Book Review: Endangered by Jean Love Cush

Hey! I still have a blog! But lucky you: I read a book and I'm going to tell you about it. I'm trying this new thing, too. I recently heard someone say "I hate book reviews that include a synopsis. If I don't want to read the book, then I don't want to read a synopsis, and if I want to read the book, then I don't want you to spoil it for me." I thought that made a lot of sense, so I am going to try this one without any summary and see how it goes. (Comment here if you have strong feeling either way about that comment, would you? I'm interested to see what people think.)

ANYWAY, I was offered a copy of Endangered by Jean Love Cush to review, and it was a hard read, to say the least.

Don't get me wrong -- the book is well-written, the characters are well-developed, and the plot is engaging. The reason it is a hard read is that it highlights a horrible aspect of our society -- the treatment of African American men in the legal system -- and focuses on a parent's worst nightmare -- a child wrongly accused of a crime. Seriously, I read the synopsis and felt the waterworks building.

I think it's easy for white middle-class Americans to turn a blind eye to the injustices many people face in this country, and I feel horrible for all the mothers and fathers out there who have to explain to their children that people in positions of power are likely to treat them differently simply due to the color of their skin or where they live. Spending a few hours reading about it made my heart ache.

The only thing I didn't love about this book was what seemed like a gratuitous love story that seemed to simplify the mother character into a woman who needed a man to save her. Then again, the romance storyline might seem perfectly well-placed to you, what do I know. Maybe Cush included it so you had something to think about besides the injustices of the legal system and the horror of an innocent child being arrested? Now that I'm writing it out ... that's probably it. But I happen to be the type of person who rolls her eyes while reading romance novels, so you can take my opinion for what it's worth.

I was pleased to read this book, and recommend it wholeheartedly. An interesting and important read, for sure.

This book was provided to me free by TLC Book Tours, but I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Backlash by Lynda LaPlante

I was lucky enough to have TLC Book Tours send me a copy of Lynda La Plante's newest crime thriller, Backlash. 

Award-winning and international bestselling author Lynda La Plante returns with the eighth installment in her acclaimed series featuring London’s Detective Chief Inspector Anna Travis.

Late night on a notorious high-rise estate in the borough of Hackney. A woman on the street never makes it home after a long night of drinking. A white van is being driven erratically. The driver is pulled over by the police and questioned. A suspect . . . an arrest . . . a confession. Case closed?

Five years earlier, a thirteen-year-old girl disappeared in broad daylight on a busy London street. Detective Chief Superintendent James Langton headed the investigation; the case was never solved. It has haunted him ever since. And now comes another confession, to this murder, and to one more besides. But is it too good to be true? After being pulled into the fray, Anna Travis isn’t so sure that they have their man.

Then the suspect changes his story. . . .

I liked Backlash for the same reason that I liked Prime Suspect. Prime Suspect is a Jane Tennison novel and Backlash is a Anna Travis novel; if you followed the Prime Suspect series, you should love this series as well. Just like Prime Suspect, it is fast-paced, keeps you on your toes, keeps you guessing, and is full of fun British lexicons. The characters are fully-developed, dynamic, and realistic. Again, I didn't fall in love with any of the characters, but that makes it more realistic, because I don't love everyone I meet.

It was interesting to read a crime novel this long, as it is a bit long compared to other books in the genre, but like Prime Suspect, it was not extemporaneous details; instead, it was all adding to the story, and definitely not just fluff. All in all, it was a great read, and makes me wish more of La Plante's books were available in my library.

This book was provided to me free by TLC Book Tours, but I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: If You Were Here by Alafair Burke

Magazine journalist McKenna Jordan is chasing the latest urban folktale—the story of an unidentified woman who heroically pulled a teenage boy from the subway tracks seconds before the arrival of an oncoming train. When McKenna locates a video snippet that purportedly captures the incident, she thinks she has an edge on the competition scrambling to identify the mystery heroine.

McKenna is shocked to discover that the woman in the video bears a strong resemblance to Susan Hauptmann, a close friend—and a classmate of her husband’s at West Point—who vanished without a trace ten years earlier. The NYPD concluded that the nomadic Susan—forced by her father into an early military life, floundering as an adult for a fixed identity—simply started over again somewhere else.

But McKenna has always believed that the truth went deeper than the police investigation ever reached and sees Susan’s resurfacing as a sign that she wants to be found. What might have been a short-lived Metro story sends the former prosecutor turned reporter on a twisting search that leads across New York City—and to dark secrets buried dangerously close to home. . . .

I was happy to recieve a copy of If You Were Here by Alafair Burke because it had been far too long since I read a crime thriller, and the blurbs on the ARC promised I was in for a book by a phenomnal author. 

The blurbs were right. If You Were Here was fantastic. Here's where I admit I am a total crime novel snob. They are one of my favorite generes to read, but if the book is too predictable or too formulaic or trying too hard to throw fifty red herrings at you all at once, I tend to toss them aside. If You Were Here was none of those things. It was a page-turner not because the plot was so convuluted that I would never be able to pick out any suspects; the twists and turns were interesting and original. I never would have guessed the ending, which is just the way I like it, and I had a hard time putting it down, which is definitely the way I like it. I have about zero minutes in a given day to read, yet I zoomed through the 350+ pages in two days. 

Interesting characters, original plot, and killer suspense. This is one to pick up. 

