Review: Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:

Sometimes you have to return to the place where you began, to arrive at the place where you belong.

It’s the early 1970s. The town of Ringgold, Georgia, has a population of 1,923, one traffic light, one Dairy Queen, and one Catherine Grace Cline. The daughter of Ringgold’s third-generation Baptist preacher, Catherine Grace is quick-witted, more than a little stubborn, and dying to escape her small-town life.

Every Saturday afternoon, she sits at the Dairy Queen, eating Dilly Bars and plotting her getaway to Atlanta. And when, with the help of a family friend, the dream becomes a reality, she immediately packs her bags, leaving her family and the boy she loves to claim the life she’s always imagined. But before things have even begun to get off the ground in Atlanta, tragedy brings Catherine Grace back home. As a series of extraordinary events alter her perspective–and sweeping changes come to Ringgold itself–Catherine Grace begins to wonder if her place in the world may actually be, against all odds, right where she began.

Intelligent, charming, and utterly readable, Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen marks the debut of a talented new literary voice.

My Review:
This was such a neat coming-of-age novel giving us a glimpse of rural life for one young gal in Georgia.  We learn the story of Catherine Grace who has grown up without her mother, knowing the world has so much more to offer than what is available in her stupid little town.  She looks forward to the day she can leave Ringgold for good.

This story had so many elements to it that I just loved.  I found myself smiling or just plain laughing out loud plenty of times while I was reading it.  I am sure many girls could read this book and easily put themselves in Catherine Grace's shoes, as I did.  Many kids that have grown up in small towns can't wait to get out and explore the world.  Personally, I felt the same exact way.  But, like Catherine Grace, once you get out there and start living you realize that it isn't what it's cracked up to be.

Catherine Grace has been lucky to have some wonderful people in her life.  Even with the support of her Preacher father and motherly women to help her, there were still times she felt left out of events because she didn't have a mother of her own.  She not only found kids treating her differently at times, but even adults.  It's hard to grow up with confidence when you feel out of place most of the time.

I loved the relationships in this novel.  Between Catherine Grace, her sister, her father, and Gloria Jean, I absolutely loved all of the characters.  With themes of love, family, and forgiveness I know that many of you would enjoy this book for either personal leisure or a book club discussion.  Our book club loved it and I highly recommend this novel.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  This book was from my personal collection and I read it for my own entertainment and as a book club selection.

Mailbox Monday-Dec. 24

Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive.  Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time.  This month you can check out what everyone received over at Suko's Notebook.

Here's the latest that came to my home:

 The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Teaser Tuesday-Dec. 18

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading. TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

This week my teaser is from The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson:
She finally buried her face in a quilt to keep the noise of her weeping from her sleeping family.  But she just couldn't stop the cascade of tears.


pg. 26

What Are You Reading?

Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next.

I finished on my Kindle:

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore was our last book club selection and I absolutely loved this book!  Most of the ladies in my group loved it as much as I did.  Hopefully I will have my review posted soon for this one.


I'm currently listening to:

I started listening to In Sunlight and In Shadow by Mark Helprin because my last boss told me Helprin is an amazing writer.  This is a long audio book, actually the longest one I have listened to so far.  I have picked up on some very beautiful writing, but as an audiobook I have to say that it does bore me at times.

What's next:

Our Christmas book club selection is The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson.  I've listened to a few of his audiobooks that I have enjoyed, but this will be the first book I have actually "read".  I have to say that I don't have high expectations for this one.

So what is keeping you busy one week before Christmas?

Books That Make Me Go....Ahhhh

So on Fridays I TRY to post a notable excerpt for the week.  These gems that catch my eye deserve much more notoriety besides being written down on a little sticky note in the front of the novel.

As I've been reading The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey, not much has stood out for me, but something finally caught my eye:
I was trembling now, fighting back the tears that pricked my eyes.  All the memories of fighting with Ma flooded back.  Was I to find no peace at all?  Och, why hadn't I gone with Joel when he'd offered me a way out?  I beat down the self-pity that threatened to drown me.  I would not give in to her.  I would hold on to my dream with everything I had.
pg. 248


The first half of this book seemed to drag on for me, but thankfully the second half has picked up!  Well today I am off to watch my baby girl graduate from college...how exciting!

Audiobook Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay

Author:  Suzanne Collins

Narrator: Carolyn McCormick


Unabridged Length: 11 hrs, 43 mn.

