Tag Archives: book review

Friday Book Whimsy: The Beach Trees

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10283872My brother tells the story of a kid with whom he attended high school. The kid was a smart, serious student (I’m trying to avoid using the term nerd, though I think that’s what he was). Apparently he loved to read. He loved to read so much, in fact, that he would walk through the halls of the school reading a book while changing classes.

I thought about that kid as I read The Beach Trees by Karen White. I couldn’t put this book down. I would read while I cooked. I would read while I got ready for bed. I would read in the car while Bill did errands. It was, quite simply, a really good book.

I have mentioned that I have only recently discovered this author, thanks to the recommendation of a cousin. And recently, while discussing the author, my cousin mentioned that The Beach Trees was her favorite of the many books White has written. Mine too, at least so far.

At the age of 12, Julie Holt’s sister goes missing on her watch. Now Julie is an adult, and still hasn’t come to grips with the tragedy. When her friend Monica passes away and makes Julie the legal guardian of her 5-year-old son and leaves her property in Biloxi, Mississippi, Julie heads south to meet Monica’s family, and try to find out why her friend ran away from her family years before.

What she finds out is that the house in Biloxi was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. As Julie tries to figure out her next moves, she becomes involved in figuring out the layers that make up the family’s history.

The story is told in a back and forth manner – first Julie’s story, then Monica’s grandmother Aimee’s story. Sometimes when authors use this particular style, it can be confusing or I will find that I’m interested in one story but not the other. In the case of The Beach Trees, I was interested in both stories and felt the author did a wonderful job of moving both stories forward.

There is a love story involved, in fact, several. All of White’s books (or at least all I’ve read) have a romantic element. But this story, and others that I’ve read, are not driven by the love story. In fact, in The Beach Trees, that part of the plot was mostly incidental.

The final secret isn’t revealed until the very end of the book, and I wasn’t even close to predicting at least some of the surprise. That was what kept me reading. That, and learning about the ravages brought about by hurricanes. I was reminded that Hurricane Katrina wasn’t the first time the area was impacted. In fact, Hurricane Camille plays an important role in this book. White’s description of Hurricane Camille as it hit the area is vivid and really made me feel like I was living through the storm.

I highly recommend The Beach Trees.

Buy The Beach Trees from Amazon here.

Buy The Beach Trees from Barnes and Noble here.

Buy The Beach Trees from Tattered Cover here.

Buy The Beach Trees from Changing Hands here.

 

Friday Book Whimsy: 2015 Must Reads

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I have read a few 2015 releases already – World Gone By, by Dennis Lehane; Under the Same Blue Sky, by Pamela Schoenewaldt; and A Spool of Blue Thread,  by Anne Tyler, to be specific. I enjoyed all three, and have posted reviews of them all.

But there are a few 2015 books that have either recently been released or are yet to be released that I wouldn’t even think of missing for a variety of reasons.

In no particular order….

Few would argue that To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most important American books of all time. The characters are unforgettable. Scheduled to be released on July 14, Go Set a Watchman is, for all intents and purposes, a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird. What makes this book particularly unique is that it was actually written and submitted years before To Kill a Mockingbird. Thought to be lost, the manuscript was found and will be released. Go Set a Watchman features the same characters as To Kill a Mockingbird, but 20 years later.

Sadly, author Kent Haruf passed away last year, but not before completing Our Souls at Night, which was released May 26. Set in the same fictional eastern Colorado town of Holt, Our Souls at Night is the story of two elderly people, both who lost their spouses several years ago, who find friendship and love in their later years amidst the small town gossip. Kent Haruf writes the most unbelieveably beautiful prose imaginable. I have this book sitting on my ebook shelf, and am eagerly looking forward to finishing the books I have borrowed from the library to dig into this one. I’m certain I won’t be disappointed.

