A Country Called Home by Kim Barnes
Idaho writer Kim Barnes tells the story of Thomas Deracotte, a medical student who marries Helen over the objections of her stuffy parents. They move to a farm in Fife, Idaho where Deracotte plans to open his medical practice, but he gets so enamored with the land and building a house and barn that he puts it off. For a long, long time. Meanwhile, Helen misses her family and running water. She becomes pregnant and gives birth to Elise. Enter the hired hand, Manny, who, after a family tragedy, helps raise Elise and take care of Deracotte who has become dependent on drugs. Dark drama doesn’t begin to sum it up.
It’s A Dog’s World –The Savvy Guide to Four-legged Living by Wendy Diamond
Thank you Random House for the advance reader copy of Diamond’s latest book. Wendy Diamond is without a doubt the best friend a dog can have – she’s worked tirelessly for animal welfare and written a great guide to all things “dog.” A worthwhile read and an excellent gift for a new doggie parent.
Prairie Reunion by Barbara J. Scot
I was all snuggled up, ready to read a book that was on the ‘recommended memoir reading’ list I had recently dug up from a creative writing workshop I took at Boise State University. Although the workshop was years ago, I figured the book list was still a river of gold waiting to be dredged. Wrong. Scot has a good story, but just doesn’t have the skill to tell it. Choppy sentences, nonsense poetry and can we nail a point once in awhile-- is that too much to ask?
Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier
Elizabeth Philpot is forced to move from expensive London to the less than fashionable coastal town of Lyme Regis after her brother marries, and the couple wants the family home all to themselves. Along with her two sisters they settle into their cozy cottage. Elizabeth befriends a young local girl, Mary Anning who shares her interest in fossils. In fact Mary is somewhat of an expert and finds several new species along the coast line. Like the sea, their friendship ebbs and flows over the years, but eventually both find their place in the town, and history. A very interesting look at Victorian England and early fossil hunters, plus a decent read. Chevalier also wrote the Girl with a Pearl Earring, which in my opinion is a much better book. ♥
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Sisterly rivalry, love, sex, power, and historical fiction --all the makings of a great, easy read. Gregory tells the story of Anne Boleyn, her sister Mary and their brother George who are all brought to the king's court at a young age – mainly as pawns in their uncle's plans to advance the family fortune. Mary, the narrator and “the other Boleyn girl,” wins King Henry VIII's favor when she is barely 14. Their affair lasts several years, and she gives Henry a daughter and a son. But her sister, Anne, soon displaces Mary as his lover and begins her scheme to rid him of his wife, Katherine of Aragon. Of course we all know what happens to Anne. ♥
3.17.2010
12.30.2009
My Favorite Books of 2009
The Longest Trip Home
(Reviewed January 2009)
The Reader
(Reviewed February 2009)
Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched The World
When You Are Engulfed By Flames
The Blood of Flowers
(Reviewed March 2009)
City of Thieves
(Reviewed Jue 2009)
The Time It Takes To Fall
Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale
(Reviewed July 2009)
The Book Thief
(Reviewed August 2009)
The Blue Notebook
(Reviewed September 2009)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
Little Bee
(Reviewed Ocotber 2009)
(Reviewed January 2009)
The Reader
(Reviewed February 2009)
Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched The World
When You Are Engulfed By Flames
The Blood of Flowers
(Reviewed March 2009)
City of Thieves
(Reviewed Jue 2009)
The Time It Takes To Fall
Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale
(Reviewed July 2009)
The Book Thief
(Reviewed August 2009)
The Blue Notebook
(Reviewed September 2009)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
Little Bee
(Reviewed Ocotber 2009)
November Books
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, and to piss off her twin sister she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two semi-normal American girls never met their English aunt; but they jump at the chance to leave Chicago. Elspeth's flat borders Highgate Cemetery – but spooky stuff is happening in the apartment not in the cemetery. The girls get to know Elspeth's former lover who lives in the building, works at the cemetery and is still very much in love with the deceased. Who returns the favor…are you creeped out yet? Niffenegger wrote The Time Traveler’s Wife, so I was dumbfounded when Her Fearful Symmetry was rinky-dink.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Robert Langdon, that shrewd Harvard symbologist is back. He’s ask to deliver a lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building, but within minutes of his arrival things begin to get crazy. A strange object encoded with five symbols is discovered in the building. How can something this big get past security? Not difficult, just ask the couple who crashed Obama’s State Dinner. Anyway, Langdon recognizes the ancient symbols and when Peter Solomon -- a prominent Mason -- is kidnapped, Langdon plummets into the world of Masonic secrets and hidden history. I’m not a Dan Brown junky but he’s always readable and his stories are good. This is no exception. ♥♥
Spooner by Pete Dexter
This is the story of the lifelong tie between two men. Spooner, who has a troubled life, and Calmer, a once a brilliant navel officer, and Spooner’s step-dad.
