I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You

by Courtney Maum
July 11-August 1, 2015

I love novels about Paris. I also love that after ahem many ahem years since my last French class that I am still able to read French sentences fairly well. I was drawn to this novel solely based on the title. It sounded like the perfect summer read. While it started out that way, I quickly lost interest as the storyline lost its way.

A British artist cheats on his French wife with an American journalist. He's completely obsessed with the American and even more so since she ended their affair. But he loves his daughter and tries to convince himself that he needs to make things work with his wife. In the middle of it all is a painting that symbolizes these relationships. This is my simplified explanation of the plot because I'm not sure it deserves any more than that. While the book started out with gusto, I couldn't help but get extremely bored as the plot went around and around so many times without an acceptable resolution that I stopped caring.

My favorite lines, however, were those that humanized Paris. I will get there one day – soon.

"No woman possessed more confidence in her appearance than Paris."

Overall, nothing felt real, the ending was rushed, and the protagonist was a whiny asshole. From other reviews I read on Goodreads, it seems that many share my feelings. Even more people seemed to have abandoned this book. Me and my displaced loyalty.


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The Enchanted

by Rene Denfeld
April 6-20, 2015

I'm way behind on my posts. Three or more to be (sort of) exact. Though I won't do them justice, these posts will be short and sweet so I can get caught up.

The Enchanted. Poetic. Stunning. At first a little confusing. A lot depressing. But just beautifully written.

"The sun sets over the scrubby woods below, and the sweet peach juice runs down the lady's throat. It takes like a miracle."

At only 237 pages, this novel has a lot to say in a small amount of space. Denfeld was quite successful, knowing what to embellish upon and what to leave be. The statement about prison life is loud and clear. I personally struggle with this though because isn't prison meant to be a punishment? Do hardened criminals, murderers and child molesters deserve any better than they get? I completely understand why a prisoner would choose death over life in a cell.

The Enchanted, seen through the eyes of a mute, death row inmate, is one long metaphor. The inmate interprets his surroundings into what makes sense to him. He sees prison through a magical lens. I had the sense that there was a fuzzy haze over the whole novel. A calming feeling even though the subject matter was so intense. It's a quick, thought-provoking read. I highly recommend it.


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The Invention of Wings

by Sue Monk Kidd
January 19-February 15, 2015

I'm way, way behind on this post. No real excuse why; it was a good book. But I tend to judge the feelings I have afterward higher than while I'm actually reading. And the fact is that I honestly haven't thought about it, other than knowing I needed to post a review, in a whole month.

I am truly fascinated by the mentality of slave owners in the 1800s. Two hundred years later and the topic is still discussed. That's a good thing; lest history repeat itself. But to imagine that treating another human being so horribly was considered normal is beyond my comprehension. Difficult reading for sure.

“History is not just facts and events. History is also a pain in the heart and we repeat history until we are able to make another’s pain in the heart our own.”

Sarah Grimké is "gifted" a slave for her 11th birthday. Hetty "Handful" is a year younger than Sarah at the time. Sarah immediately objects to the gift, but her mother won't hear of it. From there, the two form a bond in as much a way possible for a free woman and a slave. I honestly didn't realize until I finished the book that the Grimké sisters actually existed, and while Handful was fictional, the story was woven out of actual events in their lives. I may have appreciated it more having known that in advance. But I did enjoy it, even if the parts about Sarah trying to become a Quaker got a bit drawn out. Told in alternating voices/chapters between Handful and Sarah, I enjoyed Handful's fictional side a little more.


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The Museum of Extraordinary Things

by Alice Hoffman
Nov 24-Dec28, 2014

I finished reading this book a week ago, and unlike a really great book you can't stop thinking about, I haven't given this one another thought. Historical fiction can not only be educational, but also entertaining – within the right context. This story is sandwiched in between two horrific fires: the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the Dreamland fire. These unimaginable tragedies do not make for an entertaining read, especially when the author adds in a deplorable father whose inhuman acts would disturb and trouble even the most stoic reader.

With New York City at the turn of the last century as one of the other main "characters," I felt that more focus was placed upon it than the actual people and their unconvincing, evolving love story. In other words, I feel there was just too much crammed into one book. There were times when I would be completely engrossed and read page after page. But more times than not, I would drift off and have no comprehension of what I just read. Really great potential, but never fully realized.

