Santa brought me this for Christmas thanks to my wonderful son. I sat down to read this on Christmas Day and read it in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down!!!
I felt like I was sitting in the Gilmore Girls kitchen eating Pop Tarts and Tater Tots and drinking coffee with Lorelai while she told me stories about her life.
It was interesting and fun to read Lauren's thoughts on Gilmore Girls, how the revival came to be, what it was like to revisit what she calls one of if not her favorite characters to play.
I read her first book, the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe and her writing has improved and she credits a wonderful editor for bringing out the best writer in her she can be. What ever it is, it has paid off because while I enjoyed the novel I was enchanted with this book. I think it was a combination of the better writing, it being a memoir of sorts, and the charm and fun in which Lauren tells her story.
Either way this was a winner with me. And it broke the funk I was in in my reading, I had hit a rut and was just unable to focus and read and it was making me so sad.
(Finished December 25, 2016)
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Monday, September 12, 2016
Love That Boy: What Two Presidents, Eight Road Trips, and My Son Taught Me About a Parent's Expectations by Ron Fournier
This book was on my radar because I heard Ron Fournier talk about it on Morning Joe and as the parent of a child on the spectrum I was interested. Then it was a book of the month selection so I grabbed a copy.
I cried more than once reading this book. I learned not to read book that makes you cry when waiting in an exam room for a checkup.
Something Love That Boy really drives home is that part of loving our children is accepting them for who and what they are. He learned that from his son Tyler after Ty's Aspergers diagnosis. His wife pushed him to take the time to bond and get to know their son on this new footing and it was really lovely.
It isn't easy as I know all too well. I have to remind my husband, who I know loves our son J very much, when he tries to reason our son out of a repetitive string of speech. Just recently I door knocked for a political candidate and J loves this kind of thing and was ranting that it would have been better to do than to be in school. He was saying it in varied ways over and over and my husband tried to tell him that he needed to be in school because that's important. He missed the point. J knows he needs to go to school, in fact he is a very, very good student. He was just expressing how cool this activity was and how much he wanted to go. But until his differently wired brain was done with the thought he needed to say it. I have learned to allow this stream while my husband was trying to reason it away. We too are differently wired and I have spent more time in this special needs world and my husband is still using his regular way of parenting. It is a learning processes.
Fournier learned this from his road trips with Tyler, talking to experts, and hearing from other parents. He stops looking at Tyler through the eyes of his expectations and learns so much about not only Tyler but about himself.
Love That Boy is moving, interesting, honest, and a love letter.
(Finished September 12, 2016)
I cried more than once reading this book. I learned not to read book that makes you cry when waiting in an exam room for a checkup.
Something Love That Boy really drives home is that part of loving our children is accepting them for who and what they are. He learned that from his son Tyler after Ty's Aspergers diagnosis. His wife pushed him to take the time to bond and get to know their son on this new footing and it was really lovely.
It isn't easy as I know all too well. I have to remind my husband, who I know loves our son J very much, when he tries to reason our son out of a repetitive string of speech. Just recently I door knocked for a political candidate and J loves this kind of thing and was ranting that it would have been better to do than to be in school. He was saying it in varied ways over and over and my husband tried to tell him that he needed to be in school because that's important. He missed the point. J knows he needs to go to school, in fact he is a very, very good student. He was just expressing how cool this activity was and how much he wanted to go. But until his differently wired brain was done with the thought he needed to say it. I have learned to allow this stream while my husband was trying to reason it away. We too are differently wired and I have spent more time in this special needs world and my husband is still using his regular way of parenting. It is a learning processes.
Fournier learned this from his road trips with Tyler, talking to experts, and hearing from other parents. He stops looking at Tyler through the eyes of his expectations and learns so much about not only Tyler but about himself.
Love That Boy is moving, interesting, honest, and a love letter.
(Finished September 12, 2016)
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion
Don is not like most people. He is "wired" differently.
Reading this book was interesting for me beyond the story itself. I am the mother to a young person with Autism. While my son isn't as rigid in his life as Don is there are areas where rigidity is an issue and so reading Don's story was like insight into my son's mind. Granted my son is 10 and not on the search for a life partner, yet. But when we are given Don's inner dialogue and his reactions I can see my son in many of them.
The Rosie Project grows out of The Father Project which grew out of The Wife Project. In the search for Rosie's father Don learns he is capable of love even if his ability to express it is different. He also learns he is able to change his behavior without changing who is he, a lesson we can all benefit from.
Something I found interesting here is that no one tells Don, nor does Don ever say that he is Autistic, specifically Aspergers. Even as he works on a project related to the diagnosis he doesn't see himself in the description. Others hint at it to him but no one ever comes right out and says it.
At the heart this is a love story of the kind that believes there is someone for everyone, but it is more. It is a story of how different is not bad, that even those who don't fit into traditional societal norms, who have less than ideal childhoods, who are just "fucked-up" as Rosie would say, can find love and fulfillment in life.
It took me a little while to get into this book but in hindsight it wasn't the fault of the book, it was that I was awaiting the next book in a series I love that was coming out the day after I started this one. Then I put this aside to read the other book and then had a few days of not being able to get the other story out of my head, I sometimes mourn in a sense the ending of a book I love. But then I was able to get back to this one and was pulled in and really enjoyed The Rosie Project.
(Finished September 7, 2016)
Reading this book was interesting for me beyond the story itself. I am the mother to a young person with Autism. While my son isn't as rigid in his life as Don is there are areas where rigidity is an issue and so reading Don's story was like insight into my son's mind. Granted my son is 10 and not on the search for a life partner, yet. But when we are given Don's inner dialogue and his reactions I can see my son in many of them.
The Rosie Project grows out of The Father Project which grew out of The Wife Project. In the search for Rosie's father Don learns he is capable of love even if his ability to express it is different. He also learns he is able to change his behavior without changing who is he, a lesson we can all benefit from.
Something I found interesting here is that no one tells Don, nor does Don ever say that he is Autistic, specifically Aspergers. Even as he works on a project related to the diagnosis he doesn't see himself in the description. Others hint at it to him but no one ever comes right out and says it.
At the heart this is a love story of the kind that believes there is someone for everyone, but it is more. It is a story of how different is not bad, that even those who don't fit into traditional societal norms, who have less than ideal childhoods, who are just "fucked-up" as Rosie would say, can find love and fulfillment in life.
It took me a little while to get into this book but in hindsight it wasn't the fault of the book, it was that I was awaiting the next book in a series I love that was coming out the day after I started this one. Then I put this aside to read the other book and then had a few days of not being able to get the other story out of my head, I sometimes mourn in a sense the ending of a book I love. But then I was able to get back to this one and was pulled in and really enjoyed The Rosie Project.
(Finished September 7, 2016)
Thursday, September 1, 2016
A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes #2) by Sabaa Tahir
What a brilliant book!!!! Tahir does something that not many YA authors do, she treats her reader as if she knows they are smart and capable of enjoying a book that makes you think, a story that toys with stereotypical characters but upends them. No one is all good or all bad. Her "good guys" are imperfect and their flaws are on display. Her "bad guys" are more than they appear on the surface.
The story is interesting and exciting. Be warned, she has shares something with George RR Martin, a friend and I were discussing this series and she called it "Martinesque". If you have read any of GoT you know what this means, but you will love and hate characters anyway, trust me, I speak from experience.
In this installment we get a new chapter perspective, Helene gets some chapters and it is really good to see where she is and what she is facing as she does and not just because Elias was part of it. It adds a lot of depth to the universe of Ember.
As with the first book I already miss the being in this world and anxiously want book 3, yes, we are left knowing there is more to come. I am not telling you anything specific because I really don't want to spoil anyone, this is the kind of story you want to discover as you go and then talk to people.
Just know that we spend more time with Elias and Laia and they each grow and discover what they are truly made of. Helene is a really interesting character and not at all one dimensional. She is a lot more than the Mask that grew up with and had Elias' back. And the nasty Commandant, she is just as nasty as ever.
Really a brilliant series!!
My review of book 1
(Finished September 1, 2016)
The story is interesting and exciting. Be warned, she has shares something with George RR Martin, a friend and I were discussing this series and she called it "Martinesque". If you have read any of GoT you know what this means, but you will love and hate characters anyway, trust me, I speak from experience.
In this installment we get a new chapter perspective, Helene gets some chapters and it is really good to see where she is and what she is facing as she does and not just because Elias was part of it. It adds a lot of depth to the universe of Ember.
As with the first book I already miss the being in this world and anxiously want book 3, yes, we are left knowing there is more to come. I am not telling you anything specific because I really don't want to spoil anyone, this is the kind of story you want to discover as you go and then talk to people.
Just know that we spend more time with Elias and Laia and they each grow and discover what they are truly made of. Helene is a really interesting character and not at all one dimensional. She is a lot more than the Mask that grew up with and had Elias' back. And the nasty Commandant, she is just as nasty as ever.
Really a brilliant series!!
My review of book 1
(Finished September 1, 2016)
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8) by Diana Gabaldon
Outlander Series:
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
I was very much thrilled to find this volume getting back to what made me fall in love with the series in the beginning. There were no annoying kidnappings which was, as I said previously, getting old. The back and forth between what was going on with Jamie and Claire and what was happening with Roger and Bree created a sense of tension and with each shift left me feeling glad to be back with the other but wondering what the heck was going to happen next to the group being left for awhile. This was a good thing even if frustrating.
Jenny is back, not just physically, but the Jenny met in the earlier stories, who was tough and stubborn, but loving and fair, not the Jenny who was so unforgiving and harsh on Claire when she returned. This made me glad because Jenny was a character I loved and wanted more of but the way she treated Claire was so unlike the character she had been before that it felt untrue to her spirit. Yes, she is loyal to her brother first, but to do what she did and act so cruelly, it just didn't feel real to her and this turning back to what feels like the authentic Jenny is a relief.
It is really neat to watch these characters bump up against real people who play a part in the American Revolution. The fear and danger of war, even for those not directly fighting it is well written making the tension and danger is palpable.
At the core the Outlander series is a romance and where there is romance there is sex, and in this outing, there is some young and new love sex, and it is what we have come to expect from Gabaldon, but there is a lovely sense of innocence under it that makes it feel sweet and heartwarming.
I am now anxiously awaiting the 9th Book which I hope won't be too long, as we are left on a bit of a cliffhanger here...
(Finished August 17, 2016)
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
I was very much thrilled to find this volume getting back to what made me fall in love with the series in the beginning. There were no annoying kidnappings which was, as I said previously, getting old. The back and forth between what was going on with Jamie and Claire and what was happening with Roger and Bree created a sense of tension and with each shift left me feeling glad to be back with the other but wondering what the heck was going to happen next to the group being left for awhile. This was a good thing even if frustrating.
Jenny is back, not just physically, but the Jenny met in the earlier stories, who was tough and stubborn, but loving and fair, not the Jenny who was so unforgiving and harsh on Claire when she returned. This made me glad because Jenny was a character I loved and wanted more of but the way she treated Claire was so unlike the character she had been before that it felt untrue to her spirit. Yes, she is loyal to her brother first, but to do what she did and act so cruelly, it just didn't feel real to her and this turning back to what feels like the authentic Jenny is a relief.
