I read each of these books in a single day while sitting by the pool in Bermuda. Yet, I would not exactly call them feel good beach bag books. They are the first two in a series of four books about The Quinn Family, a family of four sons, three of whom are grown, whose parents have died and they are trying to move on and create families of their own.
The first in the series barely held my attention long enough to get through it. The second was much better, but did not leave me wanting to read more of this series. So, I suspect I will do something here that I rarely do, which is to stop reading a series and move on to something more interesting. I'm not sure why these books are not holding my attention. Nora Roberts' books usually do. I'm not sure if perhaps I have just read too many of her books and they are getting predictable, who knows? What I do know is that I am done with this particular series and next time I see Nora Roberts' new books in stores, I will not just pick them up because it's Nora Roberts. I will read the back cover first to ensure that it's a book that will hold my interest.
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Friday, July 19, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
#24-29, or The Death Saga
The Death Saga is not a book I read. But let me explain why I have named my post as such.
For the past two weeks, I have been tagging along on business with Rob. First we were in London for 10 days now we are in Bermuda for the week (rough life, I know). Since Rob is going to the office each day, I have had a lot of time on my hands to read, particularly while either waiting in the airport or flying. As a result, I have read 6 books in the last two weeks. But since we have been busy, I have not blogged about any of them. Until now. Bermuda has a bit of a different pace than London, so since I spent 4 hours in the sun this morning, I am now cooling off in the hotel room, blogging.
In thinking about the 6 books I just read, what I have realized about them all, seriously--all 6, is that they have dealt with death in some way. So, to make my life easier as I attempt to catch up on blogging, I am lumping all six books together and calling them The Death Saga (after googling the appropriate terms for six books with like themes). But, please do not NOT read them because they deal with death. All six were excellent reads and worth your time. There's only two, though, that I'd throw in my beach bag. See numbers 3 and 4.
Book 1: Gold by Chris Cleave. This novel is so not something I would typically read. It's about three Olympic cyclists and their race for gold. Let's complicate the already complicated by throwing in a love triangle amongst the three main characters and a potential terminal illness of a child. I was pulled into this story that I may not have likely read otherwise by the idea of a mother's ultimate dilemma-- do you race for gold, if it's your last time to ever compete, or stay home to comfort your dying daughter? Wow. What do you do? That is a tough one. And it takes the entire book to sort it all out. I started reading this before we left for London and thought that it was really cool that the race they are working towards was in London when the Olympics were there. I was very touched by this book . I cried out of sadness and out of anger as I turned the pages towards the end. The good news is that there is a very happy ending. You just have to read a lot of unhappiness in order to get there.
Book 2: Emily Alone by Stewart O'Nan. I picked this book up on a shopping trip with my friend Meghan and her sister Rachel. I always find the best books when I go shopping with Meghan. In fact, the next two books I also found on the same shopping trip. I bought this one solely because of the title. I can't refuse a book with my daughter's name in the title. As it turns out, it was a dumb reason to by the book, but a fabulous book with a fabulous message. Emily is alone. Her husband has died, her friends are all dying, and she's just waiting for it to be her turn. But when one of her friends gets hurt and Emily realizes that she can take care of herself, she realizes that her life isn't over yet and that she can enjoy her life. It's a beautiful story.
Book 3: The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek. I adored this crazy, beach bag story. I loved the characters, but who wouldn't love characters named Stella Blue, Perks, Finn, Hamilton, and Biggsy. They come together to settle the estate of Lydia, Stella and Perks' aunt and friend to the other wild and crazy characters, and end up solving a tiny little mystery along the way. My favorite part of the story was the epilogue, which was told by Perks. It was hilarious! This book was fabulous!
Book 4: The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean. Oh, I loved this book! It's the kind of book that made me happy to spend a day on an airplane so I could just read and read and read. I am not so very into fashion, but as it turns out, neither is Dora, the main character of the book. Her grandmother, Mimi, is the one into clothes and owns a vintage clothing store. She has put together a closet for Dora over the years (she's now in college) that is really the size of a normal bedroom. It's filled with beautiful dresses that Dora doesn't feel right wearing. But when Mimi has a stroke and Dora rushes to her side without taking time to
pack a bag, she is forced to begin wearing clothes from Mimi and finds that she's fairly comfortable in her new skin. This story has a happy ending too after much sadness, so if you choose to read it, just keep reading through the sadness. It will be OK in the end.
Book 5: The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. This book requires thought and time to read, but it is fabulous! It is set in Italy around the late 1400's and it focuses on the political changes there during and after the French invasion. I wish that I had known more about the history of the time written about in the novel but it did not impact being able to understand the book. I was drawn to the book because of its artistic subject matter. In fact, the title of the book is the title of one of my favorite paintings, Boticelli's The Birth of Venus. The book opens with the death and burial of Sister Lucrezia told in third person. The rest of the story is told by Alessandra, in first person. The two women are one and the same. But it takes the entire novel for us to learn how and why they are the same woman. This story is passionate, intelligent, and in many ways, eye opening to the ways of the world. Italy in 1494 isn't so different from the world in 2013.
