Review - Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Still Alice by Lisa Genova
published 01/09
320 pages


Synopsis from publisher:

What if every memory you've ever had will be erased from your mind, and you have no choice but to carry on...powerless to stop it?

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she begins to grow disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life -- and her relationship with her family and the world -- forever.

At once beautiful and terrifying, this extraordinary debut novel by Lisa Genova is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People.

My thoughts:

When I was in college, I spent a year and a half working for a company that provided in-home care to elderly clients. One of my clients was Miriam, a woman in her 70s with Alzheimer's disease. She was frustrating. She and her husband lived in an assisted living facility, and she didn't want to be there. She would ask about every 5 minutes when we would let her go home. Her husband, unable to cope with the situation, spent every moment of the day locked (literally) in their second bedroom, doing who knows what. I wish I had read this book before I cared for Miriam.

Lisa Genova's look into the life of Alice is honest and heartbreaking. She shows Alice's frustrations, fears, and small triumphs. She portrays the decline into dementia with a clarity that is breathtaking. It literally happens before your eyes - Alice's moment to moment grasp of who and what is around her can change in an instant, and Genova allows readers a glimpse of how frightening that must truly be.

"Alice knew that the young woman sitting across from her was her daughter, but she had a disturbing lack of confidence in this knowledge. She knew that she had a daughter named Lydia, but when she looked at the young woman sitting across from her, knowing that she was her daughter Lydia was more academic knowledge than implicit understanding, a fact she agreed to, information she'd been given and accepted as true."

Her insight into how devastating this disease is for families is also keen. While the story is told from Alice's point of view, she recounts conversations heard around her - while her family talks about her, "in front of her, without including her..." - that show the strain and confusion caring for a family member with Alzheimer's can bring. Her family does the best they can, but they aren't perfect - sometimes they are tired, stressed, scared, impatient - all emotions that ring true in such a difficult situation.

Of course, Alice is the centerpiece, and her voice is strong and vibrant. When she muses that she wished she had cancer, because then at least there would be something to fight, she broke my heart. Her pain at watching her career become unmanageable, her love for her family, and her fight to retain what little of her life she can control - all these little moments equal an unforgettable portrait of a woman losing her life, piece by piece.

"Accepting the fact that she did indeed have Alzheimer's, that she could only back on two unacceptably effective drugs available to treat it, and that she couldn't trade any of this in for some other, curable disease, what did she want? Assuming the in vitro procedure worked, she wanted to live to hold Anna's baby and know it was her grandchild. She wanted to see Lydia act in something she was proud of. She wanted to see Tom fall in love. She wanted one more sabbatical year with John. She wanted to read every book she could before she could no longer read."

It is almost inevitable that at some point in our lives, we will care for someone who will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Still Alice gives an honest, compelling account of what that journey could be like for the person we love. I think it could change the way we live with and love those people in our lives. I highly recommend you find a copy of this beautiful, heartbreaking novel.

Finished: 7/11/09
Source: Franklin Avenue Library
Rating: 9/10

Don't just take my word for it! Here's what some other fabulous bloggers had to say:

Books on the Brain
At Home with Books

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Review - Life's That Way by Jim Beaver

Life's That Way by Jim Beaver
published 04/09
297 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

Life’s That Way is a modern-day Book of Job. In August 2003, Jim Beaver, a character actor whom many know from the popular HBO series Deadwood, and his wife Cecily learned what they thought was the worst news possible— their daughter Maddie was autistic. Then six weeks later the roof fell in—Cecily was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.

Jim immediately began writing a nightly e-mail as a way to keep more than one hundred family and friends up to date about Cecily’s condition. Soon four thousand people a day, from all around the world, were receiving them. Initially a cathartic exercise for Jim, the prose turned into an unforgettable journey for his readers.

Cecily died four months after being diagnosed, but Jim continued the e-mails for a year after her diagnosis, revealing how he and Maddie coped with Cecily’s death and how they managed to move forward. Life’s That Way is a compilation of those nightly e-mails. Jim’s experience is universal for anybody who has lost a loved one. But Life’s That Way is not solely about loss. It is an immediate, day-by-day account of living through a nightmare but also of discovering the joy of a child, of being on the receiving end of unthinkable kindness, and of learning to navigate life anew. As Jim says, these are hard-won blessings. But then again, life’s that way.

My thoughts:

Sometimes, you are lucky enough to read a book that changes you. It changes the way you look at life, and relationships, and the things that really matter. It reinforces what you've always know, and reminds you of what's really important. Life's That Way is that kind of book.

I've struggled for a while to figure out the best way to write this review. I'm not sure I can do justice to the remarkable work contained between the covers. I'm torn between wanting to quote so many of the beautiful passages Beaver writes, and letting you discover them for yourselves.

Beaver writes with a simple eloquence that is immediately arresting. Because this started out as a series of emails, there is an intimacy between the author and the reader that is quite unique - I could imagine myself sitting across the kitchen table from the author as each day's tale was recounted. He talks about his great love for his wife, his anger and frustration, fear and disbelief, and shares all with such honesty and openness that at times it took my breath away.

"I'm not sad about Cec's chances, I'm sad about all she has to go through. I can't stand to see her in pain, to see her nauseous, or weak, exhausted. Cec said the other day that this illness had been a crushing blow to her illusion that she could control the universe. What it has crushed for me is the illusion that I could fix anything I tried to fix. I suppose that both of us are grieving for, among other things, our illusions."

