Review: A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

Here is a summary of A Redbird Christmas from the publisher's website:

With the same incomparable style and warm, inviting voice that have made her beloved by millions of readers far and wide, New York Times bestselling author Fannie Flagg has written an enchanting Christmas story of faith and hope for all ages that is sure to become a classic.

Deep in the southernmost part of Alabama, along the banks of a lazy winding river, lies the sleepy little community known as Lost River, a place that time itself seems to have forgotten. After a startling diagnosis from his doctor, Oswald T. Campbell leaves behind the cold and damp of the oncoming Chicago winter to spend what he believes will be his last Christmas in the warm and welcoming town of Lost River. There he meets the postman who delivers mail by boat, the store owner who nurses a broken heart, the ladies of the Mystic Order of the Royal Polka Dots Secret Society, who do clandestine good works. And he meets a little redbird named Jack, who is at the center of this tale of a magical Christmas when something so amazing happened that those who witnessed it have never forgotten it. Once you experience the wonder, you too will never forget A Redbird Christmas. 

My Review:
Our book club usually picks a holiday themed novel to read during the month of December and this was our pick for this last Christmas season.  We have all become accustomed to not expect too much from these novels,  by just accepting that these are light reads for some holiday entertainment.  A Redbird Christmas was a sweet story that provided just that.

Oswald is our main character that isn't living much of a fulfilling life in Chicago.  He is a divorced man who doesn't even seem to have any possessions that hold any meaning to the life he has lived up until now.  One day he receives a diagnosis from his doctor that prompts him to leave the cold weather of Chicago in an attempt to extend his life, by how long he doesn't know.

This is how he ends up in the trusting town of Lost River, Alabama.  Oswald's life and attitude take a change in this little town where everyone truly seems to care for each other and want to help one another in any way possible.  All of the citizens welcome Oswald as one of their own, so it is only a matter of time until he finds his own little niche in the community.

Like I said, this was a sweet story that also held some magical elements.  With themes of love, miracles and friendship you may enjoy this book yourself.  If you happen to be looking for something light to read during the holiday season I would recommend this one.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  I purchased this book for my Kindle to read with my book club and for personal entertainment.

Review: Room by Emma Donaghue

Here is a summary of Room from the Hachette website:


To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating--a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.

My Review:
This is the first book that I have read by Donaghue and let me tell you that it was amazing!  I love it when an author can take a character and a situation and bring it to life to me on the page.  This is exactly what happened to me with young Jack.

Jack is the little boy that was born in Room and has never had any exposure to the outside world.  He doesn't know what he is missing outside, because he has never experienced it.  All he knows is the house that his Ma made for him in the small room that contains all of the necessities for someone to stay alive in solitude.

Jack's Ma remembers her life in the outside world before she  was abducted and locked away from society.  She loves her son Jack, but she also longs to have her old life back.  Although she appreciates the companionship with her son, she also desires relationships with other adults, and often when she can't handle life in Room any longer she will mentally retreat to a place that will not allow her to return until she is ready.

I am not going to give any more of this story away as I don't want to ruin it for anyone that hasn't read it yet.  This is a story that could very possibly be pulled right of current headlines and even when people are rescued from these conditions, their lives are never the same.  They must find a way to learn the rules of our society once again and even harder still, is being able to offer trust to any individual who comes in their lives.

This was an amazing story with themes of love, comfort, safety, abduction, and perseverance.  I think this book would make an excellent book club selection, but it also is great for leisure reading on your own.  I highly recommend this novel.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Audiobook Review: The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck

Title:  The Snow Angel

Author:  Glenn Beck and Nicole Baart

Narrators:  January LaVoy and Ron McLarty

Unabridged Length:  Aprox. 6 hrs

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

The woman in the picture was so young she looked like a child. Her hair was loose, eyes wide, blue T-shirt stark against the pale lines of arching collarbones. I felt the air leave me in a quiet rush. Not because of the way the photo captured her fleeting youth, but because of the way it highlighted the bruise.

It was a photo of me.

Rachel Price has just one happy memory from her childhood: the moment her father took her hands while playing outside on a cold, snowy day and called her his angel. It was a rare and sacred moment in her young life, one in which she finally felt safe, loved, and protected.

But it didn’t last long.

Years later, Rachel’s daughter is the only light in what has become a dark life. Rachel repeats the patterns she learned as a child and exposes her own daughter to those same destructive behaviors. Consumed by an abusive marriage, but secure in the safety of the familiar, she is too afraid to escape.

Rachel accepts what her life has become, even as she makes excuses for those who keep her in a constant state of despair and regret. But then, an unexpected phone call from an old friend changes everything. Her ordered world is turned upside down as she’s set on a journey that might be her last chance to salvage the life she’d given up on long ago.

While new friendships tentatively blossom, Rachel realizes that everything she once believed may be nothing but lies and misunderstandings. But knowing the truth is not as easy as it seems. Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss. As the snow falls and the promise of Christmas redemption nears, Rachel begins to see her entire childhood in a brand-new light and must now decide what her future holds—and what her past really means. Will knowing the truth set her free, or will it condemn her to a life full of regret and “what ifs”? 

The Snow Angel is a poignant tale about family, forgiveness, and the freedom to live a future free of the past.

My Review:
I have to start out by telling you that this audiobook was such an emotional journey for me.  I listened to half of it in one sitting when I had to pick my daughter up for Christmas break.  Ok, that was probably my mistake.   As this book continually tugged at my heart, I also fell in love with the story and characters.

This book alternates between perspectives of both Rachel and Mitch.  Rachel has been living her life in an abusive marriage and trying to protect her daughter from all that comes with this situation in any way she can.  It is a sad and lonely world for Rachel as her husband has basically destroyed any friendship or relationship that she had outside of their home.

Mitch is an elderly man living in an assisted living center that has been diagnosed with Alzheimer;s Disease.  He lives a desolate existence himself as he doesn't have many visitors at the center, except for the nicely dressed gentleman that he meets in the dining hall now and then.  Mitch seems to be losing his grip on reality as he can barely recall the little girl that he so dearly misses.

This was a great Christmas book to listen to and I really don't want to give any more of it away.  If I have a complaint, it would be that it was just so darn sad.  I mean I was practically sobbing as I was going down the highway.  With themes of love, friendship, abuse, and family I think that many of you will enjoy this book.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure: This book was provided to me through the Audiobook Jukebox reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour and Review: All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

Thanks to Trish from TLC Book Tours for inviting me to take part in the tour for this debut novel by Duncan Jepson.

Here is a summary of All the Flowers in Shanghai:



For every young Chinese woman in 1930s Shanghai, following the path of duty takes precedence over personal desires.