Book 6: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. This book was recommended to me by two friends, so I was excited to pick up a paperback copy for $4 the night before we left for Bermuda. I was still reading #5 on the plane so I did not begin #6 until I made my way to the pool yesterday morning. I spent the entire day yesterday convinced that I was not smart enough to read and understand this novel. It felt like Life of Pi all over again. But as I was reading today, it all changed. This book begins with a suicide plan and it does end with the death of a character. It made me very sad. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice to say that I was not uplifted by the ending of this novel. There was no happy ending, but a reminder to be who you are and to show people who you are and to not live life in the wings, because you never know when death is coming. Live with no regrets.
So, there it is. My Death Saga. All were good. Some had happy endings despite the death.
Some did not. All had worthwhile lessons for us to learn. Which is exactly how I like my books.
I am sad to say that while I hoped by choosing a Nora Roberts romance next that I might escape the death theme, I fear that might night be the case. What's up with that, I wonder? I've never read about so much death and dying since taking Shakespeare in college. Oh well. I read enough that the tide will turn eventually.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
For the past two weeks, I have been tagging along on business with Rob. First we were in London for 10 days now we are in Bermuda for the week (rough life, I know). Since Rob is going to the office each day, I have had a lot of time on my hands to read, particularly while either waiting in the airport or flying. As a result, I have read 6 books in the last two weeks. But since we have been busy, I have not blogged about any of them. Until now. Bermuda has a bit of a different pace than London, so since I spent 4 hours in the sun this morning, I am now cooling off in the hotel room, blogging.
In thinking about the 6 books I just read, what I have realized about them all, seriously--all 6, is that they have dealt with death in some way. So, to make my life easier as I attempt to catch up on blogging, I am lumping all six books together and calling them The Death Saga (after googling the appropriate terms for six books with like themes). But, please do not NOT read them because they deal with death. All six were excellent reads and worth your time. There's only two, though, that I'd throw in my beach bag. See numbers 3 and 4.
Book 1: Gold by Chris Cleave. This novel is so not something I would typically read. It's about three Olympic cyclists and their race for gold. Let's complicate the already complicated by throwing in a love triangle amongst the three main characters and a potential terminal illness of a child. I was pulled into this story that I may not have likely read otherwise by the idea of a mother's ultimate dilemma-- do you race for gold, if it's your last time to ever compete, or stay home to comfort your dying daughter? Wow. What do you do? That is a tough one. And it takes the entire book to sort it all out. I started reading this before we left for London and thought that it was really cool that the race they are working towards was in London when the Olympics were there. I was very touched by this book . I cried out of sadness and out of anger as I turned the pages towards the end. The good news is that there is a very happy ending. You just have to read a lot of unhappiness in order to get there.
Book 2: Emily Alone by Stewart O'Nan. I picked this book up on a shopping trip with my friend Meghan and her sister Rachel. I always find the best books when I go shopping with Meghan. In fact, the next two books I also found on the same shopping trip. I bought this one solely because of the title. I can't refuse a book with my daughter's name in the title. As it turns out, it was a dumb reason to by the book, but a fabulous book with a fabulous message. Emily is alone. Her husband has died, her friends are all dying, and she's just waiting for it to be her turn. But when one of her friends gets hurt and Emily realizes that she can take care of herself, she realizes that her life isn't over yet and that she can enjoy her life. It's a beautiful story.
Book 3: The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek. I adored this crazy, beach bag story. I loved the characters, but who wouldn't love characters named Stella Blue, Perks, Finn, Hamilton, and Biggsy. They come together to settle the estate of Lydia, Stella and Perks' aunt and friend to the other wild and crazy characters, and end up solving a tiny little mystery along the way. My favorite part of the story was the epilogue, which was told by Perks. It was hilarious! This book was fabulous!
Book 4: The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean. Oh, I loved this book! It's the kind of book that made me happy to spend a day on an airplane so I could just read and read and read. I am not so very into fashion, but as it turns out, neither is Dora, the main character of the book. Her grandmother, Mimi, is the one into clothes and owns a vintage clothing store. She has put together a closet for Dora over the years (she's now in college) that is really the size of a normal bedroom. It's filled with beautiful dresses that Dora doesn't feel right wearing. But when Mimi has a stroke and Dora rushes to her side without taking time to
pack a bag, she is forced to begin wearing clothes from Mimi and finds that she's fairly comfortable in her new skin. This story has a happy ending too after much sadness, so if you choose to read it, just keep reading through the sadness. It will be OK in the end.