It is really neat to watch these characters bump up against real people who play a part in the American Revolution. The fear and danger of war, even for those not directly fighting it is well written making the tension and danger is palpable.
At the core the Outlander series is a romance and where there is romance there is sex, and in this outing, there is some young and new love sex, and it is what we have come to expect from Gabaldon, but there is a lovely sense of innocence under it that makes it feel sweet and heartwarming.
I am now anxiously awaiting the 9th Book which I hope won't be too long, as we are left on a bit of a cliffhanger here...
(Finished August 17, 2016)
Thursday, August 11, 2016
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7) by Diana Gabaldon
My reviews of the other books in the series:
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Another solid if long outing. While we spend most of the time with Jamie and Claire in the midst of the American Revolution there is time spent in 1980 with Roger and Bree and their children Jem and Amanda.
I was pleased that there wasn't what has become a routine kidnapping this go round. That doesn't mean the Frasers were safe, but I was, as I said in the A Breath of Snow and Ashes review, quite tired of Claire and Jamie being pulled apart by kidnapping.
There was however a kidnapping but it wasn't part of the pattern and was heart wrenching and a bit surprising. It isn't resolved at the end so to find out how the victim fares and what the fallout from the rescue attempt that is going off in a very wrong direction will have to wait for book 7 which I will be getting next week.
There is time spent back in Scotland with Jenny and Ian and their children and I shed some tears during this. I was frustrated with Jenny but haven't given up on her, there was a hint of the Jenny I liked in the end of this book so I hope she is back next book.
Ian (younger) has grown to be a character I love and I really like the Hunter siblings. I am not happy with where the Lord John storyline goes and I was disappointed in Claire in how this went, but that too is left unresolved and will take reading book 7 to find out if their is lasting damage from this bit.
I loved the first 2 books, maybe 3, but then have slipped into the really like column.
(Finished August 11, 2016)
Sunday, August 7, 2016
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6) by Diana Gabaldo
My reviews of the prior books in the series
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
As we meet the Fraser clan again the date of American Independence is fast approaching. Back again is romance, adventure, intrigue, and sex.
While it is interesting to watch this family approach what thanks to its time traveling members know is coming, Revolutionary War, and how they prepare to take what they know will be the winning side, a side the members of the family born in this time are beginning to believe in, some of the plot devices are feeling over used. How many time can this family have members kidnapped? How many times will Jamie or Claire or Roger or Bree have to rescue or be rescued from abduction? Also I guess there are only so many words to describe the human genitalia and the acts that one can do with them so I give Gabaldo credit for trying to be creative with the sex scenes but at times the wording can be a little on the eye-rolling side. However what she really does best in these moments is the writing to make them seem to steam off the page with graphic description, it is that in these moments she captures the heart and soul of the connection that lives between Claire and Jamie. Their physical acts of love change in style and intensity to not only provide each other physical pleasure but to mend and heal each others emotionally. That after all these years and all the hard times Jamie still finds such enjoyment over the wonder he feels is Claire's bum just makes it kind of sweet and silly and endearing.
Some of the hard choices they face this time are murder they get suspected of but didn't commit, murders they do, revenge vs justice, and the sacrifice of being togetherness to save one of their own.
While I am going on to the next book because I have really want to know how they are and where they end up, what will happen with William and John and will the truth of that come out. I am really hoping that there is more of the same heart to this family that keeps me coming back but that there are much less by way of kidnappings this time and maybe some run ins with the members of the group of founding fathers, this is after all the days of Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Hancock, Franklin....
(Finished August 6, 2016)
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
As we meet the Fraser clan again the date of American Independence is fast approaching. Back again is romance, adventure, intrigue, and sex.
While it is interesting to watch this family approach what thanks to its time traveling members know is coming, Revolutionary War, and how they prepare to take what they know will be the winning side, a side the members of the family born in this time are beginning to believe in, some of the plot devices are feeling over used. How many time can this family have members kidnapped? How many times will Jamie or Claire or Roger or Bree have to rescue or be rescued from abduction? Also I guess there are only so many words to describe the human genitalia and the acts that one can do with them so I give Gabaldo credit for trying to be creative with the sex scenes but at times the wording can be a little on the eye-rolling side. However what she really does best in these moments is the writing to make them seem to steam off the page with graphic description, it is that in these moments she captures the heart and soul of the connection that lives between Claire and Jamie. Their physical acts of love change in style and intensity to not only provide each other physical pleasure but to mend and heal each others emotionally. That after all these years and all the hard times Jamie still finds such enjoyment over the wonder he feels is Claire's bum just makes it kind of sweet and silly and endearing.
Some of the hard choices they face this time are murder they get suspected of but didn't commit, murders they do, revenge vs justice, and the sacrifice of being togetherness to save one of their own.
While I am going on to the next book because I have really want to know how they are and where they end up, what will happen with William and John and will the truth of that come out. I am really hoping that there is more of the same heart to this family that keeps me coming back but that there are much less by way of kidnappings this time and maybe some run ins with the members of the group of founding fathers, this is after all the days of Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Hancock, Franklin....
(Finished August 6, 2016)
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter #8) by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne (Spoilers Inside)
There are two things to review here, contact and format.
Format First, No Spoilers In This Section:
This was not written in novel form but is the script from the London Stage Production. In the past I have found scripts can be a little harder to ready style wise. But this didn't feel that way. I was immediately sucked back into the world J.K. Rowling created and that I love so much.
I read this with my son and we did it all in one day sharing the parts. We both thought the non-spoken pieces added to the story and helped us imagine how this would look on the stage. The script format does not in any way make this a difficult or stilted read.
Content, Spoilers Contained In This Section, I Will Warn You When I Start To Say Things Spoilery:
Have you ever wondered what happened after the epilogue? Harry has told his son Albus Severus that he is named for two headmasters of Hogwarts one who was a Slytherin and the train departs and Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione are left on the platform? Well this is that story. The opening is that scene on Platform 9 3/4. This is a story about the painful and messy that often fills parent/child relations. There is also a thread of the danger of messing with time, one which was addressed in Prisoner of Azkaban. But it was the characters we know and love all grown up. It has been a long time since this world has been so front and center and I was glad to have the chance to visit it again. There is action, some mystery (which was well spun I think and made me think how much better this was coming after Rowling having written a mystery series), adventure, and love.
Scroll for spoilers or stop here if you don't want to be spoiled.
Don't read on if you want to avoid specifics.
You have been warned. If you read further and then feel cheated you got spoiled it is on you...Read at your own risk!!!
Ron surprised me here. He still kind of gets overshadowed by Harry and Hermione but he has his moments where he really shines and you can see how he has grown into a fine and wonderful man.
Draco was still Draco but with something more, humanity. I felt for him and even cried for him.
Snape, oh my how wonderful and yet painful to see him again. His true strength of character, the part of him that made Harry name one of his sons for the man, he gets the chance to exhibit it again, even more heroically.
A man I never imagined would ever have a loss of composure does, and it makes him that much more loves, Dumbledore...and it was a moment of pure emotion.
I did find one thing a little bit of an odd choice and I didn't stop thinking that even at the end of the story, the use of Cedric and his death as a catalyst for the action. There were other plot devices that I am sure could have been used that were less odd, like the title, The Cursed Child...the mystery of who it refers to would have done fine, the friendship between Albus and Scorpius was a match lit and would have been a starting point. Just being the offspring of Harry and Draco would have been enough to set them on the path for action and trouble. But Cedric was the chosen device.
But the biggest shocker but not really a shocker was Modly/Voldy-Bellatrix love child...I am not sure I want to know the specifics of them bumping uglies..literally and figuratively...But I always thought she was a little too crushey on him....
There was a nod to the badass that is Neville which was nice!! It was a great acknowledgement to his importance in the stories.
The Godric's Hollow scenes were so powerful and painful. The sacrifice was heartbreaking. Harry has proven once again his bravery and strength is only there when he is surrounded with those he loves and who love him.
Over all I was pleased with my return to the wizarding world and would love the chance to see the stage production.
(Finished July 31, 2016)
Format First, No Spoilers In This Section:
This was not written in novel form but is the script from the London Stage Production. In the past I have found scripts can be a little harder to ready style wise. But this didn't feel that way. I was immediately sucked back into the world J.K. Rowling created and that I love so much.
I read this with my son and we did it all in one day sharing the parts. We both thought the non-spoken pieces added to the story and helped us imagine how this would look on the stage. The script format does not in any way make this a difficult or stilted read.
Content, Spoilers Contained In This Section, I Will Warn You When I Start To Say Things Spoilery:
Have you ever wondered what happened after the epilogue? Harry has told his son Albus Severus that he is named for two headmasters of Hogwarts one who was a Slytherin and the train departs and Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione are left on the platform? Well this is that story. The opening is that scene on Platform 9 3/4. This is a story about the painful and messy that often fills parent/child relations. There is also a thread of the danger of messing with time, one which was addressed in Prisoner of Azkaban. But it was the characters we know and love all grown up. It has been a long time since this world has been so front and center and I was glad to have the chance to visit it again. There is action, some mystery (which was well spun I think and made me think how much better this was coming after Rowling having written a mystery series), adventure, and love.
Scroll for spoilers or stop here if you don't want to be spoiled.
Don't read on if you want to avoid specifics.
You have been warned. If you read further and then feel cheated you got spoiled it is on you...Read at your own risk!!!
Spoilers begin here:
You will find out where the Sorting Hat places Albus. It was the first of many gasps and surprised utterances let out during the read.Ron surprised me here. He still kind of gets overshadowed by Harry and Hermione but he has his moments where he really shines and you can see how he has grown into a fine and wonderful man.
Draco was still Draco but with something more, humanity. I felt for him and even cried for him.
Snape, oh my how wonderful and yet painful to see him again. His true strength of character, the part of him that made Harry name one of his sons for the man, he gets the chance to exhibit it again, even more heroically.
A man I never imagined would ever have a loss of composure does, and it makes him that much more loves, Dumbledore...and it was a moment of pure emotion.
I did find one thing a little bit of an odd choice and I didn't stop thinking that even at the end of the story, the use of Cedric and his death as a catalyst for the action. There were other plot devices that I am sure could have been used that were less odd, like the title, The Cursed Child...the mystery of who it refers to would have done fine, the friendship between Albus and Scorpius was a match lit and would have been a starting point. Just being the offspring of Harry and Draco would have been enough to set them on the path for action and trouble. But Cedric was the chosen device.
But the biggest shocker but not really a shocker was Modly/Voldy-Bellatrix love child...I am not sure I want to know the specifics of them bumping uglies..literally and figuratively...But I always thought she was a little too crushey on him....
There was a nod to the badass that is Neville which was nice!! It was a great acknowledgement to his importance in the stories.
The Godric's Hollow scenes were so powerful and painful. The sacrifice was heartbreaking. Harry has proven once again his bravery and strength is only there when he is surrounded with those he loves and who love him.
Over all I was pleased with my return to the wizarding world and would love the chance to see the stage production.
(Finished July 31, 2016)
Friday, July 29, 2016
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5) by Diana Gabaldon
My thoughts on
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Don't think even for a second that becoming settlers in the backcountry of North Carolina not too far from Jamie's wealthy aunt's plantation will mean life becomes boring for Jamie, Claire, Bree, and Roger.
