Discovering The Hunter S. Thompson Trail - September 30, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

The Footloose American by Brian Kevin (received through the Blogging for Books program)
4 stars

 

Brian Kevin was at a crossroads in his own life and in search of the same elusive enlightenment that Hunter S. Thompson found during his trek across South America.  Thompson’s reporting from South America, while not as well read as his gonzo style journalism, proved to be a turning point in his view of America and the American life.  Kevin endeavored to discover what exactly Thompson encountered in South America that made such an impression.  Starting in Columbia and making his way through Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil, Kevin documents the people, politics and geography.  The history of each country is interspersed with enjoyable interactions with both locals and foreign expats.  I appreciated all aspects of this book, but I think the author exceled at describing his encounters with these people and how their lives intersect with the current social climate of the continent.   Even though I am not a huge fan of Hunter S. Thompson’s work,  that did not detract from my enjoyment of Kevin’s travelogue of his own adventures in South America.  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. 

 

The O. Henry Prize Stories 2014 edited by Laura Furman (received through NetGalley)

3 stars

 

In recent years, I have become a fan of short story collections and try to read them from time to time.  I have discovered, though, that I may not be a fan of the short story anthology because I had a really hard time getting through this one.  There were a couple of stories that I really enjoyed; Valentine by Tessa Hadley and Nemecia by Kirstin Valdez Quade are particular favorites, but there were quite a few that I just couldn’t sink into.  I think that if I had maybe read one story a week rather than trying to read them all at once, it could have made a difference.  Overall, my reaction to this anthology may be biased by my preference to read a collection of stories by the same author with an overarching theme or tone.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reviews - September 25, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

Lucky Us by Amy Bloom (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

 

Two half-sisters, introduced to each other as teenagers, navigate their interesting relationship during the years of World War II in this novel by Amy Bloom (the first of her novels that I have read).  With explorations in topics of family, taking care of family, and forming new families, there are also examinations of American culture and norms during that time period and almost humorous letters from a man mistakenly arrested for having communist/German sympathies and his ironic experience.  Format-wise, I would have enjoyed it more if it was written solely from Eva’s perspective with letters from her sister Iris and friend Gus instead of chapters of random perspective changes.  I think that it added unnecessary disruption to the flow of the story and also resulted in losing some of Eva’s character depth.  Otherwise, I liked this novel and will now explore Bloom’s backlist, which I probably should have done long before now.  I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Monarch Behaving Badly - September 21, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

Secret Lives of the Tsars by Michael Farquhar (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

 

I have previously read other works by Michael Farquhar and I enjoy the irreverent view of history that he presents.  While still narrating the lives of the Russian tsars, he adds amusing commentary on their scandalous lifestyles and raucous behavior.  This book makes history fun and I did walk away with a memorable education of Russian history.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Reading and Reviews - September 17, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan by Jenny Nordberg (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

Journalist, Jenny Nordberg, uncovered a strange fact during her time in Afghanistan.  There are families in which when no sons are born decide that one of their daughters will grow up as a boy.  The practice, known as bacha posh, is little discussed but widely known throughout Afghanistan where having a son of any sort is much preferred and revered to daughters.  The book follows several women who have once been boys and some that are currently living as boys and their lives during and after their time of bacha posh.  These girls are given a chance to live an unencumbered life that many girls in Afghanistan do not get to experience…until one day it is taken away and they are forced into closed off houses and arranged marriages.  This provides new angles into Afghanistan’s culture by someone who is clearly familiar with the region.  It is fascinating yet heartbreaking information and the book doesn’t provide much of an optimistic future for the country once the international troops withdraw.  I think that anyone looking for an intimate look at women’s struggles in Afghanistan would find this book absorbing.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Boomerang by Noelle August

3.5 stars



This is a light and amusing read that I finished in one night.  About two young adults entering the workforce as interns and competitors at the same online dating company.  The characters are extremely likable and the dialogue is witty.  There is an attempt to add emotional depth to the storyline but it doesn’t amount to much.  This is mostly just an easy, enjoyable read that is perfect for a lazy evening of reading. 

Week in Reading Round-up - September 12, 2014

Currently Reading:
Euphoria by Lily King
Epilogue by Will Boast
Secret Lives of the Tsars by Micahel Farquhar (received through NetGalley)
The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan by Jenny Nordberg (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch (received through the publisher)

4 stars



I can’t really say why I actually like this book.  The characters are all fairly unlikable and the plot is dark, depressing and disturbing.  The narrator was unreliable and pretty icky in his own right.  However, I found that I read through this really quickly and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next to these horrible people.  The narrator is a doctor to the artists (writers, actors, directors) of the Netherlands and makes a living by pretending to listen to their maladies and being easy with the prescriptions.   One of his clients, a famous actor, invites him and his family to a summer house on some unnamed beach.  The summer turns out very badly and the narrator leads the readers through the sequence of events leading to his medical license being under review and in jeopardy of revocation.  There is definitely a lot of violence and disrespect towards women and the male characters are all incredibly horrible but this book is readable and the plot suspenseful.  I am not sure this would be for everyone but I did find it very strangely compelling.  I received this book for free through a publisher giveaway. 
 

