Yes, I managed to read the second Outlander book (Dragonfly in Amber) in about two weeks--740 or so pages in two weeks, there a bouts. I tell you this not to brag that I am a fast reader, because truthfully I am not really a fast reader at all. I tell you this because how quickly I read speaks volumes (haha) about how amazing this story really is. I could not get enough of the storyline and I could not wait to see how the story progressed. I can't really say that I could not wait to see how the story ended, because it doesn't really end. There are 8 volumes in all to this epic tale, so one book really just bleeds into the next. Dragonfly in Amber leaves you truly on the edge of a cliff--so far on the edge I was grateful that I had already purchased book 3 (Voyager) and could just start reading. (It's 6:25 in the evening and I haven't picked up the book all day. I am absolutely aching to read on. )
Dragonfly in Amber begins in 1968 and left me quite puzzled for several pages until I really figured out what was going on. 1968 quickly reverts to the 1700's in a flashback tale so that the story that began in Outlander is continued. My friend warned me about this change of time and admitted that when she first started reading she wondered if she had missed a book. Never fear. You have not missed a book. Gabaldon is just a brilliant writer and has begun her second installment of the Outlander tale in a very unique manner. For those of you interested in the time travel component of this story, Dragonfly in Amber will give it to you. Time travel is alive and well in this story!
I will warn you, though, that this novel is filled with the Scottish-English battle we had been hearing so much about in the first book. In fact, there were times I was so bored with battle scenes and political plotting that I couldn't bear the thought of reading anymore. But just when you are about to put the book down, Gabaldon pulls you back in and moves the story forward, or even in a direction you never anticipated. So, stick with it. The battle eventually works itself out.
I have another friend who wants to read these books but is worried about the commitment involved with reading such a large series filled with such lengthy stories. Do not worry about this. You honestly do not notice the length of the story--you simply just don't want the story to end! And as I have said before, if you read this on your iPad, Nook, or Kindle, you'd never even notice the thickness of the book. Personally, I love holding these books and turning the pages. The covers of these books are so majestic. I just love them!
OK. I am going to stop writing and try to read a few pages of Voyager before one of my children needs me for something. I swear I am not neglecting them as I read these amazing stories. I promise they are fed and clothed and loved. :)
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Monday, November 16, 2015
Monday, November 2, 2015
#52: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
As I begin to type, I can't believe that it's November 2 and I am beginning to blog about my 52nd book of this year. I still have two more months of reading before the year is over, too. Those two months are sure to be filled with Dragon in Amber, the second in the Outlander series. Since the book is about 800 pages, and filled with Scottish history that I currently do not know, I suspect it will take me that long to finish it. Maybe longer since the Holidays are fast approaching.
Outlander is the first in a series of (I think) 9 books by Diana Gabaldon that is causing craziness amongst women my age and older (and maybe some younger). My friend, Scottie, told me that I HAD to read the book, but suggested that I first WATCH the first season on Starz (or get the DVDs) in order to more accurately understand what's happening in the book. I knew the book was set in the Scottish Highlands, there was lots of dialect and Gaelic for me to muddle through, and the thought of reading 600+ pages was intimidating, so I took her suggestion and watched the series. On my iPad, nonetheless. Scottie was right. It was so much better this way.
The series is addicting and when you watch it you will understand what I mean, but it provided such a great warm-up for the book that I also recommend watching it before reading the book. And watching the series ruined NOTHING from the book. In fact, it helped me know the characters, their voices, and their Gaelic phrases which, in my opinion, only helped me to better appreciate the beautiful novel even more. The producer of the series took the 600 page book and divided it into 16 one hour TV shows. He pretty much included everything in the book in the series, with only a few minor exceptions. And, if your watch this on Starz Play, you can get a 3 minute bonus segment after each episode which explains why each one was done the way it was done. It's awesome background information. Honestly, I am anxious about reading the second book without the aid of the TV series to help me. I suppose I could wait until April until season 2 came on TV, but I don't think that I can. I want to read on!
Outlander is set in 1945 in Post-war Scotland and it begins as the story of Claire and Frank Randall, as they set out to rekindle a marriage separated by six long years of war. During a second honeymoon to Scotland, Claire ends up traveling back in time to 1745 (it's more realistic than it sounds, trust me!) and becomes separated from Frank, yet determined to make it back home to him. During this separation, Claire, out of necessity, joins the Mackenzie clan and marries James Fraser out of a need for basic protection. Outlander then transition into the beautiful love story of Jamie and Claire, but it's not without the trials and tribulations of typical life in 1745 (which is no picnic). Claire is quite literally thrown back in time and has to adjust and think fast on her feet just to survive. Once you throw into the mix that Jamie is a wanted man with a price on his head, you are in for a story like no other.
I am typically not a fan of time-travel stories, but this one is amazing and worth the time you will take to read the story and watch the TV series. It is a commitment, however. Now that I know that there are about 7 more books for me to read and that Outlander is the skinniest of them all at 600 or so pages, it seems that my reading material over the next four or five years has been determined. I will read them all! And since I know that the TV season 3 is already in the works, I may be set for TV watching for the next decade, too!
This is a good one. A must-read.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Outlander is the first in a series of (I think) 9 books by Diana Gabaldon that is causing craziness amongst women my age and older (and maybe some younger). My friend, Scottie, told me that I HAD to read the book, but suggested that I first WATCH the first season on Starz (or get the DVDs) in order to more accurately understand what's happening in the book. I knew the book was set in the Scottish Highlands, there was lots of dialect and Gaelic for me to muddle through, and the thought of reading 600+ pages was intimidating, so I took her suggestion and watched the series. On my iPad, nonetheless. Scottie was right. It was so much better this way.
The series is addicting and when you watch it you will understand what I mean, but it provided such a great warm-up for the book that I also recommend watching it before reading the book. And watching the series ruined NOTHING from the book. In fact, it helped me know the characters, their voices, and their Gaelic phrases which, in my opinion, only helped me to better appreciate the beautiful novel even more. The producer of the series took the 600 page book and divided it into 16 one hour TV shows. He pretty much included everything in the book in the series, with only a few minor exceptions. And, if your watch this on Starz Play, you can get a 3 minute bonus segment after each episode which explains why each one was done the way it was done. It's awesome background information. Honestly, I am anxious about reading the second book without the aid of the TV series to help me. I suppose I could wait until April until season 2 came on TV, but I don't think that I can. I want to read on!
Outlander is set in 1945 in Post-war Scotland and it begins as the story of Claire and Frank Randall, as they set out to rekindle a marriage separated by six long years of war. During a second honeymoon to Scotland, Claire ends up traveling back in time to 1745 (it's more realistic than it sounds, trust me!) and becomes separated from Frank, yet determined to make it back home to him. During this separation, Claire, out of necessity, joins the Mackenzie clan and marries James Fraser out of a need for basic protection. Outlander then transition into the beautiful love story of Jamie and Claire, but it's not without the trials and tribulations of typical life in 1745 (which is no picnic). Claire is quite literally thrown back in time and has to adjust and think fast on her feet just to survive. Once you throw into the mix that Jamie is a wanted man with a price on his head, you are in for a story like no other.
I am typically not a fan of time-travel stories, but this one is amazing and worth the time you will take to read the story and watch the TV series. It is a commitment, however. Now that I know that there are about 7 more books for me to read and that Outlander is the skinniest of them all at 600 or so pages, it seems that my reading material over the next four or five years has been determined. I will read them all! And since I know that the TV season 3 is already in the works, I may be set for TV watching for the next decade, too!
This is a good one. A must-read.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#51: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
I had seen commercials and listings for Olive Kitteridge on HBO long before a good friend recommended the book to me. It's apparently a TV mini-series and I suspect its good. The book, after all, won The Pulitzer Prize. I, however, found it to be the single most depressing book I have ever read. I'm not kidding.
However, even with that said, Olive Kitteridge is a brilliantly written novel. Strout very cleverly constructed the book from a series of stories, all about Crosby, Maine and the people who live there. Each story centers on a new character, but each story intersects in some way with Olive Kitteridge herself. Olive, a retired junior high school teacher, seems to know everyone in the town whether because she taught the person, the person was at one time in her school, or because it's just a small town and everyone pretty much knows everybody else.
I was hooked on the book in chapter one, when Olive's husband Henry takes center stage. This is a rather ingenious chapter because it is through Henry that we form our first opinions of Olive, and for me they were not the best. I did, however, adore her sweet husband, Henry, the pharmacist who just loved everyone and wanted to take care of the entire town. The tone for the entire book is set in this first chapter, called "Pharmacy," and it is a slow, somber tone. The tone never changes, in my opinion, until the very last chapter, where a bit of hope is breathed into Olive's life and you think things might actually be OK for our friend Olive.
I was warned by the friend who suggested this book to me that the prevalent themes in the book included suicide and death (I will also include the theme of sadness from dealing with every day life) so I knew this wasn't going to be a feel-good, happy-go-lucky sort of book when I picked it up. However, I had no idea that that there wasn't going to be any happiness at all. Even a wedding is portrayed as a sad event. My goodness. Such despair.
But, my friends, that is the point. With sadness and despair comes reflection--upon your life, other people's lives, your hopes and dreams, your marriage, your children...you name it. And Olive did. She did a lot of thinking. And as a result, so did I. And I bet every other person who read this book did the exact same thing. It's hard not to. You read about people's hardships and you instantly become grateful for your own life. I did. Yet, at the same time, the idea that life can change in an instant becomes ever more obvious and frightening. It did for Olive. Her life changed several times in an instant. I am 43 and terrified that I will one day have to live without my family. It happened to Olive. It can happen to me. Or you, dear reader. (At one point in reading this book, I closed it, closed my eyes and said a prayer, hoping that I will one day die before Rob. The thought of living without him is excruciating. I can't even imagine trying to get out of bed each day knowing that he's not with me any longer.)
Yet at the end of the book, there is hope for Olive, and I suppose hope for us all. Hope in the form of Jack Kennison. You'll have to read it to see what I mean.
I don't think I will be reading Olive Kitteridge again. (Unless I am feeling down on my luck and need to feel that there are people worse off than me in the world.) But, I can see exactly why it won the Pulitzer. It's quite real and everyone can take something from it into their own lives. I will take the gratitude I have for my husband and my girls and will move on to a new, happier book.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Monday, October 26, 2015
#50: See Me by Nicholas Sparks
I could watch "A Walk To Remember," "The Notebook," or "The Longest Ride" on a video loop for all of eternity. Those movies never get old for me. I could re-read the books, too, over and over and never grow tired of them. They are classic Nicholas Sparks. They are why we read his books. But, I am afraid that these classic stories may truly be a thing of the past.
When I read Safe Haven a few years back, I remember thinking that I missed the soft, romantic Nicholas Sparks' characters. After reading See Me, a book filled with violence from the first chapter, I am ready to be more choosy when I pre-order Sparks' books from now on. I held out hope, too, that Colin and Maria's story would take a turn but it didn't--it stayed violent and dark until the very end.
Now...am I a realist? Yes. I completely understand that life is messy and unpredictable and often, these days, violent. But truthfully, that's why I read--to escape this crazy world. I don't need it, nor do I want it, in the books I read. Sparks' previous titles were filled with heartache and disappointment and life at it's worst, but his characters were never dark. These characters are dark. Even Maria with her stereotypical lawyer-like profile has some darkness in her. Colin...oh, goodness is he dark. And yet I had the most hope for him. He was coming around. Maria had such an impact on him that he was truly coming around. Furthermore, Colin did make some big changes with his actions by the end of the novel which made me so proud of him and excited for Maria and the life they could now have together. Maybe, then, there was a semi-happy ending in this book, but not one big enough to change how I felt about the novel as a whole.
I read recently that Nicholas Sparks and his wife have separated with the intent to divorce after 25 years of marriage. I hope that See Me is not sign of things to come from this great writer now that he is single. Otherwise, I really am going to have to start re-reading his old books from years ago. Back in the good old days of Nicholas Sparks.
Let me sum up my feelings this way. I am taking my copy, my brand-new (well...read once by me) hard cover copy, of See Me to work tomorrow to pass along to a friend who hasn't read it yet. And I don't care if I ever get it back. Now...what does that tell you about this book?
Happy reading, everyone.
:) Dodie
When I read Safe Haven a few years back, I remember thinking that I missed the soft, romantic Nicholas Sparks' characters. After reading See Me, a book filled with violence from the first chapter, I am ready to be more choosy when I pre-order Sparks' books from now on. I held out hope, too, that Colin and Maria's story would take a turn but it didn't--it stayed violent and dark until the very end.
Now...am I a realist? Yes. I completely understand that life is messy and unpredictable and often, these days, violent. But truthfully, that's why I read--to escape this crazy world. I don't need it, nor do I want it, in the books I read. Sparks' previous titles were filled with heartache and disappointment and life at it's worst, but his characters were never dark. These characters are dark. Even Maria with her stereotypical lawyer-like profile has some darkness in her. Colin...oh, goodness is he dark. And yet I had the most hope for him. He was coming around. Maria had such an impact on him that he was truly coming around. Furthermore, Colin did make some big changes with his actions by the end of the novel which made me so proud of him and excited for Maria and the life they could now have together. Maybe, then, there was a semi-happy ending in this book, but not one big enough to change how I felt about the novel as a whole.
I read recently that Nicholas Sparks and his wife have separated with the intent to divorce after 25 years of marriage. I hope that See Me is not sign of things to come from this great writer now that he is single. Otherwise, I really am going to have to start re-reading his old books from years ago. Back in the good old days of Nicholas Sparks.
