Category: Book Reviews

Title: This Is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Published: January 5, 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 292
Source: e-ARC via NetGalley
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

My review:

The premise of this book looked so inviting that I had to grab a copy and read it. It ended up being kind of a middle of the road novel for me. There was some things that I liked about it, and some that I didn't. What I liked was the subject matter, which is so prevalent in today's society that it needs to be talked (and read) about often. I loved that there were so many diverse characters in this novel, from ethnic diversity, a lesbian relationship, and physical disability. Bravo for that. I liked that the novel was very fast paced, it kept me flipping pages quickly to find out how it would end. The parts that I wasn't as keen on were equal in number to those I enjoyed. My biggest problem was how long it took for the authorities to get to the school and enter the building. In this day of social media with every student having a phone, why did it take so long to take down one gunman? Speaking of social media, there were places at the end of each chapter where student's (who were trapped in the auditorium) tweets were included. Totally unnecessary part of the book in my opinion. The biggest problem I had was that none of the characters were well developed enough to actually care that much about them. It seemed like every kid had tales of woe, a bit too many in your average population, and there were so many of them that none were really given justice. I should mention that one of my all-time favorite books, Nineteen Minutes, deals with this subject. Naturally I couldn't help but compare the books as I was reading, and this one fell way short of that one.

A fast paced read, with lots of diversity, but a little short on the characterization aspect.

Title: The Word Game
Author: Steena Holmes
Published: November 3, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 207
Source: Publisher via BookSparks
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

For overprotective parent Alyson Ward, any time her daughter, Lyla, is out of sight is reason to panic. So it’s a big step for her when she lets Lyla attend a sleepover at her cousin’s house. Comforted by the knowledge that her sister, Tricia, is the chaperone, Alyson does the one thing she never thought possible: she lets go and trusts that her daughter will be safe.

But Alyson’s sense of peace is short lived. When Lyla comes home the next morning, she reveals something that could tear apart not only their family but also the entire community. Now, Alyson and Tricia must confront their painful shared past as they come together to help a little girl who they fear might be harboring terrible secrets similar to their own. Will the sisters be strong enough to face their demons in order to protect the child, even if it means telling their most private truths?

My review:

This book has an interesting, thought provoking storyline. How much do you believe when dealing with a child who makes incriminatiing revelations against someone you know? How about if your past has resulted in false accusations before? Who should you tell, when do you confront, and how do you go about it without hurting those involved?  What about if there are conflicting stories? These are all questions that must be answered by Alyson, along with her sister Tricia. While I thought the plot of this book was excellent, it did lack depth in both writing and character development. It was a bit too simplistic to ever create a good flow, and while I did want to continue reading to find out how it ended, it got a bit boring as I waited for the resolution. It's a short book, and I'm wondering if perhaps a longer book would have necessitated better character development?

A+ for topic, but sub par writing brought this one down a bit for me. If you can overlook the lack of depth with this one, it does create a great "what would you do, and who would you believe" story.

This was part of the BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge. Click on the link to see what this program is about.

Title: Ask Him Why
Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Published: December 15, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 346
Source: Publisher via BookSparks
Rating: 3.5/5
Goodreads

Ruth and her little brother, Aubrey, are just teenagers when their older brother ships off to Iraq. When Joseph returns, uninjured, only three and a half months later, Ruth is happy he is safe but also deeply worried. How can it be that her courageous big brother has been dishonorably discharged for refusing to go out on duty? Aubrey can’t believe that his hero doesn’t have very good reasons.

Yet as the horrifying details of the incident emerge, Joseph disappears. In their attempts to find him, Ruth and Aubrey discover he has a past far darker than either of them could imagine. But even as they learn more about their brother, important questions remain unanswered—why did he betray his unit, his country, and now his family? Joseph’s refusal to speak ignites a fire in young Aubrey that results in a disastrous, and public, act of rebellion.

The impact of Joseph’s fateful decision one night in Baghdad will echo for years to come, with his siblings caught between their love for him and the media’s engulfing frenzy of judgment. Will their family ever make their way back to each other and find a way to forgive?

My review:

This was an interesting book about a subject that I don't think I've ever read about before. What happens to a family when one of them gets dishonorably discharged, and subsequently court martialed? Especially pertinent is the fact that you are dealing with the ramifications on two members of the family who happen to be teens. The book alternates back and forth between Ruth and her brother Aubrey, and how they deal with the fallout when their beloved brother returns early from a tour of duty. Of course there are also secrets that come out as the story progresses, but most of all we see the struggle that occurs within each teen. We experience their ways of processing their confusion and anger at their brother, their parents, the town, the military, the world around them. Well written, and well paced, I think the only thing I would have liked added was a bit more about the parents. We do see glimpses of them through the teens, but I would have liked a bit more.

