Take Me Away

Review: The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

2013-04-29T02:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Author: Mohsin Hamid
Pages: 184
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Mariner (Houghton Mifflin)
Pub. Date: April 3, 2007

My husband and I picked this book up on a whim recently and both read it. It's a short read at 184 pages, and we were also motivated by the upcoming movie version. This book was certainly not what I expected and will disappoint (and anger) some readers, but it was really a very introspective, tense book that my husband and I were both ultimately impressed with.

Touted as a thriller (though really it's not unless you can consider it a very subtle thriller focused on underlying tensions), The Reluctant Fundamentalist is narrated by Changez, a Pakistani man who is narrating his story to an American businessman he meets in a cafe. Changez had the opportunity to receive schooling in the United States and then to work in the corporate world in New York City, essentially living the American Dream. But then the attacks on 9/11 happen, and Changez finds his perspective on his life in America turning completely upside down. His conversation provides insights that are surprising and scary but provide an incredible perspective on prejudice and the war on terror.

I went back and read some reader reviews after I finished this and found many people trashed this book and were extremely angry after completing it. I get it... I understand where they were coming from; some of what I read was certainly shocking. But it was also genuine and has to be considered on a deeper level - not just taken at face value. You have to read it to know what I mean, but there is definitely food for thought about prejudice and relationships for the open-minded reader that can look past the superficial. For a "deep" book this is an easy read, and I recommend it.

The movie, released on April 26th, 2013, looks really good, though they clearly added some things to the story to make it more of a Blockbuster!

Review: The New Republic by Lionel Shriver

2013-04-24T02:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The New Republic
Author: Lionel Shriver
Pages:
Genre: Fiction
Publisher:
Pub. Date: March 27, 2012

I recently got around to reading We Need to Talk About Kevin which was fantastic, so I was excited to try another of Shriver's books when I had the opportunity to review this one. As other readers have mentioned, the author included a note in the beginning about how this book was written years ago (prior to Kevin) but was put on hold because of the lack of potential interest in a novel about terrorism followed by the actual act of terrorism that then rendered this book taboo; years later it was decided that this book would be released, and few changes were made to it. Unfortunately, that had me wondering, throughout reading, if maybe it being an older effort of the author's affected its quality as it was a difficult read for me that I did not enjoy. The topic did not offend me, but it's application was dry to me.

Edward Kellogg makes a mid-life career change to become a journalist. Much of his thoughts and decisions are motivated by his desire to be "cool" and admirable like those he has looked up to because of his "uncool" history as a kid. He ends up being assigned to Barba, near Portugal, where the previous journalist has gone missing, and uncovers scandal along with the terrorism.

The plot sounds interesting in theory but didn't maintain my interest. I also expected to find it funnier (togue-in-cheeck, I know) but I didn't. I think most of it may have been Kellogg, himself, who I found annoying from the get go. I wonder if the main character had been more sympathetic and likeable if the rest of what played out may have been funnier. I also think that the side story about Kellogg's history and wanting to be popular was unnecessary. As it was, I didn't care for it and was hugely disappointed because of my huge enjoyment of Kevin and all the other amazing things I have heard.

Catch up on and follow the rest of the tour below:

Tuesday, April 2nd: The House of the Seven Tails
Wednesday, April 3rd: Man of La Book
Monday, April 8th: The Scarlet Letter
Wednesday, April 10th: Sophisticated Dorkiness
Thursday, April 11th: she treads softly
Tuesday, April 16th: Becca’s Byline
Monday, April 22nd: Lit and Life
Wednesday, April 24th: Take Me Away
Thursday, April 25th: I Read a Book Once
Friday, April 26th: Luxury Reading
TBD: Melody & Words

Review: Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon

2013-03-15T02:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Far From the Tree
Subtitle: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity
Author: Andrew Solomon
Pages: 702 (plus notes)
Genre: Non-Fiction, Sociology
Publisher: Mariner (Houghton Mifflin)
Pub. Date: November 13, 2012

I read this book slowly over the course of maybe 6 weeks, but it was well worth it! In Far From the Tree, Solomon chronicles the lives of various families whose children have created what Solomon terms "horizontal identities"; this refers to the new cultures their children are inherently born into as a result of the differences they're born with such as deafness, dwarfism, transgender, etc. Unlike "vertical identities" where one's children have essentially the same characteristics and life experiences, children with "horizontal identities" become part of a life that their own parents can't truly relate to. The premise of this book was to be the focus of the families themselves and how they manage their differences, but I found it to be more of a sociological study on the different groups Solomon reveals.

Solomon began the book discussing his experience as son to his parents and his own differences from them. Then in following chapters he discusses those who are deaf, dwarfs, have down syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, disabilities, those who are prodigies, were conceived from rape, grow up to commit heinous crimes, and those who are transgender. Then in coming full circle, he writes about his decision to become a father and the very non-traditional means by which he decides to do this.

This book was a fascinating look into the experiences of the individuals dealing with each of these issues and of their families as well. I would go so far as to say that I think this book should be required reading for social workers (my bachelor's degree!) or sociology degrees. Solomon was not afraid to thoroughly flesh out each topic each chapter so I really learned a lot. I felt pretty knowledgeable already, but I was not aware of some of the controversies involved with related treatments. Some of the treatments are so risky or controversial that it seems only right to allow children to mature and make the decision to do so on their own, but the same treatments become moot by then because it's too late once the children become adults. Solomon illuminated many other questions that arise when advocating for each group of people; for instance, many of these groups do not want to be labeled as having a disability because they see themselves as living different lifestyles rather than being disabled; however, if it's not a disability then wouldn't that contraindicate funding that goes into managing associated challenges and/or toward medical research to resolve the "disability"? And that in itself is another controversy because there are those who don't believe in medical advances to "cure" the issues such as those who support "neurodiversity" rather than pathologizing autism and those who advocate for "mad pride" for people with psychiatric disorders.

I found all of this to be an important look at the experiences of people and families everywhere. The only two downsides are that 1) each chapter is very thorough... to the point that I thought he could have not included quite so many interviews and 2) readers will surely find varying degrees of interest in the different chapters because the range of topics are so diverse. But regardless of these two things, I highly recommend this book!

Review: These Days Are Ours by Michelle Haimoff

2013-01-24T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: These Days Are Ours
Author: Michelle Haimoff
Pages: 275
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Hachette Books)
Pub. Date: February 28, 2012

I didn't hear about this book until nomadreader raved about it. I have to say I'm surprised at the little publicity it's received, especially with a cover blurb from Jonathan Tropper, "Smart, witty, honest, and never anything less than utterly engaging." I will say that These Days Are Ours was and wasn't what I was expecting which I'll explain; but overall it was a quick and fantastic read that was iconic in its representation of modern day high society New York as well as in its depiction of what I'll refer to as the "quarter life crisis". It is essentially the story of Hailey and her friends after they graduate from college and try to figure out what to do next, set in NYC right after 9/11.

