Review: The Children’s Crusade by Ann Packer

Title: The Children’s Crusade Author: Ann Packer (Author Website) (Facebook) Narrators: Cotter Smith, Frederick Weller, Thomas Sadoski, Marin Ireland and Santino Fontana Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Audio Unabridged edition (April , 2015) Length:  12 CDs Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program

About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)

From the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of The Dive From Clausen's Pier, a sweeping, masterful new novel that explores the secrets and desires, the remnant wounds and saving graces of one California family, over the course of five decades.

Bill Blair finds the land by accident, three wooded acres in a rustic community south of San Francisco. The year is 1954, long before anyone will call this area Silicon Valley. Struck by a vision of the family he has yet to create, Bill buys the property on a whim. In Penny Greenway he finds a suitable wife, a woman whose yearning attitude toward life seems compelling and answerable, and they marry and have four children. Yet Penny is a mercurial housewife, at a time when women chafed at the conventions imposed on them. She finds salvation in art, but the cost is high.

Thirty years later, the three oldest Blair children, adults now and still living near the family home, are disrupted by the return of the youngest, whose sudden presence and all-too-familiar troubles force a reckoning with who they are, separately and together, and set off a struggle over the family's future. One by one, the siblings take turns telling the story--Robert, a doctor like their father; Rebecca, a psychiatrist; Ryan, a schoolteacher; and James, the malcontent, the problem child, the only one who hasn't settled down-their narratives interwoven with portraits of the family at crucial points in their history.

About the Author:  (from author website)

Ann Packer was born in Stanford, California, in 1959, and grew up near Stanford University, where her parents were professors. She attended Yale University and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has received fellowships from the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, the Michener-Copernicus Society, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

She is the acclaimed author of two collections of short fiction, Swim Back to Me and Mendocino and Other Stories, and two bestselling novels, Songs Without Words and The Dive from Clausen’s Pier, which received the Kate Chopin Literary Award, among many other prizes and honors. Her short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker and in the O. Henry Prize Stories anthologies, and her novels have been published around the world.

Ann returned to her native Bay Area in 1995. She lives in San Carlos with her family.

About the Narrators:

Cotter Smith -  is an American actor of stage, film, and television. As an audiobook narrator, he has won two Earphones Awards and was a finalist in 1997 for the prestigious Audie Award. Audiobooks also include:  Millionaire Next Door, Millionaire Mind, Citizen Soldiers and Victors by Stephen E Ambrose.

Frederick Weller - Frederick Weller's films include Four Lane Highway, The Shape of Things, When Will I Be Loved, Coyote Ugly, Basquiat and Armageddon. Television series include In Plain Sight (debut USA), The Jury, Law & Order: SVU & Criminal Intent, Pastor's Wife, and Missing Persons. On Broadway he starred in Seascape, Glengarry Glen Ross, Take Me Out, The Rehearsal, and Six Degrees of Separation. Audiobooks also include: Twisted by Jeffery Deaver, Nocturne by Jeffery Deaver and Blind Fall by Christopher Rice.

Thomas Sadoski - Thomas Sadoski was born on 1st July 1976 in Bethany, Connecticut. In 1980 he moved with his family to College Station, Texas. He has been in numerous plays Off-Broadway, and many regional theatres including the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Made his Broadway debut in 2004 playing Mary-Louise Parker's husband in the critically acclaimed production of "Reckless". Audiobooks also include: Mile 81 by Stephen King.

Marin Ireland - Marin Ireland is an actress, known for Side Effects (2013), I Am Legend (2007) and Revolutionary Road (2008). Audiobooks also include: XO by Jeffery Deaver

Santino Fontana - Santino Fontana is an actor, known for Frozen (2013), Frozen Fever (2015) and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). Audiobooks also include: You by Caroline Kepnes and The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman.

My Review: The Children’s Crusade by Ann Packer is a family drama spanning from 1950 to present day.  Bill Blair is a pediatrician and veteran of war.   Bill  meets Penny and they marry.  Penny has dreams of her family, 3 children would be perfect.  The first child born is Robert than Rebecca and Ryan, the three R’s, perfect.   Later James is born and Penny is unhappy about this, three children was the plan.  James is a rambunctious little boy and just too much for Penny.   She withdraws  from parenting him and the other children and Bill and the older children really parent James.  This really shows the impact that childhood experiences can have on someone into adulthood.  James always feels like the odd man out, not an “R” name. 

