Booking Mama

January 2012 Book Club Meeting

2012-01-27T06:51:00.000-05:00

Next month, we will be reading IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS by Erik Larson. I have been wanting to read this one ever since BEA so I'm looking forward to it. Having said that, I'm a little worried about some of the reviews out there, but for the most part, they seem to be generally positive.

Summary: Erik Larson has been widely acclaimed as a master of narrative non-fiction, and in his new book, the bestselling author of Devil in the White City turns his hand to a remarkable story set during Hitler’s rise to power.

The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history.

A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition.

Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror. -- Crown

I reviewed IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS by Erik Larson a few days ago, and I have to say that this book will not be going down as one of my favorite reads of 2012. However, I was curious to see how my friends would feel about this book. Maybe I would be in the minority since I'm not a big fan of historical books?

So we met this week to discuss this book and I'm still not sure how everyone felt about it. I don't think anyone absolutely loved it and no one admitted that they hated it. So I guess I have to say that we all had a pretty similar reaction to it. It was an interesting read, but at the same time, it was a rather dry in certain spots.

I'm not sure that this book was the ideal discussion book for me group. Of course, we had no problem talking for 3+ hours, but it certainly wasn't about this book for the entire time. In fact, looking back, I don't think we spend all that much time talking about the characters or their actions. As is often the case when none of us are enthusiastic about the book, our conversation turned to more relevant topics including our schools and politics. And yes, we did keep things civilized (in case you were wondering.)

Next month, we will be reading THE TIGER'S WIFE by Tea Obrecht. February is actually my month to host book club so THE TIGER'S WIFE was my selection. I have read so many incredible things about this novel and the author, and I hope it lives up to my expectations. I admit I'm a bit worried because the initial feedback from my friends hasn't been overly positive. Not totally negative either, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that at least a few of us will love it.

Summary: In a Balkan country mending from war, Natalia, a young doctor, is compelled to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her beloved grandfather’s recent death. Searching for clues, she turns to his worn copy of The Jungle Book and the stories he told her of his encounters over the years with “the deathless man.” But most extraordinary of all is the story her grandfather never told her—the legend of the tiger’s wife. -- Random House

Review: The Odds

2012-01-26T08:34:00.000-05:00

Summary: Stewart O'Nan's thirteenth novel is another wildly original, bittersweet gem like his celebrated Last Night at the Lobster. Valentine's weekend, Art and Marion Fowler flee their Cleveland suburb for Niagara Falls, desperate to recoup their losses. Jobless, with their home approaching foreclosure and their marriage on the brink of collapse, Art and Marion liquidate their savings account and book a bridal suite at the Falls' ritziest casino for a second honeymoon. While they sightsee like tourists during the day, at night they risk it all at the roulette wheel to fix their finances-and save their marriage. A tender yet honest exploration of faith, forgiveness and last chances, The Odds is a reminder that love, like life, is always a gamble. -- Viking

A few years ago, I read and reviewed SONGS OF THE MISSING by Stewart O'Nan. It was the first novel that I had read by this author and I enjoyed it a great deal. I promised myself that I'd read more of this author's works, but for some reason, I didn't. Chalk it up to the saying, "Too many books, too little time." However, when I saw his latest novel THE ODDS: A LOVE STORY, I decided that it was time to give him another try. And boy am I glad he did.

THE ODDS tells the story of a couple whose marriage is on the brink. They are unemployed and broke and decide to take their meager savings and go to Niagara Falls on Valentine's Day weekend. They stay in the bridal suite, drink champagne, and sightsee by day; however, at night, they risk their remaining money on the roulette will. It's quickly apparent that this couple is desperate and more is at risk than just their savings.

I enjoyed THE ODDS a great deal and at times, I was blown away by Mr. O'Nan's writing. His prose is wonderful as are his storytelling abilities, but the real beauty of this novel was in Mr. O'Nan's insights. He not only managed to develop very authentic characters and fully develop their relationship (in a pretty short novel by the way), but he truly captured the essence of a marriage on the brink. Furthermore, I felt as if through Art and Marion's relationship, he showed so many of the universal themes of marriage. While I really have very little in common with Art or Marion, there were references to their everyday life and relationship that reminded me of my marriage or my parents' or even my grandparents' marriage.

Mr. O'Nan chose to include with each chapter with a cute idea that I eventually began to really appreciate. He previewed each chapter by giving a teaser that gave the reader the odds of something happening. For example, the first chapter begins with "Odds of a U.S. tourist visiting Niagara Falls: 1 in 195." I thought the statistics were kind of interesting, but It began to take on a bigger meaning for me. The theme of "odds" was obviously a prevalent one throughout this book, but as Art and Marion's story evolved, I really began to see how "odds" play a huge deal in our lives. Almost everything we do, from love to marriage to careers to parenting, is a risk; and sometimes we will win, but sometimes we will lose.

I was really impressed with how THE ODDS made me feel when I was reading it. For such a small novel, it really packed a powerful punch. This novel gave me so much detail into Art's and Marion's troubled marriage that I almost felt like a voyeur while reading it. It was an incredibly honest look at a couple whose lives were rapidly unraveling, and my heart broke for their pain. I loved how this novel explored their desperation and hopelessness, and I actually came to feel close to them. And there was no doubt that I was holding out hope for a miracle.

Needless to say, I think THE ODDS would make an excellent discussion book. There is a reading guide available which has ten terrific questions about the novel. Some of the themes you might want to explore include (obviously) love and marriage, but you also can explore the finer details of Art and Marion's relationship -- both the past and the present. In addition you might want to discuss desperation, adultery and secrets.

At its heart, THE ODDS was a love story and one that will remain in my thoughts for a very long time. With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, I think THE ODDS pays an honest tribute to the institution of marriage -- both the good times and the bad; and I highly recommend this novel!

Thanks to the publisher for sending a review copy of this novel.

Book Club Booster Giveaway: The Art of Fielding

2012-01-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

Summary: Summary: At Westish College, a small school on the shore of Lake Michigan, baseball star Henry Skrimshander seems destined for big league stardom. But when a routine throw goes disastrously off course, the fates of five people are upended.

Henry's fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. College president Guert Affenlight, a longtime bachelor, has fallen unexpectedly and helplessly in love. Owen Dunne, Henry's gay roommate and teammate, becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz, the Harpooners' team captain and Henry's best friend, realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight, Guert's daughter, returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life.

As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets. In the process they forge new bonds, and help one another find their true paths. Written with boundless intelligence and filled with the tenderness of youth, The Art of Fielding is an expansive, warmhearted novel about ambition and its limits, about family and friendship and love, and about commitment--to oneself and to others. -- Little, Brown

A few months ago, I couldn't stop raving about THE ART OF FIELDING by Chad Harbach. I loved this book! I even found myself telling everyone it was one of my favorite books of 2011. Not only did it entertain me, but it also gave me a lot to think about. You can read more about my excitement here. And Téa Obreht, author of THE TIGER'S WIFE, calls THE ART OF FIELDING "an intricate, poised, tingling debut. Harbach's muscular prose breathes new life into the American past-time, recasts the personal worlds that orbit around it, and leaves you longing, lingering, and a baseball convert long after the last page."

It probably won't come as any surprise to you, but I think THE ART OF FIELDING is the perfect book club selection. There is a very good reading guide available which delves into so many of the issues that I wanted to discuss after reading this novel. Some of the themes include family, expectations, pressure, friendship, teamwork, romantic relationships, change, love, commitment, monomania, perfections, sacrifice, and competition. If you’d like to know more about THE ART OF FIELDING and Chad Harbach, you can check out Facebook.com/TheArtofFielding or read a digital excerpt.

Thanks to the fine folks at Hachette, I am excited to be participating in a wonderful giveaway opportunity. Ten blogs are hosting a Book Club Booster where you can win up to 10 copies of THE ART OF FIELDING for your book club. And it gets even better! One of the winning groups will get a chance to Skype (or get a call-in) with the author, Chad Harbach. The winner will be chosen through a random digital draw and contacted by the publisher to set up the meeting.

Can I tell you how jealous I am of this opportunity? I briefly spoke with Mr. Harbach at last year's BEA and I was fascinated by what he had to say about his novel. I can only imagine how fun a chat with him might be.

To enter the Book Club Booster giveaway, just fill out the form below February 6th at 11:50 p.m. ET. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!

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Review: In the Garden of Beasts

2012-01-24T11:35:00.000-05:00

Summary: Erik Larson has been widely acclaimed as a master of narrative non-fiction, and in his new book, the bestselling author of Devil in the White City turns his hand to a remarkable story set during Hitler’s rise to power.

The time is 1933, the place, Berlin, when William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany in a year that proved to be a turning point in history.

A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home. Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition.

Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin, and Europe, were awash in blood and terror. -- Crown

You might be a little surprised to see that I'm reviewing IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS by Erik Larson. Usually when there is a nonfiction/history book review on this blog, it's written by Booking Pap Pap. However, my long-time book club decided to read IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS this month, and I have to admit that I wasn't thrilled -- especially after a few warnings from some fellow bloggers.

So I guess you could say that I was pleasantly surprised by IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS. That's not to say that I loved this book by any means, but I didn't dislike it as much as I thought I would. In fact, I can even say that this book is probably really good. I'm just pretty sure that I wasn't the target audience. I'm not the biggest fan of history books; and while I am interested in WWII, this book just seemed a little too detailed and dry for my taste. My dad said that's how these books are and maybe that explains why I rarely pick one up! What can you really expect from someone who prefers to learn history through fiction?

Despite my reluctance, I did find much of IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS to be very educational. The story of Dodd and his family, as well as what was happening in Germany prior to WWII, is interesting to say the least. As I read this book, I was continually bothered by the notion that the United States did know what Hitler was doing in Germany, and at times, I was outraged by our inability to do something... anything. But this book also make me think a great deal. I'm not making excuses for anyone because there is no doubt in my mind that the United States could have gotten involved much earlier, but I think it's easy for me to judge the errors of everyone involved using hindsight and holding them to today's standards. I'm sure the decisions to act (or not to act) were very involved and complicated, yet I still have to wonder why it took us so long to stop Hitler.