Drunk Mom by Jowita Bydlowska (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

 

Jowita Bydlowska writes an unflinchingly honest memoir of her time as an alcoholic during her son’s early years.  She writes in a manner that brought to mind someone sitting down and just getting it all out.  The result is a very inside look into the mind of an alcoholic, including visits to liquor stores, the search for bottle hiding places and waking up after a blackout.  It is not a pretty picture and is more than a little claustrophobic but I think this is the first substance abuse memoir that I really felt what it was like to live with that compulsion to drink all day long.   It wasn’t always easy for me to read, especially as a fellow parent, so I took multiple reading breaks in order to completely finish it but it was a well written and candid memoir.   I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for and honest review.  

 

Jennifer, Gwyneth & Me by Rachel Bertsche (received through NetGalley)

3 – 3.5 stars
 

I am completely torn by this book.  On the one hand, I understand what it feels like to be in a slump and have to force yourself out of it, on the other hand I found the continuous celebrity advice sort of grating.  Rachel Bertsche found herself working from home after being laid off from her job.  All of her pre-conceived notions of working at home were quickly dispelled and she found herself in a rut.  She slept in, stayed in her comfy clothes all day and found herself skimping on her exercise routine.  This did not sit well with her “perfectionist” self so she decided to turn to the celebrities to help invigorate her lifestyle routine.  Jennifer Anniston’s body, Gwyneth Paltrow’s diet, Sarah Jessica Parker’s fashion, Tina Fey’s professional motivation, Jennifer Garner’s marriage and Beyonce for the whole package.  Each celebrity gets their own chapter with lots of sound bites and advice.  I liked the author and a lot of the steps she took were very common sense and could be applied in small doses to anyone.  I especially like her very personal stories about her attempts to conceive a baby.  I think my main problem of this book was the unrealistic lifestyle advice taken from the various celebrity women.  Bertsche tried to put it all in perspective and apply it to her more modest life, but I just couldn’t relate.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

 

Book Review - September 8, 2014

Currently Reading:

• Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch (received through the publisher)
• Drunk Mom by Jowita Bydlowska (received through NetGalley)
• Delancey by Molly Wizenberg
• And the Dark Sacred Night by Julia Glass
• Jennifer, Gwyneth & Me by Rachel Bertsch (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

Nest by Esther Erlich (received through NetGalley)

5 stars

Young adult novels litter my personal bookshelves but I recently decided to read younger middle grade books as my oldest child moves beyond picture books into more mature reading.   If this novel is any indication of the books available to younger readers than I am ecstatic.  Eleven year old Chirp lives with her parents in sister in Cape Cod year round.  She loves nature, especially bird-watching, and is happiest tromping through the surrounding woods.  Her life changes tragically when her mother is diagnosed with MS and her family is forced to cope with the consequences of the disease.  She finds solace in watching birds and through her relationship with her neighbor, Joey, who is dealing with heart-breaking issues of his own.  The writing is absolutely beautiful and the descriptions of the natural world are breathtaking.  Chirp narrates this in a realistic eleven year old voice and it is both joyful and heartbreaking in how she handles the sudden confusion and sorrow in her family.  I really can’t say enough about this wonderful book and I think this is a book that adults as well as younger readers will enjoy.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.   

Land of Love and Drowning - September 6, 2014

Currently Reading:
Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch (received through the publisher)
Drunk Mom by Jowita Bydlowska (received through NetGalley)
Delancey by Molly Wizenberg
And the Dark Sacred Night by Julia Glass
Nest by Esther Erlich (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

 

Set during the first half of the 1900’s beginning when the Danish Virgin Islands were turned over to the United States, this novel follows one family through several generations.  An interesting mix of history, love and magical realism, I found myself lost in the language and lyricism of the novel.  Without a prior knowledge of the Virgin Islands history, it was interesting to see how uncertain the citizens were in how they fit into the bigger United States, especially as the Civil Rights movement began.  At times, this is not an easy book to read.  There are incidents of incest, which are at times uncomfortable, but overall the beauty of the time and place shines through this exquisitely written novel.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Post Vacation - September 3, 2014

I spent the holiday weekend on a family vacation that allowed very little reading but I was able to finish a couple of short books and have since started about fifty more. 

Currently Reading:

• Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch (received through the publisher)
• Drunk Mom by Jowita Bydlowska (received through NetGalley)
• Delancey by Molly Wizenberg
• And the Dark Sacred Night by Julia Glass
• Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique (received through NetGalley)

Recent Reviews:

Black Vodka by Deborah Levy (received through NetGalley)

3 stars
 

This slim collection of short stories involve snapshots of the character’s lives as they deal with love, deceit and loss.  I am not a consistent reader of short stories but I find I enjoy them more as I get older.  These stories included sections of beautiful insight but also sentences comprised solely of descriptive words which I found dull.  As in all story collections I found some better than others and I personally wasn’t enchanted by the writing style but I did find aspects of the stories interesting.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

The Right Wife by Beverly Barton (received through NetGalley)

2.5 stars
 

Set during the years around the Civil War, the story involves Maggie and her two orphaned siblings and Aaron, a wealthy businessman attempting to legitimize his position in society.  I liked the characters and almost enjoyed the book more when the two main characters were not together.  Their relationship, based on love at first sight, was unbelievable.  It would have served the book better to let these two interesting characters get to know each other first instead of the instance connection.  I felt like this book had potential but just wasn’t what I want in a historical romance novel.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.