Review: Black Lake by Johanna Lane

Hardcover, 224 pages

Expected publication: May 20th 2014 by Little, Brown and Company

more details...

ISBN: 0316228834 (ISBN13: 9780316228831)                

edition language: English

Black Lake tells the story of John and Marianne Campbell along with their two children Philip and Kate.

It was most interesting to see how each family member reacted to and thought about the financial necessity of moving out of Dulough, the manor house, into the damp and cramped caretaker's cottage. When financial and social status changed for the worse, the results dramatically altered the family dynamics with some tragic repercussions.

Told from different view points of each character, but mostly John's and Philip's, the reader is privy to family secrets, hopes, dreams, expectations and disappointments. Each character looks back over the events that led them to the present day. Through inner dialogue and hindsight, Lane brings her characters vividly to life. Very quickly they became real people to me. Even after closing the last page, the characters resonated with me for quite a while.

The house has such a presence, it is in itself like another character.

"It is not difficult to think of the house as a consciousness, a repository of events, its breath whistling through the walls, our lives playing over and over again in its memory."



Such beautiful writing!

I really enjoyed this story, the characters and the lovely, descriptive writing. The sense of place was so well done, I could feel the atmosphere of the  isolated, windy rain swept Irish coast. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary fiction and stories of family. 4.5****


Johanna Lane, a Goodreads author, grew up in Ireland and now lives in New York City.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Little, Brown and Company in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Hardcover, 481 pages

Published October 9th 2012 by Atria

more details...

ISBN

1439152802 (ISBN13: 9781439152805

In 1961, at a family birthday party, sixteen year old Laurel witnesses a strange encounter between a man and her mother that will become a heavy secret for years and years. Fast forward to 2011 when Laurel comes home to visit her dying mother. Finding an old photo from 1941 and listening to her mother's ramblings become clues to a mystery from her mother's past that Laurel feels compelled to solve.

"It suddenly seemed to Laurel that all the absence in her own life, every loss and sadness, every unexplained melancholy, took the shadowy form of the same unanswered question:something that had been there since she was sixteen years old-- her mother's unspoken secret."

Who are you, Dorothy?" she said beneath her breath, "Who were you, before you became Ma?"

The plot segues seamlessly between 1941, 1961 and 2011 as told alternately by Laurel and Dorothy. Never once did I feel like I was yanked out of one timeframe and abruptly thrust into another. Morton's writing is smooth as silk and just as luxurious. I've read reviews that say she is a little wordy. I disagree. I love the way she puts me in the scene and makes me aware of all the surroundings.


 Morton has the ability to draw me into her world immediately and keeps my interest in the plot and characters invested at all times. In every one of her books there has been a "twist" that I didn't see coming. I've now read every book Kate Morton has written and loved them all. The Secret Keeper is my second favorite one just a shade behind The Distant Hours, most likely my favorite read of 2012. 4.5****


Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Netgalley/Atria  in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review & Giveaway: The Harbormaster's Daughter by Heidi Jon Schmidt

Paperback, 368 pages
Published August 7th 2012 by NAL Trade
ISBN: 0451237870 (ISBN13: 9780451237873)

From the publisher:

On a freezing January night, LaRee Farnham answers a knock at her door to find a policewoman holding three-year old Vita Gray, whose mother has just been murdered a few miles away. LaRee raises Vita with fierce love and attention, while trying to shield her from the aftermath of the murder, which has deeply divided the historic village of Oyster Creek.

Born out of wedlock, Vita is the product of the town’s two very different cultures: the hardworking fishing families of Portuguese descent and the "washashores” from the mainland who’ve drifted to the coast for its beauty. At sixteen, Vita is shy and isolated, estranged from her father and bullied at school, but she is determined to come out of herself, step by step.

When the shocking details of her past surface suddenly, Vita feels utterly betrayed by those closest to her, and the fraught tension between Oyster Creek’s two cultures comes to a head. LaRee must ask hard questions about herself as a mother, while Vita turns to unexpected avenues to find meaning and discovers that the truth is almost never found in black and white . . . .

My thoughts:The Harbormaster's Daughter is an interesting character driven novel. Vita, somewhat different who comes from both sides of  the population, is the book's main focus. Oyster Creek consists of the practical, local Portuguese families and the more "dilettantish " transplants. I grew up in a small seaside town in MA with a large summer population. When I was a kid there was definitely a feel of "townies" vs "summer bums". Schmidt has this attitude and sense of place down to perfection. It took me vividly back to my childhood.

Schmidt explores the effects of murder on a child's upbringing, the aftermath and attitudes of the locals towards that child.  Even as a young child, Vita never felt like she fit in, try as she might. LaRee had tried so hard to make Vita's life normal that she almost did Vita an injustice in not giving her skills in coping with life. We then watch as teenager Vita struggles with her identity, feeling that she doesn't belong to either community. This is much more than just a coming of age novel.

There is also the theme of cultural  identity among the fishermen and their families. For generations, this is how they made their living. There was never a question that the hard work of fishing would provide for families but now with the fish nearly depleted and government regulations hampering the fishermen at every turn, they have had to find other means of employment. I found this interesting social commentary so easy to relate to in today's economy and way of life.

I loved Schmidt's style of character development; it brought all the characters vividly to life. I felt that I liked and understood every character in the book. Of course, some were more likable than others. Overall, a very enjoyable book, well paced with a most satisfying ending. 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Nal Trade in exchange for my honest opinion.

Through the generosity of Nal/Penguin I can give away one copy of the book. Open to US only and
 the deadline to enter is September 29th at 5 PM (est).

Bonus entries are as follows:

+4 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Valid only if posted at least 2 days before deadline.  Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with The Harbormaster's Daughter  in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

Review: The Sisters Montclair by Cathy Holton

Paperback, 364 pages

Published August 1st 2012 by Branwell Books

ISBN: 1938529006 (ISBN13: 9781938529009)

edition language: English


Every Cathy Holton book I have read, I have enjoyed tremendously. This one was no different. By page 13, I was already in love with the characters and couldn't wait to hear their stories. This always bodes well for me when the story draws me immediately and I can connect with the characters right away. I just knew a captivating story was in store.