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy of If You Were Here by TLC Book Tours, but was not compensated for my review. The opinions expressed are my own.

A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb

You know how sometimes you read the summary of the book and think you know what kind of book are in for? I'm actually usually wrong, so I have no idea why I try to guess just by reading the back of the book. I should quit that. 

Sometimes, I read the back of the book, think I know what kind of book I am about to read, but THEN, I read the first sentence, and I'm like WHOA. Now I know exactly what kind of book I've got in my hands. That was this book. The summary is straightforward enough:

1937. In a windswept village on the Dorset coast, fourteen-year-old Mitzy Hatcher has endured a wild and lonely upbringing. But the arrival of renowned artist Charles Aubrey, along with his exotic mistress and their two daughters, changes everything. Over the course of three summers, Mitzy develops a deep and abiding bond with the Aubrey household, gradually becoming Charles’s muse. Slowly, she begins to perceive a future she had never thought possible—and a powerful love is kindled in her. A love that will grow as she does: from innocence to obsession; from childish infatuation to something far more dangerous.

Years later, a young man in an art gallery happens upon a hastily drawn portrait and is intrigued by its curious intensity. The questions he asks lead him to the seaside village—and to the truth about those fevered summers of long ago.

But then the first sentence hits you like a ton of bricks. The language was winding and lyrical and moving. I knew that I was in for a book to savor, not one that would fly by and was driven by the fast clip of events, but one that wove a beautiful tapestry with its words. 

Although Webb describes the people and places vividly and uses a great detail, the book is not slow and stagnant. Her style allows for well-developed and unforgettable characters, and while the initial set-up of a biographer seeking more information and finding a window into the past is a rather straight-forward one, it suits this story and frames the storylines nicely.

A Half Forgotten Song is one you could enjoy on the beach or stay up late savoring in bed. 

If you'd like to catch up with the author, you can find her on facebook and Twitter.

I was provided a copy of this book by TLC Book Tours but was not compensated for my review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: All You Could Ask For

Ugh. You guys. I hate writing reviews that are not 100% glowing. I really do. But I have to say, while this book is good, it is not perfect.

Maybe part of the problem was all the hype: Mike Greenberg, ESPN's "king of guy talk," has written a novel from the perspective of three women and HE NAILS THE FEMALE PERSPECTIVE! ALL HAIL GREENY! So yeah, I was prepared to love the book, to be impressed with how he imagines women.

What he delivered, in my opinion, was a story that was hard to put down and characters you'll care about. He gave me that Waiting to Exhale feeling, and an original twist on the "three lives come together in an unexpected way and everyone is changed forever" story. But ... there's always that "but" ... I just can't help but be rubbed the wrong way by the fact that all the women are more focused on the men in their lives than themselves, have sexual hangups, and every one of them has daddy issues. Even when they are changing and growing and learning about what makes life important, there's that struggle to make sure that perfect man is there in their lives, with the subtext, of course, that life would not be perfect without that crucial piece of the puzzle. 

Sure, maybe the degree to which this is obvious varies according to the reader. Sure, maybe this is part of the message (don't be that way, women!). But really, it just struck me as Mike Greenberg writing these women this way because he sees women this way, or, even worse, assumes these traits will resonate with his female readers. To me, that's a shame. 

In the end, I really liked the book, and I enjoyed the characters, but I spent a good deal of the two days it took me to devour the book shouting things at the characters (Why? Why are you doing that? Don't do it, stupid!). I don't think this is a problem of a man not capturing a woman correctly, but maybe more of a "Veronica doesn't like to read books with characters who infuriate her" problem. At the end of the day, I was desperate to get back to the book every time I set it down, and if that's enough for you, then it's enough for me to recommend you read the book.

P.S. But, if you read the book and want to talk to me about Brooke ... OH MY GOD, send me an e-mail. Brooke. Brooke! What are you THINKING?!?!

I was given a copy of this book by TLC Book Tours but was not compensated in any way. The opinions are my own.

Book Review: Elegy for Eddie

Things got a little crazy around here, people. Things got taken to a whole new level, and I am trying to get it all down, but even sitting down to write about it is proving impossible. So is, it seems, remembering that I agreed to post a review of Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear. 

Oops.

Elegy for Eddie is one of the Maisie Dobbs books (which meant nothing to me when I agreed to review it). Having never heard of Winspear before and then learning that TLC Book Tours had multiple books in the series being reviewed this month, I looked her up and learned she is quite the prolific best-selling author.

That makes perfect sense as soon as you crack open one of her books. Maisie Dobbs is a investigator in 1930s London. I could probably stop the review right there, because DONE. Am I right? I'll give you a little more to go on, however, if you aren't sold on that alone (although if you're not, I question your taste in reading material). (Just kidding) (Sort of)

Winspear is an award-winning author for a reason. The writing is simply divine, her characters are dynamic, and the plot will make any detective-novel lover happy. The entire series is highly acclaimed, and I will be adding them all to my library list. Start with Elegy for Eddie or start at the beginning of the Maisie Dobbs series. Either way, you're in for a treat.

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for my review, but was not compensated in any way. The opinions are my own.

Book Review: Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner

Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner is fantastic, fast-paced, and thrilling. It manages to read as both plot-driven and character-driven, and holds readers in suspense for nearly 400 pages without a break. 