For Feng, that means becoming the bride of a wealthy businessman in a marriage arranged by her parents. In the enclosed world of the Sang household—a place of public ceremony and private cruelty—fulfilling her duty means bearing a male heir. For every young Chinese woman in 1930s Shanghai, following the path of duty takes precedence over personal desires.

The life that has been forced on her makes Feng bitter and resentful, and she plots a terrible revenge. But with the passing years comes a reckoning, and Feng must reconcile herself with the sacrifices and terrible choices she has made in order to assure her place in the family and society—even as the violent, relentless tide of revolution engulfs her country.

Both a sweeping historical novel and an intimate portrait of one woman’s struggle against tradition, All the Flowers in Shanghai marks the debut of a sensitive and revelatory writer.

My Review:
This was a wonderful debut novel by Duncan Jepson that gives us a glimpse into the life of Feng, a young Chinese girl.   Footbinding is no longer practiced in 1930's Shanghai, but women still do not have many rights.  Feng did not plan on having an eventful life, as the family had arranged for her older sister to reap all of the rewards from society.

Feng seemed to be content living her life as the younger sister in the family, not having any expectations and being able to live her life as she wanted when the time was right.  She had a special relationship with her grandfather who took the time with her almost every day to walk through the vibrant and colorful gardens to introduce her to all of the flowers.

Young Feng has a rude awakening one day when her life takes a drastic change.  For reasons that she doesn't understand, her parents decide to marry her into a wealthy family.  She truly enjoyed her simple life and was not prepared for the stress and responsibility that came along with her upcoming nuptuals.

Having to live her new life without the true love that she had hoped for, Feng becomes a bitter woman, looking out only for herself and finding small ways to punish those around her.  This bitterness seeps into her heart and soul and will leave a mark on her for the rest of her life.

I really enjoyed this novel as it gives me a glimpse into a specific period in China that was so educational.  We watch as the various classes of society change as communism is put into place.  It is through this change that Feng is brought back to the roots of the person that she is and is able to come to terms with the person that she has become.  With themes of China, communism, family, and obligations this was a great novel and I also think it would make a great book club selection.  I do not hesitate in recommending this novel.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me by the publisher to participate in this blog tour and provide an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Iron House by John Hart

Title:  Iron House

Author:  John Hart

Narrator:  Scott Sowers

Unabridged Length:  14 hours







Here is a summary of Iron House from the Macmillan website:

An old man is dying.

When the old man is dead they will come for him.
And they will come for her, to make him hurt.


HE WOULD GO TO HELL
At the Iron Mountain Home for Boys, there was nothing but time. Time to burn and time to kill, time for two young orphans to learn that life isn’t won without a fight. Julian survives only because his older brother, Michael, is fearless and fiercely protective. When tensions boil over and a boy is brutally killed, there is only one sacrifice left for Michael to make: He flees the orphanage and takes the blame with him.

TO KEEP HER SAFE
For two decades, Michael has been an enforcer in New York’s world of organized crime, a prince of the streets so widely feared he rarely has to kill anymore. But the life he’s fought to build unravels when he meets Elena, a beautiful innocent who teaches him the meaning and power of love. He wants a fresh start with her, the chance to start a family like the one he and Julian never had. But someone else is holding the strings. And escape is not that easy. . . .

GO TO HELL, AND COME BACK BURNING
The mob boss who gave Michael his blessing to begin anew is dying, and his son is intent on making Michael pay for his betrayal. Determined to protect the ones he loves, Michael spirits Elena—who knows nothing of his past crimes, or the peril he’s laid at her door— back to North Carolina, to the place he was born and the brother he lost so long ago. There, he will encounter a whole new level of danger, a thicket of deceit and violence that leads inexorably to the one place he’s been running from his whole life: Iron House.

My Review:
I have found that I usually do not like to read books from the mystery/suspense genre, but listening to them is a different story!  I love the action that these stories provide for my listening pleasure.  I have read several great reviews from other bloggers who read this book, so I was looking forward to it.  I have to tell you that the audioversion fell a bit short for me though.

Michael and his younger brother Julian were raised at an orphanage in a remote community in North Carolina.  When Michael flees the orphanage to make a life of his own, Julian stays on and is eventually adopted by a family that holds substantial political influence.  Although Julian grows up with a privileged lifestyle, the ghosts of the Iron House orphanage will haunt him forever.

Michael starts his life over in New York City and finds himself in a lucrative career within the circle of organized crime.  A life containing all of the crime and deceit can only last so long, and when it is over, it ends quickly.  Michael eventually flees the city and returns to the only home he has ever known in a quest for answers.  Little does he know that he will unravel secrets that were never meant to revealed from years ago.

So this audiobook had a great plot, but like I said, it just didn't measure up for me.  I found my attention wandering quite often and although I was able to get caught up with the family drama between the two brothers, there were still parts of the book that I missed and just didn't understand certain parts of the storyline because of that.  With themes family, love, and crime, this story may be of interest to fans of the thriller genre.

My Rating:  3/5

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

Review: The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

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


At ninety-one years old, Ptolemy Grey is one of the world’s forgotten: by his family, by his friends, by even himself. Marooned in a cluttered Los Angeles apartment overflowing with mementos from his past, Ptolemy sinks deeper into lonely dementia and into a past that’s best left buried. He’s determined to pass the rest of his days with only his memories for company. Until, at his grandnephew’s funeral, he meets Robyn and experiences a seismic shift, in his head, his heart, and his life.

Seventeen and without a family of her own, Robyn is unlike anyone Ptolemy has ever known. She and Ptolemy form an unexpected bond that reinvigorates his world. Robyn will not tolerate the way he has allowed himself to live, skulking in and out of awareness barely long enough to cash his small pension checks, living in fear of his neighbors and the memories that threaten to swallow him. With Robyn’s help, Ptolemy moves from isolation back into the brightness of friendship and desire. But Robyn’s challenges also push Ptolemy to make a life-changing decision that will affect both of them: to recapture the clarity and vigor of his fading mind and unlock the secrets he has carried for decades.

Already an acclaimed and beloved literary voice, Walter Mosley charts new territory in the exploration of the complex tensions at the heart of race in America. A novel that explores the generosity of love, the influence of memory, and our human desire for connection, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is a contemporary classic.

My Review:
Mosley takes us on the end of life journey of Ptolemy Grey, as he is an elderly gentleman whose dementia is getting worse every day.  With the book being narrated by Ptolemy we are given a front row seat to his confusion as his thoughts become more scattered.  He finds more and more that his distant memories are beginning to be combined with his more current memories  so he gets to the point where he is not sure if his memories are actually real.