 At 94 years old, Alice, who came from a socially prominent and privileged background, was not happy that her family hired someone to watch over her. Stella, a 21 year old college student mired in debt and childhood baggage, takes the  job as Alice's caretaker. This unlikely pairing surprised even the two of them. Both seemed to recognize a kindred soul in the other.

Alice brightened, slanting her eyes up at Stella. "Ever do this kind of work before?"

"Nope."

"But you think you can handle it?"

"It's not brain surgery. I can handle it."

"They say I"m difficult."

"I'm used to difficult people."

"I'm not difficult. I just like things done a certain way."

"I understand."

Alice folded her hands in her lap. She gave Stella a sly look. "You'd be a pretty girl if you'd do something with your hair."

 "And you'd be a nice old lady if you'd stop saying things you shouldn't."

Behind Alice's shoulder, Janice's mouth fell open in shock. The clock on the mantle ticked steadily. Stella thought, I never even had a chance to ask what the hourly rate was.

Without warning, Alice Montclair Whittington put her head back and laughed.

A form of trust akin to real friendship developed and slowly each bared their innermost secrets to each other. Through a series of flashbacks, Alice reveals her family's story and the life she settled for. Stella, struggling with situations in the present, begins to deal with a past that still haunts and wounds her.

There was one small quibble I had with the book; a thread that hinted at something almost frightening and eerie that was never expanded upon. Still, I didn't care because I loved the rest of the book so much. It just resonated with me and really touched my heart.  5*****

Cathy Holton can be found at her website.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Bramwell/ LibraryThing in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: July 24th 2012 by Random House Publishing Group (first published March 15th 2012)

more details...ISBN: 0812993292 (ISBN13: 9780812993295)

edition language; English

Harold feels like he is stuck in a rut; life seems to have passed him by. His forty-six year marriage to Maureen has become a matter of routine and neither one of them is happy at all. Harold is emotionally estranged from almost everyone and he is leading an insular life since retirement 6 months ago.

But, that was all before the day the letter from Queenie Hennessy, an old work colleague with whom he has had no contact for over twenty years, arrived. The Letter, the one that that would change his life. He quickly pens a reply that he is sorry and on the way to post it, he makes an  almost spur of moment decision to walk from Dorset, in the  south of England, to Berwick -on-Tweed in the north, to say goodbye to Queenie Hennessy. He calls the nursing home she is in and leaves a message for Queenie to hang in there because Harold Fry is on the way.

Harold's pilgrimage opens him up to life again and his introspective look back on his life is most revealing, especially in his relationship with Maureen and his son David. I grew to be very fond of Harold and felt sorry for him at times but then cheered him on for his journey and his new found joie de vivre.

"In walking, he freed the past that he had spent twenty years seeking to avoid, and now it  chattered and played through his head with a wild energy that was it's own. He no longer saw distances in terms of miles. He measured it with his remembering."

Maureen was very relateable but  not very likeable at first. She  started to grow on me especially when she began talking to Rex, the next door neighbor, and told him in a way she was proud of Harold's decision to walk such a distance. Home alone, Maureen begins her own introspective journey. This seemed to be the turning point for her in her relationship with Howard and how she viewed life in general. At the end I really liked Maureen.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is one of those quiet stories that sneaks up on you; not a lot of fast paced action but a poignant and moving story that gets right to the heart. Although, I have to say the twist at the end just blew me away. Did not see that coming at all! Finely crafted, perfectly paced, I could picture it all as the plot progressed. Wonderful debut novel! 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by SA/Random House in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Saving Ruth by Zoe Fishman

Paperback, 304 pages

Expected publication: May 1st 2012 by William Morrow

more details...ISBN: 006205984X (ISBN13: 9780062059840)

It's the start of summer in the small Alabama town when siblings, David and Ruth Wasserman, arrive home from college. David, the older of the two, is not quite the same as when he first left town. He's not sociable, talkative or even anxious to play soccer. He's withdrawn, secretive, non-talkative and spends way too much time drinking and smoking weed.

Ruth is completely different; she's come home about 35 pounds lighter and feeling good about her self for the first time in her life. She's enjoying all the positive attention she's been getting and blowing off all the negative comments about her not eating and looking like a prison camp survivor.
She does have a problem, a big one, but will not admit it out loud. Through Ruth's inner dialogue, the reader gets a glimpse of her true feelings about food and her self esteem.


" ..thought about what it would be like to go back to the way I used to be. I couldn't do it. Not now. And it was stupidly easy to fool everyone, including myself, into thinking that this was just dieting. Deep down, I knew damn well that it wasn't. That it was a problem. But I was too scared of the alternative to do anything about it."

Even the parents have their own issues. Dad is angry and frustrated most of the time. Mom is a wishy-washy mess. They are feeling the empty nest and middle age creeping up on them resulting in some marital issues. They argue about the kid's seeming lack of responsibility. David and Ruth have typical teen attitudes; they just want to get away from home and their parents. They want idependence and not to  be hovered over; all part of growing up, separating from parents and finding their own identity.

The siblings are once again lifeguarding at the local pool. One day, their composure is shaken as a little girl nearly drowns. Even though David was in the lifeguarding station, he didn't see what was happening but Ruth did. She jumped in and saved the girl. It took this near tragedy and the ensuing repercussions to get David and Ruth to face their problems.

 In the author's note at the end, Fishman admits to an eating disorder while in college. This must be what gave her the insight at how a person with  anorexia views food and themselves. Although I am sure I am not the target audience for this book, I thought it was reasonably well done but the end ties up a little too neatly for me. 3***


Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by William Morrow/LT  in exchange for my
honest opinion.

Review & Giveaway: The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons

Paperback, 368 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Plume (first published April 1st 2011)

more details...