I've been thinking for days about how to tell you what this book is about without also including spoilers, and these days, almost anything about the plot is a spoiler to me, so all I will tell you is this is a story of a family on the brink of destruction, of cops chasing criminals and trying to save the family, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Alternating back and forth between the family in distress and the large group of police, sheriff, and FBI agents trying to save them, this is nearly impossible to put down. 

But seriously, this book was so fantastic that I took it with me into the baby's room at night while I rocked her, and strained to see by the very dim light of the hallway coming in through the crack in her door. For real. Thankfully, Lisa Gardner has published quite a few books, because I am putting them at the top of my library list.

If you'd like to hear what others in the BlogHer Book Club are saying about the book, click HERE, but my advice? Read it.

Lisa Gardner is also on Twitter and facebook.

I was provided a copy of this book and compensated for my review, but the opinions are my own.

Book Review: Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster

I was offered a copy of Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster to read for the BlogHer Book Club ... wait, let me just get this out of my system:

Here I go again, on my own
Goin' down the only road I've ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
And I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time
Here I go agaiiiiinnnnn

Okay, thanks. And yes, there are many Whitesnake and 80s rock references throughout the book, so rock on.

If I could sum up this book in one sentence, it would be to say that this book is Mean Girls meets Back to the Future meets Wizard of Oz meets Thirteen Going on Thirty. You totally know what I mean, right?

So let me get a few bothersome things out the way first before I tell you all the things I liked about this book.

1) It's the story of a mean girl who gets a chance to go back and do things over to make her life better. Having been the victim of many mean girls, I would say I do not think they should be the ones to get a chance like that.
2) Did I mention it's the story of a mean girl? So you hear all her horrible mean thoughts? And you hate her until pretty much the last few pages of the book, and even then, it's hard to really like her, because you remember all the horrible things she did? Yeah. That.
3) The book makes some pretty bold statements about bullying and high school that I do NOT agree with. But, I'm not the authority and my opinion is not the only one, so, whatever.

Okay, now that I got that out of the way, can I just say that I should have been reading Jen Lancaster a long time ago? Her writing is biting and hilarious, and ... what's even better than hilarious? Whatever is funnier than hilarious, that's what she is. I can understand why she chose to write the voice of a mean girl, because it made for some interesting dialogue and inner monologues. On top of that, Lancaster is a master of character development. There was not a single character in the book that I didn't feel like I had met in person and had known for years. I have to hand it to her, even though I was having a REALLY hard time in the first third of the book suspending disbelief (Okay, she's ... going back in TIME? Good lord.), once I was halfway through the book, there was no way I was putting it down until I was done. 

Bottom line: Hilarious, well-written, great characters. If I can read from the point of view of someone I dislike and still want to devour the book .... that's some dang fine writing. Excuse me while I go out and read all the rest of Lancaster's work.

If you want to read more about the book, you can do so at the BlogHer Book Club. You can learn more about Jen Lancaster on Twitter, facebook, and her blog.

I was provided a free copy of this book and compensated for this review, but the opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Willpower Instinct

Here's something interesting about me: I used to have so much willpower that I would get a stick of rock candy (BEST. TREAT. EVER.) and make it last for over a MONTH. Seriously. I would take one tiny little crystal, eat it, savor it, and put the stick back in its baggy until I could enjoy a piece the next day. My mom would find Halloween candy a few days before the NEXT Halloween and make me throw it out if I wanted to trick-or-treat for more.

I KNOW.

Now, so help me if a block of cheese enters this house, because it will be gone muy rapido.

The BlogHer Book Club offered me a copy of The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More if It by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., to review, and after being wildly offended (Me? Why do you think I need to work on my willpower?) I agreed, because ... well, you heard about the cheese.

Now, I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of self-help books, mostly because of the defensiveness I already mentioned, but I'm also just not much of a fan of non-fiction these days as I used to be. So, if a "self-help" book can get me interested enough to actually describe it as a page-turner, I'd say we have a winner.

I'm not going to outline any of the specific information or strategies that the author offers*, because that seems mean to give away the reason people would have to buy and read the book, but I will tell you that what she offers is fascinating -- all the information on how the brain works, why we feel what we do, and how to shift that thinking -- I really enjoyed it all. One of my favorite features was an end-of-chapter recap: The main idea and willpower challenges to try. it makes it easy to flip back to all the main points, remind you what the chapters were about, and get it all fresh in your head again. She also mentions that the book is written to be read over the course of ten weeks, as if you were taking her course on willpower, reading one chapter a week Since I didn't have ten weeks to read the book before I reviewed it, I didn't, but I certainly intend to. I think it will be a great experiment for the new year to go back through and re-read it over ten weeks and really focus on that week's challenge. I'll let you know in ten weeks how things are going. :)

*Okay, maybe just one -- I love that she reiterates what many before her have said -- dieting is bad for you! She does a great job of explaining why restricting leads to failure in most cases, but she also goes on to give you strategies to use instead (so I can't just say "dieting doesn't work! Suck on that!" and eat whatever I want). 

Overall, it is a book I recommend, and I already have pages folded over so I can share information with specific people who will find it as interesting as I do. 