My favorite parts we those of Maureen, the "faithful" servant and nanny, and her secret love affair with the Wolfman. More focus should have been placed on them, than on Coralie and Eddie. Why does it always seem that historical fiction needs to have a love-at-first-sight plot? Include a bunch of convenient resolutions, and it's one cliche after another. I'm not sure I've ever read a Hoffman novel before, but for some reason her name stands out in my mind. Unfortunately now it's not for a good reason.

Oh well, on to better books. Happy 2015!

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We Are Called to Rise

by Laura McBride
Nov 6-24, 2014

I can't exactly remember why or how We Are Called to Rise got added to my list. I also can't remember the last time a book made me so emotional. I'm so glad I picked up this book and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished it.

Similar to the format of Let the Great World Spin, Rise is divided by different characters, each with his own chapter, each not knowing the other, and finally all of them connecting in the same tragic way. I was instantly hooked, shocked and heartbroken all at once. Set in Las Vegas (no secret – one of my least favorite places) the town becomes a character within itself.

"Nothing in nature disappears. Helium becomes carbon becomes diamonds becomes rings. Bodies become bones become dust become earth. And in Vegas, murderers become patriarchs, card sharks become benefactors, the unredeemed become the redeemers. 

And cops are not convicted of excessive force."

A major statement to not only Vegas, but America today. What appropriate timing; so relevant and important.

There is an author's note at the end of the book. In it she states that she grabbed the subject matter from a real-life case and created a fictional story with what she knew. And while the real story as well as her own fiction are "unbearably sad," her goal was to "accept the full unbearableness, and still leave one wanting to wake up in the morning." I'd say she succeeded.

In a small way, I was beginning to guess where the story was going to end up, but even though I was right, I was by no means disappointed. McBride successfully told a very important narrative without trivializing it and instead making it quite profound.

* * * * *

Astonish Me

by Maggie Shipstead
Oct 21-Nov 5, 2014

Étonnez-moi. Ever since I was a kid I had dreams of becoming a dancer. I took lessons from about 9 years old all the way through college. Not that I ever had a chance at becoming truly good. For one, I started way too late. Then the most obvious. I simply do not have a dancer's body. And maybe that's why I never even went en pointe. Why ruin my feet if I have no real future? But I can always dream. And books like this take me right into that fantasy world where I am a famous ballerina.

I loved every single word of this book. I loved the way the story was setup: chapters flashed back to a much different past than the chapters told in current time. I loved the way Shipstead was able to paint such a vivid picture of the world of ballet. Lots of drama without being overly dramatic. Just the way the world of ballet was – and is. Even with the approach of the dramatic reveal (which I only sort of saw coming), I was never left feeling it was over the top.

Joan is an adequate dancer who knows there are many others much better than herself. She falls for a famous Russian dancer and helps him defect to America. This story is inspired by the defection of Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1974, and brings to life all the great dance movies from that era (The Turning Point, All that Jazz, White Nights, A Chorus Line...some of my favorites). But when their relationship falls flat, Joan "settles" for a childhood friend who has always carried the torch for her. She becomes pregnant, they marry, and her life takes its intended course. But once her son shows signs of true talent, Joan is thrust back into the world of ballet and is forced to face the demons she thought she left behind.

“She realizes that the beauty radiating from him is what she has been chasing all along, what she has been trying to wring out of her own inadequate body.” She can’t help telling him, “Tu m’étonnes.”

I can't say enough good about this book. Such an unexpected delight. It was so great to read about performances and the lives of professional ballet dancers. Definitely one of the best books I read this year.

* * * * *

The Vacationers

by Emma Straub
Sept 26-Oct 20, 2014

Perfect time of year to read about a family vacation to Mallorca. A family with issues, but a vacation nonetheless. This book had the lazy, carefree tone of a vacation that sucked me in right away.

And then. And then nothing happened! The Posts brought their infidelity baggage with them and their 35-year marriage, while their daughter just kind of watched everything happen around her. Her brother was a bit of a disaster and quite honestly an asshole. Throw in the family friends, who had the potential to be the most interesting of the bunch, but were there just to make sure more drama filled the pages.