But this is not a hopeless book. I had tears in my eyes nearly the entire time I was reading it, and yet ultimately felt inspired and uplifted. Through the pain, despair, struggle and heartache, Beaver is able to find goodness, hope, peace, and strength. He shares his good days and bad, his lessons learned and moments of joy.

"It's a lucky man who can both love and admire the woman in his life. I've always been lucky."

"As traitorous as it feels to say, I will feel better, I will feel happiness, I will feel less lonely, I will be less lonely. Even as Cec once awaited me a few months or years ahead, good things surely are poised just beyond the crest of this hill. It's steep, no denying. But my legs are good and my heart is determined. I'm sure it can't be too far. Since "life's that way ->," that's where I'm headed."

I know I haven't done this book justice. It has been a gift to my life, and I believe it would be to yours. I can't encourage you enough to find a copy - it is beautiful and moving and funny and brave and a completely engrossing read. It will certainly be one of my best reads of this year, maybe of my life.

"I had no idea a person was so many things, that her abduction from my life would leave such voids. It's not hearing her voice, it's not smelling her hair, it's not seeing her things in new arrangements in her closet or on her nightstand...It's realizing that it doesn't matter anymore if the sheets are tight and wrinkle-free on the bed, that no one leaves the cap off the toothpaste, that no one says 'What's wrong?' if I don't speak for half an hour...It's knowing I could pour a bucket of purple paint over the stair rail and into the hallway below and nobody would be upset. It's knowing I could bring home ten dozen roses and a string quartet and nobody would be happy...

All I can say is if you have someone you can share with, someone who cares about your life and wants to be involved in it in some way, any way, then share. Share, share, share. If a day comes when you've got no one to share that day with, nor the next nor the next, that's when you will know what you don't want to know. That even the best life can be hollowed out in a moment or a week or in four months. "

Go read it. It just might change your life.

Finished: 6/09
Source: Folio Literary Management
Rating: 10/10

Review - Sunnyside Blues by Mary Carter

Sunnyside Blues by Mary Carter
published 6/09
352 pages


Synopsis from publisher:

Andes Lane has spent nine years moving restlessly from place to place as she searches for somewhere that feels right. In the little blue houseboat bobbing on a Seattle lake, she thinks she's found it. But Andes has barely had a chance to settle in before her new life is upended by her landlord, Jay, and his ten-year-old son, Chase. Smart, secretive, and precocious, Chase touches a chord with Andes even as he plays on her last nerve. When Jay needs someone to take care of Chase temporarily, Andes agrees to accompany the boy to Sunnyside, Queens, on a quest she's sure will prove fruitless. But in this new, strange, unexpectedly welcoming city, Andes will confront the secrets she tried to leave behind and the lies that have kept her running. And against all odds, she'll discover a place, a man, and a newfound peace of mind that feel very much like home.

My thoughts:

This was not one of those novels that reached out and grabbed me from page one. It was, quite honestly, a pretty slow starter. By about page 50, I was somewhat interested, but didn't really feel a connection to Andes, and by page 70, I was starting to think she was crazy, based on what she had let herself get talked into. But not too long after that, Carter starts to drop hints about Andes' strange, tragic past, and I found myself reeled in to the narrative.

By the time Carter reveals the actual truth about Andes' childhood - her real name is Emily, and she grew up in West Virginia, in a serpent-handling church - I was hooked. At about this time, Andes and Chase arrive in Sunnyside, and I feel like at this point the story really takes off. I found the supporting cast of characters much more interesting than when they were in Seattle, and the relationship between Andes and Chase started to deepen in a way that felt authentic.

For me, however, the most interesting parts of the novel were the ones that dealt with Andes' past, as Emily, in the church she grew up in. I would have loved for the author to develop these sections more, as I think they would have opened up Andes' character even more, and made her present-day actions and interactions more meaningful.

By the end of the novel, I was happy to have spent time getting to know this quirky set of characters, and without giving too much away, I really liked the ending Carter gave Andes. I don't think this novel will be for all readers - there is a fair amount of profanity, and I do think it requires a bit of patience - but I did ultimately enjoy it, and will look for more work by this author.

Finished: 6/19/09
Source: Mary Carter - thank you!
Rating: 7/10


Be sure to stop by tomorrow - Mary has prepared a special "author edition" of 451 Fridays!


Don't just take my word for it! Here's what some other fabulous bloggers had to say:

Booking Mama
A Novel Menagerie



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TSS - Review - Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Wings by Aprilynne Pike
published 5/09
304 pages


Synopsis from publisher:

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

My thoughts:

This was another random library grab - I loved the cover, and always enjoy it when a publisher tells me Everything I Know About (whatever random topic) Will Be Changed Forever. It's like a personal challenge - really? Everything? Okay, I'll bite.

And for the first part of the novel, it was nice, and pleasant, but I certainly didn't feel like anything much was being changed. Laurel is a fun, spunky heroine, David is her practicaly perfect Prince Charming new friend, Laurel's parents are firm but kind - it was well written, but the basic components were nothing new.

And them Pike introduced Tam, and things started changing. It felt like a burst of energy had been injected into the novel, and the pace picked up, the characters seemed to get a little bit more interesting, and the big reveal was, honestly, shocking. And I loved it. And I'm not telling you any more, because I don't want to ruin it for you.

I think this is the first of a series - I sure hope so, because I NEED to know what happens next! It is definitely a young adult novel, but one I'd be happy to recommend to the young girls I know.