Let me sum up my feelings this way. I am taking my copy, my brand-new (well...read once by me) hard cover copy, of See Me to work tomorrow to pass along to a friend who hasn't read it yet. And I don't care if I ever get it back. Now...what does that tell you about this book?
Happy reading, everyone.
:) Dodie
Monday, October 19, 2015
#48 and #49: Me Before You and After You by Jojo Moyes
Me Before You is a book that has touched my heart not only once but twice. I read it several years ago and was elated to learn that Moyes, after prompting from many, many readers, decided to create a sequel to the story, After You, so readers could know what happened to Lou after Will. Because I am old and forgetful, I decided to re-read Me Before You as a little refresher before tackling After You. In some ways I am glad that I did and in some ways I wish I hadn't. Let me explain.
I am glad I re-read the first story, Me Before You, because it is the most heartfelt love story I have ever read and now I have read it twice. The love between Lou and Will is so touching and so overwhelmingly beautiful I started to feel guilty about the level of love I have for my own husband. I love my husband more than I love myself and yet the unconditional love Lou has for Will overwhelmed me. I cried and cried and cried at the end of the book and felt such heartache for Lou that at times I could not breathe. I was sad for the rest of the day. I couldn't even pick up After Me because I was such an emotional wreck. These are not real people, I kept reminding myself, as I cried on and on.
Once I realized maybe Moyes had created a happy ending for Lou, I picked up After You and read on. While I am a big fan of sequels because I am the girl who always wants to know what happens next, I was disappointed with this particular one. But let me explain--I was not disappointed with the writing of the book or the story. Moyes is a fantastic writer and the book was as well-done as Me Before You. What disappointed me was Lou and how she handled her life after Will. She had every opportunity in the world to make something of herself, to make Will proud, and she just couldn't move forward. Yes--she had some stumbling blocks (Lily) and she's such a good person that she could never turn her back on another person, let alone a troubled teenager, but at times I just wanted to shake her (yes--I know she's not real). Even the ending, while seemingly positive as she finally is going to do something with her life, made me sad because she turned her back on love. UGH. What is the matter with this girl??? So, while it's hard to separate the book from the author, I do think that characters sometimes take on a life of their own and I bet that Lou just took over and Moyes had to write her how she wanted to be written. That's what disappointed me. I had such high hopes for her and while I would hazard a guess that if a third book were written to detail her life in NYC and her potential long distance relationship with Richard, who clearly adores her, she might still disappoint me in her careless ways. Lou is just that sort of person.
Despite all of this disappointment, Lou's stories are worth reading. They are like nothing I have ever read before. Especially Me Before You. It will always be one of my very favorite books.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
I am glad I re-read the first story, Me Before You, because it is the most heartfelt love story I have ever read and now I have read it twice. The love between Lou and Will is so touching and so overwhelmingly beautiful I started to feel guilty about the level of love I have for my own husband. I love my husband more than I love myself and yet the unconditional love Lou has for Will overwhelmed me. I cried and cried and cried at the end of the book and felt such heartache for Lou that at times I could not breathe. I was sad for the rest of the day. I couldn't even pick up After Me because I was such an emotional wreck. These are not real people, I kept reminding myself, as I cried on and on.
Once I realized maybe Moyes had created a happy ending for Lou, I picked up After You and read on. While I am a big fan of sequels because I am the girl who always wants to know what happens next, I was disappointed with this particular one. But let me explain--I was not disappointed with the writing of the book or the story. Moyes is a fantastic writer and the book was as well-done as Me Before You. What disappointed me was Lou and how she handled her life after Will. She had every opportunity in the world to make something of herself, to make Will proud, and she just couldn't move forward. Yes--she had some stumbling blocks (Lily) and she's such a good person that she could never turn her back on another person, let alone a troubled teenager, but at times I just wanted to shake her (yes--I know she's not real). Even the ending, while seemingly positive as she finally is going to do something with her life, made me sad because she turned her back on love. UGH. What is the matter with this girl??? So, while it's hard to separate the book from the author, I do think that characters sometimes take on a life of their own and I bet that Lou just took over and Moyes had to write her how she wanted to be written. That's what disappointed me. I had such high hopes for her and while I would hazard a guess that if a third book were written to detail her life in NYC and her potential long distance relationship with Richard, who clearly adores her, she might still disappoint me in her careless ways. Lou is just that sort of person.
Despite all of this disappointment, Lou's stories are worth reading. They are like nothing I have ever read before. Especially Me Before You. It will always be one of my very favorite books.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Friday, October 2, 2015
#47: The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy
I promised myself that I was done reading books about WW2 for a while. I typically love these stories, but I find that I just get so saddened by them that I need to pace myself and spread them out a bit. And lately it seems as though WW2 has become such a hot topic, so many new books are touching on this subject matter that it's hard to find a book that isn't about WW2. The Baker's Daughter was recommended to me by a friend and she even loaned me her copy, which was so nice. So, I read it sooner than I usually would in order to get it back to her in a timely fashion. But I am so glad that I did because it was an amazing story--one that I have already recommended to two other friends!
By now we all know the story of WW2. But what, in my opinion, sets The Baker's Daughter apart from other WW2 tales, is that the main characters are German women. How often do you hear their side of this story? Even more fresh and unique is that McCoy parallels the story of Elsie, the Baker's Daughter, with that of Reba, a reporter trying to get a story on German Christmastime traditions. On top of it, McCoy mixes in letters that Elsie and her sister Hazel write to each other during the war. All of this makes for a novel that is unique and special. Being truthful, parts of the story were horrific--it is a story about WW2 after all, but the story as a whole was inspiring and beautiful. And a reminder, once again, that we will never know the stories of every person touched and impacted by WW2. Even though we should.
Read this one. It's fantastic!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
By now we all know the story of WW2. But what, in my opinion, sets The Baker's Daughter apart from other WW2 tales, is that the main characters are German women. How often do you hear their side of this story? Even more fresh and unique is that McCoy parallels the story of Elsie, the Baker's Daughter, with that of Reba, a reporter trying to get a story on German Christmastime traditions. On top of it, McCoy mixes in letters that Elsie and her sister Hazel write to each other during the war. All of this makes for a novel that is unique and special. Being truthful, parts of the story were horrific--it is a story about WW2 after all, but the story as a whole was inspiring and beautiful. And a reminder, once again, that we will never know the stories of every person touched and impacted by WW2. Even though we should.
Read this one. It's fantastic!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
Friday, September 25, 2015
#46: Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
I was so excited to stumble across two books by Liane Moriarty on a recent trip to Wal-Mart, of all places. Moriarty wrote two of my favorite books: What Alice Forgot (which was an amazing story of a woman who loses her memory) and The Husband's Secret (the title alone drew me in). Perhaps I need to shop at Wal-Mart more often!
Three Wishes is the story of a set of triplets, Gemma, Cat, and Lyn, during their 33rd year of life. Cat and Lyn are blonde identical twins. Gemma, the red-head, made them triplets. The author does a great job of explaining their conception in case you can't follow this :). The characters are genuine, lovable, and laughable. In fact, I recently told a friend that I thought she would love this book because the mushy-gushy parts are so hilarious it's almost impossible to cry while reading this book.
What I loved most about this story, aside from the fact that it just showcases real women living real lives that could actually exist, is the little side stories Moriarity includes from bystanders who actually see these triplets in real life living their real lives and commenting on them. These ladies have made a lasting impression on everyone who seems them. They really are extraordinary characters.
Throw this one in your beach bag. It will make your day!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Three Wishes is the story of a set of triplets, Gemma, Cat, and Lyn, during their 33rd year of life. Cat and Lyn are blonde identical twins. Gemma, the red-head, made them triplets. The author does a great job of explaining their conception in case you can't follow this :). The characters are genuine, lovable, and laughable. In fact, I recently told a friend that I thought she would love this book because the mushy-gushy parts are so hilarious it's almost impossible to cry while reading this book.
What I loved most about this story, aside from the fact that it just showcases real women living real lives that could actually exist, is the little side stories Moriarity includes from bystanders who actually see these triplets in real life living their real lives and commenting on them. These ladies have made a lasting impression on everyone who seems them. They really are extraordinary characters.
Throw this one in your beach bag. It will make your day!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
#45: Who Do You Love? by Jennifer Weiner
Who Do You Love is the epic romance of Rachel and Andy. I say epic because their love story spans from 1985 to 2015. It is the most gorgeous tale of first love turned forever love that I have ever read. EVER. This book has rocketed to the top of my favorite books of the year. I almost want to pick it up and read it again. That's how good this novel is.
Told in alternating chapters, Rachel and Andy tell their individual stories and over time their stories converge. Rachel, a young girl being raised in an affluent Jewish community in Florida was born with a "broken heart." After almost losing their daughter, their parents become quite cautious with her and she is very sheltered and protected. One night while she was in the hospital searching for a story for her friend Alice (you'll have to read the book to know what I mean by this), she meets Andy. Andy is also 8 like Rachel, has a broken arm and is waiting, in pain, in the emergency room alone, for his mother. Who doesn't show up for hours. Andy and Rachel talk and find comfort in each other. This feeling of comfort never leaves their hearts and is reawakened years later when the two meet again, by total coincidence, while building houses for families in need. Comfort turns to love and their story really takes off.
Andy and Rachel continue to meet, and part, over the course of much of their lives and Who Do You Love provides us with an intimate (at times very intimate) glimpse into their heart breaking love story. I started reading this novel Sunday night. I had to force myself to close the book and go to bed. Yesterday, I took my girls to school, started a load of laundry, and plopped down on the sofa at 9:30 am. Getting up only to put laundry in the dryer and then to fold it and to eat lunch, I read all day. I couldn't stop reading this book and I couldn't stop crying. It wasn't just Andy and Rachel's story that made me cry, I cried for Mr. Stills (hang on--you'll meet him in the book) and for Andy's mom and dad. I cried for Rachel and her young daughters. And I cried for everyone out there whose first love was intense but didn't last because sometimes love just isn't enough.
I also cried out of hope. I am a huge believer that if something is meant to be, it will be. And some things are just meant to be and nothing we do can change that. Rachel and Andy gave me hope that I am right. Somethings are just meant to be. Some relationship are just meant to be.
Read this one. I dare you to not cry. And I dare you to read this novel and to NOT think about the person who first opened your heart to real love. Both were impossible for me.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
P.S. Jennifer Weiner--if you are out there, PLEASE make a movie of this one. You'll give Nicholas Sparks a run for his money!
Told in alternating chapters, Rachel and Andy tell their individual stories and over time their stories converge. Rachel, a young girl being raised in an affluent Jewish community in Florida was born with a "broken heart." After almost losing their daughter, their parents become quite cautious with her and she is very sheltered and protected. One night while she was in the hospital searching for a story for her friend Alice (you'll have to read the book to know what I mean by this), she meets Andy. Andy is also 8 like Rachel, has a broken arm and is waiting, in pain, in the emergency room alone, for his mother. Who doesn't show up for hours. Andy and Rachel talk and find comfort in each other. This feeling of comfort never leaves their hearts and is reawakened years later when the two meet again, by total coincidence, while building houses for families in need. Comfort turns to love and their story really takes off.
Andy and Rachel continue to meet, and part, over the course of much of their lives and Who Do You Love provides us with an intimate (at times very intimate) glimpse into their heart breaking love story. I started reading this novel Sunday night. I had to force myself to close the book and go to bed. Yesterday, I took my girls to school, started a load of laundry, and plopped down on the sofa at 9:30 am. Getting up only to put laundry in the dryer and then to fold it and to eat lunch, I read all day. I couldn't stop reading this book and I couldn't stop crying. It wasn't just Andy and Rachel's story that made me cry, I cried for Mr. Stills (hang on--you'll meet him in the book) and for Andy's mom and dad. I cried for Rachel and her young daughters. And I cried for everyone out there whose first love was intense but didn't last because sometimes love just isn't enough.
I also cried out of hope. I am a huge believer that if something is meant to be, it will be. And some things are just meant to be and nothing we do can change that. Rachel and Andy gave me hope that I am right. Somethings are just meant to be. Some relationship are just meant to be.
Read this one. I dare you to not cry. And I dare you to read this novel and to NOT think about the person who first opened your heart to real love. Both were impossible for me.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
P.S. Jennifer Weiner--if you are out there, PLEASE make a movie of this one. You'll give Nicholas Sparks a run for his money!
#44: Yes, My Accent is Real (and some other things I haven't told you) by Kunal Nayyar
It's no big secret in my house. I love Kunal Nayyar. If he ever decided to ditch his gorgeous ex-Miss Universe wife because his secret ideal woman is a 43 year old ex-Kindergarten teacher, Rob knows I'd be gone. And because it's no secret that this will never EVER happen, I settled for reading Kunal's book and watching back episodes of The Big Bang Theory.
This book was no strenuous read, and while it did give me some funny stories to tell over dinner for a couple of nights, it didn't provoke great life changing thoughts from me either. It was a great, very funny book and I love that I know more about the adorable Kunal. And his ex-Miss Universe wife, who, quite to my dismay, I would probably love to have as neighbors. She seems lovely (yes--Kunal women should use that word more often, too).
If you are a fan, this is a must-read. If not, skip it.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
This book was no strenuous read, and while it did give me some funny stories to tell over dinner for a couple of nights, it didn't provoke great life changing thoughts from me either. It was a great, very funny book and I love that I know more about the adorable Kunal. And his ex-Miss Universe wife, who, quite to my dismay, I would probably love to have as neighbors. She seems lovely (yes--Kunal women should use that word more often, too).