I struggled through this very short book and honestly should have just given up. It didn't hold my attention, and I can't say that I formed any attachment to any one character. And though I'm not a prude and don't mind a little "sex talk" in the novels I read, I found that, out of nowhere, an overly-crude sentence or two would pop up without enhancing the story one way or the other. Add the cliche of a love-struck teenager who ends up getting used in her most vulnerable state, and it's just time for this vacation to end.

Just as my eye rolling and tongue clicking was getting louder and more frequent, Straub pulled out the ultimate cheesy metaphor. With everyone all kissy/huggy and made up, they fly home:

"Marriages, like ships, needed steering, and steady hands at the wheel. Franny wrapped both of her arms around Jim's right one, her grip firm and ready for any turbulence ahead."

Gimme a break.

* * * * *

The Interestings

by Meg Wolitzer
August 19-Sept 25, 2014

The Interestings. Indeed. I have to admit that I resisted reading this one right from the start. But when it was recommended and lent to me by a very trustworthy coworker, I decided to give it a go. My impression from the synopsis was that the characters were going to be a little too old for me to be able to relate. I'm happy to say that I was wrong.

Starting out at an artistic summer camp in 1974, Wolitzer takes us through the lives of six unlikely friends. Jules always felt privileged to be accepted into the group; she never thought she was "interesting" enough. Ethan had a hopeless crush on Jules, one that lasted through adulthood. Ash and her brother Goodman were quite the pair. Jonah allowed unfortunate circumstances from his early childhood to affect the rest of his life. And Cathy was never really trusted by her so-called friends.

While I've read other reviews saying that it seemed nothing really "interesting" ever happened in this book, I need to disagree – to an extent. There were never any "gasp-worthy" moments, no great controversies, but instead it was a good story about friendship and how to remain close to those friends long after your lives take entirely different paths. And ultimately, it's a story about "what if." The story finished in a satisfying way, but not everything was tied up in a bow (which regular readers of my reviews know I hate). Admittedly, I was teary at the end.

Wolitzer has a wonderful writing style. I loved the way she was able to weave between past and present in just a few paragraphs, and never lose site of what she was trying to say. Her prose definitely had a calming effect on me, and I loved the warm fuzzy way I felt when reading about growing up in camp. Such an important time for teenagers (though I begged my parents to never, ever send me to camp!) coming of age and creating their own identities.

“But, she knew, you didn’t have to marry your soulmate, and you didn’t even have to marry an Interesting. You didn’t always need to be the dazzler, the firecracker, the one who cracked everyone up, or made everyone want to sleep with you, or be the one who wrote and starred in the play that got the standing ovation. You could cease to be obsessed with the idea of being interesting.”

* * * * *

Me Before You

by Jojo Moyes
Dec 22, 2013-Jan 5, 2014

What an unexpected surprise! Joanna highly recommended this book to me with the warning: don't be fooled into thinking this is chick lit. Because it sure starts out that way. And then suddenly you're drawn in and the emotion is real and raw.

Louisa has just lost her long-time, dead-end job that she actually loved. She's been dating the same guy for seven years and sees no real future with him. She is comfortable, plain and simple. Desperate to find a new job, she accepts work as an aide to a quadriplegic. With no experience, she is promised that her tasks are mainly to provide food, cleaning and a watchful eye over Will. Will had it all; a highly successful executive with a gorgeous girlfriend and a great urban apartment, when his life was changed in an instant. Now he reluctantly accepts Lou into his life, but it's not long before she cracks his hard exterior and develops real feelings for him. And that, my friends, is where the fluff ends.

The rest of the story is so emotional, surprising and even controversial that I absolutely couldn't put it down. The night I finished Me Before You, it was nearly 2am and I had to take short breaks because I couldn't read the words through my tears. Moyes succeeded in running the reader through the emotional gamut. Worth losing a good night's sleep over. Although I'm not a fan of book clubs, this one would be the perfect choice. I found myself thinking about it days after I finished reading. I'm usually pretty stingy with my star ratings, but this undoubtedly deserves four. Even four-and-a-half (I have to reserve those five-star ratings...there's a lot of years of reading ahead of me!).

