The Light-keeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol

Once Upon a Book Club Subscription - August 2017

It has been a REALLY LONG time since I've stayed up to the wee hours to finish a book, but I simply couldn't put this one down.  Even though my eyelids kept trying to close, I sat, stood, and paced around just to stay awake long enough to finish this captivating read.

Parts were reminiscent of "The Light Between Oceans", whether by coincidence or a common historical occurrences of lighthouse living, I don't know.  The main difference was the suspense and twists that came with this tale that were lacking in Stedman's novel.

Told in a much-loved format (for me anyway) of alternating voices of a elderly woman remembering her past and a troubled young girl trying to understand her present.  Pendziwol kept the reader enrapt with mysterious characters appearing, disappearing, and reappearing, an eerily marked grave and the esoteric life of lighthouse keepers and their families.

This monthly book subscription comes with gifts that relate to the story and the reader is prompted to open as they read along.  While the gifts did relate exactly to the story being told, they were rather unremarkable this time.  So, while the gifts didn't necessarily add much to the story this time, it wasn't necessary; this novel stands on its own with suspense, a little romance and beautifully flawed characters you will hold in your heart long after you turn the final page.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a book wherein all point-of-view characters are people of color.

For this challenge I was torn between reading this one or The Mothers by Brit Bennett.  The Mothers is a story with secrets, a suicide, things that "haunt us most" and billed as "an emotionally perceptive story".  I felt that while it may in fact be a great book, I personally needed something lighter.  Crazy Rich Asians was billed as "Rollicking" "Hilarious" "Crazy Fun".  Just what I needed!  I was looking forward to have some laugh-out-loud moments with this book!!

Well, I guess I don't find filthy rich people very funny.  Maybe it's society, maybe its my own growing antimaterialism, maybe it's just the emotional state I am currently in, but not only was I not laughing-out-loud, but for 3/4 of the 500+ page book I was utterly bored and annoyed.  I only committed to finishing it because of this damn challenge; it was the last of the 24 book challenge and I was going to finish it no matter what!

I will give kudos to the final 1/4 of the book.  I adored the main character, Rachel and was rooting for her throughout.  Even my cold black heart was hoping for a romantic, happy-ending (no spoilers) and for long-due karma to befall the many snooty "crazy rich Asians".

The other parts that I enjoyed of this otherwise disappointing novel were the descriptions of Singapore and its food. 

There are two other books in this series and this first one is being made into a movie.  I have no desire to read the sequels and highly doubt I'll make a point of seeing the movie.

Quote:  "Marriage was purely a matter of timing, and whenever a man was finally done sowing his wild oats and read to settle down, whichever girl happened to be there at the time would be the right one."

Deadly Cure by Lawrence Goldstone

PageHabit Subscription- November Historical Fiction

What a well-researched, well-written, suspenseful historical fiction by Goldstone.  Especially interesting to read in light of the current opioid epidemic and the corruption between pharmaceutical companies and politicians.

We find ourselves on the streets of early NYC with mystery and intrigue weaved into the early discoveries of aspirin and heroin.  The time before governmental regulations of safe food and drugs.  A time of tonics and mysterious and often deadly "cures".

A recommended read for history buffs and suspense lovers alike.  I have another of Goldstone's books on my shelf (The Anatomy of Deception) and will be adding it to the top (okay, near top) of my TBR pile!!

Quotes: "'Murdered children' and 'experimentation' were phrases doubtlessly chosen to arouse his curiosity, but curiosity should never be allowed to overcome reason."

"Whenever a group of businessmen band together to buy Congressmen, restrict competition, fix prices, prohibit regulation, ensure obscene profits, all to the detriment of the public...."

"This nation is blinded by greed..."

"Greatness lies in persuading others to work for good."

Rain Inside:  Selected Poems by Ibrahim Nasrallah

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a collection of poetry in translation on a theme other than love.

I'm not a big reader of poetry.  Not that I'm opposed to it, actually when I was younger I wrote quite a few poems.  Yet, like the poems I wrote, I prefer dare I say a simpler poem?  I loved Shel Silverstein as a child, okay I still love Shel Silverstein.  I love the spoken word poetry of Canadian, Shane Koyczan.  Yet, I hesitate to call their work "simple", especially Koyczan.  I guess, I just struggle with more abstract poetry that I found in Rain Inside.

I actually got more out of the introduction of this collection, which was written by the translator Omnia Amin and explained the background of the poet, Nasrallah.  His exile from his Palestinian homeland, the threats he has received, the prohibition of his work both in publication and in readings.  I was aware of the struggles of Palestine peripherally, but I've become more aware of the turmoil in that area of the world through this introduction as well as recent events (US embassy being moved to Jerusalem).

Following the introduction I really, really wanted to enjoy, understand and garner the emotion, heartbreak and resistance in these poems.  Yet, I found them so abstract that I couldn't relate, couldn't feel any of those things I was hoping to feel.  I read them aloud, I read them slowly, I paused between each poem, but I simply could not find the rhythm, the spirit, the soul of the poems that I'm sure Nasrallah wrote them with.

I did mark a couple passages from some of the poems that did strike me:

"A beautiful morning is one that passes and I am not killed."

"Maybe I know the whole story but hide part of it from myself to love the story more."

"The Hour of Birth - A crazy awakening has languished in my blood for a thousand years.  It disturbs the dust to become a desert or a carnation."

"Shadows - Our souls have become shadows in the dust, so who will circle around us after they leave?  Who will visit us on a pilgrimage so we can renew time in all place?  Shadows might have shadows:  Them...us...you...and you...and me.

The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

Once Upon a Book Club - September 2017

What a neat story, well-written and mystical.  Based on the real story of the Cottingley Fairies, Gaynor's fictional version weaves the story of present day Olivia as she discovers the history of Frances and Elsie and the fairies.

OUBC did a great job with the gifts in this subscription box - one being very authentic and interactive!

The author feels this was the book she was meant to write and I wholeheartedly agree.  Settle in with a cup of tea and enjoy!!

