The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran (review coming soon!)

Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran (I won these books, signed, online – I LOVE this author!)

The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman (I’ve read most of her books)

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton (LOVE these mysteries!)

and a few Hamish MacBeth cozies….

I recently came across American Wife: A Novel at the library. I had heard of this book, but it hadn’t peaked my interest. I knew it was loosely based on the life of Laura Bush and personally, I like Laura Bush. I had the opportunity to meet her at a fundraiser and found her to be intelligent, compassionate, and charming. I didn’t want to read a book that might change my opinion of her!
However, I really like Curtis Sittenfeld’s writing. So I thought I’d give it a try. To my delight, I really enjoyed this book. It paints a picture of “Alice Lindgren” as a very human, very compassionate, sensitive human being.

This book is divided into four sections, named for the addresses at which she lived: one covering when Alice is young and growing up in Wisconsin. One covering when she is an adult working as a children’s librarian and first meets “Charlie Blackwell”, one covering when she is a young wife and mother with her husband still not in politics, and one when she is living at the White House. I definitely liked the part when she is young and growing up best. So much of who she became as a person was shaped from her childhood and the events, some tragic, that occurred then. I also loved reading the section when her daughter was young. However, the ending section of the book, while they were in the White House, bored me. It moved into the first person from the third person narrative (tense changes like that often throw me) and became more of Alice’s thoughts and ruminations on her husband’s work and decisions and reconciling those with her own beliefs.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading novels that cover a person’s life, but I would suggest that you not try to spend too much time wondering what was based in fact from Laura Bush’s life and what wasn’t (or you might interrupt your reading flow). For that, you could pick up a biography!

Cutis Sittenfeld is a great storyteller, so I give this book 4 Stars!

And just a note — we’ve been on vacation without Internet, so I am seriously behind in posting this review! My apologies to my readers!

I am thrilled to report that I recently had the opportunity to ask my friend Trilby Kent (whom I have known since she was a young girl!) a few questions about her novel “Medina Hill”. So, I give you, my first “mini author interview”!

(Me) How did you get the idea for “Medina Hill” – and how long did it take to write?

I’d been interested in T.E. Lawrence since the age of 14 or so, but it was over a weekend in Cornwall, where my boyfriend and I stayed in a house that had once been part of an artists’ colony, that I had the idea for a story about a boy who couldn’t speak. It took me about a month to come up with a first draft (extremely speedy, by my standards!) and several weeks more to get it into presentable shape.

(Me) Did you base any of the characters on anyone you know?

Yes – but I can’t say who! What I can tell you is that Uncle Roo and Sancha are the only major characters that had no real-life inspiration…

(Me) What is your best advice for aspiring writers?

Read, read, read. Read widely, and read deeply in the genre in which you intend to write. Don’t send out your work until it’s really, really ready. And try not to take rejection personally (I know, this can be hard – but if there’s one thing writers need to develop alongside their writing, it’s a thick skin!)

(Me) What are you working on now?

My agent is currently submitting my first novel for adults to publishers, so I’ve been spending a lot of time trying not to think about that! My second children’s book is now with my editors at Tundra, so with any luck I’ll be able to start working on revisions soon. In the meantime, I’ve started a PhD in Creative Writing, for which I’ll be producing another novel. Watch this space..!

Thank you, Trilby, for taking the time to share your answers with us! Happy Reading, folks!

First, let me say that it is my great privilege to review my friend Trilby’s book today for my blog! I’ve known Trilby since she was a young girl, and I am so thrilled and excited to hold her first novel for young adults in my hands!

Medina Hill tells the story of young Dominic, an 11-year-old boy from working class London in 1935, and his younger sister, Marlo. Dominic’s mother has fallen ill and his father has lost his job. Dominic responds to the pressures of life by “losing his voice” and being mute among non-family members. His parents decide that it would be best to send him and his sister to their uncle and aunt’s house in Cornwall for the summer. While there, Dominic takes a keen interest in a book about Lawrence of Arabia and forges a friendship with a young Gypsy girl whose family’s caravan has evoked rage among the locals. Dominic’s adventures lead him from living in fantasy to finding his voice, and realizing the gift of true friendship.

Now, call me biased, but I just loved this book. I loved the characters of Dom and Marlo – and the eccentric cast of people they lived with in Cornwall – including the “clarivoyant” Miss Birdie and the widow Reverend Cleary. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and this was a time on which I hadn’t read a lot (between the two world wars in England). Trilby’s writing evokes the time and place so strongly, I felt I had been to Cornwall. I cheered for Dominic (and Marlo) and their young Gypsy friend. I can only say that I look forward to Trilby’s next novel!