Here is a summary of the book from the Gooodreads website:

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.

My Review: 
Mockingjay was a fitting end to an amazing series.  Not wanting to put this series in my past, I held off on listening to the final book for as long as I could.  Once I started, I could tell that this installment would give me a satisfying closure for the trilogy.

Katniss gets caught up with the rebel alliance that is located at District 13.  Her family and Gayle are with her, but her thoughts are filled with Peeta every day.  The Capitol captured Peeta after the jumbled Quarter Quell and have been holding him hostage.  Katniss knows that his life hangs in the balance every moment he is in their custody.

After much persuasion, Katniss agrees to become the face of the Mockingjay, satisfying all the residents of Panem that are in support of the revolution.  A big driving force for Katniss fulfilling this role is the knowledge that one day she will have the opportunity to be alone with President Snow, at which time she will be in  control of his demise.

I don't think I've given any important details away.  Of course Katniss's romantic life is still in turmoil throughout most of the book, as she struggles to find out who truly owns her heart.  This will also be resolved by the end of the book, but I'm not going to tell you who she chooses!  This is a series that I didn't think I would enjoy, but SURPRISE, I loved it!  With themes of love, friendship, and survival, there is much in these books to ponder.  I don't know if I would necessarily suggest these books as a book club selection, but I don't hesitate in recommending the entire series for leisure reading.  

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this audiobook from  the library to listen for my own entertainment.

Review: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

Here is a summary of the book from the publisher's website:

Leif Enger's debut is an extraordinary novel—an epic of generosity and heart that reminds us of the restorative power of great literature. The story of a father raising his three children in 1960s Minnesota, Peace Like a River is at once a heroic quest, a tragedy, a love story, and a haunting meditation on the possibility of magic in the everyday world.

Raised on tales of cowboys and pirates, eleven-year-old Reuben Land has little doubt that miracles happen all around us, and that it's up to us to "make of it what we will." Reuben was born with no air in his lungs, and it was only when his father, Jeremiah, picked him up and commanded him to breathe that his lungs filled. Reuben struggles with debilitating asthma from then on, making him a boy who knows firsthand that life is a gift, and also one who suspects that his father is touched by God and can overturn the laws of nature.

The quiet Midwestern life of the Lands is upended when Davy, the oldest son, kills two marauders who have come to harm the family; unlike his father, he is not content to leave all matters of justice in God's hands. The morning of his sentencing, Davy—a hero to some, a cold-blooded murderer to others—escapes from his cell, and the Lands set out in search of him. Their journey is touched by serendipity and the kindness of strangers—among them a free spirit named Roxanna, who offers them a place to stay during a blizzard and winds up providing them with something far more permanent. Meanwhile, a federal agent is trailing the Lands, convinced they know of Davy's whereabouts.

With Jeremiah at the helm, the family covers territory far more extraordinary than even the Badlands where they search for Davy from their Airstream trailer. Sprinkled with playful nods to biblical tales, beloved classics such as Huckleberry Finn, the adventure stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, and the westerns of Zane Grey, Peace Like a River unfolds like a revelation.

My Review:
I read this book with my book club and I can tell you that since I didn't like his other book, So Brave, Young, and Handsome, I probably wouldn't have picked this one up on my own.  I'm glad I did though, because Enger brought us along on a miracle filled journey for young Reuben and his family.

Reuben is the narrator of the novel and it was interesting to see things from his young and innocent perspective.  Even when Reuben sees his older brother Davy kill in cold blood, his innocent mind allows him to believe that Davy did no wrong.  In an attempt to escape conviction, Davy flees his home and family on a quest for his freedom.  Davy's escape sets the tone for the novel, when afterwards his father packs up their belongings in a recently acquired Airstream trailer, and toting along Reuben and his sister, leaving their home in the Minnesota plains to head for the Badlands of North Dakota.  This is where they believe they will find Davy.

Miracles keep happening along their journey that really are unexplainable.  They seem to be making headway until they finally stop for gas close to their destination, and meet a woman named Roxanna.  Roxanna is a gracious woman who opens her heart and home to this family in need.  In time she seems to be the link that could make the Land family complete.