Elementals: Stories of Fire and Ice by A.S. Byatt

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a collection of stories by a woman.

Due to this challenge, I made yet another attempt at reading a collection of short stories.  Not since Kipling's "Just So Stories" which is akin to Aesop's Fables, have I enjoyed a short story collection.  Maybe I need to stick to children's short stories rather than adult ones!

I made an attempt a number of years ago with Karen Russell's "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves" as I heard great things about it, but I was sadly disappointed with the collection (see review June 16, 2012).

Again with "Elementals", I found that frequently the stories were obscure or felt unfinished.  There was quite a variety: from a story of life and death, a princess fairy tale, a Faustian tale, a weird story that was more like a dream/nightmare inside a shopping mall and Biblical tales of morality.

The author's descriptive writing is amazing in "Cold" in describing the ice world of the princess and the glass-blowing of the prince and in "A Lamia in the Cevennes" the artist and his obsession with colors (i.e. the various shades of blue).

Even with the beauty of Byatt's writing, I can appreciate the short story writing, yet I'm not compelled to want to read more.

Quotes:  "There was excess of pleasure in the simplicity: stars, flames, water, the scent of cedars and burned fennel, the salt of olives, the juicy flakes of the fish, the gold wine, the sweet berries, the sharp chocolate, the warm air"

"I think perhaps you did the best you could -
I did not tell you this sorry story in order to hear you say that...I told it to hear it told aloud"

"...your past life is mapped two ways, with significant things that of course you remember, births, marriages, deaths, journeys, successes and failures, and then the other sort, the curiously bright-coloured, detailed pointless moments that won't go away."

"You must learn now, that the important lesson...is that the divide is not between the servants and the served, between the leisured and the workers, but between those who are interested in the world and its multiplicity of forms and forces, and those who merely subsist, worrying or yawning."

A Last Resort by Mark Okrant

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a Book Published by a Micropress.

My family has a friend who had his own publishing company out of Manchester, NH and fortunately I had one of his published books on my bookshelf!

I was rather disappointed by the lack of editing in this book:  Character names changed (Jay to Javy back to Jay), some lines were duplicated, others were missing and some errors were just minor punctuation, but it all distracted me from my reading.

The story itself was ok.  A typical mystery and the author did a good job of introducing characters, creating multiple suspects and keeping the past and present timelines parallel.  I had pretty much figured out the ending, so there was no shocking twist.  At times, I felt Okrant was trying too hard to write:  "Their total lack of amusement at the spectacle I was making of myself made the laughter pour forth in an even more voluminous manner."

While this wasn't Okrant's first book, it's the first in his series with the character Kary Turnell.  There are now a total of 5 in the series.  While I don't think I will read the rest in the series, I do hope the writing and editing has improved!

2018 Reading Challenge

Join Bookworm and I as we take on a Reading Challenge for 2018!  We will be joining Ginger Mom in the A to Z Reading Challenge!!!  Woo Hoo!!

The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash

PageHabit Subscription - October Historical Fiction

I was looking forward to this book, as I had picked up Wiley Cash's A Land More Kind Than Home a while back, but hadn't read it yet, so I was really excited to read him for the first time with his latest novel.

The story intrigued me as well, a fictional account of the real life struggles of civil rights and union rights.

The story moved rather slowly, but it felt right.  There were a lot of characters introduced and the whole situation was a simmering time; in actuality, simmering over years.  Cash did a great job of giving names and faces to those involved in the early and violent labor movement.  Even with the many characters, Cash kept everything connected for the reader.  Showing the necessity of unions, or at the very least, workers' rights and the risk that so many took to stand up for those rights.  The continued struggle of African Americans who lived, worked and struggled just as their white co-workers but still were not included in rights of any kind.

Looking forward to putting A Land More Kind Than Home on the top of my TBR and to Mr. Cash's next endeavor.

Quote:  "'It ain't right for a woman to have to give herself away just so she can get a job that don't hardly pay enough to live on.'"

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Debut Novel

My mother picked up this book when she was invited to a guest lecture of the author at a local library.  Intrigued after the lecture to read the book set in small town, Ohio.  It's such a treasure when you stumble upon books and they turn out to be fabulous!

A well-written book that dives into the issues of loss, grief, regret, blame and the secrets that develop in relationships (in this case family) when you fail to communicate - both talking and listening.

The struggle parent(s) have in balancing the wants/desires for their children to have a good, happy, successful life with the unknown wishes of that child(ren).  To step back and let a child discover for him/herself their passion, when a parent may have more foresight to see the pitfalls ahead.  To be a parent that knows a child may have to trip and stumble on their own to find their own way, as painful as it may be and to only be there to comfort them, not to prevent it from happening.

Written with emotional detail that draws you to each character and revealing each one a bit more so that the reader maintains rapt attention to try to understand how they lost Lydia and lost themselves.

The Only Suspect by Jonnie Jacobs

"J" Author

I didn't have a whole lot of "J" author's on my shelf and I have no idea when or where I picked up this book, but the book jacket's suspenseful summary was certainly the why.  And this was just what I needed after reading some pretty intense books in the past few months.

A book I read in a day in part to having a rainy Saturday to do so, but also due to the unraveling mystery that I wanted to get to the bottom of and the short chapters which kept me reading "just one more".

Overall the book was good, the suspense, the red herrings, BUT the ending, the who-dun-it was.....a little bit of a let down.  I certainly didn't see it coming, but mainly because it wasn't realistic in what had been a fairly realistic story line.

Yet, the author does write well for a quick mystery/suspense, so I may be willing to give her another chance.

Beloved by Toni Morrison

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a Book in Which a Character of Color goes on a Spiritual Journey.

Well, this was a "spiritual journey" alright and a good read in October with Halloween looming.  A glance into the "journey" (the word almost sounds too joyous) of a the slaves of "Sweet Home" Plantation.  The novel was based in part on a true story of a slave named Margaret Garner and no doubt some of the punishments, escapes, etc. depicted were also based on true stories of what so many suffered.