The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows was released June 9 to much acclaim. Barrows is the author of the much-loved (including by me) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Barrows’ newest novel takes place in 1938 in a small West Virginian town, and tells the story of a young girl forced by her father (a United States Senator) to live in this small town despite her boredom. Boredom that is until she meets the Romeyn family and begins to unravel some family secrets. Sounds very good.

Julia Keller has become one of my favorite authors, and her protagonist Bell Elkins is one of my favorite characters. Last Ragged Breath, which will be released on August 25, is the next in the dark mystery series that also takes place in a fictional town in West Virginia. Her novels are contemporary, however. Keller’s writing is phenomenal and richly realistic. I can’t wait for this book to come out.

Speaking of mystery series, I’m eagerly awaiting Louise Penney’s next book The Nature of the Beast, featuring my beloved Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. The mysteries take place in a fictional small town near Quebec in Canada. Penney’s writing is imminently readable, but for me, the series is all about C.I. Gamache. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I want him to be one of my BFFs.

Our favorite bail bondsman Stephanie Plum and her gang of hilarious friends will be back November 17 in Tricky Twenty-Two. I am compelled to include this book, not because it is great literature, but because every single one of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels have been so funny that I am in danger of, well, never mind. There is no way in the world I would miss a single one of these mysteries. The Stephanie Plum books are one of several that I really prefer to listen to as opposed to reading simply because the woman who narrates the books – Lorelei King – is absolutely tremendous.

Author Sue Grafton will be releasing the next in her so-called alphabet series featuring private investigator Kinsey Milhone on August 25. I used to love this series, but as of late, it has began to feel repetitious. Still, there are only so many letters in the alphabet, and this novel, entitled X, is the third from the end. I can’t quit now. For the past 23 books, I have been wondering what Grafton would title the X-book. You know, like A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, L is for Lawless, O is for Outlaw, etc. I haven’t been able to think past X is for X-ray. Instead, Grafton went for simplicity with the title simply being X.  Who knows? Maybe Grafton will start over with double letters. You know, like AA is for Awesome Aardvark.

All the Single Ladies, by Dorothea Benton Frank, is a must-read for me simply because I absolutely love her settings, all of which are the low country of South Carolina, near Charleston. Her books always feature a strong-willed woman facing difficult circumstances and coming out unscathed. I like Frank’s writing. All the Single Ladies was released June 9. The story centers around three women facing the death of a fourth woman. I hate books where characters die, but I will undoubtedly give this one a try.

My new favorite author, Karen White, has a new novel out, released on May 12. The Sound of Glass follows a familiar Karen White theme – a young woman learns she has inherited a family estate that, of course, has a secret attached. The Sound of Glass takes place in Beaufort, South Carolina, which is a draw for me. I’m not sure I’ll get to this novel right away as White is very prolific and I have only recently begun reading her books. But I will definitely read it sometime soon.

Are there books either recently released or soon-to-be-released that you are going to read?

Friday Book Whimsy: The Lost Hours

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imagesA terrible riding accident brings Piper Mills’ hopes of an Olympic medal to a screeching halt. As she struggles to get her life back on track, her grandfather and grandmother, who cared for her after her parents died when she was very young in a car accident, both pass away. Piper remembers a box she helped her grandfather bury when she was 12. She digs up the box, and mystery ensues.

The box contains pages from a scrapbook, a charm necklace, and a 1939 newspaper article about finding the body of an African American baby in the nearby river. Piper’s subsequent actions eventually take her to a small town outside of Savannah where she tries to solve the mystery of her grandmother’s life.

In the book The Lost Hours, author Karen White tells a beautiful story about friendship, love, and forgiveness, all the while reminding her readers what life was like prior to the Civil Rights movement. She introduces us to some unforgettable characters and a way of life we can only read about. It’s a love story and a history lesson all in one.

White is quite prolific, and I have only recently discovered her. I am enjoying reading her books. I find her books almost always have a significant message. The Lost Hours is a powerful reminder that we can’t take our important relationships for granted, but must love and forgive every single day.

