2019 Reading Challenges!!

For 2019 Bookworm and I are going to try to tackle a couple of reading challenges!!

We found that Ginger Mom and Company's A to Z Reading Challenge got us to really delve into our massive TBRs! This year we are going to be a little less strict for the difficult letters (such as Q, X and Z).  Since we want to stick to books we already own (all 1,300 of them!!) and not purchase or borrow any books to meet the challenge, we will allow for our challenge that the more difficult letters only have to be IN the title, not necessarily start with the letter.

Another Challenge that intrigued us is the Color Coded Reading Challenge hosted by My Reader's Block.  We figured we could do this in conjunction with the A to Z Challenge and it's only 9 books over the course of the year!

Finally, we are going to do our best to take on the 2019 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge by Girlxoxo.  This will have a different prompt for each of the 12 months.  These selections too may correspond to books in the other challenges, but as with the other 2 challenges we are only going to use books we currently have!

Wish us luck!!

  The Redbreast - Jo Nesbo
         3rd in the Series

 I am so conflicted!!!!!    I really like Harry Hole.  He is an error-prone , alcoholic , but likable,  Norwegian policeman..   I have enjoyed learning about him and watching his character develop in the 3 books I have read so far.    But,  I get so confused because of the writing style of this author.   He seems to jump around, but maybe that is because of the way Harry goes about solving cases?? 

 The cases are interesting and there are a lot of twists and turns, (maybe my reason for getting lost?) to keep me reading.

This case takes place is Oslo, Norway.  We learn some of Norway's history during WWII, which I did not know.  So there is some going back and forth between 1944-45 and 1999-2000.  Someone is killing the soldiers who were on the Eastern Front during the war,  but we don't know who or why.  That is when Harry come into the picture.
   He is moved up to Inspector because of a mistake he makes and the higher ups want to keep it quiet. ,, he also may find a love interest. 

I will take a break from Harry before I start the next in the series,  The Nemesis

Zorro by Isabel Allende

Historical Fiction

2018 A to Z Challenge - Z

Whew!  I did it!!!  I read a book starting with EVERY letter of the Alphabet!  And....for the most part they all came off my TBR shelves!  Zorro one was one of the few we had to purchase to meet the challenge.

I've read one other Isabel Allende novel (Portrait in Sepia) in 2017 for another reading challenge and much like that one, I enjoyed it but found my thoughts wandering at times throughout the book.  In Zorro, we delve into the character's fictional background and how he became the imaginary man that he is.  Some of the political background of Spain under Napoleonic rule and the New World settlement by Europeans got me a bit bogged down at times.  The novel spans 50 years and goes from California to Barcelona Spain and back again, so it's a lot to compress into an almost 400 page novel.

Of course, reading some of Zorro's escapades I recalled growing up with a reruns of the Disney's Zorro television show.  So I could easily picture these well-written scenes.  Allende incorporates humor and some intrigue by keeping the narrator of the book a mystery until the very end.

All in all it wasn't a bad read.  I would probably only recommend it to history buffs, Zorro fans, and the like as I don't think it would be captivating to all readers.

Quotes:  "...had become careless in matters of security, convinced that in the modern world there was no place for religious fanaticism.   They believed that the days of burning people at the stake were gone forever.  Now they were paying the consequences of their excessive optimism....where education, like everything else in the country was censored.  Many of his professors and companions had been arrest for expressing their opinions."

"He maintained that the powerful invented laws to preserve their privileges and to control the poor and discontented;...for example, taxes, which in the end the poor paid while the rich found ways to avoid it."

"...there is no such thing as absolute truth, that everything passes through the filter of the observer.  Memory is fragile and capricious; each of us remembers and forgets according to what is convenient.  The past is a notebook with many leaves on which we jot down our lives with ink that changes according to our state of mind."

#2018AtoZChallenge

    Girl in Hyacinth Blue - Susan Vreeland
                     Guilty Pleasure

What an interesting concept!   To follow a (hypothetical) painting through it's travels from owner to owner.

We trace the painting back to World War II, Amsterdam, and even back to it's beginning and it's  inspiration, told in short stories.
It is interesting to see how the painting affects each individual and what they take from the painting.

It would be interesting to actually see a painting like this and what I would get out of looking at it.




                                 
                                                                     

                          Max  -  Sarah Cohen-Scali
                                 Historical Fiction

Just when I thought I had read about all of the atrocities done by the Nazis,  I read "Max"...This is about how the Nazis chose certain women to have the "perfect" German child and to raise that child as the perfect Nazi soldier.   So "Max" was born.