No matter how often I read books about slavery I still cannot wrap my head around the fact that these people were treated like property, like chattel, that their souls and their humanness were ignored, disregarded and more often than not beaten out of them.

Beloved focused on the story of Sethe who obtained freedom from slavery in Ohio, but was never free.  "Haunted" by a spirit that becomes more than an upset soul.  Beloved was written a bit like a mystery novel that kept you guessing, even till the end leaving some of it up to the reader's interpretation.  With volleying back and forth between the past and present, you learned more about each of the characters and their struggles as you tried to understand the choices primarily that Sethe made and how it affected her and those around her.

Quotes:  "In Ohio seasons are theatrical"  Each one enters like a prima donna, convinced its performance is the reason the world has people in it....summer had been hooted offstage and autumn with its bottles of blood and gold had everybody's attention."

"It was lovely.  Not to be stared at, not seen, but being pulled into view by the interested, uncritical eyes of another."

The Unquiet Grave by Sharyn McCrumb

Page Habit Subscription - September Historical Fiction

I had noted this author's name many years ago and her Ballad series, specifically The Ballad of Tom Dooley (#9), but like the numerous authors and books I want to pick up, I hadn't yet.  So, I was particularly pleased that this month's selection was by Ms. McCrumb!!

And I was not disappointed!  What a unique story to research and expound on - a West Virginia murder in the late 1800's prosecuted on the "testimony" of a ghost.  There were a couple times that I felt the story was a little more drawn out than necessary and a couple repetitions, but not so much that it took away from the enjoyment of the story itself.

Living near WV and being in the legal field I may have felt a bit more connected than most, but I think anyone who likes a bit of a legal thriller and well-researched and fascinating historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this.

Quotes:  " His own particular form of insanity was to see the world exactly as it was, and to despair in silence."

"It was generally the lower-class whites you had to watch out for - those who were afraid of you because the accident of their white skin was the only thing that allowed them to think they outranked anybody."

"Ordinary white people suddenly developed their own form of madness, although it was so universal that it passed for normality:  they became unaccountably afraid of their dark-skinned neighbors."

"Maybe its easier for a father to turn away from a child than it is for the mother who gave birth to it."

"In the law, it isn't so much the truth that matters; it's the consensus."

"What professions doesn't make mistakes?  Cooks cover their errors with sauces; architects with ivy; and doctors cover theirs with sod."

"Life is mostly contrary to expectations.."

"People never seemed to realize that the more they praised Dr. Rucker's supposed generosity, the less they seemed to value James Gardner's ability and worth."

"At times a trial came very close to being a game of chance...hoped he would never have to bet his life on the whims of a dozen random citizens."

Watch Me Disappear - Janelle Brown

Page Habit Subscription - July - Mystery

Billed as a book that "You won't be able to put down".  I didn't find this to be the case.  It was an okay book.  Certainly kept you guessing about what actually happened with red herrings and twists, until the very-last-page.  Yet, it felt at times to be more drawn out than necessary.

I felt the daughter, Olive was well-developed and I suppose mother, Billie was as well because I found myself really not liking Billie at all.  Time and time again she proved to be a coward.

I doubt I'll read another by this author as I have read much more captivating mystery novels by other authors.

Quotes:  "You don't realize how much you'll miss the asphyxiating intimacy of early parenthood until you can finally breath again."

"'Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature.  And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are a part of the mystery that we are trying to solve.'"

"...how the collective pain of the world sometimes made it hard to breathe."

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a Classic by an Author of Color

I've come across this title now and again and was thankful for this month's challenge to give me a reason to read it.

A fairly short read (219 pages), but a slower read due to the southern African-American vernacular that Hurston writes the dialogue in.  And while not an epic novel, it has considerable depth.  A romance, a coming of age, statements on race and feminism in a post-slavery era.  The assertion of feminist independence at a time of oppression.  Not only does this describe the lead female character, but exemplifies the struggle of a black female author in 1937.  I'm glad Ms. Hurston persevered - her writing is lyrical and significant.

Mini-Spoiler:  Interesting to read this book in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma just this past month.

Quotes:  "He wanted to be friendly with her again....He was longing for peace but on his own terms."

"In the cool of the afternoon the fiend from hell specifically sent to lovers arrived at Janie's ear.  Doubt."

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

PageHabit Subscription - August - Historical Fiction

I read alot of books and I like alot of books, but it takes a very special book to achieve the rank of a book I love.  This, this book is in my top 5 easily and John Boyne is on his way to be one of my favorite authors!  Right up there with Jodi Picoult!  I previously read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - loved it and have another of his books (Crippen) on my TBR.

I was drawn into this book and its characters from the very beginning; losing track of time and place as I read.  I wanted to read it slow to savor every word, but I couldn't put it down!   It was epic - spanning 7 decades - but it never dragged, never bored, it was exactly what a well-written book should be - captivating.

It is not a spoiler to reveal that this is a coming of age story of a homosexual boy growing up in Ireland, where homosexuality was not only not discussed, but was a crime.  The novel beautifully and heart-wrenchingly portrays the immense difficulties of a population that simply want to have the right to love whom they love.  (The rights that many heterosexuals take for granted.)  The bigotry the LGBT community has faced for decades and sadly still continue to face, worldwide.  Yet, its more than this, its a story about friendship, about secrets, about adoption, about the human spirit.

There are characters to love and hate, historical times that we will all remember, humor, love and heartbreak.  I will recommend this book time and time again to every reader I know.

Quotes:  "...treat him like an ottoman, of no use to anyone but worth having around..."

"...he noticed me sitting outside and offered an apologetic wave, four of his fingers dancing despondently in the air like an imprisoned pianist forced to play one of Chopin's more depressing sonatas from memory."

"...turning to her with all the warmth of Lizzie Borden dropping in to say goodnight to her parents."