ISBN: 0452297648 (ISBN13: 9780452297647)

edition language : English

original title: The Novel in the Viola

From the publisher:

It's the spring of 1938 and no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna. Nineteen-year-old Elise Landau is forced to leave her glittering life of parties and champagne to become a parlor maid in England. She arrives at Tyneford, the great house on the bay, where servants polish silver and serve drinks on the lawn. But war is coming, and the world is changing. When the master of Tyneford's young son, Kit, returns home, he and Elise strike up an unlikely friendship that will transform Tyneford-and Elise-forever.

My thoughts:  I.  Loved. This. Book.  Loved it! ♥ The descriptions of the house and the surrounding area made me long to be there, wartime or not. The sounds of the booming sea with the waves crashing on the shore along with a large stone manor house almost had a gothic feel to it. I was hooked immediately and settled in to be mesmerized by Elise's story from her privileged life in Vienna, "where even the wind waltzes"  to a servant's life in England.

Elise's memories are almost haunting in their poignancy. It's like an old friend telling you her life story as she remembered it with all her feelings still vividly at the forefront even after many years. This is not just Elise's story or a war story but also an intricate look at British life prior to and during WWII. I really enjoyed the "upstairs, downstairs" relationships.  But, then, sometimes the line between masters and servants becomes blurred.

"I'm sorry, Elise. Really I am. Sometimes I forget. That . . . . you know... you're not one of us."

"A few months before in Vienna, I had been one of them. Now I wasn't sure what I was. The other servants barely spoke to me. They knew I wasn't one of them either. I belonged nowhere."

Solomons really brought all the characters to life; so much so that one character made me want to slap the supercilious, smug smirk from her face at the way she treated Elise. Others made my heart ache with their pain. Throughout the book, I was totally engaged emotionally.

The House at Tyneford is an absolutely magical story of love, wartime, loss and family memories as seen through the eyes of Elise. Written in beautifully descriptive, almost lyrical prose, this is one book that is hard to put down. With a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, I turned the last page. This is only the 2nd 5 * book of the year! Do not miss this one!!

Be sure to read the authors note at end; it's fascinating that the setting for the book is based on a true village that was taken over by the government during the war.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Penguin in exchange for my honest opinion.

Due to the ever so generous Penguin, I am able to offer a giveaway of two copies of this book. Open to US & Canada. Be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Deadline to enter is May 3rd at 5 PM (est). Bonus entries are as follows:

+4 for following on Networked blogs. Just remind me under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with The House at Tyneford in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

 

Spotlight: Lisa April Smith, author of Exceeding Expectations

Kindle Edition, 300 pages

Published December 1st 2011 (first published November 29th 2011)

more details...

ASIN

B006GDK3NO

edition language

English

From the publisher: 

It’s 1961 and Palm Beach socialite, irresistible rascal and devoted father Jack Morgan encounters genuine danger while staging his suicide to shield his beloved daughters from disgrace. Next, meet his daughter Charlotte (Charlie), an over-indulged 23 year-old struggling to cope with the traumatizing loss of her beloved father, her sister’s resulting mental breakdown and the discovery that she’s suddenly penniless. Fortunately Raul, an admiring young attorney, appears to offer assistance. As terrified as she is about daily survival, Charlie soon realizes that she has to learn what drove her father to kill himself. With Raul’s much needed ego-bolstering, the drive of necessity and unforeseen determination, Charlie finds a practical use for her annoyingly lean 5’ 11” frame. In time, this career finances her hard-wrought independence, her sister’s costly treatment and an emotional eye-opening journey to Paris.

Jumping back in time to romantic pre-WWII Paris readers meet young Alan Fitzpatrick – aka Jack Morgan – lack-luster artist, expert lover, irresistible rascal, and the bewitching girl who will become the mother of his children. Not even Charlie’s relentless detective work will uncover all Jack’s secrets, but in a fireworks of surprise endings, she discovers all that she needs to know and more: disturbing truths about her father, hew own unique talent, crimes great and small and a diabolical villain.

You can visit her website at www.LisaAprilSmith.com.

Mini review: Restoration by Olaf Olafsson

Paperback, 336 pages

Published February 7th 2012 by Ecco

more details...

ISBN: 0062065653 (ISBN13: 9780062065650)

edition language: English

From the publisher:

Raised within a cosseted circle of British ex-pats in Florence, Alice shocked her family and friends when she married Claudio. Despite the protests of both families, they found a crumbling villa on a windy Tuscan hilltop, called San Martino, and they poured themselves into the house and the land–and what they built together bound them together. They had a son. They finished the house. They were happy.

But away from her family and the ease of life to which she was accustomed, Alice begins to slip into a vast and encompassing loneliness. She stumbles into an ill-advised affair with a childhood sweetheart that increasingly takes her away from San Martino and into the social swirl of wartime Rome. She is with her lover when her young son dies from meningitis…and her unbearable sorrow is compounded by terrible guilt. Her indiscretion is noticed by a careful pair of eyes–those of Robert Marshall, the master restorer and dealer of renaissance art. In exchange for his silence, he demands Alice hide a priceless Caravaggio at San Martino, a national treasure that he has sold to the Germans. Neither knows, however, that the Caravaggio is, in fact, a fake, painted by Marshall’s assistant as revenge for Marshall’s scorning her as a lover and returning to his pregnant wife. Kristin had merely hoped to privately humiliate Marshall. But his sale of the forgery has placed him in far great danger than she anticipated.

Compelled to make things right, she travels to San Martino in an attempt to destroy the painting. Meanwhile, inconsolable at the death of his son and at his wife’s betrayal, Claudio retreats first into silence, and then into an actual absence. He has left, without saying good-bye, without offering the grieving Alice a chance to redeem herself for her ghastly sin. As WWII moves towards its inexorable conclusion, as the front lines sweeps closer and closer to San Martino, Alice and Kristin not only have to confront the onslaught of soldiers and the destruction of everything they hold dear, but also the consequences of their past mistakes.

