Do you know what makes me happy? When I discover a gem of a book by a new author. “Girl in Translation’ was exactly that for me.

I grabbed this book from the new release shelf at the library on an impulse. I liked the cover and I enjoy reading of Asian cultures and immigrant experiences. This novel, from new author Jean Kwok, was the compelling and wonderful story of Kimberly Chang and her mother as they immigrate to America from Hong Kong and work to assimilate into the new culture while supporting themselves through work at a sweat shop. Though they rely on the “assistance” of Kimberly’s aunt and uncle for a place to live and a job, their life is pretty miserable, as they work (illegally) doing piece work for pay (illegally) and live (illegally) in a vacant apartment with no heat or hot water through New York City’s winters. Kimberly, a brilliant student – though only in sixth grade, works to learn English and do well in school, with the goal of getting an education and getting a better life for her and her mother. Afternoons and evenings she works at her aunt’s sweat shop (as I mentioned illegally) with her mother. There she meets a young Chinese boy, Matt, who becomes her friend and first love.

Kimberly and her mother are tenacious and hard-working. Living in these deplorable conditions (supplied by the “helpful” aunt) while they strive to make a better life, I couldn’t help but be angered by what they had to endure. After Kimberly is accepted to a prestigious private school on full scholarship, things start to change for them. Eventually, she is accepted to Yale, though this causes her to have to make a heart-breaking decision.

I loved this book. It reminded me of a Lisa See novel (one of my fave authors!) in the style of Gish Jen (another awesome writer!). I love reading of Asian culture and tradition and I always appreciate the immigrant experience as I am a grand-daughter of immigrants. I couldn’t read this book without cheering for Kimberly to succeed. I’m so glad I picked it up, and I look forward to more great books from Jean Kwok!

I have attached a You Tube link (hopefully it works okay – I’m not the most technically minded) of Ms. Kwok discussing her novel:

Well, I can make this review short, even though this audiobook was not! I picked up this book on CD at the library to play in my car. It is 16 (sixteen) disks long (or perhaps I should write looooong). It tells the story of Kate, an attractive, single (recently widowed) woman who illegally adopts a baby, Jon, through her employer and moves to Oregon to raise him and have a private life. Fifteen years later, Jon’s father discovers his existence, as does his grandfather, and the race is on to find him as heir to an empire. Jon, meanwhile, is a typical teenager with a large dose of ESP, apparently inherited from his father.

That’s the gist of the story. I thought it would be entertaining, maybe thrilling, with suspense. Instead it was loooooong. It read as part thriller and large part romance. A huge amount of time was spent retracing Jon’s father’s life (Daegan O’Rourke) as he grew up and then hooked up with his cousin (yikes!) to create Jon. Way way too much time was devoted, in my opinion, to this (almost seven disks if I remember correctly). And let me be honest: I did not need to read so many descriptions of women’s breasts. TMI.

I lost interest in this story and then was not in favor of the outcome (SPOILER ALERT!) as Daegan and Kate hook up and get together (more descriptions of breasts). Jon is kidnapped and retrieved and everyone lives happily ever after.

Let me sum my opinion up in one word: awful.

And, furthermore, I couldn’t stand the narrator’s voice on the tape. It sounded like a voiceover for a commercial — a commercial where the person was pretending to make a commercial (know what I mean?).

The thing is – Lisa Jackson is actually a talented writer. And I know she is a HUGE seller, so perhaps it’s just me who had problems with this book. Or perhaps it was because it was an audiobook. Or perhaps I just wasn’t in the mood for the 3 weeks I listened to it. I will probably try her again (deja vu!) but I will read the next one.

Comments appreciated if others of you have read/listened to this or others stories by Lisa Jackson!

I picked up this little novel (149 pages) on the new release shelf at the library. It looked interesting: a true story about a wedding that was allowed to occur at Auschwitz in WWII. I was drawn into the story of Rudi and Marga, their family and friends, as various survivors narrated the story of their meeting, courtship, and actual wedding at Auschwitz where Rudi was being held as a political prisoner and agitator. My challenge in this story was that the voice of the first-person narrator kept changing without notice. At one point it was Marga’s sister, at another, Rudi’s son from his first wife, at another Rudi and Marga’s child, at still another a friend from the camp. I at times had to stop and re-read once I realized it was a new storyteller. However, that said, I loved the approach of different voices and different points of view telling this story. Of course, for some insane reason I thought this story would have a happy ending. (Spoiler Alert!!) I should have realized that if “Auschwitz” is in the title, and the story is true, the chances are slim that the end is happy. That said, I enjoyed this short novel and even though the ending was sad, the hope and love portrayed in this novel, along with the tenacity of the prisoners and their belief in love flourishing in the midst of such great evil….well, that made this story shine with a positive light for me.

