I loved a lot of what Halverson did in this novel, her writing is fresh and engaging, but for some reason the novel never really grabbed me. I was curious to see what the outcome would be, and that kept me reading to the end, but the short time period in which the story was told made it feel rushed and a tad implausible. The passage of more time would have made it more realistic, but as it stood, all the action with Paige, the children and Ella’s revitalizing the family business (so that she can claim a steady income) is rather sudden. The story seems to span just a few short months.

I also felt that I needed more of a feel for what Ella was all about. There are some references to her troubled first marriage, but I still never felt like I had a handle on the character. Paige’s intrusive actions were over the top. Halverson has an easy and inviting style, and it’s easy to get caught up in the lives of her characters, but more development and adjustment in the pacing of the story would have made an interesting premise and novel really shine.

Read More Reviews At: Literate Housewife - Purple Sage And Scorpions - Bookworm With A View - That’s What She Read - Books In The City 

Review copy.

Related posts:

1. Bad Kitty For President by Nick Bruel – Book Review
2. No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie – Book Review
3. Forgotten Country by Catherine Chung – Book Review
4. The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont – Book Review
5. The Demi-Monde Winter by Rod Rees – Book Review

No related posts.

In Arranged by Catherine Mackenzie, Anne Blythe is a woman on the brink of success. She has completed a novel and is in the process of finding a publisher. She has a great support system in her loving family and friends, and supportive co-workers. The one area of her life that remains tricky is her love life. She has just broken up with the latest in a string of boyfriends that are remarkably similar to one another, not only in looks, but also in the fact that each has proved unsuccessful in terms of ending in marriage. After breaking up with her last boyfriend, Anne moves into her own apartment and by chance comes across a card for the Blythe Company. Interested in what is presumably an unfamiliar dating company, Anne finds that they are in it for the long haul. After her friend becomes engaged, a slightly jealous Anne signs up with Blythe and Company even though they don’t arrange dates, they arrange marriages.

I am the first to admit that contemporary romance is not my cup of tea, but I couldn’t resist this one. My interest came in wanting to see how the author would approach arranged marriages from an American perspective. What questions would plague her heroine? What benefits would be offered in face of American skepticism and a staggering list of cons stemming from the ingrained belief in choosing one’s own partner? In the belief that this is the only way to have a successful marriage? In this respect Mackenzie has offered a thoughtful and well-considered analysis of relationships and how an arranged marriage might come to be understood as feasible and successful choice in a modern society. Anne’s time spent in pre-marriage counseling, the rationale for the Blythe Company’s processes, her own eventual embrace of arranged marriage, and both her stance and the company’s in enlightening family and friends,  was solidly planned  and thought-provoking. I enjoyed the depth and insight in this part of the novel.

Unfortunately, other aspects of Arranged proved less satisfying. The introductory section where we get to know Anne and her family and friends was painfully bland. Anne and her family are run of the mill rather than endearing, and the relationships and dialogue between her and her loved ones consist of pretty thin retreads of the clichés rife in contemporary romance. Not only weren’t there any surprises with these characters and their roles to each other, there also wasn’t enough depth for me to feel much for any of them. Anne is unfortunately named because of her mother’s obsession with Anne of Green Gables, and much is made of this through the novel, but even that angle wasn’t particularly appealing to me. My interest piqued again in a plot twist I really should have seen coming, but then book ambles on toward happily ever after in a way that didn’t sit well with me after all that was involved. I wanted to read this because I loved the idea of the unique premise, but almost everything else goes against the grain of what I find enjoyable.

Read More Reviews At: Jennifer Vido - A Bookish Way of Life - Book Drunkard

Review copy.

No related posts.

Adrienne Haus is fifteen the summer that a torn ACL keeps her from a camping adventure with her best friend. Hoping to occupy her for the summer, Adrienne’s mother suggests a mother-daughter book club, but the book club participants are an odd array of mothers and daughters. Adrienne, CeeCee, Jill and Wallis are an unlikely quartet, and hardly in the same social circle; they would never hang out together at school under normal circumstances. Similarly, their mothers are also very different from each other. Harried single parents, unconcerned academics and socialites are among their ranks.  Adrienne is convinced that mixing it up like this can only lead to no-good, and when a book club related death occurs under mysterious circumstances it appears that she might be more right than she knows.