I was compensated for this review by the BlogHer Book Club, but all opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Round House

One Sunday in the spring of 1988, a woman living on a reservation in North Dakota is attacked. The details of the crime are slow to surface as Geraldine Coutts is traumatized and reluctant to relive or reveal what happened, either to the police or to her husband, Bazil, and thirteen-year-old son, Joe. In one day, Joe’s life is irrevocably transformed. He tries to heal his mother, but she will not leave her bed and slips into an abyss of solitude. Increasingly alone, Joe finds himself thrust prematurely into an adult world for which he is ill prepared.

While his father, who is a tribal judge, endeavors to wrest justice from a situation that defies his efforts, Joe becomes frustrated with the official investigation and sets out with his trusted friends, Cappy, Zack, and Angus, to get some answers of his own. Their quest takes them first to the Round House, a sacred space and place of worship for the Ojibwe. And this is only the beginning.

Reading the summary of this book immediately reminded me of Leslie Marmon Silko, and as a fan of her work, I had a gut feeling I would like this book as well. I was right.

The Round House is a book that talks about difficult things -- uncomfortable things, things you don't want to think about -- but somehow, it's a book you don't want to put down. That's a skill, for sure. I've read plenty of books where bad things are happening, and I just want to close the book and give up. When I was reading The Round House, however, I was always eager to keep reading, wanting to know what would happen next. 

I loved the characters, especially our protagonist, who is a young teen when we meet him, and this is also another feather in Erdich's cap, as, it sounds terrible to say, but ... I'm not generally a fan of teen and tween male characters in books. I've not found many who resonate with me and don't annoy me. Joe, on the other hand, is such a genuine and kind boy that I can't help but love him. 

At the heart, this story is about two groups who live together, but uneasily, and this is a problem that has existed for quite some time and has clearly not been resolved. Many readers will not have experience with this phenomenon, either personally or through research, and for them, this book will be enlightening. For those who know more about it, I believe this will likely ring true to their own experiences. 

Like other great Native American writers, Louise Erdich brings a world to life for her readers, and asks those who don't already know about it to learn about it and those who are a part of it to say "Yes! This! This is how it is!" Overall, it was an enjoyable book, a great read, and something I believe will be enjoyed by a wide audience. 

I was provided a free copy of this book by TLC Book Tours, but was not compensated in any way. These opinions are my own.

Book Review: And Now We Shall Do Manly Things

I received a copy of And Now We Shall Do Manly Things: Discovering My Manhood Through the Great (and Not-So-Great) American Hunt by Craig J. Heimbuch* (find him HERE and HERE and HERE) through TLC Book Tours to review.

This book follows Heimbuch on his journey to immerse himself in the culture of hunting that his family cherishes but he never enjoyed.

Let me back up. I actually requested this from a list of possible books to review. For those of you who know me in real life or remember my brief mention of hating hunting a few months ago, this may surprise you greatly. I know, I shocked myself, too. The description and the cover intrigued me (every time Josie saw it, she shouted "A bear in a hat!!"), and I decided that this could be an opportunity to try to see another side of something that I had strong feelings about but had never tried myself.

Spoiler alert: I still dislike the idea of hunting and will never do it myself, but that doesn't mean the book wasn't good. 

In fact, the book was great. If you had told me before reading this book that I would enjoy reading a book about hunting and gun use, I would have slapped you right in the face for insulting my honor. Imagine my surprise when I actually did.

What interested me most about this book was the reason for his experiment, his immersion in the world of hunting. Heimbuch explains "I don't feel like a man. I feel like a watered-down version of a man. [...] I do feel too willing to give in, too willing to cower, to hide from problems, and to shy away in the face of opportunity. I realize that, if I am ever to become the man, the husband, the father, the writer I want to become, I need to learn how to face life standing up." 

I love this sentiment, and while I was still not sure I believed he needed to learn to hunt to accomplish these things, I was interested in this goal he had set, and how he wanted to immerse himself in something that the men in his family were passionate about. 

What sold me on this journey, I think were two main things. 1) He went about this process very deliberately. He studied carefully, really looked deeply into both hunting and gun cultures (and didn't like everything he saw), and took his responsibilities as a gun owner and hunter seriously, and 2) he says early on in the book that he wants to "be a hunter, not a killer." 

In the end, it seems that this isn't about needing to be a hunter to be a real man. It is about needing to find a passion for something in life to feel like a fulfilled person. I can get on board with that, for sure.

All in all, reading about a year-long journey to become a hunter turned out to be a very interesting thing that I never thought I would do. I'm glad I stepped outside my box and tried it, because not only do I now think I understand much more about how and why people choose to participate in this activity, but I found a writer whose voice I appreciate greatly. I will be looking for Craig Heimbuch in the future, and hope this is not the last I see of him.

Thanks again to TLC Book Tours for the book. While I was provided with a free copy of this book, I was not compensated, and this review is my own opinion.

*Okay, now that the review is officially over, I have to say that my junior high Principal's last name was Heimbuch, and he looked a lot like Principal Belding from Saved by the Bell (or at least he does in my memory), and so the entire time I read this book, I imagined Principal Belding creeping around fields, trying to shoot pheasant. Try it. It's distracting. 

Book Review: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway

I'm sure a few of you thought I was dead or enduring preterm labor, but I have actually been having computer problems (pray for my little gal!) and blogging on my phone just isn't an option -- it's smart, but not that smart. Or I'm not that smart. One or the other. Anyway, I'm busting at the seams with things to tell you, but I had to borrow my mom's laptop and sneak away from my little sweetie to bring you this book review on time, and using someone else's keyboard is in my top five most frustrating endeavors, so I may or may not have time to write all the things I've been dying to write when I'm done with this. We shall see.


