Ohio

by Stephen Markley
Feb 18-Mar 10, 2019

I'm going to find it hard to put my review into words. So many thoughts and emotions swirling through my brain as I finished this book only an hour ago. I was nearly ready to give up on it after the prelude, but like a pas de deux, I continued to dance with my partner, this book, until the coda. I'm so glad I did. What a complex, challenging, heart-breaking book.

Complex: Attempting to keep all the characters straight and comprehending the political aspect of Bill's character. Challenging: I found myself looking up several words I had never heard of – verisimilitude, threnody, senescence – and yet there was not an ounce of pretension in the author's voice. Heart-breaking: At times, the graphic depictions of war, rape and self-mutilation were unbearable, but I realized that they were absolutely necessary.

As we all know, the way memory works is that the sweep of your life gets explicated by a handful of specific moments, and these totems then stand as narrative. You must invent the ligature that binds the rest.

And the draw was so familiar and comfortable, because, well, Ohio. Every mention of my happy places from Cleveland to Akron to South Bass Island, made me feel like home. While I'm not native to our great state, it's still my home.

“Johnny Appleseed. Ever heard of him? Ohioan.”

It seemed to take forever for me to finish, but I realize it was only short of three weeks. Worth every minute and with a payoff no reader could ever see coming. In an interview at the end of the book, Markley is quoted as saying,

"You just want those last forty pages to shock the shit out of you and yet feel totally inevitable in retrospect."

Absolutely. Poetically lovely, and absolutely relevant.

"And they were gone, these infinitesimal creatures, walking the surface of time, trying and failing to articulate the dreams of ages, born and wandering across the lonesome heavens."

* * * * *

Where the Crawdads Sing

by Delia Owens
Feb 1-10, 2019

What a heartbreaking, yet somehow deeply satisfying book! At first a little hard to follow with the "slang" of North Carolina, I soon got a rhythm and was clinging to every word, every piece of poetry. This is a story about abandonment, isolation, racism and cruelty that had me in tears, but in the end turns rather triumphant.

"She feels the pulse of life, he thought, because there are no layers between her and her planet."

Although I was a little put off at first that it was turning into a murder mystery, the evolution made sense and the outcome was not the least bit predictable. Again, I feel like the more I like a book, the less I have to say about it. But this is one of the best I've read in a while, and definitely got me out of an early 2019 slump that was beginning to worry me. Highly recommend!

* * * * *

A Fall of Marigolds

by Susan Meissner
Dec 22, 2015-Jan 2, 2016

Everything happens for a reason. Love is meant to be given to another. Grief lives in an in-between place. While this may sound incredibly sappy, and so not the subject matter I am typically drawn to, A Fall of Marigolds enchanted me from chapter one.

A scarf entwines two women who live a century apart. Both survived horrific tragedies – Clara, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and Taryn, 9/11. Trying to cope in the aftermath of each, both women must find the will to move on.

I definitely enjoyed Clara's story – a nurse on Ellis Island – more than Taryn's. I think the storytelling was better, but I also think that it was easier to remove myself from events that happened 100 years ago than it was for September 11. Taryn's story was beautiful, but incredibly difficult to read, if also a little under-developed.

It's that time of year. Hibernation season. This is the perfect book to get cozy with.

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Did You Ever Have a Family

by Bill Clegg
Dec. 19-22, 2015


I am stunned. That doesn't happen often. My favorite thing is when I can't stop thinking about a book, long after I've turned the last page. This is most certainly one of those. Even more rare, I am contemplating rereading this book SOON. It's short, but I still tore through it in three days. Reading on a beach in Mexico probably played a big part, but it doesn't diminish the beauty that is Did You Ever Have a Family.

Character study achieved to perfection. The first time I cried was on page 61, the next was page 109, then I lost count. By the end I wanted to sob. It's definitely heavy, heavy reading, but worth every word. I simply could not put this book down.

“The world’s magic sneaks up on you in secret, settles next to you when you have your head turned.”

I know it's crazy, but I am speechless. Isn't it funny that I have little say about such an amazing novel? It's kind of pointless to relay the plot, since it's both simple and complicated, and easy to find on the dustcover. But I recommend going in blindly. It makes for a better experience. I can't possibly recommend this book more. Go. Now.

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All the Light We Cannot See

by Anthony Doerr
January 1-18, 2015

First book of 2015! And boy, was it a great one. With at least five nods as one of the best books of 2014, the only thing that kept me from reading it sooner was simply a slow/off reading year. I'm looking to get my groove back this year.