Max is telling his story from his time of conception , his time in children's homes, and his stark upbringing. 

I did not care for this book.  Not sure if it was because of the atrocity to children or the narrator being a propagandized child. I also felt that the child narrator was speaking and doing things too old for his age.  I don't know, maybe I was just really uncomfortable with the subject matter.  What was your opinion of this book??

Bookworm has hit 100 books on (or rather OFF) her Toppling Book Pile!!  Woo Hoo!

         Elizabeth is Missing  -   Emma Healey
                         Debut novel
This is a sad story about Maud, an elderly woman who is suffering from progressive dementia.  She is certain that her friend Elizabeth is missing and must find her and help her.

But is Maud confusing her reality with her past,  is Elizabeth just missing because she doesn't visit Maud today or is a memory trying to break through her dementia??

For a debut novel, Emma Healey does a very good job of giving insight to dementia and making  a bit of a mystery.

         What She Left Behind  -  Ellen Marie Wiseman

                      My guilty pleasure read.

I chose this has my guilty pleasure read off of my TBR because I really liked this author's book ,"The Life She was Given".  I enjoyed this book as well but it was a harder read for me , maybe because of the subject matter.

I would put this in the YA genre because one of the main characters is 17 year old Izzy who is a foster child.  Izzy is our present day voice who lives with her foster parents because her mother is in prison for killing Izzy's father.  Izzy has to deal with some high school bullying , questioning why her mother would kill her father,  and then having to help her foster mother clear out an old insane asylum for the Historical Society.  Here is where we meet the second voice of the book,   Clara.

Clara is from the early 1930's when it was common practice for women to end up in asylums just for disobeying their or talking back or being a troublesome burden to you husband.

So we go between the two ladies,  Izzy trying to find out about Clara through her belongings and Clara living in the asylum trying to convince people that she is not insane.  This was the hard part for me because of the descriptions of the abuse that was done to the patients. 

I have already put two more of Ellen M Wiseman's books on my TBR. 

                   
      I Let You Go - Clare Mackintosh

                           New Author

I chose Clare Mackintosh as my new author because I had heard many good things about her,   not because of her last name.  Lol.  Besides, she spells it wrong,  just kidding!!!!

This was an easy read  with a twist that I did not see coming and what a twist it was!!

The story starts with a 5 year little boy being killed by a hit and run and Jenna Gray's life is forever changed.   The story is told by the police working the case and Jenna who ran away from the boy's death. 

The first part of the book is a little slow but the second half takes off.  I will definitely look for more books by this author.

                                 Cockroaches - Jo Nesbo

                                       Series


Second in the Harry Hole series,  on my way to reading the much acclaimed "The Snowman"!!

A Norwegian ambassador is found in a sleazy motel in Bangkok  with a knife in his back.  This murder needs to be solved quickly and quietly,  so Harry Hole is sent from Norway to Thailand .  Harry,  I am learning,  doesn't to  anything quietly. 

Harry uncovers many reasons and many suspects for this murder but also finds a lot of opposition from the higher ups.

A good crime mystery but too many foreign names and places for me.  I kept getting lost.   I am liking getting to know Harry Hole and look forward to our next adventure together in "The Redbreast".

                   Forgotten Garden  -  Kate Morton

                                  "M"  -  Author

Cassandra's grandmother,Nell,  passes away and leaves Cassandra the deed to  a cottage in England.   That starts Cassandra on a journey to learn more about this mysterious cottage that her grandmother never talked about and the discovery of many family secrets.

This is told in 3 voices,  Nell, Cassandra and Eliza, as it travels through many time periods.  Kate Morton does this seamlessly.

Many twist and turns and surprises will keep you turning the pages,  it did for me.

A quote I like from this book......"You make a life out of what you have,  not what your are missing"

The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

New Author

Once Upon a Book Club - June 2018

A little mystery, a little romance, a little statement on domestic violence and the foster system.  Little enough that the book really didn't grab me fully. English which is often a drier read with words and places unfamiliar to me.

I enjoyed meeting the characters; the endearing Archie and the troubled Loveday, but I didn't get attached to them.

Not a bad read, just not an overly remarkable one.

Quotes:  "Idiot that I was, I liked that he liked me.  I should have known better.  In retrospect, I think that maybe he didn't like me much beyond the fact that I was talking to him about him and what he was interested in."

