What Are You Reading?

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

Here is what I finished reading last week:

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein was our last book club selection and although I won't be posting my review for a few weeks, I can tell you that this book was loved by my entire group.  Who couldn't help but fall in love with Enzo?

 What I'm reading now:

Since I got caught up on my reading for the blog tour I was able to get back to The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno.  This a very interesting book that I've been enjoying so far.

What's next?

I'm not positive about this one, but I'm leaning towards Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore.  I'm going to try to leave my summer open to allow more time for leisure reading so this selection may change!

How about you?  What has been keeping you busy lately?

Review: The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair

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

The redemptive journey of a young woman unsure of her engagement, who revisits in memory the events of one scorching childhood summer when her beautiful yet troubled mother spirits her away from her home to an Indian village untouched by time, where she discovers in the jungle behind her ancestral house a spellbinding garden that harbors a terrifying secret. 

My Review:
If you have read any of my reviews in the past you must know by now that I absolutely love books that give me a taste of another culture...throw a young gal into the mix who is in the midst of life changes and I am hooked!  We learn about Rakhee's life changing summer in India as she reflects upon that time before making a very important decision that will impact the rest of her life.

As a young girl Rakhee is an only child living with her parents in Plainfield, Minnesota.  Both of her parents moved to the U.S. from India at a very young age and seemed to have established a comfortable life for their young family.  Amma (Rakhee's mother) immerses herself in creating the most beautiful garden in the area, while her father, Aba, spends most of his time at the scientific lab where he is employed.  Amma has had her problems with depression in the past, but she seems to be falling deeper into that realm once again when envelopes start arriving in the mail that are addressed from India.  After Amma receives a few of these envelopes she decides that she will take Rakhee to her family home in India for the summer.

It is a new world and culture that Rakhee discovers in India and she embraces the family that she has never met before.  Her mother's sisters and brother all live under one roof in a very large estate.  She learns that her family is both respected and apparently well-off since her grandfather started a hospital in the area that specialized in ayurvedic treatments.  Although her grandfather is no longer alive, family members have continued his work in the hospital.

I really believe that we as women take so much for granted in this wonderful country that we live in.  Rakhee is shown the some of these differences in the everyday life that is led in India.   From women not having choices in arranged marriages to not being able to step into the holy temples, things are very different, and Rakhee finds herself yearning for her father and her life back in Minnesota.

Rakhee does embrace her new cousins though, as they spend time together every day, they come to be the sisters that she never had.  When her cousins must study in the afternoons Rakhee has spare time on her hands and decides to venture out into the forbidden woods to see what is so scary.  What she finds isn't scary at all, but one of the most beautiful places she has ever seen.  Little does she know that this beautiful place will change her life forever.

I don't want to give away any more of this book but I can tell you that I really enjoyed it.  With themes of family secrets, loyalty, and Indian culture, this is a great book to read for either personal leisure or as a book club selection.  I don't hesitate in recommending this book.

My Rating:  4/5

Disclosure:  This e-book was provided to me from the publisher through the Net Galley program.

About Author

Kamala Nair was born in London and grew up in the United States. A graduate of Wellesley College, she studied literature at Oxford University and received an M.Phil in Creative Writing from Trinity College Dublin in 2005. She currently lives in New York City, where she has worked at ELLE DECOR.

Audio and Video

Wondrous Words Wednesday-June 1

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

I've been able to get back to reading The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson and here is the new word that I learned while reading it:

Erudite:  characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly.

Here is how erudite was used on page 30 of the Advanced Reader's Edition:
When I'd first come to the Museum, my act was a bit more erudite.

So did you learn any new words this last week?

Teaser Tuesday-May 31

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

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

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

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

This week my teaser is from The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein:
I cannot speak, so I listen very well.  I never interrupt, I never deflect the course of the conversation with a comment of my own.

pg. 101

Audiobook Review: Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson

Here is a summary of Gods in Alabama from the Hachette website:

For 10 years Arlene has kept her promises, and God has kept His end of the bargain. Until now. When an old schoolmate from Possett turns up at Arlene's door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, former quarterback and god of Possett High, Arlene's break with her former hometown is forced to an end. At the same time, Burr, her long-time boyfriend, has raised an ultimatum: introduce him to her family or consider him gone. Arlene loves him dearly but knows her lily white (not to mention deeply racist)Southern Baptist family will not understand her relationship with an African American boyfriend.

My Review:
Gods in Alabama includes characters from Jackson's book, Backseat Saints, but after listening to both books on audio now, I really don't think it matters what order the books are read in.  I think I may have actually enjoyed Backseat Saints more by reading this book later.  If you are interested you can also check out my review of Backseat Saints here.

Arlene has spent the last ten years of her life in Chicago as she tries to forget the events that led up to her departure of her childhood home in Possett, Alabama.  She has changed her life around as she no longer will sleep with any man that walks through the door and has received a great education that will give her a stable future.  Things are about to change for Arlene when her boyfriend Burr is ready to take their relationship to a new level.  To make things more complicated, Arlene is caught off-guard when Rose Mae Lolly happens to show up at her door inquiring about the whereabouts of Jim Beverly, since Arlene was probably the last one to see him.

Arlene's aunt Flo has been hounding her for the last ten years to come back home to visit, but she vowed she would not step on Alabama soil again.  Now that Rose Mae is on a quest to find Jim Beverly and will be heading to Alabama herself she finds that she must face her fears and go back home to where all of the secrets are kept.  This will give her the opportunity to introduce her African American boyfriend to her traditional Southern family and also keep Rose Mae at bay.

I really don't want to go into too much of the story as it really is a story that should be revealed as you are reading it.  The secrets are uncovered as Arlene faces her past and confides in Burr and her family.  She learns how important her family really is and the lengths they will go to protect her.

This audiobook was read by Catherine Taber and I think she did a wonderful job of narrating this novel.  With themes of family, love, and mistakes, this book has so much to offer.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and don't hesitate in recommending this one for leisure or a book club selection.

My Rating:  4/5

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

Giveaway: Blood Trust and First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader

 

Thanks to Tara from Zeitghost Media I am able to give away both of these books!   I know it's been a long time since I've had a giveaway so I thought it would be great to give this two-pack of books away.  Find out more about First Daughter and Blood Trust, otherwise just sign up to win a copy of the both of these books here!

Now for the giveaway!

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 June 10th to enter and I will draw for a winner on or after June 11th.

Mailbox Monday-May 23

Thanks to Marcia of The Printed Page for starting the Mailbox Monday Meme that has us list the books that we received last week. Although Marcia isn't going to be hosting Mailbox Monday any longer, she set it up so different bloggers have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is MariReads so head on over there to see what everyone else received or to play along!

So here is what was in my mailbox last week:

          The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

                      A Tiger in the Kitchen by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

I was expecting The Soldier's Wife but A Tiger in the Kitchen was a nice surprise!  I don't read much non-fiction but this seems like one that will keep my attention.