Ptolemy had a nephew who came to help him with general needs every so often.  They would go buy groceries, have lunch, cash his retirement checks, and whatever else might need to be done on any particular visit.  Ptolemy can't help but become alarmed when this loving nephew is suddenly murdered.  He loved this young man that took such good care of him, and what would become of him now?

At his nephew's funeral, Ptolemy is introduced to a young gal named Robyn, a young woman who appears to be fending for herself in this world, that one of Ptolemy's relatives has taken into their home.  Ptolemy and Robin find something special in each other and make a connection that Ptolemy hasn't experienced in years.  As he lets Robyn into his life a little more each day, she becomes more than a casual acquaintance, but also a dear friend who truly cares for him.

Things are about to change quickly for Ptolemy as a consultation with a social worker puts him on a path to meet a doctor that will help him with his memory problems.  Will the ultimate sacrifice make everything worthwhile for Ptolemy to have vivid memories of his entire life?  Ptolemy feels this is the direction that is necessary for him to leave a legacy for all of his loved ones.

This was a beautifully written novel that made me realize how frustrated my 89 year old Grandma must be in her body as she searches for words that came to her easily in the past.  I admit that I get frustrated at times listening to the same stories over and over, but I guess this is her way of keeping her memories alive so who I am to put a kabash to that?  With themes of race issues, elderly mistreatment, familial obligations, and friendship, this book has much to offer for a various array of readers.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me from the publisher through the Shelf Awareness Newsletter in exchange for an honest review.

New Author Challenge Completed!

I'm pleased to announce that I have this challenge officially under my belt now also!   Literary Escapism hosted this challenge again this year and I think I will definitely be looking forward to this one again next year!  I signed up to read 25 new authors this year and as you can see from the list below I have surpassed that goal!  You should be able to click on the title of the book if you are interested in reading my review:

1. Dolen Perkins-Valdez--Wench--Completed 1/6/2011
2. Chevy Stevens--Still Missing--Completed 1/12/2011
3. William Carmichael and David Lambert--The Missionary--Completed 1/14/2011
4. Nicholas Evans--The Brave--Completed 2/1/2011
5. Kathryn Magendie--Sweetie--Completed 2/6/2011
6. Eric Van Lustbader--The Bourne Objective--Completed 3/4/2011
7. Steve Martin--An Object of Beauty--Completed 3/17/2011
8. Brunonia Barry--The Map of True Places--Completed 3/23/2011
9. Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows--The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society--Completed 3/31/2011
10. Kamala Nair--The Girl in the Garden--Completed 4/24/2011
11. Cynthia Ruchti--They Almost Always Come Home--Completed 5/2/2011
12. Kate Atkinson--When Will There Be Good News--Completed 5/9/2011
13. Tom Franklin--Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter--Completed 5/23/2011
14. Alan Bradley--The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie--Completed 5/29/2011
15. Garth Stein--The Art of Racing in the Rain--Completed 5/31/2011
16. Ellen Bryson--The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno--Completed 6/15/11
17. Patty Friedmann--Too Jewish--Completed 6/27/11
18. Kristin Gore--Sweet Jiminy--Completed 7/2/11
19. Robert Vivian--Lamb Bright Saviors--Completed 7/25/11
20. Kathryn Stockett--The Help--Completed 8/7/11
21. Margaret Leroy--The Soldier's Wife--Completed 9/10/11
22. Sara Shepard--Everything We Ever Wanted--Completed 9/24/11
23. Ann Gabhart--Angel Sister--Completed 10/4/11
24. Tom McNeal--To Be Sung Underwater--Completed 10/7/11
25. Tom Perrotta--The Leftovers--Completed 10/31/11
26. Jeannette Walls--The Glass Castle--Completed 10/31/11
27. Walter Mosley--The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey--Completed 11/15/11
28. Emma Donaghue--Room--Completed 12/20/11
29. Glenn Beck--The Snow Angel--Completed 12/24/11
30. Duncan Jepson--All the Flowers in Shanghai--Completed 12/27/11
31. Fannie Flagg--A Redbird Christmas--Completed 12/31/11

I will keep adding to this list as I read more new authors for the remainder of the year.

Review: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Here is a summary of The Glass Castle from Reading Group Guides:

The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

The Glass Castle is truly astonishing -- a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar, but loyal, family. Jeannette Walls has a story to tell, and tells it brilliantly, without an ounce of self-pity. 

My Review:
First, I think that I have to tell you that I usually don't enjoy non-fiction, but this memoir was amazing!  Walls gives us a glimpse as to what it was like growing up in a dysfunctional family, I mean honestly, if you thought your family was a bunch of mixed nuts you will feel much better after reading this book!

The Wall's family lived a wandering lifestyle, not wanting to settle in one place for too long.  It seemed that when the kids were just getting accustomed to their new home, the parents would decide for whatever reason that it was time to pick up and move on.   Knowing that they had to fit all of their belongings in the one car, and probably would not be returning to get anything left behind, the kids were allowed to choose only one or two items for the journey.

Jeannette's mother considered their gypsy lifestyle to be an adventure so she didn't like to stay in one place for any length of time.  When Jeannette's grandmother passed away and left them a comfortable home in Phoenix, this  probably marked the longest stretch of normalcy for the family.  This of course would only last so long as the parents did not seem concerned with the upkeep and maintenance of the beautiful home that was left to them.  Before too long they would be about to embark on another adventure to a new destination and home.

Adding to the family's dysfunctional attributes, Jeannette's father was an alcoholic.  There were many times throughout this memoir where he had the choice to provide food for his family, or nurse his addiction, and the alcohol won the battle almost every time.  It was very heartbreaking to watch these selfish parents as they nursed their personal dreams, goals, and addictions, while leaving these children to fend for themselves in almost every way.

I don't want to give away any more about this memoir, as I really believe that everyone should read it, although I may be the last blogger that has!  It made a great book club discussion  as all of the ladies in my group enjoyed this book.  With themes of family, loyalty, and perseverance, this book will keep you up later as you will be hesitant to set back on the nightstand before going to sleep.  I highly recommend this memoir!

My Rating:  5/5

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

Audiobook Review: The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

Title:  The Leftovers

Author:  Tom Perrotta

Narrator:  Dennis Boutsikaris

Unabridged Length:  approx. 11 hrs.


Here is a summary from the Macmillan website:
What if—whoosh, right now, with no explanation—a number of us simply vanished?  Would some of us collapse? Would others of us go on, one foot in front of the other, as we did before the world turned upside down?