Finished: 6/8/09

Source: Franklin Avenue Library

Rating: 8/10

Review - Best Intentions by Emily Listfield

Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
published 5/09
338 pages


Synopsis from publisher:

After tossing and turning all night, thirty-nine-year-old Lisa Barkley wakes up well before her alarm sounds. With two daughters about to start another year at their elite Upper East Side private school and her own career hitting a wall, the effort of trying to stay afloat in that privileged world of six-story town houses and European jaunts has become increasingly difficult, especially as Manhattan descends into an economic freefall.

As Lisa looks over at her sleeping husband, Sam, she can't help but feel that their fifteen-year marriage is in a funk that she isn't able to place. She tries to shake it off and tells herself that the strain must be due to their mounting financial pressures. But later that morning, as her family eats breakfast in the next room, Lisa finds herself checking Sam's voicemail and hears a whispered phone call from a woman he is to meet that night. Is he having an affair?

When Lisa shares her suspicions with her best friend, Deirdre, at their weekly breakfast, Deirdre claims it can't be true. But how can Lisa fully trust her opinion when Deirdre is still single and mired in an obsessive affair with a glamorous photographer even as it hovers on the edge of danger?

When Deirdre's former college flame, Jack, comes to town and the two couples meet to celebrate his fortieth birthday, the stage is set for an explosive series of discoveries with devastating consequences.

Filled with suspense and provocative questions about the relationships we value most, Best Intentions is a tightly woven drama of love, friendship and betrayal.


My thoughts:

This novel really took my by surprise. I expected a nice chick-lit novel, with some suspense thrown in, that I could breeze through in a couple of hours. What I didn't expect was the intense, thorough examination of what it means to truly love someone, and what happens when that love is shattered by a lie.

Listfield does an excellent job of getting into her main character's head - I felt completely in tune with Lisa's emotions as she delves deeper and deeper into the hidden parts of her loved ones' lives. I occasionally felt frustrated with her when she made decisions I didn't agree with, but that just served to make her seem more real. The secondary characters were not quite as well developed, but were each strong enough in their own right to form a solid supporting cast for the lead.

And I loved the writing. In fact, several times I found myself thinking, "Boy, this woman can write." I loved the way she formed her sentences, her word choice - it all resonated with me. Here are a couple of my favorite passages:

"Suspicion crackles and pulls, nags and infiltrates, it coils around your brain, distorting your perceptions, it is the smoke you see everything through that refuses to lift. But a lie, hard and indisputable, freezes in your lungs, its ice spreading through your pores, chilling every synapse; a lie once discovered paralyzes you."

"I begin to cry softly. I don't know what happens to the space people you love take up in your heart once they are gone, if the muscle eventually closes over it or if the wound is always there, aching and raw. All I know is that it feels a million miles wide tonight."


I was so happily surprised by this novel. It is apparently the author's sixth - I am now immediately going to look for the first five. I definitely recommend this one!

Finished: 6/11/09
Source: Lauren
Rating: 8/10

Don't just take my word for it! Here's what some other fabulous bloggers had to say:

S. Krishna's Books
She Is Too Fond of Books
Find Your Next Book Here
Word Lily
Open Mind, Insert Book

TSS - Review - All Other Nights by Dara Horn

All Other Nights by Dara Horn
published 4/09
384 pages



Synopsis from publisher:

How is tonight different from all other nights? For Jacob Rappaport, a Jewish soldier in the Union army, it is a question his commanders have answered for him: on Passover in 1862 he is ordered to murder his own uncle, who is plotting to assassinate President Lincoln.

After that night, will Jacob ever speak for himself? The answer comes when his commanders send him on another mission - this time not to murder a spy but to marry one.

A page-turner rich with romance and the history of America (North and South), this is a book only Dara Horn could have written. Full of insight and surprise, layered with meaning, it is a brilliant parable of the moral divide that still haunts us: between those who value family first and those dedicated, at any cost, to social and racial justice for all.

My thoughts:

Dara Horn is a great storyteller. From the very first sentence I was hooked on the tale of Jacob Rappaport, and what he would be willing to do.

"Inside a barrel in the bottom of a boat, with a canteen of water wedged between his legs and a packet of poison concealed in his pocket, Jacob Rappaport felt a knot tightening in his stomach - not because he was about to do something dangerous, but because he was about to do something wrong."

From that moment on, Jacob's story was fascinating. This is a not a novel that will dazzle with it's beautiful language, though it is well written - it is much more concerned with telling a great story, which I found to be refreshing. Additionally, I enjoyed Horn's unique perspective on the Civil War.
This is the first time I've read about the experiences of American Jews during this time, and I found myself interested in this period of history in a new way.

I found Jacob to be an incredibly sympathetic character - he almost seems doomed, with first his father, and then the army forcing him to accept horrible situations because he has no other choice. She deftly explores the issue of a person's actions defining their character through the decisions Jacob is forced to make - can you still be a good person if you do bad things? If you do bad things for good reasons, does that justify your actions? I also loved Eugenia, and would love to read an entire novel about her.

My one complaint about the novel is the extraordinary number of happy coincidences that occurred just in the nick of time, and the rather abrupt ending - but really, those are small problems in an otherwise wonderful novel.

I highly recommend this one - I didn't want to put it down, and definitely plan to read more by this author!

Finished: 6/7/09
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers program
Rating: 8/10


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Review - 20 Boy Summer

20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
published 6/09
290 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

My thoughts:

With a title like 20 Boy Summer, it's easy to expect something light and fluffy from this novel. And, in a lot of ways, that expectation holds true. Anna and Frankie lay out on the beach, and drink smoothies from the Smoothie Shack, and learn to surf - perfect light and fluffy fare.

