypes of issues that a parent might face. It is all fine and good to take an issue and build a character out of it, but Fierro seemed to be taking characters and building issues out of them. With the exception of Tenzin, the Tibetan nanny, I found every single adult (and many of the children) to be absolutely loathesome and, really, could care less about any of them. A different reader may have a different take on this, but this reader says to skip this one.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Forgotten Seamstress
by
Liz Trenow
Melinda Ott
, May 16, 2014
This is one of those cases that, while I wasn't overly wild about this book, I do think others would enjoy it. It is another dual-narrative novel, and frankly, I think I've just read too many of those to look at this objectively. That being said, the two interweaving stories are interesting and Trenow has a pleasant writing voice. While the story is fiction, I don't doubt that people who were "embarrassments" to the Royal or other noble families may have been hidden away in mental institutions and I found that an effective jumping off point for this novel. I did feel that the ending was a bit too neat for me, but--again--I don't think most people would have that problem. One thing that I did find annoying was that Trenow didn't really vary the voices of the different characters. During Maria's narrative, she started having an East End dialect, but it quickly morphed into something more standard and something that was not differentiated from the voice Trenow uses for Caroline's narrative. I would have preferred that Trenow had carried the East End dialect, while a little harder to read, throughout Maria's narrative. As I said, this book didn't really work for me, but I do think others would enjoy this book and I've already recommend it to a few other people.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Pearl That Broke Its Shell
by
Nadia Hashimi
Melinda Ott
, May 15, 2014
Sometimes, I really love it when I'm wrong. I went into this book expecting not to like it. I was looking for something light, which this book is not, and I had been reading--and was sick of--dual narrative books, which this book is. Let me address the dual-narrative issue first. It can, and is often, done badly. However, if someone wants to see how it should be done, they need to read this book. Hashimi switches between the narratives so skillfully that I just can't believe that this is her debut book. There is a reason for the dual narrative--Rahima is told the story of her great-great-grandmother (not her great-aunt, as is indicated in the summary) by her aunt as a way for her to understand and survive her own life. The transitions between the two stories are well-planned and are not jarring as many such transitions in other books are. This is really a heartbreaking story on so many fronts. I don't think it will come as a shock to anyone that Afghanistan is a hard place for women, but the characters in this book face especially difficult circumstances. Rahima is essentially sold by her drug-addicted father to a warlord in marriage. She had previously spent time as a bacha posh--a pre-pubescent girl who dresses and lives as a boy--and, through that, had a taste of freedom that she would never experience as a female. Her ancestor, Shekiba, was scarred as a child and therefore an outcast to both her extended family and her society. Yet, these two women are testaments to personal strength and perseverance. I don't want to go too far into detail because I really feel that this is a book that needs to be read widely, but I will say that, despite the horrors depicted in this book, the reader will feel uplifted once they finish. Again, I'm just in awe that this is Nadia Hashimi's first novel. It is so compelling and so well-written that one would think that she had been writing books for years. Although this is a long book, it ended up being a fairly quick read for me as I just couldn't put it down! This is a book that I would recommend to everyone from my mother to a stranger on the street. Go ahead...read it!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Spymistress
by
Jennifer Chiaverini
Melinda Ott
, May 14, 2014
Why have I never heard of Elizabeth Van Lew before? Chiaverini has chosen quite the woman for this book and, well, I'm now a fan. Here is a plucky, unmarried woman who took on the Confederacy and, frankly, played a measurable role in the Civil War! Chiaverini has done her research and I feel that she truly capture's Van Lew's spirit in this book. She was a woman who knew the danger of her actions, but went ahead and followed her conscious. She is someone I would love to have as a friend, but would be terrified to have as a frenemy. She is part Southern Belle and part steel-cored spy. Besides the main character, there were many things about this book that I appreciated. Chiaverini does a great job of capturing the ambiance of war-time Richmond. When she describes the oppressive summer air, I could almost feel it--and it made me homesick for my days in Virginia. While not overt, Chiaverini also does something that rarely happens in wartime historical novels--she acknowledges that both good and evil can be found on both sides of the battle lines. Just due to the nature of this book, the sins of the Confederacy are on the display. However, there are mentions not only of the good among the Confederacy, but also the fact that the Union is guilty of some of the same sins as the Confederacy. While this is a very history-heavy book, it is more novel-like than Chiaverini's Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker and, because of that, I found this to book to have a wider appeal. That being said, a reader will have to work through loads of historical details--which can be a positive or negative depending on the reader. I do heartily recommend this book, but I would probably be a bit careful about who I would recommend this to. If you are a historical fiction fan, this book is for you!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
These Gentle Wounds
by
Helene Dunbar
Melinda Ott
, May 14, 2014
Perhaps I'm cynical, but it seems that PTSD has become a bit of a cop-out lately. Don't get me wrong--I don't doubt that it exists! I don't doubt that returning soldiers, abuse survivors, and others who have faced unspeakable tragedies or trials may suffer from it, but I've heard of many people claim to suffer from it after having vague symptoms following a somewhat (but not terribly) distressing episode. That being said, I think Dunbar has done a great thing with this book--she really dives into what it is like to suffer from PTSD. Make no mistake about it, Gordie suffers from full-blown PTSD after a truly terrible tragedy. Unfortunately for Gordie, his life seems to be taking a turn for the worse. He has found a stable living situation with his half-brother and his half-brother's father, when his own biological father--the person he blames for his situation--turns up again after 5 years and wants to be a part of his life. Dunbar creates a fascinating character with Gordie and illustrates his PTSD with terrifying detail. I don't know if Dunbar herself is a sufferer, but Gordie's pain is incredibly realistic. I know that PTSD is different for everyone and Gordie's experience may not be "typical," but it does give the reader an insight into the pain of PTSD. And, added to all this, Gordie is 15 and that is not an easy age. On top of his struggles and the stress of his father wanting to re-enter his life, Gordie starts dabbling into the world of relationships. This is another area that Dunbar treats with care and great success. So many YA books that include romance are written from the female point of view that it was a nice change to see one from a male perspective. There were some details, mostly dealing with the legal side of things, that I questioned in this book. But, other than that, I found this to be a bittersweet read that I'd recommend to most anyone.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
All the Light We Cannot See
by
Doerr, Anthony
Melinda Ott
, May 06, 2014
I have read a number of historical novels set during World War II recently and, frankly, they all started to seem a bit conventional--until I read this one. I'm not sure how to describe this book--the best I can say is that it was almost meditative in its prose and shattering in its plot. There are two parallel stories here: on of Werner, the young German with "the knack" for radios who finds himself in the German military and Marie-Laure, the young French girl who fled Paris with her father and found herself in Saint-Malo in the house of her eccentric great-uncle and his housekeeper. Doerr does a nice job of keeping the two stories running simultaneously and maintaining the reader's interest in both throughout the book. War is not pretty, but there is something beautiful about Doerr's writing, even when he is describing atrocities. I've noticed that novels set in war tend to cross the line into sensationalism, but Doerr deftly stays away from that. I will admit that there were parts of this book that I found a bit slow, but all in all it was a beautiful read that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in historical or literary fiction. And I would really love to visit Saint-Malo!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(7 of 11 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Here & Now
by
Ann Brashares
Melinda Ott
, April 29, 2014
If you take anything away from this book, it is this: Don't trust Google Glasses. I was really intrigued by this book--Dystopian is a big deal these days, but this is a slightly different twist on it. Instead of being set in a Dystopian world, this story is set in the present day (I mean, REALLY present--chapter 1 starts on April 24, 2014!) and the main character has time traveled back from a dystopian future. There is a lot to commend this book--the plot is unique, but still fits in the uber-hot Dystopian genre. There is the whole thing with the Google Glasses (to be fair, they aren't actually Google Glasses--but, well, if you read the book you'll know what I mean), an appealing heroine, and a realistic teen romance. And, honestly, I was entertained by this book--I read it in two sittings, which is pretty unusual for me and my schedule. Brashares touches on a number of topics--climate change, cults, and information privacy to name a few. She does quite a good job of weaving these into the story so that the reader doesn't feel like they are slogging through a lecture, but the story still seems timely. Unfortunately, though, I felt this book was lighter than it needed to be. While I enjoyed reading it, I felt a little like I had been gypped once I finished it. Brashares was onto a good thing here and I think she could have developed and fleshed it out more to do the story justice. I'd still recommend this book because it is a unique and entertaining story--and it is a quick read, even if it shouldn't be.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
West of the Moon
by
Margi Preus
Melinda Ott
, April 22, 2014
I first heard about this book from a publication at our library and I thought it might be a good read aloud book for my 5 year old daughter. To be sure, I decided to read it myself first--which is a good thing, because it is definitely in the "middle grades" and up age range and not a book my daughter is ready for! However, in reading it for myself, I was completely enchanted. Think of it as magic realism, Scandinavian style (if they can have a princess who can shoot winter out of her hands, they can have magic realism). Preus tells the story of Astri and her sister Greta by relaying it back to Norwegian folktales. Most of these stories were ones I had never heard, so that was an added treat. Astri quickly became one of my favorite characters in fiction aimed at girls. She's scrappy and feisty, but still vulnerable. From the first page--which is about when she gets the first blow--you root for her. Many of the other characters are little more one-dimensional, but that really doesn't matter as this book is squarely about Astri. I will admit that I went into the book already interested in the topic--as an American of Norwegian descent, I read whatever I can on the immigrant experience. However, this is probably one of the most unique books I've read in a long time and I'm sure my daughter will enjoy it as much as I did when she reads it in a few years.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
One Thousand Porches
by
Julie Dewey
Melinda Ott
, April 21, 2014
Julie Dewey generously sent me an electronic copy of this book after I reviewed her previous novel, Forgetting Tabitha. In that review, I had expressed my concern about the editing of the book--that there were so many grammatical and historical errors. While these do still appear in One Thousand Porches, there are far fewer of them. However, I had other issues with this book. The book has several different narrators and, frankly, I'm not sure why that is. I felt that this constantly switching voice was keeping me from really getting into this book. I wish she had streamlined things more and stuck to one or two story lines. If she wanted to use multiple points of view, I wish she had chosen fewer characters--such as just Christine and Colette. As it was, it was sometimes confusing to switch between the characters and I had to continually remind myself who was speaking. I also felt that some of the characters didn't need their own sections. Lena, for example, only really appears in the chapters she tells and then disappears. Big Joe really only needed to be a character in Christine's narration as his chapters felt superfluous. Dewey includes a great deal of medical information, which I appreciated. I know very little about tuberculosis or how it was treated in the 19th century. However, I wish she had massaged these sections more into the book. As it is written, it seems like all of a sudden the book turns into a medical text for a few pages and then reverts back to being a novel. There were parts of the story that I found hard to believe--most notably Christine's relationship with her first husband and Amy's relationship with Daniel. While I don't question either relationship, I do believe how they unfolded were unrealistic, especially in the former case. As for Amy and Daniel, it just seemed too quick and easy. While this book was not for me, I appreciate Dewey's efforts to write about this chapter in our history--and I did learn quite a bit. I think that Dewey is developing into a good writer and I do plan to read any future book that she writes.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Sinners and the Sea
by
Rebecca Kanner
Melinda Ott
, April 14, 2014
Sinners and the Sea is touted to be in the same vein as Anita Diamant's The Red Tent, which made me a bit nervous--such comparisons are usually unfair and incorrect. While I wouldn't say that this book brought The Red Tent to mind, I did greatly enjoy this book. The story is told from the point of view of Noah's wife (traditionally named Naamah, but she is unnamed in this work). I felt rather stupid while reading this book--I never thought about the role of Noah's wife in this whole story but, really, she is practically a second Eve--the mother of all--if you take a strict interpretation of the story. What I like best about the character of Noah's wife is that she is very dynamic--she grows during the course of the book and she does in a natural way. Many times, when a book is sort of centered around a character's growth, it doesn't come across realistically--but that is not the case here. I also really enjoyed reading the character of Noah. He started out not being at all the way I've always imagined Noah. I always pictured Noah as being sort of hermit, living away from all the sinners. Instead, here he is living among them and trying to "save" them. There is more than a bit of fire and brimstone about his tactics, but that begins to make sense as we get to know more about his character. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I did have a few quibbles. There were a couple--literally only 2 or 3--times in the book where the narrative of the action got a little muddy and I had to read the passage more than once to be sure I knew what was going on. There was also a minor plot point, in fact it may have been more of a detail, near the end of the book that was just too much for me and I found it a bit ridiculous. However, in the grand scheme of things, I found this to be an entertaining book that I will be recommending to others.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Hidden
by
Catherine McKenzie
Melinda Ott
, April 02, 2014
Honestly, I'm torn about this book. There are things I really liked about it, and things I really did not. When I read a book like that, I'm left with a lingering frustration about the whole thing--not a way you want to finish a story. On the plus side, McKenzie has a very readable style. It is almost as if someone is sitting there telling you a story rather than you reading it. That isn't to say that her prose is fluffy--but, rather, down to earth. I also found her ability to craft characters to be mostly admirable. While I had reservations about the motivations of some of the characters, I did find them to be believable. McKenzie also has success with the three-person narrative in this book. Using multiple narrators can be tricky, and it is especially so when one of the narrators is, well, dead. I was a little apprehensive with her use of Jeff as one of the narrators, but she makes it work--as longs as you don't question it too much. For me, though, here is the problem with this book. I didn't like the subject matter. Adultery--phsyical, emotional, or even just implied--is a hard sell for me and, on this count, McKenzie did not succeed. While I found the three main characters to be mostly believable, I never really believed that any of them had the motivation or reason to contemplate any adulterous act. Unfortunately, just this subject matter was enough to leave me frustrated at the end of this book. I don't think I would recommend this book to others, but I would not write off Catherine McKenzie. I think, with different subject material, her books could be quite enjoyable.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Mom Seeks God Finding Grace in the Chaos
by
Julia L Roller
Melinda Ott
, April 01, 2014
I find myself reading several of these Christian parenting books--this is the second one in a month that I've come across. Because of that, I usually start my reading with a sigh and wonder if there is anything new under the sun when it comes to Christian parenting. I am usually pleasantly surprised and Mom Seeks God was no exception. I found myself relating to Julia--from her introversion to her dislike of taking her child to play at the park. She has a very readable writing style that is down-to-earth but not dumbed-down. I think the fact that her plan was to examine 12 disciplines, but only being able to do 10 just made me like her more. I do have 2 caveats--not criticisms!--about this book. First of all, this is not really a parenting book. It is a book about spirituality for women who happen to be moms. If you are looking for parenting tips, this is not the book for you (don't worry, there are thousands of other books out there that will fit that bill). Also, this is not a book for someone new to Christianity. I won't say that this is an academic book, but it is academic enough that you need to have a firm grounding in theology to really get into it. All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I plan to implement a few tidbits from it into my own life.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Mark of the Dragonfly
by
Jaleigh Johnson
Melinda Ott
, March 27, 2014
I need to preface this review by saying that this is not a book like anything I've read. It is written for the "Middle Grades" group and it is certainly unlike anything I would have read at that age. It is also described as "Steampunk" and, honestly, I'm not even sure what that is. I say this because I really have nothing to compare this book to. However, I will say that I greatly enjoyed this book. I did have some unmoored feelings at the beginning of the book--what is this? where are they? sort of thing--but I'm chalking that up to my unfamiliarity with the genre rather than the book. I will say that this book had a definite dystopian feel, although I don't know if that is consistent with the Steampunk genre. Piper is a very interesting character. Her motives are very clear from the start, yet she still grew as a character throughout the book. The other two main characters--Anna and Gee--were more static, but that fit with the overall story. There were plenty of twists in this book and, while there were a few story elements I could see coming, the book kept me on my toes throughout my reading. Johnson also does a very good job of pacing this book. I was beginning to worry if this was going to be one of those books where everything ties up too neatly in the last to pages or, on the flip side, I'd be left with an open cliffhanger, but neither happened. While Johnson completed the plot well, and it did not feel rushed at all, there is still room for sequels. And I do hope there are sequels. I can't say that this book has turned me on to Steampunk (I'm sure someone will tell me exactly what that is), but it has turned me onto the characters in this book and Johnson's writing. Even though it is written for a much younger crowd, as an adult I still found this to be a worthwhile and entertaining read.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Empress of the Night A Novel of Catherine the Great
by
Eva Stachniak
Melinda Ott
, March 25, 2014