That’s what the bewildered citizens of Mapleton, who lost many of their neighbors, friends and lovers in the event known as the Sudden Departure, have to figure out. Because nothing has been the same since it happened—not marriages, not friendships, not even the relationships between parents and children.  

Kevin Garvey, Mapleton’s new mayor, wants to speed up the healing process, to bring a sense of renewed hope and purpose to his traumatized community. Kevin’s own family has fallen apart in the wake of the disaster: his wife, Laurie, has left to join the Guilty Remnant, a homegrown cult whose members take a vow of silence; his son, Tom, is gone, too, dropping out of college to follow a sketchy prophet named Holy Wayne.  Only Kevin’s teenaged daughter, Jill, remains, and she’s definitely not the sweet “A” student she used to be.  Kevin wants to help her, but he’s distracted by his growing relationship with Nora Durst, a woman who lost her entire family on October 14th and is still reeling from the tragedy, even as she struggles to move beyond it and make a new start.

With heart, intelligence and a rare ability to illuminate the struggles inherent in ordinary lives, Tom Perrotta has written a startling, thought-provoking novel about love, connection and loss.

My Review:
What an interesting book this was that sets us in a town after a portion of it's citizens have disappeared.  The people that were left behind struggle with reasons as to why they weren't taken and where exactly the missing people went.  They were here one second and gone the next...but gone where?

Kevin is the mayor of Mapleton and although his family weathered the Sudden Departure, it definitely left them all broken in their own way. Kevin's wife Laurie does not think that the way they are living is benefiting society, so she joins a group that believes they are fulfilling a greater purpose.  His son Tom was in college when the Departure took place, so after losing half of his classmates to this event, he withdrew from school to follow an odd character who also thought had all the answers.  Kevin's high school daughter Jill still lives at home, along with her best friend that moved in, but high school has been elevated to a new level since the Departure.

We follow all of these characters lives throughout the novel, as we get a closer look at their hopes and fears.  They are all trying to move on with their lives, but find themselves stalled as there is so much uncertainty in the world where they live.  Half of the population is gone and who is to say that the rest of us won't be gone tomorrow?

There is so much to contemplate within this novel and I really feel that I shouldn't disclose any more about it that would ruin the story for you.  I love stories that make me stop and think, "How would I react in this situation?"  That is the type of book this is and the narrator did a great job of keeping the listener's attention.   With themes of end times, forgiveness, love and redemption, this book will give the reader or listener plenty to ponder long after you have turned the last page or listened to the last track.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me through the Audiobook Jukebox reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart

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

It is 1936 and Kate Merritt, the middle child of Victor and Nadine, works hard to keep her family together. Her father slowly slips into alcoholism and his business suffers during the Great Depression. As her mother tries to come to grips with their situation and her sisters seem to remain blissfully oblivious to any problems, it is Kate who must shoulder the emotional load. Who could imagine that a dirty, abandoned little girl named Lorena Birdsong would be just what the Merritts need?

This richly textured novel reveals the power of true love, the freedom of forgiveness, and the strength to persevere through troubled times. Multidimensional characters face real and trenchant problems while maintaining their family bonds, all against the backdrop of a sultry Kentucky summer.

My Review:
When this book was chosen as a book club selection, not one of us ladies realized that it was actually Christian fiction.  Although I am a Christian, I have found that much Christian fiction I read just ends up being a bit too unrealistic for my taste.  I can tell you that most of the ladies in my group loved this novel, while my final thoughts tend to be a bit more reserved.

Although I didn't enjoy this story as much as the other ladies, I did find appreciation within the story itself.  We are brought to a small community in Kentucky during the Great Depression to follow the lives of the Merritt family.  We are shown glimpses of past events that all of the family members have been avoiding, but now realize that they must confront these demons if their lives are going to continue without hurting one another.

Victor and Nadine fell in love long ago, and it was very touching as they both reflected on their love and lives together as they were struggling to keep their marriage intact.  They were so young and in love that I don't think either one of them realized how they got to this place in their marriage where they no longer recognized each other.  But Nadine kept her faith in the Lord and her husband and once Victor admitted to Nadine that he needed help, she embraced him and offered him her support.

Kate is the middle sister of the Merritt family and for some reason has taken the weight of the family's problems on her own shoulders.  When Kate discovers a young girl that appears to be left on the church doorstep her motherly instincts take over and she takes young Lorena Birdsong under her wing.  When Kate brings Lorena home everyone is smitten with her, but little do they know the fight that is ahead of them if they intend to try to offer a home to her in the future.  This little girl's presence within the Merritt household ignites a tenacity within the household that is needed if they are going to stay together.

I don't want to give away any more of the story in the event that you read it yourself.  As I indicated earlier, I did enjoy the story but there were snippets of the writing I did not enjoy.  The book is told in third person, but every now and then a phrase was in there that was from a first person viewpoint.  I also had a problem with the timeline throughout the novel.  Very often a character was reflecting on past events and I found that the flow from past to present to be confusing.  I found myself having to stop reading once and awhile and go back over the last couple of pages just to be sure I was following the story correctly.

Besides my few problems with this novel, I did find enjoyment from reading it.  The ladies in my book club loved it and it created great discussions with themes of love, forgiveness, war, and familial relationships.

My Rating:  3/5

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

Audiobook Review: To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal

Title:  To Be Sung Underwater
Author:  Tom McNeal
Narrator:  Susan Boyce
Unabridged Length:  15 hrs, 15 mn.

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

Judith Whitman always believed in the kind of love that "picks you up in Akron and sets you down in Rio." Long ago, she once experienced that love. Willy Blunt was a carpenter with a dry wit and a steadfast sense of honor. Marrying him seemed like a natural thing to promise. But Willy Blunt was not a person you could pick up in Nebraska and transport to Stanford. When Judith left home, she didn't look back.

Twenty years later, Judith's marriage is hazy with secrets. In her hand is what may be the phone number for the man who believed she meant it when she said she loved him. If she called, what would he say?

TO BE SUNG UNDERWATER is the epic love story of a woman trying to remember, and the man who could not even begin to forget.

My Review:
When this audiobook starts out, it seems that Judith is unhappy with the direction that her life has taken her.  She appears to have a beautiful family after marrying her college sweetheart and having a lovely daughter.  But after suspecting that her husband is having an affair she can't help but wonder if she passed up her one chance for true love long ago.

Although this story takes place in present day, Judith reflects back on her teenage years when she met young Willy Blunt.  We find out how her relationship with her parents helped to shape her into the person that she has become.  After her parents divorce, Judith seems to lose touch with her mother when it seems that living with her father would be in her best interests.