"All husbands in her novels are stupid, insensitive, faithless individuals with murky pasts, empty heads, micro-penises and questionable morals.  But I suppose she had a good imagination...and she was simply making things up."

"...if women could only collectively harness the power that they have then they'd rule the world.  But they don't.  I don't know why.  And for all their weakness and stupidity, men are smart enough to know that being in charge counts for a lot. They have that over us at least."

             THE LIGHTKEEPER'S DAUGHTER
                            Jean. E Pendziwol

It has been awhile since I have posted anything because I have been in a reading slump.  I have read books but nothing has really spoken to me.  Well,  now I have!!!.
  Wow,  what a good book!!!!.   The descriptive writing took me to the shores of Lake Superior and I felt like I was living the life as the daughter of the lighthouse keeper.

The story is told in the voices of a teenager, Morgan and the elderly woman ,Elizabeth,  who Morgan meets while doing community work at a senior living facility. The chapters alternate between these two ladies.  

Elizabeth's eyesight is failing her and when she receives some of her father's old journals,  she needs Morgan's help in reading them.  While Morgan helps Elizabeth learn more about her past, Morgan begins to learn about her own past as well.

Beautifully written, nostalgic and an elegant debut novel.

Wonder Woman, Vol. 2:  Love and Murder by Jodi Picoult

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a Superhero Comic with a Female Lead.

I was glad this was a challenge topic as I wanted to read Jodi Picoult's issue of Wonder Woman, but I never got around to it when it first came out and since comics aren't really my thing I never really found any other reason to be inspired to pick it up....until now.

I've learned that comics still are not my thing.  They weren't when I was a beginning reader or through my teens or now.  Even venturing into comics and graphic novels through this challenge, it's just not my thing.  Yet, I can appreciate the challenge an author has in trying to tell their story in this format and the artwork, illustrations - mind blowing.  Such amazing talent!!

While I didn't grow up reading comics, I did grow up watching Super Friends in which Wonder Woman was my favorite (though I did crush on Superman and Aquaman) and of course I adored Lynda Carter as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman.  Add Jodi Picoult who is one of my all time favorite authors and of course this was a perfect comic for me to read for this challenge!!  Picoult again brought her humor, her insight, her strong female characters and her moral questions to this issue of Wonder Woman.  Did she inspire me to want to start a comic book collection?  Subscribe to each new action packed issue?  Um, no, but I'm glad I finally did read her version (and only the 2nd woman to write for Wonder Woman) of one of the first female superheros, paving the way for those more recent fierce females inspiring strength and confidence in today's girls.

The Saturday Evening Girls Club by Jane Healey

Once Upon a Book Club - July 2017 Selection

A light, enjoyable read about a group of four girlfriends.  The kind of lasting friendship many girls dream about, but the kind of friendships that rarely occur.

Based on the true history of Boston North End's Saturday Evening Girls Club started in 1899.  I do love that women have always empowered each other.  While its been a man's world for a long time, women can continue making progress when and only when we empower one another.  That also is when true friendship is born; friends celebrating the joys and successes of another, consoling and empathizing the sorrows and being willing to speak out when they fear the path their friend is on may be dangerous, even if speaking out may risk the friendship.

Would easily recommend this to anyone looking for a heartwarming story.

The gifts provided by the subscription service were unique to the story and presumably handmade.  Really a lot of fun!!

Quote:  "...just because you or I wouldn't choose it for ourselves doesn't mean we should judge her for it."

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan

PageHabit Subscription - June - Mystery

A debut novel for Mr. Sullivan and I give kudos to him.  While this wasn't an edge of my seat suspense thriller (alright I was a little nervous during the Hammerman scenes), it was a well-written whodunit.  The messages left by Joey are ingenious!  The pages turned quickly with red herrings tossed in and a well played out message of our secrets can destroy multiple lives.

PageHabit's addition of author annotated Post-It Notes really added some flavor to the book as to the author's motivations for adding certain locations and props.

A good read for vacation, road trip, something not too heavy and just intriguing enough to keep you entertained.

Quotes:   "He was going through something, as well do sometimes, and I was his friend, so I would stay at his side because that's what you do."

"Listen.  I guess I'm telling you that your presence on this planet is requested, okay?"

Sleeping Angel by Greg Herren

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a YA or middle grade novel by and author who identifies as LGBTQ

Sadly, I didn't currently have any books on my bookshelves that fit this challenge.  Not that it was by design, frankly I don't choose books by authors, but by genre, subject, and general interest in the story being told.  An acquaintance was recently asking for suggestions of female authors because he read primarily male authors and this was so foreign to me as I just read books, I don't choose by male, female, gay or straight authors.

In trying to select a book by an LGBTQ author I really struggled.  Primarily because SO many that I came across were romance or erotica.  Which I understand, the LGBTQ hasn't been permitted this "taboo" genre in mainstream literature.  While I'm not opposed to erotica or a gay romance generally, its simply that I don't read romance - gay or straight.  Oh I had my Danielle Steele era, but after enduring enough of my own real heartbreak I don't need to read about unrealistic romances (come on, those guys written on the page will never be found in flesh and blood) nor do I need to read/relive heartbreak.

So, I stumbled upon Greg Herren.  While he started in writing adult mystery he delved into YA books in 2010.  I read a few interviews with him and was pleasantly surprised that they were focused on his works and not on his gayness!  It seems like with every gay artist the interviews will focus on "when did you come out" "how was your coming out, were you accepted", etc.  They certainly don't ask straight artists this:  "when did you know you were straight".  It was refreshing to see the focus being on Herren's works rather than his sexuality.

As to Sleeping Angel, this was a good, easy read.  A mystery being unraveled by the reader and the protagonist who suffered from amnesia following a car accident.  A little bit of supernatural elements (nothing too over the top to be deemed a fantasy novel), some life lessons about how we treat others in life, bullying and not surprisingly gay characters in the mix, but no gratuitous sex scenes.  I think there is a misconception that gay authors all write about gay sex.  But Herren said it well in an interview referencing the cancellation of a speaking event he was to attend:  "The notion that I was going to show up at a high school and talk to teenagers about erotica and sexuality, that my being gay made me somehow incapable of knowing or comprehending what was and wasn't appropriate discussion for teens, was incredibly insulting and demeaning."

