Calling Me Home

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler is a novel about a secret relationship between a young white girl and a black boy, deeply in love in 1930's Kentucky. This is the story of their forbidden relationship and its lifelong consequences.

Kibler writes in present day and the past, speaking  from the voices of two women, young and old, each struggling with their own demons, traveling on a road trip together to a funeral. The characters and the story are both compelling and I was hooked from the start.

This is a tragic story that tells of our shameful history and how racism still exists in some parts of the country. A worthwhile read.

Archangel

Archangel is the new collection of short stories by Andrea Barrett. I am not usually a fan of short stories, as they seem to always leave me wanting more, and I much prefer the novel. However, Barrett is a master, and I was sold from the very first story.

Her writing is filled with scientific discovery, mostly in the early 20th century. Some of it is based on fact and some of the stories have overlapping characters. Barrett is one of the most intelligent writers I've read in a long time. Yet at the same time, her stories are filled with compassion and insight into the human heart.

Amazing. Highly recommended.

Intuition

Intuition by Allegra Goodman is a brilliant novel that takes the reader deep inside scientific labs where cancer research takes place. Set in Cambridge, Goodman probes deep into the world of research, politics, ethics, and truth.

A rare achievement. Goodman's writing is pitch perfect and the novel is compelling to the end. A recommended read.

The Smart One

The Smart One by Jennifer Close is a novel about family. It is the story of three grown kids who move back home to deal with their various problems, and their Mother (who has always been considered the smart one) welcomes them all, and feels overwhelmed at the same time.

Although the novel could have used better character development, Close captures the emotional nuances of the family members well. There's nothing extraordinary here, in fact it's quite ordinary, but that's what makes it a good read, Close's ability to write about everyday life and how we muddle through, with a little help from our family.

The Cookbook Collector

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman is a bit misleading by it's title. It is about an antique cookbook collection, not the collector himself. We also don't even get to the cookbooks until about half way through the book, which is a shame, as they were the best part of this novel.

It is a modern day story about those who made it rich in the internet hey day of the late 90's. Interspersed with this story are gems from a rare collection of very old cookbooks. The story centers around two very different sisters and their lives and relationships.

Although I enjoyed Goodman's writing, I found that the different story lines didn't really work well to form a complete whole. Still worth reading for the cookbooks alone.

The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo

The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck tells the story of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo's tumultuous life from her her blue house in Coyoacan Mexico to her travels to America and Europe, her marriage to Diego Rivera and the many artists she surrounded herself with throughout her life.

I know the story of Kahlo's life well, so there wasn't a lot new here. In this book, Haghenbeck brings her to life through dream images, journal entries and the wonderful Mexican recipes she cooked (which are included in the book.) The recipes transported me to Mexico and were my favorite part of the book.

Although I don't think Haghenbeck is the best writer (and there are many better things written about Kahlo), it is a fitting tribute to a passionate and remarkable woman who has become nothing less than an icon of Mexican culture.

The Signature of All Things

The Signature of All Things is the new novel by Elizabeth Gilbert, of Eat, Pray, Love fame. It is a big sweeping epic novel spanning the mid-18th through19th centuries, focusing on one family of explorers and botanists.

The novel centers around the life of Alma Whittaker, a brilliant woman born into luxury at the turn of the19th century in America. With a curious mind and the freedom to explore it, she becomes one of the best naturalists of her time, writing papers and books and eventually traveling the world to try to satisfy her need to understand everything.

The novel is filled with many interesting characters, yet I didn't fully believe in all of them. Half way through the book, the novel seems to take a drastic turn and become another book altogether.

Gilbert is not my favorite writer, however, this is a well researched work and a worthwhile read.

The Fever Tree

The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh follows the life of Frances Irvine, a wealthy young woman in Victorian London. After her father dies, she is left with no money and forced to accept a marriage proposal to a distant cousin living in South Africa. Once there, she discovers as much about herself as the place.

In stunning prose, evoking vividly the wide open plains and the horrors of the diamond mines, McVeigh brings the town of Kimberly and the surrounding area alive. It is a very real journey of self discovery as well as a picture of a brutal time in South Africa's history.

A great read.

The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo

I finally got around to reading The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson. Murder mysteries are not really my thing, but with so much hype around this book, I thought I would read it. The character of Lisbeth Salander is certainly compelling, and Larsson has created a well written, intelligent mystery that keeps you up late at night turning the pages.

What I wasn't expecting was the level of violence against women, and I found it very hard to read at times. No one seemed to mention this in all I've heard of the book, so I am actually surprised at how inured we have all become to such violence, as it was a central theme of the book.

A disturbing, yet intriguing read.

Trains and Lovers

Trains and Lovers is the latest novel by Alexander McCall Smith, although by the time I finish writing this he will probably have a couple more novels out, as he is the most prolific writer I have ever read.

This novel isn't part of any series he writes. It is the story of 4 people who meet briefly as they take a train together from Edinburgh to London and share their stories of life and love and trains with each other.

A charming, easy read. Although not my favorite of his many books, McCall Smith always has wonderful insights into human nature and relationships and seems to be in no shortage of stories to tell.

The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells

The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer, is a novel for those who enjoy time travel.

Greta is deeply depressed in 1985 after the death of her twin brother and departure of her longtime lover. She consents to undergo an experimental treatment similar to electric shock which sends her into other lives in other times. With a little suspension of disbelief it is possible to travel through time with Greta as she inhabits each of these three lives in alternating sequences.

A fun and fascinating portrait of life in 1918, 1941 and 1985. I enjoyed the novel, but never cared enough for any of the characters to get deeply invested. It was a little hard to keep track of their different personalities as they all kept changing through time. An interesting, if somewhat forgettable, novel.