If you are a fan, this is a must-read. If not, skip it.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Thursday, September 17, 2015
#43: Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
I was born in June of 1972 in Dallas, Texas. I only lived there for a year before moving to Virginia with my mother when my father passed away. I have often wondered how my life would be different had I grown up in Dallas, or in a suburb of Dallas. After reading Friday Night Lights, I feel certain that football would have been a big part of my life, if not all of my life.
I grew up respecting the game of football. My grandfather watched it on TV. I grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia watching UVA football (well...being forced to watch and follow UVA football). I was no stranger to the game, but truthfully I had no idea what was really happening out there on that field. I understood the goal--get the most points, try to score the most touchdowns. I got that. But I really didn't get IT.
Fast forward to 1994...I found myself married to a football fan who watched it as much as it was on TV. God bless him, he tried to explain the game to me, but I still didn't understand. I am fairly positive I really didn't want to understand either.
I am now the proud co-owner of UVA Football season tickets. I have been attending games each year with my family for several years now. While my favorite part of the game is seeing which uniform combination rolls out each week (and Cav Man riding Sabre onto the field), I do now finally understand some basic plays, I know the difference between first down and third, and I know what happens when a team is coached well and when it isn't. I have sat through too many losing seasons to count and I have felt the thrill of seeing one of my favorite players in my local Food Lion. I guess you could say that I am now a football fan.
So, it should not have been a shock to anyone when I bought Friday Night Lights, the 25th Anniversary Edition. But it was. My children raised their eyebrows and my husband may have, too. The guy who helped me find it in the Barnes and Noble was clearly shocked that I wanted to read this book (Do I not look like someone who would read FNL?). Friends could not believe that I had never seen the TV show based on the book. But I surprised them all by reading it. It took me weeks, but I did it. I savored every word of this delicious book (and let me tell you, Bissinger one brilliant writer. He has a way of building anticipation like no author I have ever read before. It makes for a very satisfying read). And last night when I closed the cover, I was crying. Turns out, the person I surprised the most by reading this book was myself. Perhaps if I had actually grown up in Texas, I would've gotten IT, gotten football and all that it means and all that it stands for. But I didn't and yet now I do. Thanks to Bissinger's amazing book about the Permian Panthers from Odessa, Texas in 1988.
Bissigner literally packed up and moved to Odessa, Texas with his family to follow the Permian Panthers for a year-- the year that they had big hopes would end in a State Championship for their team. He followed them into every aspect of their lives--home, school, the locker room. He learned about where they lived and where they came from, and as a result, we, the readers, get to learn these things, too. As I was reading, I was surprised at how much sociology was woven into this text. Quite honestly, Friday Night Lights is way more sociology than it is football. Seriously. The only time I have ever regretted not having my master's degree in anything was when I was reading FNL and realized that someone (preferably ME) could teach a college class using this book as the primary text to explore just about every social issue out there--black vs. white, rich vs. poor, girls vs. boys, educational issues, professional ethics, sports ethics. This book is filled with more information about the climate of the US in then late '80's than you could ever imagine. It would make a killer sociology class (and I'd like to teach it, please). The social background is necessary to understanding the town, the boys, and the team. Without it, you'd only get half of the story. So, while the pages are densely packed with information that makes reading slow and careful, I found myself craving these parts of the story more than the play-by-plays of the games. It's what connected me, the reader, to the town and to the overall story being told.
And I did feel connected to this town and their team. And I cried last night when I finished reading the book for two reasons. One--Permian did not win the State Championship in 1988 and it killed me. They had worked so hard and had fought so many battles and they couldn't quite pull it out in the end. And two--Bissinger included an Afterword in which he spoke to players from the 88 Panthers team 25 years after that last losing game. Their stories broke my heart and I cried for them. I cried because they will never feel the glory they felt in 88 every again. I cried because no matter how hard they worked they were never going to be what they were to the town of Odessa back in 88. They peaked as teenagers and that makes for a very long life. And I cried because most of them realized that had they focused a little less on football and a little more on school that their lives could be very different today. (Sigh...a teacher's dream come true!)
Bottom line...I will never view another football game the same way ever again after reading Friday Night Lights. I have a new respect for the game and the boys on the field. I will never roll my eyes at professional player's outrageous salaries (and I will continue to be a proponent for paying college level players), because I now know that their career can end with every game they play. And money, no matter how much, will ever be able to compensate a player who wants to play, who NEEDS to play, and no longer can.
I hope that I am the only person out there who hasn't read Friday Night Lights, but in case I am not, I highly recommend that you read it. I especially recommend it for those readers who are not football fans. This book will convert you. I guarantee it.
MOJO! MOJO!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
I grew up respecting the game of football. My grandfather watched it on TV. I grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia watching UVA football (well...being forced to watch and follow UVA football). I was no stranger to the game, but truthfully I had no idea what was really happening out there on that field. I understood the goal--get the most points, try to score the most touchdowns. I got that. But I really didn't get IT.
Fast forward to 1994...I found myself married to a football fan who watched it as much as it was on TV. God bless him, he tried to explain the game to me, but I still didn't understand. I am fairly positive I really didn't want to understand either.
I am now the proud co-owner of UVA Football season tickets. I have been attending games each year with my family for several years now. While my favorite part of the game is seeing which uniform combination rolls out each week (and Cav Man riding Sabre onto the field), I do now finally understand some basic plays, I know the difference between first down and third, and I know what happens when a team is coached well and when it isn't. I have sat through too many losing seasons to count and I have felt the thrill of seeing one of my favorite players in my local Food Lion. I guess you could say that I am now a football fan.
So, it should not have been a shock to anyone when I bought Friday Night Lights, the 25th Anniversary Edition. But it was. My children raised their eyebrows and my husband may have, too. The guy who helped me find it in the Barnes and Noble was clearly shocked that I wanted to read this book (Do I not look like someone who would read FNL?). Friends could not believe that I had never seen the TV show based on the book. But I surprised them all by reading it. It took me weeks, but I did it. I savored every word of this delicious book (and let me tell you, Bissinger one brilliant writer. He has a way of building anticipation like no author I have ever read before. It makes for a very satisfying read). And last night when I closed the cover, I was crying. Turns out, the person I surprised the most by reading this book was myself. Perhaps if I had actually grown up in Texas, I would've gotten IT, gotten football and all that it means and all that it stands for. But I didn't and yet now I do. Thanks to Bissinger's amazing book about the Permian Panthers from Odessa, Texas in 1988.
Bissigner literally packed up and moved to Odessa, Texas with his family to follow the Permian Panthers for a year-- the year that they had big hopes would end in a State Championship for their team. He followed them into every aspect of their lives--home, school, the locker room. He learned about where they lived and where they came from, and as a result, we, the readers, get to learn these things, too. As I was reading, I was surprised at how much sociology was woven into this text. Quite honestly, Friday Night Lights is way more sociology than it is football. Seriously. The only time I have ever regretted not having my master's degree in anything was when I was reading FNL and realized that someone (preferably ME) could teach a college class using this book as the primary text to explore just about every social issue out there--black vs. white, rich vs. poor, girls vs. boys, educational issues, professional ethics, sports ethics. This book is filled with more information about the climate of the US in then late '80's than you could ever imagine. It would make a killer sociology class (and I'd like to teach it, please). The social background is necessary to understanding the town, the boys, and the team. Without it, you'd only get half of the story. So, while the pages are densely packed with information that makes reading slow and careful, I found myself craving these parts of the story more than the play-by-plays of the games. It's what connected me, the reader, to the town and to the overall story being told.
And I did feel connected to this town and their team. And I cried last night when I finished reading the book for two reasons. One--Permian did not win the State Championship in 1988 and it killed me. They had worked so hard and had fought so many battles and they couldn't quite pull it out in the end. And two--Bissinger included an Afterword in which he spoke to players from the 88 Panthers team 25 years after that last losing game. Their stories broke my heart and I cried for them. I cried because they will never feel the glory they felt in 88 every again. I cried because no matter how hard they worked they were never going to be what they were to the town of Odessa back in 88. They peaked as teenagers and that makes for a very long life. And I cried because most of them realized that had they focused a little less on football and a little more on school that their lives could be very different today. (Sigh...a teacher's dream come true!)
Bottom line...I will never view another football game the same way ever again after reading Friday Night Lights. I have a new respect for the game and the boys on the field. I will never roll my eyes at professional player's outrageous salaries (and I will continue to be a proponent for paying college level players), because I now know that their career can end with every game they play. And money, no matter how much, will ever be able to compensate a player who wants to play, who NEEDS to play, and no longer can.
I hope that I am the only person out there who hasn't read Friday Night Lights, but in case I am not, I highly recommend that you read it. I especially recommend it for those readers who are not football fans. This book will convert you. I guarantee it.
MOJO! MOJO!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Saturday, August 29, 2015
#42: Five Brides by Eva Marie Everson
Five Brides by Eva Marie Everson has become one of my favorite books EVER! If you have a daughter, or are someone else's daughter, this book is a feel-good must read!
Simply stated, Five Brides tells the stories of five different women, all roommates in Chicago, who are in their early 20's during the 1950's. These women could not be any more different from one another, yet on a rare day when all five are together (because their jobs keep them on the go and often away from the apartment), a day spent window shopping takes an interesting turn when they spontaneously pool their money and purchase a wedding gown. Not a single one is yet engaged, and several aren't even involved with a man) they create a plan for using this amazing gown they have found, that fits them all beautifully.
Despite this turn in the plot, the book is much less about the gown and way more about the lives of these amazing women:
Simply stated, Five Brides tells the stories of five different women, all roommates in Chicago, who are in their early 20's during the 1950's. These women could not be any more different from one another, yet on a rare day when all five are together (because their jobs keep them on the go and often away from the apartment), a day spent window shopping takes an interesting turn when they spontaneously pool their money and purchase a wedding gown. Not a single one is yet engaged, and several aren't even involved with a man) they create a plan for using this amazing gown they have found, that fits them all beautifully.
Despite this turn in the plot, the book is much less about the gown and way more about the lives of these amazing women:
- Joan, from England, a real go-getter that lets nothing stand in her way from what she wants
- Betty, a Chicago socialite with connections everywhere who suddenly finds herself cut off from her parents financial support
- Magda and Inga, sisters from Minnesota with VERY strict parents about the rules governing the conduct of women
- Evelyn, the sweet Southern girl from Georgia, who finds Chicago cold and strange compared to her rural farm life in S.C.
Everson tells this story of these amazing women in such a detailed way that you are drawn into their lives and into their hearts and you can't help but love them all. They are strong, fearless, and they refuse to let life pass them by as they work hard to live the lives they have always dreamed at a time when women were just beginning to gain strength in the working world. Five Brides makes me proud to be a woman, yet it also makes me think that I have not done enough to further the feminist cause, but every woman must do what she must do. And in the spirit of the book, I have followed the path that God had planned for me, no matter how curvy.
Read this one. You will love it.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
Monday, August 24, 2015
#41: Silver Linings by Debbie Macomber
Silver Linings is the fourth book in the new Rose Harbor Inn series by Debbie Macomber, who also wrote the much beloved Cedar Cove series of books (and co-produces the Hallmark Channel original TV series by the same name, to which I am addicted). This new installment continues the love story in progress of Jo Marie and Mark, a story which takes a turn I would never have imagined. We also get to meet Coco and Katie, high school friends returning to Cedar Cove for their 10th reunion who are hoping to right some past wrongs. As the title foreshadows, there are silver linings in every cloud and so while things at first don't seem to quite work out for Katie and Coco like we are typically used to in Macomber's books, they do in the end. Never fear!
Except for Jo Marie. This story has ended in such a terrible cliffhanger I am not sure I can wait until next August to see what happens. Hang on Jo Marie! I have hope for you and Mark!
Silver Linings is a lovely (yet apparently suspenseful) continuation of the Rose Harbor series and I am so glad that Macomber has not abandoned Cedar Cove. I can't wait to read the next book! Come on August 2016!
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
Except for Jo Marie. This story has ended in such a terrible cliffhanger I am not sure I can wait until next August to see what happens. Hang on Jo Marie! I have hope for you and Mark!
Silver Linings is a lovely (yet apparently suspenseful) continuation of the Rose Harbor series and I am so glad that Macomber has not abandoned Cedar Cove. I can't wait to read the next book! Come on August 2016!
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
Thursday, August 13, 2015
#40: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Having teenage girls in my house has caused my reading choices lately to include books like The Hunger Games, If I Stay, and The Fault in Our Stars. Somehow I have been able to escape reading the Divergent series and have stuck to watching the movie versions, which is fine by me. I had seen commercials for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and when I read the back of the book, I knew I was going to have to read it. Just add this one to my list of teenagerish reads for 2015.
Truthfully, I don't think my girls should read this book until they are out of high school. Not because of Earl's terrible language and consistent sexual references, but because I don't think they will get it until they have not only experienced high school but have also been removed from the high school dynamic and can look back and see the truth about how kids behave and treat each other in High School.
Greg ("Me" from the title) is a high-school senior who has been perfecting a plan to be friends with everyone and yet with no one that has propelled him through high school with little drama. He does have one friend, Earl, who is probably one of my favorite characters of all-time. Earl is funny, he is sweet, and he gets how hard real life can be. Greg just prefers to be filming life rather than living it. The Dying Girl is Rachel, and while she is important enough to be in the title, she really is a minor character, in my opinion, who we don't get to know very well at all before she dies. But she is important to Greg's evolution and change, so she makes it into the title.