Children’s Crusade is really a coming of age story of a family.  A real family drama with complicated relationships.  There is a strong character story of each individual.  You really feel like you understand the characters, except for Penny.  Penny is very self-centered and removed from her family physically and emotionally.   I would have like to know more about her thought process regarding her decisions.  With Penny being the exception I felt like I knew the characters equally, but didn’t like them equally.  

The audio book of Children’s Crusade was performed by a cast of narrators, which allowed for great distinction between the characters.   I really felt the different voices fit the characters well and were easily distinguishable.  The pace of the narration went well this the story and plot.  Listening to Children’s Crusade did not have a huge impact on me…I wasn’t driving around the block to listen to more.  This had more to do with the actual story than the narration. 

My Rating: 3/5 – liked it- Children’s Crusade had me wishing for more throughout the book.  When was something of significance  going to happen??   I struggle with stories that don’t have a real pivotal point in the story.  The family overall, left me wondering how Bill could let this situation continue.  He often said “children need care”, but that was something his children were missing, at least from their mother.  This had a lasting effect on the children, especially James.  Good reminder that our actions as parents stay with our children much longer than we think. 

Children’s Crusade is really a character study of the Blair family.  Children’s Crusade is a family drama which touches on the themes such as healing, hope, innocence and forgiveness.   In all honestly, if this wasn’t a review book, I would have most likely not finished the book. 

The other item that was difficult for me was the ending of Children’s Crusade by Ann Packer, I was very disappointed in the ending.  It didn’t feel like much of an ending, I felt that as a reader I was left wishing for more once again. 

This was not the first book I have read by Ann Packer. My book group read The Dive from Clausen’s Pier which I enjoyed.  So don’t let this review discourage your from giving Ann Packer a try.

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

Children’s Crusade by Ann Packer was also reviewed on the following blogs:  BookChatter,  West Metro Mommy Reads, and Adventures with Words.

**Disclosure – Children’s Crusade by Ann Packer was received from Audiobook Jukebox’s reviewer program and Simon & Schuster Audio in exchange for a fair review.

Posted by Jen C at 7:45 AM 0 comments

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.

Book Review: The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin

Title: The Aviator’s Wife (author Website) Author: Melanie Benjamin Publisher: Delacorte Press (January 15, 2013) Pages: 416 Format: Advance Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com

About the Book: (from publisher)

For much of her life, Anne Morrow, the shy daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, has stood in the shadows of those around her, including her millionaire father and vibrant older sister, who often steals the spotlight. Then Anne, a college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family. There she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles's assurance and fame, Anne is certain the celebrated aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong.

Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding. Hounded by adoring crowds and hunted by an insatiable press, Charles shields himself and his new bride from prying eyes, leaving Anne to feel her life falling back into the shadows. In the years that follow, despite her own major achievements-she becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States-Anne is viewed merely as the aviator's wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life's infinite possibilities for change and happiness.

Drawing on the rich history of the twentieth century-from the late twenties to the mid-sixties-and featuring cameos from such notable characters as Joseph Kennedy and Amelia Earhart, The Aviator's Wife is a vividly imagined novel of a complicated marriage-revealing both its dizzying highs and its devastating lows. With stunning power and grace, Melanie Benjamin provides new insight into what made this remarkable relationship endure.

About the Author: Melanie Benjamin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. While attending Indiana University—Purdue University at Indianapolis, Melanie performed in many community theater productions before meeting her husband, moving to the Chicago area and raising two sons. Writing was always beckoning, however, and soon she began writing for local magazines and newspapers before venturing into her first love, fiction. As Melanie Hauser, she published two contemporary novels. By incorporating her passion for history and biography, Melanie, now writing as Melanie Benjamin, has finally found her niche writing historical fiction, concentrating on the "stories behind the stories." ALICE I HAVE BEEN is her first historical novel; THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB her second. She and her family still live in the Chicago area; when she's not writing, she's gardening, taking long walks, rooting for the Cubs— And reading, of course. You can also follow Melanie Benjamin on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

Setting:  The Aviator’s Wife portrays the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh from December 1927 when she met Charles Lindbergh in Mexico City until Charles Lindbergh’s death in August, 1974.   The 1920’s and 30’s were an interesting time in history, to give this story a bit of perspective, women received the right to vote on August 18, 1920 and World War II occurred from 1939 to 1945.