Interesting and solid family story about the effect of one sibling's choices on the rest of the family unit.

Thanks to BookSparks for providing a copy of this for my review.

 

Title: Put A Ring On It (Black Dog Bay #3)
Author: Beth Kendrick
Published: November 3rd 2015 by NAL
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher via BookSparks
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

Brighton Smith doesn’t do outrageous. As an insurance actuary, it’s her job to assess risk and avoid bad investments. But when her fiancé calls to confess he’s married someone else on a whim (“I looked at her and I just knew!”), she snaps…

That night, at a local bar, Jake Sorensen—hot, rich, and way out of her league—buys Brighton a cocktail. At midnight, she kisses him. And by dawn, they’re exchanging vows at a drive-through chapel.

Brighton knows Jake is a bad bet, but she doesn’t care. After a lifetime of playing it safe, she’s finally having fun. Until the whirlwind romance gives way to painful reality...and Brighton finds out the truth about why a guy like Jake married a girl like her. With her heart on the line and the odds stacked against them, Brighton must decide whether to cut her losses or take a leap of faith that this love affair is one in a million.

My review:

While this is the third book in a series, it can easily be a stand-a-lone novel. I've read the first book (but not the second), and while it was fun to catch up with characters from the earlier book, their parts are small, so the integrity of the book will not be affected if you don't know them. This book, in typical Beth Kendrick fashion, was a cute, playful read. Lots of humorous moments, but at the same time some serious issues come up that must be dealt with by its main characters. I didn't like the main character Brighton as much as I should have to give this book a higher rating. She was kind of all over the place with her emotions and her actions. Did she want this guy or not? I was much more enamored with Jake, but even he had some issues toward the end of the book that made the "happily ever after" feel just a tad forced. I love the setting for the books, and I am looking forward to more stories from the fictional town of Black Dog Bay.

This was a light-hearted entertaining read, as long as you take it as that. If you get too invested in the characters, you may not appreciate the humorous story.

This book was part of the fall reading challenge at BookSparks. Thank you for providing me a copy for review.

 

I'm going to give a short review of the 7 books that I read during the annual holiday read-a-thon back in November. I'll be adding the link to Goodreads for each book, please click the link to find out more info. If you are in the mood for a holiday novel, maybe one of these will catch your eye.

Title: Winter Stroll
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Published: October 13th 2015 by Little, Brown and Company
Pages: 272
Source: Publisher at BEA
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

This is the second book in a trilogy (Winter Street came out last year, and the final installment is due next fall) about the Quinn family of Nantucket. It is not necessary to read the first novel, since it had been a year I found it took me some time to remember everyone anyway.  I enjoyed this one more than the first book. I thought the story lines were more interesting, and I'm connecting more with the various family members. I'll definitely be picking up the conclusion next year. It made me want to visit Nantucket for the annual Winter Stroll weekend (me......who hates cold and snow.......that's saying something!).

Title: Blue Christmas
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Published: October 24th 2006 by HarperCollins
Pages: 194
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

I'm pretty much going backwards with these books about friends Weezy and BeBe. I read Christmas Bliss last year, this one proceeds it, and I've yet to read the Savannah Blues and Savannah Breeze series where these two are introduced. This one was cute, a typical Mary Kay Andrews read. I enjoy the antique business that Weezy owns, and I loved the characters who run the competing business across town. A bit of a mystery in this one, but not something that takes over the story. A light-hearted, quick read that you can enjoy without putting a lot of effort into.

Title: The Gift
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Published: October 26th 2010 by Harper
Pages: 302
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

Not your typical holiday story, this one is a "Scroogish" tale about an unlikable character that you still find yourself rooting for. Considering that I was reading many holiday stories within a short period of time, I appreciated that this one was not the happily ever after that is the norm for the seasonal offerings, and no romance (also the norm). I wasn't crazy about the magical aspect of the book, but it was necessary in the scheme of the story. Great line from this one: “Time can’t be given. But it can be shared.” Not one of the books that was a favorite, but it was a great statement about appreciating those around you while you still can.