Book 5: The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. This book requires thought and time to read, but it is fabulous! It is set in Italy around the late 1400's and it focuses on the political changes there during and after the French invasion. I wish that I had known more about the history of the time written about in the novel but it did not impact being able to understand the book. I was drawn to the book because of its artistic subject matter. In fact, the title of the book is the title of one of my favorite paintings, Boticelli's The Birth of Venus. The book opens with the death and burial of Sister Lucrezia told in third person. The rest of the story is told by Alessandra, in first person. The two women are one and the same. But it takes the entire novel for us to learn how and why they are the same woman. This story is passionate, intelligent, and in many ways, eye opening to the ways of the world. Italy in 1494 isn't so different from the world in 2013.
Book 6: The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. This book was recommended to me by two friends, so I was excited to pick up a paperback copy for $4 the night before we left for Bermuda. I was still reading #5 on the plane so I did not begin #6 until I made my way to the pool yesterday morning. I spent the entire day yesterday convinced that I was not smart enough to read and understand this novel. It felt like Life of Pi all over again. But as I was reading today, it all changed. This book begins with a suicide plan and it does end with the death of a character. It made me very sad. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice to say that I was not uplifted by the ending of this novel. There was no happy ending, but a reminder to be who you are and to show people who you are and to not live life in the wings, because you never know when death is coming. Live with no regrets.
So, there it is. My Death Saga. All were good. Some had happy endings despite the death.
Some did not. All had worthwhile lessons for us to learn. Which is exactly how I like my books.
I am sad to say that while I hoped by choosing a Nora Roberts romance next that I might escape the death theme, I fear that might night be the case. What's up with that, I wonder? I've never read about so much death and dying since taking Shakespeare in college. Oh well. I read enough that the tide will turn eventually.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
#23: Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman
I was in Barnes and Noble this weekend and stumbled across Beth Hoffman's new book Looking for Me. I love it. I absolutely love it. It warmed my heart and spoke to me. It will most definitely make this year's list of my top ten favorite books.
Looking For Me centers around Teddi Overman and her family. The chapters alternate between present and past and while we all know that I love this way of writing, I actually paid little attention to the dates written at the top of each chapter. Honestly, I was so busy devouring each word that the dates didn't matter much to me. I was able to figure out what was going on and when, despite my lack of concern over dates. The setting alternates between Kentucky, the home of the Overmans, and Charleston, where Teddi makes her home when she becomes an adult. The Overmans are a farming family, but Teddi and her brother Josh are destined to be something just a little bit more.
Much like when I read Hoffman's first novel, Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt, I quickly became enamored with all of the characters from Looking for Me. They are real characters, characters that are believable, characters that are lovable, characters that you wished you knew or lived near. Some were funny, some just made me sad, and some made me smile. From the very first chapter when Teddi described how some people are just sad while some just go running towards life, I knew that this book and its characters were going to hit home with me. I was right.
You see, my very own mother, who I love dearly, is a lot like Teddi's mother. Sadness is the only coat my mother knows how to wear. If she won the lottery, she'd be sad about all of the taxes she had to pay. My mother, had she been able to afford such things, would've bought me a typewriter for my high school graduation, much like her mother bought her a sewing machine. She wanted my sister and me to be able to support ourselves. Never depend on anyone, ever. Especially never a man, she always said. Needless to say, my mother, who will never read what I am writing because she can't figure out for the life of her why I'd spend so much time thinking about and writing about someone else's books (and because she hates computers and can't seem to ever remember how to access this blog), reminded me a lot of Teddi's mother who just never quite understood Teddi's life.
Personally, I loved Teddi's life and am so envious of someone who was able to truly live out her dreams and to create such beauty, to see such beauty, out of things that someone else no longer loved or needed. I wish I was as gifted as Teddi. I am thrilled for her that she was able to find her dream home and was able to make it distinctly Teddi. I also am a bit envious of how truly independent Teddi is. Is there anything Teddi can't do, I wonder? Her mother should've been very proud of Teddi's life, the business she built, the home she made. I only wished that she had been able to see it all. I think she would've been OK with the typewriter being left behind.
I don't envy the stress and trauma that Teddi deals with over her brother Josh, however. This is a part of the story that I will not reveal here. It is crafted and told in a manner that a summary, especially one written by me, will never do justice. You need to read about Josh yourself. His story is inspiring. He made me want to be a better person. Well, truthfully, Teddi made me want to be a better person. I have always told my husband that I want to do something during my lifetime that would really make a difference (at which time he typically reminds me that I teach children for a living and I make a difference on a daily basis). Teddi selflessly made a difference and left a legacy when she gave Gabe and Sally a very special gift in honor of her brother.