But underneath the cotton candy facade, this is a story about friendship, and grief, and growing up, and what happens when those things collide. It is quite well-written, and doesn't shy away from the dark sides of the issues it confronts.

I enjoyed Anna and Frankie's relationship so much. Ockler perfectly captures the teenage-girl best friends relationship - every waking moment spent together, loving and irritating each other in equal measure. The knowledge that Anna's secret will eventually be revealed, and the damage that can do to their relationship, brings a perfect tension to the book that keeps the reader turning pages, wondering when that revelation will take place.

While this is a Young Adult novel, parents should know that there are some mature themes, including sexuality and drinking, that are explored freely in the novel. Parents of younger teens might want to pre-read the book, to determine if they feel it appropriate for their child.

This is a great new novel, and reminds me again why I enjoy YA books so much. If you aren't reading this ever-growing genre, you should start!

Finished: 5/29/09
Source: FSB Associates
Rating: 7/10

TSS - Reviews - Sunday shorts

Once again, I have a collection of shorter thoughts about books that I've read, but haven't felt inspired to write full reviews. I didn't dislike any of them - they just didn't strike my fancy the way others have.



Tightrope: Six Centuries of a Jewish Dynasty by Michael Karpin

Synopsis from publisher: The 750-year epic tale of the extraordinary Backenroth family, this is at the same time an engaging, scrupulously researched narrative history of Jewish life since the Middle Ages. Throughout this time span, the Backenroths could be found at some of the most important events in Jewish history: the migration of their community from western to eastern Europe, the creation of the Hasidic movement, the birth of Zionism, and the loss of so many of their family during the Holocaust. As they struggle to survive, the Backenroths marry, find their fortune in oil, and spawn families with last names that are still widely known.

This sweeping family saga is shaped by real people -- talented and creative women and men swept by the dramatic tides of the history into distant regions and complex situations, where they were forced to display resourcefulness and courage in order to survive. Time and time again they slid from prosperity and opulence to profound poverty and distress, and time after time they managed to surmount crises by virtue of their personal abilities, their tenacious belief in their values, and family solidarity.

My thoughts: There was a lot about this book I found extremely interesting - the Backenroths have been players in an amazing amount of history over the past 600 years, and each generation had characters that stood out and grabbed attention. Their story really does mirror the story of the Jewish people, and it was fascinating to trace the history of this remarkable family. My biggest problem was that, in many places, it read much more like a history text than a story. 600 years is a lot of time to cover, and I think the sheer volume of information detracted from the storytelling, making some parts of the book difficult to slog through. It was, however, a very interesting read, and I think history fans could enjoy this one.

Finished: 5/16/09

Source: Wiley publishing

Rating: 7/10

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Synopsis from publisher: Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters. Or at least without questioning them much - if you don't count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her sixty-year-old uncle - who already has six wives - Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family.

My thoughts: This is a Young Adult novel that will clearly hold a lot of appeal for a wide variety of readers. The writing is good, and the main character, Kyra, is an extremely sympathetic and engaging heroine. My problem was I just wanted more - I wanted the author to flesh out the situations and relationships just a bit more, so I could really dig deep into Kyra's life. What's there is good - I just wanted to find more, and so was just a bit disappointed. I think this would be an excellent introduction to the idea of religious cults for someone who hasn't read that much about the subject, and I anticipate it will be a favorite for many readers this year.

Finished: 5/29/09

Source: St. Martin's Press

Rating: 7/10

Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean

Synopsis from publisher: Palace intrigue, romance, and illicit affairs—Rebecca Dean has written a glorious novel that will sweep Philippa Gregory fans off their feet.

Delia Chandler, an eighteen-year-old Southern girl, marries Viscount Ivor Conisborough just before World War II, becoming part of the Windsor court. It’s every girl’s dream come true. But Delia is jolted from her pleasant life when she realizes, after the birth of her two daughters, that Ivor chose her only to bear an heir to his estate. Shortly thereafter, she begins an affair with her husband’s handsome, titled, and frequently scandalous best friend.

When Conisborough is appointed as an adviser to King Fuad of Egypt, Delia exchanges one palace circle for another, far different one. While she sees Egypt as a place of exile, her two daughters regard Egypt as their home. Only when war comes to Cairo—and Delia finally reveals the secret she has kept for so long—can she begin to heal the divisions separating her from those she loves.

Rebecca Dean’s irresistible combination of real events and masterful storytelling will keep readers fascinated until the very last page.

My thoughts: The word that keeps coming to mind when I think of this novel is "fine". It's fine as a romance, fine as light historical fiction, even at the end fine as a pseudo-espionage thriller. It's just not remarkable good at being any of them, and I think that's where the author went wrong. Reading the novel, I found myself wanting more - more character development, more relationship exploration, more historical significance. I think if the author had focused more on any one of the elements, instead of trying to include absolutely everything, she would have had a more substantial, satisfying novel. Instead, what I read was a light, fluffy story that was enjoyable for an afternoon, but probably won't stick with me for much longer than it takes to write this review.

Finished: 6/1/09

Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers program

Rating: 7/10

Review - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
published 1/09
290 pages



Synopsis from publisher:


In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.

This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry’s world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American. While “scholarshipping” at the exclusive Rainier Elementary, where the white kids ignore him, Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a young Japanese American student. Amid the chaos of blackouts, curfews, and FBI raids, Henry and Keiko forge a bond of friendship–and innocent love–that transcends the long-standing prejudices of their Old World ancestors. And after Keiko and her family are swept up in the evacuations to the internment camps, she and Henry are left only with the hope that the war will end, and that their promise to each other will be kept.