Anne Morrow – Lindbergh

Anne Spencer Morrow  - June 22, 1906 – February 7, 2001	In 1930, Anne was the first woman to earn a first-class Glider pilot’s license.	Anne Spencer Morrow and Charles Lindbergh were married on May 27, 1929
Anne Morrow Lindbergh with firstborn son, Charles Lindbergh, Jr. This baby was kidnapped on March 1, 1932.	.Anne Morrow Lindbergh with three of her children Reeve, Ansy and Scott in 1950.	Anne and Charles Lindbergh in 1968

My Review:  I am quickly becoming a huge fan of historical fiction.  My youngest son, recently did a report in school on Charles Lindbergh, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin.  In The Aviator’s Wife, the author tells the story of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of the ever famous Charles Lindbergh.   Anne and Charles met after Charles’ successful solo non-stop flight from New York to Paris in his monoplane, The Spirit of St Louis.   The two met at the home of Anne’s father, while he was the Ambassador to Mexico, in December 1927.  

The 1930’s was a time in history in which women were not as independent as today.  Women had just received the right to vote in August, 1920.   Anne was first known as the Ambassador’s daughter to later become the Aviator’s Wife, which was very appropriate for the time.  Anne was a college graduate with her own opinions and much more independent than she realized.   In her own rights, Anne  was the first woman to earn a first-class pilot’s license.   I loved the sense of adventure and bravery she showed.   Anne learned to fly, navigate, communicate and be a great partner to her husband in the air.  As many women do, Anne went through events and stages of life that changed her and drove her in her pursuit of happiness. 

In many ways her marriage to Charles was very one sided.   Charles was a very guarded man when it came to his childhood and emotions.  He is not portrayed in The Aviator’s Wife as a loving husband and father.   Melanie Benjamin, portrays Anne’s devastating heartbreak of losing her first born son, Charles Lindbergh, Jr. with such raw emotion.   The Lindbergh baby was kidnapped and murdered in 1932.   The author makes the reader truly feel the heartbreak of this young mother and her struggle to be able to grieve her baby.   Anne goes on to have 5 more children and essentially raises them herself.   Her husband, Charles is gone most of the time and she takes care of the children and household alone.   I loved Anne Morrow Lindbergh, her strength, dedication, and perseverance. 

The Aviator’s Wife is very interesting and kept me reading.   I love how  Anne Morrow Lindbergh eventually finds her own voice and life.  The marriage of Charles and Anne was not without it’s problems,  devastating tragedy and hurtful betrayals but through it all Anne decides in the end she does not regret her marriage to her hero.   I feel The Aviator’s Wife is a honest portrayal of a very public marriage and the woman behind the famous man.  

My Rating: 4    The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin will be greatly appreciated by fans of historical fiction and readers who enjoys stories of strong, enduring women.  If you enjoyed The Paris Wife by Paula McLain you will also enjoy The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin.  While I didn’t lose many hours of sleep to complete this book, I did neglect a fair amount of household chores to read! 

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

Other Bloggers Reviews :

As the Crowe Flies (And Reads!)

The Book Club Cheerleader

BookNAround

Reviews from the Heart

A Bookish Affair

A Casual Reader’s Blog 

 

 

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Advance copy of The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin received from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Book Review: Fever by Mary Beth Keane

Title: Fever Author: Mary Beth Keane Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc. Pages: 320 Format: Advance Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com Release Date: March 12, 2013

About the Book:  (from publisher)
Mary Mallon was a courageous, headstrong Irish immigrant woman who bravely came to America alone, fought hard to climb up from the lowest rung of the domestic service ladder, and discovered in herself an uncanny, and coveted, talent for cooking. Working in the kitchens of the upper class, she left a trail of disease in her wake, until one enterprising and ruthless “medical engineer” proposed the inconceivable notion of the “asymptomatic carrier”—and from then on Mary Mallon was a hunted woman.