Catherine the Great is one of the biggies in historical fiction lore. However, I had yet to actually read any historical novels about her before this. I was familiar with her reign from my classes in college, but I had yet to really get the more emotional portrait of the Empress that historical fiction can supply. As far as creating a nuanced portrait of Catherine the Great, I feel that Stachniak succeeded with Empress of the Night. It is told as Catherine's life "flashes before her eyes" between a massive stroke and the moment of her death. Everything is told from Catherine's point of view and the reader gets to see some of her thought processes during her reign. That being said, I did feel that this book was muddled. While Stachniak's prose is lovely, it ran hot and cold for me. There were portions that I found fascination and parts I just had to slog through. Overall, I felt the book just rambled a bit--this may due to the lack of any actual chapters. I do also wish that Stachniak had a clearer focus for this book. While she doesn't cover too much of the nuts and bolts of governing, Stachniak tends to jump between Catherine's never-ending line of lovers, her family and the intrigue of the court. I believe that this book would have been more successful if Stachniak had chosen one of those topics as her focus. While this was not a successful book for me, I do appreciate Stachniak's style and I would be interested in reading some of her other books.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University
by
Kevin Roose
Melinda Ott
, March 21, 2014
This is a re-read for me--I had originally read it, on the recommendation of an Agnostic friend--back in 2009 when it was first published. This year, I suggested it for my book club as our March selection. This book was born out of another book--My Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. In that book, Jacobs takes on a "slave" as part of his Biblical experience. The 21st century American translation for "slave" is apparently "unpaid college intern" and Kevin Roose, as freshman at Brown University, fit that bill. As part of his slave duties, Roose accompanied Jacobs on a research trip to Liberty Univeristy in Lynchburg, TN where, while waiting for Jacobs to conclude an interview or something, Roose first makes contact with "the other side." I have to start with a very notable thing about this book: it is one of the few books that I enjoyed more the second time I read it--and, to be fair, I enjoyed it quite a bit the first time I read it. I don't know if it the 5 added years in maturity caused this, or the fact that I didn't have to cut through the initial shock factor to get to the meat of the book that caused this phenomenon. Whatever it is, I'm not complaining. I will say that I could relate to a lot of this. I did not attend Liberty, but I did attend a school (the College of William and Mary) with a large evangelical presence. Coming from the Pacific Northwest, this was a sector of the population that I had had very little contact with until going to college. As a Christian (mainline Protestant), I had a number of things in common with these people--more than Roose did when he embarked on his experiement--but there was still a bit of a chasm between us. I am still in touch with some of my evangelical friends from school and I am glad that they were part of my college experience. My head is still spinning from the fact that Roose was in college when he wrote this. When I was his age, I was still trying to decide on a major and here he is, writing a book. I guess that summer of slavery was good for him. But, anyway, back to the book. I adored this book--one thing I have never been able to truly understand is the divisions within Christianity. I mean, I get that we have different ways of expressing out faith, but the idea of you have to do this and this and this to be saved is just beyond me. Last time I checked, we were saved by God's Grace (yeah, I'm a Lutheran). I think that Roose was actually quite brave to try to at least understand this divide by going into the Lion's Den of American Evangelicalism. One thing that caught me this reading that I didn't pick up on the first time I read this book is the question of ethics. I mean, Roose is pulling off a great deception here and is pulling others--his classmates and hallmates--unknowingly into the deception with him. While this is something to think about--and it should be thought about while reading this book--I found it to be a part of the book and not a detriment to the book. Roose, himself, questions his ethics during his Liberty experience. Roose is a very gifted writer. This could have been a comedic book or it could have been overly academic. It was neither--it was an entertaining, thought provoking account of someone who chose to learn about a foreign culture (one that was a 12 hour drive away). I will say this: I think different readers will have different reactions to this book depending on their own views. I can see how some might find it cynical and others might find it insulting and others might find it preachy. However, I can't base my own feelings on how others might feel and, in the end, this has become on of my favorite memoirs.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Providence
by
Lisa Colozza Cocca
Melinda Ott
, March 18, 2014
This is one of these books that you just settle down into and it is a great young adult option for fans of Southern Literature. A lot of the typical elements of that genre can be found there--the small town community, someone dealing with hardships in their life, and people taking care of each other (and, oh yeah, it is set in the South...). Becky is an interesting character. She was never allowed to be a child--she says from a young age, she was in charge of taking care of her 9 (and counting) younger siblings. She did attend school, but that was actually an inconvenience to her parents, who would rather have had her working on her farm. When Becky runs away and finds an abandoned newborn, she immediately takes on the roll of mother to the child. As she slowly becomes more a part of the life of her new town, she is presented again and again with the opportunity to "act her age," but is more comfortable living beyond her years. In some ways, this is more of a reverse coming of age story, it is about a young woman who learns to be young. I will say that reading this as an adult is probably a different experience than reading it as a "young adult." Throughout much of this book, I found myself worrying about the such details of the legality of caring for an abandoned child, of Becky working "under the table" for Rosie and others in the town, etc. I think these things probably would not be on the radar of a teenaged reader and, therefore, they would not be be bothered by them. All in all, this was a satisfying, bittersweet, and heart-warming read for anyone--young adult or otherwise--who is looking for their next book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Boleyn Bride
by
Brandy Purdy
Melinda Ott
, March 13, 2014
It has taken me a while to gather my thoughts about this book. On the one hand, I devoured it from beginning to end. I was in needing something a little less brain-taxing and this definitely fit the bill. If you want drama, you'd be hard pressed to find a better source than the court of Henry VIII. And the story of Elizabeth Howard Bullen--I mean Boleyn!--is an interesting take on it. She was the mother of Anne Boleyn and had a unique view of one of the more tragic lust stories in history. On the other hand, I enjoyed this the way I would enjoy a trashy TV show. It let my brain relax, but I felt like I needed a shower afterwards. Honestly, I found it a bit overly salacious. The truth about the Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII is a great framework and many, many authors have explored it. Yet, I felt Purdy took it a bit too far. Honestly, their story is dramatic enough without adding too much and Purdy, on many occasions, did add too much. At one point, a pregnant Anne Boleyn literally pulls Jane Seymour "off" her husband and proceeds to beat her up. I find it sad that Purdy felt she had to go so far into the realm of sensationalism with this already sensationalist story. Another issue is that Elizabeth Howard was hard to take at first. She's an incredibly unlikable character--think soap opera villain. However, you aren't supposed to like her. One thing Purdy does do well in this book is to illustrate that Anne's choices and personality may have come from her own experiences growing up with a disinterested mother and an overly ambitious father. I found Elizabeth to be a much more sympathetic character later in the book when she realizes that her children ended up paying for her choices as a mother. The book does move along at a fast clip, but I found a large section in the middle to be unsatisfying. Once Anne comes to court, the story shifts from being about Elizabeth to Elizabeth just relating what happens to Anne. I wish Purdy had kept the focus on Elizabeth and not turned that section into a recitation (albeit, a salacious one) of a story we all already know. Reading what I just wrote, it sounds like I hated this book...but please go back to how I started this review. I did enjoy this book as a light diversion and if anyone is looking for something along the lines of a fluffy beach read, they might also enjoy this.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Hope Street, Jerusalem
by
Irris Makler
Melinda Ott
, March 11, 2014
I've always been fascinated with Jerusalem--I'd love to visit someday, although I do not foresee myself getting there in the near future. When this book, written by journalist about her life in Jerusalem, came by me, I knew I had to read it. I don't think that anyone who is not from the area can truly understand the situation in that part of the world. Makler, however, does a good job of illustrating her experience as an Australian ex-pat journalist living there. She talks about the conflicts that she witnesses and reports on in a way that does not read like a newspaper article or a reporter reading off a teleprompter. She does not bring any bias into her narrative--although she is of Jewish decent, she treats both sides with respect and without favoritism. But, this book is really about something else. It's about a woman and her dog. She and her boyfriend (well, more her boyfriend at the beginning) take on a stray puppy. Makler's relationship with Mia (the dog) has a rocky start but, by the end of the book, they are soul mates. I'll be honest, I can't resist a good animal story and this one does not disappoint. There is also the story of Makler and her Israeli boyfriend, Raphael. Raphael is an musician and film mmaker who is quite a bit younger than Makler. Their relationship is rocky and full of struggles and passions. But, I just wasn't as invested in that part of Makler's narrative. For me, Raphael was the channel that brought Mia into Makler's life. This wasn't a perfect memoir. One thing that irked me is that the timing was a bit off. As I was reading, I was under the impression that a few years had passed, and then Makler would make a comment that only a few months had passed. I'm not exactly sure how Makler could have fixed this, but I do wish that I felt this book was more anchored in time. All in all, however, I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to someone who has an interest in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Or in dogs. Or both.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Ogallala Road: A Memoir of Love and Reckoning
by
Bair, Julene
Melinda Ott
, March 10, 2014
I have read, and enjoyed, a number of memoirs about farming and environmentalism. Because of that, I thought The Ogallala Road would be a book I would completely enjoy. To be fair, there were things I liked about this book. Bair has a beautiful style that well suits the landscape about which she writes. I was completely engrossed for about the first 3rd of the book, and then things started to fall apart for me. Up until that point, the book seemed to be a love story--a love story with the prairie and a love story with Ward, the rancher she meets on a visit home to Goodland, Kansas. Then, the book takes a shift and we go back to her earlier years in the deserts of the West and then back on the family farm. And all that would have been fine, but in this shift, it seemed to me that Bair lost her focus on the book. From that point on, I wasn't sure what exactly this book was. Was it a love story? An environmental treatise? A family saga. Honestly, any of those would have been fine, as long as I knew what it was. The book improves for a while after this, but the end is just as confusing as the flashback section. I will say that this book frustrated me--there was nothing "bad" in the book, but it just needed to be streamlined and focused. Without any clear central theme, I was unable to truly enjoy this book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Safe with Me
by
Amy Hatvany
Melinda Ott
, March 07, 2014
In short...bawled like a baby. I adore Amy Hatvany's books and this one ranks up with the best. I will say that this isn't always a fun book to read--children dying and abusive relationships. I mean, you should go into this book prepared. The thing about Amy Hatvany is that she writes these things so well that you can't help but feel the pain (and hope!) in these characters. For me, the first section of the book was the hardest with the death of Hannah's daughter, Emily. While it wasn't the only place in this book I cried, it was the place I cried the hardest. As the mother of a daughter, I was most profoundly touched by Hannah's experience and Hatvany does her justice. Olivia's story is also heart-breaking and the reader can understand why a woman would stay with an abusive husband. I also really appreciated Maddie's narration in this book (the chapters alternate narration between Hannah, Olivia, and Maddie). Reading her point of view on her parents' marriage is a view that you don't always see when it comes to domestic abuse. And I loved that she was a real teenager--while she loved her mother, she could still mouth off at her from time to time. I think it would have been all too easy to make Maddie a perfect angel, and I'm glad that Hatvany was able to avoid that. For me, Hatvany can do no wrong with her books. This book, however, was a bit more "right" than usual and I would highly recommend it.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Harem Midwife
by
Roberta Rich
Melinda Ott
, February 27, 2014
I went into this book not knowing it was the second in a series. However, I did not feel it is necessary to read The Midwife of Venice to be able to follow this novel, as the plot stood alone quite well. I don't know much about the Ottoman Empire during this time, so I enjoyed reading Rich's descriptions of Constantinople. I think Rich did an admirable job of describing some of the trials of a minority group in a powerful empire. While I felt that the overall plot was good--the book did keep my interest--I was disappointed in the conclusion. I mean, it wasn't what the conclusion was that bugged me, but how it was handled. Too many pieces of the story fell together too easily for me to find it believable. Everything is resolved in the last 2 pages...really! I wish Rich would have paced this book a bit better and let things evolve more naturally. All in all, this was a quick read. And it has made me want to read The Midwife of Venice, although I'm not ready to say that I will read any further books in this series just yet.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Wives of Los Alamos
by
TaraShea Nesbit
Melinda Ott
, February 26, 2014
This was book was not what I expected....not that that was a bad thing. I think, upon reading the summary, I expected something soapy along the lines of TV's Army Wives. Instead, I get an interesting retelling of a chapter of history about which I know very little. This book is written from what I think is a plural first-person point of view. It is as if all the wives were speaking as one and the pronoun most used was not "I" but "we." Admittedly, this could be off-putting to some readers. I, however, found the point of view to be an interesting and integral part of the book. Instead of focusing on one or two individual experiences, Nesbit is able to write a more collective narrative with I felt gave more depth to the story. I enjoyed reading about the lives of these women--in one sense, it reminded of what my mom has told me about living on military bases as a young woman. In another sense, it almost seemed like these women had tripped into the Twilight Zone. They couldn't visit family or even tell relatives where they were, they needed a military escort to leave Los Alamos, and in most cases they could not even know what kind of work their husbands were doing. While I found this book fascinating, about 2/3 of the way through I started to really miss any form of a plot. The arc of this book is that the families arrive, they live here, the war ends, they have to readjust to their "normal" lives after the war. Honestly, this isn't enough to sustain an entire novel. I wish there had been a bit more of a story in this book. All in all, it was an interesting book--and one I might recommend. I just wish there was more to it.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Vienna Nocturne A Novel
by
Vivien Shotwell
Melinda Ott
, February 25, 2014
My Thoughts: I should have enjoyed this book more than I did. It seems to have so much going for it: a love story set in a rich historical period, colorful personalities, music. To be fair, these are things that would commend this book. However, it all just didn't come together for me. The best way I can describe my experience reading this book is that there seemed to be a large pane of plexiglass between me and the action. I never felt that I got to know any of the characters, including the main character of Anna. She, like the rest of the characters, just didn't seem real to me. I have visited Vienna and was looking forward to Shotwell bringing it to life for me, but I never felt that. This could have taken place in London or Amsterdam or Paris as far as I was concerned. The idea behind this is a good one--I was a bit surprised to find that Anna Storace was indeed a real person and was the inspiration for Mozart's Susannah in The Marriage of Figaro. I will say that I felt the pacing of the book was a bit off--this was supposed to be a love story between Mozart and Anna but, by the time Mozart ever came on the scene, I had the impression that this was instead a story of Anna and her conquests. I will take responsibility on my pickiness here. It may be that I just expected too much from this book and another reader may have a different experience. Yet, this still isn't a book that I would recommend to another reader.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
While Beauty Slept
by
Elizabeth Blackwell
Melinda Ott
, February 20, 2014
I can't help but feel the hand of providence a bit with this book--it is as if this is the book I was meant to read right now. I've always been a fan of fairy tales, although I've become a bit cynical of them since I've become the mother of a daughter and have had to fight the onslaught of the Disney wave. As it is, I've been reading many of these tales to my children lately and to find one for an adult--that doesn't fall into the cesspool of erotica!--was just too good a thing to pass up. While Beauty Slept is a re-imagining of Sleeping Beauty, a story nearly everyone knows. However, Elizabeth Blackwell has taken this tale a bit further and developed it into a skillfully written novel full of twists and turns (which is all I'm going to say about the plot!). I was quickly swept into the book and it held me through to the very last page. The decision to have the story told through Elise's eyes was a wise one. It allowed Blackwell to create a fully human narrator and still give the "major players" of the tale an iconic feel that could place them either in the realm of reality or the world of fantasy. Elise, herself, is an excellent character. While she has had a hard life, she finds herself rising to a station she could never have imagined. She isn't perfect--and she realizes it--but she keeps the reader's attention and loyalty. My one issue with this book--well, it is an issue with me rather than the book--is that this is so realistically written that it feels like historical fiction. Since I read more historical fiction than any other genre, I had moments early in this book where I felt a little uneasy with this book. I felt as if I should be able to anchor this to a specific place and time in history and I had to keep reminding myself that this was the stuff of fantasy. I can't blame Blackwell for this as it is my personal issue, but I would offer it just as a heads up for other fans of historical fiction who might (and should!) read this book. There were also a few aspects of the plot that I felt could have been explored a bit more--namely, Elise's parentage. I felt that it should have had more of an impact than it did. Still, I can say that I had only very minor quibbles with this book. This is Elizabeth Blackwell's debut novel and I don't know if she plans to continue retelling fairy tales in later books. I enjoyed While Beauty Slept so much that I hope she does, but I also think that she has a great future as a novelist and I'll be awaiting her next book, no matter what it is.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Sense of Touch
by
Ron Parsons
Melinda Ott
, February 11, 2014
This is one of those books that came into my life at just the right time. I had been reading a number of rather long and heavy novels and a collection of short stories was just what the doctor ordered to get me out of the early stages of a slump. I will also admit that I was drawn to this book for one reason: I have fond memories of my visits to the upper mid-West, which is the setting of most of these stories. The unifying theme among these stories, at least for me, was the importance of connecting with others. The characters in these stories are experiencing some degree of solitude and move towards relationships with others. Since no story in this collection is tied to any other story, this unifying theme is especially important. This is a very masculine book. I don't mean that as a criticism--in fact, it is a nice change of pace for me. And I'm not saying that it would not appeal to female readers (after all, I am a female reader), but masculinity is evident in each story and, in my opinion, is a necessary element. When it comes to short story collections, I'm rarely on the fence. I either hate or enjoy the entire collection and this is one book that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to just about anyone.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(4 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Tell Your Family History, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More
