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.