In order to keep New York’s citizens safe from Mallon, the Department of Health sent her to North Brother Island where she was kept in isolation from 1907-1910. She was released under the condition that she never work as a cook again. Yet for Mary—spoiled by her status and income and genuinely passionate about cooking—most domestic and factory jobs were heinous. She defied the edict.

Bringing early twentieth-century New York alive—the neighborhoods, the bars, the park being carved out of upper Manhattan, the emerging skyscrapers, the boat traffic—Fever is as fiercely compelling as Typhoid Mary herself, an ambitious retelling of a forgotten life. In the hands of Mary Beth Keane, Mary Mallon becomes an extraordinarily dramatic, vexing, sympathetic, uncompromising, and unforgettable character.

Setting: 1906 to 1915 – New York  & North Brother Island

 

Newspaper Article About Mary – June 20, 1909	Mary at Willard Park Hospital – April 1907

As of 1910, there were an estimated 200,000 to 350,000 new cases of typhoid fever in the United States. Approximately 3% of those sufferers went on to become chronic carriers.

Mary was quarantined at North Brother Island from 4/15/1907 until 2/19/1910	North Brother Island Hospital	Mary’s cottage on North Brother Island in which she lived until her death.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire:  This fire is described as happening while Mary was working at the laundry in New York.   It was such a sad part of the story, that I had to research to see if this had actually happened.   This fire did occur on March 25, 1911.  146 workers were killed in this fire – many jumping to their deaths as the stairwells and exits were locked.   This was a common practice of the time to prevent pilferage and unauthorized breaks. Once again, Mary Beth Keane show remarkable attention to details of the time with her research.

Mary returned to North Brother Island after the out break of typhoid at Sloane Maternity Hospital, where she was cooking under a false name.  She remained at North Brother Island until her death at the age of 69 on 11/11/38. 

About the Author: Mary Beth Keane attended Barnard College and the University of Virginia, where she received an MFA in Fiction. In 2011, she was named one of the National Book Foundation’s 5 under 35. She lives in Pearl River, New York with her husband and their two sons.

 
My Review:  Fever by Mary Beth Keane caught my attention on NetGalley.com due to the topic, Historical Fiction being a favorite genre of mine.  I knew little to nothing about Typhoid Mary, so I was intrigued.  Fever caught my attention from the very beginning.   I was impressed by the detail that was presented of life in New York and plight of the working class during this period of time.  

Fever is the story of Mary Mallon, the first identified carrier of Typhoid.   She was a talented cook who worked for well to do families.  The fever seems to follow her, leaving illness and death in her wake.  Mary was a very strong character, but in denial of her condition.  This makes a lot of sense as during that time there was just starting to be talk about the details of disease and how it was spread.  There was some misconceptions about the spread of disease as it relates to garbage and the lack of sanitation in New York.  The author attempts to give a voice to the thoughts of Mary and her reasons for continuing to cook after being ordered to stop.   While I believe Mary was in denial to some extent of the illness she was causing, the author gave little suggestions that Mary might have thought in the back of her mind that she might be causing the fever.   Mary was stubborn and very strong, I didn’t like her disregard of others well-being by continuing to cook, especially at the Sloane Maternity Hospital.  

Fever by Mary Beth Keane captured my attention initially, but I did find the 2nd half of the book to be less captivating.  I completed the book as I was interested in knowing how everything turned out.  I wish there was more depth to the story surrounding Mary and her thoughts, reasons and relationships.  The book was fictional so the author could have built more into that part of the story.  Throughout the story Mary has a love interest, Alfred who struggled with employment, drug and drinking issues.  I am not sure how much this relationship added to the story, but it did give some reason for Mary’s decision to return to and continue cooking.

I commend the author, Mary Beth Keane for a very well researched story.   Her detail to the life and times of the early 1900 in New York was remarkable.  I really enjoyed the detail to the setting and the events during that time. 
 
