Book Report: End of December 2014/January 2015

Hi Friends!

Remember when you went to the library and checked out a book, and you had to pull the card out of the back pocket, sign your name and get the card stamped by the librarian?  I kind miss those days, don't you?  I loved looking at the library card to see who had checked the book out before me.  It was always a bonus if I actually knew some of the people on the card.   I remember thinking that being a librarian had to be the coolest job because they got to use a roller date stamp everyday.  (True story).

Anyway!

Here's a little recap on what I read at the end of December (books I read after I made my Top 15 list) and this month.

Not My Father's Son, Alan Cumming (3 1/2 stars).  Do you know Alan Cumming?  He's played a lot of quirky characters (my first memories of him are of the strange evil guy he played in the Spy Kids movie), but you probably know him from The Good Wife.  He's awesome on that show.  His memoir is awesome, too--well-written and filled with suspense and drama.  I'm not sure how I can arrange this, but I totally want to be friends with him.

Dept. of Speculation, Jenny Offill (4 stars).  I am a sucker for language.  I love it so much, I majored in it...twice.  Jenny Offill is a master at using just a few words to convey a whole bunch of feelings. Even her shortest sentences are filled to the brim with meaning.  This is a brilliantly written novel about marriage and love and all kinds of emotions.

Family Life, Akhil Sharma (4 stars).  Oh my gosh, friends!  This book!  It still haunts me.  It's about family and parenting and our dreams for our kids.  It's about grief and healing.  It is so, so good.

Wonderland, Stacey D'Erasmo (4 stars).  You know when you read a book and it is so well-written that it takes you to places you don't have a single clue about but the descriptions are so vivid and real that in the end you feel like you do know a bit about it?  That's how Stacey D'Erasmo's Wonderland was for me.  Stacey D'Erasmo can write.  I did not plow through this book--her sentences were just too good to just speed through, and the subject matter (once-famous Indy singer trying for a comeback) was too foreign.  I loved slowing down and entering Anna's life.

The Arsonist, Sue Miller (2 stars).  A million years ago I hosted a monthly book club.  One of my favorite books from that period of my life was Sue Miller's While I Was Gone.  I thought it was brilliant.  I keep reading Sue Miller's books hoping to find that love again.  Sadly, this isn't the book. The Arsonist is just okay.  I couldn't help feeling like it could have been something special if she just tried a bit harder. (And yes, I know that makes me sound completely snobby).

Some Luck, Jane Smiley (2 1/2 stars).  Here's what I have to say about Some Luck:  it's fine. It's not great, but it's not bad.  The truth is, not a whole heck of a lot happens in this book.  Or rather, a lot of things happen, but there's no real tension developed around the things that happen.  I spent a lot of time flipping back to the family tree at the beginning of the book to see which of the characters would end up getting married and which of the kids was the last one.  Jane Smiley plans on making this the first of a trilogy, but there wasn't enough action to make me want to see what comes next.

The Rosie Effect, Graeme Simsion (2 1/2 stars).  I really enjoyed Simsion's first book, The Rosie Project, especially its Sheldon Cooper-ish main character, Don Tillman.  Don is back in all of his odd glory in this book, but this time I just wasn't as into him.  Don makes a whole lot of bizarre choices in this book, even weirder than the ones he made in the first book.  This is a fun, quirky read, but it's a stretch sometimes.

Have you read anything good lately?  Please leave me your recommendations in the comments!

XO,

Vicki

What I Read: May & June

 Hey Friends!

Looking for a good book recommendation?  Here's a rundown on what I read in May & June:

 The Fault in Our Stars, John Green (4 stars).  Holy cow.  This is the best Green book, yet.  What a story!  What an awesome cast of characters:  sad, brave, triumphant teenagers living with cancer.  Brilliant writing.  All the characters felt completely believable.  Loved it (and so did Emily!).

Tiny, Beautiful Things, Cheryl Strayed (3 1/2 stars).  This is a compilation of some of the "Dear Sugar" columns written by the author of Wild.  I liked seeing this side of Cheryl, and I loved that each of her answers was carefully considered.  Each piece of advice was given as if she was speaking to a treasured friend.  

 This Book Will Save Your Life, AM Homes (4 stars). Big, glorious story with an unlikely hero.  I loved it.  It asks the question of why certain people come in and out of our lives.

 The Mistress's Daughter, AM Holmes (2 1/2 stars).  Homes' adoption story.  Lots of family genealogy.  I'm not sure what to think about her birth mom, but her birth dad was a total jerk.  As you can probably tell, I got on an AM Homes kick in May, and read pretty much everything I could get my hands on, including this autobiography.

 In a Country of Mothers, AM Homes (2 1/2 stars).  This novel borrowed heavily from Homes' own adoption story, which I had just read.  The character of Claire ended up being pretty messed up and a little creepy.