I think one of the biggest reasons that I didn't love this book was that I didn't really like many of the characters. It goes without saying that the Nazi leaders and their actions were despicable, but I really wanted to like Dodd and his family. I admit that Dodd's daughter Martha was slightly entertaining because of her promiscuity with lots of men, but I soon got tired by her drama and escapades. And as far as Dodd goes, I felt nothing for him until the very end of the book. However, I think by that point, I was already a little tired of him.

I am still willing to give Ms. Larson's book THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY as try because I have heard wonderful things about that book. (Of course, I've also heard great things about this one so maybe I'm not the best judge.) I was most definitely impressed with Mr. Larson's ability to tell this story, but I will say that it did take me awhile to get used to Mr. Larson's writing style. Once I did, the book flowed for me and became much easier to read but I felt like I really had to work to get through the beginning. In addition, the amount of research Mr. Larson did while writing IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS was extraordinary. It was apparent on every page and in every footnote just how thoroughly he examined this subject matter.

Review: The Starlite Drive-In

2012-01-23T09:25:00.000-05:00

Summary: When human bones are discovered on the grounds of the old Starlite Drive-in, only Callie Anne Benton knows the identity of the victim who mysteriously disappeared thirty-six years ago.

It’s the sweltering summer of 1956 when a handsome drifter named Charlie Memphis arrives at the Starlite to help Callie Anne’s injured father run the theater. Both she and her mother, Teal, fall for Memphis’s rugged style and gentlemanly manners, but Callie Anne’s father—bitter in his role as caretaker for the rural drive-in and his agoraphobic wife—doesn’t like the drifter’s increasing interest in Teal.

A disastrous turn of events changes their lives forever, and it’s up to the grown-up Callie Anne to unlock the secret of the decades-old mystery.

Told through the voice of Callie Anne, a whip-smart tomboy reminiscent of Scout Finch, The Starlite Drive-in is a vivid snapshot of 1950s America. A compelling novel infused with hope, tragedy, and suspense, Callie Anne’s story will strike a chord with readers both young and old. -- Harper

I probably would have been drawn to the novel THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN by Marjorie Reynolds based on the description alone, but when I heard it being compared to my all-time favorite book TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, I just knew I had to see for myself. THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN is part coming of age, part murder mystery, and part romance; and it has recently been re-released in paperback.

I should know by now not to get my hopes up that a novel will live up to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, and I've actually decided that it's not even fair to make that comparison. I don't want to say that I didn't enjoy THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN because it was a good read with interesting characters; however, it wasn't TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. But really, that's no surprise. What I can say is that I appreciated this novel and especially the coming-of-age aspects of the story. (I am still a sucker for a good coming-of-age tale!)

THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN had a wonderful character in Callie Anne, a tween girl who lives with her parents at a drive-in theater. Her family life is a bit of a mess. Her father is busy with running the drive-in and dealing with his injury and her mother is afraid to leave the house. When a handsome stranger comes into their lives to help Callie Anne's dad maintain the drive-in, Callie (and her mother) are quite smitten with him. However, Callie Anne's dad is extremely jealous of the affect he is having on his wife. As the summer begins to heat up, so do emotions and tensions among the characters.

I adored Callie Anne and thought she was a perfect narrator for this story! Having a daughter the exact same age, I could relate to her. Callie Anne was dealing with some out-of-the-ordinary issues with her parents, and my heart just broke for her. But it was the coming-of-age parts of the story that really appealed to me. I loved how the author capture the essence of a tween girl. She did a great job showing all of the changes that are taking place in a young girl as well as showing all of the conflict that Callie Anne faced as she tried to figure out these changes.

In addition to Callie Anne, I thought many of the other characters in this novel were very interesting. While I didn't exactly like Callie's father, I found him to be intriguing. I also enjoyed the drifter Memphis and I appreciated that I (like Callie) wasn't quite sure to make of him. In addition, I liked Callie's love interest (even if I did think he was too old for her!) and I especially liked seeing Callie Anne's reaction to him. And finally, I found Callie's mother to be an extremely complex character. If was interesting to see how her relationship with Memphis gave her the courage to not only leave the house but to stand up to her domineering husband.

Another aspect of this novel that I enjoyed a great deal was the setting. The book took place in the mid 1950s and I thought Ms. Reynolds' did a very good job of establishing the feel of this time period. Her descriptions of the drive-in as well as the small town brought this story to life for me. I could picture each scene in this novel perfectly, and I appreciated the fine details Ms. Reynolds included.

I chose to feature THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN as part of Mystery Monday because the book begins with the discovery of human remains. So technically, this novel is a mystery. Although I do have to say that the mystery angle of the novel isn't its strongest part -- I much preferred the character development. I think most readers will figure out pretty early on what happened and who's to blame. There are a few twists in the story that add a little bit of intrigue, but those readers who are expecting a true mystery might be disappointed.

THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN was selected by the American Library Association as one of the Ten Best Books of the Year for Young Adults, and I can honestly say that it didn't dawn on me that this book has YA crossover appeal until I read that. However, the more I think about it, the more I do think that's the case. I will be passing this one along to Booking Daughter! THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN has also been optioned as a film and I do think it would make a good one!

I wasn't able to find any discussion questions for THE STARLITEI have no doubt that book clubs would find plenty to talk about between the pages of THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN.

Overall, I enjoyed THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN. It was definitely an enjoyable read, and I recommend it to fans of YA as well as women's fiction.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Kid Konnection: Bunheads

2012-01-21T00:59:00.103-05:00

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to review an entertaining young adult book that definitely would have captured my interested as a teen.

Summary: On-stage beauty. Backstage drama.

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other "bunheads" in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life? -- Poppy

When I was about Booking Daughter's age, I read a book called MAGGIE ADAMS DANCER over and over again. I absolutely loved this novel about a teen girl who was dealing with the issues that ballerinas faced including weight concerns and competition between the dances. This novel still remains in my thoughts as one of my very favorite tween reads, and I suspect that I even dreamed about what it would be like to be a ballerina. A few years ago, I stumbled across a used copy of this book and I was so excited because I could share it with Booking Daughter.

So when I heard about the new novel BUNHEADS by Sophie Flack, I immediately wanted to read it. First of all, the book description reminded me a bit of MAGGIE ADAMS DANCER so my curiosity was piqued. However, BUNHEADS was written by a woman who actually danced with the New York City Ballet for nine years. I figured I'd get an insider look at a dancer's life from someone who actually knew the inner workings of a major ballet company.

BUNHEADS is Sophie Flack's debut novel and I think it's a strong start. I enjoyed this story and the characters, and maybe it's the tween in me, but I liked all of the drama surrounding the dancers. The competition between the dancers was as intense as I imagined, yet I found it difficult to comprehend how early these girls (and boys) started devoting their life to their craft. Their dedication to dance is admirable and I thought BUNHEADS showed this extremely well.

I truly felt as if the author of BUNHEADS captured the essence of how a major dance company works. I loved getting a glimpse at the personalities of the teachers and dancers as well as seeing their day-to-day schedules. I had no idea that even after dancers performed all day at the studio, many of them go to gyms and yoga classes to continue their workouts. In addition, I knew that there was pressure on the girls to stay thin, but it broke my heart when Hannah began to develop (at 19 years old nonetheless) and had to bind her chest to appear flatter.

While I enjoyed getting a look into how a major ballet company works, there were other things I enjoyed about this book. First of all, I really liked Hannah and even though I have almost nothing in common with her, I found that I could relate to her. She seemed like a pretty authentic character to me and I respected her devotion to dance. She moved away from her parents at a very young age to train as a ballerina and she basically gave up her "normal" life for the opportunity to perform. What I most appreciated about her character, though, was when she began to get a taste of a life outside of dance; and I really liked how BUNHEADS explored Hannah's conflict and ultimate decisions.

Another thing I enjoyed about BUNHEADS was that it took place in New York City. Even though Hannah spent most of her waking hours at the company, she did get to explore New York a little as she began to realize a life outside of dancing. With the help of a friend, Hannah began to actually notice some of the wonderful things that the city has to offer.

I'm debating about whether I should share BUNHEADS with Booking Daughter. I do think she'd enjoy it, but there are some adult issues in the novel. There is a fair amount of underage drinking, although I don't know that I'd go so far as to say that it was glamorized. There were also some mentions of sex and homosexuality but I felt as if these references were pretty tame. When I keep in mind that Hannah was a 19 year old girl and not a tween, I think this book was a relatively clean read.

I enjoyed BUNHEADS a great deal and I think young girls, and especially dancers, will agree.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

World Book Night

2012-01-20T06:43:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks, I heard about an exciting idea called World Book Night. Many of you probably already know about this event, but I thought I'd share a little bit about it just in case.

World Book Night will take place on April 23, 2012 across the U.S., UK and Ireland. During this event , 50,000 people, named as “book givers,” will each be giving away 20 books from a select list with a goal to have 1,000,000 people across the United States celebrating reading. Most of the publishing, bookstore, library, author, printing, and paper communities are behind this effort with donated services and time.

You can sign up at http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/about-world-book-night/register-as-a-2012-giver by February 1st to apply to be a “book giver.” You can see the complete list of titles that includes books from author faves Jodi Picoult, Michael Connelly, Stephen King, Barbara Kingsolver and Junot Diaz at: http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/wbn2012-the-books. There are adult as well as young adult titles available.

I think this is a great way to spread your love of reading! I'm heading over to the site to learn more about being a volunteer and I hope you'll join me.

Guest Review: The Silent Oligarch

2012-01-19T00:33:00.000-05:00

Summary: In a world where national borders shrink to insignificance in the face of colossal wealth and corporate power, The Silent Oligarch offers a new kind of hero to combat a new kind of crime. Drawing on his decade of experience at the world's largest corporate intelligence firm-where the wealthy buy the justice they want and the silence they need-Chris Morgan Jones leads us down into the unvarnished realities of our time in the grand tradition of John le Carré. Bearing news from a world hidden behind closed doors, The Silent Oligarch effortlessly creates a new genre in its wake.

Deep in the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources sits a nondescript bureaucrat named Konstantin Malin. He draws a nominal government salary but from his shabby office controls half the nation's oil industry, making him one of the most wealthy and feared men in Russia. His public face is Richard Lock, a hapless money launderer bound to Malin by marriage, complacency, and greed. Lock takes the proceeds of his master's corruption, washes them abroad, and invests them back in Russia in a secret business empire. He knows little about Malin's true affairs, but still he knows too much.