 Schumacher has written a deeply thoughtful and realistic, yet quirky, novel about the summer that a socially awkward teen spends separated from her only friend. While thinking about the choices her mother might have made that led to her fatherless upbringing, Adrienne forms new relationships that are precarious and fraught with danger. She pushes boundaries she never before would have approached. While warned by Jill, that CeeCee might not have her best interests at heart, she nonetheless is powerless to resist the pull of the new friendship that’s being offered, though she is skeptical of both its merits and endurance. Wallis, along with CeeCee, also provides points of contention between Adrienne and her mom – because though they spend the summer increasingly at odds with one another, Adrienne is more than a little peeved by the fast friendship they seem to have.

As a protagonist, Adrienne is a bit of a misfit. She is equally deliberate in the choices she makes just as much as she is passive and mystified by them as well.  I loved how the parents are involved in their children’s lives, even as they don’t quite understand what to make of them or what to do with them. All of Adrienne’s relationships and interactions make sense and are appropriate for whom she seems to be. I love her relationship with her mother and the way they evolve over the summer, leaving no easy answers or ready conclusions.

As a book club enthusiast I wholeheartedly approve of the reading list and Adrienne’s careful consideration of each book in light of the characters and their circumstances, and the relevance they have in her life and the choices that she makes over the summer. The novel is written in essay style as an assignment for Adrienne’s AP English course, and key elements of literary style and structure are defined and demonstrated in each of the chapters.  The group reads Frankenstein, The Yellow Wall Paper, The Awakening, The Left Hand of Darkness, and The House on Mango Street. Certainly it’s a worthy collection. The consideration that Adrienne gives to books, reading and the place and influence they have in personal existence provides food for thought and adds to a weighty and entertaining read. Recommended.

Read More Reviews At: Five Alarm Book Reviews - Ex Libris – Bookshelves of Doom

Review copy.

Related posts:

1. These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen – Book Review
2. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, by Kelly O’Connor McNees – Book Review
3. Rowan The Strange, by Julie Hearn – Book Review
4. The Summer of Skinny Dipping, by Amanda Howells – Book Review
5. The Karma Club, by Jessica Brody – Book Review

In this version of twenty questions, I send a list of questions to a willing victim author and they choose their own interview by choosing which questions, and how many questions, they want to answer!  I read Laura Dave last year for the first time when I picked up The First Husband, and not only did I really enjoy the novel, I enjoyed the food included in it as well.

Would you give us a bit of introduction and let my readers know who you are, how you got started writing, and what kind of books you like to write?

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved reading and writing. By the time I was in elementary school, I’d written my first “novel.”  I would describe my novels (the ones I’ve written as a grown-up: my most recent are The First Husband and The Divorce Party) as stories about families, marriage, infidelity, and friendship. Ultimately, they all aim to ask a question about what we are willing to risk for the people we love.

I am often struck by the different ways writers respond to the process of writing a book. Linus’s Blanket refers to my use of reading and other activities as a means of escape and comfort, can you share with us any routines, food or recipes, or favorite books or rituals that help you thorough the writing process?

There are two big rituals important to how I write: listening to music (while I’m writing) and cooking (after I’m done working for the day).  I often sit in the same coffee shop to write — but, wherever I write, I listen to music, usually the same couple of songs on repeat.  It creates a meditative state for me while I work.  And, since writing is such a solitary affair, I love to cook with my husband at the end of the day.  It’s a way to leave my writing behind and focus on the rest of my life.  Since we moved to Santa Monica, we’re in walking distance of an amazing farmers market. I’ll go there on the weekend and let what I find dictates how and what we cook.  I’m not the world’s best cook, but I’m very enthusiastic!  And cooking brings a lot of joy to my life.

 Did you know what you wanted the title of the book to be? How involved were in choosing the name of the book?

I think I came up with the title The First Husband almost before I started writing.  I imagined a conversation between two women—very much like the characters of Annie and Jordan—who were discussing how one of them married quickly after a traumatic breakup.  As I was contemplating this conversation, I imagined Jordan trying to convince Annie to leave her quickie and reactive union by arguing the point: “He’s just your first husband.”

I wanted to take a look at the irony of that ideology and, in the process, have an opportunity to discuss how we become proactive in our own happiness.  (And our own marriages.)  I spoke to many marriage experts while I was working on the book — about how to make a marriage successful and thriving.  The First Husband title is also a bit of a wink to the idea that relationships are disposable when I believe so much of our happiness comes from committing to the opposite.

Did you have to do much research when working on your books, and do you tend to write first or research first?

