Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

Book Info:

Room by Emma Donoghue

Author Extras: Website, Facebook,
Interactive Room Site

Publisher: Hachette Book Group

Source: Publisher for Review

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary from the Publisher:

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Review:

It's been a while since I've read a book that I've felt was truly original, but Room is unlike anything I have ever read before.  There were a couple of instances where I thought the plot was a little weak, but in order to move the story forward, I think this was necessary.  This didn't impact my overall enjoyment of the book, but was a little distracting to me at the time.

Room is told completely from Jack's point of view.  His five-year-old voice took me a little while to get used to, but once I did, I loved it.  Through Jack's eyes I could easily see how confusing the world could be.  His Ma did a wonderful job of explaining things to him, but some things just need to be seen and experienced to be fully understood. 

I was completely invested in Room while I was reading, but it's one of those books I can't stop thinking about now that it's over.  The story was left open ended, not in an unfinished way, but rather it left me wanting more. Room has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.  4.5 stars, very good+

Review: Leaving Before It's Over by Jean Reynolds Page

Book Info:

Leaving Before It's Over by Jean Reynolds Page

Author Extras: Website

Publisher: Harper Collins, 2010

Source: TLC Book Tours, Publisher

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary From the Publisher:

When Roy Vines married his wife, Rosalind, he traded his family and his inheritance for love—a painful choice that has blessed them with years of joy nestled in rural North Carolina with their beautiful daughters, sixteen-year-old Lola and little Janie Ray.

But their happiness is threatened when Rosalind suddenly falls ill. Desperate to get her the help she needs, Roy does the one thing he swore he'd never do—turn to his heartless and bitter identical twin brother, Mont, for help.

Review:

This is the third book I've read by Jean Reynolds Page, and I like each one even more than the last.  This last one has convinced me that, without a doubt, that I need to read the last two books in her backlist.

Page's characters are so very vivid.  Even if they are people I wouldn't normally hang out with, I couldn't help but be drawn to them. Roy is a solid and likeable man.  Lola and Luke are typical kids.  They may make mistakes, but are ultimately good kids, and I couldn't help but wish them the best.  The Vines family, as a whole is stand-offish and cold, but they are still characters that most people can understand. I loved how I could see the situation from many different perspectives and that

I also love the family dynamics in this book. I think a slightly dysfunctional family is something that everyone relates to on some level, and that gives the story a very accessible quality.  If characters and families are too perfect they are hard to swallow, but the Vines family isn't that way at all.  There are those in the family that are easy to dislike, and those who I changed my mind about by the end of the book. In so many books either the plot or the characters stand out, and in Page's books they are both able to hold their own equally.  4.5 stars, very good +
About Jean Reynolds Page

Jean Reynolds Page is the author of The Last Summer of Her Other Life, The Space Between Before and After, A Blessed Event, and Accidental Happiness. She grew up in North Carolina and graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a dance critic for more than ten years before turning full-time to fiction in 2001. In addition to North Carolina, she has lived in New York, Boston, Dallas, and Seattle. She and her family recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin.

Other TLC Book Tour Stops

Review: Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

Book Info:
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Three Rivers Press (June 9, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780307452368
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: My Shelves
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

For a thousand years men have denied her existence--Pope Joan, the woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to rule Christianity for two years. Now this compelling novel animates the legend with a portrait of an unforgettable woman who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.

When her older brother dies in a Viking attack, the brilliant young Joan assumes his identity and enters a Benedictine monastery where, as Brother John Anglicus, she distinguishes herself as a scholar and healer. Eventually drawn to Rome, she soon becomes enmeshed in a dangerous mix of powerful passion and explosive politics that threatens her life even as it elevates her to the highest throne in the Western world.

I first heard about Pope Joan from the historical fiction board at Paperback Swap. It got rave reviews so I grabbed a copy as soon as I could...and then it sat on my shelf for over two and a half years! I wish I had made the time to read it sooner.

I loved Joan. In a time period when women had basically no status or rights she was an independent and intelligent woman. While she was forced to conceal her gender this never swayed her from her love of learning and doing what was right. She was a champion for women and an advocate for the poor.