The first few chapters were stock full – too full – of spunk and bite, but Dexter calms down by Part Two, and next 400 pages are pure genius.♥♥♥
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Something like 20 years before The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society made news with telling a story through correspondence, 84, Charing Cross Road nailed the genre. It begins with a letter inquiring about second-hand books, written by Helene Hanff who’s living in New York City and desperate for books. Hanff’s lithe and witty letters are responded to by the proper Englishman, Frank Doel – an employee at the book shop located at 84, Charing Cross Road in London. A 20-year friendship is born and after Doel’s death, the letters were published. Ahh, I love a true story! ♥♥♥
A Partisan’s Daughter by Louis De Bernieres
De Bernières who wrote Corelli's Mandolin, wrote this quirky love story of Roza, a beautiful and mysterious born-again prostitute and Chris, a salesman by day and husband of “the Great White Loaf” by night. During the long dreary London winter, Roza tells her snappy life story to Chris, who eagerly listens and hopes for more. No, it’s not a Corelli’s Mandolin, but it’s not bad either. The word ‘sparse’ comes to mind, and I love the idea that Roza’s crazy stories are the glue that bind the two. ♥
Elspeth Noblin dies of cancer, and to piss off her twin sister she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two semi-normal American girls never met their English aunt; but they jump at the chance to leave Chicago. Elspeth's flat borders Highgate Cemetery – but spooky stuff is happening in the apartment not in the cemetery. The girls get to know Elspeth's former lover who lives in the building, works at the cemetery and is still very much in love with the deceased. Who returns the favor…are you creeped out yet? Niffenegger wrote The Time Traveler’s Wife, so I was dumbfounded when Her Fearful Symmetry was rinky-dink.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Robert Langdon, that shrewd Harvard symbologist is back. He’s ask to deliver a lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building, but within minutes of his arrival things begin to get crazy. A strange object encoded with five symbols is discovered in the building. How can something this big get past security? Not difficult, just ask the couple who crashed Obama’s State Dinner. Anyway, Langdon recognizes the ancient symbols and when Peter Solomon -- a prominent Mason -- is kidnapped, Langdon plummets into the world of Masonic secrets and hidden history. I’m not a Dan Brown junky but he’s always readable and his stories are good. This is no exception. ♥♥
Spooner by Pete Dexter
This is the story of the lifelong tie between two men. Spooner, who has a troubled life, and Calmer, a once a brilliant navel officer, and Spooner’s step-dad.
The first few chapters were stock full – too full – of spunk and bite, but Dexter calms down by Part Two, and next 400 pages are pure genius.♥♥♥
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Something like 20 years before The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society made news with telling a story through correspondence, 84, Charing Cross Road nailed the genre. It begins with a letter inquiring about second-hand books, written by Helene Hanff who’s living in New York City and desperate for books. Hanff’s lithe and witty letters are responded to by the proper Englishman, Frank Doel – an employee at the book shop located at 84, Charing Cross Road in London. A 20-year friendship is born and after Doel’s death, the letters were published. Ahh, I love a true story! ♥♥♥
A Partisan’s Daughter by Louis De Bernieres
De Bernières who wrote Corelli's Mandolin, wrote this quirky love story of Roza, a beautiful and mysterious born-again prostitute and Chris, a salesman by day and husband of “the Great White Loaf” by night. During the long dreary London winter, Roza tells her snappy life story to Chris, who eagerly listens and hopes for more. No, it’s not a Corelli’s Mandolin, but it’s not bad either. The word ‘sparse’ comes to mind, and I love the idea that Roza’s crazy stories are the glue that bind the two. ♥
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