This was a very descriptive novel making it easy to create images of the scenes while reading.  I think my biggest problem with the book is that although it takes place in the 60's, it seemed to have an old western feel to it.  I quite often felt like I was watching an old western cowboy movie unfold before my eyes.  I didn't like watching these movies with my grandparents when I was young, so I didn't appreciate that tone in this novel.

Besides the western tone to the book, I have to admit that I found it enjoyable for the most part.  With themes of family, and miracles, and the age old battle between good and evil, I'm sure many of you will love it.  It made for an interesting book club discussion so I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for any book group out there.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book is from my personal collection and I read it for my own entertainment and as a book club selection.

Teaser Tuesday-Dec. 4

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading. TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

This week my teaser is from Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore:
Funny thing is, "passing" didn't sound like dying to a little girl.  At first I thought Mama must have passed on over to the next county like Buster Black or some bird flying across the sky.

Kindle Location 249 of 3173

Mailbox Monday-Dec. 3

Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive.  Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time.  This month you can check out what everyone received over at Suko's Notebook.

Here's what I found:

A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans

This is the only thing that came to my mailbox last week, but that's ok!  I bet this will be a nice one to listen to during the Holiday season!

Books That Make Me Go....Ahhhh

I know it's been awhile since I posted my notable excerpt for the week, but really, I will try to post every Friday!  These gems that catch my eye deserve much more notoriety besides being written down on a little sticky note in the front of the novel.

This one from Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen put a big old smile on my face:
Every preacher must need a place where he can hide from his flock, and that garden must have been my granddaddy's spot.  He probably felt closer to God hidden among those stalks of corn than anywhere else on this earth, probably the way I felt sitting on that picnic table at the Dairy Queen.

Kindle location:  180 of 3173

What Are You Reading?

Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next.

I finished listening to:

I decided that I have put off listening to Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins long enough and took the plunge.  I have to say that it was a great ending to a terrific series.  Hopefully I will have my review ready next week.

What I'm reading now:

I started to read The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey, but it has been slow going for me.  I don't usually do this, but since my book club meets next week I may have to set this one aside to get my book club selection read.

What's next:

 Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore is our current book club selection, and yes, it is the one I need to read by next Wednesday.  So I plan to start this one right away.  Salvation at the Dairy Queen?  Sounds good to me!

Audiobook Review: Summer Island by Kristin Hannah

Title:  Summer Island

Author:  Kristin Hannah

Narrator:  Joyce Bean

Unabridged Length:  Aprox. 10 hrs

Here is a summary of the book from the author's website:

Years ago, Nora Bridge walked out on her marriage and left her daughters behind. She has since become a famous radio talk-show host and newspaper columnist beloved for her moral advice. Her youngest daughter, Ruby, is a struggling comedienne who uses her famous mother as fuel for her bitter, cynical humor. When the tabloids unearth a scandalous secret from Nora's past, their estrangement suddenly becomes dramatic: Nora is injured in an accident and a glossy magazine offers Ruby a fortune to write a tell-all about her mother. Under false pretenses, Ruby returns home to take care of the woman she hasn't spoken to for almost a decade.

Nora insists they retreat to Summer Island in the San Juans, to the lovely old house on the water where Ruby grew up, a place filled with childhood memories of love and joy and belonging. There Ruby is also reunited with her first love and his brother. Once, the three of them had been best friends, inseparable. Until the summer that Nora had left and everyone's hearts had been broken. . . .

What began as an expose evolves, as Ruby writes, into an exploration of her family's past. Nora is not the woman Ruby has hated all these years. Witty, wise, and vulnerable, she is desperate to reconcile with her daughter. As the magazine deadline draws near and Ruby finishes what has begun to seem to her an act of brutal betrayal, she is forced to grow up and at last to look at her mother--and herself--through the eyes of a woman. And she must, finally, allow herself to love.

My Review:
I was in desperate need of an audiobook so I stopped at the library one evening on my way home and was urged to pick up Summer Island by Kristin Hannah.  A few of the ladies in my book club have read a bunch of Hannah's books, while I've only read a couple, so I thought I would try another.  I did find enjoyment from the audioversion, but I can't say I am going to go on a quest tomorrow to read more of her books.

A rift was created between Nora and Ruby the day Nora walked out on her family many years ago.  Ruby retreated to San Francisco in hopes of starting her career as a comedy writer.  That became pretty much hopeless once her reputation was established, whereas no-one would even contact her for small one-line acting jobs.