What I DO have for you is a review of the novel The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns
by Margaret Dilloway. I may be the only person who had never heard of Dilloway before this, who knows, so what I got was a nice surprise of a read. 


The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns tells the story of Galilee Garner, a single high school biology teacher, long-time dialysis patient waiting for new kidneys, rose breeder, and above all, curmudgeon. You definitely think you are reading about a jaded older lady, but you are actually meeting a 36-year-old who is much much older than her biological age and doesn't care one bit. Gal's teenage niece shows up unexpectedly one day, and, as you might expect, her life changes drastically.


My opinion of the book is very easily broken down, really:


What I didn't like: Within the first few pages, Gal says her roses are "Difficult and obstinate. Thriving under a set of specific and limited conditions. That pretty much describes me. Maybe that's why I like these roses so much." I NEVER want to read lines like that. Let me connect the dots myself (especially in this case, because honestly, who WOULDN'T). I also wasn't a HUGE fan of how predictable about 95% of the plot was. After reading the first three chapters, I pretty much had an idea of how the rest of the book would play out, but honestly, that ended up not bothering me at all, and I kept powering through the book, even though I assumed I knew how it would turn out.


What I really liked about the book: The characters! I would find it very hard to believe that someone could read this book and NOT like at least one of the main characters and not also marvel at the beautiful way Dilloway brings ALL of her characters to life, even the "scenery" characters. Like I already said, I had a good idea of how things would play out, but because the characters were so amazing, you wanted to read every little detail about them that you could. I also thought all the details about rose breeding were very interesting. Even more fascinating to me was the fact that Dilloway had gone to such lengths to research and present the information she did. Even if she herself were a rose breeder, it would be a lot of work to organize and get on paper. In addition to that, I went back and re-read a few sections, skipping the parts where Gal is describing the intricacies of what she is doing in her greenhouse, and the book reads just as well, which is great for any reader who decides they love the characters but are over the "rose stuff." It must take a lot of hard work to make the book read just as well both ways, so I applaud Dilloway on that level as well.


What I didn't like about this book was very minor in comparison to what I liked about it. Like I said, if I am unable to put a book down, it's definitely working, since I have become that type of person who, if I roll my eyes and get mad about something in the first few pages, I'm much more apt to put the book down and never return than to press on. The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns was a nice read that left me thinking about the characters long after I finished the book. Brava!


If you'd like to see what other bloggers in the BlogHer book club had to say about this book, click on over HERE, and if you've read the book yourself, be sure to join the discussions going on there or read a post by Margaret Dilloway. 


I was given a free copy of The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns and was compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Into The Darkest Corner

When I first started reading Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes, what (obviously) jumped out at me was the way the book is narrated: there is a dated entry from 2003, then a dated entry from 2007 ... and back and forth and back and forth for the rest of the book. I was like NO. I just can't do this. Set-ups like this generally give me intense rage and make me give up on books. Shockingly, by the third page, I didn't mind anymore, which is a true testament to the story.

The back-and-forth follows the same character, Cathy, leading up to a traumatic event, and following her post-trauma. Since you already have a general idea of what happened to Cathy in 2003, reading the story of her increasingly abusive stalker boyfriend is very tense -- you know something terrible is about to happen, but you don't know when and you don't know how crazy things will get before it happens. In the "post-attack" timeline, you see a shattered woman trying to rebuild her life, but something tells you that you are not just reading a story of overcoming PTSD and OCD -- something else is going to happen to Cathy. But what? It's a nail-biter, to say the least.

It's more than just a suspenseful novel, however. It touches on tough subjects, like abusive relationships, stalkers, and mental illness. It's uncomfortable to read at times, and you will find yourself screaming at Cathy in your head, but you will also put yourself in her shoes and wonder how you would find a way to escape and what you would have the strength to do. At one point the character tackles this idea head-on, saying she always thought women who didn't leave abusive relationships were lying to themselves when they said it wasn't as easy as it seemed to just leave.  

This book is certainly well-written (I often found myself stopping to think how she actually wrote the two separate but complimentary storylines and got everything to match up so well!), it is different, and it is definitely a page-turner. 

If you'd like to read what the other bloggers on this TLC book tour had to say about this book, click HERE for the master schedule. You can also check out the author's website, facebook page, or Twitter account if you'd like. 

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. I was not compensated, and the opinions expressed are solely my own.

Book Review: A Lighter Shade of Gray by Devon Pearse and GIVEAWAY!

First of all, NO, this book is not related to the Fifty Shades of Gray Trilogy. Just unfortunate on the timing (or fortunate?) is all.


A Lighter Shade of Gray, by Devon Pearse:


What does it feel like to stare into the face of madness? Or to anticipate your own? Would you drive away your only love? Could you pretend it didn't matter? How far would you go to protect a friend, or to avenge a death?

Ten years ago, Devon gave up the love of her life, fearing she would one day fall victim to the mental illness that has slowly ravaged the mind of her mother, who is now being cared for in a private facility.

Just when it seems Devon might have a chance to make up for past mistakes, her best friend Cass becomes a suspect in the murder of her sister's drug-dealing boyfriend. Devon knows Cass is lying about the details of her involvement and the lead detective on the case, convinced that Cass is guilty, is relentless in his pursuit of justice.