Forty years later, Henry Lee is certain that the parasol belonged to Keiko. In the hotel’s dark dusty basement he begins looking for signs of the Okabe family’s belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry is still trying to find his voice–words that might explain the actions of his nationalistic father; words that might bridge the gap between him and his modern, Chinese American son; words that might help him confront the choices he made many years ago.

My thoughts:

It's hard to think of something original to say about one of the most blogged-about books in recent history. Has there been a bad review for this novel? If so, I haven't read it. I have, however, read "it's the best book I've read all year"; "this goes on my list of all-time favorites"; "what an amazing novel"; etc, etc. High expectations? Yep, I've got them.

In a completely unexpected turn of events, this book actually lived up to the hype. I really was engrossed from the first chapter. I honestly felt drawn in to the emotions of the characters. I certainly didn't want it to end. So what can I tell you about this novel?

Should I tell you about the love Henry shared with Ethel, his recently-deceased wife, who knew him better than anyone, but didn't know the truth about Keiko?

"Henry looked around to see if anyone might be watching him having this odd, one-way conversation. He was all alone - he wasn't even sure if Ethel was listening. It was one thing to talk to her at home, where she'd lived. But out here, in the cold ground next to his parents, she was certainly gone. Still, Henry had needed to come out to say goodbye.
He kissed the quarter and placed it on top of Ethel's headstone. This was our promise of happiness, Henry thought. It's all I have left to give. This is so you can be happy without me."

Or maybe I should discuss Henry's confusing, angry, distant relationship with his father, who wants the best for his son, but can't give up his loyalty to his homeland long enough to really discover what that might be.

"His father pointed at the door. 'If you walk out that door - if you walk out that door now; you are no longer part of this family. You are no longer Chinese. You are not part of us anymore. Not a part of me.'
Henry didn't even hesitate. He touched the doorknob, feeling the brass cold and hard in his hand. He looked back, speaking his best Cantonese. 'I am what you made me, Father.' He opened the heavy door. 'I.....am an American.' "

Certainly, I should tell you about the beautiful, innocent relationship of Henry and Keiko - a friendship, born out of shared foreignness, that blossoms into something so much deeper. One of the most beautiful love stories I've ever read.

"Henry watched and waited until he saw a beautiful slip of a girl walk up the muddy path in a faded yellow dress, red galoshes covered in mud, and a brown raincoat. She stood on the other side of the fence, her smiling face, pale from food poisoning, framed by cold metal and sharp wire. A captured butterfly."

Here's the best thing I can say - whenever someone asks me what to read next, I'll ask if they've experienced Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. That's just about the highest praise I can give.

Finished: 5/27/09
Source: Pump Up Your Book Promotions blog tour
Rating: 10/10

Don't just take my word for it! Here's what some other fabulous bloggers had to say:

Literary Feline
Dreadlock girl (aka b&b ex libris)
Medieval Bookworm
Devourer of Books
Bookworm's Dinner
The Friendly Book Nook
A Hoyden's Look at Literature
Redlady's Reading Room
Bibliophile by the Sea

TSS - Review - Sonata for Miriam by Linda Olsson

Sonata for Miriam by Linda Olsson
published 02/09
276 pages
purchase from Amazon or Powell's

Synopsis from publisher:

A haunting novel of loss, love, and human connection from the author of Astrid & Veronika.

In Sonata for Miriam, two events occur that will change composer Adam Anker's life forever. Embarking on a journey that ranges from New Zealand to Poland, and then Sweden, Anker not only uncovers his parents' true fate during World War II, but he also finally faces the consequences of an impossible choice he was forced to make twenty years before — a choice that changed the trajectory of his life.

My thoughts:

At the outset I have to say that I don't think this book will appeal to every reader. It is not an easy read - sometimes ambiguous, dreamlike, poetic. Several events are awfully convenient - and some events are really not explained that well, or at all, leaving the reader wondering what actually just happened.

That being said, I found myself really enjoying this novel. I was grabbed by Adam's voice from the opening sentences, and fell into the rhythm of the narration. I found the dueling narratives - Adam's search for the truth about his family, and his journey back to Cecilia - equally interesting, and while I didn't always understand concretely what was going on, it seemed to fit the mood of the novel. I think memories are often like that - not necessarily detailed or specific, but rather an impression of a person or place that stays with you. That's the way this book felt, and it worked for me.

Of course, the beautiful prose was a joy to read. I wanted to keep reading to see what happened next, but also just to read the words that Olsson wrote. Here are a couple of examples:

"I can take one individual note out of the music I am trying to write at the moment, and it could belong anywhere. Yet where it sits, where I have placed it, it follows what came before and leads to what comes after. Without it the whole would not be as it is...When you listen to the finished composition, or when you go about living your life, the individual components join to make a whole that can so easily be taken for granted. But it is not until you become aware of the parts that you can begin to understand the miracle."

"Smells and sounds and tastes are known to have the power to evoke memories. But I had never before understood the enormous power of tangible objects in this respect. I looked at the clip on my palm, and memories poured forth with almost unbearable intensity. Almost unbearable. No. Either things are bearable or they are not. There is no almost. And these memories were certainly bearable. I welcomed them. I reveled in their blinding intensity, the smarting pain of the sweet moments as they flooded back."

"I never knew how to tell you. If I had found the words, perhaps everything might have turned out different. But now, when so unexpectedly and so very undeservedly I have been given this opportunity, I will try to explain. No, that is not the word. There are no explanations. But I will try to talk. Try to break the silence. When you come, I will try to find the words."