Nora is a successful radio talk-show host known for giving knowledgeable advice.  Things go awry for her career when photographs are revealed of her in compromising positions during the time she would have been married.  Her fans can't help but wonder who they are getting advice from if she was having an affair while she was married.

In an effort to steer clear of the media, Nora heads to the family cottage on Summer Island.  But after her accident she can't stay there alone, so she pleads with Ruby to join her on the island to offer her assistance when needed.  Surprisingly, Ruby agrees, which puts them on a path to understanding each other and the decisions they made that have left wounded hearts along the way.

Besides the family drama in this novel, there is also a love story weaved into the storyline.  This part was predictable to me and may be why I didn't like the book as much as others may have.  I can't say I was overly impressed with Bean's narration of the novel either.   With themes of love, forgiveness, family, and illness, this book does have a lot to offer.  Although I didn't love it, the audio was entertaining and I do recommend it for those that are looking for a lighter read or fans of Kristin Hannah.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from the public library for my own entertainment.

Mailbox Monday-November 19

Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive.  Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time.  This month you can check out what everyone received over at BermudaOnion's Weblog.

Here is what came to my house:

 Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore

This is the only book that showed up on my doorstep last week!  I ordered this one for one of my book club members since this is our current selection.  I'll be buying the Kindle version for myself.  I love the cover!

Review: A Hundred Flowers by Gail Tsukiyama

Here is a summary of the novel from the Macmillan website:

A powerful new novel about an ordinary family facing extraordinary times at the start of the Chinese Cultural Revolution

 

China, 1957. Chairman Mao has declared a new openness in society: “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend.” Many intellectuals fear it is only a trick, and Kai Ying’s husband, Sheng, a teacher, has promised not to jeopardize their safety or that of their young son, Tao. But one July morning, just before his sixth birthday, Tao watches helplessly as Sheng is dragged away for writing a letter criticizing the Communist Party and sent to a labor camp for “reeducation.” 

A year later, still missing his father desperately, Tao climbs to the top of the hundred-year-old kapok tree in front of their home, wanting to see the mountain peaks in the distance. But Tao slips and tumbles thirty feet to the courtyard below, badly breaking his leg. 

As Kai Ying struggles to hold her small family together in the face of this shattering reminder of her husband’s absence, other members of the household must face their own guilty secrets and strive to find peace in a world where the old sense of order is falling. Once again, Tsukiyama brings us a powerfully moving story of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances with grace and courage.

My Review:
Tsukiyama takes us into China when communism is in full force.  We are given a glimpse into the lives of one particular family, whose home once would have been considered luxurious, but now after the new laws have been put in place, they struggle to keep food on the table.  The chapters alternate between the various characters being told in third person.

I usually enjoy stories from this time period when the author takes us into the characters everyday struggles.  Something was missing from this novel for me though.  I can't say that I particularly enjoyed any of the characters or felt a special closesness or bond with them.  I also don't think the plot within the story itself was strong enough to want me to come back for more after I just closed my book for the day.

Life for everyone living within the villa became a hardship after Sheng, the breadwinner of the household, was taken away as a prisoner of the new Republic of China.  Everyone had new responsibilities and duties that were easily performed by Sheng in the past.  Young Tao has his own struggles after he falls out of a tree and breaks his leg.  This becomes a changing point for his life as he realizes things at home are not as they seem and life at school will never be the same.

All the characters in this novel carry their own burdens, but the one that I sympathize with most would probably be Wei.  Wei is Sheng's father and has held a secret deep in his heart since the day they took his son away.  One day Wei can no longer take the shame he feels that he has placed on his son's shoulders, and embarks on a journey to set things right.

As I indicated earlier, all the characters have their own crosses to bear, but I just didn't feel a connection to any of them.  Maybe I just missed something or was in the wrong frame of mind when reading this novel.  With themes of communism, China, family, and honor, you may enjoy this book more than I did.  

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This ebook was provided to me by the publisher through the Netgalley program in exchange for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday-Nov. 13

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading. TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

This week my teaser is from The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey:
Because of the rationing we could not buy nylons in the shops, but the tea gave our legs a bit of color.  Then I took a black eyebrow pencil and carefully drew a line down the center of my calves to resemble a stocking seam.

pg. 30

Mailbox Monday-November 12

Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive.  Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time.  This month you can check out what everyone received over at BermudaOnion's Weblog.