I read that it took Doerr ten years to write this book. His effort paid off. He is a genius with prose and the imagery made me feel as though I was experiencing the horrors of war with Marie-Laure and Werner. With short chapters and time-hopping of about 10 years in these kid's youths, I was able to read at a pace that I hadn't in quite some time.

Marie-Laure is a blind girl living in Paris with her locksmith father at the time of the German invasion in WWII. Werner is a German orphan with a knack for fixing radios, which ultimately lands him in a school for Hitler youth. Of course their lives intertwine, but for me it was a surprising and delightful meeting. While there were so many moments in the story that were heartbreaking and gut-wrenching, there was an equal amount of poignancy as well as an unexpected history lesson. Marie and her father were forced to flee to her great-uncle's home in Saint-Malo, and I admit that I'd never heard of this town on the Brittany coast of France. I was so fascinated by what I'd read in the book that I did a little more research when I finished. I was struck by a line near the end of the novel (by this point, present day) that really does ring true:

"Every hour, she thinks, someone for whom the war was memory falls out of the world."

I just makes me think that I should have asked more questions of my grandparents when they were still alive. Both my grandfathers fought in WWII.

The "light we cannot see" became a character itself in radio waves, but it also symbolized many moments in the lives of the protagonists. The fate of the "Sea of Flames," a rare gem entrusted to Marie's father for safe keeping, is a perfect discussion point because, do we really know what happened to it?

I savored every word of this, in my opinion, masterpiece. I can only hope to be as luckily with the rest of my book choices for this year.


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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.

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The Book of Life

by Deborah Harkness
July-October 2014

Now that's the way to end a delicious trilogy! I literally savored every moment of this third and final installment of the All Souls Trilogy because I simply didn't want it to end. My friend tore through this eagerly-awaited book in less than a week, but I couldn't. I rationed myself. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Matthew and Diana.

It's surprising to me how many negative reviews I'm reading about The Book of Life. Highly-critical readers upset by the outcome of Ashmole 782, the Covenant and the never-ending cast of characters. I couldn't disagree more. Once again with the silky smooth narration of Jennifer Ikeda, I was left {ahem} enchanted. There were times when I listened and gasped, cried or laughed out loud. Harkness knew exactly how to write a book just for me. I'm also hearing buzz from other fans of this trilogy requesting more from Harkness; perhaps a book about the life of Gallowglass?? How about a new book dedicated to the lives of the twins? Either way, I'm in!

The "magic" was definitely back after getting a bit lost in Shadow of Night. Diana and Matthew's relationship strengthened, they had twins, the family bond grew even stronger, and we were introduced to a few new characters. Oh, and Diana's powers kick ass. I can't praise the story, the writing, the characters enough. Just so, so great. And speaking of great, quite possibly the BEST lines I've read in a book in a long time.

“No, I’m a vampire.” Matthew stepped forward, joining Chris under the projector’s light. “And before you ask, I can go outside during the day and my hair won’t catch fire in the sunlight. I’m Catholic and have a crucifix. When I sleep, which is not often, I prefer a bed to a coffin. If you try to stake me, the wood will likely splinter before it enters my skin.” He bared his teeth. “No fangs either. And one last thing: I do not, nor have I ever, sparkled.” Matthew’s face darkened to emphasize the point.

Take that, Stephenie Meyer. As for my rating, a VERY rare, but more than worthy, five stars. I will eventually read all three again.

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The Goldfinch

by Donna Tartt
March 20–May17, 2014

I can't believe it's been just over a month since I finished this book. Not only did it take me FOREVER to finish, it's now taken me forever to post. I guess I've been as busy as a one-legged man ... well, you get the idea. The delay, however, has nothing to do with what a fabulous book The Goldfinch is.

I wasn't prepared for how heavy this book would weigh on me. The subject matter, characters and circumstances were quite exhausting. At a whopping 771 pages, Goldfinch has a lot to cover. Theo is just 13 when a terrorist attack in an art museum kills his mother, leaving him with horrific visions of the dead and the survivors, as well as life-long post-traumatic stress. In a split-second decision on his way to safety, Theo's life is forever tied to that museum, with art and antiques becoming his passion. All this not before a horrendous childhood filled with drugs, alcohol, and the desperate need to fit in. While Theo makes poor decisions constantly throughout his life, the reader will inevitably keep cheering for him. He wants to be a better person.

The entire cast of characters will take your emotions for a wild ride. From hatred to pity to compassion, Tartt was able to capture the full gamut. It's no wonder The Goldfinch has won countless literary prizes, including the 2014 Pulitzer for fiction. One of the better books I've read in a while.

