Review: Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman

Title:  Illumination Night Author: Alice Hoffman (Author Website) (Facebook) Genre: Adult Fiction Narrator: Suzanne Toren Publisher:  Blackstone Audio,  June, 2014 Length: 7.8 hours Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program

About the Book: (From AliceHoffman.com)

Set on Martha’s Vineyard, here is a stunning novel that brings that beautiful island to vivid life – a novel that weaves together the lives of a little boy who can’t grow, an elderly woman who needs to save someone before she passes on, a blond giant, a young couple, a teenaged girl looking for trouble. Lives of intense erotic longing, of quiet understanding, of willful determination. It is a novel of magic and mystery, and a literary event that confirms Alice Hoffman as one of our finest and most compelling writers.

Related Media: – Grand Illumination Night on Martha’s Vineyard

An Island tradition since 1869, Grand Illumination takes place on the third Wednesday of August. It starts with a band concert by the Vineyard Haven Band followed by a community sing, the lighting of the first lantern, and the lighting of all of the other lanterns.

About the Author:

Alice Hoffman was born in New York City on March 16, 1952 and grew up on Long Island. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Adelphi University, from which she received a BA, and then received a Mirrellees Fellowship to the Stanford University Creative Writing Center, which she attended in 1973 and 74, receiving an MA in creative writing.  She currently lives in Boston.

Hoffman’s first novel, Property Of, was written at the age of twenty-one, while she was studying at Stanford, and published shortly thereafter by Farrar Straus and Giroux. She credits her mentor, professor and writer Albert J. Guerard, and his wife, the writer Maclin Bocock Guerard, for helping her to publish her first short story in the magazine Fiction. Editor Ted Solotaroff then contacted her to ask if she had a novel, at which point she quickly began to write what was to become Property Of, a section of which was published in Mr. Solotaroff’s magazine, American Review.

About the Narrator:

 

2009 Best Voice in NONFICTION & CULTURE: Suzanne Toren brings a distinguishing warmth and power to her narrations. Her talents extend to both fiction and nonfiction, and in her recording career of 30-plus years she has given listeners heart-wrenching memoirs, lively history, engaging light fiction, and involving mysteries. Her skill with European and Middle Eastern languages and a degree in French literature also help her provide an essential believability to the characters she portrays.

 

My Review: Illumination Night is set on Martha’s Vineyard in present time.  Alice Hoffman description of the island and the interesting collection of characters are wonderful.  I have only read a few books by Alice Hoffman, but I am always impressed with her writing, beautiful and flowing.

Vonny and Andre are the parents of little Simon.  Vonny progresses through agoraphobia, she is trapped by a fear and inner turmoil in her house.  Ultimately her agoraphobia actually brings her closer to her husband.  I love how the relationship between Vonny and her neighbor Elizabeth Renny ultimately helps both women to heal.  Simon experiences tragedy and your heart breaks for this little boy. He is unsure of himself and concerned by his short stature.  I did find the beginning a little slow, but soon I couldn’t wait to put my headphones on to hear about Vonny and the others.

When the author introduced the character Eddie, a gentle giant,  I was thinking, “Yeah, Right”.   But as unlikely of a character, Eddie grows to be one of my favorite character.  He is flawed and a product of his past, but ultimately is a tender hearted young man, who found and lost love. 

Narration by Suzanne Toren is wonderful and captures the emotions of the characters.  I think the narration had a lot to do with my being draw to Vonny.  She sounded like a friend I wanted to keep in touch with.  Characters were distinct, though one of the male voices bothered me at first, but grew on me as the story progressed.   Which fit perfectly with the storyline.

My Rating: 4 – Illumination Night is a story that will stay with you due to the wonderful characters.  I still wonder what will happen to them next.  Alice Hoffman is a talented story teller with great character development.  She has a way with words that really captures you and she has an ability to create sympathetic characters. The story does seem to have a number of story lines going on at the same time, but I did not find that confusing.  The story of Eddie left me wanting for more.    Themes in Illumination Light include, family dysfunction, fidelity, fear and Agoraphobia, and desperation.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Audio book Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman was received from Blackstone Audio in exchange for a fair review.

Review: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Title:  Everything I Never Told You Author: Celest Ng (Author Website) (Facebook) Genre: Adult Fiction Narrator: Cassandra Campbell Publisher:  Blackstone Audio,  June, 2014 Length:  10 hours Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program

About the Book: (from Good Reads.com)

Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet . . . So begins the story of this exquisite debut novel, about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee; their middle daughter, a girl who inherited her mother’s bright blue eyes and her father’s jet-black hair. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue—in Marilyn’s case that her daughter become a doctor rather than a homemaker, in James’s case that Lydia be popular at school, a girl with a busy social life and the center of every party.

When Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together tumbles into chaos, forcing them to confront the long-kept secrets that have been slowly pulling them apart. James, consumed by guilt, sets out on a reckless path that may destroy his marriage. Marilyn, devastated and vengeful, is determined to find a responsible party, no matter what the cost. Lydia’s older brother, Nathan, is certain that the neighborhood bad boy Jack is somehow involved. But it’s the youngest of the family—Hannah—who observes far more than anyone realizes and who may be the only one who knows the truth about what happened.

A profoundly moving story of family, history, and the meaning of home, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait, exploring the divisions between cultures and the rifts within a family, and uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another

Book Trailer for Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

About the Author:

Celeste Ng is the author of the novel Everything I Never Told You (June 2014, Penguin Press). She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Shaker Heights, Ohio, in a family of scientists. Celeste attended Harvard University and earned an MFA from the University of Michigan (now the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan), where she won the Hopwood Award.  Her fiction and essays have appeared in One Story, TriQuarterly, Bellevue Literary Review, the Kenyon Review Online, and elsewhere, and she is a recipient of the Pushcart Prize.

Currently she lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband and son, where she teaches fiction writing at Grub Street and is at work on a second novel and a collection of short stories.

About the Narrator:

Cassandra Campbell is an actress, director, and teacher as well as an accomplished voice-over artist. Voice credits include numerous books on tape, documentaries and commercials in both Italian and English. As an actress she has performed in New York at the Public Theatre, the Mint Theatre, and the Clurman as well as many others. Regional work includes StageWest, The Berkshire Theatre Festival, Millmountain Theatre, and The Baltimore Shakespeare Festival. She currently lives in Los Angeles where she a faculty member at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

 

 

 

My Review: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng is the story of a Chinese/American family in the 1970’s in small town Ohio.  James and Marilyn meet in college and start a relationship despite their different cultural backgrounds.   Marilyn falls pregnant and the couple gets married.  Marilyn gives up her dream of becoming a Dr for her growing family.  This is a sacrifice that Marilyn had a hard time move past. James is always wanting to fit in with their community in Ohio.  He wants his children to have a different childhood than he did. He wants them to feel accepted by their school peers and community. 

The novel starts out informing the reader  that “Lydia is dead”.  While the reader knows this fact, the family does not.  The reader is there as the parents discover the fate of their eldest daughter, the child they each had aspirations for.  The reader is along on the journey as the family unravels at the lose of a child.   Celeste Ng’s telling of the story of Lee family from the point of the death of their child, through the emotional aftermath, is a great structure for this type of story.  Ng develops the characters in Everything I Never Told You in great detail.  I would have like if the  development of Lydia would have been  as detailed.   At the end I was left  wanting to know more  about the final moments and thoughts of Lydia.

The author does a wonderful job of delving into the various ways in which James and Marilyn as parents deal with Lydia’s death as well as how Nath and Hannah deal with the death of a sibling.   The reader begins to understand the family’s fragile dynamics.

The narration of Everything I Never Told You by Cassandra Campbell was very enjoyable.  She keeps a good pace and gives each character their own voice in a natural sounding way. 

My Rating: 3.5 – I would rate Everything I Never Told You higher if I found the ending more satisfying.  Everything I Never Told you is a cautionary tale about the danger of projecting your unfilled needs and dreams upon your children.  Celeste Ng skillfully addresses themes such as expectations, dreams, lost chances, family secrets and cultural isolation.  I applaud the author for a decent debut novel and look forward to checking out additional publications by Celeste Ng.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Everything I Never Told You was also reviewed on the following  blogs: River City Reading, S.Krishna’s Books, and She Treads Softly. 

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Audio book Everything I Never Told You was received from Blackstone Audio in exchange for a fair review.

Review: Little Mercies by Heather Gunderkauf

Title: Little Mercies Author: Heather Gunderkauf (author website) Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (June 24, 2014) ISBN-10: 0778316335 Pages: 320 Source:  Netgalley.com

About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)

In her latest ripped-from-the-headlines tour de force, New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf shows how one small mistake can have life-altering consequences...

Veteran social worker Ellen Moore has seen the worst side of humanity; the vilest acts one person can commit against another. She is a fiercely dedicated children's advocate and a devoted mother and wife. But one blistering summer day, a simple moment of distraction will have repercussions that Ellen could never have imagined, threatening to shatter everything she holds dear, and trapping her between the gears of the system she works for.

Meanwhile, ten-year-old Jenny Briard has been living with her well-meaning but irresponsible father since her mother left them, sleeping on friends' couches and moving in and out of cheap motels. When Jenny suddenly finds herself on her own, she is forced to survive with nothing but a few dollars and her street smarts. The last thing she wants is a social worker, but when Ellen's and Jenny's lives collide, little do they know just how much they can help one another.