Here is what came to my house:

In Sunlight and in Shadow by Marki Helprin(audiobook)

When I requested In Sunlight and in Shadow, I didn't realize how long of an audiobook this is.  At 24 discs this will be the longest one I've listened to yet! 

Audiobook Review: Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci

Title:  Deliver Us From Evil

Author:  David Baldacci

Narrator:  Ron McLarty

Unabridged Length:  14hrs, 21 mn


Here is a summary of the book from the Hachette website:

In South America a 96-year-old man of great wealth reads a book late one night and an hour later he lies dead in his bed, the secrets of his past starkly revealed. Six months later another mystery man lies dead at the bottom of his pool in a villa in Provence. This time, however, there's a witness at the scene: Shaw, the shadowy operative from The Whole Truth, who barely escapes with his life. Meanwhile, a half a world away, photojournalist Katie James is working on a story of international importance. But shortly after her meeting with a potential inside source, she is smuggled unconscious onto an airplane headed to an undisclosed destination. In the days to come, Katie and Shaw will be reunited in a deadly duel of nerve and wits against a surprising, secretive enemy and led around the world at a breakneck pace. Filled with the kind of breathtaking plot turns and remarkable characters that only David Baldacci can deliver, it will be the most explosive thriller of the year. 

My Review:
This was an awesome book to listen to and it had me hooked from the opening scene.  McClarty does  a great job of narrating this action packed story that takes us through another of Shaw's assignments.  Little does Shaw know that another organization is tracking the same villain, but for a totally different purpose.

I enjoyed this audio so much that I went to see if I missed any other books that are part of the series.  At this time, the only other book with Shaw is The Whole Truth, which I also listened too, but enjoyed Deliver Us From Evil much more.  You can also read my review of The Whole Truth here if you are interested.

Shaw and his men are tracking down Waller, hoping to put an end to his part in a human trafficking ring.  During his assignment he crosses paths with Reggie and her crew who are tracking a man named Kuchen, for war crimes he was never convicted for.  Reggie has made a career of this, and cannot anticipate the monster that Kuchen really is.

I feel I should warn you that Kuchen truly is a monster.  There are torture scenes in this novel unlike any I have read previously.  And maybe that is because I don't usually read this genre, but they were very graphic, leaving me gripping my steering wheel and screaming down the highway like a nutjob.

Without giving too much away I will tell you Shaw and Reggie join forces to get their villain.  This book not only contains plenty of action, but even a little bit of romance.  And I think I also have to admit I developed quite a crush on Shaw.  I mean who wouldn't, with a 6'6" package of muscled man that also has a soft side?  I don't hesitate in recommending the audioversion of this novel.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday-Nov. 6

Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading. TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

This week my teaser is from Peace Like a River by Leif Enger:
Swede and I had been used to oratory; our former pastor could exhort like everything and owned what Dad said must be a special edition of the Holy Bible, for it contained things omitted from our own-references to card-playing, for example, and rock and roll, and the Russian people.  Our former minister had so much energy that simply pastoring wasn't enough; he also wrote regular editorials for the paper in the county seat of Montrose, which riled up readers and made him a star.

pg. 27

What Are You Reading?

Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next.

What I finished on my Kindle:

Although I wasn't overly impressed with A Hundred Flowers by Gail Tsukiyama I am still glad I read it.  Not one of my favorites from this time period.

What's on my Kindle now:

 Peace Like a River by Leif Enger is our current book club selection.  We meet on Wednesday night and I'm only halfway through it.....boy I hope I finish on time!

What's next:

I'm not making any promises, but I'm leaning towards The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey for my next read.  This one has been on my ARC pile for over a year!

So what books will be keeping you busy as you watch the election results tomorrow night?

Audiobook Review: Love Anthony by Lisa Genova

Title:  Love Anthony

Author:  Lisa Genova

Narrator:  Debra Messing

Unabridged Length:  Approx. 11 hrs

Here is a summary of the novel from the publisher's website:


Two women, each cast adrift by unforseen events in their lives, meet by accident on a Nantucket beach and are drawn into a friendship.
Olivia is a young mother whose eight-year-old severely autistic son has recently died. Her marriage badly frayed by years of stress, she comes to the island in a trial separation to try and make sense of the tragedy of her Anthony’s short life.

