Review: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redepmtion by Laura Hillenbrand

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

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

My Review:
What a fascinating account of Louis Zamperini's life Laura Hillenbrand has shared with us.  We follow Louis through all stages of his life.  When he was a young boy, we trailed behind him as he raced from neighbors after stealing their pies, we prayed with him while floating on a life raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and then couldn't help but feel frustrated when we felt Louis' emotional struggles upon his return from the war.  Hillenbrand brought us up close and personal into Zamperini's triumphs and struggles.

Everyone in my book club agreed that the book seemed to start out slow.  Hillenbrand took her time, allowing us us to get to know everyone in Louis' life.  Louis spends his childhood running as he runs from the police, kids who want to beat him up, and from anyone else that may wish harm upon him.  His older brother is the first one to become involved in running during school years, but when Louis is helping his brother with his timing one day, it's his brother that first sees something special in Louis' running abilities.  These abilities will set Louis on a course that will eventually lead him to the Olympic games in Berlin.

It isn't long after those first Olympic games that Louis will be drafted into the war, bringing an end to any future Olympics.  A familial bond develops among the flight crew that Louis has been assigned to.  Through every mission you are left gripping the book until their plane touches the ground again.  I've seen several movies depicting the planes used during WWII, but until reading Unbroken, I truly did not realize how poorly constructed these planes were made.  I learned that during WWII there were more casualties from plane crashes that happened stateside during training, than those that were actually completing missions.

One mission ends as Louis has always feared, crashing in the Pacific Ocean with man-eating sharks looking for their next meal.  This was probably the most intense part of the book for me since the surviving men are floating in a leaking life raft with sharks circling for most of the time.  This is just the beginning of Louis' journey that will require him to summon every ounce of stamina, faith, and strength.

I'm not going to give away any more of this inspiring story.  It is truly amazing what the human body and spirit can endure when pushed to the limits.  This is one of those stories that I think everyone should read, because it's men like Zamperini, who have endured unthinkable cruelties that allow us the freedoms we have today.  I am grateful to every single one of these men!  With themes of faith, endurance, and war, I really think this book has something to offer for everyone.  I highly recommend this book for either book clubs or personal leisure.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Review: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

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

At the staid Marcia Blaine School for Girls, in Edinburgh, Scotland, teacher extraordinaire Miss Jean Brodie is unmistakably, and outspokenly, in her prime. She is passionate in the application of her unorthodox teaching methods, in her attraction to the married art master, Teddy Lloyd, in her affair with the bachelor music master, Gordon Lowther, and—most important—in her dedication to "her girls," the students she selects to be her crème de la crème. Fanatically devoted, each member of the Brodie set—Eunice, Jenny, Mary, Monica, Rose, and Sandy—is "famous for something," and Miss Brodie strives to bring out the best in each one. Determined to instill in them independence, passion, and ambition, Miss Brodie advises her girls, "Safety does not come first. Goodness, Truth, and Beauty come first. Follow me." 

And they do. But one of them will betray her.

My Review:
I have been wanting to read this book for quite some time, and just this last year it was chosen as a book club selection with my group.  I have heard many glowing reviews of this novel and now that I have read it, the reviews have me confused.  I am not part of the crowd that found enjoyment from this book.

For the most part, this book was boring for me.  When it wasn't boring, I think it actually made me angry.  As a teacher in a girls school she would hand-pick a group of girls to be her prodigies.   All the girls in school wanted to be a part of the "Brodie set", so you can imagine the status given to the girls that are selected.  This part of the book made me angry, that these girls were thought of as being better than the rest.  Since when is it ok for a teacher to cultivate dividing lines among students?

Once the girls are chosen, Miss Brodie would meet with them during the schooldays.  These meeting should have been full of teaching instruction and lessons, but they were everything but that.  Contrary to the summary above, it didn't seem to me she was bringing out the best in them, as much as flaunting her own good fortune of love and beauty.

I had a hard time with the dialogue and timelines in this book.  Many times the book would be a flashback from present time and there were not always clear indicators of this change.  This book was hard for me to read and understand, and most of my book club agreed.  If you are one of the people that loved this book, I would love to know what, exactly, you find inspiring.

With themes of love, deception, and beauty, maybe you would like this book more than I did.  I know many people found more enjoyment from this novel than me.

My Rating:  2/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from the local library and read as a book club selection.

Review: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

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

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations.

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

My Review:
As soon as this book was published, my book club decided this would be added to our reading list.  So when we won a set of books this last year we figured it was meant to be.  Hosseini crafted a creative tale for us once again, this time spanning several generations and from various points throughout the world.

Each chapter of this novel is told from a different character of the book.  I must admit that it was quite confusing at times, because when starting a new chapter it would sometimes go on for many pages until you realize the common thread it has with the rest of the book.  Since we hear from so many different narrators, I don't even think I can give you a favorite character.