                              The Retreat  -  Mark Edwards
                                    New Author

"You should be careful what you believe !"

There is a legend of the Red Widow that kids tell each other at bedtime, around campfires, or just to scare each other.  The Red Widow takes young children and eats their souls.  She needs a child every 35 years. That time is approaching and Lily goes missing.!!!!

Now, 2 years later,  Julia , Lily's mom,  has opened a writer's retreat. Max, Suzi, and Lucas are her first guests and Lucas becomes interested in the disappearance of Lily. Once he starts looking into what happened 2 years ago,  strange things start happening. 

Mark Edwards is a new author on my TBR and he really kept my interest in this page-turner thriller.  I will definitely look for more of his books.   Enjoy this read,  but don't read it at night !!!!! 

                                   The Glass Ocean

                     Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen White
                                     (Historical Fiction)

2 time periods,  3 women.
Sarah , in 2013, is researching her family history for a new novel she is trying to write.  Her great-great-grandfather was a steward on the Lusitania.  She finds a connection with a family named Langford and travels to England to meet John Langford , whose great-great-grandfather was also on the Lusitania.  They start digging in the family archives and discover some hidden family secrets.

In 1915, we meet Tess and Caroline, who are both on board the Lusitania.  Caroline is a first-class passenger who is questioning her marriage  and Tess is second-class passenger who is a thief trying to steal something from Caroline. 

There is intrigue, espionage, and romance in this novel.   However,  I find it difficult to classify it as a true historical fiction.  For me,  I need more historical facts than the time and place in which a novel takes place.  Also,   I do not enjoy romantic love stories, which this book had too much of. 
But still an enjoyable read. 

The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

Debut Novel

Once Upon a Book Club
January 2018

Accolades to A.J. Finn for an astounding debut.  We become acquainted with alcoholic, agoraphobic, Anna, and from the onset we are absorbed with finding the answers to this alluring mystery.

You will become agoraphobic yourself, as you will not want to put this book down to leave the house.  Finn's past and present plot lines keep the reader riveted; often times holding your breath as the Hitchockian drama plays out. 

Now excuse me as I go refill my wineglass...

Quotes:  "...check the clock on the wall: 10:10, a waxed mustache on its face."

"Outside, a light snow began to shake down, frail little kamikaze flakes smiting themselves against the windows."

"I'd been prepared to share the whole story, to decant myself..." [pretty creative writing as she is an alcoholic, get it??]

Okay, so I may not have finished my A to Z Challenge....yet!  BUT, I (Couscous) did reach a milestone on our blog!  I've hit 100 books of my toppling book pile!!!!  Woot! Woot!

You Suck (A Love Story) by Christopher Moore

Guilty Pleasure

2018 A to Z Challenge - Y

I had limited "Y" books on my shelf, so was glad that I had this one to get back to quirky and fun, Christopher Moore!  This is the 2nd in his vampire love story trilogy.  A far cry from Twilight or Anne Rice novels!

It did have his offbeat wit but I didn't enjoy nearly as much as some of his other books (Fluke, Stupidest Angel) which truly do make me laugh out loud.  This one only garnered a few chuckles from me.

I will have to read the 3rd one though (Bite Me) to find out what happens to Tommy, Jody, Abby Normal and the Animals!

Quotes:  "Will my brain always be like this? I mean, will I get any smarter, or is that stuck in time, too?  Well, yeah, but that's because you're a man, not because you're a vampire."

"You're the one with almost an MBA,...You should know what to do.  They don't cover what to do with a dead hooker,...That's a whole different program.  Political science,  I think."

                              The Bat  -  Jo Nesbo

                                      Series

I chose this book because I heard a lot about the book "The Snowman" by Jo Nesbo and since it was part of a series,  I had to start with the first book of the series.   Unfortunately,  I was a little disappointed but I am intrigued with Harry Hole and will continue with the series.

Anyway,  we first meet Harry Hole, a detective from Norway, in Australia.  He was sent there to help solve the murders of several young blond girls.  It is a good mystery "who-done-it" with maybe too much Australian folk-lore used as fill-in.   And maybe because I don't know much about Australia, I was lost quite a few times.  There was also a lot of back information on Harry,  sort of like we needed to get to know Harry real quick.  But like I said,  I am intrigued by Harry and will read the next in this series called,  "The Cockroaches". 

                               

And......we have a DRAGON!!!

