Mailbox Monday-Aug. 25th

Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive. You can check out the Mailbox Monday blog to see what everyone else found in their mailboxes.

Here is what I found in my mailbox:

We are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas(audiobook)

I am excited to listen to this epic novel of Irish immigrants chasing the American dream.

 

Review: China Dolls by Lisa See

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

It’s 1938 in San Francisco: a world’s fair is preparing to open on Treasure Island, a war is brewing overseas, and the city is alive with possibilities. Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three young women from very different backgrounds, meet by chance at the exclusive and glamorous Forbidden City nightclub. Grace Lee, an American-born Chinese girl, has fled the Midwest with nothing but heartache, talent, and a pair of dancing shoes. Helen Fong lives with her extended family in Chinatown, where her traditional parents insist that she guard her reputation like a piece of jade. The stunning Ruby Tom challenges the boundaries of convention at every turn with her defiant attitude and no-holds-barred ambition.

The girls become fast friends, relying on one another through unexpected challenges and shifting fortunes. When their dark secrets are exposed and the invisible thread of fate binds them even tighter, they find the strength and resilience to reach for their dreams. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, paranoia and suspicion threaten to destroy their lives, and a shocking act of betrayal changes everything.

My Review:
What a wonderful story Lisa See delivers to us once again.  We follow the lives of these three women who are introduced to us at a young age in San Francisco, as we share in their friendships and heartaches.  The story is told from the perspectives of each of our main characters, Grace, Helen, and Ruby, so we get a glimpse into the reasons for their actions.

Grace is a young and innocent chinese girl that has fled to San Francisco in search of a better life.  Grace is probably the most talented of our characters, but she will not experience success until later in the novel.  Grace is an honorable friend who would do anything for those that she loves, so when her friendships with Helen and Ruby become stressed, her whole world is cast into turmoil.

Helen comes from a noble and wealthy Chinese family and lives with her entire family in a compound in the middle of Chinatown.  Her family's status has given Helen a life of privilege, allowing her to not really want for anything.  There is more to Helen that meets the eye as she fled from Shanghai with her family during the war, so she struggles to start her life over again.

Our third main character is Ruby, whose actions are wild and unpredictable.  Ruby uses her body and beauty to help her advance quickly among the Chinese nightclubs.  Ruby has her own dark secret, that once uncovered, will knock her status rank out from under her.

The main characters are brought together from odd circumstances, and even though they have different roles in various nightclubs, their friendship remains strong.  After the bombing of Pearl Harbor the boundaries of their friendship becomes tested, sending the girls lives in separate directions.  Lies and secrets keep them apart for years afterward leaving them yearning for the lost relationships.

Lisa See does a great job, as she always does, of setting up the time period for us.  I learned several things from this novel about how oriental people were treated during this time, even before the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  With themes of love, friendship, secrets, and forgiveness, I think you would enjoy this book as much as I did.  It would be a great novel to read for personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  4/5

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

Teaser Tuesday-Aug. 19

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.

This week my teaser is from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith:
She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of intimate friends.  Books became her friends and there was one for every mood.

pg. 166

Mailbox Monday-Aug. 18

Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive. You can check out the Mailbox Monday blog to see what everyone else found in their mailboxes.

Here is what showed up at my door:

 And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

What a surprise it was to get home from our trip to Colorado only to find a box filled with twelve of these books for my entire book group!  I love these surprises!

Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:
  
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

My Review:
I didn't know much about this book when my book club chose this one as a selection.  I knew that it was about a young boy that was being bullied, but I wasn't aware about his physical differences.  Kids can be mean to children who are just average, so imagine the things kids can think of when someone with so many differences, like Auggie, is cast into their school and lives.

Auggie knows he is different and he has come to accept that.  He has become accustomed to others being uncomfortable in his presence, and even the shock people experience when first encountering him.  Auggie is a normal boy underneath all his differences and although he is nervous about attending school for the first time he is excited about the possibilities.   

This book is told from various perspectives of people who are a part of Auggie's life.  Some of the characters that we gain some insight from are his sister, and even some of the new kids he meets at school.  Of course I loved the chapters narrated by Auggie himself, but I also enjoyed the sections narrated by his sister.  Via is older than Auggie and things changed drastically for her after he was born.  As much as she loves her brother she also struggles to find her place in the world.  I loved watching her character grow in this book.

I don't want to give too much of this book away as it unravels perfectly while reading.  With themes of family, friendship, differences, and forgiveness, I hope you love this book as much as I did.  I highly recommend this book for all age groups, for either personal leisure or as a book club selection.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:   I borrowed this book from the school library to read for my own entertainment and as a book club selection.

Teaser Tuesday-Aug. 5

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.

This week my teaser is from Safe With Me by Amy Hatvany:
Her breath freezes in her lungs, worried about what might happen next.  But then he lifts her hand to his mouth and kisses the inside of her palm.

pg. 278

Review: The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley

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

Matt Beaulieu was two years old the first time he held Elle McClure in his arms, seventeen when he first kissed her under a sky filled with shooting stars, and thirty-three when he convinced her to marry him. Now in their late 30s, the deeply devoted couple has everything-except the baby they've always wanted.

When an accident leaves Elle brain dead, Matt is devastated. Though he cannot bear the thought of life without her, he knows Elle was afraid of only one thing-a slow death. And so, Matt resolves to take her off life support.

But Matt changes his mind when they discover Elle's pregnant. While there are no certainties, the baby might survive if Elle remains on life support. Matt's mother, Linney, disagrees with his decision. She loves Elle, too, and insists that Elle would never want to be kept alive on machines. Linney is prepared to fight her son in court-armed with Elle's living will.

Divided by the love they share, Matt and Linney will be pitted against each other, fighting for what they believe is right, and what they think Elle would have wanted resulting in a controversial legal battle that will ultimately go beyond one family . . . and one single life.

My Review:  
Let me tell you that this controversial novel made an excellent book club selection.  Most of the ladies in my book club are conservative so although we loved the story most of us found ourselves frustrated with the situation at hand.  Sibley did a wonderful job of creating a story that could easily be ripped from the headlines of today, making you wonder, "What is the right decision?"

Linney had an advanced directive in place indicating she never wanted to be kept on life support if there was no chance for recovery from an illness or accident.  She watched her mother die a slow and painful death and did not want to put herself or her loved ones through a similar experience.  How could she foresee that she could possibly be pregnant in this exact situation?  Would she change her mind about life support if it could save the life of the unborn child that she and Matt have tried so desperately to conceive?  These are the questions Matt struggles with as he fights for the life of his unborn child.  

As Matt struggles to keep Linney alive long enough to bring their baby into this world, he must confront a new fight against several people who believe the physicians should follow her wishes.  This book tugged at the heartstrings page after page as we watch Matt struggle with his decisions.  He reads through her many journals that were started before they were even married, looking for clues to what she would actually want.  

I don't want to give any more of this novel away as the intensity builds as new legal implications arise with the situation.  I did enjoy this novel and you may find it just as enjoyable with themes of love, promises, and a medical lawsuit.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club selection.

My Rating:  4/5

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