Title: Wishin' and Hopin'
Author: Wally Lamb
Published: November 21st 2009 by HarperCollins
Pages: 268
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads

My favorite of the seven books I read this week. If you like the movie A Christmas Story (with Ralphie and the Red Rider beebee gun), I think you will find this highly enjoyable. It is not a holiday story per se, but takes place over the few months that include the holiday season. It's the story of a 10 year old boy, and takes place in the early 60's. Perhaps it was the era that made this so appealing, or the fact that childhood back then was just so vastly different than it is now, but I loved Felix's story! I found many laugh out loud moments, Felix's mother at the Pillsbury bake-off finals is the one that stands out, but there are several others. I'm not sure that this would have as much appeal to those of you in the younger generation, but if you are "old" like me, grab yourself a copy of this one.

Title: A Nantucket Christmas
Author: Nancy Thayer
Published: October 29th 2013 by Ballantine Books
Pages: 209
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

This was an enjoyable read at the time, but I honestly had to go back and read the synopsis to remember anything about it. Therefore, I would put this in the good enough read at the time, but probably not memorable category. I did love the plot line involving the sweet dog, and that carried me through the novel. The snippy step daughter story was pretty predictable, and came to a rather forced ending. Good read, kept my interest, but nothing special.

Title: The Christmas Pearl
Author: Dorothea Benton Frank
Published: October 28th 2008 by William Morrow
Pages: 176
Source: Purchased
Rating: 2/5
Goodreads

I normally like Dorothea Frank's novels. They are not literary masterpieces by any means, but she always interjects some Southern charm and sass into her characters, which I enjoy immensely. This novel had a good message behind it, namely to appreciate the meaning of Christmas with traditions and family, but the angel was just too over the top for me. I rolled my eyes through a lot of it. If you are someone who doesn't mind magical realism in the form of an angel appearing among us, then you may like this, I'm just not a fan.

Title: A Christmas to Remember
Author: Jenny Hale
Published: October 10, 2014 by Bookouture
Pages: 316
Source: Purchased
Rating: 2/5
Goodreads

Such a cute holiday cover on this one, and the premise sounds sweet (a nanny tries to get a single dad to spend more time with his children), but that's pretty much the good things I have to say. I hated the protagonist in this book, if I had to read her whine about what she hadn't accomplished in her life one more time, I was going to throw the book across the room. The ending was so predictable, it was a foregone conclusion from the first few pages. I did enjoy the adorable children in this one, and so gave it a couple stars. If you don't mind Carrie, you will be fine with this one, but she was not my cup of tea. One of the few times that picking a book based on a great cover has let me down.

And there you have it. Hopefully something for everyone in this list. Has anyone read any of these? Thoughts?

 

 

Title: The Secret Life of Violet Grant
Author: Beatriz Williams
Published: May 27, 2014 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 448
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

Manhattan, 1964. Vivian Schuyler, newly graduated from Bryn Mawr College, has recently defied the privilege of her storied old Fifth Avenue family to do the unthinkable for a budding Kennedy-era socialite: break into the Mad Men world of razor-stylish Metropolitan magazine. But when she receives a bulky overseas parcel in the mail, the unexpected contents draw her inexorably back into her family’s past, and the hushed-over crime passionnel of an aunt she never knew, whose existence has been wiped from the record of history.

Berlin, 1914. Violet Schuyler Grant endures her marriage to the philandering and decades-older scientist Dr. Walter Grant for one reason: for all his faults, he provides the necessary support to her liminal position as a young American female physicist in prewar Germany. The arrival of Dr. Grant’s magnetic former student at the beginning of Europe’s fateful summer interrupts this delicate détente. Lionel Richardson, a captain in the British Army, challenges Violet to escape her husband’s perverse hold, and as the world edges into war and Lionel’s shocking true motives become evident, Violet is tempted to take the ultimate step to set herself free and seek a life of her own conviction with a man whose cause is as audacious as her own.

As the iridescent and fractured Vivian digs deeper into her aunt’s past and the mystery of her ultimate fate, Violet’s story of determination and desire unfolds, shedding light on the darkness of her years abroad . . . and teaching Vivian to reach forward with grace for the ambitious future––and the love––she wants most.

My review:

This is my second novel I've read by this author (this is the first of a trilogy), and I'm just going to admit that if she re-writes the phone book, I'm going to read it! I just adore her writing style. Just enough description to not be over the top, completely readable without being pretentious, and her books just flow so nicely. In this story, we alternate back and forth between Vivian (1964) and her aunt (1914), who disappeared after a somewhat scandalous circumstance. We follow Vivian as she tries to decipher what happened to her aunt. I must admit that while I liked both storylines, I was drawn more to Violet's. Vivian's story dragged a bit at times, although certainly not enough to keep me from fully enjoying this novel. I love the fact that I can learn some history through Ms. Williams' books, and it's nowhere near as painful as history was for me in school (I was NOT a fan) 🙂 I really like that the women are very strong, smart, and capable, and the fact that Violet was a scientist (which I DID love and majored in) was icing on the cake.