I'm not a huge YA fan so I don't know if I'll pick up any of Herren's other YA books, but he has two adult mystery series about gay private eyes in New Orleans.  Similar only in that both protagonists are private eyes - one is dark and cynical while the other is happy-go-lucky, seeing humor in everything.  Both series sound equally intriguing!!!

The Epiphany Machine by David Burr Gerrard

PageHabit Subscription - July - Literary Fiction

More than 24 hours have gone by and I still don't know how I feel about this book.  It was a heavy book, with rather unlikeable characters and a strong message of how you can't always judge others at face value (or rather arm tattoo value).  Yet, what obligation do we have if we believe or more importantly know the evil about someone.

PageHabit has approximately 10 Post-It notes placed throughout the book of the author's annotations and this one felt a little autobiographical at times.  But then maybe many books are as author's will always have a piece of themselves in their works.

I found myself having to push through a bit to get to the end of this one, though I liked some of the tweaks to historical people (John Lennon), but at the end I felt almost relieved that it was over.

While the depth and obscurity of this book may lead me to want to recommend it to select readers, the over-the-top sexual scenes will prevent me from doing so.

Quotes:  "If there is something gnawing at you, that means you're delicious.  That gnawing is the universe trying to get at the tasty juice inside of you.  Your entire unsatisfying life is just the rind."

"And why do these people say that family members are suppose to reconcile before one of them dies"

"..and literature has exactly one thing to teach us:  that it is our deepest and highest moral obligation to accept punishment for things that are not exactly our fault."

"The website they visit, terms they type in to search engines, emails they send, preferences they express in various ways - it all gets fed into an algorithm, and the algorithm generates an epiphany..."

Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a book that has been banned or frequently challenged in your country.

I have quite a few banned books on my bookshelves and have read many in my lifetime (ooh I'm such a rebel).  I do not believe in censorship of books.  I believe in free speech, even when I do not agree with what you say, or if I am offended by what you say.  My fear in censoring any speech, writing, art, etc. is who are the judges that are promoting/doing the censoring.  While I may not agree with what you say or write or create, it doesn't mean that it is wrong, just because it doesn't conform to what society says is "right".  What happens when someone judges my words because they go against the norm of society at that given time?  Where is our right to express our thoughts and feelings even if it rebellious, confrontational or simply honest.

So, onto the book I choose for this challenge - again, a book that languished on my shelf and I honestly don't recall exactly why I picked it up (well before the TV series came out) other than I was intrigued as to how the author would tackle the subject of teen suicide.

The book was in the Top 10 of banned books in 2012 and because of the TV series and subsequent increase in the book's popularity, many school district's are newly banning it.  It has been banned for "drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group" (American Library Association).  The TV series has been criticized for glamorizing teen suicide.

I've not seen the TV series to know how the book has been portrayed but I think it is a shame to ban the book.  The book opens the door for a conversation about teen suicide, even suicide generally, a taboo subject in schools, in families and among friends (and this was the author's hope).  It is written in a unique way so that not only do you get a hindsight perspective, but you get the reactions of those who touched Hannah's life, good and bad.  This is not just a book for those who have ever contemplated suicide and need to not feel alone and need to understand they need to seek out someone to talk to, but it's for those who have ever bullied, teased, ridiculed others or kept silent in the face of the same.  It is to remind the reader that your words and actions have effect, even if you see it as something small, minute, it was a moment, a passing in the hall or on the sidewalk, a reaction to another's anger/sadness/indifference - your action may be the final straw for that other person, the final push from the edge on which they were standing.  Just as a kind word, a smile, a nod of understanding, a moment from your busy schedule or your phone or your posts on social media to listen to someone, may be what pulls them from the edge, may be the one action that restores their hope.

Quotes:  Pages 51-53 (event in the Blue Spot Liquor store) - too long to type here, but good explanation of the sexual objectification of women.

"You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own.  And when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're not messing with just that part.  Unfortunately, you can't be that precise and selective.  When you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life."

If you are contemplating suicide, are in emotional distress and feeling alone or believe a friend or loved one is please, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.  You are not alone.  https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

And to all of us - be kind to one another.  In the end, all we have, all that really matters is humanity.

A Strange Companion by Lisa Manterfield

Once About a Book Club - June 2017 Selection

A quick read, more romance than I prefer, but with an indepth topic of grief.  What happens to the soul of those who have passed?  How do we move on from the loss?

Manterfield did a good job of writing in such a fashion that the book almost had a suspense atmosphere that kept you turning the pages.

This is a subscription service which provides gifts along your reading journey.  The gifts are unique to the story itself and were a lot of fun to open along the way.  A way of bringing the story to life.

Quote:  "I had my family and my friends, plenty of people who cared. And so why did I suddenly feel like a remote island, marked clearly on a map for everyone to see, but so far out to sea that no one really new what existed there?"

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a Book About War

I've had this book on my shelf for years.  I was intrigued by it for a number of reasons:  It is a Pulitzer Prize winner (Fiction - 1975), it was the basis for the 1993 movie Gettysburg and the author died in 1988 at age 59 - his son, Jeff Shaara, following up with a Civil War Trilogy by authoring the prequel (Gods and Generals in 1996) and the sequel (The Last Full Measure in 1998).

I've read a number of Civil War books - primarily historical fiction and primarily about plantation and slave live.  Some of them have touched briefly on the battles, but not to the extent this book did.  I wasn't sure I would enjoy it since I'm not a real battle buff, but I found myself engrossed and captivated by Shaara's writing.