* * * * *

And the Mountains Echoed

by Khaled Hosseini
Jan 6-Feb 16, 2014

Well, that took me an inordinately long time to read. I'm not really sure what the holdup was, but I'm eager to start a new book. Hosseini really is a gifted author, but I had a hard time gaining any momentum with this, his third novel. For more than three quarters of the book, I just felt as though the story was still building up to something greater. I'm really glad I hung on to the end though, because it proved well worth it. The story eventually came together, expanding with every page, and was quite satisfying.

Mountains begins in a fictional village in Afghanistan in the 1950s and spans about six decades and travels to Paris, Greece and San Francisco; through several different voices, but each one is intertwined in way or another. Saboor must sell his only daughter in order to survive and adequately care for the rest of his family. Though a stoic man, he never gets over his decision and what unfolds is a sweeping narrative of how many generations are effected by this action.

In the beginning, it was a bit frustrating to jump between decades and voices with each chapter. It took me a while to figure out what was unfolding before me. Once I caught on, I began to like the structure. Of his three novels, this one probably ranks third for me, but that shouldn't diminish its appeal to anyone.

* * * * *

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!).

* * * * *

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

by Helen Fielding
November 2013

Oh, Bridget, how I've missed you. It's good to have you back, you nutty girl. It's been almost 15 years since The Edge of Reason, and in Bridget's life the same amount of time has also passed. Back in 1996, I listened to the audiobook version of Bridget Jones' Diary, and this time around I had to do the same. There's something about listening to Bridget's voice that adds to the fun of her story.

Mad About the Boy starts out a little depressing. Though it's not a spoiler, Mark Darcy is dead, and I didn't like that one bit. It's been five years since his shocking death and Bridget is nearly ready to move on. But Bridget's first focus is on her young children, Billy and Mabel, and her second is on her Twitter followers. Hilarious. Thanks to Twitter, Bridget meets a "toy boy" and enjoys a sexual reawakening.

Our old favorites are back too – Jude, Tom, and of course, Daniel Cleaver. Bridget does her best to be a good mother, and she really is, but she makes her share of mistakes. Ultimately, she adores her children and sees Mark in them at every turn.

Although I don't usually love books-turned-into-movies, I do thoroughly enjoy the Bridget Jones movies. And as I started listening to this one, I couldn't help but think that there'd be no way they can make a movie without Mark Darcy (love, love Colin Firth!). But as the story progressed, I started to see a way that it could work out, and still have some room for Mark. I do hope it comes to pass, but I also wonder if Renee Z would be up for it? She'd have to play a 51-year old, after all.

Poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, Mad About the Boy doesn't disappoint. Bridget is definitely one of my favorite characters in fiction. I think we'd make great friends. I just might listen to all three books again.

* * * * *

We are Water

by Wally Lamb
Nov 19-Dec 22, 2013

"A life I didn't choose chose me."

It wasn't until the last few pages that the theme of Wally Lamb's latest novel was actually spelled out. But it was nice to see it in writing. A lightbulb moment for sure.

It's no secret my love of every word Lamb writes, and it's always an exciting day when he releases a new book. Unlike many authors, Lamb keeps us anxiously waiting years for his next masterpiece. Luckily it's only been five years since The Hour I First Believed. I was beyond excited to dive in to all 576 pages of delicious storytelling.

Annie Oh is an artist who decides to end her 27-year marriage to Orion for her art dealer-turned-fiancée, Viveca. Viveca is rich, and it's difficult for Annie to adjust to the good fortune. Coming from modest beginnings, losing her mother and growing up in foster care, Annie struggles with her completely changed lifestyle. Her three children vary in their acceptance of Viveca, while her ex-husband, Orion, has struggles of his own. With chapters that weave between each member of the Oh family, and stories from past to present, it was so easy to be engrossed from beginning to end. Some subject matter was rather difficult to read (child molestation in particular), but very necessary in the plot development. Overall, We Are Water is a complex, layered story about a flood, family dynamics, difficult decisions and deep secrets with multiple, unimaginable sexual encounters. And I loved every minute of it.

You know how the last few chapters of most books have evident tonal changes that give the signal that the end is near? This one definitely doesn't do that. It was so great to keep reading as though there would be no end. Struggles were still unresolved, decisions were still not made, but I couldn't have been more satisfied.

"We are like water, aren't we? We can be fluid, flexible when we have to be. But strong and destructive, too....Like water we follow the path of least resistance."

Ultimately, Wally Lamb is a master storyteller and We Are Water is no exception. It really made me think about relationships and our ability to handle whatever life has to offer.