Without a doubt, my favorite part of this amazing book was meeting Miz Poteet (who made me laugh out loud at first and then just made me sad at the end) and her son Sam. I loved that these two interesting characters became such an integral part of the book. As a reaction to an event with Sam, who is just the sweetest man with the biggest heart, Teddi recalls a memory with her mother where her mother warns her to "Never tie your happiness to the tail of someone else's kite." Wow. These words really spoke to me. Haunted me, actually, as that is what I have done my entire life. My happiness is tied to every kite tail but my own. Should it worry me that I can't make myself happy, that it takes others to do that? It scares me a bit sometimes that the people who make me happy will one day disappear. Then, Teddi describes Sam on page 326, "He had become my friend, my touchstone, and now he was my lover. I'd never dreamed I'd find those three attributes in one person." It was at that moment when I realized that I had found the same attributes wrapped up on one person, too. My husband Rob--one of the people who has my happiness tied to their kite tail. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. But it is so very scary to think of my life without him.
Teddi spent most of her life looking for Josh. Yet the book is called Looking for Me. Perhaps, in her search for her brother, she really found herself. Perhaps that's what happens to us all. Maybe it's OK that my happiness is tied to the kite tails of my husband, my daughters, my friends, my family, and my kindergarten students. Maybe that's what makes me ME. I walked away from reading Looking For Me feeling better about myself than I have in a long time. Thank you, Ms.Hoffman, for reminding me that who I am in exactly what I am supposed to be.
I loved this book. I loved its message. Oh, and the front cover is gorgeous! Pick it up. Read it. Treasure it. Because it is a treasure.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Looking For Me centers around Teddi Overman and her family. The chapters alternate between present and past and while we all know that I love this way of writing, I actually paid little attention to the dates written at the top of each chapter. Honestly, I was so busy devouring each word that the dates didn't matter much to me. I was able to figure out what was going on and when, despite my lack of concern over dates. The setting alternates between Kentucky, the home of the Overmans, and Charleston, where Teddi makes her home when she becomes an adult. The Overmans are a farming family, but Teddi and her brother Josh are destined to be something just a little bit more.
Much like when I read Hoffman's first novel, Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt, I quickly became enamored with all of the characters from Looking for Me. They are real characters, characters that are believable, characters that are lovable, characters that you wished you knew or lived near. Some were funny, some just made me sad, and some made me smile. From the very first chapter when Teddi described how some people are just sad while some just go running towards life, I knew that this book and its characters were going to hit home with me. I was right.
You see, my very own mother, who I love dearly, is a lot like Teddi's mother. Sadness is the only coat my mother knows how to wear. If she won the lottery, she'd be sad about all of the taxes she had to pay. My mother, had she been able to afford such things, would've bought me a typewriter for my high school graduation, much like her mother bought her a sewing machine. She wanted my sister and me to be able to support ourselves. Never depend on anyone, ever. Especially never a man, she always said. Needless to say, my mother, who will never read what I am writing because she can't figure out for the life of her why I'd spend so much time thinking about and writing about someone else's books (and because she hates computers and can't seem to ever remember how to access this blog), reminded me a lot of Teddi's mother who just never quite understood Teddi's life.
Personally, I loved Teddi's life and am so envious of someone who was able to truly live out her dreams and to create such beauty, to see such beauty, out of things that someone else no longer loved or needed. I wish I was as gifted as Teddi. I am thrilled for her that she was able to find her dream home and was able to make it distinctly Teddi. I also am a bit envious of how truly independent Teddi is. Is there anything Teddi can't do, I wonder? Her mother should've been very proud of Teddi's life, the business she built, the home she made. I only wished that she had been able to see it all. I think she would've been OK with the typewriter being left behind.
I don't envy the stress and trauma that Teddi deals with over her brother Josh, however. This is a part of the story that I will not reveal here. It is crafted and told in a manner that a summary, especially one written by me, will never do justice. You need to read about Josh yourself. His story is inspiring. He made me want to be a better person. Well, truthfully, Teddi made me want to be a better person. I have always told my husband that I want to do something during my lifetime that would really make a difference (at which time he typically reminds me that I teach children for a living and I make a difference on a daily basis). Teddi selflessly made a difference and left a legacy when she gave Gabe and Sally a very special gift in honor of her brother.
Without a doubt, my favorite part of this amazing book was meeting Miz Poteet (who made me laugh out loud at first and then just made me sad at the end) and her son Sam. I loved that these two interesting characters became such an integral part of the book. As a reaction to an event with Sam, who is just the sweetest man with the biggest heart, Teddi recalls a memory with her mother where her mother warns her to "Never tie your happiness to the tail of someone else's kite." Wow. These words really spoke to me. Haunted me, actually, as that is what I have done my entire life. My happiness is tied to every kite tail but my own. Should it worry me that I can't make myself happy, that it takes others to do that? It scares me a bit sometimes that the people who make me happy will one day disappear. Then, Teddi describes Sam on page 326, "He had become my friend, my touchstone, and now he was my lover. I'd never dreamed I'd find those three attributes in one person." It was at that moment when I realized that I had found the same attributes wrapped up on one person, too. My husband Rob--one of the people who has my happiness tied to their kite tail. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. But it is so very scary to think of my life without him.