In addition to the wonderful story, I enjoyed the southern setting, both when the story takes place in Savannah and when we are transported along with Piper to the small town where most of the tale takes place.

Though the story hits on serious issues such as racial discrimination, the KKK, Alzheimers, and equal rights, overall it is a beautiful story that kept me reading without stop until the book was finished.

I highly recommend The Lost Hours, which, by the way, is such a wonderful title for this book.

Buy The Lost Hours from Amazon here.

Buy The Lost Hours from Barnes and Noble here.

Buy The Lost Hours from Tattered Cover here.

Buy The Lost Hours from Changing Hands here.

 

Friday Book Whimsy: World Gone By

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imgresDennis Lehane is one of my favorite authors. His books are the kind that you don’t forget for a long time after you’ve finished the book. The characters and the stories stick with you. The people he creates aren’t black and white, but shades of gray, just the way people are in real life.

World Gone By is the third in a series. Normally I wouldn’t review a book that is part of a series. I believe, however, that World Gone By is a book that can stand alone. While you will understand the characters a bit more if you have read the first two in the series – The Given Day and Live By Night – this book will draw you in even if you don’t want to read the first two.

The protagonist, Joe Coughlin, is a complex character. He was born and reared in Boston (most of Lehane’s books take place in Boston as that is where he was born and still lives), the son of an abusive father and a neglectful mother. Through a series of actions that take place throughout the series, Coughlin gets caught up in a world of crime – he’s a gangster in Ybor City, Florida, and Cuba – but is now mostly out of the business. He is by no means to be confused with the caricature of the “gangster with a heart of gold.” Still, he has his own set of morals, and while they resemble our morals in no way whatsoever, they make a degree of sense. The reader can’t help but like Joe even if they don’t like the world in which he is involved.

World Gone By is not a book that would appeal to everyone. It is graphically violent. I think it’s probably nearly impossible to write a believable book about the mob without violence. The plot plays out about the only way it can, and the ending came as no surprise.

Lehane’s writing, my friends, is why anyone should read this book. And if books about the mob don’t appeal to you, read other books by this author. He writes a marvelous detective series featuring private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. Don’t get me wrong. These are not lighthearted mysteries. But Lehane’s writing is incredible.

Several of his books have been made into movies – Mystic River (one of my favorites), Shutter Island, and The Drop come to mind.

I suggest you give Lehane’s books a try.

Buy World Gone By from Amazon here.

Buy World Gone By from Barnes and Noble here.

Buy World Gone By from Tattered Cover here.

Buy World Gone By from Changing Hands here.

 

Friday Book Whimsy: Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman

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imgresThink Downton Abbey with a big dash of Miss Marple, and you will begin to get a flavor of Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman, a debut novel by Tessa Arlen. Fans of Downton Abbey will heartily enjoy Arlen’s story featuring a look at the upstairs/downstairs phenomenon in pre-World War II England.

Lord and Lady Monfort are hosting their annual summer ball at their estate, Iyontwood. Both the upstairs privileged class and the downstairs servants have been involved in the preparations. Unfortunately, the ball concludes with the disappearance of a young house maid and the daughter of one of Lord and Lady Montfort’s close friends (who had attended the ball), as well as the gruesome murder of a particularly distasteful character, the nephew of Lord Montfort. Are the matters related? The search for the young girls and the killer ensues.

Lady Monfort sees immediately that her beloved son is going to quickly become the prime suspect. So she asks for the help of Iyontwood’s pragmatic housekeeper Mrs. Jackson (Downton fans, think Mrs. Hughes). Together, the two of them work to find the real killer using their skills and individual connections.  Since almost everyone at the ball seems to have a good reason for wanting the despicable character dead, the solution isn’t readily apparent.