Despite the humorous authenticity of Hailey's (main character's) thought processes in the beginning as she tried to maneuver her way into the life of her crush, I did not expect the initial chick-flick/rom-com feel that I noticed. I also had expected that I'd immediately relate to the characters better. I mean, I knew I wouldn't relate to the whole "Fifth Avenue" lifestyle in general but didn't realize how far that lifestyle permeated; for instance, I have always worked, full time, before, during, and after college and felt that the lifestyles of the characters were too irresponsible, cavalier. I've always had an extreme streak of independence - never moved back in with mom and dad, have never bemoaned the woes of being an adult, etc. that separated my complete understanding of life from theirs.

But what did meet my expectations was that I was able to relate to the characters in a broader, more abstract way, as in schooling is finally over so what now?... as in entering and partaking in the reality of "the real world" that in your twenties you start to see from a new perspective such as learning that your parents are human and don't know everything. I thought this quote from one of the characters describing their work represented this well:

"And another thing that takes some getting used to is how seriously everyone takes this stuff. Like, the biggest account you could be on at BBDO, the account you would be on if you were rocking it, is Pepsi. And if you're somehow on Pepsi, the highlight of your life would be some new soda they were launching with even fewer calories than the old soda. And I'm sorry, but it's just hard to pretend to care that much about a lower-calorie soda when you've just been in college learning actual things." (p.155)

Writing these characters against the backdrop of 9/11 New York City adds to the whole "quarter life crisis" and the characters' startling realizations about what life does and will entail for them. It's a jolt into reality that I also experienced while in college. It's not what this book is about but it does have a part in teaching the characters about life and also about how their interpretations of it differ. The following is a quote from Hailey after she sees the debris at Ground Zero:

" Ground Zero wasn't the right name for this. Ground Zero sounded like a blank canvas. For now it should be called 'The Disaster Zone' or something. Ground Zero could be later, when the area was nothing but a desert in the middle of the skyscrapers. Emptiness. Dust to dust. Ground Zero could honor a time before accountants and stock market and buildings that loomed so large it felt like you were drowning." (p. 78)

After the book picked up, that "chick-flick" feel I mentioned earlier made way for a much more insightful and intuitive read.

These Days Are Ours is about life in your twenties, looking forward, starting careers, friendships, relationships, and just taking it all in. It's full of realistic dialogue, humor, sadness, and reality (told in part through the NYC nightlife). I read this in one day, almost in one sitting.

Rating: 4 out of 5

We need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

2013-01-17T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: We Need to Talk About Kevin
Author: Lionel Shriver
Pages: 432
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Harper Perennial (Harper Collins)
Pub. Date: April 15, 2003 (first edition)

You can only say so many times that a book is on your MUST read list or that you reallly want to read a book before you have to actually pick it up and do it. So I finally am in the know both about this book as well as the style and talent of the author herself. Although I was utterly depressed by the end (which didn't really happen to me until about the last 50 pages), I'm glad I read this because it was so amazing in its content, its writing, its characters and psychology. It's the kind of book I'm glad to say I have read. And I'm really curious about the author's other work as well... are all her books like this?

We know from the beginning that Kevin, son of the narrator, Eva, has perpetrated a mass murder at his high school. In letters that Eva writes to her husband, Franklin, she recaptures their lives from the beginning when she first made the decision to have a child despite never having quite felt maternal desires. She then chronicles their relationships with their son as well as the various misgivings she had about him. Whereas Eva never felt truly bonded to him, Franklin passion for this child was overkill.

At first, this novel's epistolary format was strange to me only because having Eva essentially narrate their lives back to her husband didn't make sense to me. Eventually I got used to it and also decided if nothing else it must have been therapeutic for her so that it made more sense in my head. One of the points of this book was to invoke thoughts about the nature vs nurture debate. While I suppose it did that, I actually thought that Kevin was so extreme from the beginning that this book truly fought for the side of nature. Or if it was making a fight for nurture, it wasn't so much Eva but Franklin's pure ignorance that I think influenced anything. I've read of other readers severely disliking Eva, but for the most part I liked her.

Despite the serious and depressing nature of the book, I was enthralled... by the psychology of if all as well as by Lionel's writing style which was not just astute but so intelligently crafted. I felt my brain growing smarter just by reading her book, haha. (I'll admit there were times in the beginning when it felt clunky with what I thought were unnecessary high brow adverbs and adjectives. But I must have gotten used to it).

But then the last 50 pages or so left me so bereft -- shockingly upset considering I knew more or less where it was going. I felt evil leaking off the pages and I wondered what it must have been like to even write this book. Was it as horrifying as it was to read? Then the very ending, the last page or so, was exactly as I figured it would be. This is definitely a book I will highly recommend to those who think they can stomach the atrocities within its pages.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Mini-Reviews: Life of Pi, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky, and Heart-Shaped Box

2013-01-09T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Life of Pi
Author: Yann Martel
Pages: 319
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Mariner (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Pub. Date: June 28, 2002 (hardcover); April 21, 2003 (paperback)

This is one of those books that has been on my list forever. It's one of those books that I felt, and other readers have agreed, is one of those books that we should read. Though it was just written in 2002, it has quickly become a modern classic. And with the movie version recently released, and my husband recently reading it, I decided to dig in too. Basically, Pi grows up in India with his parents who own a zoo. The first part of the book is about him exploring other religions. But then they're on a boat that sinks and he ends up in a lifeboat with a tiger, and he has to strategically live in the middle of the ocean without being attacked by a tiger. This book really wasn't for me. I stayed interested enough to keep moving to the next chapter, but I did feel that the time on the lifeboat was sort of drawn out. And there was some graphic detail given regarding some of the animals that I really did not like. Part of what drew me to this book was that I had heard it had this super powerful message in the end; for me it was anticlimactic but maybe because I had built it up so much. I'm glad to say I read this and I felt it was okay, but that's about it.

Title: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
Author: Heidi W. Durrow
Pages: 264
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Algonquin Books (Workman Publishing)
Pub. Date: February 16, 2010

I was drawn to this because of the social issues it was supposed to present about race and class. The main character, Rachel, is biracial. Though it hasn't ever been a significant issue for her, it becomes one after she goes to live with her grandmother subsequent to the death of her mother and siblings when they fall off the top of a building. This book was also the winner of the Bellwether Prize in 2010. Overall, I thought this one was okay. It was narrated from several different points of view. Near the beginning it had a Tayari Jones-esque which is, of course, a great thing, though I didn't feel it maintained this all the way through. I guess I just felt like I wasn't sure exactly what the point was. I think I was expecting a bigger message again. I think I thought I'd relate more. Again, I'm glad I read this one but it didn't blow me away.