Teddi spent most of her life looking for Josh. Yet the book is called Looking for Me. Perhaps, in her search for her brother, she really found herself. Perhaps that's what happens to us all. Maybe it's OK that my happiness is tied to the kite tails of my husband, my daughters, my friends, my family, and my kindergarten students. Maybe that's what makes me ME. I walked away from reading Looking For Me feeling better about myself than I have in a long time. Thank you, Ms.Hoffman, for reminding me that who I am in exactly what I am supposed to be.
I loved this book. I loved its message. Oh, and the front cover is gorgeous! Pick it up. Read it. Treasure it. Because it is a treasure.
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Monday, July 1, 2013
#22: Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult
My family spent a week at Disney World right after school was out this year. Sadly, on our fourth day of vacation, we got into our car to go to a water park only to find a crack in my windshield from top to bottom. So, we spent the fifth day of our vacation sitting and waiting for the windshield to be replaced. UGH. The only good thing about the entire event was that I got to sit and read for 2 hours. I wasn't dashing off to another ride, or sweating profusely in a non-shaded line. No, I was reading and devouring Revenge Wears Prada. Imagine, then, my frustration when my book was done and my car wasn't. Thank heavens for my Nook app and for my inability to refuse a sale (several weeks ago I downloaded two books to my Nook when they were on sale). Keeping Faith was right there waiting for me.
I have read many of Picoult's books. They are intense. They make you think and they make you feel. I wasn't sure that I was ready for one of her books on vacation. But it was either read Keeping Faith (because I had read the other downloaded book already) or sit and stare at a wall. I chose to read.
I am not sure where to begin with this book. It is complicated from the first chapter, as the theme of infidelity is explored, along with Mariah's mental instability. Then, add Faith's self-imposed mutism as a reaction to her parent's relationship. Oh my. But things get really complicated when Faith is injured and suddenly begins a relationship with a very special imaginary friend while she begins to quote scripture. Faith is seven and has been raised in a non-religious home. She's never been to church and she's never seen a Bible, much less read one. Suddenly, she is quoting the word of God. Oh my.
I think I should stop for a second and give you a quick synopsis of my religious beliefs. I am not afraid of them. In fact, I have grown quite comfortable with them over the years. Honestly, I do not know what I believe. Much like Faith, I was raised by parents with differing religious beliefs. My mother was Methodist; my step-father Catholic. As a result, no one went to church. I did go to a Methodist church with my grandmother for a few weeks each summer when I went to visit her and my aunt, but that was really it. My mother believed that you did not need to go to church to pray or to have faith but, honestly, I doubted God. In lots of ways, I think I still do. And, lots of these doubts were reaffirmed in Keeping Faith. Thanks to Ian Fletcher.
Ian is another of Picoult's characters. He is an atheist (I am not) and his job is to roam the country disproving, with the help of scientific facts and theories, religious miracles. His biggest issue with religion is how anyone could believe in a God who allowed his son to suffer. Most parents run to the aid of their child when they are hurt or in trouble, yet God allowed Jesus to suffer. Ian finds fault with this and can't put his faith into such a being. Much like Ian, I found myself as a child wondering how a God, who everyone claimed to be so good, so caring, so wonderful, could take my father away from me when I was a baby. How could he leave my mother a widow at 25 with a 1 year old? It just didn't make sense to me and I think, in many ways, it still baffles me. But, I have made peace with it. My life is what it is and perhaps in the spirit of "everything happens for a reason" my life began as it did so that I could have the life I have now. Who knows? Truly, who KNOWS? None of us. We can believe what we want, but it's all an act of faith. Not of true knowledge.
As always, I don't want to spill the beans and summarize this amazing story that is sure to touch you in some way. But you need to be aware that, should you choose to read this book, you are not picking up a light read. This book has so many themes and ideas swimming around: infidelity, religion, mental illness, suicide, love, mother-daughter relationships (or really, the power mothers possess), the media. And that's only part one. Part two centers around the custody battle over Faith and there's nothing quite like reading a court trial created by Picoult. She's a master.
Keeping Faith was a great read. Once the court scenes began, I couldn't flip the pages fast enough to see how it might all resolve itself in the end. I did re-read the last two pages several times, just to be sure I was reading what I thought I was reading. It still makes me smile.
Happy reading (and thinking) everyone,
:)Dodie
I have read many of Picoult's books. They are intense. They make you think and they make you feel. I wasn't sure that I was ready for one of her books on vacation. But it was either read Keeping Faith (because I had read the other downloaded book already) or sit and stare at a wall. I chose to read.