The early days of what leads to the American Revolution are the backdrop for this edition as the Fraser clan settles in North Carolina. As in prior books Jamie and Claire are the sun which the Outlander universe revolves. They are 20+ years older than when we first met them and they are still just as hot for each other. But their love is beyond just sensual, there is a connection between them that sizzles off the page. They are life's breath to each other. Learning from watching them is the young marriage of Roger and Bree.
The Fiery Cross also has its fair share of intrigue. Who killed Jocasta's slave and why? Who knocked out Duncan and tied up Jocasta and why? Are there other's like Claire, Bree, and Roger, able to step through the stones and into the past or future? What role if any will they play in the upcoming revolution? After what they went though in Scotland can they manage to stay out of it the coming war?
All in all a good addition to the series, but jeez these books are getting long!! This one was the longest yet coming in at 1443 pages for the mass market paperback edition.
(Finished July 29, 2016)
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Don't think even for a second that becoming settlers in the backcountry of North Carolina not too far from Jamie's wealthy aunt's plantation will mean life becomes boring for Jamie, Claire, Bree, and Roger.
The early days of what leads to the American Revolution are the backdrop for this edition as the Fraser clan settles in North Carolina. As in prior books Jamie and Claire are the sun which the Outlander universe revolves. They are 20+ years older than when we first met them and they are still just as hot for each other. But their love is beyond just sensual, there is a connection between them that sizzles off the page. They are life's breath to each other. Learning from watching them is the young marriage of Roger and Bree.
The Fiery Cross also has its fair share of intrigue. Who killed Jocasta's slave and why? Who knocked out Duncan and tied up Jocasta and why? Are there other's like Claire, Bree, and Roger, able to step through the stones and into the past or future? What role if any will they play in the upcoming revolution? After what they went though in Scotland can they manage to stay out of it the coming war?
All in all a good addition to the series, but jeez these books are getting long!! This one was the longest yet coming in at 1443 pages for the mass market paperback edition.
(Finished July 29, 2016)
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4) by Diana Gabaldon
My thoughts on
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Be warned if you haven't read the first three books there are what could be considered spoilers in this post.
Drums of Autumn is as much the story of Brianna as it is her parents. As her and Roger have grown closer, Roger is surely in love with her, Brianna has something on her mind and heart. As she has started to have these feelings she has realized something important was missing from the marriage of her mother and Frank Randall (the man she knew as her father before learning about her mother's time travel and about Jamie Fraser). She tells Roger she needs to be sure about them because she plans to only marry once. He thinks she needs time to make sure she loves him, but really what she wants is to meet Jamie and see him and her mother together.
There is only one way to do this, to go through the stones and find her parents. When Roger figures it out he goes through too and goes after her.
Will Bree find her parents and learn what she needs to know? Will Roger find Bree? What will happen when Jamie and Bree meet? These are the storylines of this installment.
Living in the wilds of North Carolina in the late 1760's- early 1770's means encounters with Native Americans, living off the land, slavery, and no modern tools of medicine for Claire to treat people with. And into the mix comes Bree, full of questions and so very much like Jamie that there is no way it will be smooth going.
Drums of Autumn, much like the other books in the series combines romance and relationships in all their messy truths, battles of the heart and mind, struggles with 20th Century knowledge and values clashing with 18th Century life, and kilts! A solid and enjoyable entry, now onto book 5, The Fiery Cross. Boy these books, they keep getting longer!!! But I love Jamie and Claire so I don't mind.
(Finished July 23, 2016)
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Be warned if you haven't read the first three books there are what could be considered spoilers in this post.
Drums of Autumn is as much the story of Brianna as it is her parents. As her and Roger have grown closer, Roger is surely in love with her, Brianna has something on her mind and heart. As she has started to have these feelings she has realized something important was missing from the marriage of her mother and Frank Randall (the man she knew as her father before learning about her mother's time travel and about Jamie Fraser). She tells Roger she needs to be sure about them because she plans to only marry once. He thinks she needs time to make sure she loves him, but really what she wants is to meet Jamie and see him and her mother together.
There is only one way to do this, to go through the stones and find her parents. When Roger figures it out he goes through too and goes after her.
Will Bree find her parents and learn what she needs to know? Will Roger find Bree? What will happen when Jamie and Bree meet? These are the storylines of this installment.
Living in the wilds of North Carolina in the late 1760's- early 1770's means encounters with Native Americans, living off the land, slavery, and no modern tools of medicine for Claire to treat people with. And into the mix comes Bree, full of questions and so very much like Jamie that there is no way it will be smooth going.
Drums of Autumn, much like the other books in the series combines romance and relationships in all their messy truths, battles of the heart and mind, struggles with 20th Century knowledge and values clashing with 18th Century life, and kilts! A solid and enjoyable entry, now onto book 5, The Fiery Cross. Boy these books, they keep getting longer!!! But I love Jamie and Claire so I don't mind.
(Finished July 23, 2016)
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon
My thoughts on the other books
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Voyager begins with filling in some of what has been happening to Jamie during the time since Claire went back to the future (gigglesnort). We are given Jamie's story, some of it anyway, from the time Claire left as part of the search being done in 1968 by Claire, Bree, and Roger as they try and find out what happened to Jamie following Culloden since he seems to not done as he intended and died.
Claire makes up her mind, with Bree's blessing and a kiss for her father, her birth father, to go back and try and find Jamie. Once reunited, this being them, means that things will not go smoothly. Danger and adventure as much as love and a burning desire, seem to follow them everywhere.
From Scotland, to France, to the West Indies....from taverns to brothels to plantations....there is the awkward reconnection after 20 years apart and lots of intrigue and not a little danger.
I found myself missing Bree and Roger once they were left behind and I hope they make a reappearance in the next book but I find myself really loving Claire and Jamie and wanting to see what they face next and how they handle their intense bond. Ok and their love (sex) is pretty darn steamy at times :D
(Finished July 20, 2016)
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Voyager begins with filling in some of what has been happening to Jamie during the time since Claire went back to the future (gigglesnort). We are given Jamie's story, some of it anyway, from the time Claire left as part of the search being done in 1968 by Claire, Bree, and Roger as they try and find out what happened to Jamie following Culloden since he seems to not done as he intended and died.
Claire makes up her mind, with Bree's blessing and a kiss for her father, her birth father, to go back and try and find Jamie. Once reunited, this being them, means that things will not go smoothly. Danger and adventure as much as love and a burning desire, seem to follow them everywhere.
From Scotland, to France, to the West Indies....from taverns to brothels to plantations....there is the awkward reconnection after 20 years apart and lots of intrigue and not a little danger.
I found myself missing Bree and Roger once they were left behind and I hope they make a reappearance in the next book but I find myself really loving Claire and Jamie and wanting to see what they face next and how they handle their intense bond. Ok and their love (sex) is pretty darn steamy at times :D
(Finished July 20, 2016)
Monday, July 18, 2016
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2) by Diana Gabaldon
My thoughts on
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
If you watch the serialized version on STARZ this book is the basis for season 2.
The start of this book takes place in 1968 and finds Claire and her almost 21 year old daughter in Scotland. The Reverend Wakefield who was helping Frank with his research in book 1 has died and Claire is going to pay respects to his adopted son Roger, who was just a wee lad the last time Claire saw him.
The how and why Claire returned to her proper time leaving her heart and soul behind is the story we are told in Dragonfly in Amber as Claire tells her daughter Bree the story of her real father, Jamie Fraser. There is some tension around if Bree will believe her mother's tale of time travel and love found in the 1740's and how she will handle the disruption in her heart and mind as her belief in Frank as her father and her love for him and he for her is questioned. Is her mother insane or a miracle?
Coming in at 947 pages Gabaldon takes us from the Scottish Highlands to Paris and back, from love and hate, from war and peace to the heartbreak of love torn apart.
I admit it, there is some cheese factor, but it is such lovely cheese, it melts in your mouth and makes you sigh with pleasure. I am anxious to start book 3 and am pulling for Jamie and Claire, and now Roger and Bree too.
(Finished July 18, 2016)
Outlander (Outlander #1)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
If you watch the serialized version on STARZ this book is the basis for season 2.
The start of this book takes place in 1968 and finds Claire and her almost 21 year old daughter in Scotland. The Reverend Wakefield who was helping Frank with his research in book 1 has died and Claire is going to pay respects to his adopted son Roger, who was just a wee lad the last time Claire saw him.
The how and why Claire returned to her proper time leaving her heart and soul behind is the story we are told in Dragonfly in Amber as Claire tells her daughter Bree the story of her real father, Jamie Fraser. There is some tension around if Bree will believe her mother's tale of time travel and love found in the 1740's and how she will handle the disruption in her heart and mind as her belief in Frank as her father and her love for him and he for her is questioned. Is her mother insane or a miracle?
Coming in at 947 pages Gabaldon takes us from the Scottish Highlands to Paris and back, from love and hate, from war and peace to the heartbreak of love torn apart.
I admit it, there is some cheese factor, but it is such lovely cheese, it melts in your mouth and makes you sigh with pleasure. I am anxious to start book 3 and am pulling for Jamie and Claire, and now Roger and Bree too.
(Finished July 18, 2016)
Friday, July 15, 2016
Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon
My thoughts on the rest of the series
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Looking for something to watch and after seeing a friend post on Facebook that she was excited for the season 2 finale of the STARZ series Outlander I binge watched. I was so sad to see these characters go until season 3 and being the kind of person who usually likes books better than the movies or tv series based on them I decided to go ahead and start reading.
These are not short books, this one being 850 pages for the mass-market paperback and the next one is almost 1,000 pages. But I will tell you true, I didn't feel like I had just read a long book, it went rather quickly and had the can't put it down feel that I love to find. I thoroughly enjoyed Outlander and am looking forward to starting Dragonfly In Amber.
In 1945 Claire and her husband Frank are on holiday in Scotland trying to reconnect after having spent most of their young marriage apart because of WWII. Frank is researching his family tree while they are there and the information will soon become very important to Claire.
While out exploring on her own in hopes of finding a plant that caught her eye Claire pays a visit to a stone circle she and Frank previously visited. While there she thinks about the stories of fairies and witches the inn keeper has shared with her. She hears some nosies coming from the stones and she touches the largest and falls into the crack in it and lands.....in 1743.
What follows is by genre a historical romance but is different in that Claire is from the future and her love interest is a slightly younger, very easy on the eyes Scot named Jamie. There is danger, intrigue, sex, violence, and mystery.
The bond that forms between Claire and Jamie is powerful and timeless. Will Claire stay or go back to Frank? Will she use what she knows to change to future? Is it cheating if technically her husband hasn't been born yet? These are some of the trials Claire faces. And while not prefect Gabaldon spins a tale that drew me in and made me want more.
I don't know if I felt so quickly drawn in because I had watched the show and wanted more of these characters or because of the book itself, but if the show started it the book grabbed hold and kept me. Either way it is a credit to the author because on the page or screen these are her characters and her version of the world.
(Finished July 15, 2016)
Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2)
Voyager (Outlander #3)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)
The Fiery Cross (Outlander #5)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6)
An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)
Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8)
Looking for something to watch and after seeing a friend post on Facebook that she was excited for the season 2 finale of the STARZ series Outlander I binge watched. I was so sad to see these characters go until season 3 and being the kind of person who usually likes books better than the movies or tv series based on them I decided to go ahead and start reading.