* * * * *

Heft

by Liz Moore
August-October 2013

The genius of audiobooks are their use of multiple readers for main characters. You really feel like the story comes alive with each different voice. In this case, it was practically imperative.

The other bonus of audiobooks is that I'm essentially reading two books at once: one on "paper" (literally or virtually), one in my ears. As a slow reader, this allows me to stay somewhat current on my never-ending book list.

Imagine a man; smart, sensitive, but not-so-good-looking, with a bit of a damaged family history. As a college professor, Arthur Opp falls for a student. They are instantly compatible, but between the age difference and his emotional issues, a real relationship never comes to pass. They do, however, write letters for many years. Charlene's life takes another direction, but she continues to write to Arthur. Until she suddenly stops. Meanwhile, Arthur, over the years, "feeds" his feelings with food. So much food that he weighs over 550 pounds and has not left his house in years. The letters were all he had. Then out of the blue Arthur receives word from Charlene and everything changes. Enter the other side of the story, told by Kel, Charlene's son.

I can't even begin to express how much I enjoyed this book. Chapters woven between Arthur's and Kel's narratives, stories from present day and past; each one more interesting than the next. I never once guessed where Heft was going and was eager to find out. I was left thinking about what really constitutes a family, and how important it is to have loved ones who care.

I googled "awards for Heft by Liz Moore" and was surprised to find very little. Such a great book deserved more praise (although I admit, I'm not the best googler, and may have missed something). Even on Moore's own site, awards are scarce. I'm so surprised. The only one I found was the Beverly Hills Literary Escape's Medici Book Club Prize ... aka, Totally New to Me. A book like this certainly deserves more praise. You should read it and get the word out.

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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.

* * * * *

Everything Changes

by Jonathan Tropper
Sept 10-25, 2013

I have a friend and coworker who I consider to be extremely smart and well-read, plus he's also a writer. But for some crazy reason, he comes to me when he needs a book recommendation. I'm glad to say that I've pulled through every time. My latest recommendations for him were "anything" by Jonathan Tropper. My first suggestions were the two titles I'd already read, but from there he took it and ran. He came to me after returning from a flight and said he'd read One Last Thing... in one sitting. It made him laugh, cry and totally relate to the story. He jumped into another Tropper right away and came back to me singing its praises. That's how I came upon my third Tropper novel, Everything Changes.

Zack seemingly has everything. A rent-free house, loyal friends and a hot fiancée. When his absentee father reappears (with a perma-boner), everything ahem changes. Under it all though is a great story about friendships and the family bond. Tropper has the ability to make the reader laugh out loud in one sentence and get misty-eyed in the next. He can even make an inanimate object an important character in the story. Zack's brother Matt is a talented musician with a shaved head and an attitude. But, knowing how much his mother is disturbed by his bald pate, he wears a wig in her presence. It was amazing to me that this wig was at once both a hilarious little antidote and a poignant reminder of a son's devotion to his mother.

Truly a great storyteller, I highly recommend Jonathan Tropper.

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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.

* * * * *

She's Come Undone

by Wally Lamb

February-April, 2013

No book has ever stayed with me the way this one has. Not for this long anyway. I was obsessed with The Road for a long time, but it has since fallen off my radar. And, as a late reader of the Harry Potter series, I already know that only a year later I want to read them all again. But this, this one; it finds its way into my life over and over.

Like everyone else, I read She's Come Undone when it was first published in 1997, thanks to the launch of Oprah's Book Club. I know that Wally Lamb is forever in her debt for choosing this book and starting a craze that lives on today. It wasn't long after I finished the last page that I recommended the book to everyone I knew. Then I had to read it again a few years later. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Shortly after that, I picked up the audiobook (on cassette!) and listened. And although 1997 doesn't seem like that long ago, alas, it was, and here I am finding myself "needing" to read the story of Dolores Price again. (I also read it again in 2009, as evidenced by this post ... I had almost forgotten about it!)

Once again, I was immediately drawn in. There were parts I had truly forgotten about, but the words came rushing back to spark my emotions. I honestly cannot say enough about how much I love this book. The accuracy in which Lamb writes as a female, through 35+ years of her life, is pure poetry. The themes that repeat over and over in my head remain the same, but also keep this book in the front of my mind: obesity, loss, rape, toll booth, jukebox, AIDS, whales, truth.

My favorite line in the book is also by my favorite character, Mr. Pucci, Dolores's high school guidance counselor. It comes very near the end, but it resonates louder than any other:

"Accept what people offer. Drink their milkshakes. Take their love."

Without a doubt, I predict I will read She's Come Undone again in a few year's time. For now I have the release of Lamb's newest book, We Are Water, to look forward to in October 2013.


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