Bookworm successfully completed the 2018 A to Z Challenge!!  Reading all 26 books in 9 months!!!!

Way to go!!!!  Couscous is right behind her.

Stay tuned as we gear up to tackle next year's challenge!!!

UPDATE:  Couscous finished the Challenge!!  With a couple weeks to spare!!!

            The Virgin Blue - Tracy Chevalier
                      Historical Fiction

This was Tracy Chevalier's first novel.  It is considered historical fiction because it mentions the religious wars in France in the 1600's.

 The story is told in 2 voices,  one of Isabelle Tournier who is suspected of witchcraft because of her red hair and her belief in the Virgin Mary during those 1600's religious wars.

The second voice is Ella Turner, who goes to France with her husband and discovers her family ancestors and a connection to the Tourniers of the 1600's.

To me, this novel was more of  literary fiction than historical .  I enjoyed the first half to two-thirds of the book,  but was put off by the way the book wrapped up at the end.

This was also my last book to read in the "A to Z Reading Challenge by GingerMom..   This was a fun way to read book off of my bookshelves.   Thanks to GingerMom and the #2018atozchallenge

        Last Girl Seen  -  Nina Laurin
                            DEBUT

This was not the shocking, psychological thriller that I was hoping for.
It was a good book and kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

Lainey was kidnapped 13 years ago at the age of 10.   Now another girl has disappeared.  The girl's parents reach out to Lainey because they think it is the same man who took Lainey 13 years ago.

 Lainey is a broken soul and takes pills just to get thru the day and to help ease the nightmares. So is she helping or hurting the missing girl's case. 

I did figure out one part of the story but there were several twists and turns that I did not see coming.   All in all, it was a good read.
           

A Fistful of Collars by Spencer Quinn

Series

Another Chet and Bernie; another tail of mystery told through Chet's eyes and nose.  Chet's not as funny the 5th time around with his surprising tail wagging and forgetfulness.

The redundancy of Chet often makes me zone out and actually miss some of the mystery plot line.  Basically I'll just be glad when I've finished this series (though #9 is being published next year (2019) after a 4 year hiatus - UGH!)

Red Sky in Morning by Paul Lynch

Debut Novel

2018 A to Z Challenge - R

This book took a little bit of getting used to at first.  Because of the prose, the lyrical writing style of Lynch, it is not a fast moving book and because I have lists and lists of books that I need to get to I probably jumped into this with an expectation of a quick read.  Once I settled down, Huppidy hah!, I found myself really enjoying Lynch's writing.

I found myself comparing it to what I remembered of On the Road by Jack Kerouac, but with the addition in Red Sky of a nasty villain that provides some suspense in the book.

It is worth reading the author's interview (found in the edition I read - 2013 ISBN9780316230261) as he explains the idea behind the book and some real life facts that I will not divulge as I do not want to give away the ending.

The book may not be for everyone, with the prose style it feels like the plot ambles along, there is some foul language and there are no quotation marks to set off speaking parts.  But for me, while it wasn't my favorite book, Lynch does have 2 other novels that I will considering reading in the future.

Quote:  "...he was auditioning ideas of talk man to man that would settle things."

"Evening loitered then draped itself upon the sky."

                Zorro  -  Isabel Allende

                   "Z" book  - #2018atozchallenge

Indians, Pirates, Gypsies,  Sword fights!! Oh, my!!!

Well, some of these did happen in this book,  but this is a story about Diego de la Vega as a young man.  We learn how his parents met, when Diego was born and what he was like as a child. We come to know why he was a warrior for the underdog and the helpless and how the persona  of Zorro came about.

We also visit Spain during the time the French were invading the country and where Diego sees more brutal injustices.

All in all, this was an enjoyable, but not adventuress, book. Isabel Allende is a talented author and I was able to travel back in time with her writing.                                   

                                                                     #2018atozchallenge                                                            (one more letter and I will have completed this challenge.  One book  title for each letter of the alphabet)                                                     

Now or Never by Elizabeth Adler

New Author

2018 A to Z Challenge - N

A classic hardened detective story, with the addition of a troubled and beautiful news crime journalist (think a less abrasive Nancy Grace).

Adler did a good job of keeping basically 3 plot lines flowing smoothly:  the hunt for a killer, the budding romance of our lead detective and the secretive past story of our news journalist.  The romance got a little more play than I would have liked, but overall they were nicely balanced.  Jumping from one plot line to another kept the reader turning the pages to see how each story would end and come together with the others.

