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Month: March 2017

3

Published on 3 Comments on The Hope Chest
The Hope Chest Book Cover The Hope Chest
Viola Shipman
Fiction
Thomas Dunne Books
March 21, 2017
Hardcover
320
Publisher

The Hope Chest is a deeply emotional novel about three people who have seemingly lost all hope until one woman’s heirloom hope chest is rediscovered in the attic, along with its contents and secrets. Mattie is a fiercely independent woman battling ALS; Don, her deeply devoted husband is facing a future without his one true love; and Rose, their struggling caregiver, is a young, single mother who feels trapped in her life. With each item that is discovered—including a beloved doll, family dishes, an embroidered apron, and an antique Christmas ornament—the hope chest connects Mattie, Don and Rose to each other and not only helps them find hope again in the face of overwhelming life challenges but also brings new meaning to family.

My review:

3.5 stars

Such a sweet and lovely story about an elderly couple, one of whom is in the last stages of their life. The characters were depicted in such a real fashion that I felt like they were my neighbors. If only we could all have a man like Don in our life when we get old (I'm chuckling as I write this since my husband's name just happens to be Don)! I loved the way the sections were divided to be about the various items within the hope chest, and the corresponding stories surrounding them from the past. Good writing, although not as thought provoking as the characters, who were the main focus of this novel. I did think it got a bit schmaltzy in places, particularly with the caretaker "turned family member" Rose, but who doesn't need a bit of that in a book once in a while? This is a vivid picture into the lives of a couple who have loved each other through the ages, and I lapped it up.

A sweet character driven story about the end of a woman's life, and the treasures she holds dear that she wishes to pass on in her memory. Grab the tissue box for the ending. And let's all strive to be a man like Don, or find one like him.

2

Published on 2 Comments on The Devil and Webster
The Devil and Webster Book Cover The Devil and Webster
Jean Hanff Korelitz
Fiction
Grand Central Publishing
March 21, 2017
Hardcover
368
Publisher

Naomi Roth is the first female president of Webster College, a once conservative school now known for producing fired-up, progressive graduates. A former student radical herself, Naomi isn't alarmed when Webster students, including her own daughter, begin an outdoor encampment to protest a popular professor's denial of tenure.

But when Omar Khayal, a charismatic Palestinian student with a devastating personal history, emerges as the group's leader, shocking acts of vandalism begin to destabilize the campus. As the crisis slips beyond her control, Naomi struggles to protect her friends, colleagues, and family from an unknowable adversary. A riveting novel about who we think we are, and what we think we believe.

My review:

I have mixed feelings about this book. The plot was super interesting to me. I was never one to engage in any kind of protests when I was in school, but with what's going on in our country today, I can definitely relate to the concept now. I loved the satirical aspects of this novel, it was slyly (or not) poking fun at elite colleges, and what draws people to them. There was some neat college history thrown in. The rules which prevented the administration from explaining tenure and student admission decisions were as fascinating as they were frustrating, within the novel's framework.  I even really liked Naomi Roth, the main character.

Sounds great right? It was great, to a point, but what I felt this book severely lacked was good editing! There was way too much information thrown out there that I think wasn't entirely necessary for this novel to work. There were run on sentences, even run on paragraphs that made me bleary eyed. I think most of the information could have been edited down so that the reader still got it, but didn't want to yell "let's just get back to the story".

Overall a great story about college life, mostly from an administration perspective, but beware that there is lots of extraneous writing that I wish could have been edited out.

4

Published on 4 Comments on Never Let You Go
Never Let You Go Book Cover Never Let You Go
Chevy Stevens
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
March 14, 2017
Hardcover
384
Publisher

The author of Still Missing targets her readership with a novel that hits all the notes they come to expect from her—and ratchets up the stakes even more. Lindsey Nash has left an abusive relationship and her ex-husband was sent to jail. She has started over with a new life, her own business, and a teenage daughter who needs her more than ever. When her husband is finally released, Lindsey believes she has cut all ties. There is no way he can ever find her and her daughter again. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her, tracking her every move. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded. Even her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it's her ex-husband, even though he claims he is a different person and doesn't want to do her any harm. But can he really change? Is the one who wants her dead even closer to home than she thought?

My review:

This is my first book by Chevy Stephens, and after devouring it, I'm sure it won't be my last! This was a fast paced page-turner with lots of twists and turns. The characters were well sculpted, the plot (with a few exceptions) seemed totally plausible, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. As usual with these types of books, it's impossible to say too much without revealing anything, but you know the whole time that it's not going to be the obvious suspect. There are several bones thrown out, to make you think "well maybe it's him", and even though my suspicion proved correct, I was floored by the reason behind it.