The story really is about the evolution of Greg, a boy who doesn't seem to want to evolve at all. As it turns out, and we don't find out about this until the very end, Greg is writing this book as an explanation to his top-choice college as to why he performed so badly in school during his senior year. Prior to learning this, the reader thinks Greg is just writing a book to tell a story that he really doesn't want to tell (like his mom is making him do it or something). And he also doesn't like writing and he isn't too fond of his readers, either, but it just seems so like him--this guy who doesn't really even want friends, he just doesn't want to be beat-up or bullied by his classmates--you don't really even care. You just keep reading. And laughing. Earl is hilarious and without him this book would be so dull and insulting you'd never get past the first few chapters. Thanks to Earl, I read this book in two days.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is coming to the Big Screen after wining two awards at the Sundance Movie Festival: The Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. It's no surprise to me that this book/movie won awards. It's clever, it explores the inner workings of the complicated High School dynamic, and it explores how one event can change your life forever. Even the best planned lives.
It's good. I remember now why High School was so hard for me and why the first thing I said to my very best friend on the first day of Senior Year was "179," as in 179 days left until the last day of school and the beginning of your real life.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
Truthfully, I don't think my girls should read this book until they are out of high school. Not because of Earl's terrible language and consistent sexual references, but because I don't think they will get it until they have not only experienced high school but have also been removed from the high school dynamic and can look back and see the truth about how kids behave and treat each other in High School.
Greg ("Me" from the title) is a high-school senior who has been perfecting a plan to be friends with everyone and yet with no one that has propelled him through high school with little drama. He does have one friend, Earl, who is probably one of my favorite characters of all-time. Earl is funny, he is sweet, and he gets how hard real life can be. Greg just prefers to be filming life rather than living it. The Dying Girl is Rachel, and while she is important enough to be in the title, she really is a minor character, in my opinion, who we don't get to know very well at all before she dies. But she is important to Greg's evolution and change, so she makes it into the title.
The story really is about the evolution of Greg, a boy who doesn't seem to want to evolve at all. As it turns out, and we don't find out about this until the very end, Greg is writing this book as an explanation to his top-choice college as to why he performed so badly in school during his senior year. Prior to learning this, the reader thinks Greg is just writing a book to tell a story that he really doesn't want to tell (like his mom is making him do it or something). And he also doesn't like writing and he isn't too fond of his readers, either, but it just seems so like him--this guy who doesn't really even want friends, he just doesn't want to be beat-up or bullied by his classmates--you don't really even care. You just keep reading. And laughing. Earl is hilarious and without him this book would be so dull and insulting you'd never get past the first few chapters. Thanks to Earl, I read this book in two days.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is coming to the Big Screen after wining two awards at the Sundance Movie Festival: The Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. It's no surprise to me that this book/movie won awards. It's clever, it explores the inner workings of the complicated High School dynamic, and it explores how one event can change your life forever. Even the best planned lives.
It's good. I remember now why High School was so hard for me and why the first thing I said to my very best friend on the first day of Senior Year was "179," as in 179 days left until the last day of school and the beginning of your real life.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
#39: Show of Hands by Anthony McCarten
I decided to read Show of Hands because for the first time in a long time I found a book with a plot that I had never encountered before. Show of Hands is the story of a group of people trying to win a car. Set in London, the book tells the story of 40 people, but the main characters are a small group, trying to win a Range Rover by being the last person to have one hand on the car. See--unique plot.
The main characters are:
The main characters are:
- Hatch Back, the owner of the car dealership who is holding this contest to boost sales for his failing business
- Jess Podorowski, a widowed mother, who works as a meter maid, of a sweet girl confined to a wheel chair who wants this car in order to transport her to and from her school
- Tom Shrift, a businessman, and member of Mensa, who is trying to win the car in order to sell it so he can begin to pay off debt from a failed business venture
- Matt Brocklenbank, a young guy who has entered the competition in order to prove that he can accomplish something without the help of his parents
There are a few other contestants that we get to know throughout the story, along with the family of each contestant as well as the dealership owner.
The story is a good one and I particularly liked each character was explored so deeply, after all there is very little to do when you are spending days with one hand on a car except talk about yourself, your family, and why you are trying so hard to win a car. The story also has a plot twist toward the end that I never expected. I also never expected the ending to be what it was. I guess people can surprise you, even ones that you think you know and understand.
This was a great book and such a different read from my typical romance books or historical fiction novels. It's good to break away from the norm every now and again and read something new.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
#38: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Many people have raved about this book. Many. I feel as though for one solid week at the onset of summer every talk show host was talking about the book. They read it, loved it, couldn't put it down. So, I got it and it sat on my night table. I knew enough about the overall plot of the book (a girl who rides the train into London every day sees something shocking one day on her ride into the city...something she can't keep to herself) to know that I had to be in the right frame of mind to read a book like this. Last week I finally picked it up, took a deep breath, and prepared myself to be consumed by the story until it was over.
Except I wasn't. It took me over a week to read this book. I didn't find the story to be a page turner at all, until the last 75 pages. I know now that the author was just building background and telling the story that ultimately unfolds in the last 75 pages, but it was, for me, a slow moving, rather depressing story until then. And even after the story was over it was sad and depressing. But very scary. Very. Like Gone Girl scary. I am now completely convinced that you never really know people. Or that at the very least they can truly surprise you.
The Girl on the Train is the story of Rachel, an unemployed girl who lives outside of London but continues to take the train into the city every day so that her landlord/roommate won't know that she's lost her job. She's also a divorced alcoholic who obsessively tracks the life of her ex-husband and his new family.
But The Girl on the Train is also the story of Megan and Anna. Anna is the new wife of Rachel's ex, Tom. Megan lives a few doors down from Tom and Anna and actually works as their "child minder" (I love that!) for a bit for their daughter Evie. By the time the story ends, it really is hard to pick one woman from the story that you feel the most sympathy for. At first I thought it was Rachel, as she really has it tough: can't get pregnant with no real reason why, failed IVF, turns to drinking to soothe her pain, her husband has an affair, leaves her, marries the girl (Anna) and then they have a baby. Rubbing salt in her wounds, Rachel's train stops behind their house every day. She can see into their home, their back yard. She just can't seem to get away from them. But by the end I was very worried about not just Rachel, for obvious reasons, but also Anna, who just didn't see any of the events of the story coming. She was totally blind sighted. And Megan...well...you can't help but feel total pity and sadness for poor Megan. You will have to read the book to find out why that is. I refuse to ruin it for you here.
The Girl on the Train is a great read. If you like a mystery, want to be a little scared, and want a story that is totally fresh and new, you need to read this book. There's nothing out there like it, that's for sure. And, if it's not already in the works, I predict a movie based on the book. This story lends itself nicely to a movie.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Except I wasn't. It took me over a week to read this book. I didn't find the story to be a page turner at all, until the last 75 pages. I know now that the author was just building background and telling the story that ultimately unfolds in the last 75 pages, but it was, for me, a slow moving, rather depressing story until then. And even after the story was over it was sad and depressing. But very scary. Very. Like Gone Girl scary. I am now completely convinced that you never really know people. Or that at the very least they can truly surprise you.
The Girl on the Train is the story of Rachel, an unemployed girl who lives outside of London but continues to take the train into the city every day so that her landlord/roommate won't know that she's lost her job. She's also a divorced alcoholic who obsessively tracks the life of her ex-husband and his new family.
But The Girl on the Train is also the story of Megan and Anna. Anna is the new wife of Rachel's ex, Tom. Megan lives a few doors down from Tom and Anna and actually works as their "child minder" (I love that!) for a bit for their daughter Evie. By the time the story ends, it really is hard to pick one woman from the story that you feel the most sympathy for. At first I thought it was Rachel, as she really has it tough: can't get pregnant with no real reason why, failed IVF, turns to drinking to soothe her pain, her husband has an affair, leaves her, marries the girl (Anna) and then they have a baby. Rubbing salt in her wounds, Rachel's train stops behind their house every day. She can see into their home, their back yard. She just can't seem to get away from them. But by the end I was very worried about not just Rachel, for obvious reasons, but also Anna, who just didn't see any of the events of the story coming. She was totally blind sighted. And Megan...well...you can't help but feel total pity and sadness for poor Megan. You will have to read the book to find out why that is. I refuse to ruin it for you here.
The Girl on the Train is a great read. If you like a mystery, want to be a little scared, and want a story that is totally fresh and new, you need to read this book. There's nothing out there like it, that's for sure. And, if it's not already in the works, I predict a movie based on the book. This story lends itself nicely to a movie.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
#37: Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not? by Thompson Square and Travis Thrasher
I love Thompson Square. If you aren't familiar with their works, they are a country duo, husband and wife, who sing some of my favorite songs. One of their most well-known is a song called "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" It was this song and the story told in the song that inspired them to write, with Travis Thrasher, the novel by the same name. I was so excited to read the book and quite honestly I expected great things. They are, after all, amazing songwriters/singers.
Well...the book was good, not great. I kept waiting for something to happen and while things rolled along, they did so slowly. Eventually the plot got to where it was going but it took a long time. And it took me a long time to finish the novel, as a result. The story was cute. I liked Casey and Daniel. It just took a while to get to their story out there.
I guess the bottom line for me about this particular book is this: if you've heard the song, stop there. If you haven't heard the song, download it, listen to it, and stop there. Thompson Square is way better at writing and singing songs than writing novels.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Well...the book was good, not great. I kept waiting for something to happen and while things rolled along, they did so slowly. Eventually the plot got to where it was going but it took a long time. And it took me a long time to finish the novel, as a result. The story was cute. I liked Casey and Daniel. It just took a while to get to their story out there.
I guess the bottom line for me about this particular book is this: if you've heard the song, stop there. If you haven't heard the song, download it, listen to it, and stop there. Thompson Square is way better at writing and singing songs than writing novels.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#36: Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
I finished Go Set a Watchman about a week ago and am just now getting around to blogging about this story. The truth is, I was, and still am, a bit fearful about what to actually say about Lee's novel. I mean, what can I say about her book that others haven't already said? I knew mostly what the book was about before the box from Amazon containing the novel hit my front stoop. I knew that people were sad because their images of Atticus were destroyed. I know that Go Set a Watchman made Atticus out to be a racist. But, like every good reader, I read the book and formed my own opinions. It is those opinions that I am fearful to share.
For those of you who might not have heard, Go Set a Watchman is a novel written by Harper Lee, and it's being billed as a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird. The truth is, Go Set a Watchman was written before To Kill a Mockingbird but it was rejected by publishers. Lee put it aside, at some point wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, rocked the world with this amazing story that deals with lots of white vs. black issues, and recently someone found Go Set a Watchman and now it's on store shelves and coffee tables everywhere as people devour Lee's second and sure to be final novel.
In Watchman, Scout, who was about 8 or so in Mockingbird, is now in her late 20's and is coming home for a visit to check on her aging father (Atticus is now 72) and to deal with a persistent boyfriend (Henry/Hank) who wishes to marry her. During her time at home, Scout is reminded that she is an out-of-the-box sort of girl that no one in Maycomb really quite knows how to handle, even as an adult. Scout truly believes her place in the world is NYC because she can just be herself there and no one cares. However, she knows that her roots are in Maycomb and she seems to enjoy "woolgathering" as she calls it--remembering good times and good stories about her young life with Atticus and her neighbors and friends.
While she attempts to make sense of her relationship with Henry, a young lawyer that Atticus mentored, Scout stumbles into a situation, a Maycomb County Citizen's Council meeting, where she realizes that Atticus isn't exactly who she thinks he is. I have read and re-read this part of the book and Rob and I have talked about it until we realized that we were never going to agree (I feel compelled to add that he has read neither of Lee's books) and finally stopped talking about it altogether. I see what readers are talking about, I do. I see Scout's concern with Atticus, too. Upon hearing the discussion at the Citizen's Council meeting, it does seem as though Atticus has some racist/segregationist ideas which is alarming when you recall that he was the white lawyer defending a black man in Mockingbird. How is it possible that he could be racist? How? Well...when you hear the men talking about keeping blacks and whites separate, it seems clear. I just personally think there's more to it. And so does Scout's uncle, Atticus' brother, who tries to explain to Scout that the issue isn't quite as clear-cut as Scout believes it to be.
I know that I have a bad habit of reading and creating characters in my head to be more than they really are. They become real to me and I do know that Atticus is fictional. Lee created him and over the years he became God-like not just to Scout, but to readers, as well. Atticus Finch became the moral standard by which millions of people measured themselves and others. In Go Set a Watchman, Atticus is not the perfect man from Mockingbird. He's a human who has lived a long life and who has seen many things, but I just think there's more to the story. I just can't believe that Atticus is a racist man. I think he is a man trying to make sense of a confusing time the best he can. I think he is a brilliant lawyer who is trying to uphold the law the best he can while helping those who are wronged, regardless of their color. And I think he is trying hard to make sure that the US government doesn't make decisions based solely on color (which we all know is never a smart choice). Maybe I am Scout...maybe I have put Atticus on a pedestal, too...but I just don't think people can call Atticus a racist and have it be that simple. I just don't agree.
I also don't agree with the publishers who rejected this novel the first time around. It is quite a good story and well-written for a first time author. Truthfully, I question their reasons for denying publication of the book and I strongly suspect it has little to do with a poorly written first novel and more to do with the content and subject matter it explores from a governmental standpoint. Furthermore, I am beyond impressed that Lee was able to, within the body of Watchman, write a 1-2 page synopsis of Atticus's by now well-known trial and then was able to create an entire book (The Kill a Mockingbird) based on these few pages. That is truly amazing! It is also amazing to me that he nailed Scout's character both times--the little girl in Mockingbird is absolutely the same girl in Watchman. Same voice, same personality. Lee truly has a gift.