 The Birth House, Ami McKay (3 1/2 stars).  This is a simple story with a nice ending.  It takes place in a quiet town in Nova Scotia.  The main character, Dora, becomes the town midwife and has to overcome stereotypes and fear to win the hearts of the townsfolk who are torn between how things have always been done and the allure of modern medicine.  In the process, she discovers her own strength and learns how to take control her own life.

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, Anthony Marra (3 1/2 stars).  It took me a good long while to get through this book, but I'm glad I stuck with it until the end.  This is the story of a village in Chechnya from 1994-2004 and the Russians and refugees who lived and struggled during that time.  Through a series of well-orchestrated coincidences, the reader discovers how all of the main characters are entwined with each other.  Sonja, (the driven surgeon), Natasha (her sister), Haava (the 8-year-old), Dokka (Haava's dad), Khassan and his son (the informer), & Ramzan all play roles in the fate of each other.  This book is sad and haunting and beautiful.   

 The Woman Upstairs, Claire Messud (4 stars).  I loved this book about the complexities of friendship.  It's a book about betrayal and redemption and picking oneself back up after an intimate friendship ends.

 The Interestings, Meg Wolitzer (4 stars).  Sigh.  I'm so sad that this book ended.  It was a big, 'ole coming-of-age book that fully developed each of the main characters.  I loved it!  I loved the four main characters--flaws and all.  I loved watching them grow up and see life through each other's lives.

The Light Between Oceans, ML Stedman. (4 stars).  Gosh, I liked this novel about an emotionally damaged WWI vet who falls in love with a vibrant woman.  They live on an island and tend to the lighthouse.  After 3 miscarriages/stillbirths, a healthy baby washes up on shore.  Decisions are made, and there are consequences to those decisions.  This is a story of the love of a parents and the love of a spouse.  

The Burgess Boys, Elizabeth Strout (4 stars). This is a wonderful story filled with fantastic, complex characters who all grow and change.  It's about siblings and families and being there for each other.  It's about forgiveness and loving someone flaws and all.  

Enjoy!

XO,

Vicki

PS  I rate my books on a 1-4 star system.  As a general rule, I do not share books that get less than 2 1/2 stars.  I highly recommend any book that gets 3 1/2-4 stars.  

What I Read {April 2013}

Hi Friends--

Looking for some good book recommendations?  Here's what I read in April:

The Newlyweds, Nell Freudenberger (3 1/2 stars).  This is a beautifully written story about family and all its entanglements and how each generation tries to do better than their parents.  Amina, a 24-year-old from Bangladesh moves to Rochester, NY to marry a man she meets online.  Freudenberger does a great job giving insight into how foreigners look at our country.  This book is about dealing with the fallout from one's personal choices. 

 

Before I Go To Sleep, S.J. Watson (3 1/2 stars).  Whoa!  I didn't see that ending coming, but I have a feeling the John would have.  A woman (who suffered a traumatic brain injury) wakes up each morning not remembering anything that happened to her since she was in her 20's.  This book is definitely a page-turner.

The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance, Elna Baker. (3 1/2 stars).  This fun memoir details Elna's struggles as a Mormon girl living in Manhattan.  I thought Elna was delightful, and I hope she finds "the one".

 Every Last One, Anna Quindlen (2 1/2 stars). This book takes a sharp left turn about 1/2 way through.  I thought I was reading a book about a mom helping her depressed son, and then everything changes.  While there were some very good parts of this book, I just didn't feel like the story fully resolved itself in the end.

 Wash, Margaret Wrinkle (4 stars).  This is a big, beautifully-written novel about slaves and slave owners right after the American Revolution.  Wash really got me into the heads of all of the characters.  This book is definitely not one you can plow right through;  each section took some time for reflection before I could move on.  I am still thinking about the complex characters in this book, especially Wash.

 Inside, Alix Ohlin (2 1/2 stars).  A therapist (Grace) stumbles (literally) across a man (Tug) right after his failed suicide attempt.  The book revolves around 4 main characters:  Grace and Tug, and Mitch (Anne's ex-husband) and Anne (one of Grace's patients).  Parts of this book were very good-especially the insight into why Tug acted the way he did.  However, Anne's story felt awkward and not crucial to the story.   The characters of Mitch and Grace fall some place in between, as far as character development goes.  I wish there was a resolution between Anne and Grace.  Anne's future ends up being completely unclear.

 May We Be Forgiven, A. M. Homes (4 stars). I love a good, long book full of flawed characters who make life-changing decisions.  May We Be Forgiven has an incredible cast of memorable characters, especially Harold, the hapless brother who eventually figures it out.  When Harold's brother kills his wife, Harold is left to look after the children the best way he can.  I found myself cheering for Harold.  He had an incredibly hard year.

