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: Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton

Book Info:
Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption

by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, Ronald Cotton, and Erin Torneo

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (March 3, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780312376536

Genre: Non-Fiction

Rating: 4/5

Jennifer Thompson was raped at knifepoint by a man who broke into her apartment while she slept. She was able to escape, and eventually positively identified Ronald Cotton as her attacker. Ronald insisted that she was mistaken-- but Jennifer's positive identification was the compelling evidence that put him behind bars. After eleven years, Ronald was allowed to take a DNA test that proved his innocence. He was released, after serving more than a decade in prison for a crime he never committed. Two years later, Jennifer and Ronald met face to face-- and forged an unlikely friendship that changed both of their lives.

In their own words, Jennifer and Ronald unfold the harrowing details of their tragedy, and challenge our ideas of memory and judgment while demonstrating the profound nature of human grace and the healing power of forgiveness.

I think most people have faith in our justice system. It's stories like Picking Cotton that make me wonder how many innocent people really are behind bars. With the increased use of DNA testing it's probably much less than in the past, but it still makes you think...

I love how Picking Cotton allows Jennifer and Ronald to tell their stories. This isn't a story that would do well with just one narrator, and the change in narrator from Jennifer to Ronald, and then a combined section really brings another layer to the book. It gives a voice to everyone involved and creates a fair telling of the story.

Picking Cotton is very well-written. The story is engrossing and flows very well. My one complaint is that it came across as a little unemotional at times for such an emotional story. Even with this, it's still a very compelling story and I would recommend it to memoir lovers and those interested in our justice system. 4 stars

Review: The Natural Laws of Good Luck by Ellen Graf

Book Info:
The Natural Laws of Good Luck: A Memoir of an Unlikely Marriage

by Ellen Graf
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Trumpeter (August 4, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781590306918
Genre: Nonfiction

Rating: 2.75/5

The quirky and funny story of a woman in upstate New York who marries a man from China whom she barely knows. They don’t share a language or a culture, but together they discover what matters most—a story of taking risks, culture clash, and the journey to real love.

Ellen was lonely and having no luck with personal ads when her Chinese girlfriend suggested that she meet Zhong-Hua, her brother in northern China. Ellen soon finds herself going to Beijing to meet him, and although they speak only a few words of each other’s language, they decide to get married.

Ellen and Zhong-Hua settle at Ellen’s farmhouse in upstate New York where they face a host of challenges, including the language barrier, financial problems, and profound cultural differences. When Ellen tries to teach Zhong-Hua to drive, explaining to him the concept of right-of-way and the meaning of a red light, he cheerfully replies, “I don’t think so,” and develops his own free-form, heart-stopping style of driving. A character worthy of first-rate fiction, Zhong-Hua rarely fails to surprise and entertain us, whether by his driving style, his culinary tastes (Ellen must learn to appreciate rock fungus, among other unusual delicacies), and his creative low-budget home maintenance solutions (who knew that concrete had so many uses?).












If you've read this blog for very long you know I read a lot of non-fiction, mostly memoirs. For the most part, I really enjoy them. I enjoy learning about other people lives and experiences, especially from other cultures. So, The Natural Laws of Good Luck sounded like a wonderful book, but it didn't quite deliver like I'd expected.

Zhong-Hua was a kick. I admired his courage in coming to an unknown country without knowing the language or customs. And, as you'd expect, this brought about some funny and unexpected stories. I particularly liked the parts about the differences between the cultures and how misunderstandings could easily come about because of it.

What I found a little lacking was the writing. Maybe the style just didn't work for me, but I found it a bit unfocused and rambling at times. I also prefer memoirs, for the most part, to be in chronological order. Natural Laws was close, but there were also some tangents that I couldn't tell where exactly they fit. This is a fairly short book but it took me well over a week to finish. All of the tangents in the story just didn't hold my attention.