The story opens with a young family in Kabul and how they are torn apart, being sent in different directions.  For some children, they were so small that the rest of the family is so faint a memory they don't even know if it is true.  As they grow and become wiser as they have continued on with their lives in various global destinations, they can't help but feel an emptiness within their hearts.

As they struggle with the memories of their youth, they must admit their past in order to be a part of each other's futures.  Like I said earlier, each character in the book had some connection to these children.  Sometimes it may have been only a small connection, but still a very important one that was needed to help them find each other once again.

Considering how much I loved Hosseini's other books, I wanted to enjoy this book much more than I did.  I think because there were so many different narrators it did not allow me to get close to any individual character.  But with themes of family, love, forgiveness, and sacrifice, you may enjoy this book too.  It did make a great book club discussion and I recommend it for your reading group or for personal leisure.

My Rating:  3/5

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

Review: An Unexpected Grace by Kristin von Kreisler

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

From bestselling author Kristin von Kreisler comes a poignant, uplifting novel of one woman's journey to healing, and the surprising soul mate that helps guide her there. Lila Elliot knows she's lucky. A shooting rampage at her office left several colleagues dead and others seriously wounded. Lila's injuries will heal in time. Yet though she gratefully retreats to her best friend's house to recuperate, Lila can't quite move past her fear and anger. Being drafted into caring for Grace--a shaggy, formerly abused golden retriever--only adds to her stress. Lila has been terrified of dogs since childhood. But Grace, like Lila, needs time and space to recover.

Grace keeps her distance, sensing Lila's wariness, and only perks up for Adam, the neighbor who rescued her. Though struggling to make sense of her recent tragedy, Lila, an accomplished artist, begins to see beauty in Grace's wisps of fur and haunted eyes. As Adam points out, Grace, too, has suffered through no fault of her own. And in helping Grace to trust, Lila is being gently nudged toward the courage she needs to do the same.

Rich in warmth and humor, An Unexpected Grace is a story of compassion and connection, and of finding that what truly makes us whole again may be the love we give away.

My Review: 
My book club has read a couple of books about dogs and considering the premise of this novel, we thought it would be enjoyable.  Although I did feel compassion for the trials that both Lila and Grace encountered, this novel did not resonate with me.

As the summary above indicates, Lila was a survivor in a shooting that took place where she worked.  She struggles with her feelings after the incident-violation, trust, and nervousness invade her thoughts constantly.  A friend opens her home to Lila, a refuge where she can spend time alone, hoping to come to terms with the violence that was thrust upon her.  Her world of safety is shattered when Lila finds out that another house-guest happens to be a dog that was rescued from an abusive home.  Since Lila has always been afraid of dogs, she finds herself on the brink of a breakdown once again.

Lila doesn't plan on getting close to Grace, but Grace inches closer and closer without Lila even realizing it.  Both of these souls have experienced trauma on a grand scale so they must learn to trust each other to get through the day.  Lila finds solace in the company Grace offers during the storms of life.

It doesn't take long for Lila to realize that she needs Grace as much as Grace needs her.  Knowing this is just a temporary home for Grace until the humane society finds a permanent home for her, Lila must figure out a way to keep her for her own.  When Lila realizes that Grace could end up with the owner that abused her, she becomes even more determined to keep the animal.

Like I said earlier, this book just didn't cut it for me, or for the rest of my book club for that matter.  Many parts of the story just did not seem believable to me and the writing was just odd at times.  With themes of violent acts, trust, and forgiveness, you may find more enjoyment from this book than I did.  

My Rating:  1/5

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

Review: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:
The author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be delivers her most ambitious and powerful novel to date: a captivating story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.

Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from "aging out" of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.

Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both.

Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.

My Review:
This is a wonderful story that plunges us into the lives of two people on completely different roads of their lives.  On the outside they appear to be complete opposites, but through their companionship they find a common bond.  There are two parallel stories being told.  Vivian's story takes places years ago, while we hear Molly's story in the present tense.  This method does not always work for me, but the Orphan Train had me hooked from page one.

Molly is a young girl who unfortunately is a product of our foster care system.  She has a mother who couldn't handle the responsibility of caring for another person, so early on Molly was removed from her care.  Molly struggles to find both her identity and her place in the world.  When she is faced with the project of helping an old woman clean out her attic, she cannot know that she will finally come to terms with the person she truly is.

As Molly helps Vivian sort through all the items in her attic, the task apparently is going to take longer than anticipated.  Every item has a story that needs to be shared and Vivian can't seem to part with a thing.  So rather than throwing items in the trash or sending to a thrift store, they organize the remnants from Vivian's past, as Molly learns about the life this woman led.  Molly never would have guessed that Vivian was once penniless and orphaned, as she herself is today.

The most important part of this novel was learning about the real orphan trains that brought children of all ages across the country in search of homes for them.  I'm sure there are plenty of good stories, but many experiences seemed to mirror Vivian's, as the children were advertised as cheap labor.  Your heart will probably break, as mine did, just trying to imagine the living conditions these children were placed in.