Oh, I love doing research!  With all my books, especially The First Husband, I’ve done background work on the people and places I’m writing about.  I tend to do a lot of my research at the beginning of my work on a novel. And I often revisit researching as I move deeper into the book.

Where do you most love to write? Are there places where it comes to you easier than others?

I write at the same place every morning.  It is a local coffee shop/larder.  I like to sit in the same table toward the back, drink my coffee and dive in for several hours.  I get my best work done there.

What’s next?

I’m working on a new novel that is set against the backdrop of northern California and Austin Texas.  It keeps surprising me, which I’m really enjoying.

Giveaway: One reader with a  US or Canadian mailing address (no PO boxes, please), has the opportunity to win a copy of Laura Dave’s The First Husband. For entry, fill out this form by end of day, 11:59 p.m, April 30th, and you’ll be entered for your chance to win.

About: Laura Dave was born in New York City in 1977 and grew up in Westchester County. She attended The University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a BA in English, and The University of Virginia, where she earned her MFA. . Laura is the author of the acclaimed novels “The Divorce Party” and “London is the Best City in America.” In addition to writing books, Laura has also worked steadily as a journalist. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Glamour, Self, Modern Bride, Redbook, ESPN the Magazine, and The New York Observer, as well as on NPR’s All Things Considered. Laura lives in southern California, where she is at work on a new novel.

Related posts:

1. Out Of Twenty: Alex Gilvarry, Author of From The Memoirs of A Non-Enemy Combatant, Answers Six Questions
2. Out Of Twenty: Janet Gurtler, Author of If I Tell, Answers Nine Questions
3. Out of Twenty: Sophie Hannah, Author of The Cradle In the Grave, Answers Twenty Questions
4. Out of Twenty: Edie Meidav, Author of Lola, California, Answers Twenty Questions
5. The First Husband, by Laura Dave – Book Review

April is National Poetry Month, and every now and again I get the urge to be relevant. So in honor of the month, I read a collection of poetry. The Day The World Ends is a collection by Ethan Coen, the filmmaker whose creative talents contributed to such works as Fargo, No Country For Old Men and True Grit.

Coen’s poems are irreverent, funny and go to the limit with crass and crude imagery. Yet, every now and again he surprises with a thoughtful and well-crafted gem. Never sticking to one form, he plays with everything from limericks (of which there is an extensive collection, and which are very, very dirty) to  free form, with a variety of lengths (some being just a few short lines and covering several pages). Among the numerous fart jokes and bawdy sex jokes, Coen displays a tender preoccupation with the care of animals, aging, romantic relationships, and loneliness.

I would recommend this collection for fans of Ethan Coen who want to keep up with his collection in all formats, and for those who enjoy ribald potty humor every now and again. Poignancy is at a minimum here, and if you are looking for something deeper, the poems are few and far between.

Read More Reviews At: Love, Laughter, and A Touch of Insanity - Necromancy Never Pays

One reader with a  US or Canadian mailing address (no PO boxes, please), has the opportunity to win a copy of Ethan Coen’s The Day the World Ends (Poems). For entry, fill out this form by end of day, 11:59 p.m, April 27th, and you’ll be entered for your chance to win.

Review copy.

Related posts:

1. These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen – Book Review
2. What It Was by George Pelecanos – Book Review
3. Maman’s Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart In An American Kitchen by Donia Bijan – Book Review
4. Come In And Cover Me by Gin Phillips – Book Review
5. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes – Book Review

These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen examines the lives of three young women trying to make it in New York City. Each is troubled by some aspect of their past. Renee and Cate both work at Gloss magazine. Cate has just been made a features editor, but she lives in fear that a past indiscretion will catch up to her, even as she also worries about her newly divorced and increasingly lonely mother. Renee is struggling to win a promotion as a beauty editor though she feels as if she is too overweight for the position. Renee’s recent discovery of her father’s infidelity and the surprise of a sister she never knew also weighs heavily on her mind. When the girls’ roommate moves out unexpectedly, they scramble to find a replacement, and offer a room to Abby, the sister of a writer whom both Renee and Cate have a crush on.