If you are interested in other cultures, especially Chinese, I would recommend The Natural Laws of Good Luck. Otherwise, I'd say get it from the library instead of buying it. 2.75 stars

Review: Honey, It's All in the Shoes by Phyllis Norton Hoffman

Book Info:
Honey, It's All in the Shoes: Celebrating the Footsteps of the Contemporary Woman by Phyllis Norton Hoffman
Paperback: 170 pages
Publisher: Health Communications (July 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780757307577
Genre: Non-Fiction
Rating:

Can you remember the magic you felt when you slipped on your mother's high heels; your very own first pair of pumps; your excursion for the perfect professional pair; the glory of finding the most comfortable shoes; and your first ballet slippers, Mary Janes, or running shoes?

In these pairs of shoes reside distinct journeys, phases of life, triumphs and tragedies, precious memories, and lessons learned. In Honey, It's All in the Shoes Phyllis Norton Hoffman takes you on a journey examining these defining moments, sharing what she has learned when she was required to wear different shoes - from a mother and wife to entrepreneur and businesswoman to publishing powerhouse to doting grandmother - and provides advice for women on putting their best foot forward, not matter their role, circumstance, or stage of life.

I've never considered myself a shoe person. Now, don't get me wrong, I like shoes and have a wide variety to choose from, but choosing from work or play, weekend or dressier seems pretty limited compared to the variety in some people's closets!

Even with my (relative) lack of shoe choices I found Honey, It's All in the Shoes a delightful read. Hoffman tells her stories of everything from business to family with relation to her shoes and the result is a fun and entertaining read. Hoffman is always upbeat and her words are often inspirational as well.

Each chapter ends with a mini history lesson about either a style of shoe, or about a famous person and their love of shoes. This was a wonderful way to end each story and I actually ended up learning a lot! I would recommend Honey, It's All in the Shoes to shoe lovers and memoir lovers alike. 4 stars

A special thank you to TLC Book Tours for my review copy. Be sure to check out the page for the other tour stops.

Review: What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen

Book Info:
What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen

Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Viking Adult (July 9, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780670020959

Genre: Non-fiction

Rating: 5/5

At age forty-four, Alice Eve Cohen was happy for the first time in years. After a difficult divorce, she was engaged to an inspiring man, joyfully raising her adopted daughter, and her career was blossoming. Alice tells her fiance that she's never been happier.

And then the stomach pains begin. In her unflinchingly honest and ruefully witty voice, Alice nimbly carries us through her metamorphosis from a woman who has come to terms with infertility to one who struggles to love a heartbeat found in her womb, six months into a high-risk pregnancy.

What I Thought I Knew is a page-turner filled with vivid characters, humor, and many surprises and twists of fate. With the suspense of a thriller and the intimacy of a diary, Cohen describes her unexpected journey through doubt, a broken medical system, and the hotly contested terrain of motherhood and family in today's society.

I read a lot of memoirs, and I've honestly been in a bit of a slump with them lately. Even books that I'd thought I'd love have just been ok for me. I haven't read a memoir that has kept my attention all the way to the end in quite a while. When I picked this one up last night, I wasn't expecting too much, but was very happily surprised.

Cohen's writing flows amazingly well. I originally sat down in my hammock and planned on only reading a few chapters. Before I knew it, I was halfway through the book. I only got up to move inside because it had gotten too dark to read outside. Her voice is honest, wistful at times and even included a few laughs. She sets the perfect tone for the telling of her amazing story.

The smooth writing along with an incredible story made What I Thought I Knew a book I couldn't put down. Cohen is brutally honest in telling her story. As the story unfolded I almost expected to dislike Cohen, but that was never the case. She simply came across as a very conflicted woman trying to do the best she could with a completely unexpected situation. I highly recommend this one, even for those readers who usually don't read non-fiction. 5 stars

Review: The Blue Notebook by James Levine

Book Info:
The Blue Notebook by James Levine

Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (July 7, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0385528719

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 4/5

An unforgettable, deeply affecting tribute to the powers of imagination and the resilience of childhood, The Blue Notebook tells the story of Batuk, a precocious 15-year-old girl from rural India who was sold into sexual slavery by her father when she was nine. As she navigates the grim realities of the Common Street, a street of prostitution in Mumbai where children are kept in cages as they wait for customers to pay for sex, Batuk manages to put pen to paper, recording her private thoughts and stories in a diary. The novel is powerfully told in Batuk's voice, through the words she writes in her journal, where she finds hope and beauty in the bleakest circumstances.