Title: Heart-Shaped Box
Author: Joe Hill
Pages: 379
Genre: Horror
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Pub. Date: February 13, 2007

My husband chose this as our joint read for Halloween this past year. I was against it at first because ghosts and the lot scare me more than other scary things. But eventually I gave in and then ended up having the opposite reaction in that this book hardly scared me at all. I mentioned it in an earlier post, but I think that with this type of book there is a degree of cheesiness to it that takes away from the scariness. Basically, the premise of this is that an old rock star buys a dead man's suit to add to his collection of macabre paraphernalia, only to learn that the ghost of the previous owner comes with the suit and this ghost is out to get him. It was okay. I've read praise for Joe Hill (son of Stephen King) saying his work is better than his father's -- I'm not convinced yet. However, I enjoyed this as a Halloween read with the hubby but wouldn't have regretted not reading it otherwise.

Review: Dwarf by Tiffanie DiDonato with Rennie Dyball

2013-01-03T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Dwarf
Subtitle: How One Woman Fought for a Body--And a Life--She Was Never Supposed to Have
Author: Tiffanie DiDonato with Rennie Dyball
Pages: 272
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Plume (Penguin)
Pub. Date: November 27, 2012

I first saw this book while perusing the local Barnes & Noble and was instantly drawn to it. There's often a lot of inspiration to be found in learning about how someone has overcome struggles in their lives. I didn't realize it, but the author was on Good Morning America in 2008 discussing her experiences. (Not sure how I missed it since I have been a GMA aficionado for years). But anyway, here is the video if you're interested.

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What is discussed in the video is the controversial bone lengthening procedures Tiffanie went through multiple times to add inches to her height. Her experiences with those surgeries were the meat of her memoir as she discusses why she chose that route, others' reactions, and how she endured it despite experiencing excruciating pain. This woman is brave, courageous, and independent -- that is for sure! While I completely relate to the desire for as much independence as possible, I could never have made the decisions she did medically because I would have been too terrified!

Now, her decisions also come with a high degree of skepticism and controversy because of a belief that she has rejected her dwarfism and sent the message that even very risky surgery is worth changing who she was born as. I can certainly understand this position as well, because the surgery comes with the risk of many complications and is not medically necessary, though I don't fault Tiffanie in her decision making either. I did find this memoir interesting, and I did find it inspirational, but I could also see where for some it might not be because it was about overcoming through drastic measures rather than learning to accept oneself just as is.

As for the writing itself, I did feel like certain parts seemed a little lengthy. In the first half of the book I also felt a couple messages became repetitive such as Tiffanie's never having realized that she was labeled a dwarf or that there was really anything different about her. I understood after the first couple examples. I also thought it delved in to the cheesy a couple times.

That being said, I also cried or became very teary eyed multiple times while reading this - once in public which I never do. One of the most powerful parts of this memoir were the relationships presented. Tiffanie's parents had starkly different reactions and responses to supporting their daughter. One side of the family completely rejected her, even, while the other supported her wholeheartedly. She talks a lot about a best friend she had throughout her adolescence who meant a lot to her. It was the dynamics of these interactions that I think got to me the most.

Dwarf was an interesting read about how one person dealt with their struggles, but it also has a lot of controversy surrounding it and will make you question your own beliefs.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

If you go to http://www.andersoncooper.com/ and click on videos, you will find a few different clips from when Tiffanie appeared on his show to discuss this issue as well as another person who went through the same procedure and regrets it.

Best Fiction of 2012

2012-12-29T02:00:00.000-05:00

I've chosen my seven favorite fiction books read this year. I had what I consider a tie for a couple of places though, so in reality I've narrowed it down to top five with two essential ties. :) All were published in 2012 except for the two that tied for #1!

5.

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (2012) and The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman (2012)

I've seen these two on a lot of lists and the thing is they aren't necessarily extraordinary, but they just had really great stories that I loved reading. The Chaperone takes us to 1920's New York City as a woman takes on the challenge of chaperoning a rebellious teenage girl who ends up becoming a big movie star. The Light Between Oceans had me questioning what I would do if I had the opportunity to raise another child as my own but had to pretend it literally was of my own flesh and blood and what I would do once the situation started having holes poked in it.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012)

I think I've seen this one on every "best of" list this year. It's a mystery/thriller of sorts but also a psychological portrait of an unhealthy, or crazy, marriage. The two main characters are some complex people! This was hard to put down and has pretty much convinced me and everyone else to read the rest of Flynn's books.

The Darlings by Cristina Alger(2012)

I find this to be one of the more underrated books this year; I haven't really heard much about it and think it deserves much more recognition. It focuses on one family in which the son-in-laws both work with the father-in-law at a financial firm when a scandal explodes, questioning everyone's loyalty. In my review I called it the "perfect amalgamation of white collar suspense and homage to life in New York City". I really enjoyed this one.

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers (2012)

This one has received much of the recognition I think it deserves; it was a finalist for the 2012 fiction National Book Award, though I have to say I enjoyed this one much more than the actual winner. The writing was gorgeous and the portrayal of the soldiers in war was astutely done.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (2011) and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (2009)

I couldn't do it. I couldn't narrow it down any further for my favorite read of the year. And interestingly, I compared State of Wonder to Cutting for Stone in the former's review. They both have a medical component that I found fascinating (sometimes I think I should have gone into medicine rather than mental health, ha!) But both stories were also so full of depth and were full of beautiful writing and evoked gorgeous atmospheres. Neither were published this year, but both will be books that will stay with me for a while and that I have recommended to many others.

Best Non-Fiction of 2012

2012-12-28T02:00:00.000-05:00

These are my top five non-fiction books read this year. My favorite was actually published last year, but numbers 2 and 3 were published in 2012. They're each linked to my review.

Imperfect Justice by Jeff Ashton with Lisa Pulitzer (2011)

As much coverage as this case got, especially for those of us in Orlando, this book provides more behind the scenes knowledge of the investigation and trial and was surprisingly fascinating.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (2009)

An entertaining and inspiring journey about making and achieving little resolutions that add together to contribute to overall improved well-being and happiness.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo (2012)

This was 2012's non-fiction winner of the National Book Award. This narrative non-fiction portrays the plights of the people living in the Anaawadi slums right next to the luxuriously booming Mumbai in India. Abject poverty next door extravagant wealth. Fascinating.

Quiet by Susan Cain (2012)

Packed with research and insights, this book offers so much knowledge about introverted personalities and what they offer our world as well as the difficulties introverts currently have in finding a role in our society. Completely relatable for me and fascinating, this is a book that I'll proudly display on my shelf, recommend to others, and that I'll likely read again in the future.

Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd (2011)

Domestic human trafficking, or the commercial sexual exploitation of girls, in this country is a terrifying thing to think about; but, unfortunately, it's a reality that happens every day. This was the most powerful book I read this year. It left me feeling raw and heartbroken yet professionally inspired to help other girls who have experienced this kind of or similar trauma. I have recommended this to many people and gifted a copy as well. Please consider supporting the associated non-profit agency started and run by Rachel Lloyd, the author, GEMS. You can also follow them on Facebook: Girls Are Not For Sale. Beyond that, however, the writing is fantastic (check out some of the quotes in my review), and the book is astutely organized, qualities which are meritable on their own.

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

2012-12-11T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: The Round House
Author: Louise Erdrich
Pages: 317
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Harper (Harper Collins)
Pub. Date: October 2, 2012

I have been wanting to read a novel of Louise Erdrich's for a while, so after her latest, The Round House, won the National Book Award, I decided I'd have to start with this one. Plus there were comparisons to To Kill a Mockingbird and I figured this is a must read.

Unfortunately, while I recognize the merits of this book, as well as the aforementioned comparisons, overall I don't think it was for me. It tells the story of 13-year-old Joe who lives on a reservation in North Dakota with his mother and tribal judge father. Shortly into the book, Joe's mother is physically attacked and raped. She suffers a type of post-traumatic stress reaction in which she retreats into herself. Justice is hard to come by because of the ambiguities or contradictions in the laws governing jurisdiction of the reservation and free land as well as of the people victim to or perpetrator to the crime. While The Round House focuses on this situation and Joe's own desire for seeking justice, it also is a coming of age story about him and his friends.

I typically enjoy coming of age stories, and it might be that I had expected more plot focus on the issue with his mother that left me disappointed with this one. I can't help but feel, though, that the story meandered a little to where I became confused about the focus. I also would have liked more focus on the social justice issue regarding difficulty of prosecuting these types of crimes on reservations. The author provided a little information about it in the afterword, and I would have liked to learn more about this from the reading. I feel like at this point I just know of it being an issue rather than feeling totally informed.

And I very much disliked the ending.

My review seems really negative, but it wasn't a bad or unenjoyable book by any means. I just didn't connect to it for whatever reason. I'm pretty much the only one who seems to have this opinion, though, and it did win the National Book Award, so take that for what it's worth!

(And upon reading this I was still convinced to pick up those other books of the author's that I had been considering!)

Review: In the Woods by Tana French

2012-12-03T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: In the Woods
Series: Dublin Murder Squad #1
Author: Tana French
Pages: 429
Genre: fiction, mystery, literary
Publisher: Viking (Penguin)
Pub. Date: May 17, 2007 (hardcover); May 27, 2008 (paperback)

I've had In the Woods on my "must-read" list essentially since it came out and everyone raved about how amazingly wonderful it was. I'm glad I was finally motivated to start attacking my "must-read" list (where, ironically, books waste away never being read); and while I did think it was a fantastic read, I was disappointed too. I'll explain why, but I think it stems mostly from the unrealistically high expectations I incurred after reading so many great reviews over the years. Because apparently, I have had this book on my list for five years!!

Quick summary for those who aren't yet in the know: in 1984, three kids in Knocknaree, Ireland, disappear in the woods; two of those children are never found. Adam Robert Ryan is found alone with unexplained injuries but has no memory of what happened. Years later, Adam is Detective Rob Ryan; he still has no memory of the events but is forced to face this wall blocking his memories when he investigates a case in which a 12-year-old girl's body has been found in those same woods. Ryan takes on the case without letting anyone know of his personal connection.

The rest of In the Woods is the investigation of the case by Ryan, combined with the story of Ryan's trying to reach for the lost memories (for the investigation but also for himself), and a look into his close relationship with his work partner, Cassie Maddox. (Can men and women be just friends, especially as close as they are?) French does an amazing job with the story and with the characters. Although there was an investigation going on, the crux of the story seemed to be more about the characters, and I was easily drawn in. The backstory was engaging, as were their daily interactions. As hefty as the book seemed, I couldn't put it down. But I'll admit, part of what kept me reading was because I wanted to find out what all the crazy twists were that I was expecting.... but in the end I felt like it was significantly more a typical mystery than any type of thriller, much less a pyschological thriller. While there was a lot of discussion about psychological factors, which was very interesting, I think of the genre "psychological thriller", which this book is often billed as, as more so books that mess with the readers' minds, where not everything is as it seems. And unless I missed something, I felt this was fairly straightforward. Some complaints from those that have voiced them, is that the author left some questions unanswered in the end. That didn't bother me.. the questions unanswered weren't necessary to me, but I did feel like she was building up to it so, while it didn't bother me, I could see why some people felt they were left hanging.

So, I was definitely a fan and will eventually read more in the series. But it wasn't as crazy as I was expecting it to be.

Sunday Salon

2012-11-25T19:40:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I gave myself a four day weekend enjoyed it immensely! I did a lot of eating, shopping, and visiting with family.

This week I read Life of Pi... I wasn't really a fan (review to come later). But I don't regret taking the time to read it because I have had it on my "must read" list forever and I'm glad to now say I have read it. I'm currently working on In The Woods which has also been on my list forever. I'm excited to get to it but am a little apprehensive about some of the reviews I've read saying it just ends without a real ending, etc. I'm itching to know what crazy things are going to happen, though!

A couple weeks ago I asked for help with potential reading goals for next year. Jenners had a great idea of doing specific little mini-achievements:

For a reading goal, how about something achievable like "read 2 books I've always meant to read but never have" and "read 3 books from my own bookshelves" and "read 2 books by an author I love but haven't explored too often." Might be kind of fun to find these books and mix it up and be achievable. Have fun!

I thought that sounded fun and picture it being sort of like a very achievable scavenger hunt. And this solves a lot of the other dilemmas I had. My overarching goal is to make every single read meaningful in some way. While I'll still read newer/popular/review books, I also plan on reading a lot of older ones that are on my shelves or that have been on my list. Regardless, I hope to have minimal reads that I read only because it was for a blogging commitment or because everyone was talking about it and I just had to be in on it too even though my interest was just mediocre, etc. Every year I've actually kept a list that I've added to throughout the year of "must read" books, those that were recommended that I think sound *great*, authors whose backlist I want to read, series to work on, etc. And I rarely read any of those (Life of Pi and In the Woods were two of those) so this will help me get those done.

So, any ideas for the scavenger hunt items I should include? Some examples: read 2 presidential books (the new Thomas Jefferson one is on my wishlist!), read Gillian Flynn's backlist (there's only 2 so no biggie), etc.