When her mother's young, emotionally disturbed roommate insinuates she knows something about the night of the murder, as well as details from Devon's own life that no one else is privy to, Devon becomes desperate to uncover the truth before Detective Lake does. As the investigation continues, Devon is led down a path she never expected and forced to face her greatest fears of life and love.

Tangled in a web of lies, regrets and questions, can she find a way to let go of the past and start again? And, once the mystery is solved, can she live with the secrets she's uncovered?

Join author Devon Pearse in this semi-autobiographical journey through the most heartbreakingly beautiful and deceptively mysterious events of her own life and the lives of those closest to her.


I wanted to like this book. I really did. Reading the back cover promised lots of interesting twists and turns, but when I sat down to read it, it was all just too much for me. Everything felt heavy in this book: the language, the plot, the descriptions. It felt like work to get through each page, and that is not what I was in the mood for, for sure.


But that's the thing really: it's not like I can only read "beach" books right now or anything, but I'm not in the mindset to pick up Tolstoy either. Maybe if I were ready for something a bit more dense and dramatic I would be writing a glowing review of A Lighter Shade of Gray. I can tell you that Devon Pearse can write. She is not just slopping the words on the page; she obviously has quite a gift, and her brain must be working in overdrive all the time to put together a novel like this. 


I can't give this a bad review, because I don't believe there are "bad" books, per se. This book was not for me right now.


BUT ... maybe it is the right book for you! Right now! Would you like a free copy of this book? Then you can read it and agree with me or come and write a big long letter about why you loved it. Here's how!


1) Be a follower on Google Friend Connect
2) Leave a comment telling me either your favorite "light" read or your favorite "heavy" read (or both!)
3) Leave me your e-mail address (if it is not connected to your account) in case I need to contact you to let you know you've won
4) Optional: If you want another entry, tweet about this giveaway or post on facebook along with a link to this post, then leave me another comment with a link back to either of those


The giveaway will stay open until Monday, June 25th, and let me tell you, I have gotten free books in blog giveaways TWICE that the blogger didn't care for and I ended up loving. So there you go. Good luck!


If you want to hear what other bloggers on the TLC book tour had to say about this book, click HERE for the full schedule of reviews.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC Book Tours in exchange for my review, but was not compensated in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: My New American Life by Francine Prose

I'm usually not one to start book reviews with the synopsis from the back of the book, but when it comes to My New American Life by Francine Prose, I almost feel like I have no other choice.

Lula, a twenty-six-year-old Albanian woman living surreptitiously in New York City on an expiring tourist visa, hopes to make a better life for herself in America. When she lands a job as caretaker to Zeke, a rebellious high school senior in suburban New Jersey, it seems that the security, comfort, and happiness of the American dream may finally be within reach. Her new boss, Mister Stanley, an idealistic college professor turned Wall Street executive, assumes that Lula is a destitute refugee of the Balkan wars. He enlists his childhood friend Don Settebello, a hotshot lawyer who prides himself on defending political underdogs, to straighten out Lula's legal situation. In true American fashion, everyone gets what he wants and feels good about it.

But things take a more sinister turn when Lula's Albanian "brothers" show up in a brand-new black Lexus SUV. Hoodie, Leather Jacket, and the Cute One remind her that all Albanians are family, but what they ask of her is no small favor. Lula's new American life suddenly becomes more complicated as she struggles to find her footing as a stranger in a strange new land. Is it possible that her new American life is not so different from her old Albanian one?

Set in the aftermath of 9/11, My New American Life offers a vivid, darkly humorous, bitingly real portrait of a particular moment in history, when a nation's dreams and ideals gave way to a culture of cynicism, lies, and fear. Beneath its high comic surface, the novel is a more serious consideration of immigration, of what it was like to live through the Bush-Cheney years, and of what it means to be an American.

When I finished reading the synopsis, all I could think was "...huh..." and I requested the book, but for the life of me, could not decide what kind of book would be showing up on my doorstep. Luckily, what showed up was a really amazing book.

I don't know about you, but the synopsis confused me, and in the same sense, it is hard to describe what "kind" of book this is. What I can tell you is that the writing is, without a doubt, superb. The characters are beautifully constructed. You will fall in love with the main character by the end of the first paragraph. You will think you know what is going on in the book, and then all of sudden you will get slapped in the face and you will love the shake-up. You will like this book.

Perhaps my favorite thing about the book is the darling eccentricity of the main character, Lula. Her stories about Communist Albania are sometimes true and sometimes complete fabrication. People tend to be more likely to believe the fabrications. She is a wonderful, lying, pessimistic, paranoid person who is also, somehow, pure of heart and the person you find yourself rooting for, no matter what.

After finishing the book, I read part of a review by Michael Dirda of The New York Times Review of Books that stated "With the possible exception of Joyce Carol Oates, there is no busier or more prolific woman of letters in twenty-first-century America than Francine Prose." I felt a little lame for never having heard of her before this after reading that description, but I am a little less connected to the literary world than I have been at other times in my life, so I am going to cut myself a break and do a little catch-up. In the past, I have read books and then said I was going to go out and read everything else by that particular author. Many times, this does not come to fruition, or does not happen for many years. In this case, I have already requested some of her fiction and non-fiction from my library (Goldengrove, A Changed Man, The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women & the Artists They Inspired, and Blue Angel).