This truly was a wonderful story bringing to life to me a period of history that was new to me.  With themes of family, secrets, and friendship, I'm sure you will enjoy this book as much as I did.  I highly recommend this book for both personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Review: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:
The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

My Review: 
Let me start this review by saying this is a classic that every American citizen should read.  It brings you back to a time when life was much harder than it is today-people actually had to work hard and sometimes fight for every single piece of bread being put on the table.  Our society has evolved into something allowing people to just get what they want, so it was refreshing to read a book about people who worked hard for their earnings.

The Nolan family has definitely had their fair share of hardships, but that doesn't stop Katie, Francie's mother, from trying to create the best home for her family that they can afford.  They go out of their way to make every penny stretch.  From going to different butchers for better cuts of meat, to walking an extra couple of blocks for a less expensive bread at a bakery, this family knew how to save money.  And with Johnny, Francie's father, spending all of his extra earnings at the local tavern, Katie found her way of saving a necessary way of life.

We follow Francie through her daily life and sometimes wonder how she and her young brother can make it another day when they are cold and hungry.  They look forward to school knowing they at least will not be cold for the day.  Francie has high expectations early on in life when she sets her eyes on a school in another District that would offer her a better education.  Her father may have been the local drunk, but he helped Francie do what she needed to attend that school.

There were moments in this book making me giggle with delight, while others had me gasping with astonishment.  I can't help but consider this book a great American novel that should be read by everyone, especially young kids that have everything given to them.  With themes of family, struggles, and America, I'm sure you all would enjoy this novel as much as I did.  I highly recommend this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Review: Carrie and Me: A Mother-Daughter Love Story by Carol Burnett

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

You are about to meet an extraordinary young woman, Carrie Hamilton. The daughter of one of television’s most recognizable and beloved stars, Carol Burnett, Carrie won the hearts of everyone she met with her kindness, quirky sense of humor, and wonderfully unconventional approach to life. Living in the spotlight of celebrity, but in an era when personal troubles were kept private, Carrie and Carol made a brave display of honesty and love by going public with teenager Carrie’s drug addiction and recovery. Carrie lived her adult life of sobriety to the fullest, enjoying happy and determined independence and achieving a successful artistic career as an actress, writer, musician, and director. Carrie’s passion for life and her humorist’s view of the world never wavered as she aggressively battled cancer. Carrie died at the age of 38.

Carrie and Me is Carol Burnett’s poignant tribute to her late daughter and a funny and moving memoir about mothering an extraordinary young woman through the struggles and triumphs of her life. Sharing her personal diary entries, photographs, and correspondence, Carol traces the journey she and Carrie took through some of life’s toughest challenges and sweetest miracles. Authentic, intimate, and full of love, Carrie and Me is a story of hope and joy that only a mother could write.

My Review: 
My book club usually reads one non-fiction/memoir every year, and this last year Carrie and Me was the second memoir we read.  Memoirs are either hit or miss for me and this one was a sure fire miss.  The gal in my group that picked this one had just finished reading This Time Together by Burnett, and after loving that one, thought this would be a good pick for our group.

Had Burnett actually shared more about her relationship with Carrie, I think I would have appreciated this book more.  It seemed to me, the majority of the book contained personal e-mails between the mother-daughter team, and I just found that annoying.  I found myself thinking, "Who can't print a bunch of e-mails and arrange them into a book?"  

Burnett obviously was trying to relay to the public what a wonderful heart her daughter had.  She definitely accomplished that through this book.  She may have used the mode of e-mails because writing from her heart may have been too painful.  The photographs that she chose to share with us were incredibly fun though.

The mother-daughter team worked on several projects together and the last section of this book was a story that Carrie was working on herself.  It was unfinished and she asked her mother to complete the project for her.  Burnett was understandably at a loss as to how to complete the project, so she put it at the end of this book as a stand-alone section.  Most of my book group did not like this part of the book, but I read it as if reading a script of some kind and did find some enjoyment from it.  

Although this wasn't one of my favorites, Burnett's love for her daughter definitely shone through the pages.  With themes of parenthood, illness, and addiction, you may enjoy this book more than I did.  I recommend this book for those that are fans of Carol Burnett.

My Rating:  2/5

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

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.

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.

Review: The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith

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

Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the basis of the HBO TV show, and its proprietor Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, and good humor--not to mention help from her loyal assistant, Grace Makutsi, and the occasional cup of tea. 

Readers will agree that this touching and dramatic new installment in Alexander McCall Smith's beloved and best-selling series is the finest yet. In this story, Precious Ramotswe deals with issues of mistaken identity and great fortune against the beautiful backdrop of Botswana's remote and striking Okavango Delta. 

Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi head to a safari camp to carry out a delicate mission on behalf of a former guest who has left one of the guides a large sum of money. But once they find their man, Precious begins to sense that something is not right. To make matters worse, shortly before their departure Mma Makutsi's fiance, Phuti Radiphuti, suffers a debilitating accident, and when his aunt moves in to take care of him, she also pushes Mma Makutsi out of the picture. Could she be trying to break up the relationship? Finally, a local priest and his wife independently approach Mma Ramotswe with concerns of infidelity, creating a rather unusual and tricky situation. Nevertheless, Precious is confident that with a little patience, kindness and good sense things will work out for the best, something that will delight her many fans.

My Review: 
How does Alexander McCall Smith keep coming up with these story lines for the No. 1 Detective Agency?  I have no idea, but I'm hoping he has plenty more to share with us.  We are brought back to Botswana once again to watch Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe solve mysteries in their common sense way. 

The book opens with a strange incident encountered by J.L.B. Matekoni.  As he travels to help a woman in need, he ponders many things along the way, as he usually does.  When he arrives at his destination things seem out of place but he can't quite put his finger on it.  He has suspicions and questions whether he should share his concerns with Mma Ramotswe.  Deciding against it, he keeps the information to himself, not knowing that Mma Ramotswe with up to her elbows with the problem at hand.  

I think the most significant part of this segment is the accident that cripples Phuti Radiphuti.   As his relatives swoop in care for Phuti, at the same time they block Mma Makutsi from his life.  Thankfully, with the help of Mma Ramotswe and other friends, Mma Makutsi is right back by Phuti's side where she belongs.  I can't help but wonder if these two will ever get married in the future.  You may laugh, but deep down I think I want to see Mma Makutsi and Charlie the apprentice get together...time will tell!

There is one main mystery that Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe need to solve.  The assignment sends them on their first overnight business trip together as they head to the wilderness and a safari.  Their everyday lives could not have prepared them for the dangers of a safari, but luckily they come out unharmed.  With themes of mystery and relationships you may enjoy this book as much as my book club did.  I don't hesitate in recommending this book for either personal leisure or as a book club selection.

My Rating:  4/5

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

Review: The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore

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

Emmalee Bullard and her new baby are on their own. Or so she thinks, until Leona Lane, the older seamstress who sat by her side at the local shirt factory where both women worked as collar makers, insists Emmalee come and live with her.  Just as Emmalee prepares to escape her hardscrabble life in Red Chert holler, Leona dies tragically.  Grief-stricken, Emmalee decides she’ll make Leona’s burying dress, but there are plenty of people who don't think the unmarried Emmalee should design a dress for a Christian woman - or care for a child on her own. But with every stitch, Emmalee struggles to do what is right for her daughter and to honor Leona the best way she can, finding unlikely support among an indomitable group of seamstresses and the town’s funeral director. In a moving tale exploring Southern spirit and camaraderie among working women, a young mother will compel a town to become a community.

My Review:
This was a lovely story that is told between two women and also two different time periods.  It starts out in 1970s Tennessee while also giving glimpses of 1950s Tennessee.  Although the story is mostly about young Emmalee we also get to know what made Leona the woman she was.

Emmalee didn't have much of a life living in Red Chert with her father who spent most of his days in a drunken state.  Her life was cast in a new direction when she took a job at the Tennewa Shirt Factory.  Most of the women worked there for years, but they took Emmalee under their wings, teaching her the ropes and becoming one of them.  She needed to earn money to support her new baby because her father certainly wasn't any help in that department.  She didn't expect to develop such close friendships with her co-workers, but working side-by-side next to Leona created a relationship similar to a mother and daughter.

Leona has lived a hard life up on Old Lick mountain and has had more than her share of heartache.  She and her husband, Curtis, live in a small trailer on the mountain, nothing fancy but they get by fine with their love of the Lord and each other.  They don't have much, but never having children of their own they decide to take Emmalee and her new baby into their home.  They know Emmalee doesn't receive any form of support at home and they have enough love to help both of them get a start in life.

A turn of event puts a crimp in the plans to move Emmalee into Leona's home, setting Emmalee on a new path of self-discovery.  Emmalee doesn't know much about mothering, but expects Leona to help her in this area.  I have to tell you that Emmalee is not a good mother throughout the book and that was quite disturbing for me.  I know she was young, but I do believe that some things just come natural for mothers.  But I also know that if there isn't anyone to offer assistance parents can make big mistakes.

Although I was often frustrated with Emmalee, I also couldn't help wanting her to come out on top.   I enjoyed reading this story and couldn't help but read certain parts over again that made me smile.  With themes of motherhood, friendship, and losses, I'm sure many of you will enjoy this book as much as I did.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel 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.