It is during the time that Judith is living with her father when paths cross with Willy.  They fall in love at such a young age and while Willy seems to already have a life for himself in a small town, Judith is thinking about college and where that life may take her.  She just isn't sure if she can live with herself if she doesn't move forward to a prospective future.

I don't want to give any more of this audiobook away, but I will tell you that Judith was not happy with the person that she has become.  It seemed to me that she even tried to reinvent herself, which was a part of the story that I just did not understand and found a bit unnecessary.  But Judith finds that she must confront her past and accept the decisions that she has made in order to move on with her life.

This audiobook was narrated by Susan Boyce, who I feel did not attribute much to the story itself.  As I was listening to the story I thought to myself several times that this may be a book that I would have enjoyed actually "reading" rather than listening to.  Overall I did enjoy this novel with themes of true love, secrets, and family obligations.

My Rating:  3/5

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

Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard

First of all I need to thank Trish once again from TLC Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour.  Isn't the cover of this book beautiful?  I must admit to you that even though I hate Fall, I would love to be walking down this lane with the leaves crunching under my feet.  I'm even giving a copy of this book away at the end of this post.

Here is a summary of the novel from the Harper Collins website:
A recently widowed mother of two, Sylvie Bates-McAllister finds her life upended by a late-night phone call from the headmaster of the prestigious private school founded by her grandfather where her adopted son Scott teaches. Allegations of Scott's involvement in a hazing scandal cause a ripple effect, throwing the entire family into chaos. For Charles, Sylvie's biological son, it dredges up a ghost from the past who is suddenly painfully present. For his wife Joanna, it forces her to reevaluate everything she's hoped for in the golden Bates-McAllisters. And for Scott, it illuminates harsh truths about a world he has never truly felt himself a part of. 

But for all the Bates-McAllisters, the call exposes a tangled web of secrets that ties the family together: the mystery of the school hazing, the event that tore Charles and Scott apart the night of their high school awards ceremony, and the intended recipient of a certain bracelet. The quest to unravel the truth takes the family on individual journeys across state lines, into hospitals, through the Pennsylvania woods, and face-to-face with the long-dormant question: what if the life you always planned for and dreamed of isn't what you want after all?

My Review:
This story brings us into the lives of a privileged American family as they are struggling to try to hold onto the life that they know.  Sylvie was fortunate enough to inherit her grandfather's mansion early on in her marriage, but I don't think that she realized how this windfall would impact her family life.  Her grandfather worked hard building the family business and making a name for himself and was quite an asset to the local community.  When the private high school was about to shut down, he bailed them out, resulting in becoming the lead shareholder from the endeavor.


It seemed to me that the family's involvement with the private school, Swithin, was where many of the problems unfolded for this family.  Sylvie always said that if it weren't for her grandfather, Swithin would not even be here today.  She finds herself becoming troubled when she hears of how her grandfather treated the less privileged people in their community.  She has to come to terms with the fact that her grandfather was not the upstanding citizen that she always thought.

As Sylvie is dealing with the new revelations about her grandfather, she is also still mourning the loss of her husband.  It hasn't been that long since he passed away in such a quick and swift manner, and it seemed that they left so many things unspoken and unanswered.  Sylvie had suspected that he was having an affair but she really had no idea who he was seeing or even the extent of their relationship.

Sylvie's sons seemed to have suffered the most growing up under the McAllister name.  Scott was adopted by the Bates-McAllister's at a young age and their father seemed to show more love and understanding to him than to their older son Charles.  This created turmoil between the two brothers throughout their lives that they never seemed to be able to overcome.  All of their relationships are pushed to the boiling point during a high school celebration when Scott uncovers a secret that leaves their relationships torn and tattered.

After that high school blow out all of the family members just seem to be living life day to day, without plans of improving themselves or moving on in any way.  It was so sad to see this family stuck in a kind of limbo that wouldn't allow them to experience any happiness.  When Scott finds himself the center of an investigation at the Swithin private school, each of the family members start to evaluate their lives and the events that have happened since that long ago afternoon.  Confronting the past and their own demons will help each of them move on to being the people that they really want to be.

This was a good story, but there was something within the pages that I just didn't love.  It certainly isn't a feel good book, but that has not prevented me from enjoying stories in the past.  Maybe it was the fact that I have always believed that if you just give children whatever they want in life, you are helping them to fail.  This family obviously had everything handed to them on a silver platter, and their lives may have looked fine and dandy from the outside, but from the inside they were being ripped to shreds.   I only touched on a few of the relationship issues that were apparent in this novel, but even though I didn't love it, I still think that this novel would make a good book club discussion with themes of families, secrets, and revelations.

My Rating: 3/5

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

Now for the giveaway!
I will be giving away one trade paperback copy of this book to give away.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada. No PO Boxes please.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.

For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.

Please include your email so I will have a way to contact you if you win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as myemail.address AT gmail DOT com or myemail.address [at] gmail [dot] com.

You will have until November 10th to enter and I will draw for a winner on or after November 11th.

Good luck Everyone!

**This giveaway is closed.**

Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

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

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.


Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

My Review:
This was such a wonderful story and I am so glad that I waited to read it as a book club selection, because I know that all of the ladies loved this novel so it is sure to be an eventful evening!  The story is told from the perspective of three different women in Jackson, Mississippi, when segregation in other parts of the United States is coming to an end, it is alive and in full force in Jackson.  

Miss Skeeter is one of our narrators who is an aspiring journalist that recently finished her college education.  A small door is opened for Miss Skeeter as she is offered to write a column for the local newspaper.  Although this is a step in the right direction she has so many more dreams for her writing career.  She just doesn't think those dreams will ever be realized if she can't ever get out of Jackson.  Skeeter has more liberal views than most of her family and friends so quite often she finds herself not being invited to social gatherings and before you know it is considered an outcast.  Her friends' attitudes help to spark the idea for a project that will get out the stories of the negro population in Jackson that will show the truth to the entire country.

Aibileen is a maid that works for a close friend of Skeeters and happens to be the first person that Skeeter turns to for help in her project.  Knowing that they could get in a heap of trouble Aibileen is hesitant to become involved in this endeavor as people have been beaten and killed for doing things much less threatening.  Aibileen is a strong woman with an amazing heart who lives alone as her son was killed in a terrible accident years ago.  I don't think that anyone could help but love Aibleen's character.

Minny is another maid who is also a good friend of Aibileen's.  Minny is another fabulous character who is an amazing woman but cannot seem to hold onto a job because her sassy mouth usually intervenes.  She is a hoot as she just tells things like they are.  Minny is especially nervous about helping out Skeeter as most of Jackson already has her blackballed because of her behavior.