I knew The Blue Notebook would be difficult to read, and it was. The subject matter is not light and the truthfulness of the situation weighed on me as I read. You know things like child sex slaves exist, but it's easier not to think of them. That's why books that tackle tough subjects are so important. They bring subjects that are difficult to discuss into the public eye.

While the subject matter was tough, the writing was very beautiful, and that made it seem almost surreal. It was strange to be reading about abuse and to enjoy the writing. Batuk had a wonderful imagination and this escapism helped her to survive a horrible situation.

While not an easy read, I think The Blue Notebook is very worth reading. The wonderfully descriptive writing and the authenticity of Batuk's voice alone make it a wonderful book. 4 stars

All of the U.S. proceeds from this novel will be donated to the International and National Centers for Missing and Exploited Children (http://www.icmec.org).

The Bottom Line, #2

The Bottom Line is a feature to designed to give quick and dirty reviews of books I've read, but I either don't have the time or the inspiration to write full reviews on them.


Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Publisher: Tor Teen (March 15, 2002)
ISBN-13: 9780765342300
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 3.5/5

I would never have thought of Sleeping Beauty in regards to the Holocaust, but it nicely done. I really enjoyed the first 2/3 of this book. Rebecca travels to Poland to figure out if there is any truth to her Grandmother's story of living in a castle. The final third of the book has a different narrator and I thought this was a little choppy. For parents reading with kids, there is some mention of homosexuality. ETA: Until I was writing this post I never noticed the face behind the barbed wire. I guess I'm not very observant...


The Plague by Joanne Dahme
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Running Press Kids (May 4, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780762433445
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 2.5/5

I was really excited to read a YA historical fiction as it seemed a bit different. I didn't find the story quite as smooth as I would have liked though. It seemed like there were characters randomly popping up and I found it a little hard to follow at times. There is a little bit of black magic in the book, which might appeal to some.


The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
Paperback: 624 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star (April 28, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781416549987
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4/5

The Lincoln Rhyme books are one of my favorite mystery series. Deaver never fails to amaze me with the twists he includes, but they never seem contrived or too convenient. I have to admit, I can't even tell you want this book was about anymore (I read it in Feb), but if you haven't read this series, and you enjoy mysteries, definitely check it out. The Bone Collector, the first in the series, was also made into a movie starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, and it's worth watching.



**If any of you graphics wizards would be so kind as to help me out with a button for this feature I would be forever grateful!

Review: A Final Arc of Sky by Jennifer Culkin

Book Info:
A Final Arc of Sky: A Memoir of Critical Care by Jennifer Culkin

Hardcover: 248 pages
Publisher: Beacon Press (April 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780807072851

Genre: Non-Fiction

Rating: 2.5/5

Buckling herself into the rear of an Agusta A109A, Jennifer Culkin prepares for the moment of lift. The deafening thrum of the helicopter announces the unknown perils and potential havoc that await.

A critical care and emergency flight nurse, Culkin treats patients who are most often in mortal danger. Aboard the Agusta, she is entrusted with the life of a seventeen-year-old pulled from the wreckage of a head-on collision as his father calls out a wrenching plea from below; she cares for a middle-aged man who is bleeding to death internally, remembering the four daughters who have kissed him goodbye, possibly for the last time. It is the arduous and acute struggle to keep her patients alive en route to the hospital that is Jennifer Culkin's most profound duty.

I've always loved medical dramas. ER and House are a couple of my favorites. What I like best about these shows is the suspense of them. Can the doctors and nurses figure out what's wrong and save the patients? I love the glimpses into the medical world and the look at the individual cases. That is what I was hoping to get from A Final Arc of Sky, and unfortunately, it wasn't quite what I was looking for.

