BOOK REVIEW: "Garden Spells"

Garden Spells

By Sarah Addison Allen

Copyright 2007

Bantam Books

Adult Fiction

4 Bookmarks

I don't normally read too many fantasy-type books, but this one had just the right touch of magic.  In Garden Spells, we are introduced to the Waverly family.  Each member has a special gift.  Evanelle has a tendency to give people things that they only later on realize they need (two quarters for someone who, days later, needs to make an emergency call; new sheets for someone who suddenly receives a surprise visitor, etc.)  Sydney is a Waverly sister with a knack for cutting hair in such a way that it brings out the very best in a person's apearance. Bay is Sydney's daughter.  She knows where things belong; where a fixture in a house belongs, where a person belongs. 

And then there's Claire.  Claire lives in a special home with a special apple tree in the backyard.  Anyone who eats one of that tree's apples will see the most important event of their life happen.  The herbs in Claire's garden are also special.  They help Claire to make delightful foods for her catering business that help people to see things in a different light; a woman who wants her husband to notice her more, a person who wants their friend to show more understanding, and discouraging unwanted attention from a new neighbor.

The author does a great job of weaving the mystical elements into the story without it feeling like a mystery.  This is just the world of the Waverly's and everyone in the small town where they live knows it.  It was a fun story, a quick read, and would be great for a women's book club. 

BOOK REVIEW: "The Golden Prince"

The Golden Prince

By Rebecca Dean

Copyright 2010

Broadway Paperbacks

Adult Fiction

3 Bookmarks

What happens when a prince who is destined to rule England falls in love with a commoner?  This is a fictional tale about the controversy surrounding Prince Edward in the early 1900s and his refusal to accept the expectations of his position.  Prince Edward (David, as he is known to his family) falls in love with Lily Houghton and tries every possible way to disobey the king's command that he marry a princess.  His father, instead, sends him away and thinks he has put his son far from the tempting situation. 

But the distance only makes David more sure of what he wants.  He decides he will refuse to take the crown and will pass his kingly torch to his brother Albert.  Lily knows that David will make a wonderful king and decides that she, a simple commoner, cannot be the reason for David to give up his birthright. 

The result is unhappiness for all involved parties.  Prince Edward (David), although he is eventually crowned as king, refuses to marry the princess his parents had courted on his behalf. 

I don't care for stories that end sadly, but this one had so much that was based in fact that I truly enjoyed the historical nature of it.  Although we don't know the exact circumstances of this time in Prince Edward's life, we do know that he later on does abdicate the throne to his brother Albert, who becomes a great leader during World War II.  Nice historic touch to this one. 

BOOK REVIEW: "Love Walked In"

Love Walked In

By Marisa de los Santos

Copyright 2006

Penguin Books, Ltd.

Adult Fiction

3 Bookmarks

I hate stories with an "ick" factor.  And this wasn't your typical "ick" either.  This is a story about Cornelia Brown who is waiting for her prince to ride in on a white horse.  Well, more specifically, she is waiting for Cary Grant to show up in her life.  Fixated with the old, classic love story movies, Cornelia's dates just never seem to measure up.  That is, until Martin Grace enters her life.  Not only is he the spitting image of Cary Grant, but he is a true gentleman besides! 

Cornelia thinks she is in love, but there's just something that's not quite right. 

In the meantime, the story flashes to 11-year-old Clare Hobbes.  Clare's mother is slipping deeper and deeper into psychosis every day until Clare is faced with the realization that her mother can no longer care for her.  Estranged from her uncaring and mostly absentee father, Clare doesn't feel she has anywhere to turn.  When she realizes things have become dire, Clare makes a desperate phone call to her father to tell him what is going on.  He doesn't listen and casts her worries aside, as Clare had expected he would.  So Clare makes a plan.  She creates lists for how to make it through each day so that no one finds out what is going on and takes her away from her mother.  She manages for quite some time, but then her mother takes off, abandoning her completely, and her father is the only one to turn to. 