 
A powerful and emotionally charged tale about motherhood and justice, Little Mercies is a searing portrait of the tenuous grasp we have on the things we love the most, and of the ties that unexpectedly bring us together

Related Media:

About the Author: 

Heather was born in Wagner, South Dakota, the youngest of six children. At one month of age, her family returned to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota where her father was employed as a guidance counselor and her mother as a school nurse. At the age of three, her family moved to Iowa, where she grew up. Having been born with a profound unilateral hearing impairment (there were many evenings when Heather and her father made a trip to the bus barn to look around the school bus for her hearing aids that she often conveniently would forget on the seat beside her), Heather tended to use books as a retreat, would climb into the toy box that her father’s students from Rosebud made for the family with a pillow, blanket, and flashlight, close the lid, and escape the world around her. Heather became a voracious reader and the seed of becoming a writer was planted.

Heather Gudenkauf graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education, has spent her career working with students of all ages and continues to work in education as a Title I Reading Coordinator.

Heather lives in Iowa with her husband, three children, and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Maxine. In her free time Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and running. She is currently working on her next novel.

My Review:  I love ripped from the headlines type books.  The beginning of Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf, hits a little close to home for this busy mom and overworked social worker.  I have been a social worker for the last 20 years also working with children.    Ellen is a veteran social worker and dedicated to the children she helps.  It is a hard thing to balance motherhood and a career such as social work.  Gudenkauf delves into the challenges of motherhood and being a  social worker with great insight. 

Ellen, while rushing to address an emergency on her caseload, makes a mistake that will have life altering consequences for her and her family.  Little Mercies is the story of Ellen, but also the story of a young girl Jenny.   Their stories eventually converge through some very skillful writing.  I chose to read Little Mercies due to the storyline including a social worker.  Little Mercies was the first book by Heather Gudenkauf, I have read. I was delight to discover she was originally from South Dakota, as I am.   The characters are well developed and you instantly care about Ellen Moore and her family.  The story of Jenny Briard was not as developed, but intriguing none the less. 

Little Mercies is a chilling, emotional story about motherhood and justice.    Little Mercies is an intriguing,  fast – paces read.   The story flows very nicely and hooks you right from the beginning.  You will finish this book in short order.

My Rating: 4 – Little Mercies is a ripped of the headlines story that will hit home with a lot of mothers.  Little Mercies is a fast-paced, intriguing read that you will be glad you devoured.   Little Mercies would be great book for a book club discussion, especially for my book group as we are almost all social workers.  If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult you will love Heather Gudenkauf’s book, Little Mercies.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Little Mercies was also reviewed on the following  blogs:  Tempest Books, Book Journey, Candace’s Book Blog, and I’d So Rather Be Reading  

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf  was received from Harlequin MIRA in exchange for a fair review.

Coming Soon to a Bookshelf Near You: August Edition

I hoped to blog to you from the deck, but the heat got to me and I had to retreat into the house.   It has now rained and hopefully cooled down a bit, so hopefully my evening will be spent reading on the deck.
As a book blogger, I am able to request, read and provide feedback on forth coming titles.   I love being able to do this, but some months my ambitions are larger than what time allows.  I still have a full time job which interferes regularly with my reading/blogging schedule.  Honestly, I must admit that lately what is interfering the most with my reading in CANDY CRUSH!!    Each night I head to bed to read a bit and my youngest son crawls in bed with us and wants to play Candy Crush on my kindle.  So we take turns playing each night until we are out of lives.  He is 12 and soon won’t want to hang out with mom, so I am taking advantage of this one on one time with my last kiddo at home. 
So I decided to share with you some upcoming releases that have caught my eye.    I would hate for you to miss an upcoming title due to our Candy Crush addiction!!  
Here are some books which will be available in bookstores in August, 2014 that caught my eye!
   
Upcoming Reviews on Reading in White Bear Lake:
   

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful day!!
Happy Reading!

*Note – if you would like to keep up with book reviews on Reading in White Bear Lake, please take a moment to like us on facebook!   If you are interested in my other loves: cooking, menu planning, organizing and my family check out our other blog, Living in White Bear Lake.   Living in White Bear Lake can also be found on facebook.

Review: Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans

Title: Walking on Water (Book 5) Author: Richard Paul Evans (Author Website) (Facebook) Genre: Adult Fiction Narrator: Richard Paul Evans Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Audio, May, 2014 Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program

About the Book: (from Good Reads.com)

In this fifth New York Times bestseller in the Walk series, Richard Paul Evans’s hero Alan Christoffersen must say some painful goodbyes and learn some important lessons as he comes to the end of his cross-country walk to Key West.

After the death of his beloved wife, after the loss of his advertising business to his once-trusted partner, after bankruptcy forced him from his home, Alan Christoffersen’s daring cross-country journey—a walk across America, from Seattle to Key West, with only the pack on his back—has taught him lessons about love, forgiveness and, most of all, hope.