Review: The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

2012-11-20T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: The Yellow Birds
Author: Kevin Powers
Pages: 240
Genre: Fiction; War
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co. (Hachette Books)
Pub. Date: September 11, 2012

I haven't read many war books so I can't compare this to any, though critics and readers alike have made comparisons to Tim O'Brien's classic, The Things They Carried. I can say, though, that I could easily see this becoming a modern classic in its own right. Kevin Powers, an Iraqi veteran, deployed to Al Tarf in 2004, describes the experience of being at war through the eyes of 21-year-old Private Bartle.

"I hadn't given a lot of thought to actually going to war, but it was happening now, and I was still struggling to find a sense of urgency that seemed proportional to the events unfolding in my life. I remember feeling relief in basic while everyone else was frantic with fear. It had dawned on me that I'd never have to make a decision again. That seemed freeing, but it gnawed at some part of me even then. Eventually, I had to learn that freedom is not the same thing as the absence of accountability" (nook pg. 24)

The Yellow Birds jumps back and forth in time starting with a scene from in Al Tafar in 2004, returning to 2003 just before deploying, and then moving forward to the after effects in 2005 and beyond. I was afraid this would confuse me, but it was always clear what was happening and when. After reading this, I truly feel like I gained some insight into what it's like being at war. Private Bartle reflects on the attitude he has to take on war, such as emotionally distancing yourself from feelings related to death, since the death of people around you is expected.

Bartle meets 18-year-old Daniel Murphy at training prior to deployment and makes a promise to Murphy's mother that he'll protect Murphy and bring him back home. We learn early on that Murphy doesn't, in fact, make it home (this is not a spoiler); this is a situation for which Bartle feels extreme grief and guilt, especially at how it all happens. We don't find out until later on what exactly happened out there, so in a way the story takes on a mystery element as we figure it out in bits and pieces. Bartle also reflects, though, on the differences between how he and others take on the war, and how this affects their ability to survive physically and emotionally.

The Yellow Birds expertly depicts the thoughts and feelings of those soldiers in the war without overstating anything. Surprisingly, I thought there was pretty minimal detail related to gore or killing or anything you'd think you might find in a novel about war. It says and shows what it needs to and leaves it at that. It's no wonder this book was a finalist for the National Book Award. The passages were beautiful; I bookmarked my way through my reading. This is the kind of book I can definitely see myself returning to for a re-read. This was one of my favorite reads this year!

With that, I'll leave you with another quote I liked:

"Maybe if things had happened a little differenty in Al Tafar it could have been like that. But things happened the way they happened without regard to our desire for them to have happened another way. Despite an age-old instinct to provide an explanation more complex than that, something with a level of profundity and depth which would seem commensurate wtih the confusion I felt, it really was that simple." (nook pg. 41).

Sunday Salon

2012-11-18T02:00:00.000-05:00

I may have found the book to bring me out of my reading funk. Granted, I've had more free time now for a couple weeks so it may be that adjustment finally catching up, but I finally read a book from beginning to end in a normal amount of time that I really enjoyed and that is inspiring me to reach out and find other great books again! That book is The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers which I picked up after Nomadreader's great review (which was Wednesday and I started Thursday and finished Saturday morning... see, a normal amount of time for me like I said, LOL). I see why this book has gained so much attention in the literary world. My review will be up sometime in the near future, I suppose, but I highly recommend it! My other "active" read right now is Stephen King's On Writing which I'm about halfway through but am still unsure about.

In other news, my husband and I put up most of our Christmas lights on the house yesterday. The intention is to not turn them on until after Thanksgiving but put them up since we'll be busy after Thursday; however, there are some other houses in my area who have already turned theirs on so we shall see, LOL. Regardless, I still have more decorations and lights to put up that I'm super excited about!! Other than that I'm just excited about getting these next few days out of the way since I am giving myself a four day weekend! Woo hoo!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Cookbook Review: The Kimchi Chronicles

2012-11-16T02:00:00.000-05:00

Title: The Kimchi Chronicles
Subtitle: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen
Author: Marja Vongerichten
Pages: 248 (including index)
Genre: Cookbook
Publisher: Rodale (Macmillan)
Pub. Date: August 2, 2011

About a year and a half ago, Jason and I got really into the documentary/food mini-series, The Kimchi Chronicles, which took viewers all over South Korea and showcased various foods. The show's star, Marja Vongerichten, is a Korean-American adoptee who, after being reunited with her birth mother, took on a greater interest in Korean cuisine and culture. Each episode of the show features a type of dish(es) and then shows how to cook it. They talk to locals, go through the markets, try out popular restaurants, etc. Vongerichten's husband, renowned French chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, simultaneously cooks up his own Americanized version of the dish. There are also some guest stars, real life friends of the Vongerichten's such as Hugh Jackman and Heather Graham, that show up in various episodes. Being half-Korean myself, I have fortunately been very exposed to Korean cuisine of all kinds and it is seriously my favorite thing to eat in the world! My husband (who happens to be half-Thai and, therefore, has also been exposed to some delicious food also loves Korean food almost as much as I do). So, not only did we adore the show, we knew we had to buy the cookbook. We got our copy of it probably last year around this time and have made several recipes from it (which I think is the most we have ever made from one cookbook).

Along with gorgeous pictures, Vongerichten spends time explaining the various foods that are commonly used in Korean cooking and what should be stocked in the pantry. She includes interesting tidbits throughout the book about culturally related information and also Korean how to's such as setting the table and picnicking Korean style. (Gangname Style?? LOL... sorry that just popped up in my head when I said "Korean Style", haha)

If you're not familiar with Korean cooking or Korean markets, it may be a little challenging obtaining the ingredients, but I think she does a good job of explaining everything and providing pictures, and the ingredients really are so common that anyone in a Korean market could help you. Korean cooking is something that has always intimidated me because of the complexities of much of the meals. But after trying out the recipes in this book, my confidence was significantly increased; I'm not much of a cook but I was able to follow along just fine! And the food turned out Amazing! I'd say not quite like my mom's cooking but close enough that this cookbooks is very valuable to me!

The first recipe I made was the Easy Braised Chicken... it's sort of a stew with chicken, potatoes, and carrots. This isn't a meal I had really eaten before since it's quite Americanized, but it is packed with that Korean flavor I know so well and was DELICIOUS! We both love this meal. I've made it a few times and have also had my family over to eat it as well. I absolutely love this recipe and found it really easy to follow. The book's picture is up to the right, and my version is on the left.

The next thing I made was the traditional New Year's meal (that I eat throughout the year!) that Marja calls "Rice Cake Soup with Brisket" or as it's called in Korean, Dduk Guk (떡국). (Ironically, my mom makes her own Americanized version of this that is ridiculously amazing). But this was another that I just never saw myself making because I always saw my mother (when cooking this the traditional way) boiling an ox-tail in water for HOURS to make the soup stock and I just didn't see myself doing that. But this recipe actually is much simpler than that but still very good.

