Saturday, May 10, 2014

The Wife by Meg Wolitzer

What I knew about this book stemmed from people commenting on the writing. What that means to me is that the ways information is conveyed on the page is unique, thoughtful and not cliche. It means that no matter what the subject, a person will want to turn the page because the words are arranged just so that you the reader are being entrusted with something. There isn't any other fancy element to the story. You don't need a crazy plot or a mystery to see to the end or juicy gossipy chick literature. Good Writing can describe at length the art of typing and a reader will say, Hmmmm didn't realize typing could be so interesting. Anyway---- this book was like that. Yes it was about a marriage coming apart. yes it was about a writer, which perhaps is what drew me to open the cover but those are mundane topics, that like a comedian riffing on the perils of fatherhood, it never gets old as long as you know how to spin it. Wolitzer took an age old topic and told it her way and, despite it dragging (in my opinion) in certain places it was good. I enjoyed the assessment of the relationship told through the wife's eyes and the ending finding out that she was more involved then the reader was let on in the beginning. But the very end was, also in my opinion, a let down because it just seemed to tied up, neat and clean. But it was a good. I'm glad i read it even though i didn't enjoy The Ten Year Nap.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Kids These Days by Drew Perry

Smirk. That's what I did whilst reading this book. I LOVED IT!! Okay so I couldn't keep the main character, our protagonist Walter bring really being Geroge Clooney (like the Descendants) but whatever, it worked. I loved that it didn't need to be something sensational. It didn't involved zombies or vampires or something really outrageous. It was just about a guy who (okay so it had a shoot out and a parachute dude but still..) is scared of what's to become of his life since his wife got pregnant. They are human beings going through the emotions of dealing with life. And it was funny, but realistic and sweet and I may have wanted to know more about Alice but that's okay. So, how about a sequel mr. Perry?? hugs. this book rocked. the first one was good too but this one was even better.

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

True to form Sarah Addison Allen delivered a sweet story. I think why it was a 4 star instead of a 5 star is that her previous tales, specifically garden spells, were an entire notch above this one. Lost Lake had all the elements but something was missing. Not the magical element, just something I can't put my finger on. I enjoyed it and was so happy to have received the copy so quickly after it came out. I am stoked the author is cancer free and now back to writing full time. yay.

Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh

Wow. so sad and well written. we have ken kimble- he's our resident douchebag and he was married to a girl very young for him and had 2 kids. he runs off with a student who is even younger meets someone else, marries her and then well.. there's a third. The thing is, it's a highly believable premise and even if it weren't, the writing is so awesome and the characters so real..i would have followed the author anywhere she wanted to go. great read

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

Big epic sweeping saga mostly taking place in Australia but also in London and Rome and it's just soooo much. I mean completely readable, compulsively even. It's about the Cleary Family and it's 3 generations between 1905 till the late 60's and it has been called Australia's answer to Gone With The Wind. That's some big shoe to fill but I wouldn't dismiss it entirely. I loved it. Loved the inner thoughts of the characters loved the scandal and the conflict of life's big questions of loyalty to ones self, to god to other people. I am glad i read it and was glad for the big juicy read to be done... but only because there are so many more that need to be read.

The Last Days of California by Mary Miller

A pretty good coming of age books. I love them. Have a desire to read them all. There is something about the teenager's voice, there transitional emotional time, how they see the world how they are torn between independence and childhood that is so attractive to me. I love that voice. I love that they are both wildly intelligent- more so than most "adults" and also innocent. There's so much you can do with that. Plus we've all been there. So we have the Metcalfs. They are traveling by car to California because the end of the world is near and being the Christians that they are, they're handing out pamphlets to do their bit and save some people along the way. But that's not the guts of the story. The guts are displayed through the eyes of 15 year old Jess. We see how she see's the world as second to her 17 year old beautiful sister Elise who, unbeknownst to parents, is pregnant. Told over 4 days of their trip we see how their parents are together, the father a diabetic who loves to gamble and quote the bible. The mother who might have been pretty back in the day but is just a 'mom' now. and how Elise will get the attention of most males around her. The observance of Jess that caught me and says a lot about the book is this: "When he left, I locked the door and set about cleaning myself with a washcloth. I peed, brushed my teeth, washed my face. When there was nothing left to clen, I sat on the toilet and listened to them talk and laugh knowing I would never be a part of it. I would always be separate, thinking about what expression on my face was making, what people thought of me. Observing peoples' weaknesses and flaws- their big thighs and crooked teeth and acne, their lack of confidence, their fear. I would always think the worst about people and it would keep me from them because i couldn't accept myself." I look forward to more Mary Miller novels.

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I dismiss YA unfairly. Who am I to think that something isn't "deep" enough or "grown up" enough when I'm truly just a kid. A 34 year old kid (who incidentally has a kid but that's another story). Anyway, this book rocked. It was merely perfect. An interesting narrator, an intriguing backdrop, more interesting side characters, seriousness with levity woven throughout. it was all great and had some cool quotes. "Gay people could do anything. They were like Swiss Army knives!!" "When it comes to death, we know that laughter and tears are pretty much the same thing" and a lot more, so many that it's one of the rare few I think I'll reread.

Longbourn by Jo Baker

I loved it. I loved the feeling of being over in England and in the vicinity of Pride & Prejudice, but not really. I loved the book of course but didn't want to read some sad spin off. This was not the case. This was a juicy reimagining of an age old story (love, what else is there really) and told by ungainly servants. They have proved to be MUCH more interesting then the ladies of the house. I wouldn't call it a perfect book but damned near close. Maybe I drifted a little when we learned about James's involvement in the war blah blah blah but over all I was hooked and took the story in two long ass sittings. I suggest you do the same :-)

The Realm of Last Chances by Steve Yarbrough

4.5 stars. very good insights into a troubled marriage.. people's pasts, dealing with personal relations at work - the line between the professional and personal and friendship between men. Loved it.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

I liked it. I loved Vera and felt for her and all her feelings about losing a best friend and enjoyed the mystery of what really happened to him. I liked how she was from a 'broken' home and how she drank and had bullies and delivered pizza and how she loved and was so annoyed by her dad who was a recovering alcoholic and had his own story. quick read. i will check out the author's other books too. i love me some coming of age stories, that's for sure.

What the Family Needed by Steven Amsterdam

I liked the concept but found only one of the chapters- the one about Ruth- to be engaging. It's the story of a family loosely related throughout about 30 plus years. We witness time periods from different characters viewpoints. Nothing crazy happens, except that each of them has a special power. You know, flying, invisibility, reading minds. It's cool but was missing something, or maybe it was just me.

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood

Oh this was a good one. Two women's stories in different times in history, their story unfolding piece by juicy piece. Ann hood writes about marriage and life and women's roles and their desires to transcend them and it was just fantastic. Some reviewers said it was predictable, I didn't see it that way because it wasn't about the mystery of how these two women were related but by just how our lives happen and how we react to it and take part in shaping it, which is easier said than done because we're emotional and often have other lives to account for such as children. I am so happy I read this. Thanks Noelle for the heads up that I'd like it cuz U were right :)

The Mouse-Proof Kitchen by Saira Shah

Definitely not quite what I thought it would be. A couple has a baby with severe disabilities and then moves to France from England to begin their new life. What kept me rapt was the realistic display of how a couple might cope with such an awful thing. I can see some people scoffing "how dare they think that way" but really, no one is that much of a saint to think they're above saying, well this blows. The ending might have been done a little too tidy but I loved it. Glad to have read it.