These are not short books, this one being 850 pages for the mass-market paperback and the next one is almost 1,000 pages. But I will tell you true, I didn't feel like I had just read a long book, it went rather quickly and had the can't put it down feel that I love to find. I thoroughly enjoyed Outlander and am looking forward to starting Dragonfly In Amber.
In 1945 Claire and her husband Frank are on holiday in Scotland trying to reconnect after having spent most of their young marriage apart because of WWII. Frank is researching his family tree while they are there and the information will soon become very important to Claire.
While out exploring on her own in hopes of finding a plant that caught her eye Claire pays a visit to a stone circle she and Frank previously visited. While there she thinks about the stories of fairies and witches the inn keeper has shared with her. She hears some nosies coming from the stones and she touches the largest and falls into the crack in it and lands.....in 1743.
What follows is by genre a historical romance but is different in that Claire is from the future and her love interest is a slightly younger, very easy on the eyes Scot named Jamie. There is danger, intrigue, sex, violence, and mystery.
The bond that forms between Claire and Jamie is powerful and timeless. Will Claire stay or go back to Frank? Will she use what she knows to change to future? Is it cheating if technically her husband hasn't been born yet? These are some of the trials Claire faces. And while not prefect Gabaldon spins a tale that drew me in and made me want more.
I don't know if I felt so quickly drawn in because I had watched the show and wanted more of these characters or because of the book itself, but if the show started it the book grabbed hold and kept me. Either way it is a credit to the author because on the page or screen these are her characters and her version of the world.
(Finished July 15, 2016)
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
The Night Gardner by Jonathan Auxier (written by Joshua)
The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier is book in the style of Holly Black. It tells the story of Molly and Kip. They take a job as servants in a mansion. They hear stories about how there is a man who walks around the mansion at night. Even Kip claims to have seen "The Night Man". It is hard to tell if these stories are true........ Well, at least it was.......
I think it was a spectacular book with a dark undertone in the style of R.L Stine or Edgar Allan Poe.
I think it was a spectacular book with a dark undertone in the style of R.L Stine or Edgar Allan Poe.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Believer: My Forty Years in Politics by David Axelrod
I started reading this and then with a few rough semesters of school it got put aside and buried in my pile of books. I picked it back up and finished it and I am really glad I did and I am only sorry it took me so long.
Axelrod makes no bones about his political leaning so if you are a conservative you will probably find yourself in disagreement with him. But that's ok because it is always good to know what people who lean differently than you think but more because this is a fascinating inside look at the political process and the history of Chicago politics as well as the race for the highest office in the country.
(Finished July 12, 2016)
Axelrod makes no bones about his political leaning so if you are a conservative you will probably find yourself in disagreement with him. But that's ok because it is always good to know what people who lean differently than you think but more because this is a fascinating inside look at the political process and the history of Chicago politics as well as the race for the highest office in the country.
(Finished July 12, 2016)
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
A small private plane crashes. On board is:
Crew members:
James Melody- the pilot
Charlie Busch- the co-pilot
Emma Lightner- the flight attendant
Passengers:
David Bateman- the head of a 24-Hour News Network not unlike FOX News
Maggie Bateman- his wife
Rachel- their 9 year old daughter
JJ- their 4 year old son
Gil Baruch- their bodyguard
Scott Burroughs- an artist friend of Maggie's
Ben Kipling- a man involved in money laundering and about to be indicted
Sarah Kipling- his wife
The only survivors are Scott and JJ
What follows is a tale that alternates between the aftermath of the crash and the background of the people on board leading up to the cause of the crash.
This is a well spun whodunit as well as a commentary on what people have a right to know, what right do people who go through something like this have to privacy, and how far are people willing to go to get what they want.
(Finished July 7, 2016)
Crew members:
James Melody- the pilot
Charlie Busch- the co-pilot
Emma Lightner- the flight attendant
Passengers:
David Bateman- the head of a 24-Hour News Network not unlike FOX News
Maggie Bateman- his wife
Rachel- their 9 year old daughter
JJ- their 4 year old son
Gil Baruch- their bodyguard
Scott Burroughs- an artist friend of Maggie's
Ben Kipling- a man involved in money laundering and about to be indicted
Sarah Kipling- his wife
The only survivors are Scott and JJ
What follows is a tale that alternates between the aftermath of the crash and the background of the people on board leading up to the cause of the crash.
This is a well spun whodunit as well as a commentary on what people have a right to know, what right do people who go through something like this have to privacy, and how far are people willing to go to get what they want.
(Finished July 7, 2016)
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
I am not sure I would use the work "lucky" to describe TifAni who goes by Ani (pronounced Ah-nee not Annie).
This is a rather dark and unpleasant story. It has a slow burn that sort of clings to you and forms a thin film of discomfort that will probably make you want to put the book down for awhile from time to time.
At the age of 14 she started a new school after having spent her time up until 8th grade in an all girls Catholics school. She is a bit more physically developed than the other girls her age, she has rather large boobs that the boys can't help notice. But she isn't as sophisticated as her body might suggest to observers and she quickly gets in over her head.
Until the last few chapters the book which are in the present the story is told in alternating chapters that take place when she was 14 and in the present as she gets ready for her wedding and is involved in the filming of a documentary.
Ani is not at all likable in the present but as her story unfolds you begin to understand why. It doesn't completely change her into a likable character but gives context to her smarminess. She isn't an unreliable narrator or character, she is just not likable. The question you end up with is was what happened what made her what she is or was this always her and it was how she ended up in the situations she found herself in.
(Finished July 6, 2016)
This is a rather dark and unpleasant story. It has a slow burn that sort of clings to you and forms a thin film of discomfort that will probably make you want to put the book down for awhile from time to time.
At the age of 14 she started a new school after having spent her time up until 8th grade in an all girls Catholics school. She is a bit more physically developed than the other girls her age, she has rather large boobs that the boys can't help notice. But she isn't as sophisticated as her body might suggest to observers and she quickly gets in over her head.
Until the last few chapters the book which are in the present the story is told in alternating chapters that take place when she was 14 and in the present as she gets ready for her wedding and is involved in the filming of a documentary.
Ani is not at all likable in the present but as her story unfolds you begin to understand why. It doesn't completely change her into a likable character but gives context to her smarminess. She isn't an unreliable narrator or character, she is just not likable. The question you end up with is was what happened what made her what she is or was this always her and it was how she ended up in the situations she found herself in.
(Finished July 6, 2016)
Sunday, July 3, 2016
A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold
June 30, 2016, I am about to start this book and these were my thoughts as I begin.
Each time there is a mass shooting we ask, the new pundits ask, we all want to know how this could have happened. We ask if there were warning signs, if anyone saw the trouble coming, if the person had mental health issues that were addressed or unaddressed, and if the shooter was a minor, as in the case of the school shooting at Columbine, we demand to know how the parents could not have known there was trouble.
Each time there is a mass shooting we ask, the new pundits ask, we all want to know how this could have happened. We ask if there were warning signs, if anyone saw the trouble coming, if the person had mental health issues that were addressed or unaddressed, and if the shooter was a minor, as in the case of the school shooting at Columbine, we demand to know how the parents could not have known there was trouble.
Part of why we want to know is because we hope to see some protection for our loved ones and ourselves. Parents want to know how to spot the boogey man before it gets our child. The other reason we ask is because when the shooter is killed in the incident we want to be able to blame someone. And who better than the parents, those who should have known their child wasn't ok.
In 1999 the country was shaken by what happened in Loveland CO at Columbine High School. Well now 17 years later the mother of one of the shooters tells her story. I will admit that I was hesitant to read this. If I did and she answered the questions we all wonder about, and she really didn't know in time to stop this horrific event then there goes one of the scapegoats. And if she did everything right, and by right I mean nothing outside the realm of the normal parenting mistakes we all make in some way or another, then it means we could all be her. But my wanting to know and the fact that she is donating all the proceeds from this book to research and charitable organizations that focus on mental health issues convinced me to read it.
July 3, 2016, finished this book.
This was a incredibly moving and important book. Sue never tries to excuse or downplay what her son did, rather she owns it over and over. Instead what she shares is the struggle between mourning her son's death by suicide and the pain his horrendous act has caused. She shares her anxiety and the fear that her family was in for their safety after she tragedy. She shares the process that is still on going of healing.
But there is something much more important going on here. Along the way as she was trying to figure out how this could have happened, how the boy she thought she knew could do something so unimaginable she learned something about brain health and suicide as well as acts of violence done to others. This is important information. She shares what she learned from the many experts she spoke with on her journey to not only understand her son's actions but to try and learn how this kind of event could be prevented in the future.
She writes about removing the stigma attached to mental health issues, the need to stress the word health, to recognize the rising numbers go young people suffering as public health crisis, and she touches on the difficulty but importance of learning to recognize the subtle signs of problems that can often mimic the "normal" angst and moodiness of the teen years. She stresses the need for mental health first aid in schools and primary health practitioners.
As the mother of a child with a diagnosed mental health condition who has suffered from periods of suicidality this was an important read and powerful read, on that has inspired me to write to the author.
July 3, 2016, finished this book.
This was a incredibly moving and important book. Sue never tries to excuse or downplay what her son did, rather she owns it over and over. Instead what she shares is the struggle between mourning her son's death by suicide and the pain his horrendous act has caused. She shares her anxiety and the fear that her family was in for their safety after she tragedy. She shares the process that is still on going of healing.
But there is something much more important going on here. Along the way as she was trying to figure out how this could have happened, how the boy she thought she knew could do something so unimaginable she learned something about brain health and suicide as well as acts of violence done to others. This is important information. She shares what she learned from the many experts she spoke with on her journey to not only understand her son's actions but to try and learn how this kind of event could be prevented in the future.
She writes about removing the stigma attached to mental health issues, the need to stress the word health, to recognize the rising numbers go young people suffering as public health crisis, and she touches on the difficulty but importance of learning to recognize the subtle signs of problems that can often mimic the "normal" angst and moodiness of the teen years. She stresses the need for mental health first aid in schools and primary health practitioners.
As the mother of a child with a diagnosed mental health condition who has suffered from periods of suicidality this was an important read and powerful read, on that has inspired me to write to the author.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Modern Lovers by Emma Straub
I want to start at the end with this one. Sometimes books end leaving you wondering what happens to the characters. Sometimes you get everything tied up in a nice little package. This book uses a new way of doing the latter. In a serious of articles you get to a glimpse of where the people you get to know on the pages of Modern Lovers land.
In college Elizabeth, Zoe, Andrew, and Lydia meet and form a band. Lydia strikes out on her own and has a big hit with a song written for the band by Elizabeth and then she becomes a member of the sad 27 club.
Years later Elizabeth is married to Andrew and they have a son, Harry. A few houses away Zoe lives with her wife Jane and their daughter Ruby.
In the summer between Ruby's high school graduation and Harry's senior year they get involved. The backdrop for the budding romance is the drama in their parent's marriages.
How much of what you do as teenager, as a child really, should you still be blamed for or hold on to and hold against others? How much of who you were should you still be? What if you never found your footing? All of these are the questions that face the adults in this story while their almost adult children face the uncertainty of becoming adults.
A witty and well drawn story of life, love, and growing up.