My Rating:  3.5 – while I did not lose sleep to finish this book – Fever by Mary Beth Keane is very well worth the read!   If you enjoy historical fiction you will be very impressed by Mary Beth Keane’s research and detail!
 

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

 
Other Reviews of Fever:

Start Tribune
Booksessed
Bookstalker
Historical Novel Society

 

Happy Reading!

 
**Disclosure – Advance copy of Fever by Mary Beth Keane received from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Book Review: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Title:  The Secret Keeper Author: Kate Morton (author website) Publisher: Atria Books (October 16, 2012) ISBN 10: 1439152802 Pages: 496 pages Format: Advance Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com

About the Book:  (from publisher)

The new novel from the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Distant Hours is a spellbinding mix of mystery, thievery, murder, and enduring love.

During a party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the road and sees her mother speak to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress, living in London. She returns to the family farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday and finds herself overwhelmed by questions she has not thought about for decades. From pre-WWII England through the Blitz, to the fifties and beyond, discover the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined.

The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams, the lengths people go to fulfill them, and the consequences they can have. It is a story of lovers, friends, dreamers, and schemers told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

Setting:  England – 2011, 1961 and 1940

 

About the Author: Kate Morton was born in Berri, South Australia. Morton is the eldest of three sisters. Her family moved several times before settling on Tamborine Mountain where she attended a small country school. She enjoyed reading books from an early age, her favorites being those by Enid Blyton. She studied Speech a Drama at Trinity College London. Later she earned  first – class honors for her English Literature degree at the University of Queensland, during which time she wrote two full-length manuscripts (which are unpublished) before writing the story that would become the 2006 novel The House at Riverton. Following this she obtained a scholarship and completed a Master's degree focusing on tragedy in Victorian literature. She is currently enrolled in a PhD program researching contemporary novels that marry elements of gothic and mystery fiction. Kate Morton is married to Davin, a jazz musician and composer, and they have two sons; they live in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington.  (Wikipedia.com)

Related Media:  Kate Morton talks about her new novel, The Secret Keeper.

My Review:     The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton starts out with Laurel as a child in 1961 witnessing a tragic event.  Then the story flashes to present day, Laurel is a successful actress that returns home and starts to piece together the secret history that led to of this tragic event.  She begins to piece together the tale of three individuals,  Jimmy, Dotty and Vivien  and the events that intertwined their lives together during the London Blitz in the 1940’s.   I like that the past portion of this book was based during the time of the London Blitz.  I have read many other books set in this time so it really came alive for me. It is an interesting time in history when lives change very quickly for people. 

To be truthful, I generally find that the use of flashbacks as a writing technique takes away from the flow of the story.  That is not the case with The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton.  The flashbacks are expertly executed and add so much to the telling of the story of Jimmy, Dotty and Vivien.  Their story is slowly revealed to the reader in bits and pieces, which adds to the suspense and mystery of the story.   Morton develops complex characters that evoke emotions from the reader.   You truly get a great feel of who Laurel was as a child as well as an adult.  Jimmy was definitely my favorite character.  I think I might have fallen a bit in love with Jimmy.   I just loved him!   And if I ever wanted to smack a character, that would have to have been Dotty. 

So that I don’t give away any of the secrets, I will say the 2nd half of the book really got me hooked.  I was so absorbed in the story that I read the last half of the book in one evening.  There was no way I was going to go to bed without knowing the ending to this story!  And let me tell you this, the ending does not disappoint!   I loved the ending!   You will just have to read The Secret Keeper to experience the slow reveal of the secret history of the characters.   Secret Keeper will be released on October 16th .  If you are looking for a good read……The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton is just that. 

My Rating: 4+  –  I really like this book!   The Secret Keeper is the first book by Kate Morton I have read and it will not be the last!!!  Just writing this review has me so excited to get my hands on another book by Kate Morton.  I know one is in my very near future.  The Secret Keeper did not grab me initially, but keep with it, I promise you will not be able to put it down in the 2nd half!  Kate Morton is a masterful story teller.  Oh, and I did lose quite a few hours of sleep over this book and read it in all the most inappropriate times and places….that is a sign of a truly good book in my world! 