Clare's father, of course, has no clue how to handle the situation, and even less clue how to comfort Clare over the loss of her mother and the fact that he had ignored her previous concerns.  It is only when her father's girlfriend Cornelia steps in and holds her during her tears that Clare finally feels safe. 

Cornelia, of course, cannot understand why Martin has no connection with his child, especially when she falls in love with her within minutes.  And frankly, as the reader, I couldn't understand it either.  I felt decidedly uncomfortable with the thought that there are parents out there who feel absolutely no connection with their child at all, and what can happen as a result of that.  Ick. 

The ending does make up for some of the ickiness, but I was definitely uncomfortable reading some of the passages in the book.  As a parent of an 11-year-old, I was just sickened at the thought of such a young child feeling so unloved and having to be so grown up.

BOOK REVIEW: "Safe Haven"

Safe Haven

By Nicholas Sparks

Copyright 2010

Grand Central Publishing

Adult Fiction

4.5 Bookmarks

Okay, so maybe I have a little secret crush on Nicholas Sparks (I do keep reading his books, after all).  But this one was a little bit of a departure from his typical lighthearted love story. 

The main character, Erin, has escaped her abusive cop husband and is hiding as Katie in a small town far, far away from her previously life.  Katie works as a waitress and keeps to herself, until she meets a widower named Alex, and a new neighbor named Jo.  Katie opens up a bit to Jo, and then Alex and his two children become friends with Katie.  She eventually lets her guard down enough to consider the possibility of that friendship becoming more.  As Sparks develops those relationships, the story flashes back periodically to her abusive marriage and the intricate planning she had to go through in order to escape.  It also focuses on her husband, Kevin, who has never stopped looking for her and is spiralling deeper and deeper into an alcohol-induced psychosis. 

I didn't want to put this book down until I found out how it ended (so many of Sparks' stories, after all, have sad endings).  And I don't want to spoil it for you, but the twist at the end was a good one!  I really enjoyed the character development, especially Erin/Katie, who showed extreme strength in overcoming the obstacles that she faced in her life.  I have always had a soft place in my heart for women who are trapped in situations that they cannot get out of, and her character definitely showed through.  The book had just the right amount of suspense and storytelling.  This would be a great book club read! 

BOOK REVIEW: "Girls in White Dresses"

Girls in White Dresses

By Jennifer Close

Copyright 2011
Knopf, Borzoi Books Random House
Adult Fiction
2 Bookmarks

A somewhat tamer version of "Sex and the City", this faintly entertaining tale of three friends who deal with the constant pressure of other friends getting married and having babies ended up being a little bit disappointing by the end. 

Lauren, Isabella and Mary pop in and out of each other's lives, and the lives of too many other friends to list.  The story basically follows the three who navigate their way through different jobs, different boyfriends, singleton times, and all sorts of craziness and jealousy.  Of course, everything pretty much works out in the end (you wouldn't have expected anything to the contrary with as predictable as the storyline flowed).

But the author was pretty good at creating fun anecdotes and side stories so I wasn't ever really bored reading it.  The story just lacked any meaning or real purpose.  I didn't really care about any of the characters by the time I was done reading it and the whole "adults who's lives aren't keeping up with their friends' lives" theme is so overdone, I was just underwhelmed by this one. 

Song of the Day: "Try"

"Try"
By P!nk
The Truth About Love

Heard this song for the first time today and one line stayed with me:  "Just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die. Gotta get up and try." Cool song!  (Plus the guy in the video has amazing abs...)

BOOK REVIEW: "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

By Mary Ann Shaffer

and Annie Barrows

Copyright 2008

The Dial Press

Adult Fiction

4.5 Bookmarks

Yes, I know.  This is just about the stupidest book title you've ever seen in your life.  What, you may ask, was I thinking when I picked it up and decided to read it?  Well I'll tell you.  I was thinking that a book with this stupid of a title must have something interesting inside in order to compensate for the ridiculous name (and I was also thinking that I saw this title on the list of "100 books you JUST MUST read" so it must have some redeeming qualities).