I give it 4 1/2 Stars!

I had heard of Lisa Jackson, but hadn’t read her novels, so I thought I’d give her a try.

“Malice” is the story of Rick Bentz, New Orleans police officer and guy with a past, who thinks he sees his dead wife everywhere. When people from the past start winding up dead, Bentz works to get to the bottom of the twisted criminal mind behind his “haunting”.

As I mentioned, this was my first Jackson novel (which I found at the library). I like a good thriller (though I don’t like extreme violence) and I particularly like psychological thrillers. This book held my attention and kept me guessing. However, in my opinion, it was TOO LONG (over 400 pages). I don’t mind a long book (look at how I love the “Outlander” series), but I felt the ending just dragged and dragged and then suddenly we tied all the loose ends together in a few paragraphs. Another beef I have with this book (and this is a SPOILER ALERT!): I found the plot totally far-fetched. Hell may have no fury like a woman scorned, but come on — this was a bit much. I would have found a ghost more believable!! I also felt for Bentz’ current wife who (for some reason) tolerated his chasing after his dead first wife’s ghost and then almost got killed herself.

I did find it entertaining, and I am listening to one on CD in the car right now,too. I will try another of hers in the future.

I’d give it 3 Stars!

Have you read Lisa Jackson’s novels? Which ones do you recommend?

Somehow – in all my ramblings in the local library – I missed the fact that Patterson and Paetro had published another Women’s Murder Club novel last spring. So it was my happy day to find it on the new release shelf. I really like these novels, and particularly like Lindsay Boxer, the main heroine. Lindsay is tough and intelligent, but not perfect. As a police office in San Francisco she has her hands full. Lindsay’s love life (as well as her girlfriends’ who make up the murder club with her) often figures in to these novels, and I sometimes have a hard time keeping track of who is sleeping with whom, etc. and personally couldn’t care less. The novels are fast-paced and thrilling. They are similar to Sue Grafton’s alphabet series, in my opinion.

In this installment, Lindsay is chasing after two killers: one who apparently randomly guns down mothers and their young children and one who is a cat burglar. I find the concept of a cat burglar so “Hitchcockesque” – I couldn’t help but be intrigued! Both of the perpetrators are narrators in the novel and their paths cross in an interesting (though for me, predictable) way. While one is a deranged psycho, you can almost find yourself feeling sympathetic for the cat burglar.

This book was also touted as Lindsay struggling with her feelings of attraction for her partner, Rich Conklin (even though he is dating her friend Cindy – whom I find the most annoying of the bunch – and Lindsay is engaged to near-perfect Joe). Now – is it just me? Call me old-fashioned but I sometimes feel like yelling: “Don’t mess us a good mystery with all this silly love triangle stuff!!” I almost feel like the authors feel compelled to add some sort of romantic fluff since their audience is presumably women. This is personally insulting, but what can I say (except the above comment!). Anyhow, I was thrilled that this love triangle business did not figure prominently in the novel and did not detract for me from the main plot lines!

I enjoyed this novel and plowed through it in two days. I’d give it 3 1/2 stars!

I bought this book of short stories by Grisham while in the Orlando airport, waiting to head home. I like Grisham’s legal thrillers and I like short stories, so I thought I’d give it a try. This was an interesting departure for him, in my opinion, as these stories took place in Ford County – the setting of “A Time to Kill” I believe- and read – or at least the ones I read did and I didn’t get to them all – like character analyses. I found them well-written, but somewhat disturbing in terms of content (e.g. a family goes to visit their brother on death row for his execution – certainly not happy fare). This was a good little airplane read!

I had heard good things about “A Reliable Wife”, so I was excited to purchase it at my local Border’s for my trip to Florida. At some point I had read that this novel was historical fiction, and if you know me, you know I love historical fiction!

My first issue with this novel was that it seemed less historical fiction and more historical romance. You may ask: what’s the difference? Personally I draw a difference between them. In historical fiction I find that I learn things about the time because the time and setting are integral to the plot and to moving the plot forward. In historical romance I find that it is a romance that could take place any time, it’s just taking place a long time ago. Now please note that these delineations are NOT based on some literary dictionary but are mine alone! It’s how I classify books in my head. That said, my beloved Outlander series by Gabaldon will never be “historical romance” to me – which it is classed as usually – but “historical fiction” as I feel the time period is critical to moving the plot forward — and how much have I found out about natural remedies and early medicines and Scottish history from reading those novels? A lot!

Anyway – back to our novel. It will be hard to discuss this one without using SPOILERS, so please be warned!