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

Other Bloggers Reviews :

Red Headed Book Child

So Many Books, So Little Time

Ageless Pages Reviews

Under a Gray Sky

 

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Advance copy of The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton received from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. 

Book Review: Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society by Amy Hill Hearth

Title: Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society Author: Amy Hill Hearth (author website) Publisher: Atria Books; Original edition (October 2, 2012) ISBN 10: 1451675232 Pages: 272 pages Format Read: NetGalley provided by the publisher

About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)

A brilliant debut novel from a New York Times bestselling author about a transplanted wife from Boston who arrives in Florida in the 1960s, starts a literary salon, and shakes up the status quo.

In 1962, Jackie Hart moved to Naples, Florida, from Boston with her husband and children. Wanting something personally fulfilling to do with her time, she starts a reading club and anonymously hosts a radio show, calling herself Miss Dreamsville. 

The racially segregated town falls in love with Miss Dreamsville, but doesn’t know what to make of Jackie, who welcomes everyone into her book club, including a woman who did prison time for allegedly killing her husband, a man of questionable sexual preference, a young divorcee, as well as a black woman.

Setting: Florida, 1962

About the Author: Amy Hill Hearth (pronounced "HARTH") is a New York Times bestselling author and Peabody Award-winning writer who specializes in stories about the lives of women. She is the author or co-author of seven nonfiction books, including the oral history HAVING OUR SAY: THE DELANY SISTERS' FIRST 100 YEARS, a New York Times bestseller for 113 weeks which was adapted to the Broadway stage and an award-winning television film. Amy Hill Hearth attended the University of Tampa, graduating with a BA in creative writing in 1982. She worked as a reporting in the 1980s in Florida. She met her future husband, Blair, who was raised in Collier County, while reporting in Florida. Her first novel, Miss Dreamsville and The Collier County Women’s Literary Society, is inspired by her mother-in-law, Jacqueline B Heart, who did create a radio show called Miss Dreamsville in Naples, Florida. This novel is set in Florida, 1962. Amy Hill Hearth moved to South Carolina in 1965 as a six year old child. This contributed to her understanding of the Deep South during that era. My favorite tidbit about Amy Hill Hearth is that she and a childhood friend rescued turtles trying to cross the road as children. Amy still rescues turtles today, where ever she is.

Related Media: Amy Hill Hearth Reads from her book, Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society

My Review:   Miss Dreamsville and The Collier County Women’s Literary Society is a novel which touches on issues such as racism, homophobia and feminism in a heart warming and humorous way.   Though these issues are heavy this story is entertaining and evokes real emotions about the various characters.  Jackie a housewife from Boston and her family move to the Deep South in the racial charged 1960s.   Jackie starts this controversial Literary Society when moving to Collier County.  This novel is narrated by Dora, one of the lovable misfits that make up the Literary Society.    Each member of the Literary Society bring something different to the table during a time in history when different was not a valued attribute.

The members of the Literary Society are colorful and lovable.  I can’t even chose a favorite character as I loved them all.  I especially would love to see a movie made of this book just so I can see Dolores, the alligator hunter.  My image of her in my mind is pretty entertaining!!  The Literary Society is a group of people who are different, but develop a real friendship despite their differences.  Change is possible when people look beyond their difference and find their common ground.  For this group one common ground discovered was reading/books.    Jackie, the Literary Society originator had good intentions and wanted to change the injustices she saw in her new home, Naples. She didn’t always approach the issues in the best manner and was not always successful, but her intentions were good.

After this group has an incident with the Ku Klux Klan, it looks like all was for naught.   Can things really change??  But everything turns around for the group and the ending is very satisfying.  The group leaves a lasting impression on Naples, Florida.  I loved the ending!
Miss Dreamsville and The Collier County Women’s Literary Society is a debut novel by Amy Hill Hearth and will be available for purchase on October 2, 2012.  If you enjoyed The Help by Kathryn Stockett, you will love Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society.  The characters really make the story!!