Beth, a stay-at-home mother of three, is also recently separated after discovering her husband’s long-term infidelity. In an attempt to recapture a sense of her pre-married life, she rekindles her passion for writing, determined to find her own voice again. But surprisingly, as she does so, Beth also find herself channeling the voice of an unknown boy, exuberant in his perceptions of the world around him if autistic in his expression—a voice she can share with Olivia—(is it Anthony?)—that brings comfort and meaning to them both.

My Review:
I loved this novel that shows us the perspectives of two very different women that are brought into each others lives for a reason they do not understand.  Although their personal tragedies are different, they are connected by a force that gave me chills as I finished this book. This story is told from both Olivia and Beth in alternating chapters.  I enjoy books that are written in this format and this was no exception.  

After Beth separates from her husband she starts to focus on her life, wondering what happened to the woman she used to be.  She had dreams and desires that were put aside while she focused on her family.  As she assesses her situation, she remembers the joy she had for writing and decides to take up the craft once again.  This is the beginning of a journey, rekindling the person she originally intended too become.

Olivia decides to live alone in her Nantucket summer home year round after the death of her young son.  Not only is her marriage in trouble, but she also struggles with her inner self.  She can't seem to move on with her life, as she reads her old journals daily, describing her usual frustrations with her autistic son.  She is hard on herself as she recalls specific moments, angry she didn't do things differently.

Debra Messing was a wonderful narrator for this novel.  I will go as far to say that I would hate to hear someone else reading this novel.  She brought the characters to life for me, helping to stress the emotional scenes as they arose.  Of course, this wouldn't have been possible without Genova's creation of these characters.  I found it interesting when the writing project Beth was creating, developed into a character of it's own.  Entire chapters were even dedicated to her project.  I have to admit that about halfway through the book, I started to get tired of these chapters, but towards the end when I saw where Genova was going with the storyline, I was amazed.  I am not exaggerating when I tell you the ending of this novel gave me chills.

So much more happens within this novel but I think you should read it yourself to discover its beauty.  With themes of love, friendship, autism, and personal fulfillment, this book is one that shouldn't be missed.  Those reading it for leisure will not be disappointed, but I definitely think it would spark a wonderful book club discussion.  I highly recommend this novel in audiobook form.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox in exchange for an honest review.

Wondrous Words Wednesday

Bermudaonion asks you to share new words that you have learned during your reading adventures in the last week. Feel free to join in the fun!

Here are a couple of new words I learned while reading Peace Like a River by Leif Enger:

Cantle:   the hind part of a saddle, usually curved upward.

Here is how cantle was used on page 39:
It was flawed only in the cantle, where the leather had split, and pulled apart.

Bellicose:  inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious.

Here is how bellicose was used on page 42:
Also in spring and fall were crows by the dozens, shiny-eyed bellicose buggers swaying in the high branches, cawing and losing their balance and flapping languidly.

So those are my new words for the week.  I have to admit that I am getting sick of the bellicose election advertisements and can't wait for Tuesday to put and end to it!

Mailbox Monday-Oct. 29

Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive.  Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time.  This month you can check out what everyone received over at the original Mailbox Monday blog!

Here is what came to my home:

Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger

I've been listening to so many more audiobooks lately, and although I usually listen to fiction, I have been lured to a couple of non-fiction titles.  

So what showed up in your mailbox?

Review: Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

Here is a summary of the book from the Simon and Schuster website:


"Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did." So begins the story of Lily Casey Smith, in Jeannette Walls's magnificent, true-life novel based on her no-nonsense, resourceful, hard working, and spectacularly compelling grandmother. By age six, Lily was helping her father break horses. At fifteen, she left home to teach in a frontier town -- riding five hundred miles on her pony, all alone, to get to her job. She learned to drive a car ("I loved cars even more than I loved horses. They didn't need to be fed if they weren't working, and they didn't leave big piles of manure all over the place") and fly a plane, and, with her husband, ran a vast ranch in Arizona. She raised two children, one of whom is Jeannette's memorable mother, Rosemary Smith Walls, unforgettably portrayed in The Glass Castle.

Lily survived tornadoes, droughts, floods, the Great Depression, and the most heartbreaking personal tragedy. She bristled at prejudice of all kinds -- against women, Native Americans, and anyone else who didn't fit the mold. Half Broke Horses is Laura Ingalls Wilder for adults, as riveting and dramatic as Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa or Beryl Markham's West with the Night. It will transfix readers everywhere. 

