Author: drbethnolan

Review: RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA: A NOVEL by Kimberly McCreight

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It seems that RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA is all over the blogosphere these days, so I requested it from the library. There were a ton of holds already ahead of me. When it didn’t materialize after a month, I purchased it for my kindle. I had heard a lot about this book and it didn’t disappoint me!

In RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA, high powered attorney Kate Baron gets a phone call from her daughter’s private school that there’s been an incident of cheating and her daughter is being suspended. When she reaches the school, her daughter Amelia is dead, apparently having committed suicide by jumping off the roof. “Sorry” is written on the wall near where Amelia was. Then Kate receives a text: “She didn’t jump”. Thus begins Kate’s journey into discovering who her daughter really was – her secrets, her desires, her inner self. Kate harbors a lot of guilt for being a working single mom, and she seeks to prove that Amelia did not commit suicide and she did not plagiarize. The more she digs, the more she finds, and that makes her rethink all that she thought she knew.

This story is told in present day tense (Kate’s voice) and then through flashback (Amelia’s voice), texts, blog posts, and emails. Even though it jumped around a lot chronologically, I liked that way of telling the story.

There were some of elements in this story that did NOT work for me (SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!). For instance, this principal at Grace Hall had a lot of spare time on his hands (having worked in independent schools for over twenty years I can tell you that spare time for a headmaster is rare!). Also, no one questioned the writing on the wall at first. And Amelia didn’t think it odd that Ben got her private cell number supposedly from Princeton since they would be attending a summer session there (strangers, but both attending, and Princeton just gives it out?). Kate, supposedly brilliant, was the last to figure out who Amelia’s father was (I figured it out before she did – lol). And that English teacher?? Can we say: quick way to lose your job?

But – overlooking these things – I found this novel to be compelling and thought-provoking, suspenseful and exciting. I could hardly put it down because I wanted to know what happened. My only sadness was that it started with Amelia’s death and I knew she wasn’t coming back. Having the book in her voice and getting to know her made for a poignant reading experience.

Here’s a book trailer I found on You Tube for this book — also found on the Amazon page — it’s interesting and thought-provoking!!

Concord Bookshop Afternoon with Meg Donohue and Nichole Bernier

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photo (2) BOOKSHOP SIGN

 

This Sunday I had the opportunity to head over to my favorite independent bookshop – The Concord Bookshop – for a reading by Meg Donohue and Nichole Bernier. Nichole’s novel, THE UNFINISHED WORK OF ELIZABETH D, was one of my fave reads from 2012 (reviewed here: https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/review-the-unfinished-work-of-elizabeth-d-by-nichole-bernier/). Meg is a new author for me. Her 2012 novel HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE was out at the shop. I’ve heard good things about it and will need to read it! I purchased ALL THE SUMMER GIRLS – her latest novel about three friends coming together one summer to reflect on their lives and their choices and issues. Looks like it will be a great read!

Here are Nichole and Meg enjoying the crowd:

photo (2) AUTHORS

All in all – a fun afternoon!

The BEA Bloggers’ Conference 2013

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This week I had the chance to attend the BEA Bloggers’ Conference, held in NYC. The Bloggers’ Con is part of the overall BEA (Book Expo America) which is HUGE and has hundreds of authors signing books and lots of sessions. I just couldn’t get away for more than one day, though, so I just attended the blogger con (this year!).

There is something so exciting and rejuvenating about attending a conference filled with people who love to read and write about books. Sometimes blogging can be a tad lonely, and even though I connect with a lot of people through blogging, there is a sense of “if I write it, will they read it?” when I create my posts. It’s so refreshing to meet people who feel the same way, and oh so flattering to be recognized by readers!

However, the point of this post is to share some of the highlights of that day’s sessions. I had attended Blogger Con two years ago and there was a different feel to the air this year. Two years ago I heard a lot of “publishers are starting to realize the power of the blogger”. This year a big theme was “people are listening to you – you are powerful”. (I’ve always found authors partial to bloggers, but then most authors love a person who has taken the time to read their books).

The opening keynote was Will Schwalbe who talked about the role of book bloggers and shared a personal story about starting an “end of your life book club” with his mother as she was dying.