by
Bruce Feiler
Melinda Ott
, February 06, 2014
I'm not sure how much new information there is in the world of making your family happier--there are, after all, thousands of books on the subject. I will say my family is pretty happy, so I didn't pick up this book out of desperation...more out of curiosity. I'll come out and say it...I didn't find anything truly ground-breaking in this book. However, I will also say that I found it immensely readable and entertaining. In some ways, it reminds of A.J. Jacobs' books--although I felt Feiler does a much better job of that "try anything and everything" style than Jacobs. This is not a book where you will find references to psychologists, neurologists and the like. Feiler takes a different route. His "experts" include Silicon Valley types, a sex-talking Mom, the Green Berets, and the cast of Modern Family. He has a very welcoming and humorous style that I think would be accessible for any reader. Feiler also acknowledges that this isn't a "how-to" book. Some things will work for some families and some things will work for others. There were a couple of ideas in this book that made me roll my eyes, but that was to be expected. There are countless parenting books out there but this is one of the better ones I've come across. If you are looking for a book to help your family, check this one out first--it might be all you need.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Etched on Me
by
Jenn Crowell
Melinda Ott
, February 04, 2014
I'll come right out and say it. This isn't a fun book. It is one of those works that will put the reader through the emotional ringer. And that is what makes it so good. Lesley is one of those characters who just sticks with you. She has the sort of inner strength that I wish we all had--she is dealing with some really, really tragic circumstances and somehow, some way, she pulls through. And it is a struggle, there is no doubt about that. I don't know that much about mental illness, so I have no way of knowing if what Crowell describes in this book is accurate. However, it certainly seems accurate to me. The pain that Lesley experiences is palpable to the reader, even to those who have little experience with anyone who self-harms. The treatment that Lesley receives regarding the custody of her child seems almost barbaric to me. I doubt this would happen in the United States (not because child welfare is so much better in the US, but rather because it is lacking), but I could believe that it would happen in the United Kingdom. In fact, I found it interesting how involved the child welfare system was in a more socialized medical system. While I don't agree with decisions that were made there, I was impressed that there was a system in place for children before a problem developed. Along the same lines, I was impressed at how "British" this book sounded. The dialogue was spot on and I never once questioned the authenticity, even though the author is American and lives right here in Portland, Oregon! I think that alone is quite a skill. I will admit that this is not a book that I would recommend to just anyone. There are some very heavy subjects and I know that it is not everyone's cup of tea. However, for anyone with an open mind and willing to take it on, this is an excellent book!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
by
Sandberg, Sheryl
Melinda Ott
, January 23, 2014
This is not a book I would ever had read if it weren't for my book club. Frankly, the topic just didn't interest me--I spent my time in the corporate world and am now quite happy doing the stay-at-home-mommy thing, but I also like to be an active part of my book club, so there you go. I am also really struggling about what I think about this book. On the one hand, Sandberg makes some good points and I think any woman just starting out in the workforce would benefit by reading this book. And, it certainly is a well documented book! About the last 35% of it is just notes and citations! That being said, I have two major concerns about this book. The first is that Sandberg writes from a place that few women will ever experience. While young women can certainly aspire to to emulate her, how many will actually graduate from Harvard Business School and then reach such high levels in companies such as Google and Facebook? And it isn't really her resume that concerns me, but the paycheck that comes with it. Because of her professional success (at what I would consider a young age), she can afford the help she needs to balance her personal and professional lives. It is true that she earned her paychecks and lifestyle and she should be commended for that, but her advice can be hard to swallow for a woman who does not have the financial standing that Sandberg enjoys. My second concern is a bit more far-reaching. I spent over a decade in the corporate world and, while the situation varies from company to company, my observation is that there are some fundamental problems there. Yes, the gender issue is part of that, but just one part. There are many other diversity barriers plaguing our corporate, yet Sandberg writes as if gender inequality is the only barrier. I think that it would be very easy to read Lean In and be left with a very incomplete view of corporate America. I waffled on how many stars to give this. While I do have some significant issues with this book, I did appreciate many of Sandberg's points and the conversations they may breed. I ultimately decided on 3 stars as I can't say I would recommend this book to just anyone and I do think that, at times, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(7 of 15 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Under the Wide & Starry Sky A Novel
by
Nancy Horan
Melinda Ott
, January 21, 2014
I read Horan's first novel, Loving Frank, shortly after it was published and was rather disappointed. However, what I perceived to be that book's greatest shortcoming was the abruptness of the story arc--and since it was based on a true store, Horan cannot be held accountable for that. I did enjoy her style in Loving Frank, so decided to give her next book a try. I have sort of a general knowledge of Robert Louis Stevenson, but knew nothing of his personal life. Since I'm a sucker for the "grand love story" I thought this book would be right up my alley. Sadly, this book just didn't work for me. I really can't pinpoint one thing that didn't work for me, as I could with Loving Frank. Rather, I felt there were so many smaller things that just hampered the entire book. For one thing, the scope of this book is incredibly large--about 30 years. I have nothing against books that cover a large time period, but I've found that the books that are successful with this are very targeted, which this one was not. We start with Fanny and Louis's love affair, and then go to Louis's health, and then to Fanny's jealousy and eventual breakdown and I just never felt there was a unifying theme in this book. I think that if Horan had decided to tell just Fanny's side of the story, or just Louis's, this book would have been more successful. There were issues on both sides and trying to give equal time to both just kept me from getting to involved in the stories. There were also times when I just felt this book dragged. I enjoy Horan's voice and she had a very readable style, but there were just some long periods where nothing really happened and it became tedious. The last 10 percent or so of this book was actually quite good, but not good enough to balance out the first 90 percent. I am not writing off Nancy Horan yet, and I will give her next book a try, whenever it comes out. But this one just wasn't for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Pieces of Someday: One Woman's Search for Meaning in Lawyering, Family, Italy, Church, and a Tiny Jewish High School
by
Jan Vallone
Melinda Ott
, January 10, 2014
Oh, Jan Vallone--you had me at Seasonal Affective Disorder! I will admit right off that I had a very personal connection with this post. I could relate to so much of what Vallone wrote about--being stuck in the wrong career, trying to find your calling, dealing with family of origin issues, and--yes--the gray dreariness of the Pacific Northwest. When a reader encounters a book that makes such a connection, it is hard not to love it. But what about a reader who doesn't have the same connection? Is this still a book they might want to read? I would say yes. Vallone's prose is just beautiful. Her chapters read more like essays and were not always in chronological order, which I quite liked. I think that structure really added a nice dimension to the book. This book deals with spirituality--Vallone is Catholic and begins teaching at a yeshiva--but it isn't overpowering and definitely falls more in line with spirituality than religion. Each "part" begins with two excerpts--one from the Bible and one from the Torah, which sets the theme for the following chapters. However, Vallone never comes across as preachy in any way. Pieces of Someday is a book that I will not soon forget and, even if you are comfortable in your vocation and have no interest in spiritual biographies, I think anyone would find this to be a worthwhile book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Belle Cora
by
Phillip Margulies
Melinda Ott
, January 07, 2014
Prostitutes! Gun Fights! Vigilantes! Unitarians! This book has pretty much everything. It tells the story of how an orphaned, but well-off girl named Arabella Godwin became the notorious San Francisco Madam, Belle Cora. At over 600 pages, it might seem intimidating to some readers, but I found it enthralling and very readable. There was a real Belle Cora in San Francisco in the mid-19th century, and she was a madam. She was the lover of a gambler named Charles Cora, who was executed by The Vigilance Committee for the murder of US Marshall William Marshall. Yet, the story of her life--before and after this infamous episode--is the creation of Margulies. It would be tempting to dip into melodrama to frame such a sensational event, but Margulies takes the high--and more believable--road. While Arabella Godwin finds herself in the world of prostitution through some very unfortunate events, her rise to the role of the highest madam in the rough and tumble young city of San Francisco is the result of very shrewd decisions on her part. Belle is not always a likable character, and she does do some rather shocking things, but she is authentic enough for the reader to believe that this really could have been the life of Belle Cora. Nothing in her narrative is so outrageous that I would question the possibility that it might have really happened. One thing about this book I really enjoyed was Margulies's depiction of San Francisco. Other than the airport, I haven't visited that city since I was in diapers (despite being able to drive to it from my house in one long day). I was captivated about how it started out as a violent outpost populated by desperate and ambitious men and a handful of women, most of whom expressed their own desperation and ambition between the sheets. As Belle Cora's business grows, so does San Francisco so, by the time of Charles Cora's execution, it is a true American city. I have very few complaints about this book. There were times when I questioned why Belle was so in love with Jeptha Talbot, a boy from her youth who grew up to be a minister and whose presence was one factor leading her on her life's path. But, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't that much of a big deal to me. I'll admit that, after finishing this book, I spent some time on the internet trying to find out more about the infamous Belle Cora, but was able to find little more than the facts regarding Cora's execution. Margulies does list some other sources about this woman in his afterward, which I may check out--but, honestly, I'm quite satisfied with this version of her life, no matter how fictional it may be.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Redefining Girly How Parents Can Fight the Stereotyping & Sexualizing of Girlhood from Birth to Tween
by
Melissa Atkins Wardy, Jennifer Siebel Newsom
Melinda Ott
, January 02, 2014
This was a very personal book for me to read. I have an almost 5 year old daughter and, since her birth, I've been fighting what I sometimes is a losing battle with the media and what I consider society's inappropriate expectations of girls. It almost seems an obligation to inflict Disney Princesses and the like on little girls and mothers, such as myself who would rather not enforce these stereotypes and messages, are considered to be out of bounds. My one regret about this book is that I wish it had come out about 4 years ago, but what are you going to do? Wardy creates a "tool kit" for parents and her tips are very valuable, even to someone with a somewhat older child. I also felt comforted that I am not alone in my wishes that my little girl be able to be just a little girl. Wardy also includes a number of letters from experts, which I also found very valuable. In addition to these letters and the tips she includes, there is an extensive resource list at the end of the book--that list alone is worth the purchase price of this book. I do have one criticism of the book. I wish that it was better organized. About halfway through the book, Wardy starts to repeat herself. I think that if there was different organizational scheme to the book, she could have avoided this pitfall and her overall message would be clearer. All in all, however, this is an excellent book for any parent of young children. I truly hope that parents harness their own power in the midst of the media onslaught for the sake of our daughters.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Pastrix The Cranky Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint
by
Nadia Bolz Weber
Melinda Ott
, December 30, 2013
I had been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it. Unfortunately, my library is not carrying it and, finally, I broke down and ordered a Kindle copy and started reading it as soon as it landed on my device. Now, that I'm finished, I have a jumble of thoughts about this book. Let me start with the positive. Nadia Bolz-Webber has an incredible story to tell--and it is a fun one to read. As a former stand-up comic, her sense of humor shines through and her prose is addictive. She does, however, talk like a drunken sailor at times. This is not a criticism, and it didn't bother me--but I would not recommend this book to anyone who has a low tolerance for profanity. I admire what Bolz-Webber and her congregation are doing. True inclusiveness is hard to find--and Bolz-Webber may not have fully succeeded on that point, but she and her church are closer than most. Oh, and "Operation Turkey Sandwich" is outright genius! I really admire her ability to accept those that other churches would reject and I think that we could all take a lesson from her. But... Here's the thing...as accepting as Bolz-Webber is of some groups, she is equally not accepting of other groups. She makes no secret of the fact that she thinks that anyone who does not believe as she does is just wrong. For all her tolerance, she can be very intolerant. She almost lost me when she started on a tirade against the LCMS (I've attended both ELCA and LCMS churches and my current church is LCMS. In my experience, I've seen very little difference between the two other than the ordination of women, which I support although I understand why the LCMS does not). Whenever she is given a chance, she will make a dig at a group that she considers beneath her. To be fair, it says right in the title that she's cranky. And in one of the last chapters, she confronts the fact that she was not comfortable with the "wrong element" (clean-cut professionals) in her church. But many times she writes with I would consider hatred from a point of authority and it undermines many of the positive aspects of her message. So, where did this book ultimately put me? Well, I'm glad I read it and I enjoyed at least a majority of it. I would not recommend it nilly-willy. For one thing, it is not for the easily offended. I think it is also not for someone who is not familiar with Christianity as I'm afraid that her views would be taken as "gospel truth." However, for those who don't fall into those groups and who are discerning enough to separate her message from her language, I would recommend Pastrix.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Boleyn Deceit A Novel
by
Laura Andersen
Melinda Ott
, December 27, 2013
First off--and this is very important--you really need to read The Boleyn King before you read this book. This is not the kind of series where you can just pick up wherever and start reading...you really need to read it from the beginning. I would also suggest, if you read The Boleyn King some time ago, re-reading it to refresh some of the details. I say this not as a criticism, but as a fact. As this is the second book in a trilogy, the first book really is necessary for all the background information and character introductions. Personally, I appreciate the fact that Andersen did not waste verbiage in this book rewriting details and characters. However, someone who has not read The Boleyn King will have a hard time with this book. Also, because this is the second in a trilogy, I didn't expect it to be as good. That just seems to be the way it is with many trilogies--the 2nd book is just the glue between the 1st and 3rd books. Well, I was wrong. If anything, I felt The Boleyn Deceit was better than its predecessor! Because the characters and parts of the plot had already been established, Andersen had the freedom to really delve into the relationships between the 4 main characters--King Henry IX (called William), his best friend and Confidante Dominic, their sister's lady in waiting and the love of both William and Dominic, and--the only non-fictional character in the book--William's older sister Elizabeth. There is a lot of intrigue in this plot--but let's face it, intrigue was sort of the rule of the land in late 16th century England (factual or otherwise). I think the greatest part of this book--or, should I say, this series--is the fact that Laura Andersen has made me--someone with a degree in English History!--forget that none of this actually happened! This book kept my attention throughout--although I wish Andersen had included a character listing or tree or something. With so many characters going both by their names and by their titles, things did get a bit confusing at times. However, that being said, I'm still waiting on pins and needs for The Boleyn Reckoning to come out and conclude this entertaining trilogy!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Seeker of Stars
by
Susan Fish
Melinda Ott
, December 23, 2013
I always kind of shy away from "Christmas" books. Too often, they drip with fake sentimentality. When I saw this one, however, I decided to give it a try. For one thing, it isn't a "Christmas" story, but an "Epiphany" story. It focuses on one of the Magi, Melchior (Caspar and Balthazar are the other two). I'm sure books have been written from this viewpoint, but the only one I've encountered is sections from Christopher Moore's Lamb and, well, that's a different sort of book. While this book may be categorized as "Christian Fiction," it doesn't read as such. By that, I mean it isn't steeped in Christian (post-Resurrection) beliefs. Instead, it goes back to the Jewish prophesies and their beliefs. Melchior is a Gentile--I'm not exactly sure what we would call him in modern terms. My guess "Persian" is the best description. His wife, however, is Hebrew--which is how he learns of the Jewish prophesies. This is a short, enjoyable read--and one that is packed with content. We learn about Melchior's past, his relationships with his family, with his wife, with his fellow astronomers--all without the reader feeling like too much is being presented at once. Indeed, this is a book where every word is carefully chosen for greatest impact. There were a few parts where I felt Fish overreached just a bit--and I wish she had gone into more detail when the Magi met up with Herod. However, beyond that, I found this a very fulfilling book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a seasonal read.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Fangirl
by
Rainbow Rowell
Melinda Ott
, December 19, 2013
First of all, I owe sincere thanks to Rainbow Rowell for reintroducing me to Young Adult Fiction. Eleanor and Park is one of the best books I've read this year and Fangirl did not disappoint. Here we meet Cath, a college freshman who was abandoned by her mother at a young age and by her twin sister as they entered college. Coupled with the responsibility she feels for her bipolar father and the fact that this introvert is now dealing with the campus world, Cath has a lot on her plate. Her coping mechanism is to fall into the world of fan fiction, based on the character of Simon Snow (sort of a riff on Harry Potter). Cath is a wonderful character and I related to many of her experiences in college--and I saw a lot of myself and other people that I know in her. Rowell is a master at crafting true-to-life characters and Cath is one of her best. She is a little exasperating at times, but what 18 year old isn't? While I didn't "like" her twin sister, Wren, I found her an interesting character and foil for Cath. Levi was a little too good to be true, but that was okay with me! There was only one thing that kept this book from being perfect for me--and it really has nothing to do with the book itself (it's not the book, it's me!). I never got into the fan fiction thing and I couldn't really relate to Cath's obsession with it. I didn't mind all the fan fiction, but it did sort of present a bit of a wall (or, at least a flimsy fence) between me and this book. All in all, a great read and if you are looking for some quality Young Adult Fiction, I would highly recommend Fangirl.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