In addition to being a pretty darn good murder mystery, the novel presents a clear picture of the crumbling of the peerage system beginning shortly after World War I. I don’t know if I would have enjoyed the novel as much were I not such a big fan of Downton Abbey. I definitely understood the upstairs/downstairs relationships better than I would have pre-Downton Abbey.

Arlen lays out the mystery very subtly and effectively. She leaves clues all along the way, so readers must pay attention. I did not solve the mystery and was surprised at the solution.

Since this is a debut novel, I’m not sure whether this will become a series. I rather hope so, because I was very fond of the characters and would like to meet them again. I think I can definitely count on more offerings from this writer, and I look forward to reading them in the future.

Buy Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman from Amazon here.

Buy Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman from Barnes and Noble here.

Buy Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman from Tattered Cover here.

Buy Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman from Changing Hands here.

 

Friday Book Whimsy: Recipe for Disaster

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searchAuthor Stacey Ballis had me at miniature schnauzer.

Ballis is a new author to me, though she has written a total of eight books. Judging from the titles, many of them incorporate cooking and food into the book, something that will draw me every time. It also seems as though many of the books include a dog, and a different kind of dog each time. Recipe for Disaster had a miniature schnauzer, which is the kind of dog I had when I had a dog, and is probably the only kind of dog I would ever own.

I fully admit I bought the book because of the schnauzer, and was disappointed and surprised that the dog was actually kind of mean and not a bit loveable, at least to the main character, Anneke. Despite the author’s presentation of the dog, I must admit to liking this book very much.

There are many plot concepts going on. Recipe for Disaster includes recipes, a dusty journal discovered in the pantry of an old house, an abusive upbringing, best friends, all of the usual suspects included in what is referred to as chick lit, a term of which I’m not terribly fond.

In one single day Anneke loses both her job and her boyfriend. She decides to go all in on a project in which she is involved – an old house in an up-and-coming Chicago neighborhood that she has slowly been rebuilding into something magnificent. Anneke learned about old houses and construction from her stepfather, the only person who had ever loved her fully and unconditionally.

In the course of construction, Anneke comes across an old journal/cookbook written by the housekeeper/cook of the original owners back in the 1800s. Surprisingly, the book provides guidance and a sense of stability to Anneke, who also learns to cook by following the recipes.

There are some problems with the story. Ballis’ descriptions of the rehabilitation are detailed to a fault. Anyone interested in home design and/or architecture will find it fascinating. Even though I’m not particularly a home designer, I found her detailed description of the rehab project quite interesting. Still, I did a lot of skimming through those sections.

Furthermore, Ballis’ writing style is such that she uses long, detailed paragraphs, something that can become tedious reading. Nevertheless, I found the plot to be interesting and the characters likeable.

In fact, I liked the main character very much. Anneke is not a typical protagonist. She isn’t particularly attractive, she loves to eat Chicago’s delicious foods, and her weight illustrates her love for food. She is independent and has a hard time getting close to people. A surprise visitor and a strange new friendship/relationship helps Anneke to begin to trust and love.

The ending was somewhat predictable, but the journey to the ending was full of surprises.

I will definitely pick up another of Ballis’ books, and soon.

Buy Recipe for Disaster from Amazon here.

Buy Recipe for Disaster from Barnes and Noble here.

The Recipe for Disaster from Tattered Cover here.

Buy Recipe for Disaster from Changing Hands here.

 

Friday Book Whimsy: Under the Same Blue Sky

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under the same blue skyUnder the Same Blue Sky is Pamela Schoenewaldt’s third novel and I have watched her novels get better with each offering.

Schoenewaldt writes about immigrants, or at least has in her three novels to date. Her debut, When We Were Strangers, is the story of a young girl who comes to America from the Abruzzo region of Italy to escape the whims of a lustful father. In Schoenewaldt’s second offering, Swimming in the Moon, her main character, Theresa, comes to America from Naples, Italy, along with her mother who struggles with mental illness.