My Review:
What a beautiful story Jeannette Walls created describing the life of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith.  Through a first person narrative, we are given a glimpse into the hard life this woman led, and I can tell you, she was one tough cookie.

We follow Lily's life from when she was a young girl living on her parent's ranch in Texas, to her following her dreams.  When she first decides she has had enough life on the ranch, she heads for a new life in Chicago.  Life in the big city turns out to be more than she bargained for when she meets up with a man who turns out to be probably the biggest sleazeball she ever met, and then losing the first true friend of her life.

She finds herself heading back to her family in Texas, to find her mind opened up to the dream of becoming a teacher.  Knowing that she needs to make a life of her own, she heads out on her horse for a one-month journey to her first teaching destination.  This is the first of many teaching jobs for young Lily, as she doesn't conform easily to other's directions and ideas.  She is a woman who stands up for her convictions and will not ever be easily swayed.

We follow Lily throughout her adult life as she finds love and deals with personal tragedies.  She moves across the Western United States, not afraid of what she will find when she gets there, but enjoying the journey along the way.  I developed a respect for Lily throughout this book, just knowing what she endured throughout her life.  She gave every task her all, and was never afraid to try something new.  How her daughter Rosemary turned out to be a woman without ambitions I guess I will never understand.

This was an awesome story that was enjoyed by all of the ladies in my book group.  Overall, our group enjoyed this one more than The Glass Castle.  I enjoyed both of them about the same, but I think there were many more points in this book that just made me laugh out loud.  I mean, if you have read this book, can you tell me that the Mormon's "Wonder Underwear" did not make you laugh?  With themes of love, family, struggles, perseverance, and home, this book made for a wonderful book club selection.  Don't be afraid to read it for your own entertainment though.  I highly recommend this true-life novel.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  This book is part of my personal collection and I read it as a book club selection and for personal enjoyment.

Winners of American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar

I am pleased to announce the winners of American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar!

The winner of the audiobook is

Elisabeth

And the winner of the paperback is

Esme

Congrats to both of the winners!  I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information to forward on to the publisher.  I want to give a special thank you to Anna from Hachette for making this giveaway possible.

What Are You Reading?

Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next.

I finished:

What can I say about Love Anthony by Lisa Genova?  Wow.  Truly amazing.  I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by Debra Messing and she did a fabulous job.  You will have to wait for a complete review, but this is definitely one of my favorite audios this year.

What I'm listening to now:

Since I don't have any audiobooks for review right now, I decided to stop at the library on the way home on Friday an pick one up.  Summer Island by Kristin Hannah popped out at me, but so far it doesn't come close to Love Anthony.  Maybe I just started it too soon after finishing the previous one.  I'll probably just start it over and see how it goes.

Next on the Kindle:

Our current book club selection is Peace Like a River by Leif Enger.  I am excited to read this one that I know so many of you have already read.  A few years ago I listened to So Brave, Young, and Handsome, and did not like the audio at all.  I have higher hopes for this one that I will be physically reading.

So what book is holding your attention lately?

 

Audiobook Review: Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Title:  Beautiful Disaster

Author:  Jamie McGuire

Narrator:  Emma Galvin

Unabridged Length:  10 hrs, 30 mn

Here is a summary of the book from the Simon and Schuster website:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

My Review:
I have to admit when I requested this audiobook I didn't read the description at all, but was lured by the cover.  This worked out well for me, because had I read the summary it may not have appealed to me.  I believe this book would fall into the Young Adult genre, and I probably would not have enjoyed reading this book as much I enjoyed listening to the audio version.

Our main character Abby, is a young college freshman who has not lived an ideal life.  Her father was a high roller in Vegas, but when his luck turned, he blamed Abby and they lost everything.  This left them penniless while Abby strived to separate herself from her gambling addicted father.

When her and her best friend America start college at Eastern University Abby vows to make a new start.  She doesn't want any of the trash that tainted her life to this point to threaten her future.  The last thing she expects is for bad boy Travis to put a wrinkle in her plan.  When Travis starts to pursue her she informs him that nothing could possibly happen between the two of them, starting an honest friendship that both of them appreciate.

The relationship between Abby and Travis is a rollercoaster ride of emotional ups and downs.  Travis is the opposite of the kind of boy she was hoping to meet, but when she finally accepts that their relationship is much more than a friendship she embraces him wholeheartedly.  She cannot foresee that her past will be the factor to threaten their union.