My morning session focused on editor insights into YA books. As you know, I am a huge YA fan! They previewed some coming titles and they had ARC’s available for us to take. The editors talked about how “mash-up” genres were growing in popularity – so a book that is contemporary, but a mystery with some horror or a ghost element. Or a coming of age story that is also a mystery. Contemporary seems to be coming back into play, replacing fantasy as the hot seller – though fantasy is still popular! Narrative non-fiction is also a new hot genre (well, it’s not really new per say, but it’s been out of vogue for a while).

At lunch there was an ethics session with lawyers going over how you need to disclose if you got the book for free, or if you know the author, if you are being paid, etc. Anyone who has been blogging for a while should be aware of these legalities.

The first afternoon session I attended dealt with taking your online presence offline. The bloggers involved (including Jenn’s Bookshelves, whom I follow) talked about how they interact in their community to promote reading (book clubs, work at schools, etc.) A big theme in this session (which had two regional independent bookseller people on it) was the independent bookstore and the importance of supporting your local/nearby independent bookstore. I thought about this for a bit. I’m a big fan of my local bookstore (for me, The Concord Bookshop in Concord, MA). I just never thought about featuring it in my blog. However, I’ve now been inspired to feature it more prominently and to promote its many wonderful events. I’ve even finally figured out how to successfully post pictures (this free version of Word Press kills me), so I will post shots of events, too. If you are ever in the area, do yourself a favor and visit the Bookshop – it is right on Main Street. Also in this session it was strongly suggested that Twitter be used regularly to promote yourself as a 3D person, not just post book reviews (um – that was what I’d been doing because who could possibly care what was happening in my daily life if you don’t know me?). I started tweeting away throughout the day to see what would happen and boy she was right – my followers immediately started increasing. I guess people do want to feel like they know YOU, not just read you! They also suggested starting memes, etc. on Twitter.

The next session had to do with increasing your presence, which is a goal of mine. I am hard pressed for time to blog, but the more you blog, the more people read you. The participants on this panel shared all sorts of apps and websites (most of which were new to me) that can get you “out there”. These included in part: instagram (popular photo site that I used to use but then got freaked out that strangers might see pictures of my kids); estella society (which I need to check out); Vine (app that makes 6 second looping stop-motion movies – I tried it yesterday and posted to Twitter); Twiangulate (not entirely sure how this works, but shows your connections); Tweet reach (who are you reaching); Reddit (shows popular web posts); triberr (form a tribe of bloggers since strength lies in numbers); and distillry (full disclosure – I can’t remember what this one is and I can’t find it online, but I was impressed when I saw it!).

The final key-note address of the day was Randi Zuckerberg of Zuckerberg Media and I’m sure she was wonderful, but by that point I had been in sessions all day, met with Net Galley people, met with a publisher, and been up since 4:30 am. My head hurt and I was pooped and I had tickets to “My Name is Asher Lev” that night, so I headed back to the hotel to rest up and recharge!

All in all, it was a fun day that made me want to go back next year – same time same place!!

Review: Fifty Shades of Louisa May by L M Anonymous (Yep – you read that right!)

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If you know me personally, you know I did NOT like “Fifty Shades of Grey”. I never reviewed it because I didn’t finish it (made it about 2/3 through). Anyhow — a friend jokingly suggested I read “Fifty Shades of Louisa May”, and I never gave it a thought until the other day when I was pondering how Fifty Shades was still on the NYT best seller list. Louisa May popped into my head and since it was less than $10 on Kindle, I bought it.