Now Alan must again return west to face yet another crisis, one that threatens to upend his world just as he had begun to heal from so much loss, leaving him unsure of whether he can reach the end his journey. It will take the love of a new friend, and the wisdom of an old friend, to help him to finally leave the past behind and find the strength and hope to live again.

Related Media: – Book Trailer

 About the Author & Narrator:

Richard Paul Evans is the #1 bestselling author of The Christmas Box.  Each of his eighteen novels has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list; there are more than 14 million copies of his books in print worldwide.  His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages, and several have been international bestsellers. Evans has won the American Mothers book award, two first place Storytelling World awards, The Romantic Times Best Women’s Novel of the Year Award, the German Leserpreis Gold Award for Romance, and the Religion Communicator’s Council’s Wilbur Award. Four of Evans’s books have been produced as television movies. Evans received the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award for his work helping abused children. Evans lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Keri, and their five children.

 My Review: Walking on Water is the 5th book in the Walk series by Richard Paul Evans.  This audio book was narrated by the author.  I must admit, when I realized the author was also the narrator I wasn’t terribly excited.   I have listened to other authors and the experience has been less than satisfying.   That was not the case with Richard Paul Evans.  He has a very smooth and pleasing voice to listen too.  He narrates with great emotions, which really added to the listening experience. 

While, I enjoyed Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans, my experience was probably diminished by not having read any of the previous books in the Walk series.  I am sure those who have read all the previous books were more connected with the character, Alan Christoffersen.  The last book eludes to many trials that Alan has endured in previous books, which I didn’t know the details about.   I imagine those who started at the beginning of this series were waiting for each book and felt a real connection or kinship with Alan.   Alan is a very likeable character who you hope ends his walk with restored hope and healing. 

The story starts with Alan facing some difficult issues with his father.  Allen is a very likeable character working through a number of losses towards healing.  The details of the states that Allen walks through is amazing.  The people he meets through out the last leg of his walk are interesting.   I plan on reading the previous books in this series.  I am especially interested in his walk through SD, since that is where I am originally from.   The details of the locations is obviously due to the author’s trip through these areas.  Great research by Richard Paul Evans.

My Rating: 3.5/5 – Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans is the entertaining and emotional travelogue of Alan' Christoffersen’s walk from Seattle, Washington to Key West, Florida.   While Walking on Water is enjoyable as a stand alone book, I think you will feel more connected and invested in the characters if you follow Alan’s journey from the very beginning.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans was also reviewed by the The Friendly Book Nook,  and  Bookbag Lady.

 

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Audio book on Walking on Water by Richard Paul Evans was received from Simon and Schuster Audio in exchange for a fair review.

Review: The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarity

Title: The Husband’s Secret Author: Liane Moriarity (author website) Genre: Adult Fiction Publisher:  Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam; 1st Printing edition (July 30, 2013) Pages:  416 Source:  Kindle book purchased for book group

About the Book: (from publisher)
At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read
My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died...
Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . .
 .
Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

Related Media:  Liane Moriarty on The Husband's Secert



About the Author:

Liane Moriarty is the author of Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, What Alice Forgot and The Hypnotist's Love Story. All of her novels have been published successfully around the world and translated into seven languages. Writing as L.M. Moriarty, she is also the author of the Space Brigade series for children. Liane lives in Sydney with her husband, son and daughter.

My Review: The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriaty was the monthly selection for my book group.   I don't belive I have read any books by Moriaty prevously, but other members had! 

Cecelia Fitzpatrick finds an envelope which says on the outside  "To Wife...To be opened in the event of my death"?   Would you open it??   I would open it in a heat beat!  I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it otherwise.   The Husaban's Secret is the intertwined story of Tess, Cecelia and Rachel and how each are ultimately each effected by the contents of the envelope.  The Husband's Secret kept my interest.  I felt the story had a very good flow and kept you wanting to know more, which made for a very quick read.  

I think The Husband's Secret is a great book for a book group.  There are many moral dilemmas within the story to discuss.   I actually missed book group and didn't get to participate in the discussion.  I really wanted to discuss the ending and if others felt they would have made a similar decision to Rachel's.  

The Husband's Secret touches on themes of grief, lost, betrayal and the cost of forgiveness. 
    
My Rating: 4/5 - The Husband's Secret is very readable and gripping.  It is a book you will finish in a few sittings as you want to know how the author will resolve the events set in motion by that one simple letter intended to be read after the death of Cecelia's husband. 
 

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

 

The Husband's Secret was also reviewed by Aestas Book Club, Maryse's Book Blog, and Book Journey.

 

 

Happy Reading!