Sonata for Miriam is a moody, beautiful novel, and the right reader will find it an unforgettable experience.

Finished: 5/15/09
Source: Penguin books
Rating: 8/10


Don't just take my word for it! Here's what some other fabulous bloggers had to say:

Marie at The Boston Bibliophile
Lisa at Books on the Brain
Swapna at S. Krishna's Books

TSS - Review - My Abandonment by Peter Rock

My Abandonment by Peter Rock
published 3/09
225 pages
Purchase from Amazon or Powell's

Synopsis from publisher:

A thirteen-year-old girl and her father live in Forest Park, the enormous nature preserve in Portland, Oregon. There they inhabit an elaborate cave shelter, bathe in a nearby creek, store perishables at the water’s edge, use a makeshift septic system, tend a garden, even keep a library of sorts. Once a week, they go to the city to buy groceries and otherwise merge with the civilized world. But one small mistake allows a backcountry jogger to discover them, which derails their entire existence, ultimately provoking a deeper flight.

Inspired by a true story and told through the startlingly sincere voice of a young narrator, Caroline, Peter Rock's My Abandonment is a riveting journey into life at the margins, and a mesmerizing tale of survival and hope.

My thoughts:

I saw this little book one day in the library, and picked it up on a whim - the title sounded interesting, and I have a weakness for interesting-sounding titles. I'd almost forgotten I had checked it out until I realized it was due back in a couple of days. I decided to read the first few pages, to see if I wanted to renew it, or just take it back, like so many others.

2 hours later, I was 3/4 of the way through the novel, and completely engrossed.

And I feel like I can't tell you too much about why I was so captivated, because it's a short little book, and there is a moment when all of a sudden you think, "Holy crap! Is THAT what's been going on???", and if I tell you too much, you'll know already what happens when you get there, and I don't want to ruin the surprise.

So, instead, I'll talk about Caroline, the brilliant, self-reliant young narrator who is almost impossible not to fall in love with. She is smarter than her years in many way, and yet also so completely naive in others. Her voice is unique, and was one of the things that made the novel so compelling. Here are a couple of excerpts, so you can have an idea of what I mean.

This is Caroline, describing where she lives in the forest:

"We come around the side and carefully he takes away the branch across the front door and then we sit on the edge of the mattress for a moment before he strikes a match and lights the lamp. The lamp is made out of a glass bottle with fuel in it and a string stuck through into it. Its light shines and deeper back in the cave the gold letter on my encyclopedias shine back. I only have up to I, but I haven't read past E....Inside the ceiling is tall enough that I can stand on my knees but Father has to sit down or crawl."

Caroline describing life in the city:

"These are the worst days. The rules and the way things work in the city are different, sharper and dirtier than in the forest but you can still be aware and stay out in the open enough not to get trapped and still not draw attention so people won't want to know who you are and what you're doing, a girl out alone in the city...If I see a police car or a policeman I am not to run away. I turn my face in another direction....There is alone time in the city but that means really that we are apart from each other not that we are alone since there are people everywhere. Mostly they are not looking at you."

Caroline describing her life's philosophy:

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours. He will pass an invisible boundary. Don't forget this. Don't forget that thinking can get in the way. Forget the forgetting. We seek to forget ourselves, to be surprised and to do something without knowing how or why. The way of life is wonderful. It is by abandonment."

Everything about her life is craziness, and yet there is a strange logic to it that almost lulls you into thinking it's okay. Really, it is so hard to describe the mood the author is able to create with this novel - he makes you ALMOST understand why Father thinks and lives the way he does. It's amazing writing.

I highly recommend this novel. I will be looking for more work by this author - he has a book of short stories that sounds equally fascinating.

Finished: 5/4/09
Source: Franklin Avenue Library
Rating: 9/10

Review - Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress

Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress
published 2/09
320 pages
Purchase from Amazon or Powell's


Synopsis from publisher:

The aliens appeared one day, built a base on the moon, and put an ad on the internet:

“We are an alien race you may call the Atoners. Ten thousand years ago we wronged humanity profoundly. We cannot undo what has been done, but we wish humanity to understand it. Therefore we request twenty-one volunteers to visit seven planets to Witness for us. We will convey each volunteer there and back in complete safety. Volunteers must speak English. Send requests for electronic applications to witness@Atoners.com."

At first, everyone thought it was a joke. But it wasn’t.

This is the story of three of those volunteers, and what they found on Kular A and Kular B.

My thoughts:

It's books like this that remind me of why I love science fiction. The description from the publisher is really only the tip of the iceberg that is Steal Across the Sky. All of the above action takes place in part one, leaving the bulk of the novel to reveal what happens when the Witnesses return home to share the Secret - and boy, it's a doozy.

The Secret reveals itself slowly, with Kress dropping neat little hints all along the way. When the Witnesses finally understand the truth of what they were sent to discover, it is their personal journeys that form the heart of the novel. Each of the four main characters has a distinctly different response to what they have seen, and each struggles to come to terms with the realities of The Secret. The diversity of their reactions allows for each reader to indentify with one of the characters - I think everyone will find a part of themselves in at least one of the four. Kress allows each room to grow throughout the novel, and the result is an extremely believable, sympathetic group.

There isn't much more I can say without revealing too much - this is the kind of book you definitely want to read without being spoiled. I couldn't put it down, and now immediately want to go find every book Kress has written and read them all. If you like science fiction, you should look for this one!

