All Creatures - October 29, 2014

Currently Reading:

     

Recent Reviews:

The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber (received through NetGalley)
5 stars



I just finished this hauntingly good book but I will be thinking about it for a while to come.  Peter, an addict turned pastor, leaves his wife Bea in England in order to minister to an alien race on a planet far, far away.  The two communicate via email-like communications and as Peter experiences triumph in his alien interactions, Bea has nothing but sadness to report as Earth devolves into catastrophe.  While told from Peter's point of view, Bea's frequent emails portray her desperation and frustration that for the first time in their marriage, her husband is not there to understand what she is going through.  There are some heart-breaking, thought-provoking scenarios in this book and  the meditations on religion, relationships, community and responsibility to others are very deep and sometimes disturbing.  I am sure there are so many layers to this novel that I haven't yet decoded but I was entranced by it and look forward to other readers' opinions and interpretations.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriet (received through Goodreads First-reads Program)
4 stars



This took me a while to read because it is really not a book to rush through in a couple of settings.  It is a slow meditation on one veterinarian's first years of work in the Yorkshire Dells.  I am actually surprised that I like this book as much as I did.  It had beautiful passages describing the countryside and charming episodes with animals and their owners.  I laughed out loud at some of his exploits working with stubborn animals and even more stubborn farmers and the most enjoyable scenes included his employer's arguments with his younger brother.  Overall, this is a good book to read when the seasons are changing and you crave a simply enjoyable story.  I received this book from a Goodreads First-reads Giveaway.

Ancient Egypt's Female Reign - October 24, 2014

I am coming out of a reading slump and have been starting too many books and finishing very few which explains the lack of posts. 

Currently Reading:

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Recent Review:

The Woman Who Would be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney
(digital ARC received through NetGalley, print edition received through Blogging for Books)
4 stars



In Ancient Egypt, the prosperity and security of the country depended upon strong rulers and guaranteed successions approved by man and gods alike.  Men were the rulers of choice while royal women were normally relegated to a harem of wives and breeders.  Hatsheput came to rule during a time when the male choices were dead or too young and was able to rule as a powerful female.  The information regarding ancient Egypt; it's governance and its culture was fascinating and surprisingly detailed.  Unfortunately there is not a lot of information about Hatsheput herself and much of her biography was supposition.  While this is frustrating, it is also necessary, I would guess, when dealing with ancient figures.  The author does a good job using the known details of the time to create a realistic portrait of Hatsheput and her life.  I recommend this book to those who have an interest in ancient history and powerful women rulers.  I received the digital ARC of this book through NetGalley and a print edition through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. 

Gin and Hollywood - October 15, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

Of All the Gin Joints: Stumbling Through Hollywood History written by Mark Bailey, illustrated by Edward Hemingway (received through NetGalley)
4 stars



Easy to read with entertaining anecdotes about legendary movie professionals and their watering holes, I devoured this book in a couple of days.  It really portrays these actors, directors and writers as crazy drunks who do the most destructive yet fascinating things.  I skimmed over the recipes and they are not something that I will refer back to but I can see someone using to add pizzazz to a party.  Overall, this is good book to have sitting around to read a bit at a time and share with guests.  I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Making a Home - October 13, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

Home Leave by Brittani Sonnenberg (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book judging from the relatively mixed reviews, however, I really liked it.  This novel follows one family as they move around the world and explores the meaning of home.  Told from differing perspectives, the four members of the Kriegstein family each experience different emotional adjustment at each locale until an unthinkable tragedy leaves them wondering how to have a home again.  I enjoyed the perspective of the expatriate lifestyle and thought if felt authentic.   I’m not sure the conclusion brought any sort of closure to these character’s stories but it was well written and fascinating novel.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Hand to Mouth: Living Bootstrap in America by Linda Tirado

3.5 stars

 

This was an oddly compelling book because while it wasn’t especially well-written, there were so many really great insights into poverty and being poor.  Linda Tirado initially wrote in response to a question posted on a forum about why poor people seem so self-destructive.  This 200 page book is an expansion of her answer.  She has first-hand experience living from paycheck to paycheck while raising two children and she definitely uses great examples from her life.  It could have been organized better in order to eliminate its repetitiveness but overall I think this is one of the best books that takes an inside look into actual poverty.  I received this book in a giveaway from the publisher. 


Trapped at the Altar by Jane Feather (received through NetGalley)
2.5 stars

Ivor and Ari knew from an early age that they would be married in order to create an alliance between two opposing families, however, Ari falls in love with a poet before the marriage can take place causing all forms of drama.  I liked that this historical romance centered on a period of time, the late seventeenth century, that I have not encountered in this genre before.  The setting and the politics seemed authentic and I found it very interesting.  The storyline and the hero I liked fine but I found it incredibly hard to root for the heroine as she was just not incredibly thoughtful.  Since the heroine is such a main part of the historical romance genre, I rated this book a bit lower.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

YA Steampunk - October 7, 2014

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Recent Review:

Etiquette & Espionage: Finishing School #1 by Gail Carriger (received through NetGalley)
3 stars



This is my first foray into the Steampunk genre so I wasn't quite sure what exactly to expect.  I found the world extremely interesting and the author does a great job of describing the mechanics of the robots and the floating ship/school.  The protagonist, Sophronia, is suddenly sent away to a special finishing school that seems strange from the first moment.  She is thrown into this environment that is a complete mystery and she has to learn quickly how to react to the new people (and werewolves and vampires) that she meets.  Sophronia is fourteen but this is really written for a younger audience.  While the setting was fascinating, not a lot happened and the characters were not really explored in depth so while I am glad that I dipped into this genre, I probably won't be continuing the series.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Austen and the Decline of Civilization - October 5, 2014

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Recent Reviews:

First Impressions by Charlie Lovett (received through NetGalley and the First to Read Program)

4 stars

 

I read Charlie Lovett’s first book, The Bookman’s Tale, and absolutely loved it so I eagerly started this one and was not disappointed.  Sophie Collingwood inherited a love of books and reading from her uncle Bertram.  She especially reveres Jane Austen and when two cagey men request a rare book connected to the author, she is pulled into an intriguing and potentially dangerous mystery.  This book will definitely appeal to booklovers of all kinds as it describes books and the act of reading in tender detail throughout the book.  The sections from Austen’s point of view felt authentic and the elderly Mansfield was a realistic creation.  I liked the character of Sophie but her relationship with her two suitors was a bit ridiculous at times and the author seemed more comfortable writing from the perspective of an eighteenth century woman than a present-day one.  That aside, this was a wonderful ode to bibliophiles everywhere and the author will be one that I continue to read. 

 

California by Edan Lepucki (received through NetGalley)

4 stars

 

I tried to wait until the hype (both positive and negative) died down before I read this novel but the pull of dystopia eventually go to me.  I thought this book excelled at describing the eventual decline of the United States through flashbacks of the main two characters, Frida and Cal.  It also explores the relationship between these two characters when they are the only people around and then once again when they join a strange society.  There were facets of this book that I thought were a bit absurd and a whole character that just didn’t make sense but there was enough of a compelling story to keep me vastly entertained.  I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.