My thoughts: There are some wonderful characters in this book in the sense that readers will feel as if they know them well. Even the nefarious, two-faced Robert Marshall whose dealings will the Germans, Alice and especially Kristen showed his true nature. I found him dispicable.

Alice's perspective in the story is written in first person as if she were talking to her husband through her diary. Alice's character was very well fleshed out; it was easy to see how she felt guilty about her actions and longed for forgiveness. Of course, nothing will bring back her son, Giovanni, and her absence from home on the night he died will haunt her forever as will the way Claudio kept asking her, "where were you, where were you?"

Kristin, a young and very talented Icelandic art student makes her way to Rome and becomes a restorer in Marshall's studio. Her long term involvement with him leads her purposefully to Alice's door just as the war is beginning to encroach closer and closer. I did like the way Olafsson intertwined their stories into a very entertaining whole using the art as a common bond.

Olafsson's way with descriptions took me right into the heart of Italy at war. The title is an interesting choice in itself; referring to the restoration of the villa, the art work or even restoring a little peace within oneself.  The premise of the book is wonderful; what's not to like about WWII stories, purloined art, broken hearts, recrimination and guilt all in a Tuscany setting?

However, my one quibble is I felt that the abrupt shifts in perspectives and time frames took away from the flow of the book. At times I wasn't too sure who was speaking or to whom. Even so, if the flow had been better, this would have been a 4 or 4.5* read but since it felt a little choppy to me, it earns a 3.5* rating.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Ecco (an imprint of HC) in  exchange for my honest opinion.

2 Mini Reviews: Knit One Pearl One by Gil McNeil & Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens

Paperback, 396 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Voice

more details...

ISBN

1401341675 (ISBN13: 9781401341671)

edition language: English

series: Jo Mackenzie #3

Knit One Pearl One is the third book in the series. Although this is the first one I read, I was caught right up on Jo Mackenzie's life as a single mom and knit shop owner through conversations with her friends, Gran and through her inner dialogue. Easily a stand alone read.

This is one one those quiet books that sort of sneaks up on you; not a lot of dramatic action but after only a few pages, I looked upon Jo, her wonderful Gran, her friends Grace, Connie and Ellen as friends of mine too. These characters became very real to me with down-to-earth, credible conversations and feelings.

Jo is a very likeable character. It's not been easy being widowed from a cheating idiot and then having to raise all alone the two sons she had with him. Oh, and then there is Pearl, her "oops" toddler she had as a result of a fling. The father, Daniel, is still in the picture but solely as a friend. He's a flit-all-over the-globe-not-settling-down type of guy but he does want to be in Pearl's life. I liked his involvement with Jo, her boys and Pearl. Jo was very practical and knew what Daniel was really like so there's no recriminations and no regrets.

Jo's life is not all child rearing and nose to the grindstone boredom as her friend Ellen has her own TV talk show and her friend Grace is an international film star who involve Jo and her knitting shop in their lives.  There's her relationship with Martin, a somewhat boring but reliable kind of guy who doesn't really light Jo's fire but he is dependable, and her quasi-relationship with Daniel, Pearl's father, who thinks he might want more. Well, just to see how it goes, anyway. For awhile at least.

"Yes, although, I'm still not sure what he's asking, and neither is he. But nice, whatever it is."

"Actually, it's not that nice; it's unsettling and complicated, and there's a tiny part of me that is half hoping it might be true, and we can all sail off into the sunset and play happy families while he flies round the world earning a fortune taking pictures before racing back home to us. But the trouble with being older and wiser: you know what makes you happy and what makes your children happy."

"It's a total bugger."

 McNeil's humorous, occasional laugh out loud and witty writing helps her characters cope with everyday life in a realistic and relatable way. I loved their run-in with the snooty PTA president.
 I enjoyed this book quite a bit and would like to read the first two in the series. The British seaside location of the knitting shop just added a little more ambiance to the book. 3.5***

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by LT in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published November 1st 2005 by Little, Brown (first published April 23rd 2002)

more details...ISBN: 0316069027 (ISBN13: 9780316069021)

edition language: English

original title: Rush Home Road

From the publisher:

Sharla Cody is only five, but has already lived a troubled life -- only to find herself dumped on an elderly neighbor's doorstep when her mother takes off for the summer. Although Sharla is not the angelic child Addy Shadd had pictured when she agreed to look after her, the two soon forge a deep bond. To Addy's surprise, Sharla's presence brings back memories of her own childhood in Rusholme, a town settled by fugitive slaves in the mid-1800s. She reminisces about her family, her first love, and the painful experience that drove her away from home. Brilliantly structured -- and achingly lyrical, this is a story about the redeeming power of love and memory, and about two unlikely people who transform each other's lives forever.

My thoughts: Loved it!!! These characters felt so real to me, I just wanted to rush to Canada to hug and comfort Addy. Lansens did an amazing job with her main character, Addy Shadd, a 70 something black woman whose life held more than it's share of heartbreak. When her neighbor Collette, a slutty-should-never-have-been-a-mother woman , asks her to take her 5 year old daughter, Shayla, in for the summer, Addy agrees. Even after it's clear Collette will not be returning, Addy whose heart has a huge capacity for love, does everything she can to teach Shayla what is important in life and how to behave.

The story that follows is told from Addy's perspective as she looks back over her life while raising Shayla. The past and the present meld seamlessly and the pages just kept turning. I could not put this one down. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful story that just about ripped my heart out. First 5 * book of the year.

Disclosure: The book is from my own shelves.
 

Review: All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

Paperback, 320 pages

Published December 20th 2011 by William Morrow Paperbacks

ISBN: 0062081608 (ISBN13: 9780062081605)

Set in 1930's Shanghai, this is the story of Feng, second daughter in a middle class, socially ambitious family. Through a quirk of fate, Feng is married off to her older sister's fiancé. Feng felt betrayed by her family and this feeling turned her from a naive, amiable teenaged girl into a bitter and resentful young woman obsessed with revenge for what was "done" to her. Such a drama queen!