I think my biggest problem with the book was that you never really got to know any of the patients. As a flight nurse Culkin didn't spend much time with any of them. You got a little info about what the case was going to be as she got ready for the flight, a little bit about the treatment during the flight, and then the patients were handed off. It kind of left an incomplete picture.

The middle section of the book deals with Culkins parent's medical problems. I have to admit, I didn't feel enough of a connection with Culkin to find this section of the book very interesting. I actually set the book aside for a number of weeks before picking it back up and finishing.

The book ended a little stronger with stories of pilots and nurses lost in crashes of the medical helicopters. Culkin told stories about those lost, and while I liked this section, it seemed a little choppy coming off of her parent's medical problems. A Final Arc of Sky wasn't quite what I hoped for, but it might be more interesting to those in the medical field. 2.5 stars

Review: The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips

Book Info:

The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips

Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Pocket (May 12, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1416527398

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 4/5

London, 1672: A vicious killer stalks the court of Charles II, inscribing his victims' bodies with mysterious markings. Are these the random murders of a madman? The deadly consequence of a personal vendetta? Or the grisly result of a hidden conspiracy?

Cambridge, 2008: A Trinity College history professor is found dead, the torn page of a seventeenth-century diary in his hand. His death appears to be an accident, but the college's newest Fellow Claire Donovan and historian Andrew Kent suspect otherwise. The professor's last research subject was Hannah Devlin, a physician to the king's mistress and the keeper of a diary that holds the key to a series of unsolved murders in 1670s London. Through the arcane collections of Trinity's Wren Library, the British Library, and the Royal Society, Claire and Andrew follow the clues Hannah left behind, unearthing secrets of the past and present as both stories unfold to their shocking conclusions.

After recently completing The Rossetti Letter (review), I couldn't wait to get started on The Devlin Diary. The Rossetti Letter pulled me in right from the start, but The Devlin Diary started a little slower for me. In The Rossetti Letter you knew right from the start what the connection between the past and the present was. In The Devlin Diary the connection took a little longer to establish and this slowed down the beginning of the book a little for me.

The Devlin Diary focused a little more on the story in the past, with about 3-4 chapters set in the past for every one in the present. The Rossetti Letter was a little more balanced between past and present and I liked that format a little better. I often found myself wishing for a little more time with Claire and Andrew.

Even with the few minor quibbles above, The Devlin Diary is another fast paced, engrossing historical fiction novel and I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Phillips. She has the wonderful ability to bring the past to life in vivid detail and I can't wait to see more of Claire and Andrew. 4 stars

Review: True Colors by Kristin Hannah

Book Info:
True Colors by Kristin Hannah

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (February 3, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780312364106

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: 3/5

The Grey sisters have always been close. After their mother’s death, the girls banded together, becoming best friends. Their stern, disapproving father cares less about his children than about his reputation. To Henry Grey, appearances are everything, and years later, he still demands that his daughters reflect his standing in the community.

Winona, the oldest, needs her father’s approval most of all. An overweight bookworm who never felt at home on the sprawling horse ranch that has been in her family for three generations, she knows that she doesn’t have the qualities her father values. But as the best lawyer in town, she’s determined to someday find a way to prove her worth to him.

Aurora, the middle sister, is the family peacemaker. She brokers every dispute and tries to keep them all happy, even as she hides her own secret pain.

Vivi Ann is the undisputed star of the family. A stunningly beautiful dreamer with a heart as big as the ocean in front of her house, she is adored by all who know her. Everything comes easily for Vivi Ann, until a stranger comes to town.

In a matter of moments, everything will change. The Grey sisters will be pitted against one another in ways that none could have imagined. Loyalties will be tested and secrets revealed, and a terrible, shocking crime will shatter both their family and their beloved town.

I loved Kristin Hannah's Firefly Lane (review). I listened to it on audio and fell in love with the characters and the story. I had high expectations for True Colors, and unfortunately, it didn't quite measure up.

I expected to love the characters and was disappointed when I didn't. I found Winona whiny and inflexible at times. She got so caught up in herself that she didn't seem to consider anyone else's feelings. Vivi Ann is the golden girl, the sister who everything goes perfect for. Her perfection at the beginning of the book put me off. I much prefer flawed characters. Aurora, the middle sister was the most interesting, the most real, but she played a minor role and we didn't see too much of her.