My Rating: 4 – I really liked Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society – The story flowed well and the characters were wonderful!   I still smile thinking of the image in my head of each character.  A wonderful debut novel that kept me up a few nights later than a girl who needs to get to work on time should stay up!

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

Other  Bloggers Reviews:
A Chick Who Reads
Silver’s Reviews
The Book Garden
Mysteries Etc

Happy Reading!


**Disclosure – Advance copy received from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Book review: The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell

Title:  The Making of Us Author:  Lisa Jewell Publisher: Atria Books; Original edition (August 14, 2012) ISBN 10: 1451609116 Pages: 416 pages Format: Galley from Netgalley.com

About the Book: (From Goodreads.com)

From the internationally bestselling author of After the Party comes a delightfully funny, brilliantly poignant novel about three strangers who are brought together by the father they never knew. Lydia, Dean and Robyn don’t know one another. Yet. Each is facing difficult challenges. Lydia is still wearing the scars from her traumatic childhood. Wealthy and successful, she leads a lonely and disjointed existence. Dean is a young, unemployed, single dad whose life is going nowhere. Robyn is eighteen. Gorgeous, popular and intelligent, she entered her first year of college confident of her dream to become a pediatrician. Now she’s failing her classes. Now she’s falling in love for the first time.

Lydia, Dean and Robyn live very different lives, but each of them, independently, has always felt that something was missing. What they don’t know is that a letter is about to arrive that will turn their lives upside down. It is a letter containing a secret—one that will bind them together and show them what love and family and friendship really mean.

“So good that I practically inhaled it,” praised the Daily Mail (London). The Making of Us is a literary gem that will remind readers of the miracles that happen when we bring life into the world and share our lives with those we love.

Setting: London

About the Author:  (from Good Reads.com) Lisa Jewell (born 19th July 1968, Middlesex, London) is a popular British author of chick lit fiction. Her books include Ralph's Party, Thirtynothing and most recently 31 Dream Street. She lives in Swiss Cottage, London with her husband Jascha and daughters Amelie Mae (born 2003) and Evie Scarlett (born 2007).

Related Media: – Lisa Jewell on Creating Characters

My Review:  This was the first galley I have read and I was so pleasantly surprised.   Making of Us is the story of three children born of the same donor father.  All raised in different homes with different moms and different experiences.  But moms who wanted them so much and went to the clinic to have the child then so deeply desired.   Many issues are brought to mind in this story, the rights of the children to know who their father is, the right of the sperm donor to remain anonymous.  The bond of family and wanting to feel like you belong and able to see yourself in your family.  The desire to not feel alone in the world but connected in a meaningful way to others. 

The Making of Us is emotionally charged and very believable. I loved the characters and how they change throughout the book, especially Lydia.  She really blossomed once she gained confidence,  felt she belonged and had family.   It was good to watch Dean mature and grow as a person/father. I enjoyed how the author wrote each chapter with a different narrator.  This allowed you to know the characters thoughts as well as their thoughts about the other characters as well.   This technique lead to very strong character development, though this was confusing the first few chapters to get the characters straight.  Luckily, I always take notes to help me get a solid understanding of the characters early on.  It takes away form the story if the confusion lasts too long!

I finished Making of Us a few hours ago and I have been trying to figure out why I was so struck by this book.  I think I was most struck by the emotions of the children wanting to belong or feeling like something was missing for them.  But they each felt like something was missing and that was all brought together when they met their siblings. People that were like them and looked like them.  The sense of belong and being a part of “Us”.  The emotions of the characters are right on – a donor father or absent father the emotions to belong and be a part of “us” is so strong.  It is amazing to me how siblings raised by different mothers can have so much in common – but they can, I have seen it!   Making of Us is a great story about finding family and importance of family.

My Rating: 4 – really liked it! – I could have devoured Making of Us in one sitting if I didn’t need to sleep!  A great emotional read about families and our need to belong.

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

Other Bloggers Reviews :

Novelicious.com

Girly Scribbles’ Book Reviews

International Chick Lit Month

Quirky Bookworm

Curious Book Fans

 

Happy Reading!

 

Galley received from publisher via netgalley.com in exchange for a fair review.