This book is like nothing I've read, and was truly fun to read. It was even one of those books where the last line of the book makes you smile and read it over and over again. I promise you won't be disappointed if you check out Francine Prose.

If you'd like to see what other bloggers on the tour had to say about this book, you can click HERE for the main schedule of reviews.

I was given a copy of this book by TLC Book Tours, but was not compensated in any way for this review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

UPDATED WITH WINNER: Book Review: Make it Stay by Joan Frank (and GIVEAWAY!)

Make It Stay by Joan Frank is definitely different than what I have been reading lately -- in a good way. The plot revolves around a couple, and a majority of the story takes place while they are preparing for a dinner party and the husband explains the backstory of another couple (his best friend and his wife). 

To have almost an entire book unfold in an hour's time, yet follow years and years of events was unique. What was also unique about the book is that you could feel you know everything about both of these couples by the end of the book, yet you only read a little over 150 pages. The world Joan Frank creates is interesting, complicated, and full of twists and turns, but she doesn't need the now-customary 400+ pages to accomplish this feat.

You probably won't like all the characters by the time the book winds to a close, but I don't like a lot of people in real life. That makes the book all the more real -- who doesn't have a friend or a spouse's friend who really isn't the most wholesome individual or has made some life choices you wouldn't make yourself? But you're probably still friends with him or her, right? Not everyone's an angel, and relationships are complicated. So it goes in Make it Stay. 

Frank's writing style is also unique and lyrical. Her language is poetic and at times heartbreaking, and you find yourself caught up in long, winding sentences that evoke such vivid images that you can't break away. I wouldn't describe it as a light and fluffy beach-read, but it's also not a hoighty-toighty book that takes itself too seriously. It's deep without being pretentious and a quick read without being fluff, and that is hard to come by. 

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

And now, a BONUS for all those who made it to the end of the review! I have ONE COPY of this book to give to one of my lucky readers! 

To be considered for the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post and tell me the last book you read and your e-mail address so I can contact you for your shipping address. 

I'll use a random number generator to choose the winner and the book will be shipped to you by the publisher. I'll announce the winner on Monday, May 28th. Good luck!

If you'd like to read what other hosts on the TLC book tour had to say about this book, click HERE to see the schedule of reviews. If you'd like to learn more about the author, click HERE for Joan Frank's website.

I was provided a copy of this book but was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.


UPDATE (5/29/2011): And now for the winner! I used random.org's random number generator, and skipping over a double comment and the comment from a TLC representative, I had six entries.


DRUM ROLL, please.


The winner was ....

Number 4, or Jill! Congrats, Jill! I have sent you an e-mail to get your mailing address. 

Book Review: First They Killed My Father

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung is the tale of a young girl and the Khmer Rogue. Pol Pot, The Killing Fields, and the most tragic time in Cambodia's history is the story of Loung Ung's childhood.

I read a lot of memoirs. A LOT. I love the concept of them, but unfortunately, not every memoir is created equal. It seems there came a time when memoirs got trendy because of a few books (I'm not pointing any fingers here), and then anytime someone had an interesting/strange/unusual life story, someone was there to publish their memoir, whether or not the writing was actually good. Unfortunately, I have read many of those memoirs: It's a great story, but the way it is told is so excrutiating, it's like pulling teeth to get through the book, and you feel like it was a chore to invest all that time and effort. 

Then, there are the memoirs that are so beautifully crafted, that you are sucked into the world of the author, you live every moment with them, you are exhilarated at their highs and devastated at their lows, and when it's all over you wish the book had never ended. And Then They Killed My Father by Luong Ung is one of the latter. 

I was definitely interested in learning more about this time in history, as I certainly didn't know as much as I should before reading the book. I remember hearing the term "The Killing Fields" once in high school and then got a crash course one day in my History of the Vietnam War class as an undergrad, but it was not something I would consider myself well-versed in. I looked forward to the book for this reason, and hoped that this book would deliver information in a readable way. This is exactly what you get with this book.

While the book obviously revolves around horrific acts, it is still written as the tale of a young girl -- it is not sterile, removed, and fact-driven. It is a personal narrative, and it is so well-written that I was in love with the young narrator in a few short paragraphs. To then follow this girl I loved through the most brutal moments is difficult, to say the least, but you are willing to do it because you want to see how she emerges. 

This is a book for history lovers, memoir lovers, and anyone who is willing to invest their emotions in a good book.

If you want to read what other reviewers had to say about this book, as well as the next two books in the series, Lulu in the Sky: A Daughter of Cambodia Finds Love, Healing, and Double Happiness and Lucky Child: A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites with the Sister She Left Behind click HERE.

I was provided a copy of this book through TLC Book Tours but was not compensated for this review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review: You Have No Idea

To be perfectly honest, I never would have sought out a memoir written by Vanessa Williams and her mother, but when I was offered a copy of You Have No Idea: A Famous Daughter, Her No-nonsense Mother, and How They Survived Pageants, Hollywood, Love, Loss (and Each Other), I figured what the heck, right? I love reading about the details of people's lives!


All I really knew about Vanessa Williams was that she was the first Black Miss America, there was some sort of scandal, and she sang the song "Save the Best for Last" that made me cry. I liked her just fine, but I'm not a crazy star-struck fan by any means. 