Cross does a wonderful job with the story of Pope Joan. She includes plenty of information so you get a sense of the time period, but doesn't bog the story down with unnecessary details. The story flows wonderfully and I was sucked in right from the start. I also love reading the author notes on historical fiction books. I'm always interested in what details an author changed or omitted to make the story work better.

If you enjoy historical fiction, especially with strong female characters, but want something set in a time period you may not have tried before, definitely give Pope Joan a try. I can also see this one working well for a book club as there are plenty of issues to discuss. The version of the book I read also included discussion questions. 4.5 stars

Review: Let Me Go by Helga Schneider

Book Info:

Let Me Go by Helga Schneider

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Penguin (August 30, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0143035177

Genre: Nonfiction

Source: Library, Audio

Rating: 4.5/5

In 1941, in Berlin, Helga Schneider’s mother abandoned her along with her father and younger brother. Let Me Go recounts Helga’s final meeting with her ailing mother in a Vienna nursing home some sixty years after World War II, in which Helga confronts a nightmare: her mother’s lack of repentance about her past as a Nazi SS guard at concentration camps, including Auschwitz, where she was responsible for untold acts of torture. With spellbinding detail, Schneider recalls their conversation, evoking her own struggle between a daughter’s sense of obligation and the inescapable horror of her mother’s deeds.

I was recently browsing the library's audio downloads when this one caught my eye. I needed another book for my WWII challenge and I liked that Let Me Go looked like a quick listen at only 5 disks. Since the weather has turned cold and I'm not walking to work my audio listening has suffered and I find shorter books work a little better. What I didn't expect was the emotional impact those 5 disks carried...

Let Me Go is a snapshot of a story. There is a little background included in the form of flashbacks and stories, but the bulk of the story is one conversation. This may seem a little incomplete to some, but I thought the format worked well. Schneider didn't have much knowledge of her mother beyond this conversation and I liked that the reader/listener didn't know more than she did.

The narrator of this book, Barbara Rosenblat, is amazing. She inflects so much emotion into the book that I often found myself with goosebumps. When she reads the mother's words it varies between and old woman's confusion and petulance to unashamed cruelty. While Let Me Go is a fascinating story of an insider's experience in the concentration camps, it is worth listening to for the wonderful narration alone. 4.5 stars

Review: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Book Info:

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Random House (September 30, 2008)

ISBN-13: 9780812971835

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Rating: 4.5/5

At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town and in the world at large, but she doesn't always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance: a former student who has lost the will to live: Olive's own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse. As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life -- sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty.

I received Olive Kitteridge a while back from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I put the book off because I was a bit intimidated by it being a Pulitzer Prize winner. I was afraid the book was one that I would struggle through, and I am happy to say these fears were completely unfounded. Olive Kitteridge was very readable, very enjoyable and one book I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others.

Olive is a fascinating character. I love how you get to know her through stories that feature her, as well as those where she plays a very small part. Olive isn't the most likeable character, but she is one that I got. I understood her motivations and her reactions, and I think most people can find a little of themselves in her. I was a little surprised at how small a role Olive played in some of the stories, but each glimpse and mention of her added a little more to her character.

I loved the format of Olive Kitteridge. The novel told in stories worked wonderfully. Olive was the force holding all the pieces together, but the stories of Olive's neighbors were beautiful too. I loved the small town feel, where everyone knew each other and their paths often overlapped. I have Strout's other books and can't wait to dig them out now. 4.5 stars

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Book Info:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (September 14, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-0439023481

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Library

Rating: 4.5/5

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

I'm not going to do a full fledged review of The Hunger Games as it has been all over the blogland for months and months. I do want to mention that this book is completely out of my normal genre and because of that I held off on reading it even though bloggers everywhere were raving about it. What finally changed my mind was a trip to my library where The Hunger Games was just sitting on the front desk, waiting to be checked out. Now, I wish I hadn't waited so long to read it.

One question for those of you who first read this when it came out....Did you know how it was going to end? Obviously, we now all know that there will be two more books in the trilogy, and that alone gives a bit away. Not that I was disappointed, I loved the book, but I just wondered if the early readers knew at the beginning that there was more to the story...