Review: The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

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

When Truly Plaice's mother was pregnant, the town of Aberdeen joined together in betting how recordbreakingly huge the baby boy would ultimately be. The girl who proved to be Truly paid the price of her enormity; her father blamed her for her mother's death in childbirth, and was totally ill equipped to raise either this giant child or her polar opposite sister Serena Jane, the epitome of femine perfection. When he, too, relinquished his increasingly tenuous grip on life, Truly and Serena Jane are separated--Serena Jane to live a life of privilege as the future May Queen and Truly to live on the outskirts of town on the farm of the town sadsack, the subject of constant abuse and humiliation at the hands of her peers.

Serena Jane's beauty proves to be her greatest blessing and her biggest curse, for it makes her the obsession of classmate Bob Bob Morgan, the youngest in a line of Robert Morgans who have been doctors in Aberdeen for generations. Though they have long been the pillars of the community, the earliest Robert Morgan married the town witch, Tabitha Dyerson, and the location of her fabled shadow book--containing mysterious secrets for healing and darker powers--has been the subject of town gossip ever since. Bob Bob Morgan, one of Truly's biggest tormentors, does the unthinkable to claim the prize of Serena Jane, and changes the destiny of all Aberdeen from there on.

When Serena Jane flees town and a loveless marriage to Bob Bob, it is Truly who must become the woman of a house that she did not choose and mother to her eight-year-old nephew Bobbie. Truly's brother-in-law is relentless and brutal; he criticizes her physique and the limitations of her health as a result, and degrades her more than any one human could bear. It is only when Truly finds her calling--the ability to heal illness with herbs and naturopathic techniques--hidden within the folds of Robert Morgan's family quilt, that she begins to regain control over her life and herself. Unearthed family secrets, however, will lead to the kind of betrayal that eventually break the Morgan family apart forever, but Truly's reckoning with her own demons allows for both an uprooting of Aberdeen County, and the possibility of love in unexpected places.

My Review:
Baker created a beautiful story for us about young Truly, who is born as an outcast and looked down upon her entire life.  When her mother dies giving birth to Truly, the entire town seems to blame the girl for her existence.

Life is hard for Truly, having to deal with her enormous difficulties without a mother, but at least she has her older sister Serena Jane to help her through some of it.  Disaster will strike their family once again, sending the girls in different directions. Although they will be living in the same town, circumstances will keep them apart, causing a rift between their relationship.

Truly becomes the butt of many jokes as she continues growing throughout her life.  When she does not get any taller her body just grows in other directions.  Her proportions are so unreal she does not have any choice but to have clothing specially tailored for her.   Through all of Truly's trials and tribulations she longs for Serena Jane to be a part of her life again.  Remembering Serena Jane's dreams and goals she knows their relationship is in the past as Serena Jane will be leaving this small town the first chance she gets.
  
As hard as Truly's life was, she never really had a pity party for herself.  She accepted the hand that life dealt her and embraced the things in life that gave her happiness.  One day she stumbles upon a secret that the whole town considered a myth.  This secret made people look upon her more favorable giving her a higher standing within the community.

A few of the ladies in my book club thought this book had a dark theme to it, so they didn't enjoy it as much as I did.  With themes of secrets, family, and forgiveness, you may love this book also.  I highly recommend this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Review: A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve

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

At an inn in the Berkshire Mountains, seven former schoolmates gather to celebrate a wedding--a reunion that becomes the occasion of astonishing revelations as the friends collectively recall a long-ago night that indelibly marked each of their lives. Written with the fluent narrative artistry that distinguishes all of Anita Shreve's bestselling novels, A Wedding in December acutely probes the mysteries of the human heart and the endless allure of paths not taken.

 My Review:
Although A Wedding in December takes place over a weekend, Shreve gives us enough backstory of our characters that allows us to know each of them intimately.   The classmates are reuniting at a beautiful inn in the Berkshire Mountains to share in a wedding celebration.  

Our main characters were the best of friends during school, Bridget and Bill were even lovers, but none of their relationships would survive the real world.  As the weekend unfolds, the characters reminisce about the past as they embrace their rekindled friendships.  A few have stayed in touch over the years, but most left that world behind, locking away the memories and the secrets.  As they discuss events of the past we learn what happened long ago sending these good friends in opposite directions.

One of the characters of the story is working on a novel that takes place during the Halifax explosion.  Throughout the story bits of the Halifax novel are brought to life for us.  Personally, I did not care for this part of the book.  It seemed to take something away from the real story for me as sometimes whole chapters were made up of the Halifax event.  Since this was a new piece of history to me, I did find it interesting, I just didn't care for it being a part of this book.

The wedding takes place under tragic circumstances, giving everyone a new appreciation for each other.  Both friendships and romances are rekindled as the friends join for the celebration.  Except for the novel within the novel, I appreciated how everyone's story was shared.

I enjoyed this novel with themes of love, regrets, and secrets.  We did read this as a book club selection in December hoping it would have a Christmas element to it, but that was not the case.  Although my book group wasn't overly impressed with this pick, I have to say that it did make for an interesting discussion.  I recommend this book for personal leisure or as a book club selection.