This is an unconventionally written tale about a small town on the Channel Island of Guernsey recovering after a five-year occupation during WWII.  The story is written as a series of letters between a writer named Juliet Ashton who survived the war in London, and the residents of Guernsey who formed a literary society, in part to help them pass the time during the occupation, but mostly as a cover-up for when they were caught out after curfew one night by the Germans.  Juliet also pens letters to friends, and the residents of Guernsey write to the friends once Juliet decides to visit the island in person. 

The entire story was beautifully written, and so clever how the authors were able to convey the sentiments of the survivors of the war through the correspondence between the characters.  As a reader, I was able to sympathize with them for what they had been through, but at the same time, was able to see their strength and their readiness to move forward with their lives despite the terrible experiences they had survived.

A very heartwarming story, clever and enjoyable to read.  This would make a GREAT book club book and would be enjoyed by a wide variety of readers.  Truly a great, great story (And yes, I would have given it 5 Bookmarks if it had had a better title). 

 

BOOK REVIEW: "True Believer"

True Believer

By Nicholas Sparks

Copyright 2005

Warner Books

Adult Fiction

3.5 Bookmarks

As I usually do, I enjoyed this book by Nicholas Sparks.  True Believer had a slightly different twist than most of his stories.  Journalist (of sorts) Jeremy Marsh has stumbled across a story about a haunted cemetery in the small town of Boone Creek, North Carolina.  Jeremy makes the trip to see what all the fuss is about and ends up in the middle of a mystery that he decides he wants to solve.

In the meantime, he meets the town librarian Lexie Darnell and thoughts of heading back to the big city start to slip out of his mind.  Lexie, of course, has demons in her past and she isn't sure she wants to let go. 

The love story develops in a fairly typical manner for Sparks and by the time you get to the end of the story you definitely have the "awwwwww" factor that we've all come to expect with these stories. 

I was a little disappointed in the development of some of the characters or this would have gotten a higher ranking.  But I sure do love a good love story. 

BOOK REVIEW: "Slicker"

Slicker

by Lucy Jackson

Copyright 2010

Lazybones Inc, LLC

Adult Fiction

3.5 Bookmarks

Fun book!  Young Desiree Christian-Cohen, a budding writer, decides she needs to get away from her life in New York City.  With recently divorced parents, a recently out-of-the-closet father, and an elderly grandparent being cared for by her mother, she just can't take it anymore.  She closes her eyes and points at a map and ends up a few days later in Honey Creek, Kansas. 

Desiree spends the summer in Honey Creek, inveigling herself into the locale with her charm, wit and just the plain and simple fact that she is a tourist where they've never seen a tourist before.  Desiree falls in love with the country folks, the simple life and a young man who is able to fill the void she didn't even know she had. 

There were some bad moments in the book:  when Desiree's ex-boyfriend shows up and threatens to ruin everything, when one of her new friends shows up at the local diner beaten up by her boyfriend.  But for the most part, it was a light-hearted and fun book to read.  My favorite line in the book was "Don't bother trying to understand someone else's life.  It's one of those things that can't be done."  Simple words from a simple character, but they rang true to Desiree. 

Loved that the title is really calling her a city slicker and has nothing to do with the raincoat on the cover. 

BOOK REVIEW: "She Walks in Beauty"

She Walks in Beauty

By Siri Mitchell

Copyright 2010

Bethany House Publishers

Adult Fiction

3.5 Bookmarks

Although I've always been a fan of historical fiction, I picked up this book not so much for the content but because the title comes from one of my very, very favorite poems ever (yes, I have a secret crush on Lord Byron). 

This is the story of Clara Carter's entry into the social world in turn-of-the-century New York City.  Clara is a smart girl, not interested in the balls, the parties, the afternoons "in".  Instead, she dreams of going to college and making a difference in the world, but her father and aunt have different plans.  So Clara is thrust into the thick of things and is soon paraded in front of various potential suitors.  However, her guardians have made her very aware that only one particular suitor will do. 

Clara resigns herself to her lot in life and actually seems to start enjoying the dancing and dressing up.  Frankly, I was disappointed in her character for not fighting the societal expectations more than she did, but what do I know about what life was like in 1891.  Still, I would have liked her to have a little more spunk.  In the end, she does become a little stronger of a person and does some good. 