While I may not seek out all 30+ of her novels, I do have 2 more on my shelf that I will read sooner rather than later.

The Underground River by Martha Conway

Historical Fiction

2018 A to Z Challenge - U

Like a calm river that can quickly turn rough, this book started slow but flowed along a strong current and the last 150 pages...what a ride!

I could relate to the main character, May; who learned of the horrors of slavery as she traveled the Ohio River (the dividing line between the North/South a/k/a Free/Slave states) who had empathy but like many now and then who acknowledge a societal problem but feel it is too large for their actions to make a difference so they do nothing; yet when forced to, would/could/should we act?

The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Guilty Pleasure

2018 A to Z Challenge - Q

I got away from reading James Patterson when he became such a prolific writer.  While he still writes a readable thriller, its more due to the formula of short chapters with cliffhangers that propels the reader to keep going versus a tightly wound plot or indepth characters.

This book was no different.  I only picked it up because I needed a "Q" title and I happened to have this.  There were parts I definitely saw coming and a few that I didn't and a few more that just didn't add up in a realistic fashion.  BUT...it was a Quick read and it accomplished my alphabet goal!

I'll be hard pressed to read any more of Patterson when there are so many other suspense thrillers that offer more in the way of character development while still providing heart-pounding thrills.
#2018AtoZChallenge

           Unorthodox -   Deborah Feldman

                      "U" - Author

I really wanted to like this book.  Two of my friends raved about it but unfortunately I did not end up liking it.

Deborah was a member of a sect of the Hasidic Jews in New York.   It was interesting to learn of their traditions and many of their rituals, of how Deborah was controlled by those traditions and the rules women had to follow.

Deborah questioned many of the rules of her faith . Why couldn't she learn English, why couldn't she read books and go to college.?  And why did she have to get married at the age of 17? Just to name a few.

For me, the writing style was immature and whiny at times.  She also left many unanswered questions of my own.  Maybe she should have waited a few more years before telling her story, as interesting as it was.

                                     #2018atozchallenge

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

New Author

2018 A to Z Challenge - O

What a neat quirky book!  Reminiscent of fairy tales and Greek myths.  A mystical tale told through the eyes of a young boy trying his best to get through childhood and its nightmares with the help of his much loved books and a strange girl named Lettie.

Quotes:  "That's the trouble with living things.  Don't last very long.  Kittens one day, old cats the net.  And then just memories. And the memories fade and blend and smudge together..."

"Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are things people are scared of.  Some of them are things that look like things people used to be scared of a long time ago  Sometimes monsters are things people should be scared of, but they aren't."

"I do not miss childhood, but I miss the way I took pleasure in small things, even as greater things crumbled.  I could not control the world I was in, could not walk away from things or people or moments that hurt, but I found joy in the things that made me happy."

Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran

"M" Author

2018 A to Z Challenge - P

Another book that languished on my shelves despite how curious I was to read it.  I thoroughly enjoyed this immigrant tale of Iranian sisters living in Ireland.  The story told in the midst of a brand new cafe, describing the traditional Iranian dishes had my mouth watering.  While we do not have a specific Iranian restaurant in Pittsburgh, we do have a variety of Middle Eastern eateries and I will definitely be stopping in to partake in a lunch of falafel, tabbouleh and a piece of baklava to go!

Mehran writes beautifully, lyrically; the reading was bittersweet knowing that she died in 2014 at the young age of 36.

While the book did not make an overt political statement, it is hard not to read it under the current (2018) ugly battle of immigration policies in the US.  This book (as others with an immigration theme) showed how those seeking refuge do not hate their country of birth, far from it - they love the beauty, customs, history and foods of their homelands, but are often forced to leave due to unspeakable violence and complete lack of civil rights.  Their adopted homeland can benefit from the sharing of new foods and differing views, making the citizens and the land richer.

Quote:  "The Cat spent a good three hours on the rectory's roof, lamenting lost loves and wailing into an unmarked bottle of misery,..."

#2018AtoZChallenge

XO by Jeffery Deaver

Guilty Pleasure

2018 A to Z Challenge - X

Can't say this was my favorite Jeffery Deaver.  Sure there were red herrings, some "leave you hanging" chapter endings, but much was predictable and much more was unrealistic.  A country singer is stalked, but who is perpetrating the killings based on her song lyrics??  Some items were taken right out of mainstream media, which seems a poor fallback for a creative mind like Deaver.