First, let me say I did not know what to expect with this book. If you know me, you know my passion for all things Alcott and that I hobnob with Alcott scholars and run around in a hoop skirt at the museum and just love, love, love that whole family. I was feeling a bit sensitive, for want of a better word, that someone might be maligning my beloved Alcotts. I have to say how surprised I was at how much I enjoyed this truly ridiculous read. First, if you think it’s like the original Fifty Shades, you are off the mark. It’s more of a satire on the time period of the Alcotts, Transcendentalism, and the social mores that held in New England in the 1800’s. It’s erotica that makes fun of erotica. I’m not a huge fan of erotica (to me, some things should just be left behind closed doors – or book covers, for that matter); but L M Anonymous (who claims to be Louisa’s spirit) writes in the voice and style of Louisa’s work (kudos to you for that, sir/madam!) and portrays the main players (Louisa, her sisters, her parents, Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, even Melville) in caricature. Whoever wrote this book knows a LOT about these people and these places, and I have to wonder who is the real author. Someone I know? One of the Alcott scholars? I think not as there are a few minor factual errors that a true Alcott scholar would not make. But the level of detail included that is correct (e.g. what Louisa dreamed about when ill from typhoid fever; the true personalities of the main players) is there, so it’s definitely someone who has read extensively on the family and their friends. The best part of the book for me was trying to figure out who wrote it!

Now I can imagine that some folks would not “get” this book. Alcott lovers, like myself, could be offended (when you study great minds, you often overlook their sexuality). Those who want a read like Fifty Shades will most probably be disappointed. I can’t say I recommend this book – erotica is just not my thing and I generally don’t recommend books with graphic sexual content – however, if you are a lover of this time period and can imagine ridiculous scenarios (e.g. Melville playing peeping Tom to Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne; Louisa on a quest to lose her virginity) then you might enjoy it. I laughed out loud through much of it and read it in a few hours.

Saturday Snapshot: Fun at BEA in NYC

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I attended the BEA (Book Expo America) Bloggers’ Conference this week for one day in NYC. It was great! I took a few snaps out my window and at Madame Tussaud’s next door. Next year I must go and attend the whole week!

Here are a few pics from my hotel room (Hilton Times Square) and Picasso and Dali from Madame Tussaud’s:

photo (2) DALI

photo (2) PICASSO

photo NYC TS

photo NYC view

Saturday Snapshot is now hosted by Melinda at www.WestMetroMommy.blogspot.com
It’s easiest to participate! Just post a picture you or a friend took and link it on the site. Appropriate content please! 🙂

Review: SWEET SONG by Terry Persun

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I was recently contacted by a publisher to see if I would read and review a copy of “Sweet Song” by Terry Persun. I enjoy historical fiction of this time period (1870’s), so I said yes.

In “Sweet Song”, Leon, the mixed-race son of a landowner and his black servant, seeks to find (and create) his identity. A violent interaction causes him to run away from his home and he takes this opportunity to recreate himself. Leon, who looks and passes for white, decides to define himself as white, and this leads him to explore racism and views on society from a different perspective than he had before (when he had lived with his mother and black father in the tenant’s cabins on the property). Leon has many struggles and several things he is running from. His story is a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance.

To be honest, I really wanted to like this book, but I found it slow-moving; and Leon began to annoy me. I wanted to root for him, but instead I felt like he was passive and weak and things just happened to him (until the end – which I liked). I have to say there were some really disturbing things in this book (SPOILER ALERT!) which I’m still not sure why they were there. Leon is in a sexual relationship with his half-sister, which he is seduced into by her. Also Leon suffers for years as a child, being physically and sexually abused by his mother. I racked my brain and while I could say that the relationship with his sister would be the catalyst for him running away (but did it have to be his sister??), I found no literary reason for this horrible experience with his mother. I would have thought this could be a good YA book with good discussions on identity development and race, but I can’t recommend it for the younger set due to the (disturbing) sexual content.

Thank you, Emily from Booktrope, for the chance to review!

Here is some information sent to me about Mr. Persun:

Terry Persun writes in many genres, including historical fiction, mainstream, literary, and science fiction / fantasy. His novel, Cathedral of Dreams is a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year finalist in the Science Fiction category. His novel Sweet Song received a Silver IPPY Award last summer. His latest novel is, Doublesight, the first book in an epic fantasy series. Find Terry online at TerryPersun.com and @tpersun.