I hope that everyone out there reading this chooses to read Watchman, if they have read Mockingbird. If you haven't read either, do yourself a favor and read these books. Read Mockingbird first, but read them. They are brilliant. Harper Lee is brilliant. I hope that she realizes what an impact her books have made upon American society. She is deserving of every award and prize (including a Pulitzer and the Presidential Medal of Freedom) she's earned. And I feel lucky to have read both of her works. I am better for it.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
#35: Grey by EL James
I had to read it. I had to. How can you read the other three and not read this one? And I swore that I was going to read it on my Nook so that no one knew I was reading it and yet I bought a copy at COSTCO because it was cheaper than the Nook price. So, I've left it at home several times so no one would know I was reading it. Why? Because I was avoiding the swoons and the eyebrow raising that so often accompanies a reading of this book. Oh, I do so wonder what Dr. Hampton, my Human Sexuality professor from college, is making of this text?
Here's my take...
I read all of the 50 Shades books and I even watched the terrible movie adaptation of the series (yes...I found it to be ridiculous). I am not afraid to read these books, or others like it, and they do not embarrass me. People's reactions embarrass me because I feel as though outsiders who have never read a single one of the book are making assumptions about women who read them. That women are sex-starved, or are closet submissives. That we really yearn for sexual domination. Good grief. And what real gets my goat is the number of people who blog about or comment about the books (and movie) who have never even read them. Seriously? How you can have any opinion about a book you've never experienced?
So, in light of all of that, I go back to my original take on 50 Shades and Grey corroborates my initial reactions and feelings. EL James is brilliant because she has made a fortune capitalizing on a basic human emotion--our need to be wanted. Women love Christian Grey because he makes Ana feel wanted and we all want a man in our lives who makes us feel as wanted and as special. When we read these books, we are not thinking about Christian's weirdo fetishes, we are thinking how amazing it must be to be wanted so much by another human being. How amazing it would be to have someone buy you a new car because he fears yours isn't safe enough. How amazing it must be to have someone fly clear across the country to see you because he misses your face. How amazing it must be to have someone stare at you like you are the most beautiful sight he's ever seen. THIS is why women read these books.
Well...that and the romantic idea that women can change men. We know we can't really change men. Not really. But, but the end of the 50 Shades Trilogy, Ana sure has changed Christian. Ana and love changed him. Love took over and changed a truly disturbed man and women all over the world are eating this story up because proves that love can conquer all.
But ladies, it's fiction. And we have to remember that it's fiction. I have to remind myself the same thing when I read any book by Nicholas Sparks. Those men don't really exist. Neither does Christian Grey.
However, I will admit that it was interesting to read the first part of a very long story (Grey is 50 Shades of Grey told from Christian's point of view) from his point of view. Through Grey, you catch small glimpses of what made him turn to his controlling lifestyle and I do feel terrible that such a small boy had to see what he did for so long before Grace rescued him. As I was reading, I wondered if EL James ever considered telling the original 2 books from alternating chapters in order to capture both perspectives as the story was told. I also wonder if she will write two more books to finish out the story from his perspective. If so, I want to go on record as saying that I will NOT read those. I am finished reading about Christian Grey and Ana Steele.
My next book is Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman. I can't wait for it to arrive today. History in the making.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
Here's my take...
I read all of the 50 Shades books and I even watched the terrible movie adaptation of the series (yes...I found it to be ridiculous). I am not afraid to read these books, or others like it, and they do not embarrass me. People's reactions embarrass me because I feel as though outsiders who have never read a single one of the book are making assumptions about women who read them. That women are sex-starved, or are closet submissives. That we really yearn for sexual domination. Good grief. And what real gets my goat is the number of people who blog about or comment about the books (and movie) who have never even read them. Seriously? How you can have any opinion about a book you've never experienced?
So, in light of all of that, I go back to my original take on 50 Shades and Grey corroborates my initial reactions and feelings. EL James is brilliant because she has made a fortune capitalizing on a basic human emotion--our need to be wanted. Women love Christian Grey because he makes Ana feel wanted and we all want a man in our lives who makes us feel as wanted and as special. When we read these books, we are not thinking about Christian's weirdo fetishes, we are thinking how amazing it must be to be wanted so much by another human being. How amazing it would be to have someone buy you a new car because he fears yours isn't safe enough. How amazing it must be to have someone fly clear across the country to see you because he misses your face. How amazing it must be to have someone stare at you like you are the most beautiful sight he's ever seen. THIS is why women read these books.
Well...that and the romantic idea that women can change men. We know we can't really change men. Not really. But, but the end of the 50 Shades Trilogy, Ana sure has changed Christian. Ana and love changed him. Love took over and changed a truly disturbed man and women all over the world are eating this story up because proves that love can conquer all.
But ladies, it's fiction. And we have to remember that it's fiction. I have to remind myself the same thing when I read any book by Nicholas Sparks. Those men don't really exist. Neither does Christian Grey.
However, I will admit that it was interesting to read the first part of a very long story (Grey is 50 Shades of Grey told from Christian's point of view) from his point of view. Through Grey, you catch small glimpses of what made him turn to his controlling lifestyle and I do feel terrible that such a small boy had to see what he did for so long before Grace rescued him. As I was reading, I wondered if EL James ever considered telling the original 2 books from alternating chapters in order to capture both perspectives as the story was told. I also wonder if she will write two more books to finish out the story from his perspective. If so, I want to go on record as saying that I will NOT read those. I am finished reading about Christian Grey and Ana Steele.
My next book is Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman. I can't wait for it to arrive today. History in the making.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
#34: A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
I first read Anne Tyler in college in a class taught by the most southern woman I have ever met. Tall, blonde (well...probably gray, but blonde once upon a time), polished, proper, and very southern in her old-fashioned ways. I could just see her sitting on a porch swing sipping sweet tea as she read book after book. I loved her class. And because of her (her name escapes me, sadly) I loved Anne Tyler. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant was the first book by Tyler that I read. I still categorize people as either "feeders" or "eaters" because of Dinner. I am an eater. Try as I might, I will never be a feeder. My good friend Pam is a feeder. So is my mother. So is Rob.
Anyway, I love reading Tyler's novels. They are slow, deliberate, and chock full of the most beautifully orchestrated words you will ever read. A Spool of Blue Thread, her newest novel, is no different. The novel is divided into four parts and it tells the story of the Whitshank family: Red and Abby and they children: Denny, Stem, Amanda, and Jeannie. It also tells the story of their Baltimore home, a home built by Red's father and cherished in a way that only Tyler can describe, and its legacy in their family and in their town.
As often happens when I read, Rob asked what the book was about and I found that I couldn't really tell him. It was so full of familial descriptions and background information on each family member that nothing really happened plot-wise for a long time. And then, even when something big did happen, I realized that the events of the Whitshank family was secondary to the family itself. This book isn't about what happens to the Whitshank family. This book is about the existence and importance of the Whitshank family. It reminded me of descriptions of the TV show "Seinfeld." People always said it was a show about nothing in particular. A Spool of Blue Thread is the same. It's a book about nothing in particular as it surrounds the day-to-day life of the Whitshanks. Yet, as we learn more and more about this family and their heritage and their love for one another, we realize that the real message is that families are special and important just simply because they are families. And each person in the family, while seemingly never really doing anything out of the ordinary, is a critical part of the overall family unit. After reading this novel, I felt special to have been a part of the family that surrounds me, as crazy as some of my relatives are, they are my family. They made me who I am.
A Spool of Blue Thread won't be devoured in a day, and it's not a real page-turner. But, it is a beautiful story that will open your mind and heart in a way that only Tyler can do. I am anxious to read more of her books that I picked up recently at the Green Valley Bookfair in Harrisonburg. If you've never been, you should go. It's worth a boring drive on 64 to get there. :)
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
Anyway, I love reading Tyler's novels. They are slow, deliberate, and chock full of the most beautifully orchestrated words you will ever read. A Spool of Blue Thread, her newest novel, is no different. The novel is divided into four parts and it tells the story of the Whitshank family: Red and Abby and they children: Denny, Stem, Amanda, and Jeannie. It also tells the story of their Baltimore home, a home built by Red's father and cherished in a way that only Tyler can describe, and its legacy in their family and in their town.
As often happens when I read, Rob asked what the book was about and I found that I couldn't really tell him. It was so full of familial descriptions and background information on each family member that nothing really happened plot-wise for a long time. And then, even when something big did happen, I realized that the events of the Whitshank family was secondary to the family itself. This book isn't about what happens to the Whitshank family. This book is about the existence and importance of the Whitshank family. It reminded me of descriptions of the TV show "Seinfeld." People always said it was a show about nothing in particular. A Spool of Blue Thread is the same. It's a book about nothing in particular as it surrounds the day-to-day life of the Whitshanks. Yet, as we learn more and more about this family and their heritage and their love for one another, we realize that the real message is that families are special and important just simply because they are families. And each person in the family, while seemingly never really doing anything out of the ordinary, is a critical part of the overall family unit. After reading this novel, I felt special to have been a part of the family that surrounds me, as crazy as some of my relatives are, they are my family. They made me who I am.
A Spool of Blue Thread won't be devoured in a day, and it's not a real page-turner. But, it is a beautiful story that will open your mind and heart in a way that only Tyler can do. I am anxious to read more of her books that I picked up recently at the Green Valley Bookfair in Harrisonburg. If you've never been, you should go. It's worth a boring drive on 64 to get there. :)
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
#33: The Girls of Mischief Bay by Susan Mallery
I really enjoyed reading this first Mischief Bay novel, a series that Mallory says she hopes to continue for a long time. And I hope that they are all as real as this one is.
The novel explores the very different stories of three women, all friends who work out and do yoga together. Nicole, the owner of the yoga studio, Shannon, a VP who is looking for a husband, and Pam, an empty-nester who suffers a terribly tragedy just as she and her husband were re-connecting.
I think what I liked most about this book is that it shows life as life really is: anything but perfect. All too often Romance novels portray life as just too easy, simple, and perfect when it really is messy, dirty, and for most a daily struggle. Nicole is ready to leave her husband because he up and quit his job--without consulting her--to write a screenplay. She juggles her yoga studio, their pre-schooler, and the rest of life because he's too busy writing. Shannon has an incredible job but can't find a partner because she spends too much time working and can't find someone who understands ow important her work is to her. And Pam, well...I can't even elaborate on poor Pam and what happens to her. You will have to read the book in order to find out.
In the end, nothing turns out like you'd think it would in a romance novel. But, the women, much like real women, just keep on going. I was proud of them and it gave me hope that should I ever have to deal with a situation that is less than ideal in my life, that I could. I would not need to give up, or jump ship, but I could move on. Even if just very slowly at first.
This is a good book for inspiring hope.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
The novel explores the very different stories of three women, all friends who work out and do yoga together. Nicole, the owner of the yoga studio, Shannon, a VP who is looking for a husband, and Pam, an empty-nester who suffers a terribly tragedy just as she and her husband were re-connecting.
I think what I liked most about this book is that it shows life as life really is: anything but perfect. All too often Romance novels portray life as just too easy, simple, and perfect when it really is messy, dirty, and for most a daily struggle. Nicole is ready to leave her husband because he up and quit his job--without consulting her--to write a screenplay. She juggles her yoga studio, their pre-schooler, and the rest of life because he's too busy writing. Shannon has an incredible job but can't find a partner because she spends too much time working and can't find someone who understands ow important her work is to her. And Pam, well...I can't even elaborate on poor Pam and what happens to her. You will have to read the book in order to find out.
In the end, nothing turns out like you'd think it would in a romance novel. But, the women, much like real women, just keep on going. I was proud of them and it gave me hope that should I ever have to deal with a situation that is less than ideal in my life, that I could. I would not need to give up, or jump ship, but I could move on. Even if just very slowly at first.
This is a good book for inspiring hope.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
#32: Three Sisters by Susan Mallery
I am not sure that I have ever read a book by Susan Mallery that I did not love. Three Sisters is a wonderful, heart-warming story of female friendships that made me wish that I lived on Blackberry Island in a wonderful old victorian home. Sigh...
Three Sisters is not, in fact, named for three sisters, but instead for three old victorian homes that were built on the same street and are currently inhabited by Boston and her husband Zeke, Deanna and her husband and five daughters, and Andi. Andi is an unmarried pediatrician who happens to buy the sister in the middle--the sister in need of a full renovation. Boston and Deanna's homes have been remodeled and restored to fit the character of the family that lives in each. As you get to know each character, you understand why each house is the way it is. They all match up nicely.
If I had to pick, I'd say that Three Sisters is predominantly Andi's story, but Andi isn't able to grow and change without Boston and Deanna, so it's really a book about all three women. It's a beautifully written, fun story that left me feeling proud to be a woman with female friends that I know I can count on.
Now...if two of them would just move in on either side of my house, I'd really be set!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Three Sisters is not, in fact, named for three sisters, but instead for three old victorian homes that were built on the same street and are currently inhabited by Boston and her husband Zeke, Deanna and her husband and five daughters, and Andi. Andi is an unmarried pediatrician who happens to buy the sister in the middle--the sister in need of a full renovation. Boston and Deanna's homes have been remodeled and restored to fit the character of the family that lives in each. As you get to know each character, you understand why each house is the way it is. They all match up nicely.
If I had to pick, I'd say that Three Sisters is predominantly Andi's story, but Andi isn't able to grow and change without Boston and Deanna, so it's really a book about all three women. It's a beautifully written, fun story that left me feeling proud to be a woman with female friends that I know I can count on.