Benjamin Webster is an investigator at a London corporate intelligence firm. Years before, as an idealistic young journalist in Russia, Webster saw a colleague murdered for asking too many hard questions of powerful people; her true killers have never been found. Hired to ruin Malin, Webster comes to realize that this shadowy figure might have ordered her gruesome death, and that this case may deliver the justice he has been seeking for a decade.

As Webster peels back the layers of Malin's shell companies and criminal networks, Lock's colleagues begin dying mysteriously, police around the world start to investigate, and Malin begins to question his trust in his increasingly exposed frontman. Suddenly Lock is running for his life- though from Malin or Webster, the law or his own past, he couldn't say.

Leading us into a world we can know little about, The Silent Oligarch is the brilliant overture of a major new literary talent. -- The Penguin Press

After reading reviews for THE SILENT OLIGARCH by Chris Morgan Jones, I'm kind of wishing I hadn't passed it along to Booking Pap Pap. However, it seems like he enjoyed it. Here are his thoughts:

THE SILENT OLIGARCH is Chris Morgan Jones’ first novel. It is a thriller about money laundering, front men and a Russian Oligarch. His previous experience in an international business intelligence agency appears to serve as a basis for the novel’s plot.

Richard Lock is the front man for the Russian Minister of Natural Resources, Konstantin Malin and is responsible for setting up a complicated array of shell companies to launder money for Malin.

Aristotle Tourna, a Greek magnate who is of the same ilk as Malin, is convinced he was cheated in an acquisition of a company from Malin. He files a law suit and hires a London based business intelligence firm to gather information in an attempt to destroy Konstantin Malin. Benjamin Webster, with previous experience as a journalist covering the gas and oil industry in Russia, is chosen by his company as the lead investigator. Webster is motivated by a long ago unsolved murder of a colleague who asked too many questions in her investigation of certain Russian oil and gas transactions.

Webster’s investigation takes him to London, Moscow and Berlin where he creates significant problems for Lock. As he delves deeper into the case, Webster and his family are threatened, one of Lock’s colleagues dies in an apparent suicide and Lock is put under the watch of body guards assigned by Malin. When Lock can no longer withstand the pressure from Webster, Malin and law enforcement officials from several countries, he decides to run.

The crux of the novel is the interplay between Webster and Lock and their dealings with their personal demons.

Richard Lock is certainly conflicted. Should he return to Russia and hope all is forgotten or should he attempt to separate himself from Malin and return to his wife and daughter in London? Can he trust Webster?

Benjamin Webster has his own issues. Is his investigation responsible for the death of Lock’s business associate and is he putting Lock at risk?Is his desire to solve the murder case of his reporter friend overshadowing his decision making on the case? Is finding justice worth the danger he has created?

THE SILENT OLIGARCH hits on the very timely topic of Russian corporate corruption as Jones combines politics, business and crime in an exciting novel. The story moves along smoothly with sufficient action to keep the reader interested right up to the unusual ending. This is a very good first novel by Chris Morgan Jones. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good international thriller.

Thanks to Booking Pap Pap for his review and to the publisher for sending a copy of this novel.

Review: Salvage the Bones

2012-01-18T08:54:00.000-05:00

Summary: A stunning new voice from the Gulf Coast delivers a gritty but tender novel about family and poverty in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.

A hurricane is building over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the coastal town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and Esch's father is growing concerned. A hard drinker, largely absent, he doesn't show concern for much else. Esch and her three brothers are stocking food, but there isn't much to save. Lately, Esch can't keep down what food she gets; she's fourteen and pregnant. Her brother Skeetah is sneaking scraps for his prized pitbull's new litter, dying one by one in the dirt. Meanwhile, brothers Randall and Junior try to stake their claim in a family long on child's play and short on parenting.

As the twelve days that make up the novel's framework yield to their dramatic conclusion, this unforgettable family-motherless children sacrificing for one another as they can, protecting and nurturing where love is scarce-pulls itself up to face another day. A big-hearted novel about familial love and community against all odds, and a wrenching look at the lonesome, brutal, and restrictive realities of rural poverty, Salvage the Bones is muscled with poetry, revelatory, and real. -- Bloomsbury

SALVAGE THE BONES by Jesmyn Ward has won numerous awards including the 2011 National Book Award for Fiction. So when I was offered the opportunity to receive a copy of this novel, I jumped at the chance. Despite reading quite a few books each year, it seems like I rarely read "award-winning" ones; and I decided that I needed to see for myself just how good SALVAGE THE BONES was.

I can honestly say that SALVAGE THE BONES was an excellent novel. The writing is nothing short of spectacular and the story is intense. But does that mean that I enjoyed reading this novel? That's an entirely different question. I appreciated this novel and what I think it accomplished, but it was a very difficult read for me. I'm still teetering as to my overall opinions/feelings about this book. I think my opinion is that it was a great piece of literature, but I'm not sure I liked it all that much. Does that even make sense?

SALVAGE THE BONES tells the story of Esch and her family in the twelve days leading up to Hurricane Katrina. Even without the pending storm, Esch's family life isn't great. Her mother died during childbirth and her father is an alcoholic who is not really involved in his children's lives. Esch and her three brothers try to fend for themselves and do the best they can, but their situation is extremely sad. As the storm approaches, Esch's family is trying to stockpile food, prepare their house, and basically just survive despite very bleak odds.

I could rave about the writing in SALVAGE THE BONES like so many other reviews, but suffice to say that Ms. Ward is an extremely talented writer. I can't really add anything that hasn't already been said about this book, so I'm going to discuss how this novel affected me. SALVAGE THE BONES was a very difficult read for me and it made me extremely uncomfortable. I would think that my reaction wasn't that dissimilar from other readers, but I'm not sure I liked how this book made me feel. It delved into so many subjects that are extremely painful for me to think about including a dysfunctional family, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, dog fighting and extreme poverty.

It's strange, but I can read books about brutal murders (and other disturbing things) and they don't affect me like SALVAGE THE BONES did. I guess that's a testament to the author. She created a very sad, but real, family, and then showed how they struggled each and every day. By choosing to show their plight in the twelve days leading to Hurricane Katrina, she showed an even more desperate picture of their lives; and it just broke my heart and made me want to weep.

One of the truly outstanding things about SALVAGE THE BONES was how the author created the tension surrounding the approaching storm. The story became more frantic as Katrina came closer to shore and I felt as if the pace of the novel similarly increased. Personally, I know I was reading the novel at a faster pace as the story neared its climax. This might sound weird, but I noticed that I was shaking as I read this book. It is one very powerful story!

I have to warn readers that SALVAGE THE BONES isn't for the faint-hearted. I felt as if much of this novel was raw and gritty, and it was brutal in its honesty. I don't know what affected me more -- what the family was doing to keep afloat or the dog-fighting scenes. Ms. Ward has a skill for bringing characters and scenes to life and it's because of her outstanding ability to describe even the smallest detail. Having said that, her descriptions of the dog-fighting were extremely graphic, and I have a feeling that animal lovers should brace themselves before picking up this book.

SALVAGE THE BONES would make an outstanding book club selection. There is so much to discuss from the writing, to the characters, to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on its victims. Some of the other topics you might want to explore include grief, loss, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, family dynamics, and love. This novel would be fascinating to talk about, but it probably won't be the "funnest" meeting that you'll ever attend.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a review copy of this novel.

Review: Come In and Cover Me

2012-01-17T11:32:00.000-05:00

Summary: When Ren was only twelve years old, she lost her older brother, Scott, to a car crash. Since then, Scott has been a presence in her life, appearing as a snatch of song or a reflection in the moonlight. Now, twenty-five years later, her talent for connecting with the ghosts around her has made her especially sensitive as an archaeologist. More than just understanding the bare outline of how our ancestors lived, Ren is dedicated to re-creating lives and stories, to breathing life into those who occupied this world long before us. Now she is on the cusp of the most important discovery of her career, and it is ghosts who are guiding her way. But what do two long-dead Mimbres women have to tell Ren about herself? And what message do they have about her developing relationship with a fellow archaeologist, the first man to really know her since her brother's death? Come In and Cover Me is the moving story of a woman learning to let go of the past in order to move forward with her own future.

Written with the same warmth and depth of feeling that drew readers to The Well and the Mine, Phillips's debut, Come In and Cover Me is a haunting and engrossing new novel. -- Riverhead

I'm not usually a big fan of ghost stories (or anything else supernatural), but I was drawn to the description of
COME IN AND COVER ME by Gin Phillips. Plus I had heard some great things about Ms. Phillips writing and especially this book. Since I also find anything related to archaeology to be interesting, I figured why not give this book a try? I told myself that the ghost aspect of the story could be okay for me if it was done really well, but for some reason, I was still slightly reluctant.

And I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this one didn't appeal to me at all. After reading this book, I realized why this particular cover was chosen (and it is very appropriate to some of the novel's themes), but I can honestly say that I wouldn't have looked twice at this book if it were on a store's shelves.

Maybe it was my initial negative attitude, but I didn't love COME IN AND COVER ME. I discovered that I did like COME IN AND COVER ME, but I wasn't blown away by this novel like some readers. There were parts of this novel that were really, really good; and then there were other parts that I just didn't appreciate quite as much. COME IN AND COVER ME had a very unique premise and I most definitely appreciated that. It was part ghost story, part archaeological history, part romance, and part self-discovery; and it had a very interesting (and complex) character in Ren.
I've been trying to put my finger on why this book didn't work as well for me as I had hoped, and I can honestly say that it wasn't because of the ghost story -- I actually enjoyed that part a great deal. I think one of my issues is that I felt as if the novel were a little disjointed. The writer used a variety of flashback scenes to explain both Ren's past as well as the Mibres women's stories, and I am torn as to how effective they were. On one hand, I appreciated getting the backgrounds of the characters and they flashbacks did work to move the story along; however, I also felt that there was a lot of jumping around with the different stories.

Having said that, I still enjoyed COME IN AND COVER ME, and there were a lot of positives to this novel. First and foremost, I was extremely impressed with just how unique the story was. I can honestly say that I've never read a book quite like this one and it was interesting to see how the different storylines came together. I also discovered that Gin Phillips is a quality writer and I thought her prose was a treat to read. I liked Ms. Phillips' character development, especially of Ren; and even though I didn't always love Ren, I still found her thoughts and actions to be fascinating.