When wealthy businessman Ralph Truitt places an ad for “a reliable wife”, gold digger Catherine Land answers his ad. Catherine has had a rough life and has survived by her wits and by using her body. She deceives Ralph about her past (though he knows from the start that she has lied to him about who she is — she has sent a picture of another woman to him). SPOILER: Catherine’s goal is to marry Ralph and then poison him slowly and inherit his money so that she can live comfortably – with her lover. Does she or doesn’t she I won’t tell you — you can read it for yourself!

I have to say – this book is touted as surprising and thrilling and that you won’t be able to predict the conclusion. Well I did right from the start. If you have experience reading gothic novels – especially those from earlier times – I think you can guess what’s going to happen. Of course guessing what would happen made me less invested in reading it!

I also found the writing in this novel to be inconsistent. It was well-written, but some of the passages had SO much sexual fantasy/memory in them that they felt bogged down. There was a lot of “he wanted to….(half a page to a page of what he wanted to do to her)”.  I felt that using the Wisconsin desolate winter landscape as a metaphor for Ralph’s (and Catherine’s) emotional well-being was a bit heavy-handed as well.

This is Goolrick’s first fictional novel, and I’m sure it won’t be his last.

I’d give it 3 Stars.

Gentle Readers — I know you may be thinking:WHERE is Beth? Why hasn’t she been posting? Has she stopped reading?!?
Never fear – I could never stop reading! I have had some incredibly busy times lately, with a family trip to Florida (Disney) for a wedding and some fun, plus other commitments. I started a few books before our trip, but didn’t finish them and had to return them to the library. I read one on our trip (review forthcoming – “A Reliable Wife”) and started another that I’m reading now (short stories by John Grisham). I also have been working on my manuscript for my cozy mystery and that is going S – L – O – W – L – Y!!! So – I have not forgotten you! Another post to follow soon! -beth 😉

I recently came across the short novel “My Vicksburg” at the library. I hadn’t read it, so of course I had to take it out. This novel tells the story of 14-year-old Claire Louise Corbett, as her family lives out the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, during the Civil War. Claire Louise’s father is a doctor gone to fight with the South under Robert E. Lee. Her older brother, Landon, has joined the Union forces as a doctor. Meanwhile, she, her mother, and her little brother are forced to live in a cave with their family servants while the town is under attack. When Landon returns to them with a wounded Southern soldier that he is caring for and must turn over the authorities, Claire Louise must decide where her loyalties lie, and what she can do to help her family, Robert, and herself.

I really enjoyed this short novel. I had no idea that some of the people of Vicksburg actually lived in local caves during that time of the Civil War. I found this quite fascinating. Claire Louise’s character is boldly drawn and the reader feels connected with her. Her struggles with family loyalty and pride in her home state are clearly drawn. What I found resonates most in this novel is its portrayal of relationships: between Claire Louise and her parents, and between Claire Louise and her brothers, especially Landon.

You can find this book at your local library — I did!

I came across a review of the YA/children’s book Countdown by Deborah Wiles, calling it a documentary novel, and thought it sounded compelling, so I found it at my local library. Countdown follows a period in the fall of 1962 for 5th grader Frannie Chapman. The Cuban Missile Crisis is heating up, the US is dealing with fear of nuclear disaster (“duck and cover” is the slogan of the day), and Frannie’s home life is complicated by her mentally fragile uncle and secretive older sister who has started college and is becoming distant. Add in Frannie’s “perfect” little brother, her disciplinarian mother, her father who is often away for the military, and a best friend who becomes a back-stabber, and Frannie’s life is less than ordinary, and very real.

In spots throughout the book, Wiles has inserted lyrics, slogans, pictures, articles, etc. truly from 1962 to give you a sense of Frannie’s time and place. She paints a picture of Frannie’s neighborhood and home that is so realistic, I was not surprised to read in the afterward that she had based them on her own real life. I loved Frannie’s character, and I loved the memories it evoked in me of life in an earlier decade (for me, the 70’s – personally I wasn’t born in 1962). Frannie’s Saturday mornings are spent doing chores. Her family attends church on Sundays and she goes to Sunday school. The kids in her class walk home together to their neighborhood two blocks away. There is an abandoned quarry nearby where they play, even though they aren’t supposed to. The highlight for the class is an upcoming Halloween costume party that one of the girls is having. Frannie’s secret vice is playing her sister’s 45’s on her record player when she is not home. I ask you — does anyone still live like this anymore??

Countdown is the first in a trilogy. I hope they will all feature Frannie Chapman! I think I would find the documentary novel to be of great use in the classroom. It’s a nice way to make history come alive for young readers. My challenge with this book is where to place it — I’ve seen it as YA and as children’s. Frannie is eleven, so I’d think 4th grade readers, but the content can be used much older, in my opinion. I am curious what other readers thought.

All in all, a fine read that I enjoyed. I got mine from the “new” shelf at the library!!