I am not sure where to begin with this book. It is complicated from the first chapter, as the theme of infidelity is explored, along with Mariah's mental instability. Then, add Faith's self-imposed mutism as a reaction to her parent's relationship. Oh my. But things get really complicated when Faith is injured and suddenly begins a relationship with a very special imaginary friend while she begins to quote scripture. Faith is seven and has been raised in a non-religious home. She's never been to church and she's never seen a Bible, much less read one. Suddenly, she is quoting the word of God. Oh my.
I think I should stop for a second and give you a quick synopsis of my religious beliefs. I am not afraid of them. In fact, I have grown quite comfortable with them over the years. Honestly, I do not know what I believe. Much like Faith, I was raised by parents with differing religious beliefs. My mother was Methodist; my step-father Catholic. As a result, no one went to church. I did go to a Methodist church with my grandmother for a few weeks each summer when I went to visit her and my aunt, but that was really it. My mother believed that you did not need to go to church to pray or to have faith but, honestly, I doubted God. In lots of ways, I think I still do. And, lots of these doubts were reaffirmed in Keeping Faith. Thanks to Ian Fletcher.
Ian is another of Picoult's characters. He is an atheist (I am not) and his job is to roam the country disproving, with the help of scientific facts and theories, religious miracles. His biggest issue with religion is how anyone could believe in a God who allowed his son to suffer. Most parents run to the aid of their child when they are hurt or in trouble, yet God allowed Jesus to suffer. Ian finds fault with this and can't put his faith into such a being. Much like Ian, I found myself as a child wondering how a God, who everyone claimed to be so good, so caring, so wonderful, could take my father away from me when I was a baby. How could he leave my mother a widow at 25 with a 1 year old? It just didn't make sense to me and I think, in many ways, it still baffles me. But, I have made peace with it. My life is what it is and perhaps in the spirit of "everything happens for a reason" my life began as it did so that I could have the life I have now. Who knows? Truly, who KNOWS? None of us. We can believe what we want, but it's all an act of faith. Not of true knowledge.
As always, I don't want to spill the beans and summarize this amazing story that is sure to touch you in some way. But you need to be aware that, should you choose to read this book, you are not picking up a light read. This book has so many themes and ideas swimming around: infidelity, religion, mental illness, suicide, love, mother-daughter relationships (or really, the power mothers possess), the media. And that's only part one. Part two centers around the custody battle over Faith and there's nothing quite like reading a court trial created by Picoult. She's a master.
Keeping Faith was a great read. Once the court scenes began, I couldn't flip the pages fast enough to see how it might all resolve itself in the end. I did re-read the last two pages several times, just to be sure I was reading what I thought I was reading. It still makes me smile.
Happy reading (and thinking) everyone,
:)Dodie
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
#21: Revenge Wears Prada--The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger
I am a huge fan of The Devil Wears Prada. I actually watched the movie first, then read the book. I don't typically do this (watch the movie version of the book before reading the book) but in this case, I really liked being able to see the author's vision for each character and imagining each one in my head as I read the book. I could watch the movie over and over again and never tire of it and I think it's because the story and the characters are so unreal to me. I will never live in NY. I will never be a model and I certainly will never work for a fashion magazine. The thought of all of that makes me laugh a little. And anyone who knows me ought to be laughing their head off at the thought of it all. But, it is a fascinating life style for a KG teacher who lives in the suburbs of Richmond, VA to think about and ponder.
Imagine my excitement, then, when Weisberger wrote a sequel to TDWP. I am a huge fan of stories that continue, because I have a burning need to know what happens next in any story I might read or hear. Revenge Wears Prada did not disappoint. It clearly spelled out what happened next and even how the choices Andy and Emily made in the original story impacted their lives in the current story. I was thrilled to learn more about both ladies and began to love them even more.
And then The Devil came back.
And as she always seems to do, Miranda Priestly turned the world upside down. And it was never the same. And yet, I did not find that she was the one I was angry with. Oh no, I was mad as fire at Andy's husband, Max. I am not a fan of Max. At all. I will leave you to read the book to find out what exactly he did and why. I am no spoiler.
But, I will say this: Revenge Wears Prada was just as fab as the original. Maybe even a bit more so, as I got to know Andy and Emily and the men in their lives better. I found myself being proud of Andy for the choices she made. She truly grows up in this book.
So, I guess the bottom line is that if you loved TDWP or even remotely liked it in any way, you should read Revenge Wears Prada. It's a fantastic read! Thanks, Ms. Weisberger, for continuing the story!
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
p.s. Does anyone out there know where I can find a pink mink throw? I suddenly have the urge to cuddle up with one...
Imagine my excitement, then, when Weisberger wrote a sequel to TDWP. I am a huge fan of stories that continue, because I have a burning need to know what happens next in any story I might read or hear. Revenge Wears Prada did not disappoint. It clearly spelled out what happened next and even how the choices Andy and Emily made in the original story impacted their lives in the current story. I was thrilled to learn more about both ladies and began to love them even more.