Review: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Book Info:
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Touchstone (August 18, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781416563686
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5

Elizabeth Woodville, of the House of Lancaster, is widowed when her husband is killed in battle. Aided and abetted by the raw ambition and witchcraft skills of her mother Jacquetta, Elizabeth seduces and marries, in secret, reigning king Edward IV, of the family of the white rose, the House of York. As long as there are other claimants to Edward’s throne, the profound rivalries between the two families will never be laid to rest. Violent conflict, shocking betrayal and murder dominate Elizabeth’s life as Queen of England, passionate wife of Edward and devoted mother of their children.

I have to admit, The White Queen is my first Philippa Gregory book. Fans seems to love her for her wonderful storytelling, while critics discuss historical inaccuracies in her books. When I started reading The White Queen, I didn't know quite what to expect, but I was immediately pulled in by the story.

Elizabeth is an interesting character. She is ambitious, fiercely protective of her children, and at the end of the book, quite a schemer as well. After the death of Edward IV her position became much more precarious, and I could easily understand her plotting, but she wasn't nearly as likeable as she was earlier.

The White Queen also contains some witchcraft and magic. I found the inclusion of this very interesting. It added another layer to the story without being overpowering.

I honestly don't know much about The War of The Roses. I remember hearing about the mystery of the Princes in the Tower, but can't speak to how historically accurate The White Queen is. Whether historically accurate or not, Gregory tells a wonderful story. I can see why fans rave about her books, and this will be one series that I will continue to follow. 4.5 stars

**Check back tomorrow for my giveaway of a copy of The White Queen**

The White Queen: A Conversation with Philippa Gregory

Review: The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Book Info:
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (May 12, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780312555115
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 4.5/5

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated polygamous community without questioning her father's three wives and her twenty brothers and sisters. Or at least without questioning them much -- if you don't count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her 60-year-old uncle -- who already has six wives -- Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family.

The Chosen One has been all over lots of blogs lately and almost every one has posted posted a positive review. Not to be repetitive, my I am going to add my voice to the (seemingly) tons of bloggers who love this book.

The Chosen One is one of those books where I often found myself clenching my teeth and squeezing my hands into fists. I wanted to hug Kyra and make things better for her, while at the same time I wanted to slap most of the adults. I love it when I have such an emotional response to books. It really means that I've connected to the characters.

I found a few of the scenarios in the book a little extreme, far fetched even. It's not that I can't picture crazy things happening, but some of it seemed a little over the top. And while this was a little distracting, it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of this book. 4.5 stars

Review: The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Book Info:
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Bantam (April 14, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0553384840

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: 4.5/5

Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she's a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother's house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night... Until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis -- and two parts fairy godmother...

Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey's clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return she's going to change Josey's life -- because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee's tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding.

Before long, Josey bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who makes the best sandwiches in town, is hounded by books that inexplicably appear whenever she needs them, and -- most amazing of all -- has a close connection to Josey's longtime crush.

As little by little Josey dares to step outside herself, she discovers a world where the color red has astonishing power, passion can make eggs fry in their cartons, and romance can blossom at any time -- even for her. It seems that Della Lee's work is done, and it's time for her to move on. But the truth about where she's going, why she showed up in the first place -- and what Chloe has to do with it all -- is about to add one more unexpected chapter to Josey's fast-changing life. Brimming with warmth, wit, and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of friendship, love and the enchanting possibilities of every new day.

First, I must apologize for the super long book description. I usually try to shorten these a bit, but I didn't really know what to leave out on this one, so it all stayed.

I read Sarah Addison Allen's first book, Garden Spells last year, and while I enjoyed it, I didn't love it. Friends at PaperbackSwap had raved about it so much that I expected something more. It was good, but I didn't fall in love with it.

The Sugar Queen was another story. I hadn't heard much about the book, but knew it would include a little bit of magic. Since I went in with no expectations I found myself completely wrapped up in the story.

The characters were all believable, quirky and people I could easily see myself being friends with. They were all a little bit flawed and this made them all the more likeable. I really enjoyed how all the story lines came together and were intertwined.