* * * * *

Help for the Haunted

by John Searles
October 28-Nov19, 2013

What a waste of three precious weeks of reading time. I can't remember now what made me want to read this book, but it had to be something significant because this genre is never chosen by me. I'm just not a fan of mystery or suspense. And while I think a book can accomplish way more than a movie can, I found myself thinking that this book will be way scarier if (when) it gets made into a movie.

Since I'm not going to recommend Help for the Haunted to any of my book friends, spoilers will abound in this review. Please keep reading though because I'm telling you it's not worth your time anyway.

The whole time I was reading, I felt as though I stepped into the middle of the conversation. It's not like when chapters leave you hanging in suspense, but more like I wasn't in on the secret, which was incredibly frustrating. I just never found my stride. The gist of this book is that Sylvie and her sister Rose are left orphaned after their parents are murdered. Sylvester and Rose Mason have the unusual, but highly publicized career of helping those who have been haunted in one way or another. Sylvie has been coerced by her evil, cruel sister to give the police a story which leads them away from Rose being the prime suspect, but Sylvie can't help but think that there is another side to the story. From here the book drags and drags, weaving from present to past and throwing in a handful of stories meant to throw the reader off. I found myself bored, but not really giving up because I had to find out who the murderer was. And if I'm being honest, Searles writing style is easy to read. But the creepy stuff and learning more about the Mason's "healing" work didn't seem to accomplish its task ... to scare me, the reader. There's a doll at the crux of the story that had ill-effects on its owner until the Masons came and removed it. The doll then proceeded to bring chaos and sickness to Sylvie's mom, until they locked it away in a rabbit cage in the basement. This is where I think visuals would be more successful.

I could continue to ramble on, but I made my point about the scattered story line. Still, I pressed on, sure that the payoff would be worth it. And then, AND THEN, it turns out the Masons were fakes!!!! No one or nothing was haunted and they healed no one!! Seriously?! The father just drugged people making them believe they were being possessed. All in the name of publicity!! There's even an undercurrent of homophobia and intolerance connected to Rose. What a giant waste of time!!!! If I'm going to pick up a book that promises suspense, mystery and the supernatural, WHY do I want it to turn out to be a hoax after all?? Waste. There's three weeks I will never get back. Lesson learned.

* * * * *

The Husband's Secret

by Liane Moriarty
October 13-27, 2013

I allowed myself a rare treat with this one. A fall and winter favorite of mine is waking up on a Sunday morning, early, only to make coffee and hop right back into bed and read. Delightful. I hadn't allowed myself this simple pleasure since last year, but what better book to snuggle up with than The Husband's Secret. I read over half of it in this one sitting ... just don't tell anyone I stayed in bed until one o'clock in the afternoon!

Moriarty has some similarities to Maeve Binchy, and this I loved. The ability to weave so many characters into a story and still make it completely believable. Humor and tears in just the right doses. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. And the secret? Well, I never would have guessed. I feel like I should have though, but even then, I wasn't any less intrigued. The twists and outcomes were perfect, and the "what-ifs" left me thinking long after I finished the last page.

It's crazy, but I can't think of much more to say about this book. Mainly because I don't want to give away a thing. It's that good. That surprising. That compelling. That good. One of the best books I've read in a while.

* * * * *

Tampa

by Allisa Nutting
Sept 26-Oct 13, 2013

This book should have come with a warning: Rated M for mature audiences. Seriously. But it also should have come with a lesser-known warning: this book will absolutely make you squirm. While reading I felt both criminal and twisted for continuing to turn the pages. My conscience told me to put it down. But I just couldn't. I needed to know that Celeste Price wasn't going to get away with it.

And by "it" I mean preying her on 14-year old male students. To fulfill her sexual needs. Nutting does not gloss over details; she embellishes to the point of jaw-dropping disbelief. What was going through the author's head as she penned each chapter?? Controversial subject matter is sure to sell more books, is my opinion. When I was ready to give up on Tampa, I decided to check out a few reviews on Goodreads to see if I was the one who was off-base. It seems the general consensus was that her writing was great and that was what kept readers interested to the end. I'm not sure I agree with that. Not that it was horrible, but it just "was." I suppose it if was really awful I would have been more inclined to quit. But I just had to make sure justice was served.