A great thriller that will keep you reading, and your heart pounding, well after it's tidy conclusion. An awesome escape from reality novel. Can't wait to read more from this author!

2

Published on 2 Comments on All Grown Up
All Grown Up Book Cover All Grown Up
Jami Attenberg
Fiction
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
March 7, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy
208
NetGalley

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Middlesteins comes a wickedly funny novel about a thirty-nine-year-old single, childfree woman who defies convention as she seeks connection. Who is Andrea Bern? When her therapist asks the question, Andrea knows the right things to say: she's a designer, a friend, a daughter, a sister. But it's what she leaves unsaid--she's alone, a drinker, a former artist, a shrieker in bed, captain of the sinking ship that is her flesh--that feels the most true. Everyone around her seems to have an entirely different idea of what it means to be an adult: her best friend, Indigo, is getting married; her brother--who miraculously seems unscathed by their shared tumultuous childhood--and sister-in-law are having a hoped-for baby; and her friend Matthew continues to wholly devote himself to making dark paintings at the cost of being flat broke. But when Andrea's niece finally arrives, born with a heartbreaking ailment, the Bern family is forced to reexamine what really matters. Will this drive them together or tear them apart? Told in gut-wrenchingly honest, mordantly comic vignettes, All Grown Up is a breathtaking display of Jami Attenberg's power as a storyteller, a whip-smart examination of one woman's life, lived entirely on her own terms.

My review:

I had a hard time liking this one, but I can see why others would. I was a big fan of two previous novels by Ms. Attenberg (Saint Mazie and The Middlesteins), so I'm not a stranger to her writing. And I love her writing, I really do, I still do. However, I did not like the main character in this book AT ALL! She reminded me of those books about 20 somethings who can't get their act together and figure out their lives (and if you've read my blog, you know those are not books I tend to enjoy, with a few exceptions). The problem was, that Andrea is thirty nine years old. Come on now! I kept reading (because the writing style just flows so well that you want to continue on), waiting for a major change in her character. I guess it kind of, sorta happened at the end, although not well enough to convince me, and far far too late. Her behavior was appalling to me, and although the book was trying to convey why she acted that way, I just couldn't buy into it (especially at her age).

Sorry to say that the character ruined this one for me, although Attenberg's writing style has not lost anything since her previous books. Count me in to read the next one, I'm just hoping for a character I like better. Be sure to check out other reviews of this around social media, sometimes it is just not the right book for me, yet others enjoy it immensely.

2

Published on 2 Comments on Everything Belongs to Us
Everything Belongs to Us Book Cover Everything Belongs to Us
Yoojin Grace Wuertz
Fiction
Random House
February 28, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy
368
NetGalley

"This debut novel takes place at the elite Seoul National University in 1970s South Korea during the final years of a repressive regime. The novel follows the fates of two women--Jisun, the daughter of a powerful tycoon, who eschews her privilege to become an underground labor activist in Seoul; and Namin, her best friend from childhood, a brilliant, tireless girl who has grown up with nothing, and whose singular goal is to launch herself and her family out of poverty. Drawn to both of these women is Sunam, a seeming social-climber who is at heart a lost boy struggling to find his place in a cutthroat world. And at the edges of their friendship is Junho, whose ambitions have taken him to new heights in the university's most prestigious social club, called "the circle," and yet who guards a dangerous secret that is tied to his status. Wuertz explores the relationships that bind these students to each other, as well as the private anxieties and desires that drive them to succeed" --

My review:

This was quite the up and down read for me. And I'm not speaking about my emotions, I'm speaking about the ups and downs of whether I was going to continue reading. The book starts off with promise, with a protest from some textile workers in a South Korean factory. Then it drags on about these two guys, who at some point do have a connection to the story. Every time I would decide to just read one more chapter before I gave up, the story would swing back around to my favorite character, and become interesting again. In other words, I loved the story of Namin, and pretty much was bored with all the rest of the parts. To be fair, I have a known affliction with books about twenty-somethings who are trying to "find themselves" in the world, so this could weigh heavily on why I didn't enjoy many parts not related to Namin (who was trying to claw her way out of poverty for her family). There was nothing wrong with the writing, although I wouldn't hang any literary awards on it, and if I had been more engaged in all the characters, I think the plot would have moved along more quickly. I was also hoping to glean a bit more knowledge about South Korea in the 70's, but that didn't really happen.

All in all, I'm giving this 3 stars. The Namin parts were a solid 4 stars, and the rest was 2 stars. Not a horrible book, but if you don't engage with the characters from the first few chapters, it may not be worth your while to finish.