I also loved the little bit of magic throughout the entire story. I'm not usually one for unbelievable things happening in books, but this time around it had me charmed. Just as the tree was one of my favorite parts of Garden Spells, I loved the books in The Sugar Queen. The Sugar Queen is a wonderful story, and I will definitely be on the lookout for Allen's next book! 4.5 stars

Review: The Rossetti Letter by Christi Phillips

Book Info:
The Rossetti Letter by Christi Phillips

Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Pocket (February 19, 2008)
ISBN-13: 9781416527381

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4.5/5

Claire Donovan always dreamed of visiting Venice, though not as a chaperone for a surly teenager. But she can't pass up this chance to complete her Ph.D. thesis on Alessandra Rossetti, a mysterious courtesan who wrote a secret letter to the Venetian Council warning of a Spanish plot to overthrow the Venetian Republic in 1618. Claire views Alessandra as a heroine and harbors a secret hope that her findings will elevate Alessandra to a more prominent place in history. But an arrogant Cambridge professor is set to present a paper at a prestigious Venetian university denouncing Alessandra as a co-conspirator -- a move that could destroy Claire's paper and career.

As Claire races to locate the documents that will reveal the courtesan's true motives, Alessandra's story comes to life with all the sensuality, political treachery, and violence of seventeenth-century Venice. Claire also falls under the city's spell. She is courted by a handsome Italian, matches wits with her academic adversary, bonds with her troubled young charge, and, amid the boundless beauty of Venice, recaptures the joy of living every moment....




I've always enjoyed historical fiction, but up until this year I've never really made the time to read it. With some of the challenges I'm doing this year I've made the time and have discovered some great books, and The Rossetti Letter is one of them.

I actually started this book before my vacation, got about halfway through, and then left it behind as it was a hardback and I prefer to travel with paperbacks. I wish I had made an exception and taken it with me though. I couldn't wait to see how it ended and missed the story the entire time I was gone.

Claire Donovan is a wonderful character. She is honest, hardworking, smart, but still completely believable. Things don't always go like she planned. Sometimes she puts her foot in her mouth and embarrasses herself. This lack of pretension really endeared her to me.

I also love historical fiction that alternates from the past to present and The Rossetti Letter was no exception. Usually, though, I have a favorite time period and this time I couldn't decide between the past or present. Each time the perspective would change I would think it was my favorite. Then it would change back and I would change my mind again.

The Rossetti Letter pulled me in right from the beginning and I loved it all the way through. I've already started The Devlin Diary and can't wait for more Claire Donovan. 4.5 stars

Review: Dry by Augusten Burroughs

Book Info:
Dry by Augusten Burroughs

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Picador (April 1, 2004)
ISBN-13: 9780312423797

Genre: Non-fiction/Memoir

Rating: 4.5/5

From the bestselling author of Running with Scissors comes Dry—the hilarious, moving, and no less bizarre account of what happened next.

You may not know it, but you've met Augusten Burroughs. You've seen him on the street, in bars, on the subway, at restaurants: a twenty-something guy, nice suit, works in advertising. Regular. Ordinary. But when the ordinary person had two drinks, Augusten was circling the drain by having twelve; when the ordinary person went home at midnight, Augusten never went home at all. Loud, distracting ties, automated wake-up calls, and cologne on the tongue could only hide so much for so long. At the request (well, it wasn't really a request) of his employers, Augusten landed in rehab, where his dreams of group therapy with Robert Downey, Jr., are immediately dashed by the grim reality of fluorescent lighting and paper hospital slippers. But when Augusten is forced to examine himself, something actually starts to click, and that's when he finds himself in the worst trouble of all. Because when his thirty days are up, he has to return to his same drunken Manhattan life—and live it sober. What follows is a memoir that's as moving as it is funny, as heartbreaking as it is real. Dry is the story of love, loss, and Starbucks as a higher power.

I've read all of Augusten Burroughs books, except for his newest A Wolf at the Table, and while I enjoyed them all, I think Dry is my favorite. Dry is also quite a bit different than his other books, especially Running With Scissors.