Another thing I truly appreciated about this novel was that I learned a great deal about an ancient civilization. Since Ren was on an archaeological dig and studied the Mibres, there was a great deal of information about this culture. I had never even heard of the Mibres prior to reading COME IN AND COVER ME; and as a result, I found so much of this story to be interesting. It's apparent that Ms. Phillips did a tremendous amount of research to write this novel.

COME IN AND COVER ME would make a very good book club pick. Because Ren is so complex, a group could spend an entire evening just dissecting her emotional baggage. There is a reading guide available which poses some fantastic questions. Some of the themes you might want to explore include the study of other civilizations, grief, female companionship, parent/child relationships, the past, communities, and love. You can also talk about the use of ghosts as metaphors in this story as well as the role of storytelling in different societies.

I am really torn on my feelings about COME IN AND COVER ME. I liked many aspects of the story, but for some reason, I just didn't love it. I do think I'm probably in the minority on this one, and therefore, I recommend it to fans of women's fiction.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: The Look of Love

2012-01-16T20:08:00.001-05:00

Summary: The Associated Press calls her “one of the most talented storytellers around.” Now, New York Times bestselling author Mary Jane Clark brings readers a delicious new mystery.

Piper Donovan accepts when the owner of Elysium, an exclusive spa and plastic surgery center, offers her an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to create a dazzling and unique wedding cake. The job also gives Piper the time and distance she needs to sort out her feelings for handsome FBI agent Jack Lombardi.

The ultra-luxurious spa caters to the rich and famous in need of a little “refreshing”—a nip here, a tuck there, a little Botox, a little detox. Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, Elysium seems picture-perfect: the grounds, the staff, even the guests. But no sooner does Piper arrive than a guest is brutally murdered in one of the private bungalows. Someone, it seems, wants to make sure Elysium’s beautiful director, Jillian Abernathy, never gets to walk down the aisle. Piper soon discovers that beneath the glamorous surface of this idyllic oasis lies an ugly truth—and a cold-blooded plan for murder. -- William Morrow

THE LOOK OF LOVE by Mary Jane Clark is the second book in the Piper Donovan Mystery series, and I have to tell you that I think I liked this one as much as the first novel TO HAVE AND TO KILL (you can read my review here.) I won't go so far as to call these books literary mysteries -- they definitely fall more into the cozy category -- but I do think they are a great way to spend a few hours. In fact, I might go so far as to say that the Piper Donovan mysteries might be some of my favorite new cozies.

THE LOOK OF LOVE picks up right where TO HAVE AND TO KILL left off. That's not to say that this novel can't work as a standalone because it does, but I admit that I am excited that there is a cozy series that I've started reading from the very beginning. That's pretty unusual for me lately! At the end of TO HAVE AND TO KILL, Piper had designed a gorgeous wedding cake for her friend... as well as solving a murder. Because her cake design was featured in so many popular magazines, Piper was offered a job to make a wedding cake in Los Angeles at a ritzy spa and resort. Since Piper is also a struggling actress in addition to being a cake decorator, she figures she can use her spare time on the trip to do some auditioning.

Piper's customer, Jillian, is the manager of the spa (and daughter of the spa owner.) Jillian has already postponed her marriage after her cleaning lady Esperanza is the victim of a brutal acid attack. It appears that the attacker mistook Esperanza for Jillian and the acid was really meant to disfigure Jillian. While Esperanza is rehabbing at the spa, she begins to remember some details of the attack. Unfortunately she mentions this to one of the employees, and she is soon murdered.

So once again, Piper finds herself right smack dab in the middle of a murder mystery. So not only is she making a wedding cake for Jillian (or is she?) and auditioning for a commercial, she is also trying to solve the murder of Esperanza. But even that's not enough for Piper. She also hooks up with an investigative reporter to do a sting operation on a very creepy spa employee who does a "secret" facial treatment which requires him to put the clients to sleep. Of course, Piper saves the day as well as solving Esperanza's murder; however, she also gets herself into some pretty risky situations.

I enjoyed the mystery, but I do admit that I figured out the culprit pretty early on. That didn't affect my enjoyment of the novel though. Maybe because of this, I thought the side stories in THE LOOK OF LOVE made it special. One thing I really liked were the references to the Monastery of Angels and their homemade pumpkin bread. The Monastery of Angels is indeed a real convent and they do make and sell pumpkin bread! Another thing I really liked about this novel was the side story about the young woman who had three botched nose jobs. Ms. Clark used this character (and a few others) to show the value our culture places on appearances. That's certainly true in Los Angeles, the setting of this novel, where cosmetic surgery and Botox are almost second nature.

And lastly, I do have one slight complaint about the story. Piper's potential love interest Jack didn't have a big enough role. At the end of TO HAVE AND TO KILL, it seemed as if Piper and Jack might be ready to admit their feelings toward each other. Goodness knows, they certainly had some chemistry. However, this novel begins with Piper needing a break from their "relationship." As a result, Jack wasn't in very many scenes, and the ones he was in were without Piper. The ending of the book did satisfy me, but I am curious to see what happens between Piper and Jack in the third book.

Overall, I enjoyed THE LOOK OF LOVE a great deal. It was a fun way to spend a few hours and escape from the drudgery of my work around the house.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Kid Konnection: Class 2K12 Never Eighteen

2012-01-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm not going to do a book review -- life has just been too crazy with getting a new floor in my kitchen. So instead, here's the next installment of ...

Last week, I introduced this new feature on Kid Konnection. For those of you who missed it, here's the scoop:

Throughout 2012, I will be featuring many of the authors from the Class of 2K12. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Class of 2K12, it's a group of middle grade and young adult authors who have books being released some time during 2012. You can learn more about the authors and their books here. (And while you are visiting the blog, make sure you sign up for their mailing list. You are going to want to stay informed because there will be many opportunities to win some fantastic prize packs!)

You might notice that I used the word interview in the previous sentence, and that's because I didn't really interview the authors. Rather, I asked each author to do one simple thing:

Describe your book in 200 characters or less.

I asked Megan Bostic author of NEVER EIGHTEEN (which will be available on January 17th) to describe her book in just a few words; and here's what she had to say:

Seventeen-year-old Austin Parker will probably never see his eighteenth birthday, let alone the end of the year. In the short time he has left, he’s decided he needs to help the people he loves live—even though he never will.

There is a terrific website devoted to the novel! You will find more about the book including character information, specifics about the sites mentioned in the story, and even the inspiration for the book. In addition, there is a list of discussion questions for book clubs.

*****
Megan (that’s with a long “e”) Bostic is a mere human trying to find her place in the universe and an all-around great girl. Despite the rain and gray (she’s truly solar powered) making her extremely angsty, she’s lived in the Pacific Northwest her whole life, and still does, with her two crazy beautiful girls.

She thrives on the challenges faced in her journey to publication and has documented it vlog style. You can find her Chronicles of an Aspiring Writer on Youtube.

Her writing process she lovingly calls “organized chaos”. She writes on her laptop at the kitchen table next to the sliding glass door so she can absorb as much sun as she can. The “organized” part of the process mostly takes place in her head and involves the beginning and the end of her work in progress. The “chaos” part is pretty much how she sits down and writes with reckless abandon, not stopping to fix, revise, edit, or even breathe until she’s done.

When not writing, Megan is usually chauffeuring her teenage daughters and their friends, watching her girls play soccer, watching movies and TV shows on Netflix, hanging out with friends, spending time at the ocean, or walking the Narrows Bridge.

Megan loves the color black, monkeys, and is a notorious Facebook addict. She’s a proud member of The Class of 2K12 and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. You can also find her on Twitter, Goodreads, Jacketflap, and anywhere else cool authors hang out.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Review: Love, Accidentally

2012-01-13T00:11:00.040-05:00

Summary: From the author of The Opposite of Me and Skipping a Beat, an original eBook that shows whom we fall in love with may be the biggest -- and happiest -- accident of all.

Ilsa Brown wasn’t expecting a little, injured dog to lead her to the love of her life. But within months of their first meeting on a street corner in L.A., she and Grif, the dog’s owner, are engaged. Things between them are so blissful that Ilsa is stunned by the tension that erupts during their visit to Chicago to meet his parents, where she discovers that Grif’s old girlfriend, Elise, is still woven into his family. What Ilsa needs to know before she can walk down the aisle is whether Elise is still in Grif’s heart, too.

Featuring a character from Sarah Pekkanen’s original eBook short story All Is Bright, Love, Accidentally is surprising and heartfelt. It’s a story about taking chances and choosing hope, and discovering what it means to love someone—and to let go of someone you love. -- Washington Square Press

I am a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen and her writing. She is not only one of the sweetest authors I've had the pleasure of meeting, but she is also a terrific writer. One thing that I appreciate about her is that she doesn't make me wait an entire year for a new story. Instead, she offers her original short story eBooks to tide over her fans. Her latest release is called LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY.

LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY tells the story of Ilsa Brown a veterinarian who just happens to meet a "dream" guy Grif when his dog is accidentally hit by a car. They immediately fall in love and become engaged; however, Ilsa begins to doubt Grif's feelings when she learns that his ex-girlfriend is still involved with his family. And if that isn't enough, Ilsa also discovers that her sister's marriage is in trouble and she begins to project their issues on her relationship with Grif.

LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY is a cute and quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm not usually a big fan of romance stories, but I found this one to be entertaining. Cynics might say that the ending was a bit predictable (and maybe it was), but that didn't stop me from having a big grin on my face as I finished it.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY so much were the characters. Ms. Pekkanen always has the ability to create very real characters in all of her stories. She also makes them so darn likable. In the case of LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY, I adored both Ilsa and Grif; and I so wanted them to end up together.

Sometimes life just calls for a comfort read and LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY certainly fits the bill.

LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY is available for most eReaders for $.99.

Thanks to the author for providing me a review copy of this short story.

Review: The Discovery of Jeanne Baret

2012-01-12T09:49:00.001-05:00

Summary: The year was 1765. Eminent botanist Philibert Commerson had just been appointed to a grand new expedition: the first French circumnavigation of the world. As the ships’ official naturalist, Commerson would seek out resources—medicines, spices, timber, food—that could give the French an edge in the ever-accelerating race for empire.