As the story went on the characters grew on me a little, but I never loved any of them. Then came the ending of the book...and I didn't like it at all. Everything was wrapped up a little too neatly and conveniently. I also had a hard time believing that Noah, Vivi Ann's son, would be as open and accepting of the changes in his life. While True Colors didn't match up to Firefly Lane I will still be reading more from Kristin Hannah. 3 stars

Review: Angel's Advocate by Mary Stanton (and giveaway!)

Book Info:
Angel's Advocate by Mary Stanton

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (June 2, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780425228753

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3.5/5

Money’s been tight ever since Bree Winston Beaufort inherited Savannah’s haunted law firm Beaufort & Company along with its less-than-angelic staff. But she’s finally going to tackle a case that pays the bills representing a spoiled girl who stole someone’s Girl Scout cookie money. But soon enough she finds that her client’s departed millionaire father needs help too. Can she help an unsavory father/daughter duo and make a living off of the living?

Ok, I have to admit...I generally don't read cozies or paranormals, so you would think this book would be completely unappealing to me. For some reason the description caught my eye and I thought I would give it a try. I'm really glad that I did. Angel's Advocate is the second installment in the Beaufort & Company series. The mixture of southern charm, the quirky cast of characters and suspense really works.

Since I don't usually read paranormals I was afraid there would be an overwhelming amount of unbelievable things happening. I didn't want this to be distracting as that's not my usual cup of tea. Overall, this wasn't the case. There were a few things (like the slime) that didn't really work for me, mostly because I just have a hard time believing in it, but I found the angels and their "extra" space around Savanna very fun.

My favorite part of this book, by far, was the eccentric and funny cast of angels sent to help Bree out. They range from a Russian paralegal, to a fashion conscious secretary, to a buff PI/bodyguard. The characters often had me laughing or shaking my head, but they were always entertaining.

I prefer my mysteries to be a little more hard core. Blood and guts don't bother me at all. While this wasn't my usual mystery book, I enjoyed this part of the story. However, I didn't find the mystery as compelling as the characters were.

Since this is only the second book in the series, I would recommend starting with the first book, Defending Angels. This book really helped set the stage and set up all the relationships between the characters. 3.5 stars

Be sure to visit the blog tour page and check out the other reviews, guests posts and author interviews.

********

The Giveaway:

Mary Stanton is giving away a signed copy of her book, Angel’s Advocate, to one lucky tour visitor. Go to Mary’s book tour page, http://mary-stanton.omnimystery.com/, enter your name, e-mail address, and this PIN, 5546, for your chance to win. Entries from Shhh I'm Reading will be accepted until 12:00 Noon (PT) tomorrow. No purchase is required to enter or to win. The winner (first name only) will be announced on Mary’s book tour page next week.

Good Luck!

Review: Best Intentions by Emily Listfield

Book Info:

Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: Atria (May 5, 2009)

ISBN-13: 9781416576716
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.5/5

After tossing and turning all night, thirty-nine year old Lisa Barkley wakes up well before her alarms sounds. With two daughters about to start another year at their elite Upper East Side private school and her career hitting a wall, the effort of trying to keep up appearances in a world where long weekends to St. Tropez are the norm, has become increasingly difficult, especially as Manhattan descends into economic freefall.

As Lisa looks over at her sleeping husband Sam, she can’t help but feel like their fifteen-year marriage is in a funk that she isn’t able to place. She tries to shake it off, telling herself that the strain must due to their mounting financial pressures. But later that morning, Lisa checks Sam’s voicemail, and hears a whispered phone call from a woman. Is he having an affair?

When shares her suspicions with her best college friend, Deirdre, at their weekly breakfast Deirdre claims it can’t be true. But can Lisa trust her? When Deirdre’s former college flame comes to town and the two couples meet to celebrate Jack’s fortieth birthday, the stage is set for an explosive series of discoveries with devastating consequences.