I know some people found Running with Scissors to be out there, with too much craziness to possibly be true. I took Running with Scissors with a grain of salt and enjoyed it, but I did think things may have been exaggerated to help play up the shock value. That isn't the case at all with Dry.

I found Dry to be much more introspective and very honest. While Burroughs humor and crazy personality still came through the story, it wasn't as jaw dropping as Running with Scissors. Burroughs talked about his drinking honestly, why he did it, why he couldn't stop and all of the emotional issues that go along with alcoholism. If you've ever been close to someone with a substance abuse problem, Dry gives some insight into an addict's thought process. It's a sad story, but Burroughs did have me laughing too. 4.5 stars

Review: The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez

Book Info:
The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (April 2, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781594488559

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: 4.5/5

Miraflores has never known her father, and until now, she's never thought that he wanted to know her. She's long been aware that her mother had an affair with him while she was stationed with her then husband in Panama, and she's always assumed that her pregnant mother came back to the United States alone with his consent. But when Miraflores returns to the Chicago suburb where she grew up, to care for her mother at a time of illness, she discovers that her mother and father had a greater love than she ever thought possible, and that her father had wanted her more than she could have ever imagined.

In secret, Miraflores plots a trip to Panama, in search of the man whose love she hopes can heal her mother and whose presence she believes can help her find the pieces of her own identity that she thought were irretrievably lost. What she finds is unexpected, exhilarating, and holds the power to change the course of her life completely. In gorgeous, shimmering prose, Cristina Henriquez delivers a triumphant and heartbreaking first novel: the story of a young woman reconciling an existence between two cultures and confronting a life of hardship with an endless capacity to learn, love, and forgive.

I was originally drawn to The World in Half by its cover. I love the simplicity of it and the vibrant colors. Inside, I found a treasure. When I first started reading, I had planned on just reading a chapter or two and then cleaning house. Before I knew it, I was 60 pages in and couldn't put it down. Instead of cleaning, I spent my entire day off on the couch devouring this book.

On the surface, this is a familiar story of a young woman searching for the father she never knew. This story is so much more, though. Miraflores is not only trying to find a missing part of her life, but of her mother's too. Her search leads her to experience a culture that is foreign to her, but also a part of who she is.

Henriquez's writing is beautiful, lyrical and flows wonderfully. Sometimes a book seems bogged down by flowery writing, and that is never the case in The World in Half. The descriptions are almost poetic and add so much to the story without ever overwhelming it. The characters are all wonderfully developed and feel like friends by the end of the book.

I was completely absorbed in this book right from the start and can't wait to read more from Cristina Henriquez. She has also written a short story collection, Come Together, Fall Apart, and this is now on my must read list. 4.5 stars

Other reviews:

Books and Cooks

Educating Petunia

Raging Bibliomania

Review: Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

Book Info:

Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Touchstone (April 7, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780743298926

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4.5/5

Set against the magnificent decadence of the seventeenth-century French court, Mistress of the Sun begins when an eccentric young Louise falls in love with a wild white stallion and uses ancient magic to tame him. This one desperate action of her youth shadows her throughout her life, changing it in ways she could never imagine.

Unmarriageable, and too poor to join a convent, Louise enters the court of the Sun King, where the king is captivated by her. As their love unfolds, Louise bears Louis four children, is made a duchess, and reigns unrivaled as his official mistress until dangerous intrigue threatens her position at court and in Louis's heart.

A riveting love story with a captivating mystery at its heart, Mistress of the Sun illuminates both the power of true and perfect love and the rash actions we take to capture and tame it.

Most of the historical fiction I've read has centered around common people, instead of royalty. This was a wonderful change of pace for me and I loved every minute of it.

Petite, as she's called, is a great character. She fun and interesting, without the all arrogance that some members of the court seem to have. I also loved her adventures with the different horses in her life. Also, since we met Petite at such a young age I really felt I got to know her as she grew up and changed.

Petite's relationship with the King was very interesting. I can't imagine trying to sustain a relationship amid all the scrutiny and regulations. I thought the King was aloof and little unlikeable, but he had so many other duties that it made it hard to get to know him.

The descriptions of the Court were amazing. I can't imagine the opulence and excess; it seemed everyone had a maid. The inclusion of the medical treatments of the times (bleeding and purging) were fascinating too. While it's a wonderful to "visit" such a time in books, I think I much prefer modern life.