I basically only read this because I needed an "X" title for my challenge and those are hard to come by.  So, I doubt I'll pick up anymore in the Kathryn Dance series.  I've enjoyed the Lincoln Rhyme books and his stand alone novels much better.

#2018atozchallenge

Keeping Watch  -  Laurie R. King

      "K" author

Allen Carmichael rescues children and mothers from abusive fathers and husbands.  He relies on skills he learn as a soldier in Vietnam to do this.   We learn of his time in Vietnam at the beginning of this story and that gave me a better feeling of what our service men went through during that time.

Allen turns to the rescuing of children to help quiet the beast that began to grow inside of him during the time in Vietnam. For 26 years he lives on the outskirts of the law and saves many lives.  Now he wants to retire,  but has been asked to help one more child,  Jamie.   Jamie believes his father is going to kill him so of course, Allen must help him.

Jamie's father's plane crashes but no body is found.  Then somehow, someone, discovers where Jamie is and is hunting him down.  Allen must save Jamie again, or are they really after Allen.??

As always, Laurie King's writing puts you right into the thick of things and makes for a very riveting read. 

  #2018atozchallenge

Julie and Julia:  365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen:  How One Girl Risked her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living by Julie Powell

2018 A to Z Challenge - J

Another much anticipated book that languished on my shelves for far too long. This alphabet challenge gave me a reason to advance it to the top of my TBR.

Yet, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.  I wasn't expecting Julie to be as sardonic (she's a New Yorker, but via Texas) or whiny (usually in interactions with her husband).  I do think this is her style of humor - a sarcastic, biting humor, but it didn't work for me.

And while I appreciate the carnivore way of using the whole animal - if I wasn't a vegetarian before, I would certainly be after reading detailed preparations about bone marrow, calf liver, brains, kidneys and LIVE lobster killing.

Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson

2018 A to Z Challenge - I

For a weather buff like me, this was a fascinating book!  Got a little technical at times, but weather/nature is such a complex force that I don't know if you can tell this tale of early weather reporting/forecasting without getting into some of the technicalities.  And admittedly the beginning and the end dragged a bit, but the narration of the storm as it hit Galveston - wow!

While I am often critical of today's weather forecasting (with all the technology they still get it wrong!), they truly have come a long way.  Though we will always endure nature's fury and with climate change this will continue to intensify, but with advances in technology we should be able to build better/stronger buildings and warn people far enough in advance that we can minimize the cost of property and lives lost.  Sadly, Hurricane Marie that struck Puerto Rico in 2017 is now the 2nd deadliest natural disaster to hit the US with deaths estimated to be between 4,000 and 8,000.

The biggest things standing in our way then and now are the greed and pride of men.

Quotes:  "It [anemometer] was capable of measuring velocities as high as one hundred miles an hour, but conditions had never come close to testing this capacity, nor did any rational soul believe they ever would."

"...forecasting, a black and dangerous art that only a few men...were allowed to practice."

"Once again, they tailored fact to suit their expectations."

#2018AtoZChallenge

                    Between Earth and Sky by Amanda Skenandore

                                        Historical Fiction

It has been quite awhile since I have read a book that has made my heart ache.  This story has done just that.

What a terrible time in America's history.!  What an injustice that was done to the Native Americans!!!

The story of Alma and Asku is told in two time periods,  In the 1880's when the white man forced the Native American Indian children into schools to assimilate them into the white man's world and making them leave behind their native languages, traditions, and families. Many called these schools "savage taming" schools. 

Then in the early 1900's when Alma hears of Asku being accused of murder and she and her lawyer husband go back to her home town to try to find evidence of his innocence.  Alma must also face many ghosts of her past and face her hidden knowledge of how the Indians were mistreated and lied to over and over. 

      The Ninth Life of Louis Drax   by Liz Jensen

                             "J" Author
                      "N" - 2018atozchallenge 

What a weird little story,  but I was intrigued to keep reading it.

Louis is 8 years old and appears to be very accident prone. Each year of his life, he has had many near death accidents and his mother always saves him.  Until his 9th birthday when he falls off of a cliff into a river. His mother is beside herself, his father has vanished and Louis is in a coma.  But was it really an accident?  How did Louis fall off of the cliff??  Where is his father??   And will he come out of his coma so the truth will be told?? 