Finished: 5/1/09

Source: Franklin Avenue library

Rating: 8/10

TSS - Reviews - Sunday shorts

Today, I have a selection of shorter reviews - these are books that just didn't captivate me like some of the others I've read. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with them, I just haven't been inspired to write lengthy reviews.

The Silent Note by Patrick Davis -

Synopsis: The Silent Note tells an intriguing story of an old piano that conceals a daunting secret; a tale of a young pianist, who, in her era, struggled to choose courtship over her first love music. But her own fate is about to be discovered when an antique collector, Maria Weisman, rescues the aging piano from an auction, nearly a century later.Sadly, a sudden illness takes young Maria. Left behind is her husband, John Weisman, and Melissa, his four-year-old daughter. Melissa, after a year of grieving with her father, finds comfort when she aspires to become a pianist. Whiles she plays on her mother's old piano, she strikes a note that reveals a love saga, hidden for decades. The spellbinding mystery leads John and his daughter on a journey to seek answers that may hold the key to their future happiness.

My thoughts: This book was fine - I think I just expected something a little more from it. It is primarily a sweet courtship story - nothing flashy or fancy. The "spellbinding mystery" was somewhat overstated - it turned out to be pretty simple. The novel itself was well-written, but I never really felt like I got beyond the surface of the characters. It was, though, almost comforting to read, with its old-fashioned morals. I just don't know that I will remember much about it in a few months, because there wasn't anything that really captured my attention as I read.

Finished: 4/23/09
Source: Author Marketing Experts
Rating: 6/10


Family Plots by Mary Patrick Kavanaugh -

Synopsis: Family Plots is a fresh and funny autobiographical novel about a young mother trying against all odds to create a normal family life with her new husband, a criminal attorney, who—it turns out—is committing a few crimes of his own. The novel offers readers a wry, unsentimental account of a marriage barreling toward calamity. In an attempt to find romance, family, and financial stability, its struggling heroine stumbles into a world of pseudonyms, fake weddings, and hidden bank accounts. Events that land many of the players into the family cemetery plot also reveal unexpected secrets and stashes that manage, in small ways, to transform a tale of seeming tragedy into one of surprising healing and redemption.

My thoughts: I try really, really hard not to judge people - I believe you can't truly understand someone until you've walked in their shoes, and so I do my best to give people the benefit of the doubt. That being said, this woman was CRAZY! The guy she married had more red flags than a downhill ski run, and yet she just kept plowing ahead. Her sister gave her a book that listed the traits of a person with someone to hide - and this guy had every one of them! This was in chapter 6!!! She lived for 20 more chapters with him!!!! Yes, it was funny in places, and there were parts that had some charm, but I could not get over the fact that this GUY was a criminal - and she just ignored it!

Finished: 4/30/09
Source: Author Marketing Experts
Rating: 6/10

While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky -

Synopsis: Molly and Robin Snow are sisters, and like all sisters they share a deep bond that sustains them through good times and bad. Their careers are flourishing—Molly is a horticulturist and Robin is a world-class runner—and they are in the prime of their lives. So when Molly receives the news that Robin has suffered a massive heart attack, she couldn’t be more shocked. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain consciousness.

As Robin’s parents and siblings struggle to cope, the complex nature of their relationship is put to the ultimate test. Molly has always lived in Robin’s shadow and her feelings for her have run the gamut, from love to resentment and back. The last time they spoke, they argued. But now there is so much more at stake. Molly’s parents fold under the devastating circumstances, and her brother retreats into the cool reserve that is shattering his own family. It’s up to Molly to make the tough decisions, and she soon makes discoveries that destroy some of her most cherished beliefs about the sister she thought she knew.

My thoughts: This novel was a little bit like a Lifetime movie for me - fine to pass a couple of hours, but nothing that will really change my life. I had a hard time liking Kathryn, the mother, and Chris, the brother, and each time they were in a scene I could feel myself getting irritated. I've read Delinsky in the past and remember liking her novels more - perhaps this one just isn't one of her best.

Finished - 5/1/09
Source: Franklin Avenue Library
Rating: 6/10


I'd been toying around with the idea of doing a few shorter reviews in one post, mainly for books I'd read but just found to be "meh", and when I read this post at BethFishReads about unfinished books, I decided to go for it. It was nice to know I wasn't the only person wondering what to do. I'll probably do a post like this every month or two - hopefully not sooner, as I plan on only reading books I love! =)

Review - A World I Never Made by James LePore

Synopsis from B&N:

Pat Nolan, an American man, is summoned to Paris to claim the body of his estranged daughter Megan, who has committed suicide. The body, however, is not Megan's and it becomes instantly clear to Pat that Megan staged this, that she is in serious trouble, and that she is calling to him for help.

This sends Pat on an odyssey that stretches across France and into the Czech Republic and that makes him the target of both the French police and a band of international terrorists. Joining Pat on his search is Catherine Laurence, a beautiful but tormented Paris detective who sees in Pat something she never thought she'd find-genuine passion and desperate need. As they look for Megan, they come closer to each other's souls and discover love when both had long given up on it.

Juxtaposed against this story is Megan's story. A freelance journalist, Megan is in Morocco to do research when she meets Abdel Lahani, a Saudi businessman. They begin a torrid affair, a game Megan has played often and well in her adult life. But what she discovers about Lahani puts her in the center of a different kind of game, one with rules she can barely comprehend. Because of her relationship with Lahani, Megan has made some considerable enemies. And she has put the lives of many-maybe even millions-at risk.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this novel. I was a little reluctant at first - based on the synopsis, it sounded like there was A LOT going on. I wasn't sure an idea that sounded this ambitious would actually pan out. So I was quite pleasantly surprised to find myself engaged with the characters and action of the novel immediately.