If you enjoy historical fiction, do yourself a favor and pick this one up! You won't be disappointed. I have to admit, I've had the Josephine trilogy languishing on my shelves for quite a while. But now, after Mistress of the Sun and all of Ms Gulland's wonderful guest posts on this tour, I'm hooked. 4.5 stars

******

The Giveaway:

I have an extra copy of Mistress of the Sun to give away to one lucky reader. This giveaway is open to the residents of the US and Canada. Sorry, but my postage budget only allows for international giveaways occasionally.

Now onto the rules:

--Leave a comment here for one entry

--Blog about the giveaway and link back here for a second entry

--Follow me or add me to your Google Reader for a third entry. Current subscribers are eligible for this too.

**Please leave a separate comment for each entry as I will be using the numbered comments to pick my winner. If you leave more than one entry in a comment, it won't be counted.

Please make sure you have a email address listed in your comment or on your profile. If I can't reach you, your entry won't count.

This contest will run until midnight May 12 and the winner will be chosen by random and posted on May 13.

Review: Catching Genius by Kristy Kiernan

Book Info:
Catching Genius by Kristy Kiernan

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade (March 6, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0425214354

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5

As children, Connie and Estella were best friends-until Estella was discovered to be a math prodigy, which led to the sisters' estrangement. Now, years later, they are forced to reunite on the Gulf Coast of Florida as they pack up their childhood home and ready it for sale. The reunion comes at a time when both Connie and Estella must come to terms with painful revelations and devastating consequences in their own lives. And once again, her sister's genius may alter Connie's life in ways she cannot control.

Kristy Kiernan's debut novel does a wonderful job of capturing the complex relationship between sisters. I could easily picture myself and my sister in the jealousies and struggles as Connie and Estella worked on mending their adult relationship.

The story is told from different perspectives and through flashbacks. Even with all these shifts the writing flowed very well. I never lost where I was in the story, as can sometimes happen with multiple story lines.

All of the characters are wonderful flawed. I don't enjoy characters who are too perfect, too polished. These women were realistic and the struggles Connie was facing are those I think a lot of women can relate to, and sympathize with.

It's not often I sit down and get so absorbed in a book that I finished it in day, but that was the case this time. I couldn't put it down until I know where things ended. The ending was fitting too as things were left a little open. 4.5 stars

Order Catching Genius

Review: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Book Info:

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
Paperback: 688 pages
Publisher: McElderry (May 20, 2008)
ISBN-13: 9781416903574

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4.5/5

Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same.

Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide.

Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade.

Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills.

And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.

In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.

Not too long after Impulse was released I noticed it on a bookstore shelf. It looked interesting and was formatted differently than anything I'd ever read before. So I bought it, and then it sat on my shelf at home for almost a year. If I'd known then how powerful this book was I would have started reading it right away.

Vanessa, Tony and Conner are all normal kids. They have problems with parents, school and friends just like anyone else. And that is part of what makes this book stick with you. These kids could be anyone. Maybe you know someone who cuts themselves, or takes pills to make things feel better.

Impulse is very honest. The book alternates point of view, so each of the characters has a chance to tell their story. You really get a glimpse into their heads, to see why things seemed bad enough to try to commit suicide.

When I posted my Tuesday Teaser on this book I had more than one comment saying the verse style was intimidating. If this is what is holding you back from reading this book, please don't let it stop you any longer. The verse style is really easy to read once you get into the rhythm of it, and almost 700 pages flew by before I knew it. I wish I hadn't mailed this book out to someone else already, or else I would post a quote from it for another example of the style.