#2018atozchallenge



 

The Woman in the Photo by Mary Hogan

Historical Fiction

2018 A to Z Challenge - W

A well-written fictional account of the true devastation that greed and privilege created in Johnstown, PA.  Living in Pittsburgh, I have been aware of the horrific history of the Johnstown Flood, but admittedly I have not been there beyond passing through.  After reading this book I plan to take a trip to Johnstown to pay homage to those that lost their lives.

Hogan crafts a story within a story all while creating empathy for the hard working people of Johnstown.  Told in alternating time periods (a favorite writing style of mine), she also touches on the challenges of being adopted and the questions of who is family.  We also learn about the rise of Clara Barton and the Red Cross.

The reading of all books, fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, etc. opens a world for readers that they may have not been aware of or may never be able to experience, but with a skilled pen an author can provide a window into a world in which we can learn from the past, learn from others mistakes and to see the humanity of the world we share.

Quotes: "Human kindness.  The simple understanding that we are not alone on this earth.  Ours is a journey of a million hearts, beating as one."

"What woman could be more interested in a man who thought more of himself than her?"

"A woman born at a time when doctors believed that being scholar damaged a woman's uterus."

"I am humbled to view myself through the lens of reality instead of the blurred vision of privilege."

"'It's been my experience that presence and silence are most helpful....Be there without judgment or advice to listen when he is ready to talk.'"

"Maybe DNA wasn't destiny after all."

#2018AtoZChallenge

2018 A to Z Challenge

Bookworm is FINishing books left and right in this Alphabet Challenge!  She has achieved Dolphin status!!!

And Couscous finally caught up!  20 books done!

Girl Last Seen by Nina Laurin

Debut Novel

2018 A to Z Challenge - G

"Two Missing Girls.  Thirteen Years Apart."   Hmmm.... We learn early on the connection between these 2 girls, but Laurin doesn't give away any other secrets until the end.  It wasn't the most gripping "thriller" I have ever read, but it had its moments. At times I felt the story was a little drawn out, but the protagonist is such a troubled character that you can't help root for her (even though I was often frustrated by her self-destructive behavior).  Nonetheless, it is a quick easy read.

Quote:  "That veneer of normalcy may be tissue-paper thin, but you'll soon find out that no one is in any hurry to scratch the surface, let alone test if for weak spots."

#2018AtoZChallenge

                  Educated  -  Tara Westover
                    "E" - 2018atozchallenge

     
    Tara was raised by a fundamentalist Mormon family living off the grid.   The family was poorly home schooled and any injuries were treated by Tara's mother, a midwife and herbalist.  Her father was paranoid about the government and was constantly preparing his family for The End of Days.  He worked a junkyard and made most of his children work in the junkyard scrapping metal, sometimes a dangerous job.

At 17, Tara takes the ACT and is accepted into BYU, against her parent's wishes.  She hides the fact that she has no education, her family life, or any of the abuse that she has suffered.

She faced many challenges along the way to get her education. She  learned that many ideals her father had lectured her on were false and  she had to balance between those lies and the real facts.

This is an interesting read, a difficult read, and a disturbing read.
                                   
                                                     #2018atozchallenge



.                                             

Hotel on Shadow Lake by Daniela Tully

PageHabit Subscription - April 2018 - Historical Fiction

2018 A to Z Challenge - "H"

An enticing story made all the more fascinating by the actual story its based on!

Yet, beyond that it is an engaging read that has surprises, deceit, heartbreak and betrayal.  One finds empathy for the terribly conflicting times at the rise of the Nazi Regime.  Hindsight gives us the clarity so many did not have.

And I SO want to check out the hotel that inspired the Montgomery Hotel!

     Rosemary,  the Hidden Kennedy Daughter
                by Kate Clifford Larson

"R" - 2018atozchallenge

I am not sure how I feel about this book.  First off , Rosemary was born in a time when little was known or understood about"special needs" children.  They were either institutionalized or they were kept hidden. So it was a sad read for that reason.

Secondly,  Rosemary was either born into the wrong family or the right family...  The wrong family because she was expected to keep up with her siblings, all very smart and competitive, and there was a certain public persona that all Kennedys had to present. Rosemary was always watched to make sure she did not embarrass the family.  Joe and Rose Kennedy were always trying to find ways that would 'cure' Rosemary.