(Finished June 30, 2016)
In college Elizabeth, Zoe, Andrew, and Lydia meet and form a band. Lydia strikes out on her own and has a big hit with a song written for the band by Elizabeth and then she becomes a member of the sad 27 club.
Years later Elizabeth is married to Andrew and they have a son, Harry. A few houses away Zoe lives with her wife Jane and their daughter Ruby.
In the summer between Ruby's high school graduation and Harry's senior year they get involved. The backdrop for the budding romance is the drama in their parent's marriages.
How much of what you do as teenager, as a child really, should you still be blamed for or hold on to and hold against others? How much of who you were should you still be? What if you never found your footing? All of these are the questions that face the adults in this story while their almost adult children face the uncertainty of becoming adults.
A witty and well drawn story of life, love, and growing up.
(Finished June 30, 2016)
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
At the end of the lane is a duck pond...or is it? There is a man who used to be a boy who fought monsters....or was he? There is a family of women who are old and young but ageless and they have always been there, just been there since before time...or is there?
Gaiman, as usual, spins a tale filled with creepy, well written, adventurous, mystery all while presenting food for thought. How much can one mind hold? How much can one person do alone and how much more can a person do with the help of others? What is the value of sacrifice? Isn't it interesting that people can experience the same event together and yet tell the tale in such a way that makes you wonder if they were at the same event?
A quick read that is not truly predictable but yet feels like a place you may have been before. As I have found before with The Graveyard Book and with his writing for one of my all time favorite TC programs, Doctor Who, Gaiman proves himself a master story teller.
(Finished June 28, 2016)
Gaiman, as usual, spins a tale filled with creepy, well written, adventurous, mystery all while presenting food for thought. How much can one mind hold? How much can one person do alone and how much more can a person do with the help of others? What is the value of sacrifice? Isn't it interesting that people can experience the same event together and yet tell the tale in such a way that makes you wonder if they were at the same event?
A quick read that is not truly predictable but yet feels like a place you may have been before. As I have found before with The Graveyard Book and with his writing for one of my all time favorite TC programs, Doctor Who, Gaiman proves himself a master story teller.
(Finished June 28, 2016)
Friday, June 24, 2016
Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown
I grabbed this book because I just graduated from Mount Holyoke College and for the first time in quite awhile I am not heading back to school and so even though I am almost 45 it is time to adult. That and the title struck me as funny and so while sitting in Barnes & Noble I gave a quick read to the first few pages and I liked the snarky writing style of Brown.
I didn't sit and read this all the way through, but rather it made a great bathroom read. Oh, what, like you don't read in the bathroom, or play on your phone?
The target audience for this advice column in book form is probably mid to late 20's but even for someone in their 30's, 40's, or beyond there are tidbits you might not have known or maybe forgot. For example basics of car maintenance or writing thank you notes.
Some of the sections I skimmed because they truly didn't apply to me, like the steps about the right and wrong way to "hook up". But for the most part there is snark and humor enough to make even the steps that don't apply worth the read.
Great gift for a college grad or for yourself, or an adult friend who needs help adulting.
(Finished June 24, 2016)
I didn't sit and read this all the way through, but rather it made a great bathroom read. Oh, what, like you don't read in the bathroom, or play on your phone?
The target audience for this advice column in book form is probably mid to late 20's but even for someone in their 30's, 40's, or beyond there are tidbits you might not have known or maybe forgot. For example basics of car maintenance or writing thank you notes.
Some of the sections I skimmed because they truly didn't apply to me, like the steps about the right and wrong way to "hook up". But for the most part there is snark and humor enough to make even the steps that don't apply worth the read.
Great gift for a college grad or for yourself, or an adult friend who needs help adulting.
(Finished June 24, 2016)
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Wonder (Wonder #1) by R.J. Palacio
This is one both Joshua and I read. You can see his review here.
My first reaction upon finishing was wow!!
Wonder is about a boy named August (Auggie to those close to him)who was born with some malformations of the face and head. He is has been homeschooled until now and for 5th grade he goes to school and he isn't the only one changed by the experience.
Palacio tells the story from a few different points of view and she does it well. Auggie's story will make you think and you will cry, cheer, be angry, and you will laugh.
Auggie goes to school, makes friends, deals with reactions of people being scared or disgusted by his looks, he is smart, funny, loves Star Wars, has joys and heartbreaks, he is, on the inside, just like most 11 year olds, he just looks different.
I was so glad we both read this because we had some great conversations about what it is like to be different, how that makes you feel apart and lonely sometimes, how it feels when people are unkind. We talked about being a good friend, about kindness, and the sadness that comes with having some kind of something that makes you not typical, for Joshua is his Autism and Tourettes.
This was a heartwarming, wonderful story. Read this. Don't let the fact that it is a "children's book" stop you. And if you have a child in your life in the 8+ age range share it with them.
(Finished June 23, 2016)
My first reaction upon finishing was wow!!
Wonder is about a boy named August (Auggie to those close to him)who was born with some malformations of the face and head. He is has been homeschooled until now and for 5th grade he goes to school and he isn't the only one changed by the experience.
Palacio tells the story from a few different points of view and she does it well. Auggie's story will make you think and you will cry, cheer, be angry, and you will laugh.
Auggie goes to school, makes friends, deals with reactions of people being scared or disgusted by his looks, he is smart, funny, loves Star Wars, has joys and heartbreaks, he is, on the inside, just like most 11 year olds, he just looks different.
I was so glad we both read this because we had some great conversations about what it is like to be different, how that makes you feel apart and lonely sometimes, how it feels when people are unkind. We talked about being a good friend, about kindness, and the sadness that comes with having some kind of something that makes you not typical, for Joshua is his Autism and Tourettes.
This was a heartwarming, wonderful story. Read this. Don't let the fact that it is a "children's book" stop you. And if you have a child in your life in the 8+ age range share it with them.
(Finished June 23, 2016)
The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War by Stephen Kinzer
Why is the story of two men, two brothers, born in the late 1800's and serving in government in the first half of the 20th century important? It is important because what they did in their years of service has set the table for the world we live in today. A clear piece of evidence is dropped into the story right at the start, on page 11, when Kinder tells us that their grandfather John Watson Foster, Secretary of State for Benjamin Harrison, was the first American Secretary of State to take part in the overthrowing of a government but not the last. Many years later John Foster would follow in the footsteps of his grandfather as Secretary of State involved in the overthrowing of a government.
At times this reads like a novel, there are covert operations to overthrow governments, mind control experiments with drugs like LSD, and enhanced interrogation in secret locations, except they are all true and some continued well after the Dulles brothers left the State Department and CSI.
The history, some of which the details didn't come to light until decades after the fact, isn't told to crucify the Dulles brothers, though it some cases their part in some of the ongoing foreign policy problems we still face is undeniable, it is told to teach a lesson that we are all capable of being them. We are all at risk for becoming blinded by our own ideas, preconceived perceptions, and surrounding ourselves only with people who echo our thoughts rather than challenge us to think more open mindedly and objectively.
(Finished June 23, 2016)
At times this reads like a novel, there are covert operations to overthrow governments, mind control experiments with drugs like LSD, and enhanced interrogation in secret locations, except they are all true and some continued well after the Dulles brothers left the State Department and CSI.
The history, some of which the details didn't come to light until decades after the fact, isn't told to crucify the Dulles brothers, though it some cases their part in some of the ongoing foreign policy problems we still face is undeniable, it is told to teach a lesson that we are all capable of being them. We are all at risk for becoming blinded by our own ideas, preconceived perceptions, and surrounding ourselves only with people who echo our thoughts rather than challenge us to think more open mindedly and objectively.
(Finished June 23, 2016)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (written by Joshua)
August Pullman is a kid born with genetic problems. He was born with a face deformity. He was home schooled for his whole life, until he is sent to Beecher Prep. He is forced to fit in with kids who had a normal childhood. He struggles to make friends. Even the "nice" and popular kids see him as a "freak". He doesn't know if he can stay here with people who only judge him. We see the perspectives of several characters and learn everyones perspective on the world they live in. It's up to August to make and keep friends at this mainstream, crowded school.
It was a heartwarming story about being different and learning to live with those differences. It is a spectacular book with an amazing message. It is a great book for anyone born with disabilities or disorders. It teaches anyone that personality and looks are not the same thing.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
The City of Mirrors (The Passage #3) by Justin Cronin
I loved the first two so have eagerly awaited the conclusion to The Passage trilogy and I wasn't disappointed.
When we last say Peter, Amy, and the other survivors they were in a fight with The Twelve and left wondering who survived. That is where we pick up here in the conclusion. Covering a thousand years and a battle with the Zero Cronin is ambitious in his final piece of the puzzle. Lucky for us my fellow readers it works.
This is more than a vampire story. It is about the struggle for humans to survive and keep from becoming extinct. It is a story about what it means to human and what it takes to form a society and help it running. There is the killing and fear you would expect of a vampire tale but that is just background. What shines here is the exploration of what drives us.
We know that the virus that spread through and almost left humanity extinct was the fault of one man. The exploration of revenge and the inability to let go of past hurts lies at the heart of this part of the story. The ripple effect of these long held grievances is the catalyst that leads to the rebuilding and restarting of the human species. And as with many a good story the power of love is discovered.
It took me much longer than I would have liked to finish this but it had nothing to do with the hefty 590+ page count but was instead the number of commitments on my time and how tired they left me.
(finished June 15, 2016)
When we last say Peter, Amy, and the other survivors they were in a fight with The Twelve and left wondering who survived. That is where we pick up here in the conclusion. Covering a thousand years and a battle with the Zero Cronin is ambitious in his final piece of the puzzle. Lucky for us my fellow readers it works.
This is more than a vampire story. It is about the struggle for humans to survive and keep from becoming extinct. It is a story about what it means to human and what it takes to form a society and help it running. There is the killing and fear you would expect of a vampire tale but that is just background. What shines here is the exploration of what drives us.
We know that the virus that spread through and almost left humanity extinct was the fault of one man. The exploration of revenge and the inability to let go of past hurts lies at the heart of this part of the story. The ripple effect of these long held grievances is the catalyst that leads to the rebuilding and restarting of the human species. And as with many a good story the power of love is discovered.
It took me much longer than I would have liked to finish this but it had nothing to do with the hefty 590+ page count but was instead the number of commitments on my time and how tired they left me.
(finished June 15, 2016)
Doll Bones by Holly Black (written by Joshua)
Doll Bones is a creepy book written by Holly Black. It follows Zach, Alice, and Poppy and the quest to bury a doll made from REAL bones. Zach's father throws away the toys that held the 3 friends together. Poppy claims that the bones in the doll belong to a ghost named Eleanor. They go on an adventure to bury the bones. They learn a lot about growing up and friendship on the way.
Is this the horrifying truth, or is Poppy trying to plat one last time?
This was an amazing book and I highly recommend this book. If it was a movie it would be rated PG so if your kid is young you might want to wait or read it with them. It is a creepy good read for anyone who likes a good ghost story.
Is this the horrifying truth, or is Poppy trying to plat one last time?
This was an amazing book and I highly recommend this book. If it was a movie it would be rated PG so if your kid is young you might want to wait or read it with them. It is a creepy good read for anyone who likes a good ghost story.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage by Barney Frank
I love Barney Frank. I love his gruff and accented voice. I think he is adorable when he talks about Jim (his husband). And most of all I love his sarcastic way, he is the best at snark!!!!!