Now...if two of them would just move in on either side of my house, I'd really be set!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Monday, June 22, 2015
#31: Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson
If you are a fan of Gone Girl, this novel is for you. Before I Go to Sleep is the story of Christine Lucas, a woman suffering from such a severe case of amnesia that she forgets her life, who she is, everything, each night as she sleeps. With the help of her doctor, Ed Nash, and a journal she keeps (but needs a daily phone call from Dr. Nash to remind her where she keeps it) she is able to piece together her life and to recall the events that led to her memory loss. It is a frightening story, a true page turner, and one whose ending you will never see coming. Never.
Thanks, Pam, for recommending this one to me. It's a good, quick read.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Thanks, Pam, for recommending this one to me. It's a good, quick read.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#30: In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
Judy Blume was my favorite author as a child. I read every one of her books, sometimes more than once. Sometimes more than twice! When I heard she had written a new book for adults, I pre-ordered it and waited for it to arrive.
Her newest book is called In the Unlikely Event and is about three very tragic plane crashes in Elizabeth, NJ back in the 1950's. It is based on events that happened while Blume, herself, lived in this small town, but it is still mostly fictional.
The book is divided into different parts based on year and time of year and within each part there are sections of the story told about each of the many, many characters that make up this intense story. To be honest, I read half of the book before I could keep many of the characters straight in my head. They all know each other in some way, they all overlap, and at first it is very overwhelming. But, as I grew to realize as I was reading, that's exactly what Blume intended--these characters were meant to overlap and connect. That's what makes the plane crashes and the events surrounding them so tragic.
After the first plane crash, as I read what these brave people had to endure, I couldn't imagine reading about another one. Much less a third crash. Honestly, I put the book down and read another novel. I just could't read on. But I am so glad that I went back to it (as I always do) because I realized that the one of the messages of this book is that life really does go on. It does, whether we want it to or not. The people of Elizabeth, NJ are proof.
The title of the book, "In the Unlikely Event..." which we often hear flight attendants explain as they review safety information pre-flight, was explained even further at the end of the book: "Life is a series of unlikely events, isn't it? ...One unlikely event after another, adding up to a rich, complicated whole." It's so true. Life is a series of unlikely events. And when you put them all together, the good, the bad, and the ugly, you get a pretty decent story in the end. Life isn't easy, as every character in this book will attest to, but in the end, it's life and we have to live it and to make the best of it.
Aside from the basic reminder that each day is a gift, I adored the glimpse into the 50's that this book afforded. I wish that my girls would read this to see what life was like back in the day. When girls wore modest clothing, when boys were respectful, when people had actual conversations and dance parties in order to get to know each other. I think I lived in the wrong time. When girls dreamed of getting cashmere sweaters for Christmas and birthdays and their mothers loaned them pearls for their dates...oh yeah...that's my kind of decade!
Judy Blume does it again!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Her newest book is called In the Unlikely Event and is about three very tragic plane crashes in Elizabeth, NJ back in the 1950's. It is based on events that happened while Blume, herself, lived in this small town, but it is still mostly fictional.
The book is divided into different parts based on year and time of year and within each part there are sections of the story told about each of the many, many characters that make up this intense story. To be honest, I read half of the book before I could keep many of the characters straight in my head. They all know each other in some way, they all overlap, and at first it is very overwhelming. But, as I grew to realize as I was reading, that's exactly what Blume intended--these characters were meant to overlap and connect. That's what makes the plane crashes and the events surrounding them so tragic.
After the first plane crash, as I read what these brave people had to endure, I couldn't imagine reading about another one. Much less a third crash. Honestly, I put the book down and read another novel. I just could't read on. But I am so glad that I went back to it (as I always do) because I realized that the one of the messages of this book is that life really does go on. It does, whether we want it to or not. The people of Elizabeth, NJ are proof.
The title of the book, "In the Unlikely Event..." which we often hear flight attendants explain as they review safety information pre-flight, was explained even further at the end of the book: "Life is a series of unlikely events, isn't it? ...One unlikely event after another, adding up to a rich, complicated whole." It's so true. Life is a series of unlikely events. And when you put them all together, the good, the bad, and the ugly, you get a pretty decent story in the end. Life isn't easy, as every character in this book will attest to, but in the end, it's life and we have to live it and to make the best of it.
Aside from the basic reminder that each day is a gift, I adored the glimpse into the 50's that this book afforded. I wish that my girls would read this to see what life was like back in the day. When girls wore modest clothing, when boys were respectful, when people had actual conversations and dance parties in order to get to know each other. I think I lived in the wrong time. When girls dreamed of getting cashmere sweaters for Christmas and birthdays and their mothers loaned them pearls for their dates...oh yeah...that's my kind of decade!
Judy Blume does it again!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#29: Every Time I think of You by Tracey Garvis Graves
As hoped for, I found one more book by Tracey Garvis Graves: Every Time I think of You. It was not as much of a page turner as the On the Island and Covet, but I still liked the story and have grown fond of Graves' style of writing. This one was less romance and more mystery, as Daisy tries to figure out who may have killed her grandmother as her three year old son, Elliott, hid under a bed in the next room. Brooks, a super-cute reporter who has relocated to help his father with his ailing mother, steps in to report on the murder and never seems to be able to full step away from Daisy and Elliott once they've met.
As seems to be the style of Graves, these novel unfolds in a series of alternating chapters between Daisy, Brooks, and Daisy's ex-husband. It is not predictable and you will love Brooks by the end of the book, if not before. But the character who will really steal your heart in this novel is Elliott. What a cutie-pie!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
As seems to be the style of Graves, these novel unfolds in a series of alternating chapters between Daisy, Brooks, and Daisy's ex-husband. It is not predictable and you will love Brooks by the end of the book, if not before. But the character who will really steal your heart in this novel is Elliott. What a cutie-pie!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#28: Cherish (Covet 1.5) by Tracey Garvis Graves
Tracey Garvis Graves has come through yet again with a novella sequel to Covet in the form of Cherish: the story of Daniel and his ex-wife, Jessica. The story is told in alternating chapters between Daniel and Jessie and it is a beautiful story of unconditional love and the rebuilding of a relationship. Claire, from Covet, appears only briefly, as this is not a story about Claire and Daniel any longer. It's about Daniel and Jessie.
If you read Covet, you have to finish up the story with Cherish. It's worth the tiny bit of extra reading. I promise!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
If you read Covet, you have to finish up the story with Cherish. It's worth the tiny bit of extra reading. I promise!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Monday, June 8, 2015
#27: Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves
Being such an instant fan of Tracey Garvis Graves, and having read both On the Island and Unchartered in two days, I found Covet and immediately downloaded it onto my Nook. Thank God for wireless internet when it's too late to get to a bookstore.
Covet is the story of Chris and Claire Canton. Married for many years and parents of two elementary aged children, they suddenly find themselves facing the loss of Chris' job and a downward spiral of life as they know it. Chris is depressed, trying desperately to find work, and Claire is trying to juggle virtually every aspect of family life, plus her own work. Claire realizes that her family and her marriage are falling apart, while Chris is so focused on trying to find work that he can't see what's really going on at home. When you throw in a hunky police officer that shows interest in Claire, wants to spend time with her, and wants to be her friend, suddenly you have a very interesting love triangle.
This is not a new story by any means, but what was fresh and new for me, and what set Covet out from the rest of similarly plotted books, is that Graves alternated the chapters between Claire and Chris, resulting in the reader really hearing and seeing for the first time how vastly different men and women think about things. While Claire goes on an one about how distant Chris is and how he never shows affection and how she hates him being away from home while he doesn't even seem to care, Chris's chapters are about how much he hates being away from home and how much we wishes he could sleep next to Claire each night and how he has to put in time with work or he may lose his job again. You read these chapters and realize that if these two just talked for 5 seconds, they'd realize they were on the same page with life. But instead, they just keep drifting farther and farther away. Until they reach a breaking point, but I won't spoil that surprise here. You'll have to read it for yourself.
I left this book feeling fairly crummy about the way I act towards Rob, his traveling, and the amount of time that he puts into work. I assume it's because he loves work more than his family. The truth is, he probably does love it to a certain degree, but he also feels a responsibility to us, as well as to the people who employee him, and he doesn't want to let any of us down. Couple that with success at work ultimately making him feel really good about himself and what you've got is that work is very important to him. I don't think I realize sometimes how hard it is for him to juggle it all and to make everyone happy. It's hard finding a balance. I guess as with everything else in life, it will come when it's time for it to come.
So, I am off to download whatever else I can find that Graves has written before we leave for the beach on Saturday. I can't wait to read more!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Covet is the story of Chris and Claire Canton. Married for many years and parents of two elementary aged children, they suddenly find themselves facing the loss of Chris' job and a downward spiral of life as they know it. Chris is depressed, trying desperately to find work, and Claire is trying to juggle virtually every aspect of family life, plus her own work. Claire realizes that her family and her marriage are falling apart, while Chris is so focused on trying to find work that he can't see what's really going on at home. When you throw in a hunky police officer that shows interest in Claire, wants to spend time with her, and wants to be her friend, suddenly you have a very interesting love triangle.
This is not a new story by any means, but what was fresh and new for me, and what set Covet out from the rest of similarly plotted books, is that Graves alternated the chapters between Claire and Chris, resulting in the reader really hearing and seeing for the first time how vastly different men and women think about things. While Claire goes on an one about how distant Chris is and how he never shows affection and how she hates him being away from home while he doesn't even seem to care, Chris's chapters are about how much he hates being away from home and how much we wishes he could sleep next to Claire each night and how he has to put in time with work or he may lose his job again. You read these chapters and realize that if these two just talked for 5 seconds, they'd realize they were on the same page with life. But instead, they just keep drifting farther and farther away. Until they reach a breaking point, but I won't spoil that surprise here. You'll have to read it for yourself.
I left this book feeling fairly crummy about the way I act towards Rob, his traveling, and the amount of time that he puts into work. I assume it's because he loves work more than his family. The truth is, he probably does love it to a certain degree, but he also feels a responsibility to us, as well as to the people who employee him, and he doesn't want to let any of us down. Couple that with success at work ultimately making him feel really good about himself and what you've got is that work is very important to him. I don't think I realize sometimes how hard it is for him to juggle it all and to make everyone happy. It's hard finding a balance. I guess as with everything else in life, it will come when it's time for it to come.
So, I am off to download whatever else I can find that Graves has written before we leave for the beach on Saturday. I can't wait to read more!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#26: Uncharted, an On The Island novella by Tracey Garvis Graves
Being a high fan of most sequels, because I often want to know where characters go after I leave them, I was quite thrilled to find that On the Island had a sequel called Unchartered. It is a novella, under 100 pages, and it gives readers a glimpse into the life of T.J. and Anna and where their lives are now. But, the cool part of this sequel is that they are not the main characters. Instead, this story is about Owen and you will have to read On the Island to learn who he is. I refuse to spoil that surprise!
If you read On the Island and love it as much as I did, you HAVE to read Unchartered. You won't be disappointed. I promise!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
If you read On the Island and love it as much as I did, you HAVE to read Unchartered. You won't be disappointed. I promise!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Thursday, June 4, 2015
#25: On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
Abigail asked me the other day if she could get this book so I picked it up for her on the way home from school. She spent the entire afternoon and evening sitting on her new window seat reading and finished the book the following day (hope her exams turn out ok!). I asked to borrow it when she was done, thinking that it was going to be a cute teenager story (I like to know what my kids are reading). What I never expected was to finish the book myself in less that 24 hours and to close the book in hysterical tears wishing the book wasn't over. Bottom line--it's no cute teenager story. It's a compelling book that brought me to tears.
On the Island is the story of Anna, a 30 year old teacher, and T.J., a 16 year boy recovering from cancer that Anna will spend the summer tutoring in the Maldives. Their story begins with a plane crash that lands them on a small uninhabited island. From that opening paragraph, I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. The chapters alternate between Anna and T.J. which I always love but loved even more here so that I could really tell what was going on in the heads of these extraordinary characters who are facing obstacles no one should ever have to face: starvation, lack of water, sharks, illness. As I sat on my bed covered by a blanket because the AC was on too high in my one year old home after driving my daughter to school in her new car, I knew that I wouldn't have lasted a day under the circumstances that Anna and T.J. had to endure on a daily basis.
I won't divulge any details beyond what I have already written because I don't want to ruin the story. What I will tell you is that this book may be the best book I have read all year and that if you only have time to read one book this year, this is the one you need to read. You won't be disappointed.
I am off to find more books written by Garvis Graves. She's a fantastic writer and I can't wait to read more of her books!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
On the Island is the story of Anna, a 30 year old teacher, and T.J., a 16 year boy recovering from cancer that Anna will spend the summer tutoring in the Maldives. Their story begins with a plane crash that lands them on a small uninhabited island. From that opening paragraph, I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. The chapters alternate between Anna and T.J. which I always love but loved even more here so that I could really tell what was going on in the heads of these extraordinary characters who are facing obstacles no one should ever have to face: starvation, lack of water, sharks, illness. As I sat on my bed covered by a blanket because the AC was on too high in my one year old home after driving my daughter to school in her new car, I knew that I wouldn't have lasted a day under the circumstances that Anna and T.J. had to endure on a daily basis.
I won't divulge any details beyond what I have already written because I don't want to ruin the story. What I will tell you is that this book may be the best book I have read all year and that if you only have time to read one book this year, this is the one you need to read. You won't be disappointed.
I am off to find more books written by Garvis Graves. She's a fantastic writer and I can't wait to read more of her books!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#24: Passing Through Paradise by Susan Wiggs
I have yet to read a book by Susan Wiggs that I did not love. Passing Through Paradise is the beautifully touching story of Sandra Winslow and her fight to regain her life and her struggle to love again after losing her husband, Victor, in a car accident that most people in the small town of Paradise blame her for causing.