When I first started listening to this book I have to admit that I didn't care for Galvin's narration.  It started out a bit cold an unemotional to me.  But that changed as the book went on and now thinking back it makes sense.  She was trying to start over and leave her past behind, so I can see how one would need to put their emotions at bay.

 I enjoyed this audiobook more than I thought I would.  Maybe it's because it reminded me of myself somewhat.  A girl trying to put her past behind her, but still being attracted to the bad boy.  Yup, I admit it.  I like the bad boy!  With themes of young love, new beginnings, and college life, this made for an interesting audio book.  I feel that the young adult audience will appreciate this book even more than I did and I don't hesitate in recommending this novel in audio form.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox in exchange for an honest review. 

What Are You Reading?

Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next.

Here is what I just finished listening to:

I've had the audiobook Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci sitting on my shelf for at least the last year and I finally decided to pop this one in my car.  Why did I wait so long?  I have no idea because it was awesome!

What I'm currently reading on my Kindle:

I thought I would enjoy A Hundred Flowers by Gail Tsukiyama more than I am.  I'm about halfway through and it seems like I am just muddling my way through it.  Hopefully the second half of the book picks up for me.

Next on audio:

I'm so excited to listen to Love Anthony by Lisa Genova, narrated by Debra Messing.  Yes, Debra Messing was the female lead on Will and Grace, which I just loved, so I'm excited to see how her narration skills are.

So what has been keeping you busy lately?  Since my commute to work is a half hour each way, I now have the opportunity to listen to more audiobooks.  So you may notice more audio reviews on my blog, but we have to roll with the punches!

Books That Make Me Go....Ahhhh

Every Friday I plan to post a notable excerpt from either a book I am currently reading or have read in the past.  These gems that catch my eye deserve much more notoriety besides being written down on a little sticky note in the front of the novel.

The following excerpt from A Hundred Flowers by Gail Tsukiyama was a feast for my senses so I couldn't help but share it:
His ba ba once told him that if he paid attention, he could actually smell, even taste the seasons.  He had begun to notice that the powerful scent of the kapok flower meant it was late March, or the sweet sticky taste of magoes and pineapples which came in the fall, while the worst part of summer brought the stinky smell of the durian fruit, which made him gag just to think of it.  Next month in November there would be the orangey citrus scents of winter, followed by Chinese New Year in January or February.

Kindle location 1169 of 2677

***Please note that this is from an Advanced Reading Copy so the final printing may change.

Review: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Here is a summary of the book from the Random House website:


The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

My Review:
I loved this novel that brought us into the life of young Victoria Jones.  Victoria is lost and alone without any friends or family as she prepares to live on her own.  Now that she is eighteen she is no longer allowed to live in foster homes, leaving her with the responsibility of finding both a job and a home for herself.

Diffenbaugh did a great job of presenting Victoria's life to us within the pages of this book.  The chapters alternated between Victoria's current day struggles and times from her past when she lived in foster homes.  The majority of her past glimpses were from when she lived with a single woman named Elizabeth, who planned on adopting her.  Victoria only lived with Elizabeth for a year, but their time together was special and it left quite an impact on the person Victoria would become.

Victoria turned into quite a tough cookie, never staying in one house too long, and usually not being treated very nicely either.  This shows through as she tries to start her adult life, living day to day, not making any plans for the future and just falling asleep wherever her head may lay.  How could she know that the knowledge of flowers that Elizabeth taught her all those years ago would help her get a leg up in this hard world.

One day while wandering the streets in search of a job, Victoria is drawn to a small flower shop called Bloom. After showing the owner, Renata, a sample of the floral gifts she can create, she is offered a temporary job.  This allows Victoria the chance to express herself in a way that helps her find the person that she wants to become.

This story flowed very nicely, making me want to get back to reading it right after I set it down.  So much more happens in this book than I have described above, but I don't want to give any more away.  I found myself pitying Victoria as she made foolish mistakes as a young woman, but then cheering her on when she figured out what she needed to do to make things right.  It wasn't all rainbows and butterflies, but it did leave me with a happy feeling as I read the last page.  With themes of love, forgiveness, family, and survival this book would make for a great book club discussion or just to read at your own leisure.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me from LibraryThing as part of the Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review.