I was expecting pretty much a standard women's fiction with Best Intentions, and was pleasantly surprised to find it was so much more. It is a character driven novel that explores relationships, but with a twist. The added element of a murder mystery really set it apart from other books in the genre.

Emily Listfield does a great job of taking the reader on a roller coaster of emotion. Lisa's life is in turmoil on all fronts, and I could really feel her apprehension and misgivings coming through every page. There were a few times I got frustrated with her and wanted to tell her to do things differently, but I think this is a great sign that you are emotionally invested in the characters.

I really enjoyed seeing how actions, performed with the best of intentions, can spin wildly out of your control. 3.5 stars

Other reviews:
Peeking Between the Pages
She Is Too Fond of Books
S Krishna's Books
Word Lily
Bookopolis
Farm Lane Books

Review: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Book Info:
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (June 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780316051590

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4/5

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."

"Okay."

"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"

"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

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

The cover of Twenty Boy Summer caught my eye right from the beginning. I love the colors, and the pieces of beach glass. I'm not usually one who likes hearts on things, but it really works well for the book, and I like the cover even more now that I've read it.

Anna is an incredibly likeable character, especially for a teenager. Sometimes likeable characters can seem too good to be true, but Anna doesn't come across that way at all. She is just a good kid dealing with some hard times and looking for a little fun.

Ockler does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into her character's lives. Her descriptions had me experiencing the butterflies of a new romance and the anger and disappointment that come along when you fight with friends.

My one complaint with the book was the reference to Anna's virginity as an albatross. Yes, it's been a while since I've been in high school, and maybe there were some kids who looked at virginity that way, but I don't think it is the normal view. Maybe things have changed though...

I don't know if anyone outgrows the allure of a summer romance and while Twenty Boy Summer would be a great beach read, it also touches on deeper, more emotional topics as well. 4 stars

Review: Precious by Sandra Novack

Book Info:
Precious by Sandra Novack
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Random House (February 17, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781400066803
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.5/5

The summer of 1978, ten-year-old Vicki Anderson rides her bike to the local park and goes missing. Her tight-knit blue-collar Pennsylvania neighborhood, where children roam the streets at night playing lightning tag, above ground pools sparkle in backyards, and flowers scent the air, will never be the same.

Down the street from Vicki’s house, another family is in crisis. Troubled by her past, headstrong Natalia Kisch has abandoned her husband and two daughters for another man. Frank Kisch, grappling with his anger, is left to raise their girls alone, oblivious to his daughters’ struggles with both disappearances: Eva, seventeen, plunges into an affair with her married high school teacher, and nine-year-old Sissy escapes to a world of imagination and storytelling that becomes so magical it pierces the reality of the everyday.

When Natalia unexpectedly returns, the struggles and tensions that have built over the summer erupt into a series of events that change the Kisches irrevocably—forcing them to piece together their complicated pasts and commitments to each other.

Precious is a complex story of a family in turmoil. They are going through a very rough period and the story is not a light one. There are some light moments, but the sadness and uncertainty of what will happen to the family is primary. Sissy, the younger daughter, offers some lighter moments, but even these seem to be shadowed by her family's drama.

Usually when I read a book I have a pretty good idea if I like a characters before I get too far into the story. With Precious my feelings toward the characters kept changing. The voice of the story didn't change, but at different times seemed to focus on what each character was going through at the moment. For example, Frank, the father, originally came across as very distant and uninvolved with the crisis in his family. Once I got to know him a little better I could tell he was just trying to keep his family going as best he could. The focus on the different characters was a very effective way of showing all sides of the story.

I loved the ending of Precious. As I was getting close to the end of the story I was afraid that the ending would tie up the story a little too neatly. I am happy to say this didn't happen. The ending provided some closure but still left a lot of things open to speculation. I love an ending that give you something to think about after the story is over. 3.5 stars

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Sandra Novack for this review copy.