Under the Same Blue Sky introduces us to a family who emigrated from Germany to what seems to be one of Schoenewaldt’s favorite locations – Pittsburgh. The main character, Hazel, lives with her mother and father who are shopkeepers and they are living a happy life. That is, until World War I breaks out and suddenly the neighbors no longer see American immigrants but instead see evil Germans who are America’s enemies.

In the course of adjusting to their disrupted lives, Hazel learns a devastating secret about her family, and everything changes. She eventually leaves to take a job as a teacher in a small farming community, where she begins to find happiness.

Until, oddly I thought, she discovers she has the ability to heal. Once the community realizes Hazel has the power to cure, she is nearly overcome by people wanting her healing powers and not understanding that not everyone can be healed.

I say “oddly” because once Hazel leaves this small community to learn more about her family secrets, the healing thing just sort of dies down.

Despite this rather strange and (I thought) random part of the book, I found the novel to be simply magnificent. I loved all of the characters and haven’t been able to forget them, despite the fact that I read this book some months ago. The story was interesting and I found I couldn’t put the book down.

One of the things I most liked about the story was getting another perspective about what was really an awful war – World War I. We forget how American Germans (and in World War II, also Japanese) were treated once they became America’s enemies. Interesting and sobering.

My only complaint, once again, is the storyline around Hazel’s ability to heal. I would LOVE to have another story that features her healing abilities and how it impacts her life without getting distracted by another storyline.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend this wonderful book.

Buy Under the Same Blue Sky from Amazon here.

Buy Under the Same Blue Sky from Barnes and Noble here.

The Under the Same Blue Sky from Tattered Cover here.

Buy Under the Same Blue Sky from Changing Hands here.

Friday Book Whimsy: Coming Home

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imgresIn my 61 years on this earth I have read exactly two Rosamunde Pilcher books. I read Shell Seekers a few years ago as part of a book club and I just recently completed Coming Home.  I enjoyed Shell Seekers (perhaps Pilcher’s most well-known book), but apparently not enough to quickly pick up another. However, I recently was in the mood to dive into a long, romantic, British novel after completing a particularly violent and disturbing book that involved dog fighting. That’s all I’ll say about that.

Coming Home was the perfect book to read.

I am always kind of embarrassed to review a book that probably most of my readers have read several times over the years. But I found Coming Home to be such an enjoyable book that even if you have already read it, I think you should pick it up and enjoy it again.

The novel takes place just prior to, during, and just after World War II, mostly in the Cornwall area of England. When the novel begins, Judith is a young girl. Her father is in some sort of foreign service, and Judith hasn’t seen him for several years. Her mother mostly lives with her father, but at the beginning of the novel, is with Judith and Judith’s 4-year-old sister Jess. Mother gets Judith settled into boarding school in Cornwall, and then she and Jess leave to be with Judith’s dad in Singapore, expecting Judith to join them in a few years.

Unfortunately World War II happens, and things go awry. But a wealthy family steps in and Judith becomes a part of their life.

The story has its ups and downs, its tears and laughter, and its romances and foibles. But the characters in this delicious novel are unforgettable. I get so tired of caricatures: Rich people are evil; uncles are perverted; lonely aunts tipple away their lives. Pilcher threw aside caricatures when she wrote this wonderful story, and her memorable characters result in an amazing story of love that transcends everything. And not just romantic love, but also love between parents and children and friends and aunts and uncles and cousins.

I loved the Cornwall background. Pilcher’s descriptions are so vivid and thorough. In fact, she takes so much time describing a place that there could be a danger of losing her readers. Fortunately, at least for me, her descriptions were so clear and lovely that I enjoyed every word, and felt throughout the book that I could see the colors and hear the sea and taste the salt in the air.

While lengthy (as all good British epic novels should be), I will never again hesitate to pick up a Pilcher novel and hope for the best.

Buy Coming Home at Amazon here.

Buy Coming Home at Barnes and Noble here.

Buy Coming Home at Tattered Cover here.