The Shortest Way Home

The Shortest Way Home by Juliette Fay tells the story of one family torn apart by death and loss. Sean, the 43 year old protagonist returns home to Belham, Massachusetts after 20 years away working as a nurse in the most war torn Thirld World countries in the world. He is burnt out and plans to recuperate a while before heading back out into the field.

At home he finds his younger sister, tired of holding down the fort in his abscence, his failing aunt, and his 11 year old nephew, who has problems of his own. As he reunites with family and old friends, his escape becomes more and more complicated.

Fay's writing draws the reader in immediately, so that we find ourselves caring about what will happen to each of these characters.As in her earlier novel, Shelter Me, Fay's gift is bringing the emotions of the characters alive, so that they become real and the reader is invested. It ended a little too abruptly for me, however it is still a wonderful novel and a really good read.

The End of Your Life Book Club

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe is a memoir about Mary Anne Schwalbe and her son Will, who form a book club of two during the remaining two years of Mary Anne's life, after she is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The book club meets mostly during Mary Anne's chemo treatments.

This book was so moving for so many reasons. Mary Anne lead a very inspiring life, fighting for the rights of refugees, and working tirelessly to bring a library to Afghanistan in her last days, to name just a couple of her accomplishments.

I loved how deeply literature played a part in both Mother and son's lives. Being avid and wide-ranging readers, literature is a living breathing force in their family, giving them direction, understanding, guidance through difficult times, inspiration, courage and sometimes just a smile or a laugh. The stories help inform their lives. I have always felt this way about books, and I was moved me to tears to be in the company of people who felt the same way, and who drew comfort from books, even in such a difficult time.

Whether you are an avid reader or not, this is an inspirational story, with a wonderful reading list at the back. Highly recommended reading.

The Firebird

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsly is a big fat romantic novel full of mystery and travel and a little magic.

Nicola Marter has the rare gift of psychometry, touching an object and being able to see its history. She works for an art dealer and holds a small carved wooden bird that the owner claims once belonged to Catherine the Great. There is no proof of this, yet Nicola knows it to be true as she has seen it all as soon as she held the bird.

This sets Nicola upon a path of discovery that becomes more personal than she could have imagined, as she embarks on a journey to Scotland, and then St. Petersburg.

Reminiscent of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series, you will either love it or hate it. I loved it. Nothing remarkable about the writing, just a great story I was happy to get caught up in and go along for the ride.

The Last Runaway

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier (author of Girl With a Pearl Earring) is a novel set in Ohio in the 1850's. It tells of a Quaker woman, Honor Bright, who has travelled with her sister from England to start a new life in a new world. Her sister dies during the journey, and she finds herself alone in a strange new land.

The women who befriend her have a secret to keep, and Honor needs to decide if she will help them or not. The novel is set during the time of the Underground Railroad, a network set up to help runaway slaves reach freedom.

It is a powerful tale, and Chevalier skillfully brings frontier America to life at a time when many were still struggling with the moral implications of slavery. Recommended read.

Peaches for Father Francis

Peaches for Father Francis by Joanne Harris is a continuation of Chocolate, the Story of Vianne Rocher as she returns eight years later to the little French village of Lansquenet, where she had a chocolate shop and fell in love with a gypsy named Roux (played by Johnny Depp in the movie Chocolate.)

I love this story and the way Harris brings the sights sounds and smells of a place to life, especially through the use of food in her novels. Much has changed in Lansquenet in the years Vianne has been away, and she returns to find a new community of Muslims settled there, at odds with the Catholics in town. Mostly it stems from one mysterious woman who wears the veil at all times, and has a devastating effect on the community.

However, all is not as it appears to be, and with insight and a little bit of magic, Vianne begins to uncover what is really going on. A wonderful continuation of the story that left me only wanting more.

A Hundred Flowers

A Hundred Flowers is Gail Tsukiyama's latest novel. I always look forward to reading her books and wasn't disappointed this time. Her elegant prose is beautiful to read, and in her deceptively simple style, she brings us deep in to the emotions of her characters, while the place comes alive as well.

This novel is set in China, in 1958 during Mao's reign. It focuses on one family of intellectuals, and what happens when one decides to write a letter challenging the government. The protagonist, Kai Yin is left to raise her son alone when her husband is taken to be 'reeducated.'

A beautiful story of grace and courage during difficult times. I loved this novel. Highly recommended.

The Poet Prince

The Poet Prince by Kathleen McGowan is the third book in The Magdalene Line Series. It is my least favorite of the three, but still worth reading if you are already invested in the series.

This time, the novel is set in Florence during the Renaissance, and explores the lives of Lorenzo de' Medici, Botticelli, and Michaelangelo, as they relate to the story of the teachings of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The modern characters in this novel are not as central as in the earlier two books, and this part of the book was lacking and felt incomplete.

McGowan continues to bring to life women whom history has ignored, and it is for these insights that the books continue to hold my interest. Although meant to be a trilogy, McGowan is currently at work on the fourth novel in the series, sure to please fans.

The Book of Love

The Book of Love by Kathleen McGowan is book two of The Magdalene Series, following The Expected One.

In this historical fiction novel, McGowan writes of the undiscovered gospel written in Jesus' own hand as preserved and taught by Mary Magdalene.

The story is also set in the present day, again following the life of Maureen Paschal as she is led into a new mystery uncovering this lost document, as well as the life of eleventh century Countess Matilda of Tuscany, another expected one and protector of the true teachings of Jesus.

This time her search takes her to Italy where she is immersed in the mysteries of the labyrinth, and other aspects of the secret society that has thrived there for centuries.