After an introduction of the main characters (Generals and Officers) the book volleys back and forth between the North and the South giving the perspective of the men on each side of the battlefield. While politically I know which side I stand on, this book doesn't pick sides.  You garner empathy and respect for the men who sacrificed so much whether they wore blue or grey.  War in the 1800's was vastly different than the wars of today.  This book captures so much of that.  The communication between officers via messengers on horse or on foot, the erroneous maps, the food rations (or lack thereof), the literal hand-to-hand combat with no body protection (armor, helmets, etc.), the infield hospitals and doctors to attempt to treat the battle wounds.  While I respect the courage and sacrifice that all military personnel exhibit in volunteering, these men were fighting on our own soil, some of them fighting against long-time friends and family.  Even when things looked dire, even when they knew, without a doubt, they would die they did not falter.

At times I understand the necessity of war, but we must never forget the human lives that are sacrificed on both sides of the battlefield, so we must be sure we know what we are fighting for and if it is worth that ultimate sacrifice.

Quotes:  "Maine in the winter:  air is darker, the sky is a deeper dark.  A darkness comes with winter that these Southern people don't know.  Snow falls so much earlier and in the winter you can walk in a snowfield among bushes, and visitors don't know that the bushes are the tops of tall pines, and you are standing in thirty feet of snow."

"'We are never prepared for so many to die. So you understand?  No one is.  We expect some chosen few.  We expect an occasional empty chair, a toast to dear departed comrades. Victory celebrations for most of us, a hallowed death for a few.  But the war goes on.  And the men die.  The price gets ever higher.  Some officers...can pay no longer. We are prepared to lose some of us...But never all of us.  Surely not all of us.  But ...that is the trap.  You can hold nothing back when you attack. You must commit yourself totally. And yet, if they all die, a man must ask himself, will it have been worth it?'"

And check out my book/wine pairing:  I had visited a friend in Gettysburg and she gifted me a bottle of wine from the Gettysburg Winery - commemorating the 150th anniversary!

Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn

Series

The 2nd book in the Chet and Bernie series.  To be honest, I struggled with this one.  There was a LOT of repetition by Chet, now maybe it's a short term memory problem of dogs, but it gets real old, real fast in writing.  Besides the repetition, did I mention that Chet can be a bit repetitive, it was an easy mystery.  A rather predictable who-dun-it.  While both Chet and Bernie are humorous characters and their bond is heartwarming, I'm hoping Book 3 is a bit more challenging in both the writing and the mystery.

Quote:  "The production of too may useful things results in too many useless people"

The Filter Bubble:  What the Internet is Hiding from You by Eli Pariser

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a NonFiction Book About Technology.

I wasn't looking forward to this challenge 1. because I'm not a huge fan of nonfiction 2. I am not a fan at all of reading about technology.  Yet, I discovered this book on my bookshelf.  I don't remember how I heard about it, but I do remember specifically seeking it out.  Then, of course, like many books it sat on my shelf for years - until this challenge forced/inspired/persuaded me to read it.

And WOW.  You know when you happen to click on an article about the latest advance in oh, say sunglass technology by xxxx, Inc.  Then later in the day you hop on to check your Facebook page and "Hey, what a coincidence - there's an ad for sunglasses from xxx, Inc."  Well, it's not a coincidence.  Its a very creepy, very real thing that Google, Facebook and other companies are doing called personification.  Every click, every like, every item you buy online is being saved as data and placed into an algorithm.  So the next time you go online ads for the items you've looked at before will pop up, articles similar to what you've liked/read before will appear.  Sounds neat right?  Yet, the vastness of the Internet that was to open you up to new worlds, new information, open your mind is now only bringing to your attention, only showing you the things you already like, articles/pages/friends that are liberal/conservative - way that you lean, so that the Internet world is in fact narrowing and by doing so narrowing your world view, your creativity, your empathy and humanity.  Yeah, creepy, scary and real.  "...personalization algorithms can cause identity loops, in which what the code knows about you constructs your media environment, and your media environment helps to shape your future preferences."

For being a tech book, Pariser didn't get bogged down in real techy stuff, so it was fairly easy for a layperson to read and it's not all doom and gloom.  He does offer suggestions at the end as to how we can resist this global personalization.

Quotes:  "Democracy requires citizens to see things from one another's point of view..."

"We don't wake up and brief an e-butler on our plans and desires for the day." (Book was written in 2011 - before Amazon's Echo and Alexa)

"'...if there is not steady supply of trustworthy and relevant news.  Incompetence and aimlessness, corruption and disloyalty, panic and ultimate disaster must come to any people which is denied an assured access to the facts.'"

"To be free, you have to be able not only to do what you want, but to know what's possible to do."

"The world often follows predictable rules and falls into predictable patterns:  Tides rise and fall, eclipses approach and pass...But when this way of thinking is applied to human behavior, it can be dangerous, for the simple reason that our best moments are often the most unpredictable ones. An entirely predictable life isn't worth living."

"Ultimately, democracy works only if we citizens are capable of thinking beyond our narrow self-interest.  But to do so, we need a shared view of the world we cohabit.  We need to come into contact with other peoples' lives and needs and desires."

"'We don't need more things,...People are more magical than iPads!  Your relationships are not media.  Your friendships are not media.  Love is not media.'"

Small Treasons by Mark Powell

PageHabit (formerly Bookly Box) Subscription - June - Literary Fiction

What a dark book.  In both big and small ways.  Check out this quote:  "...but somehow they ate nothing but strawberries, a pint of them in their plastic coffin..." Yikes.

I'm still deciding if I liked the book or not.  I was first distracted by what is a trademark thing for the PageHabit books; post-it notes from the author interspersed in the book.  The post-it notes themselves aren't distracting, but Powell would have a post-it note referencing something that didn't actually happen for several pages later, so it was more the confusion of the post-it note placement!

The book was a struggle to read as Powell had a prose-like, stream of conscious writing that at times I lost both the plot and any message that he was trying to convey (or maybe he wasn't).  For awhile the book dragged quite a bit due to this, but the last 1/4 gathered speed and suspense as he tried to reign in and tie up the plot lines.  As much as I could stay on target, I think he did.