While this was the first Ellen Hopkins book I read, it won't be the last. I already have Crank and will be working on accumulating the others. 4.5 stars

Review: A Pearl in the Storm by Tori Murden McClure

Book Info:
A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean by Tori Murden McClure

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Collins (April 7, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780061718861

Genre: Non-Fiction

Rating: 4.5/5

During June 1998, Tori McClure set out to row across the Atlantic Ocean by herself in a twenty-three-foot plywood boat with no motor or sail. Within days she lost all communication with shore, but nevertheless she decided to keep going. Not only did she lose the sound of a friendly voice, she lost updates on the location of the Gulf Stream and on the weather. Unfortunately for Tori, 1998 is still on record as the worst hurricane season in the North Atlantic. In deep solitude and perilous conditions, she was nonetheless determined to prove what one person with a mission can do. When she was finally brought to her knees by a series of violent storms that nearly killed her, she had to signal for help and go home in what felt like complete disgrace.

Back in Kentucky, however, Tori's life began to change in unexpected ways. She fell in love. At the age of thirty-five, she embarked on a serious relationship for the first time, making her feel even more vulnerable than sitting alone in a tiny boat in the middle of the Atlantic. She went to work for Muhammad Ali, who told her that she did not want to be known as the woman who "almost" rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. And she knew that he was right.

I love reading about other people's adventures, especially adventures that I would never consider taking myself. And this is definitely one of those stories.

My rowing experience is limited to about five minutes on a rowing machine in the gym, so the idea of rowing across an ocean is mind-boggling. McClure does a wonderful job of making rowing accessible and interesting, even though I have no desire to take up the sport. She does a great job of describing the Pearl, and I can easily picture the boat. However, I think a few photographs of exactly how small the Pearl is would have added to the story.

I was afraid the story might be a little dry, but that was never the case. McClure's writing is very engaging and flows well. The story of her time in the Atlantic is interspersed with stories of her family and growing up. This is a great way to get to know her, and the stories are often tied to what she was experiencing on the ocean.

I would recommend this exciting book to those who love adventure stories like Into Thin Air. 4.5 stars

About the author:

Tori Murden McClure is the vice president for external relations, enrollment management, and student affairs at Spalding University. Her firsts include being the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic and to ski overland to the South Pole. She has an AB from Smith College, where she currently serves on the board of trustees, a Master's in Divinity from Harvard University, a JD from the University of Louisville School of Law, and an MFA in Writing from Spalding University. She has worked as a chaplain at Boston City Hospital and for Muhammad Ali at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. She lives in Louisville with her husband.

Review: A Child's Journey Out of Autism by Leeann Whiffen

Book info:

A Child's Journey out of Autism: One Family's Story of Living in Hope and Finding a Cure by Leann Whiffen
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Trade (March 1, 2009)

Genre: Non-fiction

Rating: 4.5/5

When Clay Whiffen was diagnosed on the autism spectrum, his parents didn't know where to turn. They refused to believe that he could not be cured, and began to try every therapy they could afford - and many they couldn't.

Frantically they worked, knowing that Clay slipped further away every day. When intensive medical testing revealed that Clay no longer fit the criteria for any condition on the autism spectrum, the Whiffens' wildest dreams were realized. Clay had conquered autism.

Written by Clay's mother, with a foreword by autism specialist Dr. Bryan Jepson, A Child's Journey out of Autism spells out what treatments worked, where the family found help, and how they made it through this crushing crisis. In a time of despair and confusion - when another child is diagnosed with autism every 20 minutes - this is a profound, proven message of hope for anyone whose life is touched by the disorder.

A Child's Journey Out of Autism is a very powerful story. Leeann Whiffen holds nothing back in telling of her son's struggle with autism. She describes with brutal honestly her son's behavior prior to treatment, and her heartbreak at his diagnosis of autism. Her patience with her son amazed me, and her love for him was evident in each and every page.

Once they have a diagnosis and begin treatment, Whiffen's persistence in pursuing every treatment that could benefit her son is a testament to a mother's love at its finest. She spends countless hours researching the possible causes and treatments, and becomes an advocate for autism education. She also includes an extensive list of resources in the book, with contact information.

I have no firsthand knowledge in treating autism, and I know that the same treatments don't work for every child, but A Child's Journey out of Autism is a story filled with hope. Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability, and the Whiffen's story highlights what is possible with early diagnosis and consistent treatment.