It is a fascinating continuation of the story and will keep readers up late into the night discovering secret symbols that have been hidden in plain view all along. An engaging read.

Consider This, Senora

Consider This, Senora by Harriet Doerr is a novel set in a small town in rural Mexico in the 60's.

Three North American women come to build houses here and for one, live out the rest of her days. Deceptively simple, the novel shows how Mexico changes each of these women, as the local people carry on with their lives.

Beautifully written.

Still Alice

Still Alice by Lisa Genova is an incredible novel about a 50 year old woman named Alice, at the height of her career as a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard, who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

The novel is written in the voice of Alice. Through letting Alice tell her own story, Genova gives us a powerful and in depth view into the mind of someone with Alzheimer's. It becomes increasingly painful to read, as Alice's mind is slipping away to the point where she doesn't even recognize her own children.

Genova holds a PhD.in neuroscience from Harvard and researched this book with great care. It has been endorsed by the National Alzheimer's Association, and gives a view not often presented of how Alzheimer's can strike the young and how little we can do about this disease.

A brilliant and heartbreaking novel. Highly recommended.

The Expected One

The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan is a novel about Mary Magdalene that McGowan researched for two decades. In the same vein as Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, this novel is filled with hidden scrolls, secret societies,  ancient mysteries, symbols, and most importantly, the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

At the heart of the novel is Maureen Paschal, "The Expected One" who is meant to uncover the original gospel of Mary Magdalene. Whether or not you believe the claims that McGowan puts forth in this book, it is a great read, I couldn't put it down. I am looking forward to reading the next two novels in the series.

What Matters Most

What Matters Most is a recent novel by Luanne Rice. Rice is a very prolific writer who has the ability to create memorable characters that readers care for deeply.

Here we meet James (Seamus) Sullivan and Kathleen Murphy. Two orphans who grew up together in a Dublin orphanage and were raised by nuns. We also meet Tom Kelly and Sister Bernadette Sullivan. Their four lives are intricately woven together long before they even know it.

This is a novel about the enduring power of love, faith and family. The story moves from Ireland to New England, from cliffs and seashores in one country to the other. Although not her best novel, it is still an engaging, hard to put down read.

The Piano Tuner

The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason is a beautifully written novel that takes the reader deep into the heart of Burma. In the late 1800's, Edgar Drake, a shy, middle aged piano tuner from London is sent into the jungle in Burma to tune a piano for an eccentric army surgeon.

This is a wonderful story that had me hooked from the beginning. I was transported while reading this novel. Mason's details about music, pianos, and piano tuning are fascinating, as well as his descriptions of Burma.

A beautiful, yet sad novel. One that will linger long after the last page is turned.

Maya's Notebook

Maya's Notebook is the new novel by Isabelle Allende. Allende is a master storyteller and I always look forward to reading her novels. However, if you haven't read anything by her, start with something older, as Maya's Notebook was disappointing.

In the front of the book, Allende dedicates this novel to the teenagers in her tribe. All I can think is that this is meant to be a cautionary tale, warning them against the evils of drugs, strangers, and other evils of the world. It is also part love story to Allende's beloved Chile.

Although her skillful writing is present throughout the book, the uneven story and characters didn't draw me in as Allende's novels usually do. Skip this one and read The House of the Spirits, or Eva Luna.

The Writing Circle

The Writing Circle by Corinne Demas is about a group of writers that call themselves the Leopardi Circle. They meet weekly to read and critique each others work, and it was fun to have a peek into this world.

Nancy, the newest member of the group is wary of Gillian, a world famous poet. As the story unfolds, told through several different voices, the intrigue mounts and the plot thickens.

I was deeply engrossed in this novel until the end. I found it ended in a way that was much too quick, unbelievable, and mildly disturbing. It left me wanting a much better ending for what had been an engrossing story up to that point. Disappointing.

The Dressmaker

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott is historical fiction about the sinking of the Titanic and what happened in it's aftermath. This is not a story I had heard before.

Alcott is a journalist. This is her first novel, and it is highly researched. In it, she tells the disturbing tale of selfish and cowardly behavior on the part of several survivors, who were in nearly empty lifeboats, yet refused to turn back and help rescue the hundreds of others drowning nearby.

The story is told from the point of view of Tess, a young dressmaker trying to make her way in America, and caught between loyalty to the woman who could make her dreams come true, and her conscience.

An interesting and illuminating novel.

Breath, Eyes, Memory

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat is a novel about a young girl who grows up in Haiti, then moves to New York to be with her mother when she is twelve..

Danticat is an wonderful writer. She also moved from Haiti to the U.S. when she was twelve and began writing only two years later. Her writing is sparse, poetic, evocative.

The novel is filled with beauty and sadness. A powerful story by an amazing writer. Highly recommended.

Dreaming in English

Dreaming in English by Laura Fitzgerald is the story of Tamila Soroush, an Iranian young woman who marries an American man that she falls in love with while in the States in a tourist visa, then trys to go through the process to stay.

It is an interesting cross cultural novel, however, I found the characters one dimensional and mostly unbelievable. A feel-good novel, where everything works out in the end.

It is an OK read, but for a much deeper look at the immigrant experience, try Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, the semi-autobiographical novel about Kwok's experience coming from Hong Kong to New York when she was young.

Inferno

Dan Brown's newest book, Inferno, is another big thick page turner that you can lose yourself in. It is written in a similar style to Da Vinci Code. Professor Robert Langdon travels around Europe with a pretty young woman searching for hidden clues to unlock a mystery and help save the world. This formula works for him.

Although not as good as Da Vinci Code, it is better than The Lost Symbol. It's worth reading for the fabulous art history lessons alone. I always learn a lot from Dan Brown's books, and although he isn't the greatest writer, I enjoy them nonetheless.