And yes, I agree with most, the majority, of his politics.
And I love politics.
Frank is part memoir part political back story. If you expect memoirs to have a ton of warm fuzzier then you might be disappointed, there is a lot of wonk in this book. But Barney's history as a gay young person in the 50's and 60's plays a huge part in his idea of what an equatable society looks like. His struggle with how to follow his sense of right and wrong and fight for LGB (later LGBT) rights even as he struggles with how to come out himself is sad and inspiring. He has a passion for righting income inequality and looking out for the most vulnerable among us. But he isn't soft and cuddly, he is brisk and sarcastic.
I love the wonk stuff and the personal touches and as I said I love Barney so I enjoyed the look at the evolution of LGBT rights, the formation of the Dodd-Frank finance reform, the ending of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and marriage equality.
(Finished June 3, 2016)
And yes, I agree with most, the majority, of his politics.
And I love politics.
Frank is part memoir part political back story. If you expect memoirs to have a ton of warm fuzzier then you might be disappointed, there is a lot of wonk in this book. But Barney's history as a gay young person in the 50's and 60's plays a huge part in his idea of what an equatable society looks like. His struggle with how to follow his sense of right and wrong and fight for LGB (later LGBT) rights even as he struggles with how to come out himself is sad and inspiring. He has a passion for righting income inequality and looking out for the most vulnerable among us. But he isn't soft and cuddly, he is brisk and sarcastic.
I love the wonk stuff and the personal touches and as I said I love Barney so I enjoyed the look at the evolution of LGBT rights, the formation of the Dodd-Frank finance reform, the ending of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and marriage equality.
(Finished June 3, 2016)
Saturday, May 28, 2016
The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son On Life, Love, and Loss by Anderson Cooper, Gloria Vanderbilt
When I was young I used to proudly wear Gloria Vanderbilt's name on my tush!! I know Anderson Cooper as the only guy on CNN I have any respect for (as an aside I think that they are only slightly better than Fox New). But until I saw this book I had no idea that there were mother and son. So I grabbed a copy and I am so glad I did.
For a year, starting just after Gloria's 91st first birthday to just before her 92nd, the two talk to each other by writing to each other. She opens up to him about the nasty custody battle that left her dubbed the "Poor Little Rich Girl" and the harm that her mother's lifestyle before and after the custody fight did to her. She tells him all about her relationships throughout the years. They talk honestly and openly about the death of her husband/his father Wyatt Cooper and the suicide of son/brother Carter right in front of Gloria. A year of growth and growing closer, of getting to know these two public figures in a real and open way, is what takes place between the covers of The Rainbow Comes and Goes.
I was charmed from page one with Anderson and Gloria and even though I knew the outcome of her early years I found myself rooting for someone to come help her. The tragedies of her life are now so far behind her that she feels removed enough to not feel those hurts and more. That she held on to such a hopeful outcome on life given her history is beautiful and amazing. Anderson has a different view of life and optimism, hope, and pessimism shaped by the death of his father and later his brother. But they share these ideas and out looks with each other with so much love, honestly, and tenderness even when they disagree that is impossible to stop yourself from falling in love with them.
(Finished May 28, 2016)
For a year, starting just after Gloria's 91st first birthday to just before her 92nd, the two talk to each other by writing to each other. She opens up to him about the nasty custody battle that left her dubbed the "Poor Little Rich Girl" and the harm that her mother's lifestyle before and after the custody fight did to her. She tells him all about her relationships throughout the years. They talk honestly and openly about the death of her husband/his father Wyatt Cooper and the suicide of son/brother Carter right in front of Gloria. A year of growth and growing closer, of getting to know these two public figures in a real and open way, is what takes place between the covers of The Rainbow Comes and Goes.
I was charmed from page one with Anderson and Gloria and even though I knew the outcome of her early years I found myself rooting for someone to come help her. The tragedies of her life are now so far behind her that she feels removed enough to not feel those hurts and more. That she held on to such a hopeful outcome on life given her history is beautiful and amazing. Anderson has a different view of life and optimism, hope, and pessimism shaped by the death of his father and later his brother. But they share these ideas and out looks with each other with so much love, honestly, and tenderness even when they disagree that is impossible to stop yourself from falling in love with them.
(Finished May 28, 2016)
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
Families can be wonderful and full of love and everything sweet, it can be unicorns shitting rainbows all the time. But that isn't the story here.
Here is what I believe lives under the surface of all those perfect looking families at the beach or park or out to dinner....Family is ugly and messy, full of secrets and unspoken pain, even when there is love at the heart of it.
The Whitshank family is laid bare here, they fight, they hide things from each others and themselves.
A Spool of Blue Thread starts out as the story of Red and his wife Abby and their children, but there is a thread that runs through it, the story of Red's parents and the house Red and Abby have lived in and raised their family in.
They have two sons and two daughters. Abby is a social worker who invites strays home for dinner. Red and their son Stem run the business that was his father's. The girls have their husbands and children and work. Then there is Denny. He is the piece that seems to not fit in the puzzle that is the Whitshanks. What does Denny do when he is on one of his absences from the family? Is he the favorite or the squeakiest wheel?
Anne Tyler writes a painful yet beautiful story and the blue thread ties up nicely in the end.
(Finished May 24, 2016)
Here is what I believe lives under the surface of all those perfect looking families at the beach or park or out to dinner....Family is ugly and messy, full of secrets and unspoken pain, even when there is love at the heart of it.
The Whitshank family is laid bare here, they fight, they hide things from each others and themselves.
A Spool of Blue Thread starts out as the story of Red and his wife Abby and their children, but there is a thread that runs through it, the story of Red's parents and the house Red and Abby have lived in and raised their family in.
They have two sons and two daughters. Abby is a social worker who invites strays home for dinner. Red and their son Stem run the business that was his father's. The girls have their husbands and children and work. Then there is Denny. He is the piece that seems to not fit in the puzzle that is the Whitshanks. What does Denny do when he is on one of his absences from the family? Is he the favorite or the squeakiest wheel?
Anne Tyler writes a painful yet beautiful story and the blue thread ties up nicely in the end.
(Finished May 24, 2016)
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
I love the Major and Mrs. Ali. They live on the page and felt so real and I loved them!! They are so very human, they are flawed but strive to do better and to love.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand tells the tale of two "mature" people who find that time is a precious thing and not to be wasted and who know that while yes people make mistakes it is what they do in the wake of them is a lot more important the the mistake itself. And that love is a gift not to be wasted.
The English landscape is almost as much a character in this story as the people are. While in less capable hands the lesson of tolerance and kindness to others regardless of color or religion might come across as preachy in Simonson's it is a wind that blows across the lives of the residents of the story at times gentle but at other times like a hurricane but it is never eye roll worthy, it is just a fact of the life these people are living. And even our charming Major falls prey to the weakness of judgmental behavior.
I was charmed and I think you will be too. Also, I could imagine the Major and Harold Fry being friends and playing chess together.
(Finished May 21, 2016)
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand tells the tale of two "mature" people who find that time is a precious thing and not to be wasted and who know that while yes people make mistakes it is what they do in the wake of them is a lot more important the the mistake itself. And that love is a gift not to be wasted.
The English landscape is almost as much a character in this story as the people are. While in less capable hands the lesson of tolerance and kindness to others regardless of color or religion might come across as preachy in Simonson's it is a wind that blows across the lives of the residents of the story at times gentle but at other times like a hurricane but it is never eye roll worthy, it is just a fact of the life these people are living. And even our charming Major falls prey to the weakness of judgmental behavior.
I was charmed and I think you will be too. Also, I could imagine the Major and Harold Fry being friends and playing chess together.
(Finished May 21, 2016)
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
And Then All Hell Broke Loose: Two Decades in the Middle East by Richard Engel
Richard Engel brings to his writing the same conversational, smart, and sometimes snarky tone that he brings to his news reports. While not a long book, its 219 pages are incredibly full of insight, history, and first hand accounts of what he has seen on the ground in the Middle East over the span of 20 years.
First as a print journalist then as a TV news correspondent Engel immersed himself in life in Egypt at the start of his career, learning Arabic and educating himself on the history and culture of the people he was living among and reporting on. Many know him as the NBC corespondent who was kidnapped and held for 5 days but continued to report on the region he had become so knowledgeable about. He isn't presenting a partisan teller of tales, he places both praise and critique where he sees it regardless of party affiliation.
If you have any interest about events in the Middle East, want to know about the formation and rise of ISIS, and want to know some of the history of the Sunni-Shia relations Engel gives a good deal of of this in an easy to follow way.
The events in the Middle East over the last two decades, from the 1997 massacre of tourists at the Cairo museum to the arrests of Mubarak and Morsi, from the second Intifada to the fall of leaders like Saddam in Iraq and Gaddafi in Libya, Engel has had a first hand view and tells the stories he as he witnessed them.
(Finished May 17, 2016)
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Back in 2012 I read Ruta's book Between Shades of Gray and was very moved by it. I got another moving experience this time around.
Salt to the Sea is another moving read. Something done well here is telling a story in different voices and from different points of view and not muddying the voices. Each voice stays consistent and strong.
We get a brief glimpse of what it was like for those fleeing the Russians but not wanting to get caught by Nazis either. We follow Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred and in their stories we learn about them as they learn about each other as well as Eva, the Poet, and the Wandering boy.
As the characters (except Alfred who is already there) move towards the port hoping to get on a ship and taken to safety the ship Wilhelm Gustloff becomes almost a character in the tale of the people you start to feel for. It is a heartbreaking tale about a piece of WWII lore that comes to life through these very human and hurting people.
(Finished May 8, 2016)
Salt to the Sea is another moving read. Something done well here is telling a story in different voices and from different points of view and not muddying the voices. Each voice stays consistent and strong.
We get a brief glimpse of what it was like for those fleeing the Russians but not wanting to get caught by Nazis either. We follow Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred and in their stories we learn about them as they learn about each other as well as Eva, the Poet, and the Wandering boy.
As the characters (except Alfred who is already there) move towards the port hoping to get on a ship and taken to safety the ship Wilhelm Gustloff becomes almost a character in the tale of the people you start to feel for. It is a heartbreaking tale about a piece of WWII lore that comes to life through these very human and hurting people.
(Finished May 8, 2016)
Saturday, April 30, 2016
United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good by Cory Booker
I had the wonderful experience to see Cory Booker in person twice. The first time was at the The Edward Kennedy Institute for The United States Senate where I was able to have a chance to speak to him in front of the audience, which included Victoria Kennedy, Teddy's widow. This led to another interaction at the table where he was signing books. I told him I was going to a Get Out The Vote event with Congressman Jim McGovern that he was going to the next day and Senator Booker said he would love to meet my kids at this event and asked if I could bring them. Well obviously this was a request I was in no position to revise and so I took them with me.
Well I finally finished my class reading and have been able to read the Senator's book and now it makes perfect sense to me, that he would ask to meet my children. He cares. He cares about people and wants to help make sure the world better. He has been moved and changed by so many people who have come into his life. Starting with his work in law school which led him to live, not in the comfortable suburb he grew up in but in Newark public housing. He has given much of himself to those he has served both as volunteer and as elected official. Is he prefect? No, of course not, but he doesn't pretend to be, in fact he is open about mistakes he has made.
