Whiskey & Charlie

"Whiskey & Charlie" by Annabel Smith
Published by Sourcebooks Landmark
ARC provided by Bookreporter
Finished 3/28/15


3.5 / 5 stars


I won this book from Bookreporter. When it first arrived, I read the back cover to remind myself of what the book was going to be about and then opened it right up. The minute I saw the table of contents was the "two-way alphabet", I knew I was going to enjoy it. So creative!! And then the ability to weave the story around the alphabet so smoothly was simply amazing. It always fit yet never felt forced. The storyline itself had potential to become sappy on a few occasions but I never felt that it did. I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending - in some ways I feel like everything was resolved too neatly yet, it's the outcome I wanted so how can I complain.

Hood

“Hood” by Emma Donoghue

Published by

Read on Nook – finished 3/12/15

2/5 stars

I read this book as part of a challenge to read outside of my normal genres.  It won the American Library Association’s Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Book Award for Literature so it fit one of the categories I needed to fill.  It is the story of a young woman morning the sudden loss of her partner of the last 13 years.  The story only takes place during one week, however, there are a great deal of flashbacks during that week.  I thought that would make for a great love story but to me, it feel way short.  Admittedly, the sex scenes were too detailed and uncomfortable so I found myself speed reading through most of them but I don’t think that affected my opinion.  I think the author did a good job on the effects of the main character living in the closet with her job and family and thus having to mourn a best friend rather than a lover/spouse but missed many opportunities to show love and instead chose lust.  She also seemed to prefer to cheapen the relationship with affairs by one of the women rather than have more romance.  Overall, I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone but wish I had picked a better book.

"At the Water's Edge"

“At the Water’s Edge” by Sara Gruen

Published by Spiegel & Grau (Random House)
ARC from NetGalley – finished 3/2/15

4/5 Stars                             

At the height of WWII, young socialites leave their partying lifestyle in Philadelphia and head to Scotland in search of the Loch Ness monster.  Sounds odd, doesn’t it?  If I hadn’t known this was by the same author as “Water for Elephants” I don’t know that it would have peaked my interest.  But I greatly enjoyed that book so decided to give it a try.  I’m so glad I did – it was such a pleasurable book.  There is just so much more to this story - the search for the monster is really just a back story.  There is love and compassion with a couple pieces of evil built in.  The female characters are my favorite – strong with a soft side as well.  There are still signs of weakness and viewing the world through rose colored glasses, but don’t we all have that inside us?  The male characters are well developed as well, even though you may not like them all.  You have the confused drug addict, the humorous side kick, and the strong, heartbroken hero.  Woven together, they create a great story that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of this novel.

"Amy and Isabelle"

“Amy and Isabelle” by Elizabeth Strout

Published by Vintage
Listened to the audio – finished 3/2/15

3/5 stars for me

A single mother and her teenage daughter in a small town in the 70s, each trying to define themselves.  Overall, this was a good story but I felt there were parts that didn’t belong or just didn’t fit, if that makes sense.  There were also relationships that I felt should have been expanded on rather than just touched on – they would have brought more depth. 

I picked this up because I enjoyed the author’s two most recent books.  This is her first novel – her writing has definitely grown over the years.

"Before I Go To Sleep"

“Before I Go To Sleep” by S J Watson

Published by Harper Collins

Read for bookclub – finished 2/25/15

 

5/5 stars!!

 

Life without memories of the last 20 years.  Waking up each day not knowing where you are or who the person is sleeping next to you.  That would be a little scary wouldn't it?  That is what is happening to Christine so at the recommendation of a doctor, she starts to keep a journal - this book is made up of daily journal entries of her trying to get her memories back and make sense of it all. 