Kayak Morning

Kayak Morning, Reflections on Love, Grief and Small Boats by Roger Rosenblatt is a small, elegant book where Rosenblatt tries to come to terms with his ongoing grief over his daughter's death two years earlier.

He has taken up kayaking early in the morning near his home where he sinks deep into solitude and thought while he is out on the water. We are all richer because he has shared his experience with us.

A review by Publishers Weekly states "His words connect in a way that conveys his sadness but also affirms the goodness of life." This is exactly how I felt reading this poetic book. While Rosenblatt's grief is palpable, I didn't feel sad while reading this book, but rather grateful for the beauty of his words that touched me so deeply.

Vampires in the Lemon Grove

Vampires in the Lemon Grove is the new book of short stories by Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!

I'm not a big fan of short stories, I prefer reading novels, but I wanted to give these a try, as Russell is a fascinating, young author with a very original voice.

Here she doesn't disappoint in the originality department, however, these should have been labeled as horror stories, as that is what they truly are. Russell is an amazing writer with a deeply twisted mind, and these stories are not for everyone. I found them haunting and creepy, the kind of stories that can give you nightmares. Mostly they felt unresolved, which is often the problem I have with short stories.

Yet Russell still fascinates me. She is a true original. Read at your own risk.

Oleander Girl

Oleander Girl is the new novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Divakaruni is a brilliant writer, and here she has crafted another wonderful story that follows Korobi, a young Indian girl engaged to be married, yet discovering a secret from her own past that sets her on an unexpected journey to the United States.

Kolkata comes alive in these pages, as do the all the different characters that make up this novel. It is a story of culture, family, racism, coming of age & self discovery, all handled with an emotional depth only possible by a master storyteller.

Recommended reading.

The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club

The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil is a feel good novel about second chances, through opening up your own knitting store in a small seaside village in England, and hanging out with glamorous movie stars.

There's nothing too original here, and the characters are pretty predictable, but it's a fun read nonetheless, if you're in the right mood. Personally, I love novels set in England for the language alone, not to mention the humor.  This story follows a group of knitters in a newly formed "Stitch and Bitch" group where women get together to knit, talk story, drink, eat and form lasting bonds of friendship.

A fun summer read.

A Natural History of Dragons

A Natural History of Dragons, A Memoir by Lady Trent is a fictitious memoir by Marie Brennan. It is written in the Victorian style and is full of adventure and humor, as Lady Trent recalls her first youthful expedition to study dragons.

The most memorable part of the book is the fantastic drawing of the dragon on the cover. I wanted to be so drawn in that I would come away almost believing in dragons, but this didn't happen. It was a mildly interesting, yet mostly forgettable read.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, is the haunting new novel by Karen Joy Fowler. Told by Rosemary, a 22 year old undergraduate at UC Davis, she recalls her early life with her older brother Lowell, and her sister Fern, neither of which she has seen in over a decade.

The story of this unusual family becomes more mysterious as it unfolds. Fowler is a brilliant writer. She has created a story so complex and rich in detail, that it is impossible to separate the beauty and joy from the pain and heartache; they are all tightly woven strands of a rich and colorful tapestry.

I loved this novel, yet also found it highly disturbing. Not a book that will be soon forgotten.

The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing

I never read The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank when it was wildly popular a decade ago. I just recently picked it up, and it is as funny and relevant now as it was then.

It is written as a series of connected short stories featuring young, single Jane Rosenal trying to make her way through the treacherous territory of dating, family relations, work, etc.

Bank's writing is funny and insightful. I laughed all the way through this book.

The Happiness Project

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin tracks a year of Rubin's life where she sets out very systematically to become happier. I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't relate to most of Rubin's thoughts on how to pursue happiness. It was not until the end of the book that she even considered changing her own attitude, and then only begrudgingly.

She has methods and systems in place to help others set up their own Happiness Project and a blog you can follow as well. She has a pretty happy life to begin with, which she admits, so this isn't a book aimed at truly unhappy people. I liked the idea, but nothing here really resonated with me. Others, however, might find some insight here.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple is one of the most original books I've read in years. Told from the point of view of Bernadette's fifteen year old daughter Bee, and written mostly in email correspondences, the book could have been nothing more than a gimmick that didn't really work.

However, due to Semple's wit and clever writing style, the story flows seemlessly through countless emails, memos, police reports etc. We meet Bee's mother, Bernadette, a brilliant architect who has been in hiding for the past 20 years, then literally goes missing in Antarctica.

The story is original, funny, entertaining and heartfelt. A surprisingly deep novel that captures the emotions of all three family members searching for something that has been lost.

Semple is a brilliant writer. I loved this book.

Corfu

Corfu by Robert Dessaix is a novel loosely based on the life of little known Australian writer/actor Kester Berwick. 

The main character, also an Australian actor and traveler, finds himself in Corfu and rents Berwick's house for a few months while he is away. While there, he meets up with the local ex-pat community, puts on plays, and reads Berwick's books, letters and other writings. His own life begins to mimic Berwicks, as he tries to navigate his way through failed love affairs and contemplates heading back home.

This is a novel for travelers. Anyone who has spent a great deal of time away from home will appreciate Dessaix's observations and longings. A beautifully written novel.

A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea

A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea is the debut novel by Dina Nayeri  The novel tells the story of Saba and her twin sister Mahtab, growing up in 80's Iran after the revolution. When they are 11 years old, a terrible accident happens, and Saba is unclear whether Mahtab is alive or dead. Her only memory is seeing her get on a plane to America with their Mother.