After making her own life and that of those around her miserable, she then decides to put on a happy face, outwardly at least, and be more sociable. This is not from maturing or trying to be a decent human being; it was more to spite her mother-in-law and to get her own way.

"The beautiful quiet of my childhood had been interrupted forever, and like most people I did not notice its absence until it was too late. I learned to talk,eat chatter, and most seductive of all, found that I loved to be the center of attention. At the time I could sense the trap that Ma had laid for Sister but it was only now that I could see how delicious and irresistable it was. That Sister could have been no othr creature than the one Ma had created, for who could resist the lure of so much adulation?"

At this point, I began to feel sorry for her husband, Xiong Fa. He seemed to be a decent sort even though to save face he had been pushed into marrying Feng by his overbearing mother who kept reminding him of his duty to produce a male heir.

Eventually, her guilt at one of her most heinous actions begins to haunt her. It didn't seem to change her behavior too much and I still found it difficult to like her character. All of her unhappiness was of her own doing as she managed to alienate all around her.

Overall, an okay read, just not a stellar one, mainly due to Feng's unlikeability and the feeling that most of the supporting characters felt like nebulous beings; they were there but not fully fleshed out.

On a positive note, I did like the location, the time frame, Jepson's descriptions of the culture with it's sense of duty in a patriarchal society. Although the Japanese occupation in Shanghai was glossed over, the timeframe when the communists under Mao were in power was interesting. I think I liked the historical aspect at the end of the book the best.

At the back of the book are some discussion questions and suggestions for further reading.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by William Morrow through LT's early reviewer's

 program in exchange for my honest opinion.

Opinion: Cemetery Girl by David Bell

Paperback, 400 pages

Published October 4th 2011 by NAL Trade

more details...

ISBN: 0451234677 (ISBN13: 9780451234674)

primary language: English

From Publisher:

Four years after Tom and Abby's 12-year-old daughter vanishes, she is found alive but strangely calm. When the teen refuses to testify against the man connected to her disappearance, Tom decides to investigate the traumatizing case on his own. Nothing can prepare him for what he is about to discover.

My thoughts: Well, I am in a quandary as to this one. While I love suspense and thrillers and the first three-quarters  of the book had me riveted to the pages just to see how the plot progressed, the last quarter of the book not so intriguing and I'm not sure exactly why.

I think part of it is I didn't really like any of the characters. Oh, sure I could empathize with them but as to liking them, it was a no. At times they acted contrary to their character development at the beginning. Obviously, it's not necessary to like every character but there has to be at least one
you can root for. I didn't find that in this book.

Tom and Abby were going in two different directions after Caitlin went missing. Even though Tom was fanatical in his efforts to find out what happened, towards the end I found some of his actions and thoughts  hard to figure out. At times he struck me as entirely self-centered.

Abby seemed convinced Caitlin was not coming back so she turned to her church and Pastor Chris. She had a large monument made and held a memorial service and then said she had "moved on". Hmmmmm . .  how does a mother even do that? Needless to say, this had a terrible effect on their marriage.

Caitlin, I didn't like as a sly, lying little six-year old and I still didn't like her when she was returned to her parents as a foul-mouthed, belligerent teen. At first, she was all over Abby while saying she would not talk about the last four years as they didn't know what "happened to her". Sounds like the ordeal was horrible, doesn't it? But, the next thing you know she is sneaking out a window to return to her captor who she says she loves. Which is it, Caitlin?

Tom's brother, Buster, was another unlikeable character; too brash, crass and a little too creepy in his attention to Caitlin. Actually, Buster made my skin crawl. At several points Tom remembers when Buster would shelter him from an abusive step-father which gives the impression he was a caring older brother but later in the story certain rumors come to light which belie this. At one point  he's beating Tom to a pulp and then turns around to help him the next day leaving me to think he's an unreliable character.  I don't want to give specifics because it would include spoilers.

The unsatisfactory ending left too many unanswered questions for me. A 3* rating to me is I liked the book and it was over all a pleasurable reading experience; 2 is "meh" could take it or leave it. Unfortunately, I think this one falls somewhere in the middle. Of course, this is just my take on the book, you may love it.

David Bell is currently an assistant professor of English at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. David can be found at his website.www.davidbellnovels.com

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by SA/ NAL in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Sunrise on Cedar Key by Terri DuLong

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: November 1st 2011 by Kensington (first published October 25th 2011)

more details...ISBN : 0758268653 (ISBN13: 9780758268655)

From the publisher:

Set on the enchanting island of Cedar Key, Terri DuLong's new novel weaves a warm, welcoming tale of second—and even third—chances, of long-held secrets, and newfound loves. . .
For the second time in ten years, Grace Stone is starting over on Cedar Key. Grace first moved to the serene island to escape a disastrous relationship. Now a visit with her Aunt Maude is interrup

...moreSet on the enchanting island of Cedar Key, Terri DuLong's new novel weaves a warm, welcoming tale of second—and even third—chances, of long-held secrets, and newfound loves. . .
For the second time in ten years, Grace Stone is starting over on Cedar Key. Grace first moved to the serene island to escape a disastrous relationship. Now a visit with her Aunt Maude is interrupted by unwelcome news: Grace's apartment and coffee shop have been destroyed by fire.
Grace is devastated, yet ever-practical Maude has a plan. While she helps Grace resettle, Maude even has a business venture in mind—weekend knitting retreats where women can craft, chat, and support one another.
But other surprises await, including the return of Grace's estranged sister, and a tentative romance with the local bookstore owner. Knitting together her past and future will mean untangling the painful threads Grace left behind. But the result could be a vibrant new life—and the courage to live it fully. .

My thoughts:  Reading about the community in Cedar Key is like a visit with very good friends that always leaves me with feelings of warmth. In her stories, DuLong celebrates womanhood, family relationships, love and friendships. Not all is sweetness and light. Her characters are strong women who have hurdles to jump but are finally able to put the past to rest and to face the future with courage and hope. It's how her well developed characters handle their hurts and joys that appeals the most to me. Although sometimes there is sorrow and we may have to say goodbye to some while welcoming others;  it's just like in real life with a balance of pain and pleasure. A visit to Cedar Key is always a much anticipated joy!