A Wilder Rose
by
Susan Wittig Albert
Melinda Ott
, December 18, 2013
Like pretty much every little girl in the last 80 years, I grew up on the Little House books (and the TV show, of course!) and I will soon start reading them to my daughter. Because of this, I was instantly interested in this book. The true story of the creation of the Little House books? Sign me up! Here's the thing, though...I went into this book not really caring if Rose Wilder Lane wrote all the books. The authorship of these books doesn't make a difference at all to me and it doesn't change the fact that I loved the books. I'm putting that out there for anyone who might be reluctant to read this book because they don't want to feel that their childhood was based on a lie. But, here was the surprising part for me...the authorship of the Little House books was far from the most compelling part of the book for me. I'm not saying it wasn't interesting--it was, in sort of a trivial way--but the life of Rose Wilder Lane is what sold this for me. I will say that this book more like a memoir or biography than a novel, which is fine with me. In fact, I quite liked the way it seemed that I was hearing the story from the "real" Rose Wilder Lane. She was a fascinating woman. While she was well ahead of her time, she still had to deal with the ageless mother-daughter relationship issues. We may all have the picture of plucky young Laura Ingalls Wilder (who looks quite a bit like Melissa Gilbert) in our minds, but the reality was that she was a mother and she and Rose and to learn to work out their relationship issues. She was also passionate about political and social causes and swung from being an almost-Communist to one of the mother's of the American Libertarian movement. (I have a relative who made an almost identical swing--I like to think that she just took one too many steps to the left and ended on the far right!). If you are wondering what the Libertarian movement really is, not what the talking heads tell you it is, read this book. While I don't agree with many things about Libertarianism, I understand why Lane came to that philosophy. Although, that being said, she was--if we use the definitely modern Libertarians apply to themselves--one of the worst Libertarians ever. She was always living paycheck to paycheck and would spend money as fast as she could once it landed in her hands. I'm glad that I read this book--especially now as I'm about to re-embark on the original books. I think anyone who has an interest in Laura Ingalls Wilder or feminism or Libertarianism or whatnot should consider this book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Tale for the Time Being
by
Ruth Ozeki
Melinda Ott
, December 16, 2013
I contemplated not even reviewing this book--but since I've been telling everyone I know to read, I thought should at least attempt to put my thoughts about A Tale for the Time Being into writing. There is so much going on this novel that it is deserving of a dissertation, not a review. We have Nao, the troubled teenager who grew up in the Bay Area and now finds herself a stranger in homeland of Japan. As if being a teenager was not hard enough, Nao is dealing with her father's mental instability at home and truly horrendous bullying at school. Somehow, Nao's diary and a seemingly unrelated artifacts are very carefully wrapped up in a cocoon of plastic bags and a Hello Kitty lunch box wash up on a British Columbia beach and a writer, Ruth find them. Now, I don't know how autobiographical this is--but the character is Ruth and the author of this book is Ruth. They both live in British Columbia. They both had American fathers and Japanese mothers. They both have husbands named Oliver. I really don't know if a reader can take it any farther than that, but I found it strangely effective to think that the Ruth in the book is, in fact, Ruth Ozeki. Ruth is pulled in by Nao's diary--and who wouldn't be? Nao is one of the best written teenage characters I've found in adult literature. The book alternates between Nao and Ruth and it sounds like that could be jarring, but it really isn't. I think the pacing of these transitions is especially effective in this book. It helped the reader to be grounded in two worlds--Nao's world of an indeterminate time period (present day, but how present?) and Ruth's more concrete world. In this contrast, there is something that Ruth Ozeki has done that no other author I've read so far can match. When telling a story from multiple points of view, there is always something that sounds like the author in both voices. Not here. Nao's voice is so utterly distinct that I wonder if Ozeki really did find something when she was beach combing. I had read great things about this book, and I expected to like it. I did not, however, expect to love it and to be as affected by it as I am. Do yourself a favor...read this book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(8 of 13 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
An Untamed Heart
by
Lauraine Snelling
Melinda Ott
, December 12, 2013
I absolutely adore Lauraine Snelling's Red River of the North Series (think, Little House on the Prairie for adults) and, when I found this prequel, I ordered it and it jumped to the top of my TBR pile. There are a number of things in this book that I enjoyed. Snelling spends a great deal of time talking about life in 19th century Norway and a great deal of this takes place at the family's seter (the mountain pasture...I will admit I had to look that up as Snelling never really defines it for the reader). I have an interest in this topic anyway, so it kept me interested in the book. I also enjoyed knowing what Ingeborg's life was like before coming to America and how she met Roald. Ultimately, though, this book did not live up to my expectations. While I had no "big" problems with the book, there were several smaller issues that bothered me. For one thing, it is a little thin on plot--I don't think this bothered me as much as it might another reader because I enjoyed the details Snelling included. I also felt like, as a prequel, this just didn't work. The Ingeborg in this book is not like the Ingeborg I remember in the Red River of the North books. And the one thing that ties this Ingeborg to the Red River series isn't even introduced until the last, oh, 30 pages of the book! Another issue--and this is common for nearly all fiction genres--Snelling just has far too many characters in this book. I could not keep the secondary characters straight and, finally, just gave up trying. I think if I had read it before reading any of the Red River of the North books, I might have a more favorable opinion of it. But, even though this book wasn't for me, it does make me want to reread the Red River of the North series.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Amity & Sorrow
by
Peggy Riley
Melinda Ott
, December 09, 2013
I will admit that the polygamous aspect of this book is what first drew me toward it. I have sort of a voyeuristic/train wreck fascination with it. This book, however, is not your run of the mill polygamy novel. For one thing, the polygamist in this book are not FLDS--although the man at the center of it was raised at Cross Creek. Instead, it is more of an end-of-days cult. In the center is one man, his 50 wives, and his children. In the midst of gunshots and a fire, the first wife, Amaranth, flees with her 2 daughters. Amity, the younger of her two daughters, is a typical twelve-ish aged girl. Her older sister, Sorrow, is a different story. She is "the oracle" and uses that power to her advantage without a thought of consequences. There were many themes in this book, but the one I picked up on the most was the bond between these two sisters. The plot of this story was fascinating, but I felt that the execution did not live up to expectations. I'm not sure if it was Riley's intent to have the reader feeling that they didn't have a foundation when reading this book, but it wasn't a feeling that enhanced the experience of this book. Part of this may be because it just felt "thin" in places--there needed to be more detail and background in several parts of this book I didn't feel that enough of either to really sink my teeth into this story. While this was an interesting book and it showed great potential, it just didn't live up to my expectations.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Mrs Lincolns Dressmaker
by
Jennifer Chiaverini
Melinda Ott
, December 06, 2013
The Lincolns are sort of a perennial favorite when it comes to authors, but Jennifer Chiaverini has chosen an unlikely figure from their sphere to bring to life. Elizabeth Keckley was an unusual woman in an unusual time. She was a former slave who bought her own freedom and moved to Washington, D.C. to start her new life. Through her own efforts, she ran a flourishing business, one that would take her to the White House. However, once Mary Todd Lincoln became her client, Elizabeth's fate was tied to hers. I really enjoyed this novel. Chiaverini did her homework when it came to the research and she does a good job of writing the history in a readable fashion. Re-telling Keckley's life poses some dangers. Keckley made some choices regarding Mrs. Lincoln that many might find odd or co-dependent. However, Chiaverini frames things with enough background for the reader to understand why Keckley makes these choices. I will say that, at many points, this book reads more like a biography than a Historical Novel. Personally, I liked this. But I also read a lot of non-fictionalized History (and I have a degree in History). I can see how readers who prefer more plot-driven, or "novel-like" Historical novels may not enjoy this. Still, I found Chiaverini's efforts to give Elizabeth Keckley her due to be successful. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to fans of Historical Fiction.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Middlesteins A Novel
by
Jami Attenberg
Melinda Ott
, December 03, 2013
If I had to sum up this book in two words, I would say unflinchingly honest. Attenberg holds nothing back in creating the Middlestein family. Each chapter is narrated by a different character, which works well in this book. Everything in the book centers around the fact that Richard Middlestein has left his wife Edie, who is obese and ill. We learn the story of their marriage and what led to Richard leaving his wife. We also meet their adult son and daughter, as well as their son's wife. All of these characters are flawed, but wholly human. I really enjoyed Attenberg's writing style. She does an interesting thing of, in the midst of talking about one thing, she jumps ahead to the future. I found this a little strange, but not enough to distract me from the story. While the subject matter is not light, I did find this an easy book to read. I will say that this is not a book for everyone. None of the Middlesteins are likable (in fact, I only found one likable character in the entire novel) and, despite Attenberg's engaging voice, this is not an "enjoyable" book. However, if you are looking for a book to make you think and make you a bit uncomfortable, The Middlesteins might be just the book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Someday Someday Maybe
by
Lauren Graham
Melinda Ott
, November 27, 2013
I'm guessing that it is a great benefit for a first time novelist to already have a following. Lauren Graham is a popular actress with two notable television series under her belt (Gilmore Girls and, presently, Parenthood). Since I enjoy her as an actress, so I thought I'd give this book a try. Through no fault of the book, it already had one strike against it for me. I just am really not all that interested in the plight of wannabe actresses. There was a time in my life when this would have been right up my alley, but not right now. I can't blame all of my dissatisfaction on the subject manner. I found this book to be incredibly predictable with very flat, ordinary characters. I don't know how autobiographical this novel is, but Franny is very clearly based on Graham herself. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but I would hope that an author would be able to put more meat on the bones of a character that was so personal. It wasn't that Franny was unlikable--she just wasn't very interesting. Another quibble I had with this book. It is set in 1995, but Graham doesn't do a very good job of recreating that time period. Other than references to the "Rachel" hairstyle and the fact that they had an answering machine and a fax machine instead of a cell phone and email, this book sort of stood in a no-man's land. At several points, I would wonder why a character wouldn't just call someone on their cellphone--then, oh yeah, this is supposed to be 1995! Still, Graham had a readable voice and I do think that this book may appeal to some readers. I would be interested to see if her sophomore attempt (if that happens) is a little deeper, but this book just wasn't for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Very Valentine
by
Adriana Trigiani
Melinda Ott
, November 25, 2013
I've seen this book described as Sex in the City meets Moostruck. While there is some merit to that description, I think it sells the book a bit short. Trigiani has created a world within this book. At the center is Valentine, a woman in her early 30's who has started to discover her calling as a cobbler. Throw in one of the most entertaining families in literature, complete with all sorts of family drama, and a business that is at a crossroads and Valentine has her hands almost full--there is, of course, still room for romance. Yet, even Valentine's romance is something more than readers might expect. Valentine deals with some real issues about balancing her career, her boyfriend's career, and their relationship. Her struggles are realistic and well conveyed by Trigiani. About halfway through this book, the action moves to Italy and here is where things became a bit dreamy for me. I love Italiy and Trigiani has a real knack for bringing it to life for the reader. I loved Trigiani's voice and descriptions of Arezzo and Capri--the later I once visited as a young teenager and now am itching to revisit! I will admit that my enjoyment of this book was hampered a bit, though no fault of the book. Very Valentine is the first in the trilogy and I recently read the final book, The Supreme Macaroni Company, without knowing that it finished this trilogy. Thus, I went through this book already knowing how Valentine and the rest of the characters would end up. But, as I said, I can only blame that on my own ignorance. Very Valentine is a lighter read--which is perfect if you are looking for something purely entertaining, but not fluffy. I heartily recommend it and will be starting part two, Brava, Valentine, very soon!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Fault in Our Stars
by
John Green
Melinda Ott
, November 21, 2013
I know that I am probably the last person in the country to read this book--it has actually been sitting in my TBR pile for almost a year. I've wanted to read it--I've heard so many good things about it--but I knew I needed to wait until the month before my book club meeting where we would be discussing it. There was a real danger with this book--the subject of two teenagers dying of cancer could very easily go the route of the Lifetime movie. Luckily, Green deftly directs the story so that it rings true instead of saccharine. I will admit that I had to peak ahead to the end of the book to prepare myself (anyone who picks up this book will know that there are really only two possible endings to this story, both of which are devastating). But, frankly, all the wonderful things I've heard about this book are true and I'm not ashamed to admit that I bawled my eyes out reading it. One thing that I particularly loved about this book, besides the central love story, is the relationship that Hazel has with her parents. After all, I was reading this as a parent, not as a "young adult." I appreciated that the parents were present in this book as it would have been all too easy to relegate them to the background. I found the relationship that Green created here to be realistic and touching and, while maybe not integral to the story, it helped to give it depth. If you haven't read this yet, read it now. Really. I mean it. And stock up on tissues.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Divergent 01
by
Veronica Roth
Melinda Ott
, November 18, 2013
This was another case of my personal quirk of having to read a book before the movie comes out. In all honesty, I don't know if I would have read this book otherwise. The good news is that I think this will make a good movie. It has action and romance, which pretty much is needed for a mainstream blockbuster. It appeals to different age groups and it ends in a cliffhanger. The bad news is that I felt the book was, well, a bit lacking. Most of the fault falls in the writing. The plot was interesting enough, but I don't feel that Roth clearly expressed what she wanted for most of the book. Frankly, the whole concept of the different factions and why they had them and how the society operated was just muddled. Frankly, the writing just seemed rushed to me and it kept me from really getting into the book. I will see the movie, eventually (I'm not sure it would be worth my getting a babysitter and then buying a ticket, so I might wait until it comes out on DVD). And I am interested, but not compelled, to read the next book. But, I'm probably a pickier reader than most and many readers probably won't have the same issues that I do with the writing. The bottom line is that if you are looking for an action-packed, lighter read with a dystopian twist, Divergent would be a good choice.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Margot A Novel
by
Jillian Cantor
Melinda Ott
, November 11, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.5 Stars This is a book that I've been wanting to read since I first heard about it. Like just about everyone else, I've read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. However, I read it once in middle school and not since--it just symbolizes something so tragic to me that I couldn't bring myself to read it again. Perhaps why that is why I was drawn to Margot--it presents a slightly less tragic outcome. When dealing with an Alternate Historical Fiction, it is sort of strange to talk about the accuracy of the book. That being said, I think--had things happened as Cantor tells it--this would have been a very accurate portrayal of Margot Frank's life. There are a number of layers to her experience, all of which are well recounted by Cantor. First of all, she is very clearly suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Tied in with this is Margot's dealing with her own Jewishness--while Philadelphia of the late 1950's is nothing compared to Nazi Germany, there was still discrimination and violence against Jews, especially immigrant Jews. Margot also deals with a great deal of survivor's guilt, which like the PTSD would be expected. Now, add in the fact that her sister is Anne Frank--the girl everyone is talking about. The film of her diary has just been released and everywhere Margot looks, she sees the "Anne Frank" of the American eyes, which does not always match up with the Anne Frank she knew and loved. I truly enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down. It isn't a wholly perfect book. For one thing, it almost reads like a Young Adult novel. Of course, there is nothing wrong with YA Fiction--I find myself reading and enjoying it quite often lately--but because of this is created a little disconnect. This story is not a YA story, but it felt like it had a YA heroine stuck in a book for adults. I also had one little gripe about Cantor's premise of Margot surviving. She never explains why, if Margot survived, she showed up as dying at Bergen-Belsen in the Red Cross lists (something she also references in the book). The Frank sisters were put on that list by a fellow prisoner, Janny Brandes-Brillesljiper, who was serving as a nurse to the sick prisoners and who buried Anne and Margot together in a mass grave. If things happen as Cantor explains, Janny would not have buried Margot and, therefore, would not have added her to the Red Cross lists. Still, even with these minor quibbles, I found myself taken in and captivated by Margot Frank, this young woman who seems to have been lost in the shadow of her younger sister. I would heartily recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Historical (Real or Alternate!) Fiction.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage
by
Patchett, Ann
Melinda Ott
, November 07, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 5.0 Stars I'm not normally a fan of essay collections. I'll read them--after all, it is nice to have books that you can easily pick up and put down--but the constant change of topics tend to frustrate me. I'm also not overly familiar with Ann Patchett--the only one of her previous books I've read is Bel Canto and that was several years ago. All that being said, I simply adored This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. This book is a collection of previously published essays in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Monthly, and Gourmet. While it would seem that there are a number of unrelated topics included--and there are a number of topics--this is a very well-arranged collection. Even though the topics vary widely--from opera to RV travel to proof of the "Colbert Bump"--this book feels very streamlined. Even though I claim to enjoy the fact that I can easily put down essay collections between essays, I found myself unable to set this one aside. Patchett is a very personal writer and now, after reading so much about her life, I feel like she is my best friend. (I do not mean that in a stalker-ish kind of way.) She is also an honest writer--she doesn't paint herself in a better light than she deserves and she has a very appealing self-deprecating sense of humor. I can say nothing but glowing and wonderful things about this book. I would recommend This is the Story of a Happy Marriage to anyone, even those of you who share my formerly held belief that they were not fans of essay collections.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(8 of 11 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Ender's Game: Ender Wiggin Saga 1