Not sure there's much else to say about the plot on this one.  It's a nice little love story with a few entanglements thrown in: a best friend who is trying to woo the same guy, a father who is involved in scandal, etc.  While it was quite an enjoyable read, there were a few details that were disturbing.  Some to do with the practice of corsetting.  Who knew how absolutely awful THAT was!  I will never be jealous of a woman with an 18-inch waist again.

I recommend this if you like Jane Austen or the Brontes.  It's similar in tone and topic.  Not too deep though. 

BOOK REVIEW: "Siddhartha"

Siddhartha

By Hermann Hesse

New translation by Susan Bernofsky
Copyright 2006
Random House Publishing
Classic Literature
4.5 Bookmarks

So I thought I would take advantage of being at home today and catch up a little on my blog posts.  I've actually read quite a few books over the past six weeks, so I'll put a few reviews up here today. 

This was a favorite of the books I've read lately.  It is the story of an Indian Brahmin who gives up his life of class and privilege to become a seeker on a spiritual journey.  I'm sure there are some who would read this and compare it to the parables written by Paulo Coelho.  In reality, Siddhartha was written nearly 100 years ago and seemed to me a possible inspiration for some of Coelho's writings.  If you appreciate Coelho's writings, you will enjoy this book as well.

Siddhartha is a young man who one day makes the terrible realization that perhaps the love of his mother and father, and even his best friend Govinda, would not be enough to "forever suffice to gladden him, content him, sate him, fulfill him."  And thus begins Siddhartha's spiritual journey to find the thing that will give him the fulfillment he so desires.

He joins the Samanas, a group of wandering ascetics, who practice strict self discipline to help them on the road to enlightenment.  When he finds that not to be the path to his goal, he leaves the Samanas and finds a road to the merchant class where he lives for many years.  When he discovers that is not the answer either, he finds his way to a ferry station where he lives next to the river and finally finds the answer he is seeking.  It comes down to something so simple, that he can hardly believe it himself once it comes to him.  "....Everything that is appears good to me," he tells his friend Govinda when their paths cross at the end of life.

There were so many wonderful phrases and such descriptive prose in this book.  It was truly enjoyable to read.  At only about 120 short pages, I breezed through it in a short amount of time but did go back and re-read some of my favorite parts.  Highly recommend this one.

BOOK REVIEW: "The Good Psychologist"

The Good Psychologist

By Noam Shpancer

Copyright 2010

Henry Holt & Co, LLC

Adult Fiction

3 Bookmarks

I have always believed that most psychologists are folks who are a little nuts (in a good way, of course) and basically just want to figure themselves out (this is also why I think I would have been a GREAT psychologist).  That theory is fairly evident in this debut novel by Noam Shpancer.  The main character works in a center for the treatment of anxiety where he meets his latest client, a stripper whose anxiety has brought her an inability to get back on stage. 

The psychologist deals with his own strange attraction to the stripper, all the while trying to encourage her to work through her fears.  At the same time, he maintains a strangely obsessive relationship with another psychologist he had met at work and had a brief fling with at a business conference.  He casually relates the fact that this fling ended with a child coming into the world (a child he has never met before), and casually mentions the fact that the other psychologist is married.  It is obvious he has never really dealt with the issues surrounding that little love triangle and, frankly, he doesn't even know how to begin to examine his own role in it all.

In the meantime, the psychologist also teaches a night class and we get some nice diverting "lessons" thrown into the midst of the story.  Add an angry boss (you know, the guy who runs the strip club waiting for his favorite stripper to overcome her anxiety and get her naked butt back on stage), and a lot of interesting self-talk, and it made for a fairly entertaining read.

I don't know that I would read this one twice, but I didn't feel like it was a total waste of time either.  Just a kind of interesting little trip into the psyche of a psychotherapist. 