Review: The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

Title: The Pearl That Broke Its Shell Author: Nadia Hashini (Author Website)   (Facebook) Genre: Adult Fiction Narrator: Gin Hammond (website) Unabridged Length: 16.2 hours Publisher:  Blackstone Audio, May 5, 2014 Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program

About the Book: (from good reads.com)

Afghan-American Nadia Hashimi's literary debut novel, The Pearl that Broke Its Shell is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to control one's own fate that combines the cultural flavor and emotional resonance of the works of Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lisa See.

In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school, and can rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of bacha posh, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a boy until she is of marriageable age. As a son, she can attend school, go to the market, and chaperone her older sisters.

But Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-aunt, Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life the same way.

Crisscrossing in time, The Pearl the Broke Its Shell interweaves the tales of these two women separated by a century who share similar destinies. But what will happen once Rahima is of marriageable age? Will Shekiba always live as a man? And if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive

Related Media:  Nadia Hashimi Introduces “The Pearl That Broke Its Shell”.

About the Author:

Nadia Hashimi was born and raised in New York and New Jersey. Both her parents were born in Afghanistan and left in the early 1970s, before the Soviet invasion. Her mother, granddaughter of a notable Afghan poet, went to Europe to obtain a Master’s degree in civil engineering and her father came to the United States, where he worked hard to fulfill his American dream and build a new, brighter life for his immediate and extended family. Nadia was fortunate to be surrounded by a large family of aunts, uncles and cousins, keeping the Afghan culture an important part of their daily lives. Nadia attended Brandeis University where she obtained degrees in Middle Eastern Studies and Biology. In 2002, she made her first trip to Afghanistan with her parents who had not returned to their homeland since leaving in the 1970s. It was a bittersweet experience for everyone, finding relics of childhood homes and reuniting with loved ones. Nadia enrolled in medical school in Brooklyn and became active with an Afghan-American community organization that promoted cultural events and awareness, especially in the dark days after 9/11. She graduated from medical school and went on to complete her pediatric training at NYU/Bellevue hospitals in New York City. On completing her training, Nadia moved to Maryland with her husband where she works as a pediatrician. The Pearl That Broke Its Shell is Hashimi’s debut novel.

About the Narrator:

Gin Hammond received her MFA from the A.R.T. at Harvard University/Moscow Art Theatre. She has performed nationally at theatres such The Guthrie, Arena Stage, The Longwharf Theatre, Seattle’s ACT, The Pasadena Playhouse, the ART, The Berkshire Theatre Festival and The Studio Theatre in Washington D.C., where she won a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her performance of The Syringa Tree. Internationally, she has performed in Russia, Germany, Ireland, Scotland and England. Ms. Hammond also received a Kathleen Cornell award, and WA state grants from Allied Arts, The Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Artist Trust, 4 Culture, as well as from the NEA. Her voice(s) can be heard on Jim French's Imagination Theatre, Super Granny, Cake Mania, Westward, and Nancy Drew video games, a wide range of industrials, audiobooks produced by Redwood and Cedar House Audio, and Halo 3 ODST. She currently resides in Seattle with her husband, where she writes, directs, teaches and performs.

My Review: Let’s just get this out of the way, The Pearl that Broke Its Shell is one of my favorite reads so far this year.   I received The Pearl That Broke Its Shell from the reviewer program at AudioJukeBox.   In my work as a social worker in a metro area, I meet many people and find myself drawn to stories of life within other cultures.  

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell is the story of two Afghan women, Shekiba and Rahima.  Shekiba lived in the early 1900’s during the reign of King Habibullah.  Rahima lived in present day Afghanistan.   Shekiba and Rahima shared a commonality of living as a Bacha posh.  Bacha posh ("dressed up as a boy" in the Dari Language) is a cultural practice in which some families without sons will pick a daughter to live and behave as a boy. This enables the child to behave more freely: attending school, escorting her sisters in public, and working. Bacha posh also allows the family to avoid the social stigma associated of not having any male children.

I don’t want to share too much about the story as you have to really experience it and I can’t really give it justice.  I found learning about the history of Afghanistan very interesting.  I found it very interesting how in 1920’s Afghanistan rules by King Amanullah Khan and Queen Soraya was looking towards the ways of the West and were making efforts to modernize and empower the Afghan people.  Fast forward nearly a 100 years to Rahima’s life and those previous efforts to modernize and empower the Afghan people are non existent.  The country is ruled by warlords and wrought with corruption. 

While the Pearl That Broke Its Shells touches of issues such as child marriage, warlords, political unrest, drug addiction, and domestic violence, I really was impacted by the strength, perseverance and determination of Shekiba and Rahima to change their naseeb.  Naseeb means destiny or fate. The literal meaning in Arabic is "share", but it came to be understood as "one's share in life", and thus his destiny. 