There are some strong women that really put themselves out there for a cause that they truly believe in.  Skeeter earns the confidence of not only Aibleen and Minny, but also many of their friends.  As Skeeter makes choices both about her project and where her life is leading, she cuts herself off more from her lifelong friends.  Before you know it the only friends that Skeeter has left are the women that are helping her with her project.  Everyone else has deserted her, which only gives her more courage to do what she is doing.

This book gives us a glimpse of what it was like for the negro population during this difficult time for our country.  We are all human beings and no-one deserves to be treated like a second class citizen.  With themes of civil rights, courage, and friendship this book has so much to offer.  I honestly believe that every book club out there, male or female, young or old, should read this novel as it has something to offer for everyone!  I highly recommend this novel.

My Rating:  5/5

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

You can read more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Review: The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

Here is a summary of The Soldier's Wife from the Goodreads website:

A novel full of grand passion and intensity, The Soldier's Wife asks "What would you do for your family?" "What should you do for a stranger?" and "What would you do for love?" 

As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her mother-in-law, for whom she cares while her husband is away fighting. What she does not expect is that she will fall in love with one of the enigmatic German soldiers who take up residence in the house next door to her home. As their relationship intensifies, so do the pressures on Vivienne. Food and resources grow scant, and the restrictions placed upon the residents of the island grow with each passing week. Though Vivienne knows the perils of her love affair with Gunther, she believes that she can keep their relationship and her family safe. But when she becomes aware of the full brutality of the Occupation, she must decide if she is willing to risk her personal happiness for the life of a stranger.


My Review:
I can't tell you how thrilled I was to receive this ARC in the mail.  After reading a previous novel that took place during the German Occupation on the Island of Guernsey, I couldn't wait to return there through the pages of The Soldier's Wife.  We follow Vivienne's life during this hard time after making a life-changing decision to stay on the Island when so many others are fleeing.

Vivienne lives in a more rural area of Guernsey, but not far from a village that contains all of their basic needs.  Since her husband has joined the army and has left to fight against the Germans, she finds herself having to spend all of her energy and strength over the next couple of years to care for her aging mother-in-law and her two young daughters.  I found admiration in my heart for Vivienne as she raises these girls, one on the verge of becoming a young lady, during such turbulent times.  Raising children is a hard job and I can only imagine what it would be like without the support of a husband and father by your side.  Not only for emotional needs, but for basic survival needs as well.

The Germans take over the Island in such a brutal and swift manner that leaves many fatalities including some of her close friends.  Once the Germans have control Vivienne seems to be unsure of the intentions of this enemy, as she sees many of them shopping in the same stores that she shops, and some even dating friends of her teenage daughter.  This seems to send a mixed message to Vivienne and as she has problems understanding where her loyalty actually lies.

Since many of the Island residents have deserted their homes in a search for safety, it is easy for the Germans to find random houses to occupy during this period of time.  It just so happens that the home right next to Vivienne's becomes occupied by a squad of German soldiers.  As she catches glimpses of these soldiers from time to time she seems to let down her guard against them as she is able to see that they are actually human just like her.  Before you know it she develops a special friendship with Gunther, a German captain, and they begin to count on each other for companionship.

I must admit to you that when I first started this book I was not appreciating the story that was unfolding before me.  But then I realized that although I didn't enjoy the premise of the novel, I couldn't put it down!  I let my mind explore what this situation would be like for a young woman caring for an elderly woman and two young children.  A person does what one needs to do in order to survive, even if it is seeking solitude and comfort from the most unlikely of strangers.

This novel turned out to be so much more than I expected it to be.  Vivienne must find the strength and courage to do things that put both her reputation and her life at risk.  Some readers may find that many of her actions were wrong, but when it counted, she did what needed to be done.  I found myself enjoying this novel, although it did leave me a bit unsettled, but I feel that good books will do that to you from time to time.  With themes of love, courage, war, and perseverance I believe that this book would be great for a book club discussion or for personal leisure.

Rating: 4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.

You can check out more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Review: Lamb Bright Saviors by Robert Vivian

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

Lamb Bright Saviors begins as an apocalyptically inclined itinerant preacher staggers across the Nebraska prairie. With his young assistant, Mady, in tow hauling a wagon stacked with bibles, it’s not long before the preacher finds he’s come to the final fulfillment of his self-proclaimed life’s work: to die in front of a group of strangers. Odd as his own end-of-days might be, the lives and struggles of the strangers attending this deathbed scene are even odder. As the dying preacher unleashes a barrage of hallucinatory ramblings and rantings in the hope of imparting wisdom, each ragtag member of this unlikely congregation must reckon with his or her own dark past. And, through it all, the irrepressible Mady lends the preacher’s strange performance a surprising and unforgettable dignity and humor.

My Review:
If you are looking for a book that is full of beautiful writing that you really need to think about as you are reading every word, then this fictional story is for you.  We are introduced to several characters within this novel that committed a crime against a helpless woman years ago, and now their lives have come full circle as they are all gathered in her home for a very unlikely event.

As a travelling preacher suddenly finds himself on death's doorstep, the young girl that travels with him seeks the help of some local residents in rural Nebraska in hopes that the preacher's passing will be swift and painless.  The men that she runs into are men that haven't seen each other since many years ago, but have been harboring a deep, dark secret since then.

These men have felt guilty for the crimes they have committed and seem to be able to move on with their lives as the crime has been unpunished up til this day.  One man has been released from prison for another crime, another has just returned from Iraq, and another has just been living an unfulfilled life in Point Blank, Nebraska.

As I mentioned this is a beautifully written story that is full of symbolism and hidden meanings, like the name of the town being Point Blank, and even the deficiency of the helpless woman.  There is so much to contemplate within this small novel that it would make for a great literary analysis for a college course or any English major.  For a person like me that just enjoys a great story that is written well, this book just didn't appeal to me.  There was very limited dialogue within the book and what there was you really had to search for as it wasn't obvious.  There was also a substantial amount of harsh language in this novel that I really thought was unnecessary.  I may have enjoyed the story more without some of the profanity.

So with that said I think you can tell that this novel was not appreciated by me, but that's not to say that you will not enjoy it.  This book is laced with themes, including but not limited to war, forgiveness, and death.  If you are looking for a story that you need to continually concentrate on while reading then this one is for you!

My Rating:  2/5

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

Review: Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore

Here is a summary of Sweet Jiminy from the Hyperion Books website:

In the throes of a quarter-life crisis, Jiminy Davis abruptly quits law school and flees Chicago for her grandmother Willa’s farm in rural Mississippi. In search of peace and quiet, Jiminy instead stumbles upon more trouble and turmoil than she could have imagined.