Buy Coming Home at Changing Hands here.

Friday Book Whimsy: At the Water’s Edge

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searchAuthor Sara Gruen’s books seem to all have a peculiar bent. But peculiar in a good way, because Gruen does such a wonderful job of making her characters believable and, if not likable, at least memorable, and the stories interesting.

I haven’t read all of Gruen’s books, but I liked Water for Elephants so much that I was eager to pick up At the Water’s Edge even after reading the book’s unusual description. The Loch Ness Monster? Really?

The book captivated me from the very first page and I couldn’t stop reading.

It’s 1945, and Philadelphia socialites Maddie, her husband Ellis, and his best friend Hank make fools of themselves at a fancy dancy New Year’s Eve party. Ellis relies upon his parents’ money to live, and he was on unsure footing with them anyway because he married “below him.” Their embarrassing actions push his parents over the edge, and they cut off Ellis’ funds.

To try and get back on their good side, the three decide to travel to Scotland in the midst of World War II to try and track down the Loch Ness monster – something Ellis’ father had unsuccessfully attempted years before. In fact, it appears that his father actually faked photos of the so-called monster.

The trio stays in a modest inn run by a group of Highlanders who are insulted by the Americans’ snobbish ways and apparent lack of understanding of life in a country at war. Eventually, Maddie befriends the Scots, and becomes closer and closer to them as her marriage begins to deteriorate.

Gruen does an excellent job of character development. Little by little, readers begin to see the shallowness of the two men in particular, and the plot develops in a way that makes for a compelling story.

It’s a love story and an historical novel wrapped in one wonderful book. While perhaps not as clever as Water for Elephants, At the Water’s Edge makes me want to pick up the remainder of Gruen’s books.  It’s a great read.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Amazon here.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Barnes and Noble here.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Tattered Cover here.

Buy At the Water’s Edge at Changing Hands here.

Friday Book Whimsy: My Brilliant Friend

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imgresIt’s easy for me to tell if I dislike a book, if I like a book, or if I love a book.

If I dislike the book, I abandon book. Without a shred of guilt. But here’s how I tell the difference between me liking a book and loving a book. If I have a bit of spare time and I sit down with my IPAD intending to read but instead open up my newest game addiction Candy Crush Soda (to which  6-year-old Kaiya got me hooked), then I like the book.

I played a fair amount of Candy Crush Soda while reading My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante. At least at first.

My Brilliant Friend tells the story of two girls – Lila and Elena – growing up in a suburb of Naples during the years following World War II. Both girls are extremely bright, but Lila is held back by parents who don’t believe that daughters need to be educated. Instead, she is expected to become part of the family’s shoemaking and repairing business. Elena, on the other hand, is allowed (not necessarily encouraged) to continue her education.

The book offers the reader a vivid picture of Italy in those years when the people were getting back on their feet following the war. The characters are passionate, often violent, having and displaying strong emotions.

The two girls continue to be best friends, though they often find themselves competing against one another. Lila is probably the naturally smarter of the two girls, and the book ends with her getting married to a man who likely won’t give her what she truly wants from life.

The book is the first in a series referred to as the Neopolitan Novels. The fourth book in the series – The Story of the Lost Child – is scheduled to be released in September 2015. Interestingly, very little is known – or at least disclosed – about the author, even in her native Italy. She may or may not be a mother. She may or may not be from Naples. She gives no face-to-face interviews and has offered only a scattering of written interviews. Unusual behavior for an author, most of who are looking for every way possible to garner publicity.

Once I was fully ensconced in the book, I set Candy Crush Soda aside, and can recommend the book as an excellent story of friendship and an interesting portrayal of the Italian culture.

Buy My Brilliant Friend from Amazon here.

Buy My Brilliant Friend from Barnes and Noble here.

Buy My Brilliant Friend from Tattered Cover here.

Buy My Brilliant Friend from Changing Hands here.