Or the right family because in later life, Rosemary got excellent care and the Kennedys had the money and the political power to make improvements in the health industry and the care of people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The writing style was a little dry for me.  Filled with dates and names that I don't know  were relevant to Rosemary's story.  The Kennedy's story yes,  but not sure if it belongs to Rosemary's

The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn

Series

I am bound and determined to get through this series (mainly b/c we already bought all 8 books)!  Now, I'm 1/2 way there!!   I'm trying not to let Chet annoy me TOO much with his constant repetition and just focus on the "cozy" mystery.  There's little to say, there's a who done it - this time in the woods at a camp and near an old mine, the mystery gets wrapped up nicely at the end, Chet repeats himself ad nauseam.  And on we go to Book 5!

  A year by the Sea - Joan Anderson
     "Y" - 2018atozchallenge

A year of self-discovery for a woman who has lost her own self and her dreams while caring for her family, realizing that she has neglected to nurture herself, as most women do.  This book has lots of words of wisdom and ways of putting ourselves first.,  to reconnect with the inner you.

"It is hard for most women to state what they want, because they've gotten used to wanting only what's available."

  Sometimes I Lie  -   Alice Feeney
              Guilty Pleasure

Wow,  just wow!!  So many twists that I did not see coming.  Just when I thought I might be figuring something out, I would get a curve ball and had my mind blown!!! 

Amber is in a coma, she can not move or see but she can hear.  She does not know why or what happened to her.  Her husband, Paul and her sister, Clare visit her and she hears them talking about her and  "the accident".  There is also a strange visitor that only comes at night.  Who is it?  Amber is also afraid,  but she is not sure of what or of whom.

This was a good psychological thriller but with an ending that I am still wondering about. 

                                                  #2018atozchallenge

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

New Author

2018 A to Z Challenge - F

NY Times Best Seller, Best Book of the Year, rave reviews...I was SO looking forward to this book!!  Sadly, I was disappointed.  I found it pointless, inane, lacking the "hilarious".  It does provoke the question of Art.  What is art?  We hear it all the time in the modern art section of the museum "That's art?  I could do that!", but those words are not uttered in the classical section. People will attend a classic opera or ballet and appreciate the performance art, but what about the more obscure performances of modern dance or recitation of stream of consciousness poetry?  To me I've always believed that art is what the viewer believes in, the whole "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".  Just because someone else doesn't view something as art doesn't mean that its not.

In The Family Fang, the Fang parents are quirky performance artists that primarily cause chaos for their "art".  From the birth of their first child they have always included their children in their performances.  When the children become adults and choose not to continue with the family "art" and go their own ways, things get weird...or weirder.

I kept reading hoping the book would improve and while it kept me engaged to simply find out how it was going to end, the ending was terribly disappointing.

Quotes:  "She killed everything that needed to be killed, and when she was done, when all had been made, if not right, at least less wrong, she crawled into a cave, dark and deep, and hibernated for months, waiting for a new season to arrive and find her sated."

"Isn't that what art is, right?  It's about one thing, but its really about a lot of things."

#2018AtoZChallenge

                        The Quiet Game  -  Greg Isles
                                       "I" author

A good legal thriller.
Penn Cage, an attorney and novelist, returns to his home town of Natchez, Ms. with his young daughter to have some healing time after losing his wife to illness.

While there, he is asked by a local black woman to help solve the 30 year old  murder of her husband.  As he digs deeper into this unsolved case, he finds many, many secrets that affect his hometown and even his family. 

To uncover this murder that seems to have been swept under the rug, Penn will almost lose his life, will face past demons of his own, and face dangers that reach high up the government ladder.
A good read.

                                                                    #2018atozchallenge

                                                 
                                                                                 

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Guilty Pleasure

2018 A to Z Challenge - April Mini Challenge - A book with yellow on the cover.

What a fun and engaging book.  Quirky, socially-challenged Don Tillman comes up with a logical solution to his dating problems - an extensive questionnaire to weed out incompatible partners!  I've thought the same exact thing at times and honestly, it's no different than creating profiles on on-line dating sites.  Right? Frankly, though how legit are these questionnaires/profiles?  20 years ago I was a smoker and a meat-eater.  Today I kicked the habit, became a vegetarian and many of my opinions/judgments have changed!  When we limit ourselves to what we think may be the "perfect" partner we often miss the adventure of an unexpected companion.

What entails in The Rosie Project is an entertaining journey with Don as he discovers the joy in his life when he gets off schedule.  I found myself not wanting to put down this gem of a book and laughing and cheering Don on through all his social awkwardness!

Quote:  "'If you really love someone...you have to be prepared to accept them as they are.  Maybe you hope that one day they get a wake-up call and make the changes for their own reasons.'"

#atozminichallenge