Other Tour Stops:

Monday, May 4th: Fizzy Thoughts
Wednesday, May 6th: Book, Line, and Sinker
Thursday, May 7th: Redlady’s Reading Room
Monday, May 11th: Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Wednesday, May 13th: Bookworm with a View
Thursday, May 14th: Pop Culture Junkie
Monday, May 18th: Literate Housewife
Friday, May 22nd: Booking Mama
Tuesday, May 26th: Book Addiction
Friday, May 29th: Diary of an Eccentric

Review: Outcasts United by Warren St. John

Book Info:
Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town by Warren St. John

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (April 21, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780385522038

Genre: Non-fiction

Rating: 4/5

Clarkston, Georgia, was a typical southern town until it was designated a refugee settlement center in the 1990s, becoming the first American home for scores of families in flight from the world’s war zones. Suddenly its streets were filled with women wearing the hijab, the smells of cumin and curry, and kids of all colors—children of war and displacement—playing soccer in any open space they could find. The town also became home to the charismatic Luma Mufleh, an American-educated woman from Jordan, who founded a youth soccer team made up of Clarkston’s refugee children. They named themselves the Fugees.

Outcasts United follows a pivotal season in the life of the Fugees and their coach, against the backdrop of an American town that without its consent had become a vast social experiment. Warren St. John documents the lives of this wildly diverse group of young people as they miraculously coalesce into a band of brothers, while also painting a fascinating picture of a fading American town struggling to make a haven for its new arrivals—and a community of refugees who, in the face of daunting challenges, transform the town.

Before reading Outcast United I never knew a town like Clarkston, Georgia existed. Of course I knew of refugees being relocated to the US, but I never imagined a small southern town being a destination for refugees from all over the world.

Outcasts United is a wonderful story of friendship and hard work centered around a group of refugee children and their soccer teams. Even if you don't have much knowledge of soccer I think most people would find this story interesting and uplifting. Luma, the Fugees coach, gives an amazing amount of time and love to these kids in an effort to make them responsible young men. She comes across as a little harsh sometimes, but surprisingly, never as unlikeable.

Interspersed between the stories of the kid's soccer games are the histories of some of the refugee families. While the stories, nationalities and circumstances are all different, there is the common theme of losing your entire life as you know it, and having to start over in a completely foreign place. Many of the families knew little or no English and most had few marketable job skills. Even with all these challenges, the families profiled are hardworking and are trying to make the best of their new situation.

My one complaint about the book is that the ending is a bit abrupt. I think this is because of the ongoing nature of the story, but if left me wanting more information, which could be a good thing too...

I really enjoyed this touching story and would highly recommend this one to soccer fans, memoir lovers and those interested in refugee stories. 4 stars

Other Reviews:

Book Addiction

Literary License

BookNAround

Your Kid's Not Going Pro

Review: The Simplest of Acts by Melanie Haney

Book Info:
The Simplest of Acts: And Other Stories by Melanie Haney

Paperback: 102 pages
Publisher: Lulu.com (January 10, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780557035908

Genre: Short Stories

Rating: 3.5/5

Melanie Haney's debut collection of short stories captures rare glimpses into the beauty and strangeness of ordinary life.

This collection includes her award winning stories, "The Simplest of Acts" and "Only in Bellington" among other carefully wrought tales of loss and love and the small - perhaps overlooked - moments of catharsis in our ordinary lives.

I've read a lot of short stories this year, and I've realized that it's a format I really enjoy. I have a lot of respect for authors that can make readers feel a connection with characters in such a short amount of pages.

Ms Haney's story collection is slim at 102 pages, but it packs an emotional punch in those pages. The stories range in length from about 2 pages to 18 pages. The 2 page story didn't really stick with me as it really wasn't enough time for the characters to make an impression, but my 2 favorite stories were 4 and 6 pages.

All of the stories deal with a loss of someone close to you. In some stories it's the loss of a parent, in others the loss of a child. The stories aren't depressing though. Instead they focus on the simple things that bring comfort in hard times.