When you decide to start this book, make sure you have plenty of reading time ahead of you because you will not want to put it down.  It is full of drama and suspense that keep you constantly turning those pages, wanting to read “just 5 more minutes” before putting it down.  It will keep you guessing as to the outcome just about the entire book.  It’s hard to believe this was this author’s debut novel.  Luckily, he has a new one coming out very soon for me to sink my teeth into, or should I say eyes :)

 

The down side, if you have seen the movie already (which I haven’t), I can’t imagine you would enjoy the book as much.  Already knowing what happens will take away the fun of the suspense, the curiosity of the unknown.  So, if you are at all interested……read the book first.  The movie can come later.

"The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy"

"The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy"
By Rachel Joyce
Published by Random House
ebook from NetGalley - finished 2/22/15

Only 2/5 stars

This is a perfect example of when a sequel is truly not needed.  In fact, I feel like by reading this it took away some of my enjoyment of “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”.  I think the author should have left well enough alone, left Queenie as more of a mystery.  This book wasn’t even their love story, it was her relationship with Harold’s son and her last weeks in Hospice.  I do think the slight twist, if you want to call it that, at the very end was a nice touch and a needed piece to make parts of the book more realistic.  It was a nice ending to just an OK story.

"The Same Sky"

“The Same Sky” by Amanda Eyre Ward

Published by Ballantine Books

NetGalley ebook – finished 2/15/15

5/5 stars

I love a book that makes me feel, and this one does just that.  While reading this book you will feel compassion for the 2 main characters over and over again.  They each have their own needs and wants and struggle to obtain them.  During their lows, you want to reach into the book to give them a hug and tell them it will be OK, that you are there for them.  During their highs, you want to give them a little “way to go” congratulatory pep talk.  Yes, you will become that attached.

The book is composed of two separate stories told in alternating chapters.  One is the story of a young girl in Honduras and her quest to be reunited with her mother in America.  The other is the story of a young woman in Texas who is unable to have children but craves motherhood.  At one point in the book you will probably figure out how the two stories will eventually tie in together, but I’m not going to tell you because you just might be wrong.

If you would like to read a non-fiction book regarding a young boy’s journey from Honduras to America riding the trains, I highly recommend “Enrique’s Journey” by Sonia Nazario.  Now that book was an eye-opener for me that I still think of whenever the topics of immigration and the American borders come up.  And I read it years ago – it will stay with you, as I think “The Same Sky” will as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of “The Same Sky” in exchange for an honest review.

"A Small Indiscretion"

"A Small Indiscretion" by Jan Ellison
Published by Random House
ebook from NetGalley - finished 2/11/15


3/5 stars


This is an odd book - I'm not sure how they can compare this to "The Girl on the Train" in the hype. Maybe because they both have alcoholic women as main characters? I just don't see the comparison. And this isn't close to being written as well.

This is story of a women telling the past and current parts of her life to her college aged son while he is in a ooma recovering from an accident. Some of the things she says to her son, I couldn't imagine telling my child nor hearing it from my mother. And the flow from 20 years ago to present isn't smooth so you feel that it jumps around quite a bit. This is a debut novel though so maybe as she gains more writing experience, her books will improve.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

"Have a Nice Guilt Trip"

"Have a Nice Guilt Trip" by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
Published by St. Martin and MacMillan Audio
Listened to Audio book - finished 2/10/15


3/5 stars


Listening to these entertaining stories was just what I needed to pass the time during my commute. I love Lisa Scottoline's novels and truly enjoyed hearing her tell these. I wonder if the next book of hers I read, will be in a Philly accent? :)  I do think these family stories are geared more towards the female audience but men might enjoy some of them as well.                   

"The Alphabet House"

“The Alphabet House” by Jussi Adler-Olsen

Published by Dutton
Ebook from NetGalley – finished 2/5/15

5/5 stars

Oh my goodness, what an outstanding book!  I loved it from beginning to end.  It is the story of two English childhood friends who leave home to fight in World War II.  While on a recon flight over Germany, their plane is shot down.  You then follow these best friends on their fight for survival both during the war and life afterwards.  But don’t get comfortable thinking you know what will happen next or how it will end because I don’t think it’s a predictable read at all.  It kept me captivated and was hard to put down.  I would occasionally confuse who was who when it came to the German names, but I was able to quickly correct myself and it never took away from my enjoyment of the story.  And I liked how it was told from various points of view – it would lead to some small areas of duplicity of the story line but it never felt repetitive.  I definitely highly recommend this one and wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up in the movie theaters one day.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book for an honest review in return.

