A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan is a novel about a woman who thinks she has it all, the perfect balance of part-time work at a job she loves, and a wonderful family life. That is, until her husband loses his job and her perfect life is thrown into chaos.
Egan creates such wonderful, well developed characters, I felt like they were old friends and I didn't want this book to end. She writes with humor, intelligence and heart.
A great debut. A recommended read.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Monday, December 28, 2015
Sorcerer to the Crown
Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho is a rather strange book, full of characters I never really understood, liked or believed in, other than the Sorcerer Royal, Zacharias.
Cho creates a world where British magicians and Sorcerers are having their magic drained by nearby Fairy; the head Sorcerer is a former slave, and eventually an Indian woman.
A British novel of magic and manners written by Malaysian born Cho, it never felt quite right to me, and I wasn't able to escape into it as I'd hoped. Perhaps other readers might find it more enjoyable than I did.
Cho creates a world where British magicians and Sorcerers are having their magic drained by nearby Fairy; the head Sorcerer is a former slave, and eventually an Indian woman.
A British novel of magic and manners written by Malaysian born Cho, it never felt quite right to me, and I wasn't able to escape into it as I'd hoped. Perhaps other readers might find it more enjoyable than I did.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
The Lake House
The Lake House by Kate Morton is maybe her best novel yet, and I love all her books.
Set in present day London and Cornwall and in 1930's Cornwall, it tells the story of the seemingly happy Edevane family, Mother, Father, three daughters and a precious and beloved baby boy. One day at a Mid-Summer's party, baby Theo disappears and is never found. The family abandons the house and it is left unopened for 70 years, until a young female detective on holiday, stumbles across it during a run and reopens the case.
Morton is a brilliant writer. I couldn't put the book down, and in fact stayed up many nights reading until the end, then had to go back and retrace my steps to untangle the mystery and see how she did it!
A great read, highly recommended.
Set in present day London and Cornwall and in 1930's Cornwall, it tells the story of the seemingly happy Edevane family, Mother, Father, three daughters and a precious and beloved baby boy. One day at a Mid-Summer's party, baby Theo disappears and is never found. The family abandons the house and it is left unopened for 70 years, until a young female detective on holiday, stumbles across it during a run and reopens the case.
Morton is a brilliant writer. I couldn't put the book down, and in fact stayed up many nights reading until the end, then had to go back and retrace my steps to untangle the mystery and see how she did it!
A great read, highly recommended.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Unfinished Desires
Unfinished Desires by Gail Godwin, author of Evensong, takes place in a Catholic girls school in North Carolina in the 50's. Decades later the headmistress looks back on that time, and tells the tale of one group of girls and what happened on a fateful night.
Goodwin exposes all the hidden parts of each personality, the queen bee, the brain, the girls in the background, and the jealousy and passion and concealed emotions that move them all.
Goodwin is a talented writer and I found the book interesting, but just didn't like the characters enough to really care about any of them, and was left mildly disappointed by the end of the book.
Goodwin exposes all the hidden parts of each personality, the queen bee, the brain, the girls in the background, and the jealousy and passion and concealed emotions that move them all.
Goodwin is a talented writer and I found the book interesting, but just didn't like the characters enough to really care about any of them, and was left mildly disappointed by the end of the book.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
The Japanese Lover
Isabelle Allende is one of my favorite writers, I love everything she's ever written. The Japanese Lover is her latest.
Now an old woman looking back on her life, Alma tells the story of coming to San Francisco from Poland when she was 8 years old and meeting 8 year old Ichimei, the Japanese gardener's son. This is the beginning of a life long forbidden love affair that survives WWII.
Allende is a wonderful writer and a fantastic storyteller. This is not my favorite of her books, and I didn't like some of the characters, but it's still worth a read.
Now an old woman looking back on her life, Alma tells the story of coming to San Francisco from Poland when she was 8 years old and meeting 8 year old Ichimei, the Japanese gardener's son. This is the beginning of a life long forbidden love affair that survives WWII.
Allende is a wonderful writer and a fantastic storyteller. This is not my favorite of her books, and I didn't like some of the characters, but it's still worth a read.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
The Little Paris Bookshop
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George is a wonderful book for book lovers. Monsieur Perdu has turned a floating barge into a bookshop he calls the Literary Apothecary.
After losing the love of his life 20 years earlier, he finally opens her last letter to him. This sets him on a journey of self-discovery, friendship, good food, and bookselling down the rivers and canals of France all the way to the sea.
This is a beautifully written story, I loved every minute of it.
After losing the love of his life 20 years earlier, he finally opens her last letter to him. This sets him on a journey of self-discovery, friendship, good food, and bookselling down the rivers and canals of France all the way to the sea.
This is a beautifully written story, I loved every minute of it.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
A Visit from the Goon Squad
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan is a book about an aging punk rocker, now music producer, and all the troubled people in his life, past and present. It is more a set of short stories than a novel, and I found it hard to follow all the characters that were introduced or even care about them.
Egan, author of Look at Me has a unique and compelling writing style and for a while it pulls me in, but by the end I am left tired and depressed. I was happy to see this book finally end.
Egan, author of Look at Me has a unique and compelling writing style and for a while it pulls me in, but by the end I am left tired and depressed. I was happy to see this book finally end.
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