A couple of my favorite stories were "An Ordinary Evening", "Sweltering" and "The Simplest of Acts". "An Ordinary Evening" is the story of a mother keeping vigil over her dying daughter in the hospital. "Sweltering" is the story of a cat who makes an appearance in a young couple's life and what he means to them. "The Simplest of Acts" is about losing your mother and the loss of all of the traditions that were uniquely hers. This collection of stories is an emotionally satisfying read, and some of the stories have really stuck with me. 3.5 stars

Other Reviews:

Bibliophile by the Sea

Bookopolis

Peeking Between the Pages

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: Breakneck by Erica Spindler

Book Info:
Breakneck by Erica Spindler

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (January 20, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780312363901

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Rating: 3/5

Hot on the heels of their last case, partners Mary Catherine (M.C.) Riggio and Kitt Lundgren, detectives in the police department's Violent Crimes Bureau in industrial, blue-collar Rockford, Illinois, are called out to a college student’s apartment where a young man with no criminal record, not even a noise complaint from his neighbors, appears to have been murdered in his sleep.

The trail seems cold, until another victim turns up, and then another… each one striking closer to home for M.C. The growing list of seemingly emotionless kills leaves M.C. and Kitt little to follow—like the first victim, all the targets are young adults, kid-next-door types who’ve never taken a step outside the law. Meanwhile, the case starts to take its toll on M.C.’s personal life, setting her on edge with her partner and putting their hard-earned friendship in jeopardy. As M.C. and Kitt hunt a faceless killer, they are led deep into the cyberuniverse, where no one is who he seems and you never know who's watching. At the heart of this mesmerizing thriller is the relationship between two headstrong women as they struggle to balance their dual roles, to learn to trust, and to walk the fine line between upholding the law—and taking it into their own hands.

Mysteries are the hardest genre for me to review. Unless there is a crazy twist, or characters I love, they tend to run together for me. Most mysteries contain such similar elements that it takes something special to set it apart from the pack. Breakneck didn't have that.

Breakneck is enjoyable, and it's a fast read with short, exciting chapters, but there wasn't anything amazing about it. Maybe if I was more invested in the characters, as the are part of a series, I would have liked it better. Some of the victims are close to one of the detectives and this helped me get a better feel for her as you see her emotional response to the killings. But, overall it was a pretty standard mystery. 3 stars

Erica Spindler's Website

Thank you LibraryThing for my review copy

Review: Siam Nights by by J.F. Gump & Giveaway

Book Info:

Siam Nights: A Love Story by J.F. Gump
Paperback: 296 pages
Publisher: Sabai Books (November 9, 2008)
ISBN-13: 9780971485525

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: 3/5

Bad Luck Lady...She calls herself that sometimes. Tippawan is her given name but everyone knows her as Math. She doesn't know where her nickname came from, she just accepts it without question as a proper Thai lady should.

Math is a beautiful young woman in a mad dash to find herself. Her search takes her from the resort town of Pattaya on the Gulf of Siam to the beautiful city of Chiang Mai in the north. From the bed of her American lover to the arms of her dying father, she lives each day as if it might be her last. Join Math as she passes through one year of her incredible life.

I loved this book's setting in Thailand. Thailand isn't a country I know too much about, and what I have heard is mostly rave reviews for the beautiful beaches. Siam Nights introduces you to a different side of Thailand, one that most tourists don't see as it is populated with locals and their customs. I found this authentic view of Thailand fascinating.

Math is a complex character. In some ways she is the demure, contrite, proper Thai woman, but in other situations she is outspoken and brave. I found the difference interesting and honest. I think a lot of people behave one way around their families and sometimes very differently around their friends.

I found the flow of the writing a little halting at times. I think most of this was meant to portray Math's competency, but not proficiency, with English, but sometimes it was a little distracting. One thing I loved with regards to the language was in the inclusion of Thai phrases. They added another realistic layer to the book as I think some phrases would flow better in your native tongue than a secondary language.

Math is an entertaining and memorable character, and if you enjoy books set in far-off locales this is one for you. 3 stars

The Giveaway:

Mr Gump has graciously provided an autographed copy of Siam Nights: A Love Story to be given 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 April 29 and the winner will be chosen by random and posted on April 30.