"Frog Music"

“Frog Music” by Emma Donoghue

Audio book published by Blackstone Audio

Finished listening 2/2/15

 

Just 3/5 stars

 

I truly enjoyed parts of this book but other parts (i.e. the sex scenes) I wasn’t impressed with, thus it only gets 3 stars.  I listened to it during my commute to and from the office and while doing my weekly grocery shopping.  It did help pass the time but there were many occasions that I had to ask myself “Do I really care if I finish this book and solve the mystery?”  I think I kept at it simply because I loved “Room” and assumed it was going to get better at some point.  Granted, the stories were nothing alike so you can’t really compare them.

"Through the Fog"

“Through the Fog” by Michael C. Grumley

Published by Thomas and Mercer
NetGalley copy – finished 1/29/15

3.5/5 stars

This is a short, quick moving story that I was able to read in one evening.  Granted, I was up until mid-night to finish it but it was still just one evening.  That in itself says a lot for me.  If a book can keep me awake that late on a weeknight, it has done a great job pulling me in and keeping my interest.  I probably would have given it 4 stars, however, there were a couple things that didn’t appeal to me.  I didn’t like the way the Roa character was introduced and then not revisited for a long time.  I think that expanding on that character and revisiting him more often could have added a lot to the story.  My other issue with the book was the ending – instead of continuing the storyline further for a smooth ending (and more of a full sized novel), I felt like the author just wrapped it up with a bow to put it away and be done with it.  I did enjoy the book, but felt there was potential to have it be even better so I just can’t give it a higher rating.    

"Inside the O'Briens"

"Inside the O'Briens" by Lisa Genova (love her!)
Published by Gallery Books
Advanced copy from NetGalley - finished 1/29/15


4/5 stars!

I truly enjoyed reading Lisa Genova’s other 3 books and as expected, I enjoyed this one as well.    Although she has a PhD in neuroscience, Ms. Genova has a way of educating you on a brain related issue without writing “above” you.  She weaves the information into her stories naturally, without any kind of text book feel to it.  It is truly an art.

With her latest upcoming novel, “Inside the O’Briens”, we are taken into the world of Huntington’s Disease- a genetic disease that creates mood swings and takes away muscle control, eventually leading to death.  As the O’Brien children (early 20s) hear of their father’s diagnosis, they are also told that each of them has a 50% chance of having it as well.  The story then follows the family’s lives for a year, watching the father’s symptoms grow, seeing how he and the entire family are dealing with his deterioration, and seeing how each child deals with the choices given to them as to whether or not to test for the gene and regardless, how to live their lives in the shadow of such a disease.  It truly makes you think – what would I do?

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.   

"The Girl on the Train"

"The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
Published by Riverhead (a member of Penguin Group)
I read the paperback ARC (borrowed from friend) - finished 1/24/15


4.5/5 stars


Worthy of all the praise it is receiving - consider it a must read!  I finished it in 2 days because I never wanted to put it down. 


This is a GREAT "who done it" novel told by 3 different narrators - an alcoholic that has missing and disjointed memories; a woman with a past that haunts her; and the woman who stole the alcoholic's husband.  All 3 are dysfunctional in their own way and draw you further into the story.  When one goes missing - is it foul play?  If so, who is to blame?  You will change your opinion multiple times throughout the book.  I can't tell you more without giving it away so you'll need to read it and figure it out on your own.  Just be ready for a roller-coaster ride when you do. 

"Hush (A Laveview Novel #1)"

“Hush” by Stacey R. Campbell

Green Darner Press

Net Galley book – finished 1/21/15

 Just 3/5 stars - nothing spectacular

I received a copy of this YA book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

It is the story of young man named Max who finds a picture and an address in his aunt’s desk which peaks his interests.  His research takes him to a boarding school in Canada where he meets Blakely, a young lady he believes to be a princess that was secretly given up for adoption at birth.  The story that follows is exactly as you would expect it to be – no surprises.  Although the main characters are 17 and 18 years old, the story is written more at the level of a 10-12 year old. 