This is my first experience with the narration of Gin Hammond.   I really enjoyed listening to The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi.  Gin Hammond provides a very emotional and passionate performance.   Her narration is easy to listen to and very enjoyable.  She bring the story to life in a manner that added to my enjoyment of the story!

My Rating: 4/5 -  The Pearl That Broke Its Shell is a debut novel that is wonderfully written.  It is hard to believe this is Nadia Hashimi debut novel.   I found myself looking for excuses to slip in my earbuds to listen to just a few more chapters.   Hashimi provides a very intimate look into the life of two amazing Afghan women.   I found myself thinking about Shekida and Rahima throughout my day.  The Pearl That  Broke Its Shell is a story that will stay with you long after you close the book.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

The Pearl that Broke Its Shell was also reviewed by the The Book Reporter, The Savvy Reader, Peeking Between the Pages and West Metro Mommy Reads. 

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Copy of The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi was received from Blackstone Audio in exchange for a fair review.

Coming Soon to a Bookshelf Near You: June/July Edition

I am blogging to you from our deck, affectionately referred to as our “Cabin Up North”.   It is a beautiful day in White Bear Lake today.   The sun is shining, classical music is playing on the outdoor sound system, birds chirping, hubby is mowing the lawn and baby puppy is curled up on the chair next to me.   Life is good!

As a book blogger, I am able to request, read and provide feedback on forth coming titles.   I love being able to do this, but some months my ambitions are larger than what time allows.  I still have a full time job which interferes regularly with my reading/blogging schedule.    So I decided to share with you some upcoming releases that have caught my eye.    I would hate for you to miss an upcoming title!!  

Here are some books published in June, 2014 that caught my eye!

Each book cover is linked to it’s GoodReads.com page, where you can find info, ratings and reviews for each book.  I was very excited to discover a new author, Heather Gudenkauf. She was born in South Dakota just like me, so what is not to love!  I plan on picking up a few more of her titles.  

My Reviews:  The Lemon Grove (review) and Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf (coming soon)

July, 2014 – Upcoming Titles…….

As you can see my interests vary at times.  I will at times accept a children’s book for a change of pace.  I have a hard time getting Tommy to review books anymore, so I will review one every once in a while.   Tommy’s life is soccer, school and church.   I like to read non-fiction books about families’ dealing with autism, adoption and various disabilities due to my work as a social worker.  You can really learn a lot from other’s stories.  Sometimes quite honestly, the book cover just catches my eye and I have to read it!! 

My Reviews:  One Plus One by Jojo Moyes (Review coming soon) – This is the second book I have read by Jojo Moyes – I plan on reading another for due for publication in September. 

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful day!!

Happy Reading!

 

*Note – if you would like to keep up with book reviews on Reading in White Bear Lake, please take a moment to like us on facebook!   If you are interested in my other loves: cooking, menu planning, organizing and my family check out our other blog, Living in White Bear Lake.   Living in White Bear Lake can also be found on facebook.

Review: The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh

Title: The Lemon Grove Author: Helen Walsh (Author Website) Genre: Adult Fiction Pages: 224 pages Publisher: Doubleday (June 3, 2014) Source: Netgalley.com

About the Book: (from good reads.com)
Set on the rugged, mountainous west coast of Mallorca, this taut, sultry, brilliantly paced novel is an urgent meditation on female desire, the vicissitudes of marriage and the allure of youth.
Taking place over the course of one week, The Lemon Grove lands in the heat of Deia, a village on an island off the southeast coast of Spain. Jenn and Greg are on their annual holiday to enjoy languorous, close afternoons by the pool, and relaxed dinners overlooking the rocks. But the equilibrium is upset by the arrival of their teenage daughter, Emma, and her boyfriend, Nathan. Jenn, in her early forties, loves her (older) husband and her (step)daughter and is content with her life, she thinks. But when this beautiful, reckless young man comes into her world, she is caught by a sexual compulsion that she's seldom felt before. As the lines hotly blur between attraction, desire and obsession, Jenn’s world is thrown into tumult--by Nathan's side, she could be young and carefree once again, and at this stage in her life, the promise of youth is every bit as seductive as the promise of passion. Jenn struggles between the conflicting pulls of resistance and release, and the events of the next few days have the potential to put lives in jeopardy as the players carry out their roles in this unstoppably sexy and unputdownable novel from a brilliant observer of the human condition.
Setting: Mallorca, Spain -   Majorca, or Mallorca is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the largest island in the Balearic Islands archipelago, in Spain.  BEAUTIFUL!!

About the Author:

HELEN WALSH was born in Warrington in 1977 and moved to Barcelona at the age of sixteen. Working as a fixer in the red light district, she saved enough money to put herself through language school. Burnt out and broke, she returned to England a year later and now works with socially excluded teenagers in North Liverpool. Brass is her first novel.