by
Orson Scott Card
Melinda Ott
, November 04, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.0 Stars It has taken me a long time to read this book. I've had people recommend it to me for the past decade and, at one point, one of my previous book clubs discussed it. Since I knew I wouldn't be able to make that meeting, I didn't bother to read this. Finally, my good friend and most trusted book buddy convinced me to read it before the movie comes out. So, I did. Eveyone I know who has read this book was completely blown away by it. I, on the otherhand, was underwhelmed. I don't know if it is because this book was so hyped to me before I even read it or if it just isn't "my type" of book (I do not normally read science fiction), but it was just "eh" to me. I have some minor quibbles with the writing. I felt the battle scenes were just a bit over-written and could have been simplified or stream-lined. I also felt that the 3rd person point of view shifted too much--in the midst of describing what was happening in the mind of one character, it would switch to another character, then back to the first character. But, really, there weren't any major problems with the writing, or the plot. It just didn't click with me. I'm clearly in the minority on this and there are many, many people who love this book--I'm just not one of them. I am planning to eventually see the movie and, maybe, that may change my mind about the book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(7 of 15 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Supreme Macaroni Company A Novel
by
Adriana Trigiani
Melinda Ott
, November 01, 2013
Review originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.0 Stars So, you know what I didn't know about this book? That it is the third installment in a trilogy! In fact, I didn't find this out until I was about 2/3 of the way through the book! (Very Valentine and Brava, Valentine are the first two installments). It is because of this fact that I feel this review will be a little incomplete. You see, I did find some strange things about this book--the character development was weaker than I would have expected, there were references to things that didn't happen in the book, etc. But, all of my "complaints" about this book disappear when I realize that there are 2 books before it. So, let's ignore all that and talk about the rest. This is a book that kept me going and I really rooted for the characters, especially Valentine. I found her marriage to Gianluca and their struggles to be very realistic. And I loved Valentine's family--think "My Big Fat Italian Family." I did find the end a little predictable, but not unsatisfying. I also wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a great love story or a story about a woman "having it all" or whatnot--I think that the book would have benefited from a bit more focus. Despite not reading the first two books, I enjoyed this one--enough that I immediately ordered copies of Very Valentine and Brava, Valentine.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
We Are Water
by
Wally Lamb
Melinda Ott
, October 24, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.0 Stars Sometimes, when you read a book, you realize that you are not just reading a story--you are reading Literature. That was my experience with We Are Water. I almost feel as if I would have to read this, at the very least, one more time to really "get" it. In this book, Wally Lamb is a master when it comes to bringing real-to-life characters together and tearing them down to their bones. As a fan of character-driven novels, this was right up my alley. To be honest, there were things about this book I really didn't like--and that is in no way a criticism. This is not a book where everything works out just perfectly and all the characters live happily ever after. There were parts of this novel that were just painful to read--whether because of subject matter (pedophilia and physical abuse) or just because of the raw emotion Lamb brings out. However, readers are not supposed to like it--they are supposed to experience it. I finished reading this book only a short while before beginning to write this review and I'm still processing it all. There were a few areas where I felt the book fell a little flat. I never really understood why Annie was with Viveca and I wish Lamb had brought us more into the heads of Ariane and Marissa. But, overall, this was a book that drew me in as few books do.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(3 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Age of Miracles
by
Karen Thompson Walker
Melinda Ott
, October 17, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.0 Stars This is not a book I would have picked out for myself--if it weren't for my book club, The Age of Miracles would have stayed off my radar. But that is one of the upsides of a book club--they introduce readers to books they would normally never read. The Age of Miracles is a very unsettling book. The plot is certainly imaginative, although my engineer husband insists that what I described from this book is not an accurate representation of what would happen if the Earth's rotation suddenly slowed. Whatever--if you are a Science person, keep that in mind. If you aren't a Science person, don't worry about it. That being said, there is quite a bit that is incredibly realistic in this book. Julia is as true a representation of a tween that I've seen in a long time. She battles with her own self-esteem, her friendships and even her first love. She watches as her parents' relationship morphs and how her society is slowly torn apart by the "slowing." The Earth's rotation slowing may seem to be a far-fetched idea, but the reaction of society to something unknown and threatening is very, very common. I could not put this book down. I won't say it was a "fun" book to read, but it was definitely enthralling. While I would highly recommend this book, I would caution prospective readers that they are in for something that just might shake them to the core.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
A Guide for the Perplexed
by
Dara Horn
Melinda Ott
, October 14, 2013
Review originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.0 Stars This is another one of those books where I'm just torn. There are things I quite liked about this book and others that either just fell flat or that I just didn't "get." I really enjoyed Horn's writing style. She is able to tackle some complex subjects--in this case, Jewish theology--in a way that someone who is only minimally familiar with it can understand. She also paces this book quite well, which is quite a feat because there are three distinct stories. The main story of Josie and Judith interested me the most. For one thing, the bulk of the action happened here and it had the most developed characters. Honestly, if this book had just been about this story I would have been a happy and satisfied reader. The other two stories, that of Solomon Schecter in the 19th century and Moses Maimonides in the 12th century were not as intriguing. I think that if Horn had given them the same attention she had to Josie and Judith, they might have worked--but then we'd have a very, very long book. The biggest problem is that I just didn't see how it all fit together, I felt sort of like the dumb kid in class who just doesn't understand it. What am I missing? Is it because I'm not Jewish, or I don't have a sister, or don't have asthma? In the end, A Guide for the Perplexed just left me perplexed.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Forgetting Tabitha the Story of an Orphan Train Rider
by
Julie Dewey
Melinda Ott
, October 09, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.0 Stars After seeing a very well-done documentary on The American Experience on the orphan trains, and then reading Christina Baker Cline's excellent book, Orphan Train become fascinated with the topic. So, when Forgetting Tabitha crossed my radar, I knew I needed to read it. I will be honest, I had some problems with this book. For one thing, the story is set in the 1860's, but it could have easily been the 1880's, 1900's or 1920's. Dewey never really succeeds in effectively framing her story in a period of time. Part of this is due to the lack of any really specific details, but the bigger problem is that the book is peppered with anachronisms. Some of these are minor--Tabitha/Mary buys someone a hamburger. That sounds innocent enough, but the first "hamburger" wasn't marketed until sometime between 1880 and 1900 and it most likely wasn't a widely consumed food until decades after that. Little details like that can either make or break the feeling of a book. If the story had been set 25 years later, a hamburger would not have been issue. Here, however, it yanks the reader right out of the world that Dewey is trying to create. Other issues were more glaring--a young woman of good standing in the town conceives a child out of wedlock and it....doesn't really seem to be a big deal. I think you'd have to go well into the modern era for that to be accepted as it is in the 1860's of Forgetting Tabitha. I will say that Dewey's writing voice is very readable and I don't have much of an issue with the writing of the book. However, this book is not edited well. There are a number of improperly used homonyms is this book...things like using "bare" instead of "bear" and "isle" instead of "aisle." This may not irritate some readers, but I am one of those readers where such errors stand out. There was also a very bizarre error with the points of view. Almost nearly every chapter has a different narrator, which is confusing at times. However, there was a glaring error on page 212 of my copy. I had to read this section a couple of times before I was clear on what was happening. The chapter is told in first person by the character Gert. Then, for one paragraph, Edmund becomes the narrator in first person. I understand how things like this can happen when writing, but a decent editor (either an "Editor" or someone just proofing) should have caught something that glaring. But, here's the thing with this book. With all the errors, I still enjoyed it. Dewey is not a bad writer--she is just in need of a good editor. Even though I felt the story was a bit contrived at times and some issues were overly simplified, it still kept my attention and I really did care about the characters. Would I recommend this book to others? Probably--I might steer those who are as nit-picky as I am away from it, but I do think that Dewey created something that most people would find worth reading. And, frankly, I'm looking forward to what her next book might bring.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Loyalist's Wife
by
Elaine Cougler
Melinda Ott
, October 08, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.0 Stars I was intrigued by this book when I first heard about it. I can't recall ever reading a novel set during the Revolution with the main characters as Loyalists. It was on that point alone that I decided to read this book. I did like the fact that I learned a bit about the "the other side" during this conflict. There is also quite a bit about the Native Americans and how they interacted with the Europeans, which I found interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the story. John and Lucy are both interesting characters and you can't help but root for them. I felt the plot was well-developed and Couglar has a readable style. There is a section with some rather distressing subject matter--I bring this up not as a criticism, but as a heads up to anyone who might read this book. That being said, I had a couple of problems with the book. The first is structural--I'd have to check and make sure, but Couglar seems to follow a formula of two chapters with Lucy and two with John, breaking only when the two characters are together. Then, when she switches from one character to the other, she tends to do so with what I would consider a "soap opera cliff-hanger." In other words, she stops mid-action and just leaves the reader hanging. If this only happened once in a while it would probably be fine, but Couglar does it so consistently that it becomes annoying rather than effective. My second problem is that Couglar falls into a trap common to many historical fiction novels. She very quickly resorts to bad guy versus good guy. In this book, the Loyalists are all wonderful, caring human beings and the Revolutionaries are all evil proto-Nazis. Unfortunately, this becomes old very, very quickly and it greatly distracts from the rest of the book. In the end, the strength of the plot and main characters of this novel outweighed what I felt were its shortcomings. It is the first novel in a trilogy, and I am looking forward to the next installment.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Fountain of St James Court Or Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman
by
Sena Jeter Naslund
Melinda Ott
, September 30, 2013
Review originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 2.5 Stars I have to be honest...this book was a chore for me to read. There is much to commend this book. Naslund has a beautifully poetic style and a very introspective point of view. I also really loved the "within" story of Elisabeth Vigee-LeBrun. I think if this book had just been that story, this would have rated among the best books I've read this year. For me the problem was with Kathryn's story, which is the more substantial of the two storylines. I was never able to connect with Kathryn and, frankly, I felt that nothing really happened in her part of the book. While I enjoy character-driven novels, I do think there should be some plot and that seemed to be missing with Kathryn. Part of my inability to relate to Kathryn might be circumstantial. She is a 70 year old woman and most of her story is about her looking back on her life. I still have a few decades to go before I reach that point so I just couldn't find any anchor with her. I am planning to have my mother, who is much closer to Kathryn's age, to give this book a try to see if her experience differs from mine. This is not a book that would turn me off any other works by Sena Jeter Naslund--as I said, I found her prose to be just lovely. But this one was really an uphill battle for me.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Midwives
by
Chris Bohjalian
Melinda Ott
, September 19, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.0 Stars I actually first read this book over a decade ago when Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club. All I really remembered of it was that it was set in Vermont, a midwife is on trial because a mother died, it is told from the daughter's point of view, and that it was a solid book that pretty much left me after I had turned the last page. Obviously, I was going to need to re-read it for my book club. Because so much has happened in my life since I first read this book (moved to the east coast, moved back to the west coast, went through 3 jobs, got married, had 2 kids), I think my experiences enhanced what I read in this book. Unlike my first reading, this time the book stayed with me after I finished it--and it is still with me. There is no argument that Bohjalian is a skilled writer--his prose is deep, but still readable. I enjoyed how he structured the book, with the main narration coming from Sibyl's daughter, but each chapter being prefaced with Sibyl's own words. The last half of the book mostly takes place in the courtroom and, as a reader, I felt as if I was a member of the jury. I did not especially like Sibyl, but I understood her. I understood what drove her to midwifery and what led her to the fateful decision that landed her in a manslaughter trial. Sibyl's daughter, Connie, is exactly what I would picture a girl of her age who finds herself in her position would be. I do wish, however, that Sibyl's husband, Rand, was fleshed out a bit more. I will say that I have questions about this book. Are non-certified midwives really as self-trained as Sibyl was? Does the medical community really have it out for midwives? Did Sibyl really do the best that she could? I'm looking forward to my book club discussion on this book because there will be at least one doctor with us. All in all, this was a great book for me to re-read and I think it will be an excellent selection for our book club.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Swimming in the Moon
by
Pamela Schoenewaldt
Melinda Ott
, September 09, 2013
Originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.5 Stars Lately, I've been interested in books about the immigrant experience and this one seemed different enough that it piqued my interest. So many books about immigrants just dealing with the characters coming to America and then starting their lives. In Swimming in the Moon, Schoenwaldt explores the lives of the immigrants once they are here. I found Schoenwaldt's style to be very readable. She is a master of letting characters develop instead of making them develop. Most notably, I was taken aback by the character of Teresa. I know little about mental illness, so I really cant say whether or not her behavior was realistic--but it certainly seemed realistic to me. I was very interested in Lucia's involvement in the Labor movement among the immigrants. The only book I've read that dealt with that issue was The Jungle. I really appreciate historical novels that teach me something, and Swimming in the Moon did that. I did have some problems with this book. For one thing, Teresa's and Lucia's actual immigration seemed overly rushed. In fact, I wish Schoenwaldt had dealt with it different--perhaps telling the Italian part of their story and their migration as flash backs peppered through the rest of the book. For me, the story didn't really begin until Teresa and Lucia settled in Cleveland. I also felt that parts of the book just didn't fit together. I was fascinated with Teresa and her mental illness and, as I said, Lucia's work in the Labor movement was fascinating. But I didn't really see how those two things really fit together. At times I almost wished Schoenwaldt had dropped one of the story lines and focused one developing the other a bit more. I also felt that the end of the book was a bit too easy, especially considering the rest of the book. Still, Swimming in the Moon held my interest and I would recommend it to other fans of Historical Fiction.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Heart Like Mine
by
Amy Hatvany
Melinda Ott
, August 21, 2013
Review originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.0 Stars I will admit I have a bit of an author crush on Amy Hatvany. Her two most recent previous novels, Best Kept Secret and Outside the Lines were, for me, breathtakingly good. I've had my copy of Heart Like Mine sitting in my TBR pile since March, but only now had the chance to read it. Folks, I was not disappointed. Like her other novels, this isn't a cheery book. But, that's okay...it is a realistic story of a blended family in a time of crisis. I was a little worried about this book when I started--it could very easily have gone very, very wrong. It has 3 narrators and multiple-narrator books are sometimes problematic. Add to that the fact that one of the narrators, Kelli, is telling her store (in 3rd person, unlike the Ava and Grace) is a series of flashbacks. For a lesser writer, this could have ended up as an utter mess. Hatvany, on the other hand, is able to handle this tricky storytelling with ease. None of the characters in this book are perfect, but they are perfectly human. Grace is in a position she never wanted to be in and Ava has lost the person she loves most in the world--these are two characters going through very hard times. Yet, I never questioned any of their actions. Even Kelli, who could have very easily become the "crazy ex," is a character that the reader understands without any malice. My one complaint with this book is that I wished the character of Victor had been flushed out more. True, the book is essentially about Grace and Ava, but Victor is the glue and I would have like to have a bit more of him. I wouldn't say this is my favorite book by Amy Hatvany, but I'm so over the moon with Best Kept Secret and Outside the Lines (The Language of Sisters is waiting on my kindle!), that I can still say that this is a book I would very highly recommend to anyone.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Llama Llama & the Bully Goat
by
Anna Dewdney
Melinda Ott
, August 20, 2013
Both of my kids adore the Llama Llama books--so much so that we actually own them all. So, this one arrived on our doorstep the day it was published and the kids couldn't wait for me to read it to them. Bullying is a hot topic now, as it should be. A book such as Llama Llama and the Bully Goat is a good one. I'm a little wary of some of the anti-bullying messages out there, especially to younger kids. I think there is a distinct difference between being bullied and being picked on. I am not condoning kids picking on each other and I do believe that, if not addressed, children who pick on other children may become bullies. But, I also believe that there needs to be a difference in how kids are taught to deal with these situations. In the case of bullying, kids need to get adults involved. However, I believe that children need to learn how to stand up for themselves when it comes to being picked on. I know everyone will not agree with me on this. But, hey, I spent a week earlier this summer with 27 kids who came to me every single time someone sat in their chair because they were taught to always go to an adult. It was a very, very long week. But, back to the book....Dewdney does a good job walking this line. She doesn't portray the Bully Goat in a way that scares children, but even young kids will be able to recognize that his behavior is not okay. And she has Llama Llama and Nelly Gnu stand up to the Bully Goat before going to the teacher, which is a very important lesson! The later Llama Llama books have become more and more instructional, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I know that the seeds of bullying can be found in preschool classrooms, to Llama Llama and the Bully Goat may be just the book to pull out for a young child who is having trouble with a classmate.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Ellis Island