"True Sisters"

"True Sisters" by Sandra Dallas
Published by St. Martin's Press
Read the hardcover - finished 1/17/15


I'll be nice and give it 2.5/5 stars but truly, not a book for me. 


It's historical fiction regarding the journey of recently converted Mormons to the Zion.  They travel to the US and walk from Iowa City to Salt Lake City, pushing handcarts of their limited possessions through the heat of the prairies and the snow of the mountains.  I believe the author's intension was to have a novel showing the strengths of the women in the story but truly, all the negativity within the story overshadowed it.  I am not Mormon (and neither is the author) but throughout the book, I found it to be quite insulting to their faith.  Granted, the novel takes place during the early years of the religion where there were many issues with it such as polygamy, but I didn't feel any of the positives of the religion were represented and I'm sure there were some even back then.  After all, the religion did survive and is quite a strong faith.


The other issue I found was that it seemed repetitive at times.  It needed the storylines to vary a little more or just cut some of it out.

"Eleanor & Park"

"Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
Published by St. Martin's Press
I read the hardcover edition - finished 1/13/15


4/5 stars

I truly enjoyed this YA novel - a love story between 2 teenagers finding their true inner-selves. It gave you a look into the lives of those being bullied, but not your typical "I will overcome it" kind of story. More of an acceptance of it and getting through life in spite of it. I wanted a different ending, but that just would have been sappy and so unlike Eleanor and Park. They are far from a sappy couple so I guess it ended how it should have.

"I Have People"

"I Have People" by Taylor Dean
Published by Create Space
Read on Nook - finished 1/9/15


Another 3/5 star read
A women wakes up after being in a coma for 8 months.  Is she remembering life correctly????  Will she ever remember just what kind of accident put her in the coma???  I think the intension was to keep you guessing as to just what happened and who is who throughout the book, but it was pretty easy to figure out.  That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it - there just weren't any real surprises.

"The Almost Moon"

"The Almost Moon" by Alice Seabold
Published by Little Brown and Company
Hardcover - finished 1/6/15


Just 3/5 stars for this one.
Although quite disturbing and difficult to read in places, this book held my interest. I wanted to keep reading to see how it ended (which I didn't like, but won't ruin for others).  I greatly enjoyed "Lovely Bones" by this author so I will definitely read other books she writes.

First book of 2015 - "A Storied Life of A. J. Fikry"

"A Storied Life of A. J. Fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin
Published by Algonquin Books
Read on Nook - Finished 1/3/15


5/5 Stars for me!!!
This is a must read for all book lovers - you will love A.J Fikry and the characters surrounding him. It's a short, quick read (partially because you won't want to put it down) but well worth the time and effort.

A new way to share my love of reading

I love to read!  When I'm not working or carting my daughters off to their various activities, I have my nose in a book.  I like to consider it my hobby :)  Between my Nook (the original, no-frills kind) and what I like to call "tree books", I read about 60 a year.  This year I'm adding audio books into the mix to make my commute more enjoyable so I'm guessing I'll end up with a number closer to 75 for 2015.


I also love to discuss books and recommend great books to others.  I'm part of an in person book club and an online reading group via GoodReads.  If you aren't a member, you should be - you'll find your list of "books to read" will grow by leaps and bounds and you'll find yourself reading and enjoying books outside your comfort zone.  Anyway, now I thought I'd try my hand at a reading blog.  You've heard the saying, "I'm a lover, not a fighter".......well, I'm a reader, not a writer.....so, we'll see how this actually goes.  Normally, my reviews are pretty short and to the point but with this extra practice, maybe they'll improve with time.  That's my hope at least :)  Feel free to leave me feedback and/or let me know your opinion on a book I've reviewed here.


Stay tuned for more.
Lynn