My Rating:  4/5

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

Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

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

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

My Review:
This book caught my attention when it came out a few years ago and luckily, my book club decided to read it this year.  Although I believe it was a great book club selection, last month when we were scheduled to discuss this book, a snowstorm caused us to postpone our meeting, resulting in very low attendance when we finally did get a chance to meet.

A couple that has seen their fair share of heartaches has decided to throw all their troubles to the wind and head north to live in Alaska.  They want to start their life over and they feel that living in the raw wilderness will be just what they need.  Life turns out to be more rough than either Jack or Mabel anticipate but they dig their heels in, doing whatever they can to make ends meet.

Mabel is especially lonely as she doesn't venture far from their remote homestead.  While Jack travels to the local town for supplies when needed, she stays back at the cabin, cooking, cleaning, or making other preparations for their survival.  When young Faina seems to appear out of a blizzard during her hour of loneliness, Mabel welcomes her with open arms.

Faina's appearances become mysterious, as when the spring thaw is upon them they know they will not see her until the next winter.  Mabel is anxious to introduce Faina to her neighbors, but whenever a friend knocks on their door Faina is nowhere to be found.

Faina fills a void in Jack and Mabel's lives, breathing fresh life into their souls.  This was a beautiful story and I'm sure the ladies in my book club enjoyed it as much as I did.  With themes of mystery, love, loss, and family, I'm sure you would enjoy this book as much as I did.  I highly recommend this novel as a book club selection or for personal leisure.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Review: In the Land of Blue Burqas by Kate McCord

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

The author speaks the local language and has interviewed and conversed with hundreds of Afghans, both men and women. She listened to their stories and lived among them. And in the midst of all of that, she found Kingdom responses to the beliefs Afghani Muslims hold to be true.

Riveting and fast paced, In the Land of Blue Burqas depicts sharing the love and truth of Christ with women living in Afghanistan which has been called "the world's most dangerous country in which to be born a woman." These stories are honest and true. The harsh reality of their lives is not sugar-coated and that adds to the impact of the book. Through storytelling the author shows how people who don't know Christ come to see Him, His truth and His beauty. The stories provide insight into how a Jesus-follower brought Jesus' teachings of the Kingdom of God to Afghanistan. They reveal the splendor of Christ, the desire of human hearts, and that precious instance where the two meet.

This is a collection of vignettes tethered together by the real danger that muslim women face in Afghanistan. These are firsthand accounts from the authors experience drawn from living among these women. The reader will see just how revolutionary Christ's message is today, and how radical it was during Christ's lifetime - the present day Afghan cultural attitudes are not unlike they were 2000 years ago.  All of the names of those involved - including Kate's - plus the locations have been changed to protect the participants. Just take a few minutes and read the opening pages. You'll be hooked.

My Review:
What would it be like to be immersed in a society where everyone has different values and beliefs than you?  The author of In the Land of Blue Burqas shares her experience with us.  In an effort to protect herself and anyone who may have helped her she has taken on the pseudonym of Kate McCord.

As a christian I hear  so many negative things about Muslims.  I do understand that they have different ideals and goals than we do, but I struggle to think that every Muslim in the world wants me dead.  As McCord has conversations with Muslims about them praying for her demise, she confronts them in a logical way that does not make them defensive.  Although many admitted to the truth of their violent prayers, she also developed close friendships with many others.

While McCord lived in Afganistan working for a NPO, she had to learn about the Muslim way of life.  She found a way to do this that allowed her to share her faith at the same time.  It was interesting to finally hear some facts about the Muslim way of life.  Did you know that they actually believe that Jesus is a prophet?  There is quite a difference as to what they believe Jesus will accomplish when he does return.

I enjoyed this book that documents McCord's non-judgmental journey.    My book club consists of mostly christian ladies so the book was enjoyed by everyone.  With themes of faith and cultural differences I believe that many of you would enjoy this book as much as I did.  I highly recommend this book for either personal leisure or as a book club selection.

My Rating:  5/5

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

Review: The Sisters by Nancy Jensen

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

In the tradition of Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping and Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, a dazzling debut novel about the family bonds that remain even when they seem irretrievably torn apart.
 

Growing up in hardscrabble Kentucky in the 1920s, with their mother dead and their stepfather an ever-present threat, Bertie Fischer and her older sister Mabel have no one but each other—with perhaps a sweetheart for Bertie waiting in the wings. But on the day that Bertie receives her eighth-grade diploma, good intentions go terribly wrong. A choice made in desperate haste sets off a chain of misunderstandings that will divide the sisters and reverberate through three generations of women.

What happens when nothing turns out as you planned? From the Depression through World War II and Vietnam, and smaller events both tragic and joyful, Bertie and Mabel forge unexpected identities that are shaped by unspeakable secrets. As the sisters have daughters and granddaughters of their own, they discover that both love and betrayal are even more complicated than they seem.  