 Sunrise in Cedar Key is # 3 in the Cedar Key series. Any one of these books can be read as a stand-alone, however I would recommend  starting with the first in the series. Each book features one of the residents of this wonderful community with the rest of the residents playing a very supportive part.  As Aunt Maude says, everyone has a story and I for one can't wait for the next adventure from Cedar Key!

You don't have to be a knitter to enjoy these heart-felt stories.  4****

Terri DuLong hails from my home state of MA and now lives in Cedar Key just about an hour north of Podunk. Be sure to follow the link to Cedar Key to see more about the characters and the locations in Terri's books.  Terri can be found on Facebook and at her website. Her previous novels include Casting About and Spinning Forward.

 

 

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author, Terri DuLong, in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you so much, Terri, for another wonderful visit in Cedar Key!

Review & Giveaway: The Woman Who Heard Color by Kelly Jones

Paperback, 400 pages
Expected publication: October 4th 2011 by Berkley Trade
ISBN: 0425243052 (ISBN13: 9780425243053)
primary language: English

From the publisher:

Lauren O'Farrell is an "art detective" who made it her mission to retrieve invaluable works stolen by the Nazis during the darkest days of World War II. Her quest leads her to the Manhattan apartment of elderly Isabella Fletcher, a woman who lives in the shadow of a terrible history-years ago her mother was rumored to have collaborated with the Nazis.

But as Isabella reveals the events of her mother's life, Lauren finds herself immersed in an amazing story of courage and secrecy as she discovers the extraordinary truth about a priceless piece of art that may have survived the war and the enduring relationship between a mother and a daughter.

My thoughts:  First off I have to say I do not care for this cover; it smacks of cheesy romance or light chick lit. There's nothing wrong with romance or chick-lit but it definitely does not do justice to this wonderful story. Get past that and what you find inside is an intriguing story set during two different time frames. Kelly Jones did a terrific job of seamlessly shifting between pre WWII Germany and modern day New York City.

Isabella tells Lauren it's about time the story of her mother, Hanna Schmidt, and a Kandinsky painting was told and what a story it is! We first meet Hanna as a young girl who leaves her family farm to visit her sister in Munich. I found Hanna's story to be fascinating as she became involved with the Fleischmann family both at home and at the Fleischmann Gallery. Hanna had no art education at all, but she had a real love of and feel for the contemporary artists of that era. In time she became not only very knowledgeable but was considered to be an authority on such art.

What was also interesting to me was after Hitler's rise to power, it was his subsequent derogatory judgement of contemporary art that led Hanna to use the position Hitler had thrust her into to try to save some of the ill-fated art works. What was seen at the time as Hanna's collaboration with the Nazis was a disguised attempt to preserve certain paintings for future generations. I thought the Nazis stole art works for their value not for condemnation. A lot of the paintings were sold to finance the Reich but Hitler determined a lot of the contemporary art was not fit to be seen and had it destroyed. Jones skillfully weaves German art history into fiction that made the whole story come alive.

Between the two time frames I think I enjoyed Hanna's story the most; it was interesting to see how Jones developed Hanna's character from a naive sixteen year old farm girl to a talented and caring businesswoman and mother. The ending in modern day was wonderful and such an apt ending to Hanna's and Isabella's stories. If you are a fan of historical fiction, art or WWII fiction, I'm sure you would love this book. The end includes a readers guide. Most enjoyable! 4****

Kelly Jones can be found at her website. Her previous novels include The Seventh Unicorn(Berkley Books, 2005), inspired by The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries in the Cluny Museum in Paris, France, and The Lost Madonna (Berkley Books, 2007), set in Florence, Italy.

To celebrate the release of The Woman Who Heard Color, Berkley is allowing me to host a giveaway for one copy of the book. Open to US and Canada and the deadline to enter is October 23rd at 5 PM (est). Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:

+1 for posting on your facebook page with link to giveaway
+2 for being a follower, old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.

If you cannot leave a comment, you can e mail me at florida982002[at]yahoo.com with Win Woman Who Heard Color in the subject line. Leave your name and e mail.

Good luck!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley Jove in exchange for my honest opinion.

Guest Post and unique 10 copy giveawy: Quinn Barrett, author of Invisible Snow

Today, it is my pleasure to introduce Quinn Barrett, author of Invisible Snow. I asked Quinn to tell us a little bit about her debut novel. At the end of the guest piece you will find numerous links on where to find Quinn and  details on her over-the-top generous giveaway.

Invisible Snow in a Nutshell
by Quinn Barrett

Kate Snow married the wrong man for the wrong reasons. Paul Delacroix was smitten with Kate the first time he laid eyes on her and was willing to do anything to have her. Raised in a large, impoverished family near the slopes of Sun Valley, Idaho, Kate was once a child skiing prodigy with dreams of greatness, but fate derailed her ambition when she least expected it.

Paul was the sole heir to his family’s Los Angeles-based business—an international distributor of premium alcohol. Despite her Mormon heritage, Kate’s family enthusiastically supported their union because Paul was happy to bankroll her family’s future financial security. Kate found it hard to decline his proposal knowing her decision affected her struggling family. She married Paul to lighten everyone’s burden but her own.

After 19 years, Kate has become a beautiful, socialite wife and mother of three, but is finally realizing the gravity of her choice to marry a man she didn’t love. Most thought it was a fairy tale romance, but it wasn’t.

Paul was addicted to power and control. Kate’s survival techniques were denial and compliance. She went along to get along and became invisible in her own life. Their marriage began to unravel when she accidentally discovered a mysterious, private safe room, which harbored her husband’s darkest secrets.

As Kate begins to awaken to the reality of her marriage, she also discovers the paradoxes of her own life choices. She leaves the insulation of her Bel Air estate and returns to her roots in Idaho, a journey that changes her life.