The official synopsis goes as far as calling Tampa "seriocomic;" yet I never once cracked a smile. And while I'm quite sure the controversy over this book will simply be because the so-called gender roles are reversed, I can't necessarily say that this was a tale that needed to be told. Getting into Celeste's mind is no place I'd ever want to be. When she described her target as an "adolescent morsel," I gagged. First because GROSS and second because I hate the word morsel. This is the point where I can chuckle. The bottom line is that reactions like mine wouldn't even occur if the teacher was a male and obsessed with young girls. We'd condemn him, yes, but it wouldn't have the same shock value.

The last few chapters were the most intriguing for me because I felt they did the best at really getting into a pedophile's mind. To explain that no amount of punishment would cure this sickness. To show that there is no remorse in the merciless. And as to whether or not justice was served... well... you'll have to find out for yourself.

It's interesting to note that Allisa Nutting is an assistant professor at John Carroll University, which many of my friends attended. I wonder if any of them ever crossed her path?! I'd love to know what is on her creative writing class syllabus.

* * * * *

The Dinner

by Herman Koch
July 14 til I gave up

Yuck. Lost in translation? Maybe. Completely scattered and uninteresting? Totally. I tried, but was convinced to give it up when Orange is the New Black arrived from Amazon (completely obsessed. more on that later).

The whole premise is about a man, his wife and son, and his brother's family. The events are supposed to take place during a dinner, but the story jumps from dinner to past events and is all over the board. When I first started Dinner and learned it was translated from Dutch, I decided maybe it was hard to get into because of the differences in cultures. That maybe it would be worth hanging on for some great payoff at the end. But when I was literally finding other things to do before bed to avoid reading, I knew it was time to throw in the towel.

So many books, so little time. Don't bother.

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May We Be Forgiven

by A.M. Homes May 1-28, 2013 I've been stewing over this one for a few weeks now, wondering what the hell to say about it. I started out at an insanely fast reading pace, then considerably slowed down on the crazy. This one stalled my quick-reading streak a bit, but mainly because it was much longer than the last few books I read, and also because of the aforementioned crazy. One of the reviews on the inside flap said something like, "starts out at 100 mph, then it really gets going." And that couldn't be more true. On Thanksgiving, Harry's sister-in-law kisses him while they are cleaning up after dinner. His brother, George, a tv executive, is fairly absent in his family's life and on the verge of a breakdown. One day, he cracks, and rams his car into another filled with a family, all of whom he kills, except for an 8-year old boy. While sitting in jail, George's wife and Harry's affair kicks into full gear. Asleep one night in George's bed with George's wife in George's pajamas, Harry is awakened by an intruder. It's George, who proceeds to bash the bedside lamp over his wife's head until she is unconscious and near death. A few days later, confirmed that she will be a vegetable, they pull the plug and she is gone. This all happens by page 37!!! From there the insanity ensued, but again, I'm just not sure how I feel. Harry's wife divorces him, he is tasked with raising George's children, has ridiculous affairs, and the list goes on. I am the first to admit that I love a book to take me away from reality, but this was so far off the cliff I'm not sure I could hang on any further. Before page 37, I was recommending this book to everyone I knew. By the end, I was telling my fellow readers to proceed with caution. I welcome any other opinions. I'm also going to check out the consensus on Goodreads. Ed and Joanna, I'm glad we sort of agree on this one. It's not that I hated it; the plot is smart, funny and outrageous. But at some point I wanted to be reeled back to a normal, believable life. Apparently, Homes is known for her f-ed up style, but I'm not sure I want any more of it? * * * * *

The Sunshine When She's Gone

by Thea Goodman
April 24-May 1, 2013

My speedy reading streak continues. I polished off this one in a week. Can't remember the last time I did that, but to be fair, Sunshine was only 225 pages. I also had that Bill Withers song stuck in my head for the past week. Only this book is the exact opposite ... there was Sunshine When She's Gone. Withers sings about how sad and lonely he is without his love, but in this case, Veronica finds herself more than happy when her husband and daughter leave her for the weekend.