She is shocked to discover that there was once another Jiminy—the daughter of her grandmother’s longtime housekeeper, Lyn—who was murdered along with Lyn’s husband four decades earlier in a civil rights–era hate crime. With the help of Lyn’s nephew, Bo, Jiminy sets out to solve the cold case, to the dismay of those who would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.


Beautifully written, and with a sure grip on the tensions and social mores of small towns in the South, Sweet Jiminy will captivate its readers, and fans of Kristin Gore’s earlier novels will be intrigued and compelled by this new direction for her fiction.

My Review:
This is the second book that I have read in the last couple of months that takes place in Mississippi and deals with racial prejudice issues.  This novel brings us pretty close to the subject as characters are discriminated against today and others are dealing with crimes of discrimination from years ago.

Although Jiminy is the main character of the novel she isn't necessarily the narrator.  We seem to learn the most about Jiminy and her life as she takes it upon herself to look into an unsolved crime that took place back in the 60's.  Lyn is a close friend and housekeeper of Jiminy's grandmother and she is appalled to learn that Lyn's husband and only daughter, also named Jiminy, were found murdered in the 60's.  The worst fact is that the authorities really did not attempt to find who was responsible, but claimed the brutal murders were an accident.

Through Jiminy's investigation we learn a lot about what life was like back then.  Since Lyn and her family were African Americans they were obviously outcasts because of the time period.  Jiminy's grandmother, Willa, hired Lyn as a housekeeper but soon became close friends and the two families bonded in a way that was unacceptable to the rest of society.

Lyn's nephew Bo, who is also an African American, arrives in town and Jiminy and Bo start to develop a relationship that is frowned upon.  Most of the finger-pointing seems to come from older folks who weren't keen on inter-racial relationships during the 60's.  With the help of Willa, Lyn, Bo, and a journalist, Jiminy uncovers not only the secret of the murders of Lyn's family, but also family secrets, and the meaning of K.S.O.

This was a very interesting novel and it made me realize that I should read more about the time of segregation and the end of it.   It seemed to have a third party narration, which I am not really fond of, but the author seemed to switch timelines on me without notification.  It was a bit hard to follow because of this.  I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book and I can tell you that I didn't want to put it down once I got a chance to sit and read.  I ended up with a sunburn sitting on my deck one afternoon!  

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me from the publisher through the NetGalley program in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

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

BARTHOLOMEW FORTUNO,the World’s Thinnest Man, believes that his unusual body is a gift. Hired by none other than P.T. Barnum to work at his spectacular American Museum—a modern marvel of macabre displays, breathtaking theatrical performances, and live performances by Barnum’s cast of freaks and oddities—Fortuno has reached the pinnacle of his career. 

But after a decade of solid performance, he finds his sense of self, and his contentment within the walls ofthe Museum, flagging. When a carriage pulls up outside the Museum in the dead of night, bearing Barnum and a mysterious veiled woman—rumored to be a new performer— Fortuno’s curiosity is piqued. And when Barnum asks Fortuno to follow her and report back on her whereabouts, his world is turned upside-down.

Why is Barnum so obsessed with this woman? Who is she,really? And why has she taken such a hold of the hearts of those around her? Set in the New York of 1865, a time when carriages rattled down cobblestone streets, raucous bordellos near the docks thrived, and the country was mourning the death of President Lincoln, The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno is a moving novel about human appetites and longings. With pitch-perfect prose, Ellen Bryson explores what it means to be profoundly unique—and the power of love to transcend even the greatest divisions.

My Review:
This was such a fascinating novel that brought us behind the scenes of a museum that showcased odd specimens and performers that were likely also viewed as sideshows at circuses.  I think that Ellen Bryson did some excellent research for this novel because P.T. Barnum did own such a museum full of eccentric performers, and to also throw into the mix how all were affected by the assassination of President Lincoln just kept me reading more.

Although the story is narrated by Barthaolomew Fortuno, the skinniest man around, we also are introduced into the lives of his fellow co-workers.  We have the opportunity to get to know these individuals with all of their eccentricities and oddities.  We get an inside glimpse of their feelings and what makes them believe that they are special to be able to do what they are doing.  Many of these performers, including the strong man, the fat lady, and Bartholomew, feel that they have been given a special gift that must be shared with the public.

All of the performers find themselves always trying to get into the good graces of Barnum.  Barnum holds the keys to their futures and one wrong move can put them out on the street, or worse yet, back to a circus sideshow.  Many of them feel that they have life pretty good living under Barnum's watchful eye of the museum.  When Barnum approaches Bartholomew to ask a special favor of him, how could he deny his wish knowing that his denial could be his demise?  Bartholomew finds himself venturing out into the public at Barnum's request to fetch a secret package from a chinese retailer.  Bartholomew does this a few times for Barnum and although he doesn't peek at the contents, he is surprised when the retailer gives him an herbal root to cure himself.  Bartholomew becomes quickly insulted as he has never considered his lack of body weight as a sickness, but something quickly changes inside of him as he ingests the herbal root.

Maybe it was all psychological for Bartholomew, or maybe not, but after eating that root he starts to feel different about his life and his appearance.  He starts to reflect on his past and his childhood and questions about whether the museum is the best place for him.  Maybe life on the outside does have more to offer to himself and his friends.

As Bartholomew changes inwardly he starts to feel romantic inclinations towards a friend that he never felt before.  But when a new performer is introduced to the museum his lust for her seems to overpower his mind as he is drawn to her oddity in a strange way.  I will not say much about the new addition to the museum as I don't want to give away an important part of the book, but I will say that this person was my main problem with the book.  She was such an odd individual and as her secret is revealed at the end of the book, it all kind of came together for me.  It still doesn't settle well for me but I feel that it was a sensible ending.

Although there were parts of this story that were disturbing, I found myself thoroughly enjoying Bryson's writing and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.  With themes of circuses, passion, love, friendship, and revelations this was a very interesting book.  I think it would also be a great selection for a book club, but please be aware that it may be a bit much for a more reserved group.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me from the publisher through the Shelf Awareness program in exchange for an honest review.

Check out more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

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

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.
 
Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it.

My Review:
I absolutely loved this book that gives a glimpse into Enzo's world as he reflects upon his life with his family.  Enzo starts his story when his master Denny first picks him out of a litter of pups to go and live with him.  We go through the ups and downs of both Enzo's and Denny's lives as he goes through his personal memories.

Enzo and Denny start out as quite a carefree pair, as Denny is a bachelor that only has Enzo to care for.  Enzo watches things change quickly as Eve enters the picture and he sees the two of them fall in love.  Enzo is a smart dog though, so even though he is a bit jealous, he also sees how happy Denny is with her.  Enzo accepts Eve into their family but doesn't allow himself to get too close to her for quite some time.