Along the way, she enlists the aid and support of various women who offer wisdom, strength and security—essentially giving her a crash course in awareness. She is a modern day Dorothy on a journey of empowerment. Daring to challenge her husband’s authority, Kate’s life is transformed from obliviousness to understanding.

While skiing in Utah, Kate begins to remember who she is and reconnects to the strength within her. She is ready to take on the secrets controlling her. For the first time in her adult life, she feels powerful. Kate returns home, resolved to reclaim her life from her egomaniac husband. But nothing can prepare her for the labyrinth of deceit that awaits her.

Paul is equally determined to re-establish the boundaries of his strict dominion and is willing to use any means necessary to keep all that he owns. The legacy of the family business is at stake, but power is not always about money. Kate and Paul’s confrontation results in a shocking twist of fate—a destiny Kate never saw coming.

Invisible Snow is a classic family drama about wealth, control, greed, and redemption. Marriage is a delicate dance of power between lovers, but Kate and Paul are strangers caught in a disparate union between betrayal and truth. Facing their true selves for the first time results in an epic clash of wills where only one will prevail.

Quinn Barrett is a native of Southern California, currently residing in the West Los Angeles area. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in English, she worked as a corporate business development strategist specializing in emerging growth technology, software and Internet companies. She is married and raising a teenage son. Her hobbies include reading, walking, golf, cooking, and travel. Invisible Snow is her first novel.

Quinn Barrett can be found on:

 Website & personal webpage

Facebook

Facebook (Invisible Snow)

Twitter



Invisible Snow is available at:

Amazon (kindle)
Barnes & Noble Nook: 
Smashwords
Amazon Print Book:
Create Space: 
PDF eBook, ePub, .Mobi, etc.  

Invisible Snow Giveaway

Connect with me (Quinn) on Facebook, like my Invisible Snow fan page, and follow me on Twitter to become eligible to receive an Invisible Snow eBook. Once you connect with me, email me at info@quinnbarrett.com. My first 10 new friends, fans and followers will receive an Invisible Snow eBook in the digital version of their choice: PDF, .mobi or ePub.

Thank you Quinn for visiting and sharing the details of your new book with us. Wow, Quinn, that is extremely generous to give away 10 copies. Okay, readers, you heard the lady. Go connect on Facebook and twitter and e mail Quinn ASAP!

Guest: Liza Gyllenhaal, author of So Near

Today, it is my privilege and pleasure to welcome Liza Gyllenhaal to Pudgy Penguin Perusals. Let's welcome Liza as she tells us a little bit about the story's location in her exciting new book, So Near.

Liza Gyllenhaal author of So Near

I see from Kaye’s biography that she hails from Massachusetts — but that she finally got fed up with shoveling snow and shivering through weeks of zero degree temperatures.  Boy, do I understand! 

            I actually choose to make Massachusetts my second home, commuting from New York City up to the Berkshires for long weekends, throughout the year. With its rolling hills, meadows, and many working farms, the area reminds me a lot of the small town in Pennsylvania where I was raised.  Somehow, I can think more clearly there than in the city, breathe in the air more deeply, and appreciate the unique pleasure of being so close to nature.  Spring, though brief, is lovely.  Summer a dream.  Fall like something off a Norman Rockwell wall calendar. Winter, however, technically three months long, tends to feel more like a whole year.

            Snow begins to fall in early November.  Most of the neighbors on our dirt road close up their homes and disappear until the following Memorial Day.  A frigid silence and sense of isolation descend.  I suppose a normal person would find it depressing. As a fiction writer, however, I see it as a godsend.  No distractions. No excuses.  The garden doesn’t call for me out the studio window.  The phone rarely rings.  From early January, through most of March, I’m able to write almost nonstop.  And, because my novels are set in the Berkshires, I’m able to delve down deep into my sense of what makes the area unique: its natural beauty, its complicated mix of locals and weekenders, its colorful history that reaches back to the pre-colonial days of the Stockbridge Indians. 

            My new novel So Near takes place in a fictional town in the Berkshires at the beginning of the current recession, and the tough stretch the area is still experiencing permeates the story. So Near is about a marriage that is being tested to its limits — and how, in the midst of tragedy — two people struggle to find their way. The novel explores a lot of the things that I hope resonate pretty deeply these days: getting through difficult times, staying true to our best selves, learning to let go of anger and guilt, and trying to find the true meaning of love and forgiveness.  I also hope So Near communicates the love I feel for the Berkshires hills — even in the midst of winter — when the world seems stripped down to its basic components: a snow-covered mountain, a blue jay in the hemlock tree, a cup of coffee, and a keyboard.

                                            .........................................................................

 Thank you so much, Liza, for visiting and sharing your thoughts with us today. Your snow covered landscape with grey skies over head almost made me shiver. I remember those scenes so well. Your winters in the beautiful Berkshires are likely longer than what we were used to. We lived on the South Shore about 45 minutes south of Boston.

Be sure to look for Liza's book, So Near, with it's gorgeous cover. Liza is a Goodreads author and more info can be found on her Goodreads page or on her website. Here's a little info from the publisher about Liza's book:

Paperback, 384 pages
Published September 6th 2011 by NAL Trade
ISBN: 045123457X (ISBN13: 9780451234575)


In the aftermath of a devastating loss, Cal and Jenny Horigan's marriage is unraveling. Both are plagued by guilt, unable to seek comfort from one another. Burdened by remorse, they begin to lose sight of the love that once anchored them-together with their sense of right and wrong.

As the Horigans try different ways to deal with their pain, a new acquaintance seems to offer the support they desperately need-though at times they are unsure whether his guidance is leading them back to each other or further apart...

Review: The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: September 6th 2011 by Berkley Trade

ISBN: 042524413X (ISBN13: 9780425244135)

primary language English

Richman begins her story at the end: at his grandson's wedding rehearsal dinner, Josef meets the bride's grandmother for the first time but something in her eyes is so familiar to him he thinks he knows her. But, how can it be? He thought her dead. After he sees the six digit tattoo on her arm, he knows for sure. She is his wife, Lenka, his beloved, never forgotten wife who he thought was lost to him sixty years ago.