After Mahtab and her Mother disappear, Saba begins fashioning tales of their life in America. She grows up with her wealthy Father in a small village outside of Tehran, and fills her world with illegal tapes of Western music, movies, and magazines. She learns English on her own and is determined to go to America one day and find her Mother and sister.

Nayeri is a wonderful storyteller, and I felt transported to a small village in Iran. The story is told from many perspectives, including the village women who stepped in to help raise Saba after her Mother disappeared.

A sad, yet beautiful novel. Highly recommended.

The Shoemaker's Wife

The Shoemaker's Wife, the latest from Adriana Trigiani, is a sweeping family saga following the lives of two Italian immigrants at the turn of the century who move from their small villages in the Italian Alps to NYC, meet, eventually fall in love and start a new life together in Minnesota. This story is based on the lives of Trigiani's grandparents.

Being the grandaughter of Italian immigrants myself, I loved this story. It tells the tale of hardworking immigrants trying to make a new life for themselves in a new place, all the while sending money home to Italy to help build a better life for their families there. This is a well researched novel full of beautiful details that bring the places and people alive.

I've always enjoyed Trigiani's novels, but this is my favorite so far. Recommended as a great summer read.

The Newlyweds

The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger is a novel about a marriage between a Amina, a young woman from Bangladesh, and George, an engineer from Rochester New York. They meet online and marry a year later, The novel tells about Amina's new life in America and her quest to bridge the gap between the two cultures. The novel is loosely based on the life story of a woman who Freudenberger met on an airplane.

Freudenberger creates real characters that the reader can relate to. I cared deeply about what was going to happen to Amina and her family, and couldn't put the book down. The novel is a wonderful view into Banladesh culture as well. A very good read.

Prayers for Sale

Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas is historical fiction set in a Colorado mining town in the 30's.  Dallas brings the harsh reality of living in a mining town to life.

The story focuses on the unlikely friendship between 86 year old Hennie Comfort and 17 year old Nit Spindle. As Nit spends her first year in the town, and Hennie spends her last, Hennie decides to pass all her stories on to the young girl, often told while quilting together.

My grandmother grew up in just such a town and we used to hear her stories about it when I was little. Dallas is a wonderful storyteller and a wonderful writer. I loved every moment of this book.

One Glorious Ambition

One Glorious Ambition, The Compassionate Crusade of Dorthea Dix is the latest historical fiction by Jane Kirkpatrick. She chronicles the life of New England activist and reformer Dorthea Dix.

Living in the 1800's when women had very little voice, Dorthea crusaded tirelessly on behalf of better conditions for the mentally ill. A lonely woman from a broken family, she feels a call to serve from a very young age.

Kirkpatrick's novel is a deeply personal portrait of this fascinating woman and this time in our country's history. While slavery was the issue of the day, Dorthea was fighting for the rights of the all but forgotten mentally ill.

The novel is long and a bit tiresome by the end, however still well worth reading.

Tapestry of Fortunes

Tapestry of Fortunes is the latest from Elizabeth Berg. If you are a big Berg fan, this is sure to please, if not, you might find it a lot of forgettable fluff.

Four women who hardly know each other set off on a life-changing road trip. I didn't believe any of it. The only thing I will remember from this book is it's pretty cover.

Try earlier Berg for more depth.

NW

NW, the new novel by Zadie Smith is about the North West corner of London, where Smith was born and raised. The novel tracks the lives of four inter-related, yet very different people who live there.

Smith is a truly original writer, and has her own distinctive voice and style. However, this novel didn't work at all for me. I couldn't wait to be through with it. I felt it was all style over substance, and was left feeling very disappointed by the end.

If you want to try reading Zadie Smith, I would suggest On Beauty or White Teeth.

Noah's Compass

Noah's Compass is the eighteenth novel by Anne Tyler, (my favorite is Digging to America.) This novel tells of a 60 year old man who has just lost his teaching job. He moves into a smaller apartment and his first night there he is hit over the head and robbed. He wakes up in the hospital and remembers absolutely nothing of the incident.

His search to regain his lost memory leads him to engage with a professional 'rememberer,' and the story takes off from there.

Tyler is a wonderful writer, yet I found it hard to care too deeply about the characters in this novel. It was all a bit depressing and forgettable.I still really enjoy reading Tyler's novels, but this wasn't my favorite.

The Housekeeper and the Professor

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa is an elegant and restrained novel about a Mathematics Professor who has suffered a head injury and retains only 80 minutes of memory. Every 80 minutes he starts again completely from scratch, and remembers only what is written on notes he keeps pinned to his suit. He forms an unlikely, yet touching friendship with his housekeeper and her son.

This is a beautifully told tale full of the magic of numbers and equations that can lead to the most unexpected revelations. A truly original book. Ogawa is an accomplished writer. I loved this book, and it will stay with me for a long time.

Highly recommended

The Island

The Island by Victoria Hislop is a novel set on a small island off the coast of Crete called Spinalonga. Spinalonga was a leper colony for over half of the 20th century.

The novel is beautifully written, well researched historical fiction. It is family saga, set on the island, and in the nearby village of Plaka, a small Greek seaside village in neighboring Crete. Hislop tells of the prejudice and misconceptions that surrounded leprosy at the time, and one families tragic struggle to cope with the disease.

Hislop is a wonderful storyteller. I didn't want to put the book down. A great read.

Wild

Wild is a bestselling memoir by Cheryl Strayed. Strayed, now in her forties writes of the time in her mid twenties, just after her mother had died suddenly of cancer at the young age of 45. Strayed was lost and her life was spiraling downwards, resulting in divorce, one night stands, and drugs.