I've made various other meals such as the kimchi hot dogs that Jean-Georges came up with, kimchi fried rice, and (geez, can't forget this!) the Korean short-ribs (galbi-갈비) that are so popularly known as "Korean BBQ". It's so exciting to be able to cook these recipes for myself if I want rather than have to ask or expect my mom to do it or run out to a restaurant. This is my absolute favorite cookbook, and I highly recommend both this and the show! Check out the website The Kimchi Chronicles to see videos from the show, check out some of their recipes, and even buy a Korean spice kit in case shopping on your own in an Asian market makes you nervous!

Sunday Salon: Reading Goals??

2012-11-11T02:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone!

This post was written last night, since I'm off seeing weekend clients as usual for my Sundays. =/ I've gotten to a good place with my work which was the main culprit from my extended absence from here, but my reading and blogging habits have apparently changed completely during that time! I just haven't been reading much at all. I have to say I had managed to work myself into a place where I was constantly pressuring myself to READ READ READ. And while it was enjoyable on the one hand, it got annoying on the other. In the past few months I've started probably no less than 15 books and have finished just one which I had to for a blog tour, LOL. Once I had that out of the way, which was my last official commitment, I started reading Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell Slan because I had really been in the mood for a cozy and thought I'd start a new series. So far it's alright - good, but not as good as some of the other cozy series I've been reading. And I just haven't been in the mood to return to it. It's not the book's fault. A cursory glance around the room reveals at least five other books I also have not returned to but have not yet shelved with the others.

But I really miss being away from here and the community! What to do..

Anyway, along those lines, I've been thinking of book goals. Every year I basically have a goal of reading a certain number. It's always 100 books, and I've never reached it (LOL), but this year I am extremely far from that number. (I'm currently sitting at 43, and I'm estimating that I'll finish maybe 2-3 for the rest of the year). I'd rather not give myself a quantity goal since that does make me pressure myself to read sheer quantities. And it also dissuades me from reading potentially good books if the page count is too high. I don't really want to go for page count either. So I was wondering what kind of goals you all go for? I'd still like to do something to give myself a challenge for fun, but just not sure what.

In other news, Jason and I have gotten a big start on the holiday spirit this year. I've already been listening to Christmas music for a while, and we've done a ton of shopping already! I love our Millenia Mall during the hoildays because it's absolutely gorgeous! And today we braved the outlet mall which is insane any time of year. Last weekend we went and saw Million Dollar Quartet (the broadway musical bout the one time jam session involving Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash) which was so fun!! It was like going to a concert in the 1950's! These are some of the reasons I haven't been reading, LOL!

Hope everyone has a great weekend, and I will be trying to improve my commenting on everyone's blogs!

I'm Guest Posting!

2012-11-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today I'm visiting Alyce over at At Home With Books talking about my favorite and least favorite of Kristin Hannah's books. Stop on by!

How The French Invented Love (Blog Tour)

2012-10-31T02:00:00.000-04:00

Title: How the French Invented Love
Subtitle: Nine Hundred Years of Passion and Romance
Author: Marilyn Yalom
Pages: 365
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Harper Perennial (Harper Collins)
Pub. Date: October 23, 2012

It's sort of an accepted truth that the French view love and all its related parts (sex, marriage, etc.) differently than those in the American culture. There's something about the passion and liberties the French culture pour into their expressions of love. In How the French Invented Love, Marilyn Yalom chronicles and dissects the French literature about love through the ages to provide a picture of the French concept of love, sex, and marriage. Her analysis goes from the 1100's with the story of Abelard and Heloise (sort of a French Romeo and Juliet) to the 1700's with La Princesse de Cleves which has had even recent controversy to the writers of the 1900's.

Yalom, previously a professor of French literature, packed this book with insights about tons of literature and cultural attitudes. I alternated between being completely caught up in what I was reading with feeling overwhelmed with information. I, personally, felt this book was quite academic in nature and wouldn't recommend it to a casual reader, for sure. For me the more difficult part was the first half in which Yalom focused on medieval (and other early) literature. I've always found that time period difficult to understand and relate to, and I also know little about French literature or life so that was difficult for me as well. On the other hand, I was fascinated by the attitudes about love as well as the stories that Yalom relayed. One thought that stuck with me was the attitude that true love doesn't exist in marriage. The thought behind it was interesting and could apply today, though I don't believe it to be automatically true at all!

As the book moved on, I found it increasingly easier to follow along, likely because I understand the time frame better but also because I was familiar with and had previously read some of the other works she referred to, especially, for instance, with Madame Bovary and Cyrano De Bergerac as I read both years ago and was able to follow up with some newer, "grown up", commentary and insight. I will say the one downside for me was that Yalom referred to so much different literature throughout the book that even though she discussed them in detail, I'd move on and then forget all about a recent piece she had discussed.

I would certainly recommend this book to those who have an interest in French literature and/or culture as well as to those who enjoy ruminating on the concept of LOVE.

Follow the rest of the tour below:
Tuesday, October 23rd: The Year in Books
Thursday, October 25th: Unabridged Chick
Monday, October 29th: The Written World
Tuesday, October 30th: Doing Dewey
Wednesday, October 31st: Take Me Away
Thursday, November 1st: Oh! Paper Pages
Monday, November 5th: Sophisticated Dorkiness
Tuesday, November 6th: Dreaming in Books
Wednesday, November 7th: Bibliophiliac
Thursday, November 8th: Book Hooked Blog
Friday, November 9th: BooksAreTheNewBlack
Monday, November 12th: missris
Wednesday, November 28th: Much Madness is Divinest Sense

Sunday Salon: Reading ADD

2012-10-07T02:00:00.000-04:00

Remember that big test I had to take? I passed!!! It's such a relief to have that out of the way, and I'm hoping that everything starts returning to a little bit of normalcy around here! Just give me another six months and I will have my own license in my field. Woo hoo!

It's funny because my last few posts have been about how I really haven't been reading much lately. And I haven't, truly. BUT, I do feel like if I added together all the pages I've read, I MUST have still read a couple books' worth. I have had such insane reading ADD! I have started so many books and then get bored anywhere from 30-100 pages in. Some have become DNF's and some have been set aside only for the time being. It's sort of crazy. Anyway, I guess I'll try to post one of the DNF's soon since it fits in with the theme of October books.

In related news, my hubby and I are reading Heart Shaped Box together (each on our nooks) to have a horror book read-a-long. I remember reading a few reviews of this before but can't remember what the consensus was. I initially refused to read it because I thought I'd be terrified. Now I'm about 75 pages in and feeling like it's cheesy... BUT this might be a defense mechanism protecting myself from getting scared, LOL. Who knows. We were going to try It but I thought with my reading dynamics lately we'd be better sticking to a small book. We have tried this at least a couple times before (Dracula last year, The Passage the year before that) and I have never finished one... I'm trying really hard to stay interested in this year's read, LOL.