Jeanne Baret, Commerson’s young mistress and collaborator, was desperate not to be left behind. She disguised herself as a teenage boy and signed on as his assistant. The journey made the twenty-six-year-old, known to her shipmates as “Jean” rather than “Jeanne,” the first woman to ever sail around the globe. Yet so little is known about this extraordinary woman, whose accomplishments were considered to be subversive, even impossible for someone of her sex and class.

When the ships made landfall and the secret lovers disembarked to explore, Baret carried heavy wooden field presses and bulky optical instruments over beaches and hills, impressing observers on the ships’ decks with her obvious strength and stamina. Less obvious were the strips of linen wound tight around her upper body and the months she had spent perfecting her masculine disguise in the streets and marketplaces of Paris.

Expedition commander Louis-Antoine de Bougainville recorded in his journal that curious Tahitian natives exposed Baret as a woman, eighteen months into the voyage. But the true story, it turns out, is more complicated.

In The Discovery of Jeanne Baret, Glynis Ridley unravels the conflicting accounts recorded by Baret’s crewmates to piece together the real story: how Baret’s identity was in fact widely suspected within just a couple of weeks of embarking, and the painful consequences of those suspicions; the newly discovered notebook, written in Baret’s own hand, that proves her scientific acumen; and the thousands of specimens she collected, most famously the showy vine bougainvillea.

Ridley also richly explores Baret’s awkward, sometimes dangerous interactions with the men on the ship, including Baret’s lover, the obsessive and sometimes prickly naturalist; a fashion-plate prince who, with his elaborate wigs and velvet garments, was often mistaken for a woman himself; the sour ship’s surgeon, who despised Baret and Commerson; even a Tahitian islander who joined the expedition and asked Baret to show him how to behave like a Frenchman.

But the central character of this true story is Jeanne Baret herself, a working-class woman whose scientific contributions were quietly dismissed and written out of history—until now. Anchored in impeccable original research and bursting with unforgettable characters and exotic settings, The Discovery of Jeanne Baret offers this forgotten heroine a chance to bloom at long last. -- Broadway

I should start this review by stating that I rarely read nonfiction books. I almost always pass them right to Booking Pap Pap, but THE DISCOVERY OF JEANNE BARET: STORY OF SCIENCE, THE HIGH SEAS, AND THE FIRST WOMAN TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE GLOBE by Glynis Ridley appealed to me. Maybe it was the book's description about a woman who impersonated a man so she could sneak on a ship and collect botanical samples from around the world... in the 1760s. However, I think it's mostly that the pitch I received from the publisher was just too darn good to pass up. His excitement over this story really came through in his email.

I have to say that I don't think I quite appreciated THE DISCOVERY OF JEANNE BARET like I had hoped. That's not to say that the book wasn't good. I think it's just that I'm not a big fan of most nonfiction history books. I have little patience for a lot of historical details, and as a result, I've decided that this might not be the best genre for me. (I'm honestly starting to wonder if I'm intelligent enough to read these types of books.)

I guess my major issue with this book is that it was very fact-based and filled with tons of details about Ms. Baret's life and times. Most of you are probably saying, "Well, isn't that what you'd expect?" And you're absolutely right! However, where the book got a little tedious to me wasn't in the parts about her life as much as it was in the parts about the science of the times. When I look back at the novel, I was very interested in learning about the challenges Ms. Baret faced, and I thought the descriptions of her life aboard the ship were fascinating. I just admit that I'm not that interested in botany.

And ultimately, I have realized that it's entirely my fault for not appreciating THE DISCOVERY OF JEANNE BARET as much as I should have. Ms. Baret's life story is nothing less than fascinating. She truly was hundreds of years ahead of her time and I was continually amazed by her strength and resilience. Ms. Baret also was a true heroine as well as an important figure in science, and it's just so unfortunate that she wasn't given the credit she deserved (until now!)

I am the first to tell you that I'm probably not the best judge of quality history books; however, I think THE DISCOVERY OF JEANNE BARET is one. This book is extremely well written and I thought Ms. Ridley did a great job of presenting Ms. Baret's story. Furthermore, the author did a remarkable job of researching this subject. That's evident in the amount of details she provided not only about Ms. Baret, but also about the condition of the world in the mid 1700s. Ms. Ridley also managed to present some entirely new ideas about Ms. Baret's life, and she should be commended for sharing this heroine's story with readers.

BARET, I did find the second half of the book to be quite interesting. I am definitely glad that I learned about Ms. Baret's fascinating story. Recommend for fans of history and/or science books.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a review copy of this book.

Review: American Dervish

2012-01-11T09:50:00.003-05:00

Summary: Hayat Shah is a young American in love for the first time. His normal life of school, baseball, and video games had previously been distinguished only by his Pakistani heritage and by the frequent chill between his parents, who fight over things he is too young to understand. Then Mina arrives, and everything changes.

Mina is Hayat's mother's oldest friend from Pakistan. She is independent, beautiful and intelligent, and arrives on the Shah's doorstep when her disastrous marriage in Pakistan disintegrates. Even Hayat's skeptical father can't deny the liveliness and happiness that accompanies Mina into their home. Her deep spirituality brings the family's Muslim faith to life in a way that resonates with Hayat as nothing has before. Studying the Quran by Mina's side and basking in the glow of her attention, he feels an entirely new purpose mingled with a growing infatuation for his teacher.

When Mina meets and begins dating a man, Hayat is confused by his feelings of betrayal. His growing passions, both spiritual and romantic, force him to question all that he has come to believe is true. Just as Mina finds happiness, Hayat is compelled to act -- with devastating consequences for all those he loves most.

American Dervish is a brilliantly written, nuanced, and emotionally forceful look inside the interplay of religion and modern life. Ayad Akhtar was raised in the Midwest himself, and through Hayat Shah he shows readers vividly the powerful forces at work on young men and women growing up Muslim in America. This is an intimate, personal first novel that will stay with readers long after they turn the last page. -- Little Brown

I adored AMERICAN DERVISH by Ayad Akhtar so much that I'm afraid it's spoiled everything else I read these past few days. I just couldn't get enough of this book and I was actually sad to see it end. I had heard that there was a lot of buzz for this book -- BEA, Entertainment Weekly, and a few others; but I honestly might have appreciated it even more than I was expecting. I know it's still really early in 2012, but I have no doubt that AMERICAN DERVISH will go down as one of my top reads of the year. I loved it that much!

So you might be wondering just what made this book so special; and I can't easily point to just one or two things to discuss in this review. Suffice it to say that, for me, it was the entire reading experience. The writing was fantastic and the characters were so memorable; but it was the way this book made me think so much about life that made it superb. Rarely does a book affect me like this AMERICAN DERVISH did. In fact, I can't stop raving about it to all of my friends.

I mentioned that the writing in AMERICAN DERVISH was very good and I can't stress that enough. I can hardly believe that this is Mr. Akhtar's debut novel (and I hope he continues to write more!) The book dealt with some extremely complex issues, and yet, the book was incredibly easy to read. I think that's a credit to the author because not only was the pacing of the book just about perfect, but the prose and dialogue were spot-on. It also helps that he created an amazing character in Hayat!

And that brings me to my next point.. the characters in AMERICAN DERVISH (and particularly Hayat) were so real to me and they are still popping up in my thoughts almost a week after I finished the novel. I can't go so far as to say that I truly liked any one of them all of the time, but they all contributed to making this novel truly amazing.

Not surprising, the character that has most remained in my thoughts is Hayat. Hayat was a remarkable narrator for this story, and I was blown away by how well Mr. Akhtar brought this boy to life. I loved his naivete as well as his honesty, and it truly was a treat to see how he evolved into a young man. I was fascinated by his devotion to the Muslim faith, and the ways he interpreted the teachings. In addition, I appreciated seeing how the author juxtaposed Hayat's spiritual awakening with his sexual one. It was all just so well done!

If I were summing up this novel is just a few words, the first thing that would pop in my brain would be a coming-of-age story of a Muslim boy in America. At it's heart, I do think that's what AMERICAN DERVISH is. And because I do love coming-of age stories so much, this novel appealed to me from the get-go. However, AMERICAN DERVISH was much more than that to me too. This book touched upon so many important themes that are relevant in today's society. I could go on and on about many of the ways this novel made me think, but I'll just throw a few out there to show you how much this novel affected me.

AMERICAN DERVISH made me aware of the following:

Muslim beliefs
Growing up Muslim in America
Cultural differences
The different ways individuals can interpret the Quran (or any religious teaching)
How an individual can interpret religious doctrine differently depending on their age or what they are experiencing in their life
Male and female relationships
What a dervish is and how they were a recurring theme in this novel
And many, many more....

It's because of these reasons and many more that I think AMERICAN DERVISH would make an excellent book club pick. Of course, there is a reading guide with an interesting author interview as well as ten discussion questions. I always like taking a peek at the questions, but I have to tell you that I think this guide is particularly outstanding. I love, love, love these questions and I am anxious to discuss some of them with friends. (Now to just get someone to pick this novel for our book club in the near future!)

As if you can't already tell, I adored AMERICAN DERVISH! Just do me a favor and trust me on this one. I don't think you'll regret it.

I received an ARC of this novel at the 2011 BEA.

Book Club Exchange: Strivectin Virtual Book Club

2012-01-10T08:23:00.000-05:00

I'd like to welcome Elizabeth Chapin to Book Club Exchange, a feature on Booking Mama which highlights anything and everything book club-related! Elizabeth is working on behalf of StriVectin® to promote their new Virtual Book Club. (Yes, StriVectin® the skin care experts!) I think this is a fabulous idea and the book they selected to kick things off is a good one. Here are the specifics:

StriVectin®, the largest independent prestige anti-aging skin care brand, just announced the launch of the first virtual book club housed solely onFacebook. Working at launch with HarperCollins Publishers, the Book Club allows users to create a profile, share reading lists, join in discussions with other readers, and participate in live question and answer sessions with popular authors.

The idea for the Book Club came when StriVectin noticed that women within its Facebook community were talking about more than just skin care, reflecting on issues and concerns about life in general. By helping to curate conversations around books that reflect the interests and concerns of real women, StriVectin hopes to enrich what it offers its community, and to help facilitate the supportive discussions it saw developing.

The book club launched with Anna David’s new book, FALLING FOR ME, the story of how the smart, successful, and single author decided to re-examine and refocus her life, with longtime Cosmopolitan guru Helen Gurley Brown as her guide. Every other month, the group will be invited to start a new book. With each new book, the first 50 people to sign-up to participate will receive a free copy (either digital or hard copy).