Kids/YA Review: TWERP by Mark Goldblatt

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Another Net Galley find, TWERP is the story of Julian Twerski: a boy growing up in NYC (Queens) in 1969. Julian’s made a major error in judgment and has gotten suspended for bullying another kid (eventually revealed through the story). When he returns to school, his English teacher suggests that  he keep a diary of his life and events and tell the story of what happened through his own words (and if he does the journal, he gets out of writing a report on Shakespeare!).  Through Julian’s diary we get to know him, his pack of friends, his family, and what life is like for him. He’s a typical sixth grader with a slightly annoying but sometimes helpful older sister. His friends are a garden variety of boys who get into scrapes. He has a crush on a girl in his class (but so does his friend!). He even holds the title of “fastest kid in sixth grade”, but is finding that he might lose that honor this year. All in all, this book made for a great kids’ read: sometimes serious but often funny. I’d happily get it for our school library for our 4th-6th graders. I haven’t read Mr. Goldblatt’s other books (which are for adults) but you can tell he put his heart – and a piece of himself – into Julian’s story.

Thanks, Net Galley and Random House, for my copy!

Kid Lit Review: THE SILENT BOY by Lois Lowry

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I grabbed this book from the shelf at the children’s section of the library. I have read most of Lois Lowry’s works, and I did not know this one. It tells the story of Katy Thatcher, a precocious ten-year-old and daughter of the town doctor, growing up at the turn of the 20th century. Katy likes to accompany her father on his rounds and she wants to be a doctor herself when she grows up. She becomes intrigued with Jacob, the adolescent brother of their household help. Jacob is a gentle and shy boy, who doesn’t speak, but has a quiet relationship with animals and a fascination with how things work. Katy reaches out to Jacob to try to befriend him. In time, the book moves to a terrible and tragic conclusion.

I loved this story and the characters in it. One of Lowry’s strengths as a writer has always been character development and this is evident once again here. This book could open some good discussions with students on understanding differences. In the story, Jacob is referred to as “touched”. Today he would most likely be seen as on the spectrum for autism/PDD. Katy’s compassion for him is quite beautiful; however, due to the traumatic ending of this book, I would recommend it for older children, grades 5/6 and up.


Saturday Snapshot: Retro Toy Memory

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IMG_0373
So – I’m cleaning in the basement and I come across my Sweet Sixteen Barbie from about 1978. She’s still in good shape (though her make up has corroded over the years). My daughter is enjoying playing with her! Wondering if anyone else had her in the 70’s? 🙂

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by MetroWest Mommy at http://westmetromommy.blogspot.com/

It’s easy to participate – just post a picture you’ve taken (appropriate content) and link it to the site!

And – happy day! – I’ve figured out how to get my pictures to post in a larger size!! Woot!

Review: Women’s Murder Club THE 12TH OF NEVER by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

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I’ve read all the James Patterson and Maxine Paetro “Women’s Murder Club” books. Just out is number twelve: THE 12TH OF NEVER, which I managed to get at the library even though there is a long wait for it. In this installment (number 12 obviously!) Lindsay and Joe have a baby girl. Lindsay is learning to balance the demands of motherhood and the demands of her job. Baby Julie is the light of their lives, but then she falls ill (and that’s all I’m saying about that!).

Meanwhile, down at the precinct, Lindsay is faced with some tough cases. A rather odd English professor comes in to announce that he is dreaming of murders happening. No one really takes him seriously until the murders DO happen, very much the way he predicts they will. This case gets more confounding as time goes on. At the same time, the high-profile girlfriend of a star 49er football player is murdered, and then her body disappears from Lindsay’s best friend and medical examiner, Claire’s, lab. At the  same time, Yuki, another murder club member, is prosecuting the case of her career against a sleazy lawyer who is accused of killing his wife and child. And, last but not least, reporter Cindy is having relationship issues with Lindsay’s partner, Richie.

All in all, there’s a lot going on in this novel. It moves quickly and I read it in a day or two. I have to say it wrapped up quickly, especially the missing body/murder part. I still don’t fully understand how the precognition piece and how the murders involved happened. Without saying too much, I will say I found that piece far-fetched. Also (SPOILER ALERT) I found the missing body/missing security guard problem kind of far-fetched, too (everyone seemed to think of the guard as a suspect and not a potential victim – perhaps to create another suspect?). However, overall I enjoyed this read, as I have the other ones in the series!