Told from alternating points of view in flashbacks, Josef and Lenka tell of their young lives from privileged families in pre-war Prague. Lenka recalls her life as an art student when she met Josef, a young medical student and brother of her best friend. She remembers the turmoil of falling in love and marrying while the Nazi regime was beginning to wreck havoc throughout Europe.

"He laughs. And in his laugh I hear bliss. I hear feet dancing, the rush of skirts twirling. The sound of children.

Is that the first sign of love?

You hear in the person you're destined to love the sound of those yet to be born."

Then, after the war had really escalated, their memories are of heartbreaking separation, longing for each other and their existence during and after the war. Josef's is one of comparative ease as he had escaped Prague while it was still possible to get out.

Lenka, unfortunately was not so lucky. Her love for her parents and sister kept her with them instead of escaping with Josef. Of course she thought at some point she would join him, never dreaming she would have to survive life in a concentration camp. It was her artistic ability that probably saved her from a more horrible fate.

I don't want to give away too many more details of the plot but let it suffice to say this is one that is extremely well done; powerful and heart wrenching.  It's obvious that Richman has done a tremendous amount of research for her book. I had previously heard about the "model" camp, Terezin, before and of resistance fighters but not how artists, at the risk of their own lives, had tried to make the outside world aware of what was really happening in the camps.

The Lost Wife is an absolutely gorgeous story of the undying power of first love, vivid memories so deep that many years cannot dim, love and loss of family, the will to survive and yes, even hope in the most horrifying circumstances. The writing is exquisitely done. Richman's use of contrast  highlights the poignancy in the characters' lives before, during and after the war.

The Lost Wife is one not to be missed. I could not put this one down at all. Even after days, the characters in this story still resonated with me. I felt as if I needed to mourn for some of these characters who had become like family to me during the reading. Yes, they were that well fleshed out!  I loved it! Only 2 other books I've read this year rate a 5*****

Alyson Richman is the author of: The Mask Carver’s Son, Swedish Tango, and The Last Van Gogh. As of next year, her novels will be published in more than ten languages. Her books have received both national and international critical acclaim, having been reviewed favorably in The New York Times Book Review, The Dallas Morning News, The San Francisco Sunday Examiner and Chronicle Book Review, The Los Angeles Times, and many other national print outlets.The Last Van Gogh was nominated as a Book Sense Notable Pick in 2006. More about Alyson can be found on her website.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Guest Post: Katharine Britton, author of Her Sister's Shadow

Today it is my privilege and pleasure to introduce Katharine Britton to Pudgy Penguin Perusals. I really enjoyed Her Sister's Shadow and was so immersed in the lives of the sisters that the pages just flew by. At times I was annoyed with Bea and Lilli and at other times I felt so sorry for them for all the wasted years they were estranged. What I found really intriguing is how they each perceived their self imposed role in the family from childhood , how that shaped their destinies and how they felt about that role so many years later. Her Sister's Shadow resonated with me long after the last page was turned. It's hard to believe this exquisitely written story is a debut novel. I hope Katharine has many more stories to tell!


Unexpected Stories
by Katharine Britton

Thanks, Kaye, for inviting me to guest blog on Pudgy Penguin Perusals!

Stories come to writers in unexpected ways. We spend a lot of time observing our surroundings, jotting down snippets of conversations, and noting unusual people and situations, and then we write a scene taken partially from these observations and dredged partially from our imaginations. We don’t know what we’ve written until we read the scene. When we read it, we sometimes (often) find that the words don’t express precisely what we’d intended to say. So we change one word, and then another, and, slowly, the scene takes shape. But, what’s this? The scene now leads the story in a whole new direction! The story we thought we were writing is not the one we’re now writing.

Sometimes a writer will adjust a setting to fit a new plot element, and this can also lead to wholly unexpected outcomes. Say we need our character to make a quilt to auction at the county fair. We add a sewing room onto the house. Quietly, a character suggests that the sewing room might once have been a nursery. "Is this true?" the writer asks (somewhat shocked, somewhat annoyed). "Yes," the character says. "I can’t believe you didn’t know that." The writer, then, must dutifully supply the character with a present and a future to address that hidden past. Our characters will let us know if we get it wrong. The stubborn ones remain silent for days, making us guess at the error. The outspoken ones talk so fast we have to race to keep up. Again, the story we thought we were writing is not the one we’re now writing.

My novel, Her Sister’s Shadow, is a story that took root in my heart many years ago. It took many revisions and many years to finish. My characters, Lilli and Bea, are loosely based on the relationship between my mother and her youngest sister. They endured a series of tragedies that, I think, signaled for them the end of childhood, as it does for my characters. It was my mother’s relationship with my aunt that got me wondering, what would it take to drive sisters apart, and what would it take to bring them back together? The events in Her Sister’s Shadow are fictional, presented to me, in part, by the characters, as I sat them in a room together and let them talk, and, in part, from my imagination, as I wandered the hallways of their childhood home, where my characters reunite after a forty-year estrangement. I invented doorways and opened them to see what lay behind; pictured a dressing table and started sifting through the clutter, surprised at what lay hidden.

I hope you enjoy reading Her Sister’s Shadow as much as I enjoyed the journey of writing it. And, please, let me hear from you!

Paperback, 336 pages
Published June 7th 2011 by Berkley Trade
ISBN0425241742
(ISBN13: 9780425241745)
 primary languageEnglish



Thank you so much, Katarine, for your wonderful guest post. It's so interesting to see how a writer's talent and imagination lead to the finished scenes. I loved how you gave the characters dimension by shifting time frames giving the reader more insight into their feelings about the events taking place. The setting and sense of place is fantastic. It made me more homesick than ever.

 I'm sure anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction about families and especially sisters will easily relate to this book. 4****