Looking for Alaska, John Green (3 1/2 stars).  This was another recommended Young Adult book written by the guy who wrote last month's An Abundance of Katherines.  This one's about 4 friends who meet at a boarding school in Alabama.  This book had better characters and an engrossing story.  It would be great for the mother/daughter book club.

What I Read {March 2013}

Hi Friends!

I hope you're looking for some good book recommendations, because I've got some!  March was a good month for reading, for sure!

The Round House, Louise Erdrich (4 stars).  A 13-year-old boy tries to solve the mystery of who raped his mother, so he can put his family back together.  I know that sentence sounds completely awful, but trust me, this is a beautifully written book.  It's rich with memorable characters, and it gives the reader lots of insight into life on an Indian reservation.  Every single sentence of this novel rings true.

Left Neglected, Lisa Genova (3 1/2 stars).  This book was written by the author of Still Alice, which I completely loved.  Both books deal with a brain problem--Still Alice is about Alzheimer's  and this one is about a woman recovering from a traumatic brain injury.  As a result of her injury, the main character can't see anything on her left side.  It is like everything on her left side does not exist.  Like with Still Alice, Genova does a great job of helping the reader "see" and "feel" what Left Neglect is like.  Unlike with Still Alice, I didn't end up loving the main character as much as I loved Alice.  Still, this is a good read.

The Lake of Dreams, Kim Edwards (4 stars). I loved this book.  It's the story of Lucy, who uses clues she finds in her parents' old lake house to discover the identity of an amazing, long-lost relative.  I loved the old letters Lucy discovers--Annabeth's voice is pitch-perfect.  Lucy's search into the past helps her come to terms with her dad's death and her current relationship.

Wild, Cheryl Strayed (4 stars). I didn't particularly want to read this book, but it came highly recommended, so I gave it a whirl.  Oh, boy!  I loved Cheryl's story and her writing style.  I just couldn't put this book down.  Cheryl's honesty and frankness made me cheer her on throughout the book.

An Abundance of Katherines, John Green (3 stars).  This is a completely cute "Teen Fiction" book.  The main character, Colin, is quirky, and his best friend, Hassen, is just the right kind of funny.  Colin and Hassen embark on a road trip after Colin's 19th girlfriend named Katherine dumps him.  Their fun road trip adventures combined with a feel-good ending make this a good read.

Have you read anything good lately?  I'd love to see your recommendations!

XO,

Vicki

What I Read {February 2013}

Hi Friends!

Oh my gosh, I read so many awesome books in February!  In fact, I'd highly recommend all but the first one.  The other five are simply brilliant! 

 Here's what I read in February:

Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures, Emma Straub (2 1/2 out of 4 stars).  This book was good, but never quite got to the point where it was excellent.  It's about a young girl who leaves Wisconsin (Door County!) to become a Hollywood actress. I really, really wanted to fall in love with Laura, but in the end I found I just didn't care about her very much.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home, Carol Rifka Brunt (4 stars).  I LOVED this book about love and family and the things we do for those we love.  When June's beloved uncle, Finn, dies of AIDS, she finds herself forming a fragile friendship with his partner, Toby.  It's a book about discovering the truth and putting aside misconceptions.  This book is so well-written and incredibly tender.

Frances & Bernard, Carlene Bauer (4 stars).  Oh!  I loved this book!  Two complex characters build a relationship entirely through letters.  Neither character is without flaws, but they seem to bring out the best in each other, until they can't anymore.  Beautifully written. Frances and Bernard left me with lots to think about.

The Death of Bees, Lisa O'Donnell (4 stars).  This is an excellent book, friends.  When Marnie and Nelly's mom and dad die, they decide to bury them in the backyard and move on with their lives.  It doesn't take long for the girls to discover that they need help.  Help comes in the form of their elderly neighbor, Lennie, who takes them under his wing and teaches them what "family" really means.  I loved this book and its wonderful characters.

Birds of a Lesser Paradise, Megan Mayhew Bergman (4 stars).  Oh my gosh!  I loved these short stories!  Each story was a mini masterpiece.  I would have loved to read novel-length versions of each one, they were that good.

The Dinner, Herman Koch (3 1/2 stars).  The Dinner is a page-turner, for sure.  I just couldn't help myself from plowing through this book just to find out what happened next.  Over the course of a dinner at a posh restaurant, we get to see just how far one family will go to protect one of its own.  Well-written and full of nice plot twists.

Have you read any good books lately?  I'd love to see your recommendations!

XO,

Vicki

Mark My Words...

...Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches is the next big thing.  And I'm positive they are going to make it into a move (with sequels).  I'm not even a big witches/vampire/demon fan, but I was wrapped up in this book for days.  There's plenty of suspense and unanswered questions and it's chock-full of memorable characters.  The ending perfectly sets up the sequel--which better be on its way to the publisher, because Diana and Matthew are stuck time travelling and I need to know what happens!

Read anything good lately?  I love recommendations!

XO,

Vicki