Hope everyone has a great week!

P.S. I'm still trying to catch up on your blogs and get back to a normal schedule of blog reading.

September in Review

2012-10-01T02:00:00.000-04:00

S E P T E M B E R

Reading and Reviewing

Well... I just recently updated, so not much has changed. The only book I read this month was a graphic novel, American Widow. I also did not post any reviews this month.

I have started so many books, but none have been holding my interest. Some are partly the book's fault, and some are definitely not.

I've decided I need to post more book related (or other) posts and not so many reviews since I can't keep up. I have to think about how I want this to work. I also don't want to feel pressured to review every book I read. I don't really want to post too much personal information, but I do need a way to expand the blog a little.

Websites

There are a couple websites I've been enjoying that are literary - well one, yes, the other not literary so much as humanistic, and both take place in my favorite city that I wanted to share. They both have their own website but I follow both through Facebook. The first one is called Humans of New York (or HONY) or can be followed on FB. This photographer posts frequently (every day, sometimes more than once a day) of various people he runs across. The pictures are charming, sweet, fun, and sometimes have great stories behind them. Love this site.

The other site is called the Underground New York Public Library. Every day he posts a picture of someone reading a book on the subway or the subway platform and captions the picture with the name of the book. Each Friday he posts a picture of someone reading an e-book, though we don't get the names of those books. But again, it's humanistic as well as fun to see what others are reading. This one also can be followed on FB.

That's it for now. I do have a blog tour at the end of the month so I'll at least be back for that, though I am hoping to read and review a couple R.I.P type books for this Halloween month!

August in Review (and update)

2012-09-21T23:55:00.003-04:00

A U G U S T

Oh how I've missed the blogging world! I haven't been around in a while. But I still can't believe I haven't posted a review since the beginning of August, and you don't even want to know how little I've read since then. Once again I've had trouble balancing my work and life. Doing contract work and working from home sounds nice and does have its perks, but it makes it really hard for me to ever want to be on my computer. I am a procrastinator which is part of the problem, but then anxiety builds and I use false coping methods like ignoring and in the process I don't even get on the computer. Plus, after seeing clients all day, the last thing I want to do when I get home is work. Then I was sick for over a week... I am rarely sick for more than a few days so that was no fun. Other reasons I've not been around: I've been focusing on some other hobbies and putting less pressure on myself to read and blog. It's a little ridiculous how much I allow myself to feel pressured to keep up... keep up with posts, with new releases, etc. And a current reason why I shouldn't even be blogging right now -- I finally registered to take my mental health counseling licensure exam October 4th, and I have been trying to spend some time studying. I hate studying, but I paid a lot of money for the study sight for 30 days so I need to try to take advantage of it! I already wasted the week I was sick not doing much (as I purchased the membership before I realized I'd be out of service for the following week!) I have been stopping by your blogs now and then, but I still plan on catching up some more on your posts!

Oh, and this isn't really related, but I turned the big 30 in August! My family totally surprised me by throwing a surprise party!

Reading and Reviewing

I know this month is almost over, but I'm sticking to August for now. I reviewed ONE book... City of Women by David R. Gillham which was wonderful. And I only read two books for the whole month! Those books were Kill You Twice by Chelsea Cain and What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. Both were good, but I'm not sure if I'll remember enough to write a sufficient review. =(

I hope to be up to blogging and reading again soon!

City of Women by David R. Gillham

2012-08-06T02:00:00.000-04:00

Title: City of Women
Author: David R. Gillham
Pages: 385
Genre: Fiction, Historical, 1940's Berlin
Publisher: Amy Einhorn/G.P. Putnam's Sons (Penguin)
Pub. Date: August 7, 2012

City of Women tells the story of the women left behind in the city of Berlin in 1943 when the majority of the men are off to join the war efforts. Sigrid Schroder lives with her meddling and critical mother-in-law while her husband, Kaspar, has gone off to war. But even before he left, Sigrid had been having an affair with a man who she now thinks about more than her husband. This is scandalous enough as it is, but her illicit lover also happens to be Jewish.

Sigrid is a good German citizen, though she isn't always quite sure what is true and not regarding Germany's place in the war. But then when she's at the cinema one day, her favorite place to spend time, she is thrown into a scandalous situation by the young girl who nannies the children downstairs from Sigrid. The mysterious antics of this young girl irritate and anger the fairly proper Sigrid but ultimately leads her to the biggest realizations she has about what is really happening in the world.

Sigrid later becomes faced with the decision to shelter Jews and others who need to hide. She's horrified at the thought of defying the rules as well as the missions of the city's men but also horrified at what she slowly realizes is happening to these people when they are found by the Gestapo... especially when it becomes personal and she believes she may be hiding the family of her secret lover.

I loved this book. The writing was beautiful and engaging and really created a sensuous atmosphere that I immersed myself in every time I opened the book. It was about community, friendships, betrayals, daily life and its sensualities, moral arguments from personal and political viewpoints, and danger. It demonstrated the strength and courage of some of these women but also the cattiness of many of the women. It's about women living in a really difficult time and place and having to make some very difficult decisions. City of Women is up there with one of the best of the year for me so far.

July in Review

2012-08-03T02:00:00.000-04:00

J U L Y

Reading and Reviewing

I posted the following reviews this month:

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
What I Did by ChristopherWakling
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Only one of those was actually read this month. The only other book I read in the month of July that I have not yet posted a review for is City of Women by David R. Gillham. I'll post that one in a few days.

My reading has slowed significantly lately because my focus has been on so many other things. While it isn't conducive to blogging, it's been sort of nice. I tend to be an "all or nothing" thinker at times which is not healthy, and I, unfortunately apply it to my hobbies. So it got to the point where I viewed everything as cutting into my reading time including work and even social engagements and interactions. That's sort of ridiculous! So it's nice to feel free and like I've given myself permission to just enjoy other things. But along the way I've had a lot going on so I haven't been reading much at all. Not to mention I've had reading ADD lately... I've started and not finished so many books not because the books aren't good but because I find something else I want to read even more! I'm reading several books, but the one I've focused the most on lately is Kill You Twice by Chelsea Cain which I was soooo excited about. After several days I'm only halfway through!

So the other things I've been focusing on are largely work... I go through phases where I'm all caught up and feel fine relaxing and reading, but I also go through phases where the work is really hard to keep up with. I'm also registering soon to take my licensure test for the state of Florida so once that is scheduled I'll be spending a lot of time studying for that! I also have begun focusing a lot on my health and well-being which has included signing up and actually going to the gym. I'm doing pretty well and while I have some informal goals I'd like to achieve, my main goal is to stay active and just be healthy!