The StriVectin virtual book club can be accessed from any browser at:

https://www.facebook.com/StriVectin#!/StriVectin?sk=app_274635272574076.

I am very excited to follow the discussion of FALLING FOR ME by Anna David since I thoroughly enjoyed this book -- you can read my review here. I'm also anxious to see the other books that they select in the future.

Don't forget that if you get in on the action early, you just might "win" a free copy of the discussion book.

If you are interested in participating in a future Book Club Exchange, please contact me at bookingmama(at)gmail(dot)com.

Giveaway: Madame Tussaud

2012-01-10T00:24:00.000-05:00

Summary: The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.

Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom. -- Broadway

I am so excited about the paperback release of MADAME TUSSAUD by Michelle Moran -- you'll see why when you get to the end of this post! For those of you who don't know, I am a huge fan of Ms. Moran's and she is one of my very favorite authors. I have loved all of her books and MADAME TUSSAUD was no exception. You can read my review here.

So naturally, I'm excited about the paperback release of MADAME TUSSAUD because it has so many super cool features. This paperback is full of fresh content -- historical notes, a new Q&A with Michelle, a reading guide for book groups, and an excerpt from her upcoming new novel, The Second Empress. Personally, I can't wait to read the teaser for her new book!

And now for the fun part.... I have two copies of MADAME TUSSAUD to share with two very lucky Booking Mama readers courtesy of the publisher. To enter, just fill out the form below before February 23, 2011. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!

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Review: The Invisible Ones

2012-01-09T09:45:00.108-05:00

Summary: Small-time private investigator Ray Lovell veers between paralysis and delirium in a hospital bed. But before the accident that landed him there, he'd been hired to find Rose Janko, the wife of a charismatic son of a traveling Gypsy family, who went missing seven years earlier. Half Romany himself, Ray is well aware that he's been chosen more for his blood than his investigative skills. Still, he's surprised by the intense hostility he encounters from the Jankos, who haven't had an easy past. Touched by tragedy, they're either cursed or hiding a terrible secret-whose discovery Ray can't help suspecting is connected to Rose's disappearance. . . . -- Putnam

I am so excited that I'm featuring such a special book today for Mystery Monday. While I love reading cozies, I find that a good literary mystery always seems to hit the spot. And THE INVISIBLE ONES by Stef Penney sure fit the bill. I had a hard time putting this book down because I was just riveted to the story. And it didn't hurt that I couldn't get a grip on where the story was going to go.

I definitely appreciated THE INVISIBLE ONES; however, I'm not sure it will go down as one of my very favorites for 2012. I'm afraid that the two books I read prior to picking up THE INVISIBLE ONES were so amazing that they might have spoiled whatever book I next picked up. So in one way, I feel as if I might be more critical of this book that I normally would have been.

That's not to say that I didn't enjoy THE INVISIBLE ONES because I did. I was extremely impressed with Ms. Penney's writing style. I thought she did an excellent job of telling this very unique story and I also found the characters to be interesting and well developed. In addition, I liked how she chose to tell this story -- through viewpoints of Ray, the investigator and JJ, a teen Gypsy boy. I thought she did a great job of alternating between each of their voices and she managed to make both voices distinct -- not always an easy accomplishment. There is no doubt that Ms. Penney has some major writing skills and I have already added her first novel THE TENDERNESS OF WOLVES to my future reading list.

Another very good thing about THE INVISIBLE ONES was the story itself -- and of course, by that I mean the mystery aspect too. It only took a few pages for me to become involved in both Ray and JJ's lives and I appreciated seeing how their characters evolved throughout the novel. But the real strength of this novel was the mystery itself. I thought how the secrets of the story unfolded were fantastic! There were so many twists and turns and I felt as if it was really presented well to the reader. And don't even get me started on the surprise (or should I say shocking) ending. Suffice it to say, the author managed to make my jaw drop. Maybe I'm just naive, but I can honestly say that the ending blew me away just a bit!

Besides being a very well written mystery, THE INVISIBLE ONES also appealed to me because I feel as if I learned something while reading it. (I know -- many of you are cringing that I get my "history lessons" from fiction, and yes, I do know the risks of doing that!) Since many of the characters in this novel are gypsies, the author gives details of their lifestyles, as well as some Romany history, throughout the story. In fact, just to show you how much I learned, I had no idea that there were gypsies living in England in the 1980s. Needless to say, I was fascinated by this culture!

Since THE INVISIBLE ONES is a literary mystery, I do think it would be interesting for book groups to discuss. There is a reading guide available with ten thought-provoking questions. Some of the themes you might want to talk about are the Romany culture, stereotyping, prejudice, loss, grief, luck, hope, and secrets. I can assure you that you won't be lacking for things to discuss.

I recommend THE INVISIBLE ONES to fans of literary fiction, mysteries, and even historical fiction. I think it's a well written novel and the ending just might knock your socks off!

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Kid Konnection: May B and Introducing the Class of 2K12

2012-01-07T00:28:00.270-05:00

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with a wonderful middle grade book that I have been dying to read for some months now.

Summary: I've known it since last night:
It's been too long to expect them to return.
Something's happened.

May is helping out on a neighbor's Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it's hard to be separated from her family by 15 long, unfamiliar miles. Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned. Trapped in a tiny snow-covered sod house, isolated from family and neighbors, May must prepare for the oncoming winter. While fighting to survive, May's memories of her struggles with reading at school come back to haunt her. But she's determined to find her way home again. Caroline Starr Rose's fast-paced novel, written in beautiful and riveting verse, gives readers a strong new heroine to love. -- Schwartz & Wade

I have been reading Caroline Starr Rose's blog for some time now, and I definitely consider her a "cyber friend." It has been interesting to follow the ups and downs of her journey to become a published author. Despite the setbacks (and some pretty major ones), her debut novel MAY B will be published within the next few days. I am extremely excited for Ms. Rose because I know how much this novel means to her. But I am also very happy for readers because MAY B is an excellent novel. I absolutely, positively loved it!

I'm certainly not alone in my praise of MAY B. It has already received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. In addition, it has been named an Amazon's Best Book of the Month for Kids: January 2012 and a Junior Library Guild selection. I'm telling you, this book is the real deal!

MAY B tells the story of May, a young girl who is sent to live and work with a neighbor couple to help out her struggling family. She's only supposed to be there for a few months, but May is naturally distraught about leaving her family and her school. When the owners of the house unexpectedly leave and don't return, May is left to fend for herself. That means she is living in a sod house which can barely weather the elements and has a limited food supply. May is struggling to just stay alive when her unfortunate memories of school begin to enter her thoughts. Things don't look good for May, but she proves that she is one incredibly strong girl.

There are so many incredible things about this novel that I'm having a hard time articulating them. So instead of just rambling on and on about how great MAY B is, I'm going to focus on a few of the things that really stood out to me. First and foremost, is the character of May. She's a wonderful little girl who shows so much strength and resilience that it's sometimes hard to believe. I loved how real May seemed; and it wasn't until the end of the novel, when May tries to deal with her learning disability that I realized how much of a hero she really could be to young readers.

Another wonderful thing about this novel was the setting. The story takes place in Kansas and reminded me so much of my childhood favorite series -- the Little House books. (I just happen to know that the author was also a big fan of the books!) I loved how Ms. Rose brought the setting to life with her vivid descriptions of life during that time. From the details about the house, to the types of food, to the weather, I thought that this novel did a wonderful job of bringing rural Kansas to life. There is no doubt that fans of the Little House books will absolutely treasure this story.

And lastly, Ms. Rose's writing is exquisite. She not only tells an intriguing story with a wonderful main character, but she does so in a way that keeps the reader turning the pages. I read MAY B in one sitting and I honestly couldn't have put the book down even if I had wanted to. But this is what is even more amazing about the writing in MAY B -- the entire novel is written verse! Each page of this novel is filled with so much emotion, and at the same time, the writing is just beautiful. It is truly a treat to read.

After I finished MAY B, I wanted to share it with everyone I know. And that's why I think MAY B is the perfect discussion book -- either for book clubs or classrooms. There is an excellent study guide available which delves into many of the themes of the novel. There are also loads of ideas for further classroom study including vocabulary, writing activities, historical details, and discussion questions.

I highly recommend MAY B to middle grade readers, but also to adults. It's a beautiful story that is guaranteed to touch your heart!

Thanks to the publisher and author for sending me a review copy of this book.

And now for a new kids lit feature on Booking Mama:

Throughout 2012, I will be featuring many of the authors from the Class of 2K12. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Class of 2K12, it's a group of middle grade and young adult authors who have books being released some time during 2012. You can learn more about the authors and their books here. (And while you are visiting the blog, make sure you sign up for their mailing list. You are going to want to stay informed because there will be many opportunities to win some fantastic prize packs!)

You might notice that I used the word interview in the previous sentence, and that's because I didn't really interview the authors. Rather, I asked each author to do one simple thing:

Describe your book in 200 characters or less.

I first posed this question to Caroline Starr Rose author of MAY B; and here's what she had to say:

Abandoned and alone, May must fight to survive a harsh winter and even harsher school memories as she comes to terms with who she truly is.

I think these 26 words sum of MAY B perfectly, and I hope that between my review and Ms. Rose's teaser that you'll consider reading this novel.

I am very excited about featuring some new middle grade and young adult authors over the next year, and I hope you feel the same way. I love reading the author teasers and I have a feeling that I'll be adding quite a few new books to my reading wish-list.

*****
Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. As a girl she danced ballet, raced through books by Laura Ingalls, and put on magic shows in a homemade cape. She graduated from the University of New Mexico and went on to teach both social studies and English in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. In her classroom, she worked to instill in her students a passion for books, the freedom to experiment with words, and a curiosity about the past. Visit her at carolinestarrrose.com. Or discover her on Facebook, Goodreads or her blog.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Guest Review: Blink of an Eye

2012-01-06T06:42:00.000-05:00

Summary: It is America’s worst nightmare: A nuclear bomb destroys a major city. Thousands of Americans are dead and many more will die from radiation poisoning. Threats promising more attacks spread through the media. Panic has broken out in many cities. How could American intelligence have failed to detect a nuclear device? Who is responsible for the blast?