My Review:   A number of book bloggers were saying good things about “The Lemon Grove”.  Said to be the summer read not to miss.  When I saw it on Netgally, I thought I better request a copy to review.   I received my review copy and decided to read it on my vacation.  It is a quick, easy read so perfect for a vacation.
Jenn and Greg are on vacation in the beautiful island of Mallorca, Spain.  The description of the setting is amazing and very descriptive.  You can just feel the heat and the carefree life style of the island.  Jenn and Greg are joined by Greg’s daughter, Emma and her boyfriend, Nate.  A May/December relationship is sparked between Jenn and Nate.  A relationship that is filled with passion and heat.   For me, this just wasn’t enjoyable.  Being a mother of a 20 something old son, I couldn’t not get the image of my son or his friends out of my head.  Not fun!
I found Jenn as a character to be very shallow and insecure.  The relationship sprung between them very quickly.   As a stepmother, I really could not respect Jenn.  Her relationship with Emma was very rocky, but much of that was due to Jenn’s mind set that Emma was Greg’s daughter even though she had been in Emma’s life for many years.  Being a stepmother myself, I could not fathom having that mindset.  I just could not connect with the characters. 
The story line was suspenseful in wondering if they will be found out with many near misses and risky behavior.  The ending has you wondering if they were found out or not.  


My Rating: 2/5 - If you enjoy steamy, quick summer reads than “The Lemon Grove” by Helen Walsh is for you.  For me, I am looking for more substance in my stories and I really could not feel comfortable with this May/December relationship.  For me it was equivalent to walking in on our your parents.  Keep in mind I was probably the only woman on earth who had absolutely no desire to read 50 Shades of Grey by EL James either.  

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

The Lemon Grove was also reviewed by the Cosy Books,  Book Loving Hippo, The Little Reader Library, and What Hannah Read.  

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Copy of The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh was received from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

Review: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Title: Ordinary Grace Author: William Kent Krueger (author website) Genre: Adult Fiction Publisher:  Atria Books; Reprint edition (March 4, 2014) Pages:  336 Source:  purchased for book group

About the Book: (from goodreads.com)
From New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger comes a brilliant new novel about a young man, a small town, and murder in the summer of 1961.  New Bremen, Minnesota, 1961. The Twins were playing their debut season, ice-cold root beers were at the ready at Halderson’s Drug Store soda counter, and Hot Stuff comic books were a mainstay on every barbershop magazine rack. It was a time of innocence and hope for a country with a new, young president. But for thirteen-year-old Frank Drum it was a summer in which death assumed many forms.
When tragedy unexpectedly comes to call on his family, which includes his Methodist minister father, his passionate, artistic mother, Juilliard-bound older sister, and wise-beyond-his years kid brother, Frank finds himself thrust into an adult world full of secrets, lies, adultery, and betrayal.

On the surface, Ordinary Grace is the story of the murder of a beautiful young woman, a beloved daughter and sister. At heart, it’s the story of what that tragedy does to a boy, his family, and ultimately the fabric of the small town in which he lives. Told from Frank’s perspective forty years after that fateful summer, it is a moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.

Related Media:  Book Trailer



About the Author:

Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, William Kent Krueger briefly attended Stanford University--before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at free-lance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He currently makes his living as a full-time author. He's been married for over 35 years to a marvelous woman who is an attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves. Krueger writes a mystery series set in the north woods of Minnesota. His protagonist is Cork O'Connor, the former sheriff of Tamarack County and a man of mixed heritage--part Irish and part Ojibwe. His work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, and the Friends of American Writers Prize. "Northwest Angle" (2011) and "Trickster's Point" (2012) were New York Times bestsellers

My Review:  My oldest son is a huge fan of William Kent Krueger and has read most of his books.  My youngest son is just starting to read Iron Lake, his first William Kent Krueger book.  I on the other hand, had not read a single book by William Kent Krueger.  How could I live in Minnesota and not read this author who is a MN legend.  My book club selected Ordinary Grace for our monthly selection, so that sealed the deal, I would read Ordinary Grace.

I kick myself for not having picked up a William Kent Krueger book before.  Ordinary Grace is set in a fictious MN town in the 1960's.   Really it could be any MN town...his description of the town, the people and the era just felt like home.  This summer in New Bremen, MN started as an idyllic summer for 13 year old Frankie, but quickly turned to a summer of mysterious deaths.  While Ordinary Grace is a mystery, it is a rich story with complex characters and relationships.

The characters are lovable and real with their true hearts and weaknesses.   Kent uses a unique technique in tell Frankie’s story in Ordinary Grace.   While 13 year old Frankie is the narrator of this story, his present day self (age 40ish) adds insight to this thoughts and the events that happened that summer.   While I rarely share passages in my book reviews, I have to share the passage as I think I read it over 5 times……just love it…so profound.