Without giving too much of this book away, it was a dark and depressing read and all too real in today's world of terrorism.  The book has gotten stellar reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, so I question if my reluctance to "like" the book is more based on my own dark dwelling of the state of our world.

Quotes:  "She knew now her mistake was too quickly abandoning her new life, rushing into marriage, giving herself away before there was a self to give."

"Grief....Suffering, but to a particular end.  Suffering as a means of revelation.  There's a secret, John.  You said so yourself.  It's locked inside all of us and it takes trauma to bring it out....The necessity of suffering, the revelatory nature of it."

No One Can Pronounce My Name by Rakesh Satyal

Bookly Box Subscription - May - Literary Fiction

There were many things I liked about this book - the Indian/Hindu culture, the honest and real LGBTQ characters (not token/comedic), the chapters volleying the focus on a different character yet bringing them all together.

While I didn't fall in love with any one character or even the book itself, I did come to care about all of them.  There was a flow, almost prose to Satyal's writing that made it fairly easy and enjoyable to read.  Yet, I find it to probably be a more forgettable read without it being the typical fluff book/mind cleanse/guilty pleasure type of book.

While I didn't mark any standout quotes, there were passages that resonated with me in regards to creating and being responsible for your own happiness,  living for yourself and accepting yourself.

The Murder of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King

Series

The 14th and final (?) in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series??

I don't want to give too much away in this review; overall I liked it.  There was a mystery, there were red herrings and there was a wrap-up to tie everything up at the end.  But I hadn't read the book jacket or reviews so I was completely surprised by the direction we went in.  While I enjoyed it, I do hope this is not how Ms. King chooses to end the series.

Quote:  "...men did find it so titillating when a woman was performing an act they considered their own"

Marlene by Julie Buntin

Bookly Box Subscription - April - Literary Fiction

Not exactly what I was expecting, and with some hesitation I say I liked the book.  It was a slow crescendo of character development to the "climax", though in the end it was rather anti-climatic.  I did struggle with some of the timeline.  The chapters alternated between present and past, but the narrator interjected the past with her present day thoughts which at times, was confusing.

I think the draw to this book is the reader's connection to the tumultuous times as a teenager.  Wanting to be liked, the difficulties of body image, the good girl wanting to be bad, first romances/crushes, teenage girl friendships that you presume will last forever.

I think I liked this book because it took me down memory lane, not that my teenage years reflected those of Cat or Marlena, but the emotional roller coaster of those times.  I closed the book feeling very melancholy.

Quotes: "Privilege is something to be aware of, to fight to see beyond, but ultimately to be grateful for.  It's like a bulletproof vest, it makes you harder to kill.:

"..so many people cultivate that air of intensity cut with indifference"

"She thought marriage was a 'manly' and offensive concept"

"When you grow up, who you were as a teenager either takes on a mythical importance or its completely laughable"

"Now it strikes me as a profoundly American thing - an epidemic that started as an abuse of the cure, a disease we made ourselves"

"...because I was still here.  I was right here, where he'd left me."

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a Fantasy Novel

I'm not much one for fantasy novels.  Lord of the Rings, Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones), Twilight - I have no desire to read any of them.  The sole reason I even had this book on my shelves is because the author was only 15 when he wrote it.  That alone intrigued me.  And like many other books it sat on my shelf patiently waiting to be read.  Thankfully, due to this challenge, it no longer had to wait!  At 500 pages, I was leary about choosing it for the June challenge of fantasy read, (but I only have few fantasy books on my shelves!) but I'm SO glad I did!!  A well-written book for a 15 year old (yet, he graduated high school at 15, so this was no average teenager).  I didn't allow myself to get caught up in the frustrations I have had in the fantasy genre - understanding and/or picturing a purely fantastical, imaginative world.  I simply went with it.  The character development of Eragon has you cheering for him at every obstacle, and the dragon....well, let's just say that in addition to a skunk (favorite childhood animal), an elephant (read Modoc), and a pig (read The Good Good Pig), I now want a dragon!  Paolini's descriptions of the dragon and the fictional landscape are gorgeous!

I have seen reviews of this book that are all over the map from 1 star to 5.  Many claiming it is a mishmash of Star Wars and LOTR rather than an original plot all its own.  I rarely take reviews into account when selecting or reading a book (yet here I am writing one!), but I do peruse them upon completion and it always amazes me the vast spectrum the reviews cover - lovers and haters alike, just proving once again that reading is completely subjective and all that really matters is if YOU enjoyed the book and gained pleasure, insight, and/or an emotional connection to the book.

So, now of course I want to read the rest of the series (4 in total) and I already have Eldest, again patiently waiting on my shelves for years now, yet each sequel increases in pages!!  Eldest is a tome of 704 pages!!  Gonna have to do some bicep curls so I can read and walk with that one!!!

Quotes:  "Keep in mind that many people have died for their beliefs; its actually quite common. The real courage is believing and suffering for what you believe."

"Lastly, a very special thanks to my characters who bravely face the dangers I force them to confront and without whom I wouldn't have a story." (author's acknowledgments)

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a book that is set more than 5,000 miles from your location

What a gem of a book!  A quick read in a unique format of emails, blog posts, announcements, etc. with interjections by the narrator, Bee.  Funny quips, heartfelt sentiments, descriptive writing and dysfunction - lots of dysfunction.  Characters to fall in love with, to hate, to find redemption and to miss when you close the book.  A book to remind you that it's not okay to lose YOU in the midst of the complications of life - that knowing you and being true to you is the only way life makes sense.

Quote: "My heart started racing, not the bad kind of heart racing, like I'm going to die.  But the good kind of heart racing, like, Hello, can I help you with something?  If not, please step aside because I'm about to kick the shit out of life"

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a book that is set within 100 miles of your location.

Since I live 13 miles from a big city (Pittsburgh), this challenge proved to be fairly easy to find a book, as there are a handful of novels set in Pittsburgh.  I've read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and enjoyed that one so I was looking forward to reading another Chabon.  Unfortunately, I cared less for this one, his first novel.