Passing Through Paradise is part romance, part mystery and is a wonderful read that reminds us all of the power of love and loyalty, and what some people are willing to give up in order to keep them.
Throw this one in the beach bag! You will devour it in one sitting!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Passing Through Paradise is part romance, part mystery and is a wonderful read that reminds us all of the power of love and loyalty, and what some people are willing to give up in order to keep them.
Throw this one in the beach bag! You will devour it in one sitting!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
#23: Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall
If you are a fan of The Help, you must read Whistling Past the Graveyard. This is the story of Starla Claudelle, a nine year old who runs away from her life with her grandmother in search of her famous mother in Nashville. Along the way she meets Eula, a black woman who offers her a ride. When Starla gets in Eula's truck and closes the door, finding a white baby on the floorboard, her life takes a turn she never expected. And because so much happens while she's trying to make it to Nashville to find her mother, I am not about to ruin any of the surprises here by detailing them all.
What I will tell you is this. This book will make you feel every emotion possible: anger, fear, happiness, love, admiration, respect, sadness. The characters are so real you can hear them talking and you can't help but love Eula and Starla, even when they don't make the best choices. More than anything, it's one more book to help us truly understand what life in Mississippi was like in the early 1960's, for both the black and the white people. Whistling Past the Graveyard (which is what Starla's daddy called it "when you did something to keep your mind off of your worstest fear") is a fresh story detailing lives of those who probably got lost in the racial struggles of the 60's. It's a beautiful, endearing story.
Seriously, if you liked The Help, you need to read this one.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
What I will tell you is this. This book will make you feel every emotion possible: anger, fear, happiness, love, admiration, respect, sadness. The characters are so real you can hear them talking and you can't help but love Eula and Starla, even when they don't make the best choices. More than anything, it's one more book to help us truly understand what life in Mississippi was like in the early 1960's, for both the black and the white people. Whistling Past the Graveyard (which is what Starla's daddy called it "when you did something to keep your mind off of your worstest fear") is a fresh story detailing lives of those who probably got lost in the racial struggles of the 60's. It's a beautiful, endearing story.
Seriously, if you liked The Help, you need to read this one.
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
#22: The Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz
I read about this book in an edition of a magazine my family gets called Disney Files. It details new and upcoming events in the Disney Parks and in all of the other aspects of the Disney world--like movies, merchandise, etc. I read that a new made for TV movie called "Disney Descendants" would be aired this summer and The Isle of the Lost is the prequel for this movie. Clever marketing, in my opinion...getting people to buy a book published by Disney in order to understand a movie made by Disney.
So, I bought the book and read it. It's a children's book, after all, so it didn't take long. As I was reading, the story and characters reminded me of Disney, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson all rolled up into one. It was a good story and I am curious now to watch the movie and see what happens next for these Disney Descendants.
In a nutshell, The Isle of the Lost is where the Disney Villains and their children have been banned to live out their lives. Maleficent and her daughter Mal hate The Evil Queen and her daughter Evie and have banned Evie and The Queen to their castle. Mal is not a nice girl, as one might imagine the daughter of Maleficent to be, and she can't stand Evie, who spends her days trying to ignore her mother's requests for her to wear make-up and make herself pretty and presentable in front of the Magic Mirror. Cruella deVil's son Carlos is also part of this story. He spend his days in his mother's closet caring for her furs. Jafar's son Jay, another of the main characters, spends his days stealing from anyone and everyone on the island. They make a very interesting quartet.
One of the plot lines of the book, and a major one at that, follows the hatred between Mal and Evie (who had the nerve to NOT invite Mal to a party when they were six, resulting in her banishment by Maleficent) sparks Mal's attempt to play a cruel joke on Evie and her desire to find Maleficent's staff in order to ingratiate herself once again with her mother. Carlos and Jay are along for the ride to help Mal carry out her evil plans. Carlos is very interested in the scientific forms of magic, since magic in all forms has been banned from the island. He is a very clever boy that Mal uses to get things done.
In a Kingdom not far away, Auradon is where King Beast (married to Queen Belle) reigns over the other Princes and Princesses and their children. Ben, son of Beast and Belle, is preparing to take over as King and has fallen in love with Prince Philip and Princess Aurora's daughter Audrey, who is exactly as flighty and whimsical as you'd think she'd be. The sections of the book devoted to Auradon are few and hint at a possible love interest between Ben and Mal, so I hope this becomes more prevalent in the movie. Ben is also trying hard to have people think of him as a potential King and a benevolent ruler, so I suspect this will also be explored in the upcoming movie.
As I read, I couldn't help but wonder where the missing parents of these Descendants are. Mal, Evie, and Carlos seem to be raised by their mothers; Jay by his Father. I know that I am an adult, but children will wonder about this, too. Mal's father was mentioned once or twice, but never by name. So...just who are these nameless people who had children with some of the greatest villains of all time? I am so curious!
I am also anxiously awaiting the movie. The Isle of the Lost gave me just enough background information to understand the plot of the movie, whatever it might be, and peaked my curiosity about the children and where their lives will go next. I suspect that this is exactly what Disney wanted to happen, too!
If you are a Disney fan, this one is is must-read!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
So, I bought the book and read it. It's a children's book, after all, so it didn't take long. As I was reading, the story and characters reminded me of Disney, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson all rolled up into one. It was a good story and I am curious now to watch the movie and see what happens next for these Disney Descendants.
In a nutshell, The Isle of the Lost is where the Disney Villains and their children have been banned to live out their lives. Maleficent and her daughter Mal hate The Evil Queen and her daughter Evie and have banned Evie and The Queen to their castle. Mal is not a nice girl, as one might imagine the daughter of Maleficent to be, and she can't stand Evie, who spends her days trying to ignore her mother's requests for her to wear make-up and make herself pretty and presentable in front of the Magic Mirror. Cruella deVil's son Carlos is also part of this story. He spend his days in his mother's closet caring for her furs. Jafar's son Jay, another of the main characters, spends his days stealing from anyone and everyone on the island. They make a very interesting quartet.
One of the plot lines of the book, and a major one at that, follows the hatred between Mal and Evie (who had the nerve to NOT invite Mal to a party when they were six, resulting in her banishment by Maleficent) sparks Mal's attempt to play a cruel joke on Evie and her desire to find Maleficent's staff in order to ingratiate herself once again with her mother. Carlos and Jay are along for the ride to help Mal carry out her evil plans. Carlos is very interested in the scientific forms of magic, since magic in all forms has been banned from the island. He is a very clever boy that Mal uses to get things done.
In a Kingdom not far away, Auradon is where King Beast (married to Queen Belle) reigns over the other Princes and Princesses and their children. Ben, son of Beast and Belle, is preparing to take over as King and has fallen in love with Prince Philip and Princess Aurora's daughter Audrey, who is exactly as flighty and whimsical as you'd think she'd be. The sections of the book devoted to Auradon are few and hint at a possible love interest between Ben and Mal, so I hope this becomes more prevalent in the movie. Ben is also trying hard to have people think of him as a potential King and a benevolent ruler, so I suspect this will also be explored in the upcoming movie.
As I read, I couldn't help but wonder where the missing parents of these Descendants are. Mal, Evie, and Carlos seem to be raised by their mothers; Jay by his Father. I know that I am an adult, but children will wonder about this, too. Mal's father was mentioned once or twice, but never by name. So...just who are these nameless people who had children with some of the greatest villains of all time? I am so curious!
I am also anxiously awaiting the movie. The Isle of the Lost gave me just enough background information to understand the plot of the movie, whatever it might be, and peaked my curiosity about the children and where their lives will go next. I suspect that this is exactly what Disney wanted to happen, too!
If you are a Disney fan, this one is is must-read!
Happy reading, everyone!
:) Dodie
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
#21: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
I read this book because a relative shared with me that this may have been the best book he ever read. However, I was thinking as I read All the Light We Cannot See that I just might not be smart enough to fully appreciate this book. After finishing it and reading some reviews online this morning, I can conclude with 100% certainty that I am not smart enough to fully appreciate this book.
All the Light We Cannot See is a book centered around the life stories of two characters during WW2: Marie-Laure and Werner. These two children/teenagers could not be any more different. Marie-Laure is French and blind. Werner, a German orphan, is obsessed with science, machines, and ponders questions that make my head hurt. The story is told in a back and forth manner (that honestly I found to be very confusing). It alternates chapters (very short chapters) between Marie-Laure and Werner but also between time periods (and it was this that I found to be hard to keep up with). The basic story line is simple: Marie-Laure, after having lost her father, her uncle, and her uncle's care-taker is trying to stay alive on her own and not captured or killed by the Germans while Werner, a brilliant mind, is working for Hitler to locate and kill the Resistance.
There is a sub-plot, which the reviewers I read this morning seemed to not even touch on, making me wonder if I made too big of a deal out of it while I was reading, where Marie-Laure's father attempts to protect a very rare stone--The Sea of Flames. It is a beautiful blue diamond that France is trying to protect at a time when the Germans are taking jewels and art from anywhere they can find them and claiming them as their own. Marie-Laure's father, a key master for the Museum of Natural History in Paris, is given a jewel to protect when then Germans begin to invade. There are four stones: one original and three copies. The men given stones have no idea if the one in their possession is a fake or the original. They are simply to act as though they have the real thing and to protect it from being taken at all costs. There is a legend associated with this stone. Whoever possesses it shall live forever, but their friends and loved ones are in serious danger and bad things will happen to them. Reinhold von Rumpel, a German who is working to collect the precious treasures that the Germans capture, wants this stone (because he is very ill and knows that it's his only chance to stat alive) and begins a search for it. He eventually crosses paths with Marie-Laure thinking that she must know the location of the jewel since her father was the key master for the museum that housed this treasure. What he did not know was how clever Marie-Laure's father was about concealing the stone he was entrusted to protect. At about the same time that von Rompel finds Marie-Laure, Werner does too and finally the stories, for a brief moment, converge before separating again. I wished that these two had had more time together, but I bet I am not the only reader who feels this way. I'm sure that Doerr was very deliberate in his creation of this part of the story.
This certainly sounds like an interesting story, but I was weighted down by the language of the story, the exact language that Doerr is praised for. I am a straight-forward kind of reader. I don't enjoy poetry for this very reason--just cut to the chase and tell me what's on your mind. I don't want to wade through heavy language and this is just about all I got from Doerr until about the last 100 pages. And honestly, the last 100 pages were my favorites.
I was also bogged down by the title and trying to figure out exactly what it meant. There are so many references to light from Werner and there's the obvious light connection to Marie-Laure (in that she can't see light) but the one interpretation that I read this morning comes from the author himself (so it must be right) that the "light" is really the lives and stories of all of the people impacted by WW2. We will never fully know the stories of everyone touched by that war, yet they were there and they all have important stories to tell. Marie-Laure and Werner are just two of the very many. Marie-Laure and Werner are two of the most unique WW2 characters I have read about to date. They both did what they had to do each day in order to survive an unthinkable hell and while I'd like to say that they both survived, I can't. I also loved that the last few pages were devoted to the characters who did survive and they detailed their lives after the war and how they persevered. It just drives home the idea that the war didn't steal their spirit or their desire for happy, productive lives. The Germans took a lot from them, but never their spirit.
I don't think this is an easy read, nor do I think it is a book you should ever toss in your beach bag. You have to have a quiet place with no distractions while you read this one. It's heavy and figurative and everything you'd expect from an award winning author. But, if that's your thing, you should read it. The 12,000 plus reviewers on Amazon.com alone loved it. And a few, like me, appreciated it for what it is and are glad that we read it, but are moving on to something more straightforward.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
All the Light We Cannot See is a book centered around the life stories of two characters during WW2: Marie-Laure and Werner. These two children/teenagers could not be any more different. Marie-Laure is French and blind. Werner, a German orphan, is obsessed with science, machines, and ponders questions that make my head hurt. The story is told in a back and forth manner (that honestly I found to be very confusing). It alternates chapters (very short chapters) between Marie-Laure and Werner but also between time periods (and it was this that I found to be hard to keep up with). The basic story line is simple: Marie-Laure, after having lost her father, her uncle, and her uncle's care-taker is trying to stay alive on her own and not captured or killed by the Germans while Werner, a brilliant mind, is working for Hitler to locate and kill the Resistance.
There is a sub-plot, which the reviewers I read this morning seemed to not even touch on, making me wonder if I made too big of a deal out of it while I was reading, where Marie-Laure's father attempts to protect a very rare stone--The Sea of Flames. It is a beautiful blue diamond that France is trying to protect at a time when the Germans are taking jewels and art from anywhere they can find them and claiming them as their own. Marie-Laure's father, a key master for the Museum of Natural History in Paris, is given a jewel to protect when then Germans begin to invade. There are four stones: one original and three copies. The men given stones have no idea if the one in their possession is a fake or the original. They are simply to act as though they have the real thing and to protect it from being taken at all costs. There is a legend associated with this stone. Whoever possesses it shall live forever, but their friends and loved ones are in serious danger and bad things will happen to them. Reinhold von Rumpel, a German who is working to collect the precious treasures that the Germans capture, wants this stone (because he is very ill and knows that it's his only chance to stat alive) and begins a search for it. He eventually crosses paths with Marie-Laure thinking that she must know the location of the jewel since her father was the key master for the museum that housed this treasure. What he did not know was how clever Marie-Laure's father was about concealing the stone he was entrusted to protect. At about the same time that von Rompel finds Marie-Laure, Werner does too and finally the stories, for a brief moment, converge before separating again. I wished that these two had had more time together, but I bet I am not the only reader who feels this way. I'm sure that Doerr was very deliberate in his creation of this part of the story.