This book was a nice aside from the current YA abundance of fantasy and vampires literature (at least here in the US). I haven’t seen it in bookstores here, but I have had it ordered for me through a local bookstore and also through Amazon. My copy for this post was purchased from Amazon.

Again, call me biased, but I give it 5 Stars! Nicely done, Trilby!

Several friends had recommended The Elegance of the Hedgehog to me, so I got it through our inter-library loan. Translated from the French, this novel tells the story of the residents of an apartment building in Paris – particularly of Paloma, a 12 year old genius who plans to commit suicide on her 13th birthday, and Renee, the concierge who hides her keen mind behind a facade of ordinariness. The novel is told through their alternating viewpoints – each with her own typeface.
When I began this book, I found it moving quite slow. It read more like a glimpse into two people’s diaries. I was enjoying it, but wondering if there was going to be a plot-driving dilemma. A good portion of the book occurs before Paloma and Renee even meet for the first time and strike up an unconventional friendship. Additionally, the coming of a new tenant, a wealthy Japanese businessman, further strengthens the friendship of Renee and Paloma, while lending an air of discovery and beauty to their every day world. After Mr. Ozu enters their lives, the pace of the book picks up and becomes more action-oriented, while still being their very personal stories.
The ending of this book is startling and sudden, but it left me feeling positive. I think this would be a great book to read if you were feeling rather down on life. It is beautifully written (I find I am always saying that about novels translated from Romance languages!) and celebrates the simple beauties of the preciousness of life.
I give this novel 4 Stars!

Almost all of my friends loved Niffenegger’s book The Time Traveller’s Wife — but I didn’t. I thought it was well-written but I hated the ending, which I saw foreshadowed and hoped wasn’t coming (but did).

However, I respect Audrey as a writer and wanted to read her new novel, which sounded compelling: twin sisters inherit a London flat from their mother’s twin whom they have never met, and must live in it for a year. They meet and befriend the other residents of the building, including their aunt’s lover and a crossword-creating genius who suffers from severe anxiety and compulsions. This book, which I got from the library, was part a coming-of-age novel, part mystery, part romance, and part ghost story. And I really, really liked it!!

Throughout this book, I enjoyed the sense that there was a mystery just under the surface. Why didn’t the twins’ mother and aunt talk to each other? What really happened? And the ghost story was intriguing to me, too – though at some points it seemed rather fantastic (ghostly communication through dust on a regular conversational basis). However, thoroughout the story I was immersed in Valentina’s (one of the twins) character development. Would she grow to independence? Would she stay attached to and under the power of her sister? And how much did the twins’ relationship mirror their mother’s and aunt’s? What DID happen to their mother and her sister, and what is being hidden from Valentina and Julia?

While I could certainly see disaster coming down the pike, I did like the ending of this book as I felt it was somewhat redeeming and positive. Each character had their own demons to dispel and most did a pretty good job of it, in one way or another. It wasn’t predictable – at least to me – and the characters who lacked strength seemed to finally get it. (I won’t go into details – that would give too much away!!).

I would give this book 4 Stars!

Yes! I have finally finished reading the latest in the “Outlander” series: The Echo in the Bone. This 800+ page tome was a good read, and I had fun getting back in touch with Jamie, Claire, Bri, Roger, and the gang! It was SLOW going for me, though, and took me a bit to finish.

I should admit: I love, love, love this series (which if you haven’t read it, centers on Claire time-travelling from the mid 20th century to the 1700’s in Scotland and all the adventures that ensue). I have often been asked if you need to read the books in order. In my opinion, yes, you do. There are SO many characters and SO many events that popping in during the middle of the series not only doesn’t give you the background knowledge, but does not afford you that thrilling sense of “what is HE (or SHE) doing here??” when characters return to the page unexpectantly.

In this installment, the story is told in three points of view: Claire’s, Brianna’s, and William’s. Claire and Jamie are in America, with their nephew Ian, in the middle of the Revolutionary War. Bri and Roger have brought the kids back to present day (1980’s) Scotland. William is travelling with British troops in America, fighting in the war as well.  The three threads of the novel wind closer and closer together, with characters crossing over between them, until the fast and furious ending, which is a cliff-hanger.

That said, the ending of this novel surprised me (SPOILER ALERT!) because there was no sense of finality. The story left off right when most of the main characters were in trouble or crisis. That didn’t thrill me as I have to wonder how long I’ll need to wait for the next book in the series!! Rereading the last 100 pages of this one will be necessary to reacquaint myself with the various crises that were occurring for them all.