My Review:
I love stories that follow women's lives over not only their lifetimes, but even the lifetimes of their children.  Not only does Jensen accomplish this within the pages of this book, but she also brings to life a third generation of the family.  The story opens in Juniper, Kentucky, and the year is 1927.  Bertie and Mabel are left living with their stepfather after their mother's passing and the sisters plan to get as far away from there as possible when the opportunity arises.

The stories alternate between perspectives of Bertie and Mabel, until their children become main characters and we see things from a whole new light.  And then when these ladies grandchildren are introduced we are given a whole new set of problems.

Early on in the novel the girls are separated from most unfortunate circumstances sending their lives in different directions.  They make the best of their lives, raising their families the best way they know how.  Unfortunately, Bertie has harbored her anger for so long, this attitude seeps through her everyday life, and eventually rubbing off onto her children.

I really don't want to give too much of this book away, as it was enjoyable the way events unfolded.  My main complaint about this book was the multiple characters we were introduced to.  Between Bertie and Mabels' children and grandchildren it was tough to keep them all straight.  The author did include a family tree in the beginning that was quite helpful, but while reading the Kindle version I probably didn't use this tool as much as others may have.  I think I would have enjoyed knowing more about Bertie and Mabel, rather than having little snippets of multiple characters.

I did enjoy the novel overall and most of my book club did also.  With themes of family, resentment, and truth, you may enjoy this book also.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  4/5

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

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

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

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

My Review: 
This was a wonderful novel and although it was written for a young adult audience, it can be enjoyed by all ages.  This book depicts another crime against humanity from our world history that was unknown to me before reading this book.  Young Lina is our narrator that we follow on her treacherous journey of survival.

We see events through Lina's eyes-one moment she is safe at home with her family, and the next she is rounded up with others and sent off on a journey that will change her life forever.  Not knowing where they are going, when or if they will ever return, and a suitcase filled with their meager belongings, they unwillingly follow their captors directions.  When they are first led to a train station I imagined they were definitely being sent to a concentration camp with death impending soon.  This wasn't the case as Stalin planned for the majority of his prisoners to serve work detail under inhumane conditions.

The train journey is only the beginning of their torture as they are given barely any food to eat and conditions are hardly liveable for livestock, let alone people.  As more people are crammed into the train cars along the way, they must learn to live together in the closed quarters, allowing them to create friendships and relationships that will help them in the months to come.

The first destination for Lina and her family is a work camp, where slave labor is put into full force.  Much of this novel reminds me of the Holocaust, and treatment of the prisoners falls into this category.  Everyone is worked until they have no strength left and daily food rations are minimal.  Everyone learns to do what they need to do in order to get by, and many use the relationships that were developed on the train to assist them in their daily living.

We learn throughout the novel from Lina's flashbacks that the reason for their imprisonment is political.  Anyone who had a different motive or ideal from Stalin was captured and either sent to a prison or a work camp.  It was interesting to see this revelation through Lina's young eyes since she did not truly understand the motives.

This was a wonderful story even though it was difficult to read at times.  It read very quickly and smoothly for me as it only took me a few days to complete it.  With themes of family, love, war, and morals, there is so much more to this story than I described above.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for either personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  4/5

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

Review: Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green

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

Andi has spent much of her adult life looking for the perfect man, and at thirty-seven, she's finally found him. Ethan — divorced with two daughters, Emily and Sophia — is a devoted father and even better husband. Always hoping one day she would be a mother, Andi embraces the girls like they were her own. But in Emily’s eyes, Andi is an obstacle to her father’s love, and Emily will do whatever it takes to break her down. When the dynamics between the two escalate, they threaten everything Andi believes about love, family, and motherhood — leaving both women standing at a crossroad in their lives . . . and in their hearts.

My Review:
This was my first experience with Green and I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Our book club won copies of this book and when I was judging the book by it's cover, which I admit to doing quite often, I figured it would be a sappy love story.  Well I can tell you it was far from that.

The book is basically written in two parts.  The first half being told by Andi as she struggles with the troubles of being a stepmother to a young girl that wants nothing to do with her.  Emily is rude and belligerent most of the time, making it hard for Andi to continue reaching out to her.  It becomes more difficult when her husband doesn't support her, but always turns to his daughter at any sign of turmoil.  I definitely understood her frustrations, but by the end of this part it almost took on a whiny tone making me thankful we were done with that stuff.

The second half of the book was told from several perspectives, including the angry, young Emily.  We learn what makes her so angry inside and watch her as she makes wrong decisions that will follow her throughout her life.  We see a part of Emily that makes us want to slap her silly, but we are also lucky enough to watch her accept the cards that life has given her as she develops into a confident young woman.

Families can be messy business, especially when divorce and stepparents are involved.  I think Green did a great job of creating a realistic situation by not holding back any of the gritty nastiness that comes up in life.  Even though most of the gals in my book club didn't enjoy this one as much as I did, it did make for a great evening of discussion.  With themes of love, forgiveness, and family this is a great book for personal leisure or as a book club selection.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to my group by the publisher to read as a book club selection.