“We turn, three men bound by love, by history, by circumstance, and most certainly by the awful grace of God, and together walk a narrow lane where headstones press close all around, reminding me gently of Warren Redstone’s parting wisdom, which I understand now. The dead are never far from us. They’re in our hearts and on our minds and in the end all that separates us from them is a single breath, one final puff of air.”
― William Kent Krueger, Ordinary Grace


My Rating: 4/5 – Ordinary Grace is a wonderfully descriptive story that introduces you to a place that simply feels like home.  The language and choice of words as to the feeling of home.   Comfortable and idyllic.   The mystery is very engaging and slowly unfolds in a manner that isn’t too fast nor does it drag……it is simply perfect.   If you are like me and don’t tend to read or enjoy mysteries, you will find Ordinary Grace by WIlliam Kent Krueger to be much more than a typical mystery.  
 

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Ordinary Grace was also reviewed by Booking Mama, Crime Fiction Lover and Shelia @ Book Journey.

 
Happy Reading!


**Disclosure – Copy of Ordinary Gace by William Kent Krueger was purchased from Amazon.com.  Monthly book selection for my book club.  

Review: The Other Story by Tatiana de Rosnay

Title: The Other Story
Author: Tatiana de Rosnay
Genre: Adult Fiction
Narrator: Simon Vance
Unabridged Length: 10 h, 3 m
Publisher:  Macmillan Audio, 2014
Source:  Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program

About the Book: (from good reads.com) Vacationing at a luxurious Tuscan island resort, Nicolas Duhamel is hopeful that the ghosts of his past have finally been put to rest… Now a bestselling author, when he was twenty-four years old, he stumbled upon a troubling secret about his family – a secret that was carefully concealed. In shock, Nicholas embarked on a journey to uncover the truth that took him from the Basque coast to St. Petersburg – but the answers wouldn’t come easily.
In the process of digging into his past, something else happened. Nicolas began writing a novel that was met with phenomenal success, skyrocketing him to literary fame whether he was ready for it or not – and convincing him that he had put his family’s history firmly behind him. But now, years later, Nicolas must reexamine everything he thought he knew, as he learns that, however deeply buried, the secrets of the past always find a way out.
Page-turning, layered and beautifully written, Tatiana de Rosnay's THE OTHER STORY is a reflection on identity, the process of being a writer and the repercussions of generations-old decisions as they echo into the present and shape the future.
About the Author:
Tatiana de Rosnay is the author of ten novels, including the New York Times bestselling novel Sarah’s Key and A Secret Kept.  Sarah’s Key is an international sensation, with over five million copies sold in thirty-eight countries worldwide, and had not been made into a major motion picture.  

Together with Dan Brown, and Steig Larsson, Tatiana was named one of the top three fiction writers in Europe in 2010.  She lives with her husband and two children in Paris, where she is at work on her next book. 

About the Narrator:

Simon Vance has been narrating audiobooks for more than 30 years and has completed more than 700 titles. He has won accolades from across the publishing world and beyond for his masterful ability to bring books to life.

My Review: Nicolas Duhamel, AKA Nicolas Colt is an author of one best selling novel, who is struggling to start his second book.  He goes to a Tuscan Island Resort with his girlfriend, Malvina to work on his new book.   Nicolas was a very unlikable character caring only about himself and what others think of him.   He was extremely egocentric and objectified women.   I have to admit when Nicolas described various women and interactions, I had to remind myself, yes, this book was written by Tatiana de Rosnay.    Is it a sign of a good writer, if I can’t believe that some very crude passages just could not have been written by a woman??    I think Tatiana de Rosnay does a wonderful job of depicting the struggles of a writer and writer’s block.   She really captured the cost of fame should one allow themselves to be so entrenched in that life style of excess.  
I was determined to finish this book while it took much longer than usual, I finished this book.  My determination to finish was partially due to the smooth, engaging narration of Simon Vance.  I think Simon could read a phone book and I would enjoy it!  I will be looking or more book narrated by Simon Vance!   While the ending of The Other Story by Tatiana de Rosnay did provide some redeeming actions by Nicholas Duhamel, it was far too late to change my opinion of the story.  

My Rating: 2/5 -  When I was offered the opportunity to review a book by Tatiana de Rosnay, I jumped at the chance.  I really wanted to love this book!   I am a huge fan of Sarah’s Key, but unfortunately I was very disappointed in The Other Story by Tatiana de Rosnay. Simon Vance delivers a wonderful performance as narrator.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

The Other Story was also reviewed by the Michelle @ That’s What She Read, Shelia at Book Journey and  Book Lust.

 

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Copy of The Other Story by Tatiana De Rosnay was received from Macmillan Audio in exchange for a fair review.