I would recommend this book if you have anyone in your life that is affected by autism. Whiffen's story is very well written and doesn't get bogged down in medical terminology. 4.5 stars

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Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

Wow! I flew through this book. It is a large book, over 450 pages, but it flows so well, and I was so engrossed in the story, that I read it in three days. The characters aren't only well written, they are all the type of character that linger with you after the end of the story. Once I finished The Help I actually waited until the next day to start another book because I wasn't ready to walk away from them quite yet.

One thing that I couldn't decide if I liked or not was that the book was written in first person, but the narrator changed every few chapters. In one way, I really liked it because it gave you more insight into each of the characters. On the other hand, it always took me a little while to get into the rhythm of the new narrator. The maid's portions are also written as they would speak, and at times I found this to be a little overdone.

All in all, I thought this was a very impressive debut. The characters emotions really came through, and I felt their anger, fear and hope right along with them. 4.5 stars

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Review: Delicate Edible Birds

From Lauren Groff, author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling first novel The Monsters of Templeton, comes Delicate Edible Birds, one of the most striking short fiction debuts in years. Here are nine stories of astonishing insight and variety, each revealing a resonant drama within the life of a twentieth-century American woman.

In "Sir Fleeting," a midwestern farm girl on her honeymoon in Argentina falls into lifelong lust for a French playboy. In "Blythe," an attorney who has become a stay-at-home mother takes a night class in poetry and meets another full-time mother, one whose charismatic brilliance changes everything. In "Delicate Edible Birds," a group of war correspondents - a lone, high-spirited woman among them - falls prey to a brutal farmer while fleeing Nazis in the French countryside.

In some of these stories, enormous changes happen in an instant. In others, transformations occur across a lifetime - or several lifetimes.

For some people a catchy title will stand out to them, for me it's the cover that catches my eye. I love this cover and the way the black scroll work stands out against the light blue. This book was already on my must read list because I really enjoyed Lauren Groff's The Monsters of Templeton, but if it hadn't been, I would have checked it out just based on the cover.

The first story in the book is set in Templeton. I loved this because it was like going home, back to a familiar, comfortable setting. From here, the stories all feature women, but they are all vastly different. This difference in all the stories was one of my favorite aspects of this collection. Often times with short stories it seems like you are reading variations on the same story over and over. I never felt that way with this collection.

There were a couple of times that the voice the story was told in seemed a little strange, a little off. By the end of the story, though, I always understood exactly why Groff told the story the way she did, and it always made perfect sense.

Groff's writing is beautiful and captivating without being overdone. I would often set the book aside after completing a story just to keep the characters with me a little while longer. Lauren
Groff has definitely made her way on to my "must read" list. 4.5 stars

Special thanks to Hyperion Books for providing my review copy.

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Review: Driving with Dead People by Monica Holloway

Small wonder that, at nine years old, Monica Holloway develops a fascination with the local funeral home. With a father who drives his Ford pickup with a Kodak movie camera sitting shotgun just in case he sees an accident, and whose home movies feature more footage of disasters than of his children, Monica is primed to become a morbid child.

Yet in spite of her father's bouts of violence and abuse, her mother's selfishness and prim denial, and her siblings' personal battles and betrayals, Monica never succumbs to despair. Instead, she forges her own way, thriving at school and becoming fast friends with Julie Kilner, whose father is the town mortician.

Throughout this remarkable memoir of her dysfunctional, eccentric, and wholly unforgettable family, Monica Holloway's prose shines with humor, clear-eyed grace, and an uncommon sense of resilience. Driving with Dead People is an extraordinary real-life tale with a wonderfully observant and resourceful heroine.

I loved this book! It seems that a lot of the memoirs I've read lately have had main characters who did nothing but whine and complain about their terrible childhood and how it wrecked their lives. This was not the case in Driving with Dead People.

Monica Holloway was brutally honest in telling her recollections of growing up, but she was also fair. Her story was told with a matter of factness that was refreshing and often funny. Holloway never pointed a finger at any of her family, nor did she adopt a "you ruined by life" type attitude. Her changing perceptions of her family member's were wonderfully portrayed, and I found my own opinions of her parents, for example, changing over the course of the book.

This memoir was beautifully written and I would recommend it to fiction and non-fiction readers alike, especially those who enjoyed The Glass Castle. 4.5 stars

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