He is inspiring and worth us, the people served by Congress, supporting him, even if we don't like in NJ.
Please check out the video I linked above and check out the interaction between him and me. Then read this book.
(Finished April 30, 2016)
Saturday, March 5, 2016
The Terrible Two: Get Worse by Jory John and Mac Barnett (written by Joshua)
The Terrible Two Get Worse is a long anticipated sequel about how Miles and Niles' (friend sand fellow pranksters who met in the first book) position as greatest pranksters in Yawnee Valley Science and Letters Academy (school Miles and Niles go to) is challenged by the new principal, Bertrand Barkin, father of previous principal, Barry Barkin. Miles and Niles are outraged. As Miles tries to bring back Barry, Niles loses his mind trying to prank this new Barkin.
While the first book was mostly based around introducing new characters and requires patience until we know everything about any of the main characters, this book is quick to jump straight into the story and doesn't look back. It is the type of fast paced comedy kids and adults alike will love.
Check out the writer's (Joshua) blog
While the first book was mostly based around introducing new characters and requires patience until we know everything about any of the main characters, this book is quick to jump straight into the story and doesn't look back. It is the type of fast paced comedy kids and adults alike will love.
Check out the writer's (Joshua) blog
My Son's Book Reviews
My son loves reading just about as much as I do and we thought that it might be fun for him to share the reviews of what he has read so that my readers can get some ideas of books they and/or the young people they know might like.
The Terrible Two By Jory John and Mac Barnett (written by Joshua)
The Terrible Two is a laugh-out loud-book about a kid named Miles who tries to make friends in the most boring town imaginable. He is a prankster who listens to nobody but himself. How in the world could he become friends with the dictionary definition of "best student"?
This is a book you can't put down for the life of you. Once you finish this book, you would kneel down and beg for a squeal.
This is a book your kid (or parent) would love. Reading this book is possibly the best thing you will ever read.
Check out the writer's (Joshua) blog
This is a book you can't put down for the life of you. Once you finish this book, you would kneel down and beg for a squeal.
This is a book your kid (or parent) would love. Reading this book is possibly the best thing you will ever read.
Check out the writer's (Joshua) blog
Sunday, February 14, 2016
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
If you feel, hit your head, and were knocked unconscious then woke up and you had forgot the last ten years, what kind of person would you be? Would you be different? What if the current you was harder and not as nice, more jaded and so now you were feeling like your younger self and had back your old feeling, perspective, and optimism, would it change the life choices you had been making before the bump on your head?
That is what happens to Alice. When she wakes up she doesn't remember anything that has happened in the past 10 years, including the birth of her three children and the crumbling of her marriage. She doesn't much like the older her and feels like the 29 year old she last remembers being. Imagine looking at your husband and loving him like crazy but being apart for something you don't remember. Imagine seeing your three children and having no memories of them at all.
What I loved most about this story was that it addressed an interesting question, what a good relationship looks like and how it grows and changes over the years. Not just the couple relationship but with our friends, siblings, children, and parents. How much are shared memories, a history that doesn't require many words to access worth in the forming and maintaining of a relationship?
This was a beautiful story of love and loss and healing.
I really enjoyed the story and the writing style so I think I will try out more books by Moriarty.
(Finished February 14, 2016)
That is what happens to Alice. When she wakes up she doesn't remember anything that has happened in the past 10 years, including the birth of her three children and the crumbling of her marriage. She doesn't much like the older her and feels like the 29 year old she last remembers being. Imagine looking at your husband and loving him like crazy but being apart for something you don't remember. Imagine seeing your three children and having no memories of them at all.
What I loved most about this story was that it addressed an interesting question, what a good relationship looks like and how it grows and changes over the years. Not just the couple relationship but with our friends, siblings, children, and parents. How much are shared memories, a history that doesn't require many words to access worth in the forming and maintaining of a relationship?
This was a beautiful story of love and loss and healing.
I really enjoyed the story and the writing style so I think I will try out more books by Moriarty.
(Finished February 14, 2016)
Thursday, February 11, 2016
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Why would anyone willingly pick up a book written by a man dying from terminal cancer? Because it isn't a book about dying, it is a book about trying to figure out what it means to live.
Paul wanted to understand the link between life, the mind, and medicine. He wanted to know what link between life and the physical brain existed so he went into medical school and trained and became a very talented, compassionate, much loved, neurosurgeon.
He was young, full of life, talented, and had a pretty great life when he found out he had terminal cancer. But that didn't end his life, it just changed the path and shortened it. In the relatively small number of pages Paul will move you, make you laugh, make you think, and then his wife will make you sob in her epilogue.
Paul and Lucy make themselves open and vulnerable to share their life and pain. Paul will tell you about how he learns that you are dying from the day you are born and it is how you fill the days in between that matter and he will do it in such a way that you will feel like you know him by the end.
Please read their words.
(Finished February 11, 2016)
Paul wanted to understand the link between life, the mind, and medicine. He wanted to know what link between life and the physical brain existed so he went into medical school and trained and became a very talented, compassionate, much loved, neurosurgeon.
He was young, full of life, talented, and had a pretty great life when he found out he had terminal cancer. But that didn't end his life, it just changed the path and shortened it. In the relatively small number of pages Paul will move you, make you laugh, make you think, and then his wife will make you sob in her epilogue.
Paul and Lucy make themselves open and vulnerable to share their life and pain. Paul will tell you about how he learns that you are dying from the day you are born and it is how you fill the days in between that matter and he will do it in such a way that you will feel like you know him by the end.
Please read their words.
(Finished February 11, 2016)
Monday, February 8, 2016
Room by Emma Donoghue
My friend Lori recommended this book to me back in 2010 but I was a little afraid of it. I wasn't sure what to expect but I had a basic idea of the premise, a young woman held captive in a single room where she has the baby of her captor and spends years there. I was worried it would be a painful read and so I put it off.
Now it is a movie with Oscar buzz and I plan on seeing it at some point but I wanted to read the book first before I had the movie version in my head. And I am so glad I did.
While yes Ma (she has a name and while it is alluded to it is never told) and Jack live in a room where she has been for 7 years and he for his entire 5 years it isn't the part that stays with you by the end of the story.
The real point of the story starts to take shape after they get out of the room. Ma needs to learn who she is and help Jack find his place in a world he didn't know existed as she tries to cope and heal with the trauma she has endured.
The other characters feel real and you can, even as you feel frustrated by them, feel how difficult this all is for them. Ma's mother just wants Jack to be a normal kid and Ma's father wants Jack to never have been born and can't even look at him. Jack's Steppa (step-grandfather) ends up being one of my favorite characters in the story.
Life is for living even under the worst of circumstances and fear can be overcome, that is the message or point of this moving, and yes at times painful, story.
(Finished February 8, 2016)
Now it is a movie with Oscar buzz and I plan on seeing it at some point but I wanted to read the book first before I had the movie version in my head. And I am so glad I did.
While yes Ma (she has a name and while it is alluded to it is never told) and Jack live in a room where she has been for 7 years and he for his entire 5 years it isn't the part that stays with you by the end of the story.
The real point of the story starts to take shape after they get out of the room. Ma needs to learn who she is and help Jack find his place in a world he didn't know existed as she tries to cope and heal with the trauma she has endured.
The other characters feel real and you can, even as you feel frustrated by them, feel how difficult this all is for them. Ma's mother just wants Jack to be a normal kid and Ma's father wants Jack to never have been born and can't even look at him. Jack's Steppa (step-grandfather) ends up being one of my favorite characters in the story.
Life is for living even under the worst of circumstances and fear can be overcome, that is the message or point of this moving, and yes at times painful, story.
(Finished February 8, 2016)
Friday, February 5, 2016
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
Told through the eyes of a little boy on his own during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw Milkweed is powerful and painful.
Misha was given his name because he doesn't know who he is or where he came from. He just knows he is fast and good at stealing bread. When he first sees them he wants a pair of shiny black boots like the men in the parade. He doesn't understand the gravity of the world he is living in. And through his eyes we see his world and with our knowledge of history we know what is going on and it makes the story that much more heartbreaking.
Milkweed is the story of a life warped and damaged and how the love of a little girl both then and now makes living possible.
I need to thank my friend Trisha for sharing this one with me.
(Finished February 5, 2016)
Misha was given his name because he doesn't know who he is or where he came from. He just knows he is fast and good at stealing bread. When he first sees them he wants a pair of shiny black boots like the men in the parade. He doesn't understand the gravity of the world he is living in. And through his eyes we see his world and with our knowledge of history we know what is going on and it makes the story that much more heartbreaking.
Milkweed is the story of a life warped and damaged and how the love of a little girl both then and now makes living possible.
I need to thank my friend Trisha for sharing this one with me.
(Finished February 5, 2016)
Monday, January 25, 2016
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
“It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.” ― W.C. Fields
“What's your name,' Coraline asked the cat. 'Look, I'm Coraline. Okay?'
'Cats don't have names,' it said.
'No?' said Coraline.
'No,' said the cat. 'Now you people have names. Thaat's because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names.”
― Neil Gaiman, Coraline
“Names have power.” ― Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
The Namesake is the story of Gogol Ganguli. But like all of us our stories don't begin with us, we are just the next chapter in a very long book so this story begins with Gogol's parents.
Ashima and and Ashoke are paired together in an arranged marriage in India and then spend their life together in the U.S. settling in Massachusetts where Ashoke is working on his Phd at MIT. Even with beginning with them, this is still really Gogol's story. His name is the thread that ties his to theirs. His parents don't have a good name for him, they are waiting a letter from Ashram's grandmother with the name to arrive from India. The letter doesn't come and they are told they need to name their son before they can leave the hospital (this is 1968). They do have a pet name for him so they put that on his birth certificate. And the name becomes a cross for him to carry for the rest of his life.
There is another thread that runs through Gogol's story, who is he apart from his parents and the rest of the Bengali community they are a part of, what does it mean for his life to be an American child but not feel like he is fully American but also to not feel like he is part of the Bengali side either. He is floating in some middle ground trying to find out what and who he is, as a child, a teen, and a man.
Something I particularly love about reading Lahiri is the way she can make the reader feel. In The Namesake you can feel the tension between Gogol and his parents, between Gogol and his peers, between Gogol and the weight he feels from his name.
A commonality between all of her books and something else I really love is the snapshot way she writes. Whether it is in her short stories (Unaccustomed Earth and interpreter of maladies) or her novels (The Lowland and The Namesake) you don't get all of the details. You get glimpses of moments in time and she makes them count. In the novels you get to spend some important moments and learn some of the story then you jump ahead and time has passed, months or even years, and the story picks up again. In the short stories the moment is jump into and there is never any backstory and then when the moment ends so does the story, these aren't typical beginning, middle, end stories just shorter than novels, these are just bits of the lives of the characters, just the part they want to share with you. While that sounds jarring or abrupt it isn't. It is an interesting way to tell you about the people on the pages. There is no back story and we don't find out where they end up you just get in intimate glimpse into a brief time. And I promise it is enjoyable.
This was my fourth Jhumpa Lahiri read:
Unaccustomed Earth
interpreter of maladies
The Lowland
(Finished January 24, 2016)
“What's your name,' Coraline asked the cat. 'Look, I'm Coraline. Okay?'