However, it was a comforting feeling to return to the story of Jamie and Claire. Of all the characters, these two- and their relationship – are my favorite. To be honest, Brianna seriously annoyed me in the earlier books, but she has grown on me as well. The characters are linked, in this story, through letters that Jamie and Claire have written to Bri and Roger and left for them to read 200 years later. William’s story runs parallel to Jamie and Claire’s, and to be honest, was rather a dull read for me until we got near the ending. I’ve never gotten into the Lord John Grey series that  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”that “>Gabaldon writes as much as I have the “Outlander” series, and William and Lord John, though originally in the “Outlander” books, are characters from them.

Of all the books in this series, I think my favorite was the first one, though I really enjoyed all of the first four. I also really enjoyed A Breath of Snow and Ashes. The Fiery Cross took me 4 starts and some determination to get through. This current book was not my favorite, but it was a good read and it did make me happy to be back with these familiar friends and their adventures! I do purchase all these books so I have them in my home library.

I’d give this book 4 Stars!

A friend recently recommended The Help to me, as she thought I would like it. Well, I did like it – a lot!

This story, which takes place in Mississippi in the 1960’s, is told in three voices: that of Aibileen, a black housekeeper and nanny, Minny, a mother of 5 and black housekeeper, and “Skeeter” (Eugenia), a white college graduate who returns home after graduation and is looking for some meaning in life. The perspective and voice in this novel moves back and forth between these three women as they come together for a daring and incredible project (SPOILER alert!): Skeeter decides to anonymously write the stories of 12 black maids, told in their voice, so that America can hear the “real” story of being black and working for white families in Jackson, Mississippi.

This novel is the story of their creative project, along with the personal stories of these three remarkable women – Aibileen: who has raised 17 white children and dearly loves the little girl she is currently in charge of;  Minny: known for being outspoken and proud of being one of the best cooks in the county; and Skeeter, awkward and somewhat shy, yearning to be herself in a society and among people who want her to conform to their ideals and parameters.

I really enjoyed reading this book, which I got from the library. I wanted to keep reading it to see what would happen next. I loved the different voices depicted, and even though the book was sometimes written in dialect (which I can find hard to read), I had no difficulty “hearing” their voices. I found their stories moving, sometimes disturbing, and inspiring. The only problem I had with this book, in truth, (SPOILER alert!) was when Skeeter published the novel anonymously, did she REALLY think no one was going to figure it out that it took place in Jackson?? In truth, that seemed a bit too much to believe, particularly since all the women were telling their stories in detail and they all knew each other and worked for families who knew each other. Changing the name of the town seemed scarcely enough to provide anonymity, and Skeeter seemed so shocked that people figured it out.

Regardless, I just loved this book and would recommend it to those who like to read about strong women and/or the Civil Rights era.

I give this book 4 1/2 Stars!

First, let me say that I am behind in writing my review of “The Help” – a book which I loved! I will get that out asap. I am currently reading two books: upstairs I’m reading “The Echo in the Bone” – the latest tome from Diana Gabaldon in the Outlander series. Over 800 pages, and it keeps me going! I love, love, love Diana’s books and am enjoying this one. Downstairs I am reading “Ahab’s Wife” – another tome of over 500 pages. I was hoping I wouldn’t like it, so I could return it to the library, but alas, I am loving it! So, it’ll be a while until I do a new review (after “The Help”). In the meantime, sometimes I slip in an “easy” read – usually a Hamish MacBeth book or cozy mystery. I don’t review these if I’ve already reviewed some by the author in the series. Coming out next week is my friend Trilby Kent’s book: “Medina Hill” – a must-read for me! Then I also won a (free) autographed copy of Michelle Moran’s “The Heretic Queen”. Soooo — LOTS of good reading this month!! 🙂

I came across The Shadow of the Wind at the local Border’s as a book club suggestion and was intrigued by it. So I was thrilled when my online book club chose it for this month.
This novel tells the story of young Daniel Sempere, living in post-WWII Barcelona. His father, a bookseller, lets him choose a book for his tenth birthday. Daniel’s choice is “The Shadow of the Wind”, and this book changes his life. Mystery and intrigue follow this book within a book as Daniel, throughout the years, tries to find its author, Julian Carax, and the other books he has written. Daniel uncovers mysteries that have been covered up for years, as he retraces the steps of Carax’s life, uncovering the people and places that have shaped Carax and his story and that are exerting an effect on Daniel’s life, too.

I just loved this book. The mood of the book was set by the seemingly constant presence of thunderclouds, rain, and candlelight. I loved Daniel’s tenacity, in the face of many obstacles, to solve the mystery of Julian Carax. The sense of gothic mystery in this book was thrilling, and I couldn’t put it down (even though I’ll admit I had figured out the plot twist).

This book was beautifully written, which I often find with books that are translated from Spanish. It has been compared to some of Garbriel Garcia Marquez’ works. I look forward to reading the latest from Ruiz Zafon.

I give this book 4 1/2 Stars!