In order to pull her life together, Strayed decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. This is a bold move for an inexperienced backpacker and a woman alone. Wild tells this story. It moves from the back story of Strayed's life, to the daily beauty and agony of hiking the trail.

This is a courageous journey, and she writes about it with honesty and bravery. This book is not for everyone, but I enjoyed it, and it made me want to hit the trail.

The Mercy of Thin Air

The Mercy of Thin Air is a novel by Ronlyn Domingue that follows Raziela Nolan as she travels in the in between space for decades after her death, searching for her one true love. She dies young in an accident in New Orleans in the 1920's, and the novel moves back and forth in time from her real life to her afterlife.

Raziela and her mother were both activists for women's rights in the early 1900's. Its an interesting portrait of life for women at that time, up through the present day, as well as an exploration of what it might be like to continue living as spirit, once our body is gone.

I didn't find this book particularly remarkable, but I enjoyed it.

Cutting for Stone

After reading so many average novels, it is wonderful to read a truly extraordinary novel, and that is just what Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese is.

Cutting for Stone takes the reader on a journey from India to Ethiopia, to NYC and back to Africa. It is an epic tale of twin brothers born on a fateful night when their mother died in childbirth and their surgeon father fled the country in distress.

What follows is a richly detailed tale of medicine and how it is practiced in different environments. It is a story of the history and politics of Ethiopia, a story of twins, seperated by thousands of miles, yet still deeply connected. It is a deeply engaging family saga.

Verhese, an accomplished doctor and writer, thoroughly researched this novel. Cutting for Stone is a poetic, spiritual, majestic, truly extraordinary novel. One that you won't soon forget.

Violets of March

A commonly used device in novels is for someone to find a diary from the past written by their grandmother,  uncovering all sorts of juicy secrets about their family history. I can't tell you how many books I've read like this recently. I suspended my disbelief the first several times I read novels with this same theme, but found it harder this time in Sarah Jio's novel The Violets of March.

Most of the time this device works, and it did here too for the most part, keeping the reader engaged in the story and waiting to find out what happens next. However, I never really cared deeply about any of the characters. Emily, a recently divorced, successful writer from NYC, goes to spend a month with her elderly Aunt on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. There she finds her grandmothers diary and her journey begins. A decent read.

A Different Kind of Normal

A Different Kind of Normal by Cathy Lamb is a novel I have mixed feelings about. I can't in all honesty say it's a great book, because I found many faults in the writing, the one dimensional characters, the story, etc.

Jaden Bruxelle, known as Boss Mom by her 17 year old son Tate, is struggling with mothering a brilliant boy born with a too big head, uneven eyes and a great sense of humor. He was left at birth by her drug addict sister who is his birth mother. Jaden's mother is a soap opera star in Hollywood, and they are descended from a long line of witches. There are more characters, but I will leave it to the reader to discover them

For all the faults I found with this book, I really liked it and it even at times made me cry. It is truly about a mother's fierce and protective love of her child, especially a child who tends to get bullied a lot. I was rooting for Tate from the beginning, and he didn't let me down.

Waiting

Waiting by Ha Jin is a novel set in the New China of the Cultural Revolution, following one man for two decades while he tries to divorce his wife in his home village each year so he can marry his girlfriend in the city.

Not much happens in this novel, except a lot of waiting as the title suggests. Jin has the rare ability to capture the details of everyday life and the emotions hidden under the surface. He taps into the truth that we are all always waiting for something better to improve our lives, yet when we get it, it rarely makes us happier.

Although I liked Jin's writing, I found this book rather depressing. The climax was very anti-climactic and everyone remained as miserable and unhappy as ever; I just couldn't find myself caring about these characters.

Keeping the House

Keeping the House by Ellen Barker is a novel spanning the first half of the twentieth century and three generations of a family settled in Pine Rapids, Wisconsin.

Barker explores what it means to be the perfect wife, at the turn of the twentieth century, through two World Wars, and into the 1950's. My favorite parts of the novel are the quotes from Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping at the beginning of each chapter.

The novel jumps back in forth in time a lot, telling the story of the Mickelson family in bits and pieces, and I found this distracting and sometimes hard to follow.

However, Barker achieves her overall goal of creating a picture of the daily challenges a woman faces trying to be the perfect wife while suppressing her own inner desires. A worthwhile read.

The Language of Flowers

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh is a deeply moving novel whose protagonist is Victoria, a damaged eighteen year old who has just been released from the foster-care system and left to navigate the world alone with no friends, family, home or job prospects. All she has is her knowledge of the Language of Flowers, taught to her by a former foster mother a decade ago.

This novel was so heartbreaking, at times it was hard to read, yet it was totally captivating. Even as Victoria continues to make bad choices, ruining her own chances for happiness, we can't help rooting for her. We feel her scared and tender heart as she cares for the most fragile flowers, gently replanting their roots and nurturing them.

Diffenbaugh is a foster mother herself and writes from her experience. This is an amazing debut, weaving together grief with hope, desperation with redemption, loneliness with family; with the magical language of flowers at the heart of the novel. A great read.

Pack Up the Moon

Pack Up the Moon, by Irish writer Anna McPartlin is a deeply honest, funny, tender novel, full of friendship, grief and one too many drinks.

The story centers around Emma, in her late 20's dealing with a terrible tragedy, and her close knit friends who circle around her, while dealing with their own struggles.

McPartlin was a stand-up comic before becoming a writer, and it shows in her writing. She's funny and doesn't hold anything back.

Although somewhat predictable, I found it to be an engaging novel, with well developed characters and an honest look at dealing with grief.

Breadfruit

Breadfruit by Celestine Vaite is the first novel I've read by a Tahitian writer.