A bit of mystery, scandal, romance, strong women.....this book has it all. If you have not read any of Williams' books, you simply must rectify this! Her standalone A Hundred Summers was a 5 star read for me earlier in the year. I cannot wait to read the final two books in this series.

Title: Pretending To Dance
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Published: October 6, 2015 by St. Martin's Press
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher via BookSparks
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

Molly Arnette is very good at keeping secrets. She lives in San Diego with a husband she adores, and they are trying to adopt a baby because they can't have a child on their own. But the process of adoption brings to light many questions about Molly's past and her family—the family she left behind in North Carolina twenty years before. The mother she says is dead but who is very much alive. The father she adored and whose death sent her running from the small community of Morrison's Ridge. Her own birth mother whose mysterious presence in her family raised so many issues that came to a head. The summer of twenty years ago changed everything for Molly and as the past weaves together with the present story, Molly discovers that she learned to lie in the very family that taught her about pretending. If she learns the truth about her beloved father's death, can she find peace in the present to claim the life she really wants?

My review:

Best last four lines of a novel EVER! The type of book that you will just sit and quietly reflect when you finish. Having said that, this novel, while very good, was not without flaws for me. First and foremost, I didn't like the main character Molly. Didn't like her in the flashbacks to her teen years, didn't like her as an adult, didn't like her decisions throughout the years. What I did love was the death with dignity plot. Well explored, without being preachy on the subject. The fictionalized subject of "pretend therapy" was very intriguing. Molly had a lot of people who were saints to put up with her antics, her husband being one of them. I also loved the character of Nora, what a wonderful, selfless woman who was not given the credit she deserved (especially by her pain in the neck daughter). The story weaves back and forth from the present day to the past, and it does so seamlessly. Even though I had the family secrets figured out fairly early, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.

Once again, Chamberlain does not disappoint. This is a well written, well researched novel that is perfectly paced and an enjoyable read. I just wish I had liked the main protagonist better.

This book is part of the BookSparks fall reading challenge. You can read about the program by clicking on the link.

Title: House Trained
Author: Jackie Bouchard
Published: October 20, 2015 by Lake Union
Pages: 291
Source: Publisher via BookSparks
Rating: 3/5
Goodreads

Alex Halstad, a childless-by-choice interior designer and dog mom, is a true perfectionist. But her orderly life turns chaotic when the teenage daughter her husband, Barry, never knew he had shows up on their doorstep...with a baby girl of her own in tow. While Alex’s dog enthusiastically welcomes the new arrivals, Alex struggles with the loss of her steady routine. She desperately needs peace and quiet to get her business back on track before Barry finds out she’s spent most of their savings. Meanwhile, the arrival of the girls stirs up old insecurities, and Alex can’t help but worry that Barry’s ex will make an entrance too. With her tidy life a distant memory, will Alex be able to learn from her dog the true meaning of love and acceptance?

From bestselling author Jackie Bouchard comes a humorous and heartwarming look at how life creates opportunities to love in surprising ways.

My review:

This was an enjoyable book, but I'm not sure that it is one that will stick with me. Having said that, I would read another novel by this author because it was very entertaining in the moment, even if I won't necessarily remember it in months to come. I liked the fact that the author did a great job with interjecting humorous situations into some rather sensitive topics, namely those of secrets, trust, and being childless by choice. Interspersed with the story lines, we have the adorable dog of the house. I have not read any previous books by this author, but in doing a bit of research I learned that all of her books feature dogs. Being a dog lover, I'm totally on board with this idea. I thought the writing was good, the story flowed well (perhaps a bit faster pace in the second half), and I enjoyed the characters (including the dog :)). The main character Alex was a bit over the top with her insecurities, but it didn't bother me enough to not like her, or root for her. The ending was predictable, but satisfying to me.

Pick this one up for a cute story that has a bit of everything to it, especially if you are a dog person.

This book is part of the fall reading challenge hosted by BookSparks. To find out more, click the link.

Title: The Muralist
Author: B. A. Shapiro
Published: November 3, 2015 by Algonquin Books
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher at BEA
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

Alizée Benoit, an American painter working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), vanishes in New York City in 1940 amid personal and political turmoil. No one knows what happened to her. Not her Jewish family living in German-occupied France. Not her artistic patron and political compatriot, Eleanor Roosevelt. Not her close-knit group of friends, including Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner. And, some seventy years later, not her great-niece, Danielle Abrams, who while working at Christie’s auction house uncovers enigmatic paintings hidden behind recently found works by those now famous Abstract Expressionist artists. Do they hold answers to the questions surrounding her missing aunt?