So along with this new take on reading, I've also sort of changed my "philosophy" again. With wanting to do other things, I have even less time to read all the wonderful books out there so it's even more pertinent that I read what I absolutely want to and not feel pressure to read new books. I sort of envy my husband this... he reads so many randomly interesting books, some classics, some new, etc. and there is no pressure to read the latest and greatest. I'll keep trying to aim for this, though it's so hard to battle the temptation of new releases!

Les Mis...???
Earlier this month I mentioned trying to take on Les Miserables... somewhere along the line I actually forgot that I was reading this. So I haven't even looked at the book in a while. I think I'll still keep plugging along when I remember to, but it isn't something I'm going to completely focus on. Maybe I'll be able to get it read by December in time for the movie... maybe not. ;)

Anne of Green Gables read-a-long
Not too long ago, Kari at The Five Borough Book Review mentioned wanting to re-read the entire Anne of Green Gables series and maybe doing an informal read-a-long. I read Anne several times as a child/adolescent. I just adored that book. But I never did read the entire series, so I agreed to read along with Kari, reading about one book a month starting in August. I can't wait to get started!

That's about all I've got for this month! I'm still reading your blogs but have been getting behind in commenting. In fact, sometimes I read and then go to do something else and have to remind myself it would nice to post the actual thoughts I had in my head as a comment, LOL.

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

2012-07-29T02:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Light Between Oceans
Author: M. L. Stedman
Pages: 347
Genre: Fiction, historical, 1920's Australia
Publisher: Scribner (Simon & Schuster)
Pub. Date: July 31, 2012

The Light Between Oceans is a sweet but pensive story about human emotion and how it affects everything in our lives from our reactions to our decisions. Tom Sherbourne has just returned to 1920's Australia from the war where he has seen atrocities and taken part in harrowing acts he can't seem to forget. He takes up a job as the lighthouse keeper on a remote island, Janus, where he spends his days solitarily making sure the light does its work every night. To his surprise, he meets and falls in love on the mainland with a free spirited girl, Isabel (who early in the book reminds me of a grown up Anne of Green Gables with her positive attitude and penchant for naming the all the beautiful areas around them). Tom and Isabel marry and go off to spend their first three year stint together on Janus, keeping the lighthouse. Their happiness is challenged, however, over the years as Isabel suffers two miscarriages and then a still birth. So it seems to be a miracle when one day a boat washes up on shore. In the boat is a deceased man and a very alive newborn baby. Isabel falls in love with the baby right away and begs Tom to omit this occurrence in the daily lighthouse logs (which he has taken great pride in keeping as accurate as possible) so that they can keep the baby and raise her as their own. After all, if they report it, she'd likely end up in an orphanage and then who knows where. Tom isn't sure about this, but out of his great love for Isabel, he consents.

Tom and Isabel raise this baby, Lucy, as their own and since they live just the three of them on an isolated island, no one is the wiser. But as such things go, their facade starts to fall apart through their various trips back to the mainland, especially when they realize the mother did not drown in the ocean as they had assumed. In fact, the mother, who is alive, has never given up hope that her child will be found and returned to her. What happens after this involves moral anxiety and stress, as you can imagine, and that which doesn't leave just a small mark on Tom and Isabel's marriage. Tom, meanwhile, battles in his mind between wanting to do the right thing to make up for the horrible things he did in the war, but he can't decide what this right thing entails. He loves his wife and his daughter yet feels continuous guilt at not following his own moral code. Isabel, on the other hand, is a strong willed mother who, regardless of how she came to be a mother, will protect her child at all costs.

This is a story that mothers and non-mothers hoping-to-be will both relate to. (Fathers too!) I can tell you I've wished that a baby would just fall into my arms, since it isn't happening any other way. So for my part, I was able to imagine myself in Isabel's shoes, raising a "shipwrecked" baby as my own. In fact, I actually felt surprisingly little empathy for the biological mother in this book! (eek!) But I'm sure while mothers might read this and feel for the mother who has spent years wondering what happened to her child, they'll also find themselves drawn to Isabel and her love for the child. There was a definite "King Solomon" morality thing going on throughout this book. It's not an easy answer for anyone but that and these characters make The Light Between Oceans a beguiling read!

What I Did by Christopher Wakling

2012-07-27T02:00:00.000-04:00

Title: What I Did
Author: Christopher Wakling
Pages: 282
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Pub. Date: July 17, 2012

What I Did is a story narrated by six-year-old Billy about the long term consequences of his impulsive decision to run from his father into the street. His father reacts as many parents would, out of fear, but it becomes blown into a much larger issue -- one that is further muddled by the skewed perception of a child and the misunderstandings of the involved adults as Billy's father is accused of hurting him.

Though the story itself moves fairly slowly, some readers may still find it riveting to a degree to find out what happens and how far everything goes. I should know better, though, to sometimes stay away from stories about this topic because with my experience working in child welfare I become very critical of the story and characters and whether or not I think it's realistic. And since I worked as a forensic interviewer for a few years, trained in interviewing children and obtaining accurate details, I find it insulting that the miscommunications that occur in this book would actually happen. I suppose it's possible, but I end up thinking too much about those kinds of details in the book that sometimes it takes away from the rest of it for me.

So, that is one downside I get that wasn't completely the book's fault. But I had two other gripes that made reading this very difficult for me. First was the lack of chapter breaks and the dialogue being separated often just by a dash. The second thing was Billy's voice, unfortunately. I've really enjoyed some other books written from a young child's perspective (Room, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), but the way it was done in this book made the reading frustrating and stagnant at times. Billy would be telling the story of what was happening around him and it would lead to some tangential thought that he would elaborate on for a while before getting back to what was happening so by the end of an entire paragraph nothing had actually happened. In the aforementioned books, there was a lot of forward momentum and more clear storytelling that infused the naivete of the characters whereas in What I Did the story was more focused on the minutiae of Billy's thoughts and perceptions.

I've focused on what was negative for me mainly because it made this a difficult read for me. But if you have the time and patience, Billy's thoughts and perceptions are interesting in and of themselves. It just didn't work for me in pacing the entire novel.

I reviewed this as part of TLC Book Tours. Follow the rest of the tour below:

Friday, July 19th: What She Read …
Monday, July 23rd: A Worn Path
Tuesday, July 24th: Good Girl Gone Redneck
Friday, July 27th: Take Me Away
Tuesday, July 31st: In the Next Room
Wednesday, August 1st: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Thursday, August 2nd: Little Bit of Wonderful
Thursday, August 2nd: Book Reviews, Fiction Reflections, ‘N More!
Wednesday, August 8th: the state that i am in
Tuesday, August 21st: Kritters Ramblings