BOOK REVIEW: "The Chemistry of Joy"

The Chemistry of Joy

By Henry Emmons, M.D.

with Rachel Kranz

Copyright 2006

Fireside Books

Non-fiction

3.5 Bookmarks

Always fighting those depressive demons, when I saw a friend suggest this book to another depression sufferer, I decided to pick it up and see what it was all about.  The book starts out with an interesting premise:  that depression can be lessened by combining western science and eastern philosophies in a sort of multi-pronged approach to treatment. 

I can buy that.  The author spends quite a bit of time talking about brain chemistry and the "how" of depression, along with some of the positives and negatives of traditional treatments.  He then goes into Ayurvedic theory, defining people into air, fire and earth types.  The author explains how the different Ayurvedic types have different needs and respond to different treatments.  I found that I am mostly an "air" type (with a little "fire" thrown in for good measure).  I have cold hands and feet, prefer hot drinks, I sleep lightly and have a restless mind, am prone to anxiety but overly discriminating and compulsive in routine.  Yep, that about sums it up. 

So apparently I need to give myself more down time, create a more consistent schedule and eliminate stress.  LOL.  Wife, mom, Realtor......how likely is that?

I did get a couple of good tips from the book on some meditation exercises, and a reminder to journal my feelings (which I haven't done in a very, very long time).  Plus a chapter called "Strategies of wisdom" which included a paragraph about the importance of having someone in our lives who really knows how to listen. 

The author writes, "When someone listens not with their ears or their thinking mind, but with an open heart and a nonjudging mind, then the soul feels safe to come out and reveal itself....This kind of exchange is a gift for both the speaker and the listener, a relationship that goes beyond the unequal roles of helper and helped....Rather, the exchange is a relationship of two souls, in which 'the god in me meets the god in you' and both parties are the richer for it.  The remarkable thing about such a soul relationship is that whether you are the speaker or the listener, you benefit a great deal." 

Those words struck such a chord in me.  To have that type of a relationship is something to be truly cherished.  That one paragraph alone was worth reading the entire book.

BOOK REVIEW: "Life After Genius"

Life After Genius
By M. Ann Jacoby
Copyright 2008
Grand Central Publishing
Adult Fiction
4 Bookmarks

Gotta love the smart kids. You know, the ones who skip ahead a grade. Then skip ahead again. Life After Genius is a story about one such kid from a small town (the kind of small town where people get trapped in a dead-end life and can never leave).  The boy was named Theodore Mead Fegley. Teddy, as he was called throughout childhood, leaves for college in the big city at the age of 15, decides on a new persona and begins answering only to his middle name of Mead. Mead fits into the college scene like a square peg in a round hole, but muddles through and eventually begins to thrive.

So much so that when he is on the verge of proving an important math hypothesis but packs up and leaves school right before graduation instead, everyone around him scrambles to find out why.

Mead goes home to the small town and his eclectic family, including a helicopter mom (you know who you are) and an undertaker father.  He tries to fit back into that world, even helping his father clean up the dead before burial, but won't answer anyone's questions about why he left college in the first place. 

As the story unfolds we find out details about another smart kid named Herman who was in college with Mead.  Herman, it turns out, had become somewhat of a friend to Mead.  We learn he had something to do with Mead fleeing school but we don't yet know what the connection might be. 

We also read about Mead's cousin, Percy, who had recently died a tragic death after escaping the small town post-high school and fleeing to the big city.  One of the most profound moments in the book is when Mead is talking to Percy's ex-girlfriend about why they had broken up.  She says, "I think I reminded him of his past.  And he didn't want to be reminded.  It was almost as if he feared being sucked back in."  As someone who grew up in a small town and escaped out into the bigger world, I can completely relate to this sentiment. 

I really enjoyed the flow of the writing in this story.  I am also not usually a big fan of suspense, but there was just enough of that to keep me wondering page after page what was going to happen next.  Oh, and I liked the clever cover of the boy's legs with two different colored socks (as a parent of a smarty-pants child who frequently wears two different colored socks, it struck a nerve).  Good writing.  Good story.  Good ending.  This is a recommend. 

SONG OF THE DAY: "Rainy Monday"

"Rainy Monday"
by Shiny Toy Guns