'Cats don't have names,' it said.
'No?' said Coraline.
'No,' said the cat. 'Now you people have names. Thaat's because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names.”
― Neil Gaiman, Coraline
“Names have power.” ― Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I've never been able to believe it. I don't believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
The Namesake is the story of Gogol Ganguli. But like all of us our stories don't begin with us, we are just the next chapter in a very long book so this story begins with Gogol's parents.
Ashima and and Ashoke are paired together in an arranged marriage in India and then spend their life together in the U.S. settling in Massachusetts where Ashoke is working on his Phd at MIT. Even with beginning with them, this is still really Gogol's story. His name is the thread that ties his to theirs. His parents don't have a good name for him, they are waiting a letter from Ashram's grandmother with the name to arrive from India. The letter doesn't come and they are told they need to name their son before they can leave the hospital (this is 1968). They do have a pet name for him so they put that on his birth certificate. And the name becomes a cross for him to carry for the rest of his life.
There is another thread that runs through Gogol's story, who is he apart from his parents and the rest of the Bengali community they are a part of, what does it mean for his life to be an American child but not feel like he is fully American but also to not feel like he is part of the Bengali side either. He is floating in some middle ground trying to find out what and who he is, as a child, a teen, and a man.
Something I particularly love about reading Lahiri is the way she can make the reader feel. In The Namesake you can feel the tension between Gogol and his parents, between Gogol and his peers, between Gogol and the weight he feels from his name.
A commonality between all of her books and something else I really love is the snapshot way she writes. Whether it is in her short stories (Unaccustomed Earth and interpreter of maladies) or her novels (The Lowland and The Namesake) you don't get all of the details. You get glimpses of moments in time and she makes them count. In the novels you get to spend some important moments and learn some of the story then you jump ahead and time has passed, months or even years, and the story picks up again. In the short stories the moment is jump into and there is never any backstory and then when the moment ends so does the story, these aren't typical beginning, middle, end stories just shorter than novels, these are just bits of the lives of the characters, just the part they want to share with you. While that sounds jarring or abrupt it isn't. It is an interesting way to tell you about the people on the pages. There is no back story and we don't find out where they end up you just get in intimate glimpse into a brief time. And I promise it is enjoyable.
This was my fourth Jhumpa Lahiri read:
Unaccustomed Earth
interpreter of maladies
The Lowland
(Finished January 24, 2016)
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
In the introduction to In The Garden of Beasts Larson writes "There are no heroes here, at least not of the Schindler's List variety, but there are glimmers of heroism and people who behave with unexpected grace. That's the trouble with nonfiction. One has to put aside what we all know -now- to be true, and try instead to to accompany my two innocents through the world as they experienced it."
That is very important as you read this book. It is the telling of William E. Dodd who was U.S. Ambassador to Germany during the rise of Hitler and his daughter Martha.
When they arrive in Berlin in the early months of Hitler's time in power they are enchanted with Berlin and with Nazism. They are buying what is being sold even as there are more and more incidents of attacks on foreigners and Jews reach Dodd.
While part of me wanted to condemn them and their early praise I had to go back and remind myself of the quote above. And they were hardly the only ones to fall under the Hitler spell.
Dodd was a man of modest means in a core of diplomats with great personal wealth. This class divide put him at an immediate disadvantage. He was also seen as being not right for the job and so when he began to see the truth of what was going on he was largely dismissed.
This turned out to be a fascinating inside look at what was going on in 1933 and 1934 as the world changed. By the end my heart went out to Dodd and I felt so bad for him, a man shouting into the wind. Of course we all know what happened but think for a moment what could have been had Dodd's warnings been taken seriously.
Of course he wasn't the only one back there trying to tell the world the truth, but this book is his story.
(Finished January 20, 2016)
That is very important as you read this book. It is the telling of William E. Dodd who was U.S. Ambassador to Germany during the rise of Hitler and his daughter Martha.
When they arrive in Berlin in the early months of Hitler's time in power they are enchanted with Berlin and with Nazism. They are buying what is being sold even as there are more and more incidents of attacks on foreigners and Jews reach Dodd.
While part of me wanted to condemn them and their early praise I had to go back and remind myself of the quote above. And they were hardly the only ones to fall under the Hitler spell.
Dodd was a man of modest means in a core of diplomats with great personal wealth. This class divide put him at an immediate disadvantage. He was also seen as being not right for the job and so when he began to see the truth of what was going on he was largely dismissed.
This turned out to be a fascinating inside look at what was going on in 1933 and 1934 as the world changed. By the end my heart went out to Dodd and I felt so bad for him, a man shouting into the wind. Of course we all know what happened but think for a moment what could have been had Dodd's warnings been taken seriously.
Of course he wasn't the only one back there trying to tell the world the truth, but this book is his story.
(Finished January 20, 2016)
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Hard Choices by Hillary Rodham Clinton
Reading about our leaders isn't just about learning about the ones you are a supporter of. Depending on the author of course, you can end up getting insight you may not have had before, learn something you didn't know, and maybe even gain an appreciation for the person even if you aren't won over. It isn't about being won over it is about having a clearer picture about a moment in time and an influential person from that time. As a matter of fact one of the books I am going to be reading this year in the new book by Jon Meecham about George H.W. Bush or as Rachel Maddow calls him, Poppy Bush. It's a good example of how I choose what to read about people I am not necessarily a fan of, I pick an author I trust to be honest and objective. If you are going to have an opinion it is a good idea to arm yourself with as many facts as possible to support your ideas.
So as for Hard Choices. I have had this book for some time, started it awhile ago and then got distracted and pulled away but not because I wasn't enjoying the book, it was just kind of heavy and it made it hard to take anywhere with me. So read this but get it in paperback or e-book.
It doesn't matter if you like Hillary Clinton or not. It is an interesting glimpse into life as Secretary of State, an insider view of what was happening at the time, and really well written (her writing style is very readable). And like her as a politician or not, there can be know denying she is an advocate for women's rights and LGBTQ rights around the world and her passion for these issues is evident every time they come up.
If you don't like her at all you probably won't get the warm fuzzies from this read, but you will get a really interesting and informative inside view on what she was doing around the world. If you do like her then you will find yourself seeing more reasons to support those feelings. This is not a tell all about her personal life, this is a book about her role during her 4 years serving as Secretary of State so if you are looking for her to spill her guts about her marriage or other intimate issues you won't find them here. The only exceptions are her mother's passing which brought tears to my eyes because you could, like her or not, feel her pain at the loss, and the excitement she shares about finding out she is going to be a grandmother. In those moments there is a bit of letting her guard down and a glimpse at the woman underneath the pants suit.
And after all, all politicians are at the end of the day, only human. I think we forget that sometimes.
(finished January 16, 2016)
So as for Hard Choices. I have had this book for some time, started it awhile ago and then got distracted and pulled away but not because I wasn't enjoying the book, it was just kind of heavy and it made it hard to take anywhere with me. So read this but get it in paperback or e-book.
It doesn't matter if you like Hillary Clinton or not. It is an interesting glimpse into life as Secretary of State, an insider view of what was happening at the time, and really well written (her writing style is very readable). And like her as a politician or not, there can be know denying she is an advocate for women's rights and LGBTQ rights around the world and her passion for these issues is evident every time they come up.
If you don't like her at all you probably won't get the warm fuzzies from this read, but you will get a really interesting and informative inside view on what she was doing around the world. If you do like her then you will find yourself seeing more reasons to support those feelings. This is not a tell all about her personal life, this is a book about her role during her 4 years serving as Secretary of State so if you are looking for her to spill her guts about her marriage or other intimate issues you won't find them here. The only exceptions are her mother's passing which brought tears to my eyes because you could, like her or not, feel her pain at the loss, and the excitement she shares about finding out she is going to be a grandmother. In those moments there is a bit of letting her guard down and a glimpse at the woman underneath the pants suit.
And after all, all politicians are at the end of the day, only human. I think we forget that sometimes.
(finished January 16, 2016)
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James
I have never read anything by P.D. James before but after reading this I will seek out more.
I grabbed this from the Buy 2 Get 1 Free table at Barnes and Noble because I love that table and because I was intrigued by the idea of a sequel of sorts to Pride and Prejudice.
Having, as I said, never read James before I do not know if this is her normal writing style or if this was written in a way to make it feel like it was part of Jane Austen's story of Elizabeth and her Mr. Darcy.
It had the feel of Austen without what might be called excessive wordiness. The dialogue feels authentic to what you would expect of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy.
But at the heart of this book is a murder mystery. Who killed Denny and why? Was it Wickham?
I thought I knew who the killer was but I was wrong. I love when I think I have it figured out and turn out to be wrong but don't end up feeling cheated by the reveal.
It was nice to visit Elizabeth again even if it was under such unfortunate circumstances.
(Finished January 9, 2015)
I grabbed this from the Buy 2 Get 1 Free table at Barnes and Noble because I love that table and because I was intrigued by the idea of a sequel of sorts to Pride and Prejudice.
Having, as I said, never read James before I do not know if this is her normal writing style or if this was written in a way to make it feel like it was part of Jane Austen's story of Elizabeth and her Mr. Darcy.
It had the feel of Austen without what might be called excessive wordiness. The dialogue feels authentic to what you would expect of Mr. and Mrs. Darcy.
But at the heart of this book is a murder mystery. Who killed Denny and why? Was it Wickham?
I thought I knew who the killer was but I was wrong. I love when I think I have it figured out and turn out to be wrong but don't end up feeling cheated by the reveal.
It was nice to visit Elizabeth again even if it was under such unfortunate circumstances.
(Finished January 9, 2015)
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) by Robert Galbraith
This is the third in a series written by J.K. Rowling using the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
Corcoran and Robin are introduced in The Cuckoo's Calling. They were met again in The Silkworm. Now they are back for round 3.
This is I think the most grisly of the three. Robin is being hunted by a guy out to get even with Cormoran. The guy happens to be a murderer who likes to cut up women and keep souvenirs. While Robin and Cormoran are hunting the killer they uncover a child molester and encounter cops who don't want to work with them because they feel bitter about being shown up by the pair in the last 2 books.
Besides the well crafted mystery, I didn't catch the twist before the revel, this story gives up quite a bit of Cormoran's back story which was interesting and made him a more well formed character. I still don't like Robin's finance Matthew and hope he doesn't stick around for too many more books. Speaking of more books, I hope Rowling continues to write these stories.
(Finished January 6, 2016)
Corcoran and Robin are introduced in The Cuckoo's Calling. They were met again in The Silkworm. Now they are back for round 3.
This is I think the most grisly of the three. Robin is being hunted by a guy out to get even with Cormoran. The guy happens to be a murderer who likes to cut up women and keep souvenirs. While Robin and Cormoran are hunting the killer they uncover a child molester and encounter cops who don't want to work with them because they feel bitter about being shown up by the pair in the last 2 books.
Besides the well crafted mystery, I didn't catch the twist before the revel, this story gives up quite a bit of Cormoran's back story which was interesting and made him a more well formed character. I still don't like Robin's finance Matthew and hope he doesn't stick around for too many more books. Speaking of more books, I hope Rowling continues to write these stories.
(Finished January 6, 2016)