Review: Tea Time for the Tradionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith

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

Mma Ramotswe’s ever-ready tiny white van has recently developed a rather disturbing noise. Of course, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni–her estimable husband and one of Botswana’s most talented mechanics––is the man to turn to for help. But Precious suspects he might simply condemn the van and replace it with something more modern. Can she find a way to save her old friend?

In the meantime, Mma Makutsi discovers that her old rival Violet Sephotho, who could not have gotten more than fifty percent on her typing final at the Botswana Secretarial College, has set her sights on none other than Mma Makutsi’s fiancé, Phuti Radiphuti. Can Mma Ramotswe’s intuition save the day? Finally, the proprietor of a local football team has enlisted the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency to help explain its dreadful losing streak. The owner of the team is convinced he as a traitor in his midst. But how is Mma Ramotswe, who has never seen a football match in her life, going to discern who is throwing the game? Help, it turns out, may come from an unexpected quarter.

There are few mysteries that can’t be solved and fewer problems that can’t be fixed when the irrepressible Precious Ramotswe puts her mind to them. A good cup of red bush tea might be the best solution of all.

My Review:   
This installment of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is definitely one of my favorites out of the series to date.  Many may categorize these books as mystery novels, but they do not fall into that category for me.  These are sweet novels, full of guidance and morality that keep a smile on my face during most of the book.

There were not many mysteries for the detectives to solve in this installment, but there is plenty of action in the lives of Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe.  Grace is still keeping the secret of the ruined bed from the previous novel, but her newest problem is the appearance of her archenemy from the Secretarial College.   When Violet is hired at Phudi's shop to work in the mattress department, Grace knows she has other intentions.  It doesn't take the detectives long to figure this one out at all!

As Mma Ramotswe works on her latest cases she also must accept that her tiny white van has seen better days.  When her husband decides that the white van should be put out to pasture, he surprises her with a new van.  Mma Ramotswe has difficulty reconciling with her feelings as her white van has helped her through so many difficult times.  She has no choice but to say good-bye to a lifelong friend.  But I won't be surprised if the van makes an appearance in a future segment of the series.

If you are looking for a mystery that is full of suspense, murder, and action, then this book is not for you.  But if you are looking for a book that will make you laugh, smile, and just feel happy while reading, then I highly suggest this one.  With themes of honesty, friendship, and family, this novel was an enjoyment to read.  I highly recommend this book for personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  I purchased this ebook to read for personal enjoyment and as a book club selection.

Review: Home Front by Kristin Hannah

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

In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage--with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war.

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost…

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene have to face the pressures of everyday life—children, careers, bills, chores—even as their twelve year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a soldier she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own--for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the price of war on an ordinary American family, HOME FRONT is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor and ultimately, hope. 

My Review:
Hannah did a marvelous job of taking something we hear about every day and giving us an inside glimpse of a family scarred by war.  This novel was an example of how war changes everyone, and leaves an impression on soldiers' souls for a lifetime.  Jolene is the heroine of our story, and even though she beat the odds of her youth, she now has a new battle to face.

Since Jolene was raised by two alcoholic parents, she adapted the attitude early on of brushing off the bad circumstances, smiling, and moving on.  She wouldn't allow herself to grovel in self-pity.  This attitude can be fine and dandy in most circumstances, but in others it may appear that you are not offering support to others in need.  This behavior is what pushed her husband Michael away as he deals with his grief alone and practically giving up on their marriage.

Things change quickly for the family when Jolene is deployed to Iraq as a helicopter pilot.  As she prepares for war she tries to assure her girls that she will be fine and won't even see the front lines of battle.  But she is scared and doesn't know what to expect over there.  Her heart and mind are in more turmoil as she realizes her marriage is over as her unit deploys.

I think Hannah did a great job of letting us know what the war is like.  One thing I guess I didn't realize before reading this novel is that unlike previous wars, everywhere is the front line. There isn't a safe haven to retreat to and soldiers must always be on their guard.  We all hear how bad things are on the news, but sometimes the gravity of the situation is not realized.  That's how it was for me until I read this book.

While Jolene is gone, Michael steps up to the plate and finally becomes the father he should have been years ago.  He changes in her absence, and also comes to accept Jolene for the woman she is, the woman he fell in love with.  Upon her return, they are both wounded souls and now must fight for the person they fell in love with, although they have both changed and will never be the people they once were.

This was a very good book, and I think my only complaint is the overall sadness of the story.  I understand it is not a joyful theme by any means, but I was spotted crying several times while reading this one.  With themes of family, love, loss, war, and perseverance, I think many of you would enjoy this book.  The gals in my book club loved this book and it made for a great discussion.  I don't hesitate in recommending this novel for personal reading or as a book club selection.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to my book club from the publisher in agreement that we would read it as a group and provide honest feedback.