It is the first in a trilogy where we meet Materena Mahi, a Tahitian woman who brings to mind Precious Ramotswe of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Through Vaite's deceptively simple writing, her characters come alive, and we are given a peek into true Tahitian culture. I found this book funny and thoroughly enjoyable.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Tell the Wolves I'm Home is a novel by Carol Rifka Brunt set in the 80's when AIDS was just being named and feared by all. It is a coming of age story about 14 year old June Elbus and her sister Greta. June is an awkward teenager who is more comfortable pretending she is living in the middle ages, than hanging out with kids her own age.

Her best friend is her Uncle and Godfather, Finn, who is a famous painter. She loves spending time with him in NYC and learning to see the world in a whole new way. When Finn gets sick and eventually dies of AIDS, June's world falls apart, until she is contacted by his boyfriend that she never new he had.

This is a wonderful debut novel. Rifka Brunt takes very sad subject matter and creates a tender and moving story of love, friendship and redemption. A great read.

Love and Other Games of Chance

Love and Other Games of Chance by Lee Siegel started out really good, but soon got tiresome.

We meet Issac Schlossberg, son of a famed sideshow performer. His life is that of an entertainer, magician, circus performer, conjurer; he is in love with an Angel. His travels take him across America, to India, England and beyond, in a giant game of snakes and ladders.

At first I found the story very funny and very interesting. But the sustained frenetic pace of Siegel's writing eventually wore on me and by the end I was very happy to be able to put the book down. Some readers might find this book clever and inventive, but I found reading this novel was quite exhausting.

The Lake of Dreams

The Lake of Dreams is the recent novel by Kim Edwards, author of The Memory Keeper's Daughter. In the novel, Lucy Jarrett has been living abroad in Indonesia, and Japan, as far away as she can get from the town she grew up in, Lake of Dreams, where her father died in an accident ten years earlier.

When she returns home to spend time with her mother, after she has been in a minor accident, Lucy is dragged back into the past in more ways than she could have imaginged. She uncovers the story of Rose Jarrett, a long lost and forgotten relative, and while searching for clues about Rose's life, she uncovers answers to her own questions.

I love Edward's writing. She is a born novelist and it is a joy to sink into one of her books. I'm not sure if I liked it quite as much as The Memory Keeper's Daughter, but it's still a great read.

A Walk in the Woods

I love Bill Bryson. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is one of the most hilarious memoirs I've ever read.

Recently, I picked up an earlier book of his called A Walk in the Woods, about his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with an overweight, out of shape, ex-alchoholic friend of his. Needless to say, they didn't make it all the way. But they did hike a good portion of the trail, and this book tells of that experience, along with anecdotes about the trail and the usual Bryson humor.

I can't say I liked it as much as Thunderbolt Kid, but it was an entertaining and informative read, especially for those interested in the Appalachian Trail, a part of the country that lies undiscovered by most Americans.

One of the most sobering facts presented in the book, was that Bryson walked more in 20 minutes on the trail than the average American does in a week. How frightening! Made me want to put down the book and go for a walk!

Daughters of Fire

Daughters of Fire by Tom Peek, is a modern day adventure story set on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is a mix of myth, culture, romance, thriller, mystery, and ancient Hawaiian ritual.

Having lived for many years on the Big Island, I loved this book. Hawaii's volcano goddess Pele comes alive in these pages, and if you have been to the Big Island, then you know, she is an undeniable force. The modern culture clash between Hawaiians and developers played out here is a sad but true tale.

Tom Peek is a wonderful story teller. If you have ties to Hawaii you will really enjoy this book, and if not, it is a great page-turning read none-the-less.

Upside Down Inside Out

Upside Down Inside Out by Monica McInerney is a fun, romantic, somewhat predictable, slightly silly novel about an Irish woman on holiday in Australia who meets the man of her dreams, who is on holiday from London, both posing as someone other than themselves.

If you can suspend your disbelief, it is a nice, lighthearted tale of travel, romance and happily ever after. Nothing amazing here, but enjoyable nonetheless. A fun vacation read.

I do wonder though-who is that blond woman on the cover of the book, when the novel is about an Irish woman with long black hair?

Flight Behavior

Barbara Kingsolver is one of the few authors whose books I just have to have-even when they are still in hardback. Sadly, I was very disappointed with her latest offering, Flight Behavior.

This novel tells the story of the Monarch butterflies changing their migration for the first time in thousands of years and landing in a forest in Appalachia. The whole book is a warning about Global Warming. Although this is a real problem, and I feel strongly about this issue, as Kingsolver does, it didn't make for good reading. The book was preachy and depressing and a far cry from her fantastic novels like ThePoisonwood Bible.

I wish Kingsolver had taken on this subject in a book of non-fiction essays, rather than try to frame it in a novel. It just didn't work for me.

Blind Submission

Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg is a book lovers book. Set inside a literary agency, and along the lines of The Devil Wears Prada, complete with the boss from hell, Ginsberg has concocted a story that is at times hilarious, at times mysterious, and always fully engaging. I stayed up half the night reading this book.

It probably helps that, like the protagonist, my idea of heaven is being surrounded by wonderful books. Ginsberg's writing is clever and witty-a well crafted tale with a book within a book.

I found much to love here, and look forward to reading more from Ginsberg.

Help, Thanks, Wow

Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott is a slim volume of thoughts on prayer. This is the latest addition to her non-fiction writing since she became religious and started writing about faith.

She breaks everything down here into what she considers the three essential prayers: Help, Thanks, Wow. If you are a Lamott fan, this is a nice addition to her previous writings, with her direct, honest and often hilarious approach to life. If not, you should still enjoy this new book and then go on to read her previous books, fiction and non-fiction alike.