This certainly sounds like an interesting story, but I was weighted down by the language of the story, the exact language that Doerr is praised for. I am a straight-forward kind of reader. I don't enjoy poetry for this very reason--just cut to the chase and tell me what's on your mind. I don't want to wade through heavy language and this is just about all I got from Doerr until about the last 100 pages. And honestly, the last 100 pages were my favorites.
I was also bogged down by the title and trying to figure out exactly what it meant. There are so many references to light from Werner and there's the obvious light connection to Marie-Laure (in that she can't see light) but the one interpretation that I read this morning comes from the author himself (so it must be right) that the "light" is really the lives and stories of all of the people impacted by WW2. We will never fully know the stories of everyone touched by that war, yet they were there and they all have important stories to tell. Marie-Laure and Werner are just two of the very many. Marie-Laure and Werner are two of the most unique WW2 characters I have read about to date. They both did what they had to do each day in order to survive an unthinkable hell and while I'd like to say that they both survived, I can't. I also loved that the last few pages were devoted to the characters who did survive and they detailed their lives after the war and how they persevered. It just drives home the idea that the war didn't steal their spirit or their desire for happy, productive lives. The Germans took a lot from them, but never their spirit.
I don't think this is an easy read, nor do I think it is a book you should ever toss in your beach bag. You have to have a quiet place with no distractions while you read this one. It's heavy and figurative and everything you'd expect from an award winning author. But, if that's your thing, you should read it. The 12,000 plus reviewers on Amazon.com alone loved it. And a few, like me, appreciated it for what it is and are glad that we read it, but are moving on to something more straightforward.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
Monday, May 11, 2015
#20: The Liar by Nora Roberts
The Liar is a book with a premise that is almost as frightening as Gone Girl. The main character, Shelby Foxworth, loses her husband in a mysterious boating accident. When she begins to deal with paperwork and such after his death, she realizes that they are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, about to lose their house, cars, and furniture (well--really everything), and she's left to deal with it all along with raising and caring for their 3 year old daughter, Callie. So, Shelby rolls up her sleeves, digs in, and starts making some tough decisions that chop away at the debt. And, after a bit, she heads home and starts to rely on her family for the support she can't find anywhere else. Along the way on the road to recovery, Shelby realizes that she never really know her husband at all. He was, in fact, a total liar and in addition to the debt she's dealing with, she is now fearing for her life.
Like most Nora Roberts books, Shelby, Calllie, and all of the other characters you meet in this novel are unforgettable. They are so clearly developed you can hear them talking to you as their story unfolds. This book is a bit over 500 pages, but it went by so fast I never realized that I had read 500+ pages until I was almost finished. I wished as I was reading that I had saved this particular book for the beach this summer. It could be devoured in one day by the ocean with no problem. Oh well.
This book does challenge the idea of how well we really know the people we live with and chose to make a life with. While I think I know Rob better than I know myself, it makes me worry for my girls and makes me hope that they both find some nice boys somewhere and get to really know them before they make any long term commitments. And I guess I should continue to warn them against being so impressed by "things." Richard wasn't quite as crazy as Amy in Gone Girl, but he was close. Luckily, he is fictional. But as I always say, if someone can think it up to write a book about it, someone could easily act out the story in real-life. Sadly, I'd put money on someone already having lived Richard's life. And poor Shelby's and Callie's, too.
This is a good one--a bit romantic and a bit mysterious. I think it would be a good made for TV movie. Read it from your beach chair and decide for yourself!
Happy reading!
-Dodie
Like most Nora Roberts books, Shelby, Calllie, and all of the other characters you meet in this novel are unforgettable. They are so clearly developed you can hear them talking to you as their story unfolds. This book is a bit over 500 pages, but it went by so fast I never realized that I had read 500+ pages until I was almost finished. I wished as I was reading that I had saved this particular book for the beach this summer. It could be devoured in one day by the ocean with no problem. Oh well.
This book does challenge the idea of how well we really know the people we live with and chose to make a life with. While I think I know Rob better than I know myself, it makes me worry for my girls and makes me hope that they both find some nice boys somewhere and get to really know them before they make any long term commitments. And I guess I should continue to warn them against being so impressed by "things." Richard wasn't quite as crazy as Amy in Gone Girl, but he was close. Luckily, he is fictional. But as I always say, if someone can think it up to write a book about it, someone could easily act out the story in real-life. Sadly, I'd put money on someone already having lived Richard's life. And poor Shelby's and Callie's, too.
This is a good one--a bit romantic and a bit mysterious. I think it would be a good made for TV movie. Read it from your beach chair and decide for yourself!
Happy reading!
-Dodie
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
#19: Covet by J.R.Ward
The girls and I, along with my mother in law and Rob's cousin, spent spring break this year in New York City. One night during our visit, we spent the evening with friends of my husband's cousin, drinking delicious drinks and enjoying great conversation before dinner. During this conversation, it came to my attention that Steve, my husband's cousin, has a dear friend who writes "vampire stories" for teenagers. Being a huge fan of the Twilight books, I was intrigued and asked for more information. She writes under a pen name, I was told, but to google J.R. Ward. I did one better--I searched Amazon and ordered a book right there on the spot (I love my smart phone).
What I did not do, and I blame the champagne for this one, was to closely read the summary of the book before clicking the Order Now button. Had I done so, I would've realized that the book I ordered, Covet, was not from her vampire series, but is instead the first book in her Fallen Angels series. Oops. Oh well.
Covet is the first book in a series of seven dark novels about the struggle between good and evil here on Earth. In this book, Jim Heron (a character that will appear in the next six books as well) works construction and one day suffers a terrible accident, after which time he learns that he is a Fallen Angel and will spend his days searching for six people (who are each prone to one of the seven deadly sins) who are at a crossroads in their lives. It is Jim's job to get them to choose good over evil so that evil will not take over Earth. I have to admit that I really like the premise behind this series of books. I have wanted good to triumph over evil for years!
What was not to my taste was how "dark" this book was in places. Too much leather, too much black. Not for me. During the conversation that led to me learning about J.R.Ward, it came up that her readers are almost cult-ish in their following of the vampire series of books. Apparently they dress the part and transform themselves into characters from the books. This was intriguing to think about and was part of the reason I read the book--I had to see what all of the fuss was about. Now I know. The story was a page-turner, don't get me wrong, and it was a great change of pace from the sunshine and rainbow stories I sometimes read. But it was dark and scary and demonic. And while I do want to know what happens to Jim and if he succeeds in his quest, I am not sure that I will ever read another one of these stories. They, quite simply, are just not me. And I'm OK with that. But, if you are into this sort of thing, these stories will make you happy, I am sure of it. The characters are awesome (Devina will make you shiver for sure!) and are very carefully developed. This is in no way a shoddy written story--quite the opposite, really. This doesn't surprise me at all either. I have never met a single friend of Steve's who isn't positively brilliant and wildly successful. And while I haven't met J.R. Ward, I can only imagine from reading her book that she is both of these, and then some.
I did take time this afternoon to google the series of books by Ward that I was supposed to read. They are a series called The Black Dagger Brotherhood, if anyone is interested. I even went so far as to read the first chapter of the first book online. Much like Covet, the series is dark and while I like vampires and werewolves, apparently I like the sweet romantic ones found in Forks. Not the ones created by Ward. Again, this is not her fault; this is all about personal preference. But, if you have a preference for these sorts of stories, I can only imagine that they are well-written and worth a read.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
What I did not do, and I blame the champagne for this one, was to closely read the summary of the book before clicking the Order Now button. Had I done so, I would've realized that the book I ordered, Covet, was not from her vampire series, but is instead the first book in her Fallen Angels series. Oops. Oh well.
Covet is the first book in a series of seven dark novels about the struggle between good and evil here on Earth. In this book, Jim Heron (a character that will appear in the next six books as well) works construction and one day suffers a terrible accident, after which time he learns that he is a Fallen Angel and will spend his days searching for six people (who are each prone to one of the seven deadly sins) who are at a crossroads in their lives. It is Jim's job to get them to choose good over evil so that evil will not take over Earth. I have to admit that I really like the premise behind this series of books. I have wanted good to triumph over evil for years!
What was not to my taste was how "dark" this book was in places. Too much leather, too much black. Not for me. During the conversation that led to me learning about J.R.Ward, it came up that her readers are almost cult-ish in their following of the vampire series of books. Apparently they dress the part and transform themselves into characters from the books. This was intriguing to think about and was part of the reason I read the book--I had to see what all of the fuss was about. Now I know. The story was a page-turner, don't get me wrong, and it was a great change of pace from the sunshine and rainbow stories I sometimes read. But it was dark and scary and demonic. And while I do want to know what happens to Jim and if he succeeds in his quest, I am not sure that I will ever read another one of these stories. They, quite simply, are just not me. And I'm OK with that. But, if you are into this sort of thing, these stories will make you happy, I am sure of it. The characters are awesome (Devina will make you shiver for sure!) and are very carefully developed. This is in no way a shoddy written story--quite the opposite, really. This doesn't surprise me at all either. I have never met a single friend of Steve's who isn't positively brilliant and wildly successful. And while I haven't met J.R. Ward, I can only imagine from reading her book that she is both of these, and then some.
I did take time this afternoon to google the series of books by Ward that I was supposed to read. They are a series called The Black Dagger Brotherhood, if anyone is interested. I even went so far as to read the first chapter of the first book online. Much like Covet, the series is dark and while I like vampires and werewolves, apparently I like the sweet romantic ones found in Forks. Not the ones created by Ward. Again, this is not her fault; this is all about personal preference. But, if you have a preference for these sorts of stories, I can only imagine that they are well-written and worth a read.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
#18: I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson
As we waited for the train to leave NYC this past spring break, I had a long time to look over the bookshelves in the owner's lounge at our hotel. I stumbled across I Think I Love You and it came home with me on the train.
It is the story of Petra and Sharon, two die-hard David Cassidy fans. Yes--David Cassidy from The Partridge Family. (I was a child in the 70's--this sort of story appeals to me. Don't judge. ) Apparently, or at least according to the Afterword, this book is loosely based on a real life interview Pearson had with David Cassidy once upon a time. Honestly, it's a brilliant idea.
The book is split into two parts: Petra's teenage life before she sees Cassidy's farewell concert in London and her adult life once she discovers a secret her mother has hidden from her for 20 some years. It is a secret that ultimately changes her life--for the better. And yes it has everything to do with Davis Cassidy. No--he is not her father or brother or anything weird like that.
I will admit that at times this book was a bit tiresome in the first part. As a 43 year old American mother of two, it's hard to relate to two 13 year old Welsh girls from the 70's. But, the second part of the book, when Petra is married, soon to be divorced, and a mother of a teenage girl, I was able to totally relate and the book became hard to put down. The last chapter is brilliant. It is what every woman hopes she might some day hear from the man who loves her.
Overall, this was a great read. I am very glad I scanned the bookshelves in the hotel while we waited for the train.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
It is the story of Petra and Sharon, two die-hard David Cassidy fans. Yes--David Cassidy from The Partridge Family. (I was a child in the 70's--this sort of story appeals to me. Don't judge. ) Apparently, or at least according to the Afterword, this book is loosely based on a real life interview Pearson had with David Cassidy once upon a time. Honestly, it's a brilliant idea.
The book is split into two parts: Petra's teenage life before she sees Cassidy's farewell concert in London and her adult life once she discovers a secret her mother has hidden from her for 20 some years. It is a secret that ultimately changes her life--for the better. And yes it has everything to do with Davis Cassidy. No--he is not her father or brother or anything weird like that.
I will admit that at times this book was a bit tiresome in the first part. As a 43 year old American mother of two, it's hard to relate to two 13 year old Welsh girls from the 70's. But, the second part of the book, when Petra is married, soon to be divorced, and a mother of a teenage girl, I was able to totally relate and the book became hard to put down. The last chapter is brilliant. It is what every woman hopes she might some day hear from the man who loves her.
Overall, this was a great read. I am very glad I scanned the bookshelves in the hotel while we waited for the train.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
#16 and #17: The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story & Pluto: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio
I absolutely loved reading Wonder last year. The story was beautifully crafted and it truly touched my heart. I was delighted that Palacio capitalized on Wonder's popularity to create a few additions to her story in the form of these additional "chapters."
I read "The Julian Chapter" on the train to NYC during spring break. My youngest daughter, who read Wonder for a school project last year was appalled that I would read anything about Julian. The truth is, I was surprised at myself. Julian is a hard character to like, but I can assure you that when you finish reading his chapter, and you hear his side of the story and what he has learned from his mistakes, you will like him, maybe even a lot!
I read "Pluto" on the way home from NYC and while it was a cute recollection of Auggie told from the point of view of his oldest friend Christopher, I was not touched or moved by this chapter. It was just a cute story. Regardless, as a lover of sequels, I had to read these additional chapters and will most certainly download "Shingaling" this summer, which is Charlotte's story. I liked Charlotte. She should most certainly tell a good story.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
I read "The Julian Chapter" on the train to NYC during spring break. My youngest daughter, who read Wonder for a school project last year was appalled that I would read anything about Julian. The truth is, I was surprised at myself. Julian is a hard character to like, but I can assure you that when you finish reading his chapter, and you hear his side of the story and what he has learned from his mistakes, you will like him, maybe even a lot!
I read "Pluto" on the way home from NYC and while it was a cute recollection of Auggie told from the point of view of his oldest friend Christopher, I was not touched or moved by this chapter. It was just a cute story. Regardless, as a lover of sequels, I had to read these additional chapters and will most certainly download "Shingaling" this summer, which is Charlotte's story. I liked Charlotte. She should most certainly tell a good story.
Happy reading everyone!
-Dodie
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