by
Kate Kerrigan
Melinda Ott
, August 19, 2013
Review originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.0 Stars This is a hard book for me to review because I really felt there were two sides to it--the Irish side and the American side. The book's main character is Irish and the story begins in Ireland, and I loved that part of the book. Kerrigan brings to life the struggles of the Irish under British rule in the early 1920's. I fell in love with both Ellie and John as their relationship progressed and, by the time Ellie left for America, I was completely engrossed in the book. But that is here the book turned for me. Kerrigan's New York just doesn't seem real. Instead, it seemed like the New York of a 1950's movie musical, where everything was fun and gay. I don't think that I am alone in knowing that life was not so easy for immigrants at that time (or, well, ever really....) Indeed, Ellie has an almost unbelievably charmed life in New York for a 3rd class Irish immigrant. For me, it was almost unbelievable. And the New York characters were just unrealistic. Isobel, Ellie's employer, is a nothing but a copy of Daisy Buchanan and even the "charming suitor" was an empty shell of an idealized rich American. Even though I was disappointed with a large portion of this book, the Irish angle hooked me enough to keep me going to the end, as well as to add the sequel, City of Hope, to my TBR list. I guess Ellie Hogan is worth a second chance. I was not solicited for this review and I received no compensation for this post.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Blood & Beauty the Borgias A Novel
by
Sarah Dunant
Melinda Ott
, August 16, 2013
Originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.0 Stars I am a huge fan of the historical novels by Sarah Dunant and could not wait to get my hands on this one. I was not disappointed. As indicated in the summary, this book centers around 3 main characters--Pope Alexander (Rodrigo Borgia) and two of his illegitimate children, Cesare and Lucrezia. Alexander was surprisingly likable--yes, he was devious and ambitious, but he also had a sort of childlike joie de vivre. In my minds eye, I could see him just charmed and gleeful in various parts of the book. Cesare, the Prince of The Prince, is nothing short of a sociopath. If ever a book had a villain, Cesare is that villain for Blood and Beauty. I will say, though, that he isn't your typical villain--he has his moments of where some semblance of humanity shows through, especially when it concerns Lucrezia. Lucrezia was my favorite character. She was probably the most fictionalized of the three, simply because there are fewer accounts of her historical character. She starts out as a twelve-year-old, a very young twelve-year-old. She is used mercilessly by her family and, somehow, emerges as a strong woman who instead of being resigned to her fate decides to design her own. (Lucrezia apparently had quite a life after the point in history where Blood and Beauty ends). There were things that I found surprisingly interesting about this book. The first is the acceptance of the pope's illegitimate children. There is a comment in the book early on--and I can't find it now to quote it--where there is a line drawn between celibacy and chastity. This line is nearly invisible in 21st century terms, so I can only assume that line was a bit more defined in 15th-16th century terms. Another aspect that I found interesting was that, despite all his political ambitions and scheming, Alexander was also quite religious. I guess that shouldn't be too surprising, given that he was the Pope, but it does seem that popes and cardinals in that time period tend to be portrayed as being far more concerned with the matters of men than the matters of God. All in all, this was an satisfying and enjoyable read for me. I will admit that it is not my favorite of Dunant's historical novels, but that is more a matter of preference. The scope of this book is far wider than those of her other books, which tend to be focused more on one character. There is, of course, nothing wrong with that--I just prefer the more focused plots. Yet, if anyone asked me for a recommendation for a Renaissance historical novel, this would be on my list.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Age of Desire
by
Jennie Fields
Melinda Ott
, August 07, 2013
Review published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.5 Stars First off, I should come clean--I've only ever read one book by Edith Wharton. That book was Ethan Frome and I read it, well, several years ago in high school. I say this because I went into this book knowing very little about Edith Wharton. I didn't even know what she looked like. By the end of the first quarter or so of this book, I felt as though I knew Edith Wharton intimately. Fields is very skilled when it comes to creating characters and places. Once I finished this book, I looked up pictures of Edith Wharton, Morton Fullerton and Henry James (another writer who I am embarrassed to admit I haven't read!) and their photographs matched the portraits I drew in my head based on Fields's descriptions. Edith was not a likable character--indeed, she was more like a middle aged child--but she was a very realistic character. I understood why she took the actions she did and her every reaction seemed reasonable based on the way she was portrayed in the novel. And, I totally believe that this woman, the Edith Wharton of The Age of Desire would have written Ethan Frome. Despite all this, there was something that troubled me about this book. I could never figure out what it was really about. Was it about Edith's friendship with her secretary, Anna? About her affair with Fullerton? About her coming to terms with her own middle age? The focus of the book tended to shift frequently and, when I finished the story, I still couldn't figure out what path the book was on. Part of this problem was Anna. She was a great character, probably my favorite in the book, but her balance in the book was just off. I think this book would have benefited greatly from either more about Anna or less about her. As it was, she was a character who was very important when she was present, but rather forgotten when she wasn't. While I didn't find this book wholly satisfying, it is one I would readily recommend to anyone who considers themselves a fan of Edith Wharton, historical fiction or just well-written prose. I was provided a copy of this book by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours in return for an honest review. I received no other compensation for this review.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Road Trip to Redemption A Disconnected Family a Cross Country Adventure & an Amazing Journey of Healing & Grace
by
Brad Mathias, George Barna
Melinda Ott
, August 05, 2013
The review was originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.75 Stars I'll come clean...what drew me to this book was not he spiritual component or the parenting component. What made me want to read this book is that I love road trips. I grew up taking road 4000+ mile road trips every summer and I know that we'll be taking our kids on such trips as they grow older. So, really, this book was right up my alley. The thing is, yes, there is a road trip in this book...but it isn't what the book is about. Instead, this is a Christian parenting book. Mathias starts by giving us a brief history of his marriage and family, bringing us to the "start" of the story and the calling for him to take his family on this road trip. While Mathias talks a bit about traveling with teenagers, he spends more time talking about the spiritual discoveries of his family. I found this incredibly interesting, but I will say that this is not really a book for someone new to Christianity. Mathias had matured in his faith in the years leading up to this road trip, his children were maturing in their faith during the road trip and I think a somewhat mature faith is needed to appreciate what he has written. I also felt that this was more of a "fathering" book than a "parenting" book--there is nothing wrong with that. Mathias is a father so it is only natural that he would write from that viewpoint. However, as a mother, I found this book more as something I would recommend to my husband than one that I would read for parenting advice for myself. I will admit that I'm knocking a quarter of a star off this review for this sentence, found on page 13: "I had studied both ancient and modern religious teachings of many faiths and customs; I had researched Eastern mysticism, Mormonism, Satanism, Universalism, Lutheranism, Scientology, Islam, Hinduism, and finally Wicca." Um, one of these things does not seem to belong. This good Lutheran lady is a little perplexed why Lutheranism would be included in this collection--we are actually mainstream Protestant Christians. Heck, we're the original Protestants. Theologically, we aren't that different from most other mainline Christian denominations, so I'm not sure how we ended up in this collection of his. (I'll admit I might be taking this a little too personally, but this is my review....) So, not counting that sentence, Road Trip to Redemption turned out to be less a road-trip book, but more an enlightening story of a family's--and a father's--spiritual growth. Tyndale House Publishers provided me a copy of this book to read in return for an honest review. I received no other compensation for this post.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Orphan Train
by
Kline, Christina Baker
Melinda Ott
, August 02, 2013
Review originally published on my blog westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.75 Stars I simply could not put this book down! I had heard about the orphan trains first when I saw a documentary on The American Experience. Then, when I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I knew going in that it was about a girl on the orphan trains. However, I was not aware of the parallel story with Molly, the foster child. While I would have enjoyed this book if it were only about Vivian, I think the addition of Molly's story is what really gives it teeth. I loved the writing style of this book. It was poetic without being too sophisticated for the subject matter. Baker Kline also does an excellent job of creating two truly memorable characters in Vivian and Molly. Both characters spend the bulk of the book in similar situations, but they escape the trap of melding into each other. Parts of this book were very hard for me to read--not because it was badly written, but because it was so well written. The pain inflicted on these two girls is so astutely expressed that the reader can't help but feel it. One touch I really liked was the introduction of two other works of literature: Jane Eyre and Anne of Green Gables. The introduction of two famous literary orphans was a nice detail in this book. There only two minor things that are keeping me from giving this review 5 stars. For one thing, I was so engrossed in this story that I wish it was a bit longer, but I realize that is just my feeling. The other thing--and this is very petty on my part--but I kept wondering how Molly, a foster child in a less than generous placement, would have both a cell phone (I believe it was a smart phone, but I may be remembering that incorrectly) and a laptop. I know, it is a small detail, but it sort of nagged at me. Every once in a while a book comes along that just invades your soul. For me, Orphan Train was one of those books and it is one that I will be recommending to just about everyone I know.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Revenge Wears Prada The Devil Returns
by
Lauren Weisberger
Melinda Ott
, July 31, 2013
Originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 2.0 Stars I expected to give this book a much higher rating--not because I had such high expectations, but because I had such low expectations. I read The Devil Wears Prada shortly after it was published and wasn't impressed. However, I did enjoy the movie and was in need of something light, so I decided to give this sequel a go, even though I didn't expect it to be anything spectacular. Sadly, my low expectations were not met. I couldn't quite figure out what this book was supposed to be. Was it about Miranda Priestly exacting revenge? Was it about Andy's new life and trying to find balance? Was it about her marriage? The story sort of wandered aimlessly in these areas without any sort of direction. I also found the voice in the book to just be, well, off. After finishing this book I went back and checked The Devil Wears Prada and found that book to be written in the first person voice while this book was written in the third person voice. I know that seems like a little thing, but it really threw me when I was reading this. I also felt like I was reading the third book in a trilogy instead of a sequel. So much time had passed between the two books and Weisberger spent so much time going over what happened in that decade that I kept feeling like I was missing an entire book. I found the arc of the story to be incredibly predictable. I knew how Andy would end up at the end of the book by the end of the first chapter. I kept looking for twists and turns, but none came. I really didn't see anything truly creative in this book. The one positive thing I can say about this book is that Weisberger's description of Andy's post-Miranda PTSD is very realistic. My last job was a den of toxicity and I still, almost 5 years later, still experience the nightmares and such that Andy goes through. I guess my one hope for this book is, if they decide to make a movie of it, they work the same magic on it as they did with The Devil Wears Prada. Yes, sometimes the movie really is better.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other Peoples Choices
by
Cynthia Ruchti
Melinda Ott
, July 26, 2013
Originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.5 Stars Ragged Hope is an interesting book and I haven't come across one quite like it. Each chapter features a story of an individual facing a crisis not of their making and then finding (usually) the faith to see through it. I found it to be an easy, entertaining and though-provoking read. Plus, the format made it an easy book to read in small doses, such as a few chapters in the evening or part of a devotional. My issue with this book is that I wasn't really sure what the purpose of it was. It isn't a devotional, at least not on its own. It also isn't really set up as a group study. The vignettes span such varied topics that I can't see it being especially useful to someone dealing with a specific situation. The only way I could figure out for this book to be more than just entertaining would be to refer a specific chapter to someone who was going through a situation that was similar. If you are looking for a general book about resilience from a Christian perspective, then you should consider Ragged Hope. However, if you are going through something specific and are searching for guidance, this book may be too general for you.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Zealot The Life & Times of Jesus of Nazareth
by
Reza Aslan
Melinda Ott
, July 25, 2013
Originally published on my blog westmetromommy.blogspot.com 2.5 Stars I am truly conflicted about this book. On one hand, there is much to recommend it. On the other hand, I feel that Aslan missed his mark on many points. One of the best things about this book is Aslan's skill at recreating the world of first century Palestine for the modern reader. Israel/Palestine/The Holy Land has never been a place of calm, but it may have been at its most chaotic during that time (even more so than the modern day). I've read many books about the history of Jesus and Zealot is the first one I've come across that takes the time to explain the world of Jesus as Aslan does. Another area where I think Aslan excelled was in his discussion of the theological battles between James and Paul. I don't quite agree with all of his claims, but it was one part of the book where I learned something new and it did leave me with a new outlook on some of the Epistles. For the most part, Aslan has a very readable style. I have a high tolerance for "academic" writings, but I really felt that Aslan wrote at a level that most people would find accessible--most of the time. There were about 4 or 5 sections of the book where Aslan allows himself to get so bogged down with details that I had to keep referring several pages back to see what his original point was. All that being said, I found some serious flaws with this book. When a book is written about any historical and religious figure, there is a very thin line the author must walk. There have been authors who have successfully navigated this when writing about Jesus (Marcus Borg is one that comes to mind), but Aslan trips spectacularly over that line with his own assumptions that he fails to back up with any sort of actual proof. There were three instances that really stuck out to me, which I will address in reverse order. The last of these was when it came to Saul/Paul and his conversion experience. Aslan's argument is that it never happened--it was a creation of Luke when he wrote the book of Acts. Aslan argues that it must not have happened because Paul never talks of it. First of all, that's not exactly true. While Paul does not precisely recount the incident, he alludes to it several times in his letters. Secondly, why would Paul write about it? He's not writing a record of his life. He's writing letters to congregations who have met him and know about him and would definitely have been aware of his conversion experience. Not only do I believe Aslan to be incorrect on this point, but he uses his assumption as fact. The second instance is in reference to the Resurrection. Aslan states that it is a matter of faith and can not be proven in history--which is completely true. But he then goes on with the assumption that it never happened, which can't be proven either, making the rest of that section meaningless. The first instance, and the one that totally knocked me off my feet, regards the miracles of Jesus. Aslan spends little time talking about Jesus' parables and miracle. For the parables, he only addresses the ones that he can make fit into his thesis and ignores the many (and more famous) ones that do not. As for miracles, Aslan writes it of as....magic. Yes, magic. And not magic as in David Copperfield-like illusions, but honest to goodness Holy Harry Potter magic. Aslan's greatest problem is that he mistakes his own assumptions as fact. He leaves no room for the possibility of anything. When he has no proof for or against that Jesus and John the Baptist were relatives, he immediately assumes that they weren't. Why not go with, maybe they were or maybe they weren't? When Aslan says (page 121 of my ARC), "Yet if one wants to uncover what Jesus himself truly believed, one must never lose sigh of this fundamental fact: Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew and nothing more," what makes that a fundamental fact? Because Aslan says so? He also said Jesus was "magic." Ignoring what you cannot explain does not create facts, it creates opinions. Beyond the "facts" of his own creation, there really isn't anything in this book regarding Jesus that I haven't read elsewhere. I do feel that Aslan's constant assertions that his assumptions are facts very quickly become patronizing to the reader, which colors the positive aspects of this book. Would I recommend this book? I don't know. If I were to recommend it, it would be to someone who I know reads with a discerning eye who would be able to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to say. I do think that there are parts of this book that are valuable, but other sections (well, the large middle section) which are questionable at best. Aslan's thesis seems to be that Christianity misses the point of Jesus. However, I think it is Reza Aslan who is missing the point.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(21 of 33 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Gracianna
by
Trini Amador
Melinda Ott
, July 24, 2013
Originally published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.75 stars Gracianna is an interesting book on many levels. I know a little bit about the Basque culture--some of my husband's relatives have worked with that community--but only just the basics of this ancient community. Gracianna opens with a bit of a history lesson about the Basques, which I found quite interesting. However, the story really takes off once Gracianna heads to Paris. There are a number of historical novels dealing with the French Resistance, yet Gracianna seems unique and a good addition to the collection. Gracianna herself is a wonderful character. I completely understand why Amador was so interested in her story. She could have very easily become a cliche, but Amador is able to keep her fresh and interesting. As most of the book clearly centers around Gracianna, the supporting characters did not need to be as fleshed out. However, I wish more attention had been spent on Juan. He's portrayed very much as the "man behind the woman," which is fine, but the story as a whole would have benefited by filling out his character a bit more. Amador's writing style is unique. I've read many biographies that read like novels, but this is the first novel I've read that reads like a biography. I'm not criticizing the style, but it did take a bit of getting used to on my part. I also felt that the first part of the book, while interesting, was a bit more academic than one would expect in a novel. All in all, Gracianna was an intriguing and entertaining novel that I would recommend to any fan of historical fiction set in this period.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile
by
C. W. Gortner
Melinda Ott
, July 22, 2013
Review from my blog westmetromommy.blogspot.com Ferdinand and Isabella. They are up there with the "big time" medieval monarchs--Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and Ferdinand and Isabella. That being said, they are really known among most people for two things: the Spanish Inquisition and sponsoring Christopher Columbus. I will admit that my knowledge of Spanish history during this period lacks when compared to my knowledge of English, Italian or even German history of the same period. But, when it comes to biographical historical fiction, I prefer to read about characters I don't know as well, so the topic of Isabella of Castile appealed to me. This book sucked me in from the first sentence. Gortner does an admirable job of creating Isabella's world and drawing Isabella as a character who is both created by and rebelling against that world. Often times when I read about a "character ahead of her time," it just strikes me of an author taking a centuries-old figure and throwing a robe of 21st-century sensibilities over their shoulders. However, I really didn't get that from this book. I understood why Isabella was such a strong woman and, although she did not fit the mold of women in the late 15th century, she did not seem anachronistic. Gortner also needs to be commended on his descriptions of Ferdinand and Isabella's relationship. While he does take some liberties in order to tell this story--which he explains in his afterward--I think he probably has as accurate an account of their marriage as anyone 600 years later can write. Yes, they loved each other and, yes, Ferdinand had his dalliances. Marital fidelity among the ruling classes was, well, different during that time. If Gortner had painted Ferdinand as a pillar of honor on this count, he would have damaged his novel's credibility. I utterly enjoyed this book and it left me with 2 desires: to read more by C.W. Gortner and to go to Spain. I reserved Gortner's The Last Queen, about Ferdinand and Isabella's daughter Juana, at the library--but I think that visit to Spain will have to wait for a while. If you are at all interested in historical fiction, I heartily recommend The Queen's Vow.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Virgin Cure
by
Ami McKay
Melinda Ott
, July 18, 2013
This review was published on my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 4.0 Stars If I had to choose one word to describe The Virgin Cure, it would be Dickensian. McKay has created a tough and determined heroine in Moth and surrounded her with the sort of folk teeter on the line of being cartoonish, but never quite cross into that territory. I found the world of post-Civil War New York that McKay creates to be fascinating and more than a little frightening. Moth makes decisions that, with a modern mind, we would question. However, when you see the world from which she comes, you begin to wonder if you would have done anything different. I enjoyed McKay's writing style and the plot of the book held me until the last page. That being said, the book did have patches of unevenness and I wasn't always sure what direction the author was trying to take. Also, while most of the characters are fascinating, there were a few that were just plain unbelievable (mainly, Mrs. Wentworth). I think that if those characters had been worked through a bit more, it would have smoothed the story out a bit more. Still, I greatly enjoyed The Virgin Cure and would recommend it to someone looking for a historical novel set in this era.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Boleyn King A Novel
by
Laura Andersen
Melinda Ott
, July 17, 2013
This review is from my blog at westmetromommy.blogspot.com 3.75 stars I wasn't even sure I wanted to read this book. As a history buff with a degree in Medieval History, I have a thing for historical accuracy. So, a book that is based on something that did not happen is treading on dangerous territory for me. This book departs from reality on January 26, 1536. On that date, Anne Boleyn miscarried a son and her life went decidedly downhill from that point on. The basis of The Boleyn King is that Anne Boleyn did not miscarry and, instead, gave birth to a healthy baby boy in June of 1536--a boy who succeeds his father, Henry VIII, and becomes king. I was intrigued by this book because the Tudor period has always interested me. I've always been sympathetic to Anne Boleyn--well, I've always been sympathetic to all the wives of Henry VIII. Let's face it--they all had the rotten end of the deal. Anne Boleyn, however, has always been the most interesting of the six wives for me. So, the idea of what if she had lived pulled me in. I think the one thing that helped me deal with the fact that this is an Alternate History book is that this is a lighter read. I don't mean that it is badly written, but it is a different class than, say, a Hilary Mantel book. Andersen actually has a very readable and even style and the plot kept me intrigued. I will say that the most interesting characters for me were Elizabeth and Anne Boleyn--the two who actually existed. The 3 main fictional characters--William, Dominic, and Minuette--were fine, but all teetered too close to being cliche. While the events of this book were not historical, the setting and details were. Andersen did her research and nothing jumped out to me as being just wrong. The plot kept me interested, although some of the finer details sometimes got lost. For example, the book starts with Alyce de Clare, a lady in waiting to Anne Boleyn, dying mysteriously. Somewhere in the middle of the book, Alyce falls out of the story. When she is mentioned again at the end of the book, it was rather jarring. This book is the first in a trilogy and ends as such--in other words, don't expect a clean ending. While the book wasn't perfect, I found it entertaining to add the next book, The Boleyn Deceit (due to be published this fall), on my to-be-read list.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Godiva
by
Nicole Galland
Melinda Ott
, July 04, 2013
When I started this review, I actually had a higher rating for this book. Then I realized that I can't really think of anything positive to say about this book. Perhaps I'm being unfair, but this book fed into nearly all of my pet-peeves and, frankly, just irritated me. I have a degree in Medieval History and I'm familiar with Lady Godiva, which is why I was looking forward to reading this book. Lady Godiva was a real person and was one of the only female landowners in England at the time of the Norman Conquest. However, nearly all historians agree that her legendary naked ride was no more than that--a legend. Sadly, it didn't take long for this book to get under my skin. Galland may have researched the larger aspects of this story, but not the finer details. My first notice of this was after her fifth or sixth time of talking about Godiva wearing silk in the first few chapters of the book. That just didn't seem right to me so, after less than 30 seconds of searching on the internet, I found several sites proving her wrong. Silk was not widely used in southern Europe until the 13th century and not used in England until the 15th century, nearly 400 years after this story takes place. When Galland made the decision to mention incessantly the fact that Godiva wore silk, she should have taken the time to research that detail. There many other small mentions, such as priests no longer being able to marry (again, this didn't happen until the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, over a century later), that should have been corrected before this book was published. The problem is that once an author shows that they are not paying attention to the historical record, they're entire book becomes questionable. There was also a bizarre facet of this story regarding pagan beliefs versus Christian beliefs. While I have no doubt that pagan practices were common among the peasantry at this point in history, I find it hard to believe that a noblewoman who was raised in a convent would also follow these practices. But, more importantly, Galland seems to be hitting the reader over the head with this and it is obvious she is trying to make some point about it, but I could never figure out what that point was! The character of Godiva is just downright unlikable. She coarsely and blatantly uses her sexuality to bend men to her will and doesn't think twice about meddling in other people's lives. There is a very bizarre middle-school subplot of her trying to fix up her friend (an Abbess!) with a nobleman that does nothing but lower Godiva even more in my esteem. Sadly and ironically, this plot tends to be more interesting than Godiva's story (which isn't that hard a feat....). Galland's writing is very uneven--and, to me, uneven writing is a far worse sin than just bad writing. There are passages that are passably well-written and others that are just painful. This is especially obvious in her dialogue. She tries to have her characters speak in a formal, "old-fashioned" style, but then someone will say something that sounds more like it came from the 21st century. One example: "How bad was the damage? Have you marred my chances to convince him in a more straightforward manner?" Edgiva was not accusing, only strategizing. "Welllll [sic]..." Godiva said, shamed, "he ordered Aldred to refute me." "Ahhh." A dry smile. "So you wooed Brother Aldred too." "I did," Godiva confessed. "Although with him I was not woo-ish." It was passages like this that led me to shake the book and say, "Pick a century and stick with it!" I also believe that there are words--think of them of the "challenge" words for the SAT--that an author should only be able to use once per book, and only if the general prose of the book supports that level of vocabulary (which this book does not). One such word is obsequious. The first time it came up in this book, I laughed to myself and thought that someone had just gone to their Roget's Thesaurus. But then the word was used again, and again. In total, she uses "obsequious" four times and "obsequiousness" once--and every time stuck out like a sore thumb. The fact that I kept count should tell you something. Finally, there is what I consider the greatest sin of this book. Galland tells instead of shows. There are pages of explanation of some point or another that do absolutely nothing to move the story along and succeed only in boring the reader. Truly, the only thing that kept me reading this book was the overall arc of the story (which was pre-determined by legend) and then the Godiva's ride was completely anti-climatic. To add insult to injury, the book finishes with another long explanatory dialogue section which does nothing to redeem the 200 or so pages that came before it. I went into this book with great expectations and that may be partly responsible for my reaction to this book. However, I just can't get past the technical, factual and stylistic problems with this book. This is the lowest rating I've yet given to a book that I've finished, but it is the first book that I haven't been able to find one positive thing to say about it. Ultimately, I feel that this book should have and could have been much better than it was and that, sadly, is this book's greatest flaw.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Eleanor and Park
by
Rainbow Rowell
Melinda Ott
, July 01, 2013
Young adult romance is not the sort of book that I normally read. If I do venture into the young adult genre, it is usually something along the lines of The Hunger Games or such. However, I had heard so many wonderful things about Eleanor and Park that I had to give it a try. That being said, I was a little apprehensive because hype doesn't always work out for me. Thankfully (oh so thankfully!), this was a book that lived up to the hype. There are a lot of things going for this book for me. For one thing, this book is set in my time. As far as I can tell, Eleanor and Park--if they were flesh-and-bone beings--would only be a year older than I am. I'm a sucker of nostalgia and this book brought a lot of that for me. Secondly, Eleanor and Park does romance the right way--the real way. I don't think their relationship is unconventional at all--although I wish that Eleanor's living situation was. This isn't a hallmark card love story. The best I can describe it is that it is a couple steps past a John Hughes movie (again, I think I just dated myself). The dual narrator format can be difficult, both to write and read. In Eleanor and Park, it is what makes the book work. Readers experience the turmoil of emotions inside both of the main characters as they try to figure out their feelings for each other and for themselves. Don't let the "Young Adult" label turn you off this book. It may be about two teenagers, but it is a timeless story.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Bristol House
by
Beverly Swerling
Melinda Ott
, June 24, 2013
This is not the book I thought it would be. Even with a summary describing it as "thriller," I still expected something more quaint, more--well--English. I was wrong. I won't go into the specifics of the plot as I don't think I can do so without spoiling any of it, but this is a book that I could not put down. Swerling does an excellent job of walking that line between an action-driven and a character-driven book and ends up with a perfect specimen of a plot-driven book. There is plenty of action, of course...but there are also wonderful characters. Annie is a believable heroine; haunted by her past mistakes and trying to get her life on the right path. Geoff isn't the most original character, but he's believable and right for the story. My favorite character had to be Maggie, Geoff's octogenarian mother. In many ways, Bristol House is similar to a Dan Brown book--although Bristol House is far better than anything Brown has ever written. The plot is built on religious beliefs through history and tied to current events. Bristol House also has a supernatural element, which I really enjoyed but others may not. I wouldn't call Bristol House a beach read--it was great fun, but it wasn't what I would consider "light." If you are looking for something fun that calls one you to use some brain cells, Bristol House is for you.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Remarkable Ronald Reagan Cowboy & Commander in Chief
by
Susan Allen
Melinda Ott
, June 21, 2013
I'll admit it--I was a little apprehensive about reading this to my daughter. We have read a number of biographies together, but no subject has been as recent as Ronald Reagan. Even nearly a decade after his life, he is still a polarizing character in the American psyche. Frankly, I was afraid that this book might be more of an indoctrination attempt than just a good old kid's book. People may disagree with me, but I didn't feel that there was anything questionable in this book. Adults can argue about Reagan and his legacy all they want, but this book was truly just a juvenile-style biography. True, this book is all about the good and nothing about the bad--but all picture book biographies are like that (although, to be fair, we haven't read any picture book biographies about the likes of Hitler or Stalin, so there may be exceptions to that rule). I'm rather ambivalent about President Reagan, but I would assume that someone of a more liberal leaning would not feel comfortable reading this book to their child. (I should add that my husband adored this book....) This book is said to be appropriate for children ages 5 to 8. Honestly, I think closer to the 8 side of that range would be ideal. My daughter is 4 and half, but I read to her at a higher age-level. While she did think starring in Bedtime for Bonzo with a chimpanzee was absolutely hilarious, she didn't seem very interested in the rest of the book. To be sure, Allen crams a lot of information in this book--maybe much more than she needs to. Because of that, it is best suited for slightly older children with a longer attention span.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Cant Stop Talking
by
Susan Cain
Melinda Ott
, June 20, 2013
I should start by saying that I am an introvert--one who fought against being an introvert for many years as I was continually told that I needed to change, that I needed to "come out of my box." So, from my personal position, this was an incredibly freeing book to read. Cain starts by examining not introverts, but the extrovert ideal. When I first started, I found this a bit awkward. However, as I got into the book, I realized that this was necessary to set the foundation for her examination of introverts. And she does examine them from every angle--nature versus nurture, cultural influences, even biological influences. This book is packed with information, but Cain is able to present it in such a way that it is easily readable. There were times that I felt it dragged just a bit, but that happened when she discussed areas (such as business) for which I don't have much interest. Other people may find those sections to be the most interesting. I've seen many bloggers reading this book, and I know it has shown up on more than a few "bests" lists. And I'm happy for that. Cain has an important message to share and I hope that people do read this book--introverts and extroverts--and take it to heart.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(7 of 9 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
by
Cheryl Strayed
Melinda Ott
, June 14, 2013
There are a couple of reasons why I should not have liked this book. First of all, it was spectacularly hyped by the time I got to it--Strayed is a local author, so we heard a lot about this book in this neck of the woods. And it was an Oprah book. And it is going to be a movie soon. That alone probably could have kept me from the book except that one of my close friends, whose taste in books is similar to mine, raved about it. Second reason: it falls into a category in my mind of books about women overcoming personal demons and difficult histories that women love and I hate. I grouped it together with The Glass Castle and Carry On, Warrior and, worst of all in my mind, Eat, Pray, Love. Wild definitely shares characteristics with these books, in my opinion, but I guess I'm a slow learner and decided to read it anyway. The third reason became apparent as I started the book. Strayed, at least at the beginning of the book, is incredibly unlikable. This is usually the kiss of death for me when reading memoirs, but not in this case. Strayed is able to write about her past unpleasant self in a way that you just know that she will eventually get past this and, now, she is much nicer. At least I hope so! You'd think it would be a case of three strikes and you're out with this book, but I actually truly enjoyed this book. Yes, Strayed is an utter mess as she starts her hike--and rather, well, stupid when it comes to some her personal choices about hiking and life. But she does learn and she does grow and, really, that is what this book is about. Strayed uses language beautifully and her descriptions make you feel as if you are on the PCT (although, having hiked some sections of the PCT in the Gorge, I have something to compare to which I can compare her descriptions!). She is not afraid to describe the person she really was when she started this journey in 1995. The only complaint I have about this book is that, once she gets into Oregon on the trail, Strayed starts to rush towards the end of the book. I understand why this may be--at that point she's well on her way to healing--but I was looking forward to reading her adventures in Oregon as she'd be on my turf! Instead, the bulk of this book takes place on the California segment of the trail. This is not a book about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail--there are other books to be found if that is what you are wanting. If you are looking a book about personal growth, recovery and triumph, then Wild would be an excellent book for you.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
She Rises
by
Kate Worsley
Melinda Ott
, June 13, 2013
This is a hard review for me to write as I am truly conflicted about this book. Worsley has a beautiful writing style and is especially skilled at bringing 18th century England--and the sea--to life. I also found the idea behind this book to be original and fascinating. But... All in all, this book just didn't work for me. As much as I liked the idea of the book, I don't think that idea came to fruition effectively. Writing parallel stories, as Worsley has done here with Louise and Luke, is not always successful and, in this case, I found it horribly distracting. The two tales do come together eventually, but it doesn't make up for the majority of the book where the stories seem to operate on their own. Worsley did a fine job creating the main characters of Louise and Luke, but I can't say much about any of the other characters in the book. Most problematic was Rebecca. She was an incredibly unlikable character and Worsley never really made the case for the attraction between Rebecca and Louise plausible--which is at the center of this novel. This is Worsley's debut novel and, fair or not, I am chalking this up to inexperience. Worsley's writing is certainly top notch--and I'd be willing to read any future books of hers--but she needs to improve her structuring and finessing the structure of her stories.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Revealing Heaven: The Eyewitness Accounts That Changed How a Pastor Thinks about the Afterlife
by
John W. Price
Melinda Ott
, May 30, 2013