Just when Enzo thinks that he is now accustomed to this new life with Eve, they bring home Zoe, an addition to the family!  Zoe's innocence is apparent to Enzo so he easily welcomes her into their home and is eager to become her playmate.

When the family is burdened by a crisis many members of the family turn to Enzo for comfort and strength.  Enzo takes care of his family in the best way that he can.  He watches them all struggle in their own ways and each of them tells him things that they wouldn't tell anyone else.  He really becomes a keeper of secrets and if only he could talk he would share his words of wisdom with them all.

One of my favorite parts of the book was that Enzo really believed that he would come back as a man after he passed away.  After watching a documentary on television he believed this is what happened to exceptional dogs, if they were ready for the challenge.  Of course, since Enzo believed that he already thought like a human it was only obvious that he would become one.

I just discussed this book with my book club a couple of weeks ago and we all absolutely loved it!  It made for a great discussion and it was even an added bonus that we had a new puppy in our household to help us get in the mood for the story!  With themes of love, honor, family, and dogs of course, this book has something to offer for various types of readers.  I highly recommend this novel for leisure reading or a book club discussion.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Audiobook Review: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

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

Great literary crime detectives aren’t always born; they’re sometimes discovered, blindfolded and tied up in a dark closet by their nasty older sisters. Eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce’s bitter home life and vicious sibling war inspires her solitary diversions and “strange talents” tinkering with the chemistry set in the laboratory of their inherited Victorian house, plotting sleuth-like vengeance on Ophelia (17) and Daphne (13), and delving into the forbidden past of her taciturn, widowed father, Colonel de Luce. It comes as no surprise, then, that the material for her next scientific investigation will be the mysterious corpse that she uncovers in the cucumber patch. 

Fearless and darkly imaginative, Flavia hurries to solve the murder and acquit her father of suspicion. Following the lead of its clever protagonist, Sweetness is entirely inventive, fast-paced, and quick-witted, with tongue-in-cheek humour that derides the macabre seriousness of subject.

Alan Bradley plants the story deep into the setting of 1950s England, with a portrait of an eccentric home life that is all too wickedly familiar. The story’s twists are supported by the time and place as well as the unusual interests of the characters which range from stamp-collecting to making poisons all of which are highly researched and ingeniously incorporated.

My Review:
I have read some very interesting reviews of this book, but it had been so long after reading reviews that I really did not know what to expect with this novel.  It was a quite an enjoyable audiobook and the narration by Jayne Entwistle made it even more enjoyable!  I am glad that I didn't realize that this book is actually the first in a series as I have been trying to stay away from getting caught up in new series.  I will probably follow this one through audiobooks so that should be fun!

Flavia de Luce is a fascinating eleven year old girl who also happens to be our little heroine.  She finds herself fascinated by chemistry, but especially poisons, and you catch glimpses of this obsession throughout the novel as she thinks of ways to experiment on her sisters.

Flavia finds a new way to occupy her time after stumbling upon a dead body in the garden.  She is surprised when she realizes that the dead body is someone that she heard arguing with her father in the study the evening before.  She can't help but launch her own investigation to find out who exactly killed the mysterious man found in the garden.

It is understandable that Flavia would think that her father is the main suspect, considering the argument that she overheard.  After her father explains to her how he knew the man who is now a corpse, she gets to know a side of her father that she has never seen before.  He opens up to her in a way that makes her realize that he could never commit a crime of this magnitude.

This was a delightful mystery that takes us back to 1950's England and gives us a glimpse into a conspiracy that was created revolving around some very rare postage stamps.  I loved this novel that was told from young Flavia's perspective as her life, energy and humor resonated throughout.  I do not hesitate in recommending this novel as an audiobook to listen to.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this audiobook from my local library and listened to it for my own entertainment.

Review: They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

Here is a summary of They Almost Always Come Home from the Abingdon Press website:

When Libby’s husband Greg fails to return from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities soon write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband’s escape from an empty marriage and unrewarding career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn’t died…and if Greg hadn’t been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband’s disappearance…if for no other reason than to free her to move on. What the trio discovers in the search upends Libby’s presumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.

My Review:
This is a book that I know I would not have chosen to read on my own because I had never even heard of it, and I still haven't seen it out there in the land of books when I am scouring bookstores.  This was chosen as a book club selection because one of our members met the author who was staying at a local bed and breakfast, which is actually featured in the novel.  This book received quite an array of mixed opinions from our group but lets see if I can sum up my thoughts of the story.

Greg and Libby are a couple that seem to have grown apart from each other after the death of their daughter.  Greg has always been an outdoor adventurer enjoying camping, fishing, hiking, and boating, and when he doesn't return from his first solo trip in Canada, Libby doesn't know whether to think that he has decided to leave her or maybe he became seriously injured.  After much contemplation and prayer she decides to search for her husband, enlisting the help of her best friend, Jen, and her father-in-law.

Greg's dad knows the route that he was planning on taking so they venture out with a couple of canoes and backpacks filled with the basic necessities.  This was an interesting part of the book for me as I couldn't help but think that I would just die out there in the wilderness.  The weather had such extreme differences from freezing one day and then the next you could be sweating.  Then you also had to make sure that the food your brought along could fit in your packs but still be enough to get you through the time you will be gone.  Oh, my goodness!

As they are searching for Greg, Libby has the opportunity to reflect on her marriage and revisit some of the differences that they have had over the past few years.  Libby wasn't exactly a likeable character but as she re-evaluates her life and marriage I couldn't help but let my heart go out to her.  We watch Libby along her journey as not only her faith in her husband is restored, but also her faith in the Lord as she struggles to continue the search.

I guess I wasn't really sure what I thought of Ruchti's writing style.  Many times throughout the book as Libby was thinking about possible outcomes she would carry on whole conversations in her head that really did not appeal to me.  I understand that this is just human instinct to consider possibilities but I thought that it was a bit extreme within the context of the novel.  There was also something about Libby's friend Jen that came to light later in the novel that made her participation in the search a bit unrealistic to me.

As I mentioned earlier I really did not enjoy Libby's character, but I did appreciate how the second half of the book gave us a chance to learn more about Greg as it introduced his side of the story.  We learn about his hurts and fears over the last couple of years since he lost his daughter, and what prevented him from returning home.  I don't want to give away any more of this story as many of you may find much more enjoyment from it than I did.  I have read Christian fiction in the past that I have found very enjoyable but this one was just ok for me.  If you have a lot of Christian ladies in your book club you may want to consider this novel as many of the gals in my group enjoyed this one immensely and it did make for an interesting discussion.

My Rating:  3/5

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