It is a coming of age novel, and while I appreciate the time period in which the novel was first published (1988) and the introduction of a homosexual character, I never really connected to any of the characters and their struggles.

With just shy of 300 pages it was a quick and fairly easy read, and I enjoyed recognizing streets and landmarks mentioned throughout the book, but I can't say that any of the characters will live with me.

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a Book You've Read Before

This month's challenge was really hard for me, as I rarely re-read books (I have TOO many books I've not read once!).  I didn't want to pick an all-time favorite (almost any Jodi Picoult, Language of Flowers, Me and Emma), nor an easy read such as Patterson or Clark, but something that I could glean new thoughts, feelings, etc. with a second reading.  I toyed with re-reading a classic, something I'd read in my undergrad years, but nothing was speaking to me.

As I perused my shelves my eyes alighted upon Wicked by Gregory Maguire.  Not only had I read it before and enjoyed it, but I've also met the author, had my books (yes, I own quite a few of his) signed and have seen the musical.  I didn't recall everything about the book, but I did remember it being rather complex, so this seemed a perfect re-read for me!  And my witch bookmark is a perfect accompaniment!!

  I love the humanizing of the "evil" character of the Wicked Witch from the much loved movie "Wizard of Oz" (I never have read the books by L.F.B.), discovering the Wicked Witch of the East and seeing the tarnished crown of Glinda, the "Good" Witch.

And what a time to re-read this novel full of politics, oppression and resistance in the world of a tyrant leader; religious conflicts - too much faith, not enough faith and can you have a soul if you don't believe in an "unnamed god"; the question of what is evil and from where does it come, are some just born bad?  Good or bad - are we truly free to make our own choices in life or are we led to our choices by others?

I'm so thankful for this challenge that took me back to Maguire's complex, at times disturbing, but thought-provoking land of Oz!!

Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark

Guilty Pleasure

After reading quite a few rather heavy books (2 Holocaust books for book club and the 2017 reading challenge), I needed just a quick, who-dun-it murder mystery and Mary Higgins fit the bill.  Short chapters, red herrings, and a neat twist with the rare communication between twins - this was just what I needed.  Took me back to Cape Cod and towns that my mom and I visited on our trip there a couple years ago!

Not too much in-depth thinking and something I could quickly pick-up and put-down, yet still had me reading past midnight to finish it!!

Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly

BooklyBox Subscription - March - Historical Fiction

This was my first book from the new monthly book subscription that Book Worm and I started getting.  There was a mix-up in the mailing so I received the historical fiction while Book Worm received the literary fiction.

Though, at first I wasn't sure I had in fact received the historical fiction.  Even after reading it, I feel it is a loose interpretation of "historical fiction".  Typically the author takes either a character, event, or time in history and builds up around it to give the reader a personal connection or investment into that history.  This book created an entirely fictional world (place, political parties, etc.) that was suppose to slightly resemble Germany and the Weimer Republic.

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book on many levels, besides the fact that it didn't fit my bill of being historical fiction - the language was difficult - the author using what I can only surmise is a British terminology, the gratuitous sex scenes (I'm not a prude, but if I want that in my reading I will seek out that kind of book) and maybe because of the difficult political climate we are currently living under - I struggled with this central theme.

On a positive note, Donnelly did have some beautifully descriptive language that truly painted a picture.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a travel memoir

I approached this book with some trepidation - I mean how exciting could a 315 page book about hiking a trail be?  I anticipated being bored for good chunks of the book, yet....I was not just pleasantly surprised, I was elated to find myself thoroughly enjoying this book.  Strayed wrote this so well, I was drawn to it over and over again to discover the people she met, the animals she encountered (even the snakes!) and the travails she overcame.

A part of me was jealous that she had the stamina, but even more so the personal freedom to embark on this challenge.  Whether it is nature or nature or my own fear or limitations, whatever you want to call it - I don't believe I have the personality to be that untethered to venture out with little preparation, with no Plan B.  My spontaneity is not having hotel reservations on a road trip, or getting off the interstate to drive a local route (a marked, local route).  Heck, I got nervous walking a poorly marked trail in a 259 acre CITY park!

So, the other part of me was not at all jealous of her adventure.  I enjoy wildlife from a distance, a far distance, and snakes - don't even enjoy them.  At the first site of a rattler I would have dropped all my gear and called it quits!

Like Cheryl, I think when you try to embark on something grandiose such as this to "find yourself" you envision having this moment(s) of clarity, a transcendence, when in fact you end up thinking (or trying not to think) about how painful each step is, how hungry you are, what that noise was behind you - the daily or hourly, minute details that we all get caught up in.  It isn't until the end of the journey that you understand that the clarity was in the process of the minute, its in the reflection of how you dealt with the difficult and the simple, its in letting yourself be quiet enough to let your soul speak to you and you taking the time to listen.  This can be done on months long hiking expedition, in a yoga class, in a soup kitchen, or in your own backyard - and can be done without encountering a single snake! ;-)

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

2017 Reading Challenge - Read a book published between 1900 and 1950.

I have an entire bookshelf of classic books from Easton Press, so this was a perfect challenge topic to open one of those beautiful books with it's leather binding, gold bound pages, hand drawn illustrations and ribbon bookmarks.

I've not read Steinbeck since high school when I trudged through Grapes of Wrath.  So I wasn't sure about selecting Steinbeck for this challenge, but I have a friend who loves him, another who recommended Of Mice and Men and it was a novella, so I knew I could get it done in no time!

What a profoundly sad book, which tends to be right up Steinbeck's alley.  I love Lennie and love George even more for loving Lennie.  Yet, there are just such sad lonely characters throughout the book who in the hopes of forgetting their troubles will belittle, threaten and bring down someone else.

I'm glad I read the book and I enjoyed it, but it leaves me with a heavy heart.  Thankful today is a bright sunny day that I can get out and shake off some of the sadness it has left me with.