Sean Falcone, national security advisor, is tasked with identifying and tracking down the attackers. Powerful forces within the Capital point the finger at Iran. But appearances are always deceiving, and never more so than when millions of innocent people may die for a crime they did not commit. With the potential to incite the entire Muslim world against America and bring the world to the brink of Armageddon, Falcone discovers an astonishing secret hidden deep within the upper echelons of Washington’s elite...but why should the President—or the American people—believe him?

Pulling from years of international affairs and defense planning experience, the former Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton creates a sweeping, all-too-real political thriller. -- Forge

Thankfully, Booking Pap Pap got some reading done over the Christmas holidays because I'm still having issues getting back in the swing of things. And for that reason, I'm really grateful that he sent me a review so I could post it today! The most recent book he read was BLINK OF AN EYE by William Cohen; and I think, for the most part, he liked it. Here are his thoughts:

William Cohen, former Secretary of Defense, creates a very plausible scenario in his political thriller, BLINK OF AN EYE. An American city is destroyed by a nuclear explosion and the country must react. The President assigns Sean Falcone, National Security Advisor, the task of tracking down the attackers. Complicating the mission is the fact that the President is in the middle of a re-election campaign and politics become a significant factor in the effort to solve the mystery. Every action must be measured in light of the re-election effort.

Many conclude that the blast is an act of terror against the United States. Falcone must avoid a rush to judgment as the President, under a threat of impeachment, is pressured to take military action against Iran. With the assistance of a Washington newspaper reporter and an Israeli spy turned ambassador, Falcone discovers information that could turn Washington upside down if he is to be believed.

Although the plot is intriguing, I would not classify BLINK OF AN EYE as an exciting thriller. Most of the action doesn’t occur until the last few chapters of the novel. The strength of this novel is Cohen’s ability to give an insider’s perspective as to how Washington might react to a nuclear crisis. It’s clear that Secretary Cohen knows his way around Washington and his familiarity with the roles that would be assigned to the various departments lends a touch of realism to the novel. However, in focusing on the government’s reaction to the crisis, Cohen complicates the story with too many characters, departments and titles. As a result, although Cohen does an admirable job in defining Sean Falcon’s character, he fails to adequately flesh out many of the other characters.

I would recommend BLINK OF AN EYE to anyone interested in a realistic thriller that gives an insider’s perspective on how our government, both politically and administratively, might react to a nuclear crisis.

Thanks to Booking Pap Pap for his fine review and to the publisher for providing a copy of this novel.

Review: One Moment, One Morning

2012-01-05T11:52:00.002-05:00

Summary: The Brighton to London line. The 7:44 am train. Cars packed with commuters. One woman occupies her time observing the people around her. Opposite, a girl puts on her make-up. Across the aisle, a husband strokes his wife’s hand. Further along, another woman flicks through a glossy magazine. Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man collapses, the train is stopped, and an ambulance is called.

For at least three passengers on the 7:44 on that particular morning, life will never be the same again. There’s Lou, in an adjacent seat, who witnesses events first hand. Anna, who’s sitting further up the train, impatient to get to work. And Karen, the man’s wife.

Telling the story of the week following that fateful train journey, One Moment, One Morning is a stunning novel about love and loss, about family and – above all– friendship. A stark reminder that, sometimes, one moment is all it takes to shatter everything. Yet it also reminds us that somehow, despite it all, life can and does go on. -- St. Martin's Griffin

I admit that I was in a bit of a reading slump when I picked up ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING by Sarah Rayner. I was extremely busy with the holidays and also not feeling so well when I sat down to read this novel. I was in the mood for a comfort read, and I thought ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING might hit the spot. However, I quickly discovered (just within the first few pages) that this wasn't exactly an upbeat novel. And as a result, I'm not exactly sure it was the right time to read it for me.

That's not to say that I didn't appreciate this novel because there were many very good things about this story, but I do have to wonder if I would have enjoyed it more had I waited just a few weeks (i.e. after the holidays) to read it. You see, a man dies unexpectedly on a commuter train and ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING tells the story of how this life-altering event brings three women together. So right off the bat, the book delves into the life of the widow Karen -- who just happens to be around my age and the mother of two young children. Maybe the novel resonated a little too much for me, but I was definitely affected by her story.

ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING also follows the lives of Karen's life-long best friend Anna who is in a destructive relationship with an alcoholic and Lou, a young woman who is hiding her sexuality from her mother. (Not exactly upbeat situations either, right?) Their lives intersect on that Monday morning commute (hence the title - ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING); and the book shows how one event can forever change your life. Through their friendship, each woman finds the strength to move on and also make some positive changes in her life.

So while Karen, Anna and Lou are all dealing with some pretty major baggage, the book isn't as sad as you might expect. Or at least Anna and Lou's stories were as upsetting to me. I was still really affected by Karen's story. Rather, the novel shows the many benefits that a good friend can provide especially when someone is in need. In addition, even though the book begins with the ending of a life and deals with grief and loss, I thought ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING shows the strength and resilience of the human spirit and focuses on living. And for that reason, I think the novel did end on a positive note.

In addition to the overall themes of the story, I did appreciate the way this novel was written. The entire story is presented in a one week time period. It just goes to show you how much your life can change on a dime! Sections of the book are divided into the days of the week, while the individual chapters begin with the time of the day. The author also uses flashbacks to give the characters' background stories and I thought she did a good job of incorporating them into the novel with fairly smooth transitions. In addition, Ms. Rayner effectively juggled the three women's stories while keeping them distinct for the reader.

ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING would make a very interesting book club pick. There is a reading guide available which touches upon many of the issues I mentioned earlier. Some of the themes you might want to explore include love, loss, grief, secrets, relationships, friendships, and new beginnings. I do think this novel will resonate with women, especially those in their 30s and 40s; and there is no doubt that it will give most readers some food for thought.

I appreciated ONE MOMENT, ONE MORNING, although I do wish I had read it at a different time. It's a well-written novel with some very interesting characters, and I recommend it for fans of women's fiction.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a review copy of this novel.

Review: The World We Found

2012-01-04T00:11:00.121-05:00

Summary: The acclaimed author of The Space Between Us and The Weight of Heaven returns with a breathtaking, skillfully wrought story of four women and the unbreakable ties they share.

As university students in late 1970s Bombay, Armaiti, Laleh, Kavita, and Nishta were inseparable. Spirited and unconventional, they challenged authority and fought for a better world. But much has changed over the past thirty years. Following different paths, the quartet drifted apart, the day-to-day demands of work and family tempering the revolutionary fervor they once shared.

Then comes devastating news: Armaiti, who moved to America, is gravely ill and wants to see the old friends she left behind. For Laleh, reunion is a bittersweet reminder of unfulfilled dreams and unspoken guilt. For Kavita, it is an admission of forbidden passion. For Nishta, it is the promise of freedom from a bitter fundamentalist husband. And for Armaiti, it is an act of acceptance, of letting go on her own terms even if her ex-husband and daughter do not understand her choices.

In the course of their journey to reconnect, Armaiti, Laleh, Kavita, and Nishta must confront the truths of their lives—acknowledge long-held regrets, face painful secrets and hidden desires, and reconcile their idealistic past and their compromised present. And they will have to decide what matters most, a choice that may just help them reclaim the extraordinary world they once found.

Exploring the enduring bonds of friendship and the power of love to change lives, and offering an unforgettable portrait of modern India—a nation struggling to bridge economic, religious, gender, and generational divides—The World We Found is a dazzling masterwork from the remarkable Thrity Umrigar. -- Harper

THE WORLD WE FOUND by Thrity Umrigar is one of those books that I've picked up a number of times just because I was so excited to read it. I think Ms. Umrigar is just a remarkable writer and I'm pretty much guaranteed to love her books. And then, I'd sit down to read it and see that it wasn't being released until 2012, and I'd put it down for a later date. I must have done this two or three separate times. You'd think I would have just read it and written my review earlier, but that didn't even dawn on me!

So it was with much excitement that I decided that THE WORLD WE FOUND would be the first novel that I'd read in 2012. I wanted to start the new "reading" year with a bang and THE WORLD WE FOUND was the perfect book. I absolutely treasured this novel and it encompassed everything I've come to know and love about Ms. Umrigar's writing. This novel not only explored the Indian culture, religion, and politics (which I find fascinating), but it also explored relationships, namely women's friendships, like few novels I've ever read. THE WORLD WE FOUND was truly a terrific read and just might remain on my "list" of 2012 favorites. (I know it's a bit early, but this book is really fantastic!)

I have been processing this novel for a few days because I didn't want to jump right into my review; however, I have to be honest when I say that I'm still reeling from this book. I am all over the place with the characters and their actions, and I'm still trying to organize my thoughts. Rather than try to articulate what I'm feeling in words, I just wish I could discuss this novel with my friends. It would make the perfect book club book, but more on that later.

I'm not sure what I loved more about THE WORLD WE FOUND -- the story or the writing. Both were outstanding in my opinion. I think because I always enjoy Ms. Umrigar's characters and their stories so much, I tend to get caught up in the book and forget just what an amazing writer she is. Her prose is beautiful and her dialogue seems so authentic to me. As I read this novel, I felt as if I was right there in India with her characters. In addition, I have to give the author major credit for balancing the four different female characters in this novel. Each one of the women came to life to me with their own distinct personality and voice.

Despite my appreciation of the story and the writing, I think I appreciated just how much THE WORLD WE FOUND make me think. At its surface, this novel was about female friendships and I was touched by the strength of these four women. I absolutely treasured the relationships these women had and was even envious of the extent these women would go for each other. And I also deeply appreciated how this book explored the other relationships in their lives -- from their husbands, to their relatives, to their children.

However, this novel also explored so many other thought-provoking issues including religion and politics. I thought these subjects were presented in an extremely interesting way; and I can't stop thinking about the complexities of these issues especially as they relate to India and its people. I have always been fascinated by anything having to do with this country, and I can't express how much the lives of these four women have affected me.

As I mentioned a little bit ago, THE WORLD WE FOUND would make an excellent book club pick. I don't have the chance to pick a book for my group for another nine months, but you better be sure that I'm considering this novel. There is a reading guide available which touches upon many of the pertinent issues in the novel. Some of the topics you might want to explore include

I apologize that this review is both gushing and unorganized at the same, but I think it just might be the best way for me to express just how much THE WORLD WE FOUND affected me. I highly recommend this book to... pretty much anyone!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: The Bungalow

2012-01-03T09:09:00.000-05:00

Summary: In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war.