Suffering from severe post-partum depression and loss over the emergency hysterectomy that followed the birth, Veronica is surprised to wake up refreshed after an unexpected good night's sleep. Her husband John wakes up early and decides to take six-month old Clara out in the cold January morning to a diner for breakfast. When he finds the diner closed, he hops in a cab for the airport and onto a flight to Barbados. He just wants to get warm. What follows is two days of phone tag, lies and Veronica's unexpected pleasure at having some alone time. For the reader, it's nothing but tension and worry that the baby will get home safely before getting any sicker than she already is.

I kept waiting for the plot to come to a point, but the storyline was so contrived, and the author appeared to give up at the end. I mean, really, who randomly decides to go to the Caribbean, and in what world would he have even gotten through customs with no luggage and a ticket purchased the same day?? I know that I read novels to escape reality, but they need to be somewhat believable too. The book was short, and in the end I'm grateful for that, but another 50 pages could have helped explain these unsympathetic characters a little more. Although maybe that was Goodman's intentions; to leave the reader feeling as shallow as this couple.

I really want to give this book two stars, but I have to give credit to the author for her beautiful prose. A reluctant three stars it is.

* * * * *

The Light Between Oceans

by M.L. Stedman

April 13-23, 2013

Have I mentioned how happy I am that my book slump seems to be behind me? Well, hooray! I've been on a nice run of good words as of late, which is also encouraging me to read longer into the night, and losing some sleep. It's worth it though if the books remain as good as this one: The Light Between Oceans.

Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia after WWI an emotionally damaged man. He shoulders guilt for not being physically injured; having seen his fellow soldiers wounded beyond repair. He finds solace in a job on Janus Rock as the keeper of its lighthouse. On a rare shore leave, he meets and marries Isabel. She in content on the island and with the life they have built together. But after two miscarriages and a stillbirth, she is on the verge a breakdown; until the day when a boat washes ashore carrying a dead man and a two-month old baby girl, who is very much alive. Isabel does everything in her power to convince Tom that they should keep the baby. As a man who is comforted by rules and procedures, he is adamantly against this idea. But when faced with a distraught wife who truly deserves children, he reluctantly gives in. They live with their new daughter, Lucy, for nearly four years until the guilt is more than Tom can bear.

“You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day. You have to keep remembering all the bad things.”

I tore through this novel with great interest and fascination. At times I found it so heartbreaking to read, but I didn't stop. Although the idea of keeping the child may seem completely unbelievable, Stedman makes you believe. This being her debut novel, I look forward to much more from her.

* * * * *

Tell the Wolves I'm Home

by Carol Rifka Brunt March 21-April 10, 2013 I don't quite remember how I discovered this book, but I will always be thankful that I did. This one hit close to home. I lost my godfather in the height of the AIDS epidemic in 1989. At the time I'm not sure I fully understood the impact of the disease, but since then I find myself in instant tears the moment I hear of another person's struggle. Tell the Wolves I'm Home is the author's debut novel. Kudos to Carol, because I was drawn in from the first page. June is a 14-year old girl whose world revolves around her uncle, a famous painter, Finn. It's tax season and her accountant parents have left June and her sister Greta "tax season orphans." But every Sunday, June, her mother and sister head to Finn's mysterious apartment and sit for a portrait he is trying to paint before he dies. Once the painting is finished, it's not long before Finn is gone too. June is empty without him and her sister is horribly mean and spiteful to her. Then she makes an unlikely friend, learns more of her uncle's past, and struggles with her grief. Brunt writes a beautiful sentence. Her metaphors are like magic. I absorbed every single word with such emotion that they had me weeping for the last few chapters  Even though it was completely relatable to me, I don't think that's the only reason I enjoyed this book so much. I would find myself stopping in the middle of the day to read a quick chapter. The night I finished it, it was nearly 1am, but I couldn't put it down. “But maybe I am. Maybe that’s exactly what I am. Maybe all I wanted was for Toby to hear the wolves that lived in the dark forest of my heart. And maybe that’s what it meant. Tell the Wolves I’m Home. Maybe Finn understood everything, as usual. You may as well tell them where you live, because they’ll find you anyway. They always do.” People may contend that this fits in the Young Adult genre. But I need to argue that, just because the protagonist is teenager, does not make it YA. The themes are so adult in nature, and although June may be wise beyond her years, people of all ages will easily relate to the subject matter. This book will be in my heart for a long time. * * * * *