I came to this book through reading reviews from other bloggers, reviews that were decidedly mixed. As I read more reviews, I realized that they fell into two groups. On the one hand, there were the people who liked the book. On the other, there were people who were upset because Price questioned their view of Christianity. According to Price, non-Christians, animals, and (gasp!) homosexuals go to heaven and there were a lot of people who were not happy in the least about that. I'll admit it--I wanted to see what the hubbub was about. Before I go further, I think I should state where I stand on death, Heaven, Near Death Experiences (NDE's), and the like. In short, I believe in it all. I am a devout Christian and I believe that there is everlasting life. However, I also believe that, as mortals, none of us are even remotely able to understand God and his ways. To hold Him strictly to our interpretation of the Bible is arrogant and wrong. Nor do I have any patience for those who use God's word to support their views, rather than letting God's word form their views. Who are we to question who gets into heaven and who does not? So, when Price's research leads to possibility that it is not just the chosen few who get into heaven, not only am I fine with that, I'm relieved. Okay, that is out of the way and what I think of the people who decried this book as being "wrong." But what did I think of the book? Frankly, I wasn't overly impressed. This really doesn't have anything to do with the content--as I said, Price was preaching to the choir with me on this one. However, this was not a successful book for me. While I'm all on board with the content of this book, the writing lost me. Price is a rather clunky writer, which made this hard to read at times. I also felt that he needed to spend more time editing to streamline his work. He gives many examples of NDE's throughout his book, but he doesn't do so in a way that differentiates one from another. Then he refers back to them by the subject's name and I wasn't able to keep all the information straight. My other major complaint with this book is Price's ego. He spends a lot of time talking about he turned around a congregation and about how he improved things. There is even one NDE he reports where Jesus--yes, Jesus!--tells a woman that he--John Price--is right and she should listen to him. I mean, yeah, that could have happened. But there is just something about going around saying that Jesus says you are right that makes me doubt the messenger a bit. So, there you go. If you are looking for information about NDE's, it is here in this book. However, you will have to look through the writer--and the author--to get to the information.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit
by
Emma Thompson
Melinda Ott
, May 29, 2013
I have two confessions about this book. First of all, I decided to read it to my kids based solely on the fact that Emma Thompson wrote it. I adore Emma Thompson and I've always felt that she had a good way of relating to children. Secondly, and this may be a bit blasphemous, but I enjoyed this book far more than any book written by Beatrix Potter. I remember not especially liking the original books as a child and was rather aghast to discover how harsh they could be when I re-read them to my own children. Thompson's book, however, is far different. For one thing, Emma Thompson has written a story a child would enjoy, not a moral lesson. And Thompson fully develops this story, unlike the original Potter stories. I found it great fun to read with my kids as the story is so well paced. And it gave me a chance to practice my (hideous) Scottish accent. And, when my children were thoroughly disgusted at my accent attempt, they would listen to Emma Thompson herself read it (with a much better accent) on the included CD. This is a book I would recommend to any parent looking for something fun to read to their child. And, to the parents of my childrens' friends....your kid will probably get this from us on their next birthday!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
In the Garden of Stone
by
Susan Tekulve
Melinda Ott
, May 21, 2013
There are novels that are more poetry than prose, and In the Garden of Stone is certainly one of them. Tekulve writing style is hypnotic and mesmerizing. It seemed as if Tekulve was in the room telling me a story rather than me reading her words. The structure of the book is innovative as well. The argument can be made that this is a collection of short stories instead of a novel. In fact, some of the chapters have been published as standalone stories. Each chapter is another slice of life of the Sypher family. This could have very easily not worked--even in shorter story collections, it is hard for an author to maintain momentum through individual stories. Yet, Tekulve is able to do just that. A few incidents in the books are recapped several times in various chapters, which could very easily be an annoyance for the reader. Instead, the curtain is pulled back just a bit more each time Tekulve goes back to this events. While this isn't the most uplifting book--the characters are wholly human and therefore wholly flawed--it is one of the more fulfilling works of literature I have read in quite some time.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Gods of Heavenly Punishment A Novel
by
Jennifer Cody Epstein
Melinda Ott
, May 17, 2013
I had great expectations for this book. There are not that many books, at least not that many that I've come across that tell of World War II from the Japanese perspective. And the book starts out strong, giving us a tableau of the world from which Yoshi hails. However, it is right after this first chapter that the book starts to fall off the rails for me. We meet Cam and Lacy, a young couple from New York, who don't really seem to have anything to do with Yoshi. Then, BOOM!, we're in World War II and hopping between Japan, Manchuria and the United States. Each chapter is about a different character and, because of this, Yoshi ceases to be the main character and just becomes one in a sea of characters. It is too bad because Epstein's writing is quite beautiful and she has a knack for creating place and character. I did feel that the book ended strong and if she had focused the book on Billy and Yoshi--which is how she began it--this would have been a far more successful book.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Carry On Warrior The Momastery Way to Let Go Love One Another & Build a Life
by
Glennon Melton
Melinda Ott
, April 22, 2013
really feel that I need to review this is two parts to accurately convey my feelings about this book, so I'm going to start with the nitty gritty here--the writing. I find books written from blogs to be problematic. Writing a book and writing a blog are not the same thing and, taking pieces from a blog and putting them into a book tends to be unsatisfying for me. A blog post does not a chapter make. I'm sure there have been blogs to books that are able to avoid this misstep, but Carry On, Warrior is not one of them. Melton's writing is entertaining--in small doses. I suppose if I had had the luxury to read one chapter of this book every couple of days I might have found it more satisfying, but that was not the case. While there were passages, and sometimes entire chapters, that I found entertaining, the book as a whole was just too, well, bloggy. Carry On, Warrior also fell into the chronology trap. On a blog, you can follow whatever timeline your heart desires--it is one of the freedoms a blog allows. However, you cannot apply that same principle in a book. Melton seemed to be all over the place with her chronology. For example, she talked about wanting to adopt. Then she talked about not adopting, then she finished the book with the entire adoption drama. I really just couldn't keep things straight. Okay, part number two. If you are a fan of Melton's site, Momastery, you will like this book. In fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't absolutely love it. And you should stop reading this review right now. I will admit that I'm not a regular reader of her blog, but I "like" her on Facebook and sometimes I pop in to see what she's writing about. However, beyond that, I am a pretty clean slate when it comes to Glennon Doyle Melton. Now that I've said that, you can consider yourselves all warned about what I'm about to write. The truth of it is that I just didn't like her. Glennon Doyle Melton. I'm sure she is a very nice person and, yes, she is an entertaining blogger. I know she raises money for needy causes and generally tries to do good. But, she just isn't my cup of tea. After reading her book, I think I'd go batty if I were in her company for more than half an hour. I tried to pin down what it was that really got under my skin--and that is why I had to divide this review up. Once I got past the blog-like nature of this book, I realized what it was--and I'm sure I'm going to offend more than a few "Monkees" over this. Melton presents herself as some sort of spiritual leader and, frankly, she is far from having the chops for it. Humor and spirituality can go hand in hand, but glibness and spirituality really don't and, unfortunately, I found her more glib than humorous. As the book went on, I just found her more and more annoying. To make matters worse, I read some of her recent posts on her site, which contradict (for lack of a better word) what she has written in her book about her family. After that, I just didn't believe her anymore and, sadly, that is the kiss of death for me with a book. I debated how many stars to give this book and I ended up with 3--while I do feel that my criticisms about the technicalities of the book are fair, I also recognize that my personal feelings about Melton are not shared by everyone.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(4 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Orchard
by
Theresa Weir
Melinda Ott
, April 16, 2013
I will admit that I went into the book blind. I had put it on my e-Reader a few months previously, once I knew it would be a selection for my book club. By the time I started reading it, I had forgotten what it was about or even that it was a memoir! It would be very easy to get through half the book (as I did) and not know that it is a memoir as it reads very much like a novel. Once I realized that this was a memoir and not a novel, the book took on an almost chilling quality. At the risk of putting out a spoiler, the reader knows very early on that this book will not have a happy ending. To be honest, this book is more than a memoir. It is a love story, a family saga and an environmental cautionary tale. I was instantly drawn in by Weir's story and I felt that she did an expert job of measuring the pace of the plot to keep the reader hooked. There are a number of flashbacks in the book, which are also handled very well. There were a few parts of the book I would have liked Weir to develop a bit more, such as Adrian's relationship with his crazy, and I do mean CRAZY, mother. I also felt that there was a large gap of time that wasn't really addressed. It could have been that not much of note happened during that time, but I do think it could have been finessed a bit more. However, all in all, I found this a very satisfying--and heartbreaking--read. I would recommend it to anyone, but especially to those who think that memoirs "aren't for them." I promise that you that this is a not a stuffy autobiography. And I also promise that you will think twice about eating a conventionally grown apple.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Seduction A Novel of Suspense
by
M J Rose
Melinda Ott
, April 12, 2013
mean this as the highest compliment when I say that this book freaked me out. I don't normally read suspense and, without the historical aspect, I doubt I would have been interested in this book. However, the Hugo angle drew me in and I'm glad it did. I will say, however, that the book did not start out well for me. First of all, this book is the fifth in a series. While this book's plot is self-contained--meaning that you don't need to read the previous books in order to follow this plot--I felt that I couldn't quite get a grip on the characters of Jac and Malachi since I hadn't read in of the previous books. I can't fault Seduction for that, but I would put that out there for anyone interested in this book. Beyond that, I found the thought of Jac looking for Celtic ruins in Connecticut a bit far-fetched. However, once she arrived in Jersey, the book was on better ground. M.J. Rose could have muddled this story with unnecessary romantic plot twist, but I was glad to see that she avoided that. There are some strange plot twists, but these twists work out in the end. As for the characters, I really liked Jac and her damaged strength and the rest of the characters were all realistically drawn. However, Lucifer was probably the best written of the bunch. He's not your typical devil by any means. He's seductive and deceptive and, just like Victor Hugo, the reader will fall into his trap
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
All You Could Ask for
by
Mike Greenberg
Melinda Ott
, April 05, 2013
I will admit that I was a little apprehensive going into this book. In my experience, novels about women written by men tend to lean towards the unreadable side of the spectrum. Luckily, All You Could Ask For bucked the trend. This novel is in essentially two parts. The first half introduces the three women--Brooke, Samantha and Katherine--and illustrates where they are in their lives, fills in the back story for each character and sets the stage for what is to come. At the start of the second part, all three women have been diagnosed with breast cancer, in varying stages. Through an online community, Samantha meets both Brooke and Katherine and it is revealed well into this section that Brooke and Katherine knew each other when they were growing up. While I was reading the first section, I found myself enjoying it, but not really sure where things were going as the 3 stories were completely unrelated. However, I was over that by the time I got into the second section of the book and, in hindsight, I'm glad the first section was structured as such. There are now actual "chapters" in this book and the point of view switches between the 3 women. Normally, I would find this annoying. However, Greenberg seems to have mastered the mini-cliffhanger, so you are always wanting to continue. I have him to blame for several late nights while reading this book! Brooke and Katherine are very well-constructed characters. They are fully fleshed out and miss becoming stereotypes. Samantha is less three dimensional and at times seems too good to be true. However, I found this forgivable for the most part as Samantha serves as the glue that holds the three together. I really only have one big complaint about this book. Much of the first part of the second section is a series of emails between the characters. However, the style of these sections came across very unemail-ish. Instead, they were just as narrative as the other parts of the book and, frankly, I didn't buy that they were emails. Luckily, this is really only in one part of that section and once Greenberg gets past that, the writing improves. All You Could Ask For is an entertaining, but thought-provoking, read that I would recommend to anyone looking for something somewhere between a beach read and high-falutin' literature.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
The Tale of Lucia Grandi: The Early Years
by
Susan Speranza
Melinda Ott
, March 26, 2013
If I had to choose one word to describe this book, it would be effective. This is not a warm and fuzzy book, it is a book fraught with pain and distress and, frankly, that is how I felt reading this book. I normally read in bed before going to sleep and, every night that I read this book, I suffered through horribly stressful dreams. No, it wasn’t pleasant, but it is a credit to this book and Speranza’s writing that it effected me so. There were things about this book, however, that irked me. The first is probably very frivolous complaint on my part, but it did rub me wrong. I’m not sure what the point of framing this book around an old (109 years old!) woman looking back at her life was meant to be. This is never tied up and is only mentioned in the first chapter. Plus, if Lucia is 109 years old and it born in the 40s, that would set that first chapter at 2040 or so. From some reason, that just irritated me the more I thought about it. I didn’t find the end of the book especially satisfying. If anything, it made things feel unfinished. I’m hoping, as this book is subtitled “The Early Years” that Lucia’s story will continue and then this will be a moot point. Finally, I run hot and cold over the character of Lucia. Her life is unbearably horrible and the fact that she survives is amazing, but she isn’t always the most likeable or sympathetic character. She is a trouble maker and she has an attitude��"understandable, yes…but I really felt like I wanted to shake some sense into her several times during this book. This was not a perfect book for me. But, as I said, if Lucia returns for the later years, I will definitely be there to see what happens!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment
Bread & Wine Finding Community & Life Around the Table
by
Shauna Niequist
Melinda Ott
, March 26, 2013
My husband sometimes talks about having a spiritual guru, someone who can guide you in your faith journey. I know people look up to Anne Lamott or Marianne Williamson. For me, it is Shauna Niequist. From the moment I opened her first book, Cold Tangerines, I knew that I had found a kindred spirit. That being said, it is no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to review this book. But, I have a confession: I was a little apprehensive. You see, I used to be the foodie girl. I'd eat at the best restaurants, take gourmet cooking classes, try all the hip recipes...and then, something happened. That something was having children and all of a sudden cooking became a chore and something that I dreaded. So, when I found out what the subject of Shauna Niequist's new book was, I was worried that I wouldn't connect with it as I had her other two books. I was wrong. I can't be critical about this book because I loved every bit of it. Niequist's welcoming writing style and dry humor invite you in and her stories of food, family, friendship and faith keep you at the table. And there are recipes! And some of the recipes are gluten free (we're trying to go gluten free in our house)! And then something strange happened.... I wanted to cook. And not just something that I had to open and warm up or throw in the crock pot. Now, I wanted to cook a full meal--for people. A lot of people. It isn't that there is anything magical about food itself. But when you bring people together around the table, magic does happen. Guards come down, authentic selves appear. In a world where people tend to eat and dash, we miss out on this fundamental human experience and Shauna Niequist not only illustrates how important it is, but how to bring it back. I know that some people will see that this is a book from a Christian publishing house and will immediately turn away. I beg you not to do that. Yes, Shauna Niequist is a Christian and it is part of her being, but this book truly has a universal appeal. And, yes, she talks about her faith, but not in a way that seems she is trying to convert you to anything (other than cooking). And for those of you who are Christians, you will find this a spiritually fulfilling memoir. I want to have the community she describes. I want to have my best friends over to cook a meal together (is anyone game?). I want to sit around the table and open my soul to others. And I want to try those bacon-wrapped dates!
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
My Beloved World
by
Sonia Sotomayor
Melinda Ott
, March 15, 2013
I’m always a little wary of memoirs. Just because someone has a moving story does not mean they can write. And just because someone can write doesn’t mean they have a story to tell. Luckily, Sotomayor has a compelling story and is able to tell it with an authentic voice. Sotomayor’s early years, with her “Big, Fat, Puerto Rican Family” read like a novel. From her relationship with her grandmother, to her father’s death, to her mother’s retreat, Sotomayor’s early life can compete with any epic novel. I almost��"almost��"forgot that this woman would be appointed to the highest court in the land and, instead, wondered if she’d make it through high school. But she did and, once she headed off to Princeton, the story takes a turn. We can see how each decision Sotomayor made took her one step closer to her goals. Her life was not easy and it is obvious that, while some opportunities were within her reach thanks to affirmative action, it was her own hard work, determination and pure pluck that got her to where she is. Before I read My Beloved World, I admired Sonia Sotomayor. Now, I consider her one of my personal heroes
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Appearances and Other Stories
by
Margo Krasne
Melinda Ott
, March 12, 2013
Every time I read a short story collection, my review starts the same way: I’m not a fan of short stories, but I like this collection. Appearances falls into the same category. Maybe I should just admit that I like short story collections. There are 2 distinct parts to this collection. The first half is a series of stories of Alice, a young girl growing into an adult in a dysfunctional family. I quite liked this part of the book. While I can’t say that I personally had much in common with Alice (thankfully), the dynamics in her family are very familiar to those I’ve seen on other branches of my family tree. Because of this, these stories rang very true when I read them and Alice captured��"and held onto��"my imagination. The second half of the book consists of 3 unrelated stories, all dealing with women in their middle-aged years and going through different conflicts in their lives. While each story was entertaining, I didn’t find them as fulfilling as the Alice stories. However, this may not indicate anything other than I just had nothing in my own life (yet) that I found reflected in these stories. Krasne is a talented writer and I was surprised that this was her first collection. I found her prose to be concise and polished��"not something you always find in a debut publication. I do hope that she continues to publish her work as I would love to read more from her.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
report this comment