And then The Devil came back.
And as she always seems to do, Miranda Priestly turned the world upside down. And it was never the same. And yet, I did not find that she was the one I was angry with. Oh no, I was mad as fire at Andy's husband, Max. I am not a fan of Max. At all. I will leave you to read the book to find out what exactly he did and why. I am no spoiler.
But, I will say this: Revenge Wears Prada was just as fab as the original. Maybe even a bit more so, as I got to know Andy and Emily and the men in their lives better. I found myself being proud of Andy for the choices she made. She truly grows up in this book.
So, I guess the bottom line is that if you loved TDWP or even remotely liked it in any way, you should read Revenge Wears Prada. It's a fantastic read! Thanks, Ms. Weisberger, for continuing the story!
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
p.s. Does anyone out there know where I can find a pink mink throw? I suddenly have the urge to cuddle up with one...
Saturday, June 8, 2013
#20: Uprising by Margaret Haddix
Emily has to read a book over the summer and do some sort of project to prove that she read and understood her book. This is pure and absolute torture for her (and for me). Last year, she did it with minimal yelling and screaming (on both our parts). This year, I think she will object less. The book she chose to read is Uprising by Margaret Haddix and I finished reading it this morning, so now it's her turn to read it. (My new approach to the girls summer reading is to read their books, too, so that I can help them when they get stuck. It was near to impossible last summer to help guide Emily when I had no clue what her book was about.) It might be the most interesting book for teens that I have ever read. I was moved and touched by this story. Much like The Hunger Games, I think adults might be drawn to this book as much as teens.
Uprising is based on two real-life events: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 and the shirtwaist strike of 1909-10. Knowing that these are real events, I think, will help draw Emily into this action packed, dramatic story. I think she will also be outraged by the clear discrimination the factory girls receive and the horrible working conditions they are subjected to just because they are girls. There's also lots of talk of suffrage in Uprising, which also interests Emily (she gets very upset when girls can't do things just because they are girls).
The story is told in alternating chapters (my favorite style) by Yetta, Bella, and Jane. It begins years and years after the fire, when a character who was five at the time returns and asks to hear the story from start to finish, as she was too young then to have understood. Through flashbacks, we meet Yetta, Bella, and Jane--all young girls, all very different. Yetta, from Russia, speaks Yiddish and is learning English. She lives with her sister Rahel and is working to bring her parents to America. Bella, from Italy, is working to send money to her parents. Jane, on the other hand, is American and rich. Very rich. But, she feels just as trapped by rules and unfair laws as the other girls. The contrast between the three girls, and the idea that even money in 1910 couldn't buy you equality and the right of vote, is very compelling. Haddix does an amazing job developing these girls in such a way that you can see them, you can feel their pain, and you want things to turn out differently for each of them. There is a bit of suspense in the story, too, as the flashback is told by Mrs. Livingston, who we know to be one of the three girls, but we don't know which one, as she clearly has been married and taken a new name, until the very end of the book when the flashback concludes and we are returned to the conversation between Harriet, the now grown up five year old, and Mrs. Livingston, who reveals her identity to the readers (but I won't because I don't want to ruin the story).
I am so glad that Emily is being given the opportunity to read this book. She might learn something along the way, but more importantly, I hope she is inspired to not just sit by and watch life go by. I hope she finds the spirit inside her to stand up for causes that she believes in, that she will stand up for injustice, that she will not be afraid to voice her opinion because she is a girl.
I have often believed and voiced my thought that the real reason twenty-somethings and younger are the way they are is because they have never been afraid, or mad, about anything truly important. My mother's generation fought for equal rights for women and witnessed equal rights for blacks being put into place. My generation was scared to death of nuclear war and spent most of our life in fear of being killed by radiation. But when the wall came down, so did the fear many of us carried around. The desire for change disappeared and for a long time we have lived with everything we need, and then some. The great cause that so many generations found to bind people together is suddenly gone. I guess we could see terrorism against the US as a great cause, but even that, with OBL gone, has died down a bit. It is my belief that this great cause, this fear, this need to fight for something we believe in, is what's lacking with the newest generation of young people. They haven't known discrimination, gender bias, fear of death at a young age, and they have become complacent, and are beginning to take a wonderful life for granted. It is my hope for my girls, that by reading books like Uprising, that they can be reminded of how truly lucky they are and to be thankful for the girls of generations before who paved a smooth road for them.
Uprising is a wonderful read. Pick it up. Read it. Be inspired. Be thankful.
Now, off to something a little less literary and more juicy: Revenge Wears Prada--The Devil Returns. I am so excited I can't stand it!