Entwining the lives of both historical and fictional characters, and moving between the past and the present, The Muralist plunges readers into the divisiveness of prewar politics and the largely forgotten plight of European refugees refused entrance to the United States. It captures both the inner workings of today’s New York art scene and the beginnings of the vibrant and quintessentially American school of Abstract Expressionism.

B.A. Shapiro is a master at telling a gripping story while exploring provocative themes. In Alizée and Danielle she has created two unforgettable women, artists both, who compel us to ask, What happens when luminous talent collides with inexorable historical forces? Does great art have the power to change the world? And to what lengths should a person go to thwart evil?

My review:

This is a wonderfully told story, and a fascinating look into some of the parts of WWII that I don't often read about. A lot of focus on the Works Progress Administration (WPA) highly regarded by Eleanor Roosevelt, the failure of the US to allow immigrants from Europe to enter the country, and the mental state of a lot of the artists of the time. I really appreciated this different perspective on the state of the world at that time. The story is told in alternating chapters by the artist Alizee (in the 40s) and present day Dani (her great niece), an art appraiser. The book has a bit of a mystery to it, as we follow Dani on her journey to find out what happened to her aunt by using some art pieces found taped to the back of Abstract artists paintings. Concurrent with this we have Alizee's story of her art creations, her relationships with other artists of the WPA, and her desperate struggle to free her family from Europe. We get insight into what was going on in Europe just prior to and during the war through letters sent to Alizee from various family members. Very well written, the characters were ones you really cared about finding resolution for.

I love the way this author seamlessly combines historical events with fiction to create a page turning novel. Make sure you also pick up her first book The Art Forger, which is equally as good.

 

Title: Station Eleven
Author: Emily St. John Mandel
Published: September 9, 2014 by Knopf
Pages: 336
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads

One snowy night Arthur Leander, a famous actor, has a heart attack onstage during a production of King Lear. Jeevan Chaudhary, a paparazzo-turned-EMT, is in the audience and leaps to his aid. A child actress named Kirsten Raymonde watches in horror as Jeevan performs CPR, pumping Arthur's chest as the curtain drops, but Arthur is dead. That same night, as Jeevan walks home from the theater, a terrible flu begins to spread. Hospitals are flooded and Jeevan and his brother barricade themselves inside an apartment, watching out the window as cars clog the highways, gunshots ring out, and life disintegrates around them.

Fifteen years later, Kirsten is an actress with the Traveling Symphony. Together, this small troupe moves between the settlements of an altered world, performing Shakespeare and music for scattered communities of survivors. Written on their caravan, and tattooed on Kirsten's arm is a line from Star Trek: "Because survival is insufficient." But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who digs graves for anyone who dares to leave.

Spanning decades, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, this suspenseful, elegiac novel is rife with beauty. As Arthur falls in and out of love, as Jeevan watches the newscasters say their final good-byes, and as Kirsten finds herself caught in the crosshairs of the prophet, we see the strange twists of fate that connect them all. A novel of art, memory, and ambition, Station Eleven tells a story about the relationships that sustain us, the ephemeral nature of fame, and the beauty of the world as we know it.

My review: I'm very late to the party in reading this one. I've had it on my tbr pile for a while, and when I found out that the author was speaking at the Boston book festival, that was motivation to pull this one off the shelf. Overall I really liked this book. It's not really something that I tend to gravitate to (most of the dystopian novels I've read have been YA), but I was very intrigued by the end of the world concept. So intrigued, that I kind of wish there was more of that storyline, and not so much of the traveling troupe. I really enjoyed reading about the way the characters who were left (both during and after the epidemic flu), coped within their surroundings. Jeevan and his brother, who were holed up in his apartment watching the chaos out the window, and later, those who end up at an abandoned airport. I found the troupe to be rather boring, and particularly didn't care for the violence associated with some of their journey. The story does jump back and forth in time, but it was fairly easy to keep up with. I liked the writing style, there were some beautifully written passages. It's interesting to note that this is the first (and probably the only, from what she said at the book festival) foray into dystopian from Ms. Mandel. I admit to not having read any of her previous work, but I would like to someday.

Fascinating story about the end of the world as we know it, and the few who are left behind. Loved the survivor stories, but the Shakesperean troupe was not my favorite storyline.

Emily St. John Mandel (seen here with Sandra Newman) at the Boston book festival.