Sarah Pekkanen writes in a savory and evocative style that allows for nothing less than complete immersion into These Girls. I was so taken with this group of women – their struggles for self-hood, their burgeoning companionship, their attempts to face their personal challenges were endearing. Pekkanen puts you right inside their lives and hearts, and their emotions feel like your own, or at least like those of a close friend. No matter whose perspective was being explored, I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next, and how they would resolve their dilemmas of weight pills, sexually aggressive bosses, inappropriate affairs, and inconvenient love. Pekkanen plays with the narrative by following Cate and Renee in real-time, but she breaks that pattern to follow the root of Abby’s heartache partially  in flashbacks to Washington, DC, where she suddenly fled her position as a nanny. These Girls is a beautiful story of female friendship and I could have hung out with them for far longer than Pekkanen has allowed. Recommended.

Read More Reviews At: My Friend Amy – You’ve Gotta Read This – Devourer of Books

Review copy.

Related posts:

1. The Unbearable Book Club For Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher – Book Review
2. The Day The World Ends (Poems) by Ethan Coen – Book Review
3. The Whole Story of Half A Girl by Veera Hiranandani – Book Review
4. The Violets of March, by Sarah Jio – Book Review
5. The Postmistress, by Sarah Blake – Book Review

About The Testament of Jessie Lamb:

A rogue virus that kills pregnant women has been let loose in the world, and nothing less than the survival of the human race is at stake.

Some blame the scientists, others see the hand of God, and still others claim that human arrogance and destructiveness are reaping the punishment they deserve. Jessie Lamb is an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl living in extraordinary times. As her world collapses, her idealism and courage drive her toward the ultimate act of heroism. She wants her life to make a difference. But is Jessie heroic? Or is she, as her scientist father fears, impressionable, innocent, and incapable of understanding where her actions will lead?

Set in a world irreparably altered by an act of biological terrorism, The Testament of Jessie Lamb explores a young woman’s struggle to become independent of her parents. As the certainties of her childhood are ripped apart, Jessie begins to question her parents’ attitudes, their behavior, and the very world they have bequeathed her.

If you plan on participating in today’s BOOK CLUB, please consider subscribing to comments at the bottom of the page, and check back throughout the day as more questions are added to the post.

Let’s go!

• What were your general impressions of the book?
• Did you think about the title of the book at all? Did it shape your experience and thoughts while reading? How?
• The Testament of Jessie Lamb  is filled with a number of issues that are particularly resonant with us today. Which concepts and themes did you find yourself returning to throughout the novel’s progression.
• What kinds of questions did you have during your reading? Were they answered?
• What was your reaction to who was holding Jesse captive? Were you surprised? Did you feel as if her kidnapper’s reaction was justified? How would you have handled the situation?
• Jesse’s father feels as if she has been brainwashed into her position, and there are many ethical decisions concerning the Sleeping Beauties and whether they are being taken advantage of. How did you feel about the lab and the doctors there? Did they taking advantage? Are Jesse and The Sleeping Beauties able to make the decisions they did? Should they be allowed?

Read Reviews At: Devourerof Books - Must Read Faster

15 review copies of The Testament of Jessie Lamb  were provided by Harper Perennial in order to facilitate this discussion. Thank you so much!

No related posts.

Bad Kitty for President is the perfect introduction to delegates, the Electoral College, campaigning, and the (basically) two party process. It’s not comprehensive, but children, and probably most adults, can benefit from this funny and general overview of the process as illustrated by Bad Kitty and her cohorts. There are some well-illustrated examples and concise definitions of the political process – and the ads Kitty runs, the platform she campaigns on…are not to be missed. Recommended.

Review copy.

Related posts:

1. Arranged by Catherine McKenzie – Book Review
2. Forgotten Country by Catherine Chung – Book Review
3. Come In And Cover Me by Gin Phillips – Book Review
4. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes – Book Review
5. The Demi-Monde Winter by Rod Rees – Book Review

Pelecanos is often an astute observer of human behavior, relationships and language, but I had mixed feelings on this novel. Something about the distance of the voice in the storytelling, and maybe my own unfamiliarity with 1970′s, made Strange, Vaughn and the various villains come off as little more than caricatures – even as the story was engaging enough for me to want to see how it culminated at the end. This is not Pelecanos’s first outing with these characters, so it is possible that I am missing something in not having experienced the fullness of their history together, but still this short but full story fell flat to me in comparison with his other novels.

Review copy.

Related posts:

1. The Face Thief by Eli Gottlieb – Book Review
2. No Mark Upon Her by Deborah Crombie – Book Review
3. The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney – Book Review
4. Turnaround, by George Pelecanos – Book Review
5. Silas Marner, by George Eliot – Book Review