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Uprising is based on two real-life events: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 and the shirtwaist strike of 1909-10. Knowing that these are real events, I think, will help draw Emily into this action packed, dramatic story. I think she will also be outraged by the clear discrimination the factory girls receive and the horrible working conditions they are subjected to just because they are girls. There's also lots of talk of suffrage in Uprising, which also interests Emily (she gets very upset when girls can't do things just because they are girls).
The story is told in alternating chapters (my favorite style) by Yetta, Bella, and Jane. It begins years and years after the fire, when a character who was five at the time returns and asks to hear the story from start to finish, as she was too young then to have understood. Through flashbacks, we meet Yetta, Bella, and Jane--all young girls, all very different. Yetta, from Russia, speaks Yiddish and is learning English. She lives with her sister Rahel and is working to bring her parents to America. Bella, from Italy, is working to send money to her parents. Jane, on the other hand, is American and rich. Very rich. But, she feels just as trapped by rules and unfair laws as the other girls. The contrast between the three girls, and the idea that even money in 1910 couldn't buy you equality and the right of vote, is very compelling. Haddix does an amazing job developing these girls in such a way that you can see them, you can feel their pain, and you want things to turn out differently for each of them. There is a bit of suspense in the story, too, as the flashback is told by Mrs. Livingston, who we know to be one of the three girls, but we don't know which one, as she clearly has been married and taken a new name, until the very end of the book when the flashback concludes and we are returned to the conversation between Harriet, the now grown up five year old, and Mrs. Livingston, who reveals her identity to the readers (but I won't because I don't want to ruin the story).
I am so glad that Emily is being given the opportunity to read this book. She might learn something along the way, but more importantly, I hope she is inspired to not just sit by and watch life go by. I hope she finds the spirit inside her to stand up for causes that she believes in, that she will stand up for injustice, that she will not be afraid to voice her opinion because she is a girl.
I have often believed and voiced my thought that the real reason twenty-somethings and younger are the way they are is because they have never been afraid, or mad, about anything truly important. My mother's generation fought for equal rights for women and witnessed equal rights for blacks being put into place. My generation was scared to death of nuclear war and spent most of our life in fear of being killed by radiation. But when the wall came down, so did the fear many of us carried around. The desire for change disappeared and for a long time we have lived with everything we need, and then some. The great cause that so many generations found to bind people together is suddenly gone. I guess we could see terrorism against the US as a great cause, but even that, with OBL gone, has died down a bit. It is my belief that this great cause, this fear, this need to fight for something we believe in, is what's lacking with the newest generation of young people. They haven't known discrimination, gender bias, fear of death at a young age, and they have become complacent, and are beginning to take a wonderful life for granted. It is my hope for my girls, that by reading books like Uprising, that they can be reminded of how truly lucky they are and to be thankful for the girls of generations before who paved a smooth road for them.
Uprising is a wonderful read. Pick it up. Read it. Be inspired. Be thankful.
Now, off to something a little less literary and more juicy: Revenge Wears Prada--The Devil Returns. I am so excited I can't stand it!
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Sunday, June 2, 2013
#19: Beach Colors by Shelley Noble
Beach Colors is a feel-good story that belongs in your beach bag and your pool bag. It is the sort of story that give you faith in people, faith in being able to find love after devastation, and faith that good things happen to good people.
Margaux is the main character in Beach Colors and she's easy to like. She is young, about to be divorced, has lost everything, and returns home to her family's beach house in Connecticut, because it's the only thing she has left in the world. Her two best friends, Grace and Bri, round out the girlfriend trio and they are easy to like, too. They stand by her side as she tries to rebuild her life and they are just the sort of friends we all wish we had. Of course, there's a man in this story, too: Nick, the handsome police officer for the beach town. Nick is helping to raise his brother's son, Connor, who might just be my favorite character in this story. Connor has a tiny little social issue that he's trying to work through and Margaux finds a way to reach him (which makes you love her even more).
There are several twists and turns but the story is believable, warm, funny at times, and just an over-all good read. I added it to my Nook bookshelf when it was a $2.99 ebook. Best $3.00 I've spent in a long time.
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Margaux is the main character in Beach Colors and she's easy to like. She is young, about to be divorced, has lost everything, and returns home to her family's beach house in Connecticut, because it's the only thing she has left in the world. Her two best friends, Grace and Bri, round out the girlfriend trio and they are easy to like, too. They stand by her side as she tries to rebuild her life and they are just the sort of friends we all wish we had. Of course, there's a man in this story, too: Nick, the handsome police officer for the beach town. Nick is helping to raise his brother's son, Connor, who might just be my favorite character in this story. Connor has a tiny little social issue that he's trying to work through and Margaux finds a way to reach him (which makes you love her even more).
There are several twists and turns but the story is believable, warm, funny at times, and just an over-all good read. I added it to my Nook bookshelf when it was a $2.99 ebook. Best $3.00 I've spent in a long time.
Happy Reading everyone!
:) Dodie
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