This is a thriller, so of course the action drives the story. LePore has packed his novel with serious, nail-biting suspense. Nobody is safe, and I had quite a few nervous moments, hoping my favorite characters would make it. (Sometimes they didn't.) There were a couple of instances where the coincidences seemed a LITTLE too good to be true, but for the most part the action seems very believable.

Sometimes authors have trouble with the two-narrative approach, but LePore does a great job transitioning from Pat's story to Megan's, and back again. Each story builds in intensity, so the reader is drawn in more and more, until eventually they can't wait to read what happens next. The characters and their relationships were somewhat predictable, but not enough to distract from the increasinly gripping storyline.

A World I Never Made is a highly entertaining novel - a great debut. I will certainly read LePore's next work - I can only hope it will be this much fun!

Finished: 3/26/09
Source: Julie at FSB associates
Rating: 7/10

Julie has given me a short excerpt from the book that I will post tomorrow - make sure to stop back and check it out!

Review - The Musician's Daughter

The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap

Fifteen-year-old Theresa Maria lives an idyllic life. The oldest daughter of a musician father, she lives at Prince Nicholas Esterhazy's court and spends her days listening to the music of Franz Joseph Haydn, her father's conductor. She loves her lessons on the viola but dreams of the time when, like her beloved father, she can play the violin in the orchestra. Her days are filled with teasing her younger brother, Toby, and spending time with her handsome friend, Zoltan.

Everything changes in an instant the night three men bring a large black bag into her house. The bag carries her father, who has been murdered. Theresa's mother, nearly ready to give birth to her third child, goes into shock, refusing to eat or speak, leaving the survival of the household to Theresa. As she tries to pick up the pieces left by her father's tragic death, she makes two important discoveries: he was in posession of a strange gold medallion, and someone has stolen his violin.

Believing these two facts hold the keys to her father's murder, Theresa is determined to find out the truth. With the help of Zoltan and his sister, Alida, Theresa follows the clues left by her father. They lead her to startling revelations about her friends and her father, plunging her deeply into the dangerous politics of Vienna and Hungary in the 18th century. When her brother is kidnapped, she must fight to save him from the same ruthless people who killed her father.

The Musician's Daughter has a wide and varied cast of characters, ranging from the composer Franz Joseph Haydn to the Romany girl Mirela. Theresa is an engaging, resourceful heroine who never shies away from jumping in headfirst. Often in danger, she luckily always has a friend or admirer around to help her escape. It would have been nice to see some of the major characters fleshed out more, rather than simply including them as catalysts for the action in the novel, but that is a small complaint.

As for that action, it is present in abundance as Theresa and her friends travel through Vienna and the surrounding countryside in pursuit of her goal. The mystery of who killed her father is actually unraveled by mid-novel, and the rest of the book is spent trying to bring the perpetrator to justice. At times, the ease with which their plans come together seems unlikely, but the author does throw up a few roadblocks to their success, making the story seem a bit more realistic. Dunlap includes quite a bit of historical detail about 18th-century Vienna as well as the Romany people, which will be very interesting to readers unfamiliar with those subjects.

In general, this is a good young adult novel. Its few flaws are minor, easy to overlook in light of the entertaining story. The Musician's Daughter is a fun read, sure to find a wide range of fans.

Elizabeth Schulenberg/2009 for curled up with a good kid's book

In which I go crazy and join too many challenges, #1

I've been greedily eyeing a bunch of challenges that have taken place this year, that I didn't get to join because I started blogging too late. Well, now I'm gonna make up for it. The first challenge I am joining is the 2009 Pub Challenge. Here are the rules:

Here are the 2009 rules:

1. Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2008, and then published in the USA in 2009, it counts (if you live in the USA). Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2009. Any questions on what qualifies? Just leave a comment here, and I’ll respond with the answer.
2. No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’
3. At least 5 titles must be fiction.
4. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
5. You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.

I've started to compile a list - here is what I have so far:

The Origin of Species by Nino Ricci
While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky (finished 5/1/09, rated 6/10)
Still Alice by Lisa Genova (finished 7/11/09, rated 9/10)
Blonde Roots by B. Evaristo
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
The Believers by Zoe Heller (finished 4/16/09, rated 5/10)
Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff
Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand by Gioconda Belli (finished 3/19/09, rated 7/10)
The Musician's Daughter by Susanne Dunlap (finished 2/10/09, rated 7/10)
A World I Never Made by James LePore (finished 3/26/09, rated 7/10)
Steal Across the Sky by Nancy Kress (finished 5/1/09, rated 8/10)
My Abandonment by Peter Rock (finished 5/4/09, rated 9/10)
Sonata for Miriam by Linda Olsson (finished 5/15/09, rated 8/10)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (finished 5/28/09, rated 10/10)
Saints in Limbo by River Jordan (finished 5/29/09, rated 7/10)
Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (finished 6/1/09, rated 7/10)
20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (finished 5/29/09, rated 7/10)
All Other Nights by Dara Horn (finished 6/7/09, rated 8/10)
Best Intentions by Emily Listfield (finished 6/11/09, rated 8/10)
Life's That Way by Jim Beaver (finished 6/14/09, rated 10/10)
Sunnyside Blues by Mary Carter (finished 6/19/09, rated 7/10)


There are a lot of good books on the horizon, so I'm sure this list will change, and I think this is going to be a fun challenge!