Knowing this, it should mean even more that I enjoyed the book. It was very interesting to read Vanessa's reaction to winning Miss America and then having her crown taken away a month before her reign ended when nude photos surfaced, but it was even more interesting to then also read her mother's reaction on top of that. I think with a topic like that, whether you are a mother or not, you automatically think "What did her mother think when that happened?" Well, now you know. From then on, we learn all the ups and downs and Vanessa's life as she tries to prove she can sing, she can dance, and she can act, and she is MUCH more than just the Miss America scandal. Through husbands and kids and getting jobs and losing jobs, we see her and her mother trace her highs and lows.


Beyond that, Vanessa's mother seems like a total card. The book is mostly in Vanessa's voice, and then all of a sudden her mom will pop in with a remark or her advice or rules on the matter. She should probably write an advice column or have a reality show where she whips bratty kids into shape. 


Bottom line: No matter your level of fandom or interest in Vanessa Williams, this is a book I think most people will find interesting and easy to get into.


If you want to hear what others on BlogHer are saying about this book, click HERE.


I was provided a copy of You Have No Idea and compensated for this review, but the opinions are my own. Because, you know, I'm mean and would tell you if I didn't like the book.

Book Review: This Life Is In Your Hands

This Life is in Your Hands is Melissa Coleman's account of her family's homesteading past. Before she was born, Melissa's parents, jaded by modern society, retreated to the wilderness of Maine, bought 60 acres, and determined to live a simple, totally self-reliant life. This eventually led to a large organic farm, a home, three daughters, and many "interns" eager to live off the land and learn from the Colemans.

By piecing together her own memories, media reports of her family's "unique" lifestyle, journal entries, and interviews with all those involved, Melissa Coleman presents the family's voyage from start to finish -- yes, there was an end. The subtitle of this book is "One Dream, Sixty Acres, and a Family's Heartbreak." You go into the story knowing what specific tragic event eventually pulls the family apart and ends the experiment (which is something I hate -- it ruins it for me, knowing what is coming in the final pages; alas, this is a device I see more and more these days, so I suppose it is here to stay). 

The journey itself, though, is interesting. Especially for someone like myself, who has no real knowledge of what it would take to make EVERYTHING you need to survive, starting with building your home with your bare hands from trees on your property, there was plenty of things along the way that distracted me from the fact that I knew tragedy was going to strike and the family was going to break up. And, of course, this book chronicles a story that is certainly unique to a massive portion of the population, so that in itself is something that makes it all the more interesting and novel.

Now for the part I hate doing in book reviews -- telling you about things that got under my craw a bit. Sorry, I need to be honest. At times, the book comes off rather preachy. Coleman goes into great detail explaining her father's organic gardening beliefs and the family's stance on everything from vegetarianism to consumerism -- and most of the time, she is putting rather annoying and arrogant statements in the mouths of her characters. You know, the "We do it THIS way, and why would you EVER do it another way?" annoying comments that make you un-friend people on facebook and complain to your spouse after a dinner party. At first, honestly, I wasn't sure I could make it through the entire book. But about 50 pages in, I suddenly was hooked and needed to hear this story. Yeah, the characters from time to time made me want to slap them, but that happens in novels, so why not in a memoir, right?

In the end, despite the hang-ups I had about this book, I read it surprisingly quickly and find myself thinking about the family long after having closed the book for good. I don't know about you, but as a reader, those are two good signs for me. If you are even mildly interested in the homesteader movement or the birth of organic farming in the US, you need to read this book.

If you'd like to see what other reviewers had to say about this book, the complete TLC Tour guide can be found HERE. If you'd like to learn more about Melissa Coleman, you can visit her website and facebook page.

I was provided a copy of This Life is in Your Hands, but was not compensated for this review. All the opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Narcopolis

Jeet Thayil's debut novel Narcopolis is not for the faint of heart. It takes readers on a thirty-year journey through the depths of Bombay's seedy underground. Death, drugs, prostitution, and perversion take the lead roles in this book. The city of Bombay is explored in a way that it has not been by modern authors (at least to the best of my knowledge). The opium dens, the brothels -- they are only the beginning of what the city has in store for these characters. 

My opinion boils down to this: If you like poetry, specifically modern poetry, you will like this book. If poetry confuses you or you dislike it for any other reason, you might not like this book. Or, perhaps, it will take you a while to get used to the style. If that's the case and you went into the book thinking you didn't like poetry, then, hey, give poetry another try! You might love it now!

I was thinking this the entire time I read the book -- that this book was like one long poem, and it was hard for me to remember I was reading a novel. Then I read the dust jacket summary and author information (which I try to avoid doing before I read the book so I don't taint my feelings about the book), and it turns out the author has published several volumes of poetry and this is his first novel. There you go.

I was also thinking while I read this book that there are certain people I know who would LOVE this book (Brandon, if you're reading this, let me know if you want to borrow this book!) and there were people who I would NEVER think of lending this book to (sorry mom), and I was wondering if that meant anything about the book itself. Can I fully recommend this book when I feel this way? But honestly, I think I always feel that way about the books I read to some extent. This book just has such a strong tone that it is all the more obvious. It begs for a certain type of reader, and that doesn't make it a book that is "less recommendable," it just means that author has a strong voice, which is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

If you are up for a startling read that has a beautiful voice, then this is the book for you.

If you'd like to read what other reviewers on the TLC Tour had to say, the schedule of tours can be found HERE.