A timeless story of enduring passion, The Bungalow chronicles Anne's determination to discover the truth about the twin losses-of life, and of love-that have haunted her for seventy years. -- Plume

One of the books that I was looking forward to reading over the Christmas holidays was THE BUNGALOW by Sarah Jio. I'm been anxious to read it ever since Ms. Jio mentioned it to me after I finished reviewing her first novel THE VIOLETS OF MARCH. While I didn't exactly "relate" to the main character in THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, I still appreciated Ms. Jio's writing style and storytelling abilities. And when I learned that her latest novel would be about World War II, I thought it might be a better fit for me.

I enjoyed THE BUNGALOW a great deal, and I think I appreciated it even more than THE VIOLETS OF MARCH. I have to admit that I wasn't exactly thrilled when I read on a few blogs that this story was a romance; however, I thought I'd give it a try since I have been known to enjoy an occasional love story. And I have to say that the romance part of this story worked just fine despite my initial cynicism. Anne and Westry's romance had the potential to include some of those things that bother me about love stories, but I think it worked for a couple of reasons. First of all, Ms. Jio's writing and character development actually made me care about Anne and Westry and their feelings towards each other. Secondly, I think the setting (by that I mean the location of Bora-Bora as well as the World War II time period) allowed my to get caught up in their whirlwind romance. And lastly, the love scenes weren't over-the-top. (You know what I mean by that!)

Now, you might think that THE BUNGALOW is a romance story based on my last paragraph, and it is, but it is also so much more than that. (And I'm guessing that those reasons are probably why I ended up enjoying this novel.) I found that I really appreciated the way this story unfolded -- it actually kept me turning the pages. The story begins in the present day when Anne receives a letter concerning a mystery that occurred when she was a resident on the island of Bora-Bora during World War II. She and her granddaughter decide to visit the island and the trip dredges up a lot of old memories for Anne. The story is then told in one big flashback until the very end of the novel. Because the story was told in this way, I was extremely curious to see how Anne's life played out both during the war and after.

So needless to say, I was anxious to find out about Anne -- what happened between her and Westly as well as her future without him, but I also wanted to know what happened to Anne's friend Kitty. Throughout the novel, there were quite a few secrets involving Kitty and eventually the end of their friendship. I had my guesses about Kitty, but I admit to being a little surprised by how her story eventually played out. In addition, I was extremely curious to discover the resolution to another one of the novel's mysteries, namely the brutal murder of a native woman. There were a few twists and turns, both for Anne and the reader; and I thought Ms. Jio did a wonderful job of building suspense for the reader.

I definitely think THE BUNGALOW as an interesting discussion book. In fact, I know Ms. Jio makes herself available to discuss her novels with book clubs, and I'm sure she'd add a lot to any discussion. There is a reading guide available for this novel with thirteen thought-provoking questions. Some of the themes you might want to discuss are living in the moment, love vs. passion, family dynamics, friendship, secrets, justice, and jealousy.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE BUNGALOW and recommend it for fans of historical fiction, romance, women's fiction, and mystery!

Thanks to the publisher for sending a review copy of this book.

Review: Gun Games

2012-01-02T09:06:00.001-05:00

Summary: Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus are back in this gripping mystery involving a secret cabal of some of Los Angeles’ most wealthy—and vicious—teens

LAPD lieutenant detective Decker and his wife, Rina, have willingly welcomed fifteen-year-old Gabriel Whitman, the son of a troubled former friend, into their home. While the enigmatic teen seems to be adapting easily, Decker knows only too well the secrets adolescents keep—witnessed by the tragic suicide of another teen, Gregory Hesse, a student at Bell and Wakefield, one of the city’s most exclusive prep schools.

Gregory’s mother, Wendy, refuses to believe her son shot himself and convinces Decker to look deeper. What he finds disturbs him. The gun used in the tragedy was stolen—evidence that propels him to launch a full investigation with his trusted team, Sergeant Marge Dunn and Detective Scott Oliver. But the case becomes darkly complicated by the suicide of another Bell and Wakefield student—a death that leads them to uncover an especially nasty group of rich and privileged students with a predilection for guns and violence. Decker thought he understood kids, yet the closer he and his team get to the truth, the clearer it becomes that he knows very little about them, including his own charge, Gabe. The son of a gangster and an absent parent, the boy has had a life filled with too much free time, too many unexplained absences, and too little adult supervision.

Before it’s over, the case and all its terrifying ramifications will take Decker and his detectives down a dark alley of twisted allegiances and unholy alliances, culminating at a heart-stopping point of no return. -- William Morrow

Prior to my blogging days, I used to read Faye Kellerman's Decker/Lazarus novels religiously. I loved the detective skills of Peter and Rina as well as the side stories about their married life and their religion. It's been a few years since I've picked up one of these novels, but I decided that the new release GUN GAMES would be a great book to determine if this series was everything I remembered it to be.

And I have to say, in many ways, GUN GAMES was a good read for me and did bring back some very fond memories of these characters. I appreciated Ms. Kellerman's skills at weaving a sound mystery with some exciting twists and turns; and I truly did think the mystery aspect of this story was above average. However, if I'm being entirely honest, there were some things about GUN GAMES that left me a little disappointed.

First of all, a very large portion of this book dealt with the story of Gabe, a 15 year old boy who came to live with Peter and Rina after his troubled parents no longer could care for him. It's not that I didn't like Gabe, because I did... a lot. It's just that so much of GUN GAMES read like a teenage romance. Gabe falls very hard for a girl and the book just seems to go on and on and their feelings towards each other. I actually got tired of reading about his teenage boy desires as well as their gushy text messages. Maybe I'm just cold-hearted (or too old), but I felt these aspects of the story were a little over-the-top for an adult book.

And another "issue" I had with this book (which kind of piggybacks on the Gabe one) is that I felt as if Peter and definitely Rina could have played larger roles. In the prior books that I've read in this series, I remember Peter being more hands on with his detecting skills. (Of course, he had to recuse himself from much of the police work in GUN GAMES because of his involvement with Gabe.) But what I really loved about many of the older stories is that Rina helped Peter solve the crimes. In GUN GAMES, Rina was still the character I've come to know and love, but she was a bit flat and one dimensional. She was almost a secondary character and she didn't play an active role in any of the crime solving. It was kind of a disappointment for me.

Having said these things, it might be my fault for not reading HANGMAN, the book where Gabe's story was introduced. I think I have a copy of that book around here some place, and I'm wondering if I had read it first, I would have been less inclined to feel this way about GUN GAMES. I definitely want to read HANGMAN soon because Gabe's father sounds intriguing to say the least -- he's part organized crime, party brothel owner, and seems to not have much of a conscience. I have a feeling that the mystery and characters in that novel might appeal to me a bit more than the ones in GUN GAMES.

I do feel as if I should make one thing clear before I end this review. I did enjoy GUN GAMES. It just had a few flaws in my opinion. If I focus on just the mystery aspect of the story, I actually appreciated GUN GAMES a great deal. I found the dynamics of the teen criminals to be extremely interesting and I loved the ending of the novel which focused primarily on the crime. When Peter, Marge and Oliver started actively solving the case, I remembered just how much I loved Faye Kellerman's storytelling abilities.

While I don't think GUN GAMES is Ms. Kellerman's best, I do think fans of her past novels will appreciate this story.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Kid Konnection: Pie

2011-12-31T08:29:00.002-05:00

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with a delightful middle grade book.

Summary: From the award-winning author of So B. It, a story about family, friendship, and...pie!

When Alice's Aunt Polly passes away, she takes with her the secret to her world-famous pie-crust recipe. Or does she? In her will, Polly leaves the recipe to her extraordinarily surly cat Lardo...and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice.

Suddenly Alice is thrust into the center of a piestorm, with everyone in town trying to be the next pie-contest winner... including Alice's mother and some of Alice's friends. The whole community is going pie-crazy... and it's up to Alice to discover the ingredients that really matter. Like family. And friendship. And enjoying what you do. --Scholastic

A few months ago, Kathy/Bermudaonion was raving about a middle grade novel called PIE by Sarah Weeks. I've been meaning to read it ever since I read her review, but for some reason (maybe it's the 1500+ books that I own), I didn't get around to picking it up until yesterday. And boy am I glad I did! I absolutely adored this book.

Despite having fairly high expectations about this novel, PIE exceeded all of them. My only regret is that the book is geared for 9 year olds and up so I'm not sure that I can get Booking Daughter to read it. PIE pretty much had it all as far as I'm concerned. I loved the characters, especially Alice, Charlie, and Aunt Polly; and I enjoyed the mystery element and the twist at the end. But I think it was how this book made me feel that made it such a winner for me. I laughed and I cried and PIE just warmed my heart through and through. (And it didn't hurt that it had pie recipes at the beginning of every chapter!)

PIE tells the story of Alice, a young girl whose Aunt Polly passes away unexpectedly. Alice positively idolized her Aunt Polly, and who can blame her? Aunt Polly was the kindest, most understanding, person that Alice had ever met; and Alice needed some extra special love since she wasn't exactly getting it from home. Aunt Polly also devoted her life to making pies. And they weren't just any pies. They were award winning pies that made her and her shop very famous.

When Aunt Polly dies, her will confuses Alice and her family. She leaves her secret pie crust recipe to her cat Lardo and the cat Lardo to Alice. Alice's mother is even more bitter towards Aunt Polly (if that's possible) and the entire town is thrown into a tizzy trying to win the next big pie award. Poor Alice (and her new friend Charlie) try to make sense of everything, and along the way, they discover some secrets, but they also learn so much more.

As cute as the characters and story are in PIE, I think I most loved the messages in this book. There were so many heartwarming lessons in this story about family and friends. However, there were some larger ones too about self-discovering, staying true to one's self, and happiness. I especially loved the turn-around that Alice's mother had when she discovered that it's most important to live your own life and do what you love.

PIE is just one of those books that makes me want to share it with everyone I know. Unfortunately, I think the girls in our mother daughter book club would find the book to be too young (although I do think they'd like it if they'd give it a try!) However, I do think this book lends itself perfectly to a mother daughter book club or even one like the after-school book club I used to run. Who knows? I might have to do the after school club again just for a reason to discuss PIE with some young girls.

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!