I enjoyed this book and it is one I can see returning to in the future. However, being a big Lamott fan, it is not my favorite book of hers.

The Stockholm Octavo

The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelman is part historical fiction, and part mystery, intrigue, political conspiracy and divination.

Engelman has woven a story full of interesting characters both real and imagined that populate late 18th century Sweden at the time of the assassination of King Gustav III.

She cleverly combines the use of cards, and the mysteries of fans into the novel. The pictures of the cards are wonderful. A fun and engaging read.

The Orchardist

The Orchardist is an incredible debut novel by Amanda Coplin. Set at the turn of the twentieth century in the Pacific Northwest, a peaceful and solitary man named Talmadge makes his living as an orchardist, caring for his apricot and apple trees and selling the fruit himself in town. When two runaway, pregnant teenage girls show up on his land stealing his fruit out of starvation and desperation, his world is forever changed.

Coplin is an amazing writer, getting to the heart of emotions and feelings that seem hidden, things that lie just below the surface. Her writing style is deceptively simple, leaving readers to discover the truth for themselves. Despite great cruetly in the story, there is a quietness to the novel, both expressed through the landscape and the demeanor of the characters.

It is a deeply sorrowful yet beautiful tale, about the search for redemption, place, family, and meaning in life. A haunting novel, that will stay with me for some time.

The Hand That First Held Mine

The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell begins with two disparate stories alternating back and forth between present day London, and London in the 50's.

The story of Lexie Sinclair, working and living among writers and artists of post-war Soho, seems to have no connection with the story of Elina, a Finnish artist living with her boyfriend in modern day London.The only tie that binds them is that they are both new mothers, navigating their way through the unknown territory of motherhood.

O'Farrell weaves a wonderful tale that, by the end comes together in the most surprising way. She is a gifted writer and I was drawn in from the start. Recommended read.

Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah is a heartbreaking tale of one woman's struggle for acceptance despite being emotionally abused by her family her whole life.

Adeline's mother died in childbirth when Adeline was born in the late 30's into an affluent family in China. Her father then married an Eurasian beauty who become the children's truly evil stepmother, yet none of them could seem to escape her grip for the rest of their lives.

This is an honest and heartrending memoir, recalling Yen Mah's struggle for acceptance and recognition and love from her family. A sad and powerful read.

The Orchid House

The Orchid House, by Lucinda Riley is a novel that sprawls across decades and continents, from England to Thailand. We meet Julia, a famous pianist suffering the terrible loss of her husband and young son. During her grieving, she finds herself back at Wharton Park, a grand English Manor where her grandfather was the gardener and she spent her summers when she was growing up.

As her story unfolds, so does the true and secret story of her grandparents past. Wharton Park becomes a main character, central to the book. I loved both settings in England and Thailand, but by the end of the book, there were so many hard to follow twists and turns in the plot I found myself a little lost and failing to quite believe or care about any of it.

A decent enough debut novel, but could have been so much better.

Chosen by a Horse

Chosen by a Horse: How a Broken Horse Fixed a Broken Heart, is a memoir by Susan Richards. Richards writes of opening her heart up to love again after taking in an abused horse named Lay Me Down.

This is an honest, sometimes heartbreaking tale of how one wounded, yet kindhearted horse helped a wounded woman heal. It is a good story, but as Richards is often not very likable, it was hard for me to care as much as I wanted to about her story. However, she cares deeply for her horses and Lay Me Down was a special horse indeed.

A good read for horse lovers.

The Secret Keeper

I love all of Kate Morton's books, and her latest, The Secret Keeper, is no exception. It travels back and forth from modern day London, to WWII England during the Blitz. On the eve of her mother's 90th birthday, Laurel, now a famous actress, is trying to discover a secret her mother has kept for 50 years.

Morton hooks us early on, and draws us into the story both past and present by creating full, rich characters and a plot thick with mystery. I could hardly put this book down, and it left me totally surprised by the end.

If you're looking for an engaging read, pick this one up, you won't be disappointed. Morton's best book to date.

Forever Lily

Forever Lily: An Unexpected Mother's Journey to Adoption in China by Beth Nonte Russell is the true story of one woman's unplanned adoption of a baby girl from China.

Russell relates the incredible story of her journey to China with her friend Alex, to help her bring her adopted baby girl home. Once they get there and get the baby, Alex has second thoughts and decides she doesn't want to keep her. Russell struggles with her own strong attachment to the baby and knows she cannot leave her behind.

Interwoven into the story are Russell's dreams of a past life in China that she is having while she is there. It is a spiritual and transformational journey that will change the lives of many people involved. Also a haunting picture of orphanages in China overflowing with unwanted baby girls. A tender and heartfelt book, well worth reading.

The Journal of Best Practices

 The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband, is a wonderful book by David Finch.

At the age of 30, after 5 years of marriage and the birth of two young children, Finch is diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Rather than being depressed by this diagnosis, the Finches are actually thrilled, as it explains so many things in their struggling marriage. From this starting point, David Finch sets out to turn himself into the best husband he can possible be.

He does massive amounts of research, and keeps copious notes-stuffed in his nightstand drawer-which later become The Journal of Best Practices. This is a funny and deeply honest look into the mind of someone with Aspergers. A fascinating read.

 

Unfamiliar Fishes

In Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell traces the history of Hawaii from the arrival of the missionaries, to the takeover of the monarchy in 1898.

Much of this history was already familiar to me, yet Vowell shed new light on parts of the story. It is not an unbiased telling, and even when I agreed with her, I often felt her opinions were expressed a bit too strongly in the book.

It's an entertaining and though-provoking read that gives insight into what many Hawaiians still consider the illegal takeover of their home and land.