2012 Challenges Wrap Up post

I completed my Challenges!!! Yay. I wasn't sure I would but I managed it. I am very proud of myself. :) It hasn't been a good year for reading, but I am happy that I met these and already have more than 25 books read. How did you all do with your challenges this year?

Literary Escapism's New Author Challenge My goal: try for 15 books by new-to-me authors. 


1. Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks 2. JoJo Moyes, The Last Letter From Your Lover 3. Hilary Thomson, A Will to Murder 4. MJ Rose, The Book of Lost Fragrances 5. Ethan Coen, The Day the World Ends: Poems 6. Darby Rae, Merciful Law 7. Lucinda Riley, The Orchid House 8. Susan Straight, A Million Nightingales 9. Deborah Davis, Guest of Honor 10. Susan Straight, A Million Nightengales 11. Theodore Weesner, The Car Thief 12. Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus 13. Elizabeth Haynes, Into the Darkest Corner 14. Allen Wyler, Dead End Deal 15. Posie Graeme-Evans, The Island House

Rose City Reader'sEuropean Reading Challenge My goal: attempting the Five Star (Deluxe Entourage)- Five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.

1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larssen (Sweden) 2. The Last Letter from Your Lover by JoJo Moyes (England) 3. Are You Somebody? by Nuala O'Faolain (Ireland) 4. The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley (England/France) 5. The Island House by Posie Graeme-Evans (Scotland)
Thanks to Rose City Reader and Literary Escapism for some great challenges this year!
Happy Reading! _________________________________________
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Book Review: The Island House by Posie Graeme-Evans

The Island House by Posie Graeme-Evans Paperback, 464 pages Published June 2012 by Atria Books
Freya Dane goes to a remote Scottish Island, that was owned by her recently deceased father, to hopefully find answers about why he left her and her mother so long ago back in Australia. While there she discovers secrets that her father unearthed and a new place to call home.
The Island House is also the story of the previous inhabitants of the island, those who left their footprint that Freya and her father eventually dig up. Switching from the present day and Freya, we also learn the story of Signy, a native of the area whose family is killed by raiders and who is taken in by an early Christian community of monks and nuns.
This was a gripping tale of archaeological finds, love and sacrifice. You have a tale of discovery mixed with a tale of survival. Both Freya and Signy are strong female characters and its easy to understand their motivations.    I enjoyed both stories but was a little disappointed with the lack of explanation of why Freya and Dan (a new friend) keep having flashes of Signy's life. Was it a ghost, past lives being remembered? I wasn't sure. Besides that, I was really intrigued by the story and what they would find on the island.
Source: Publisher for review Author's Website: http://www.posiegraemeevans.net/web/

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Book Review: Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler

Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler Paperback and ebook, 402 pages Published April 2012 by Astor+Blue Editions LLC
Dead End Deal is a frightening look into the ruthless pharmaceutical business. It shows the possible lengths executives of big businesses can go to to make their company money and on the other side, what scientists will do to get their research completed. I really hope this is a complete work of fiction and not based on the real companies. You will never want to take your medicines again.
Richard Stillman has the job of bringing his business a successful treatment for Alzheimer and he will do anything to make it happen including hiring a hit man to scare the only person close enough to do it into selling him his research and findings. Jon Ritter, a neurosurgeon, on the verge of starting approved human trials for his Alzheimer treatment, is attacked and told to stop his work. He and the police believe it is the work of a radical pro-life group, The Avengers. 
I know, it seems like I am giving the mystery away, but really I am not. This all happens in the first few chapters of the book. I was a bit frustrated over the fact that I knew who was behind everything going on. I would have preferred the mystery of not knowing who was behind the attacks on Jon and his colleagues and the reason for them.
Despite that, I did enjoy it. There were some surprises still and enough suspense to keep me interested. I thought the medical/scientific information was very realistic and yet would be accessible to non-medical readers.  You can really tell when books are written by experts in the fields they write about. I am very interested to read more by Wyler. 
Source: Publisher for review For more information on the book and author: http://www.allenwyler.com/ http://astorandblue.com/dead-end-deal/

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Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

Cathy Bailey is a prisoner in her own home and to her own fear. She is unable to leave her home without going through numerous obsessive compulsive checks to make sure her place is secure and to help make her feel safe. She is always in complete terror that her ex boyfriend will find her.

Is her fear real? Would her new friends and therapists believe her this time?None of her old friends believed that Lee, the handsome, charming, lucky-to-have boyfriend, was capable of the things she accused him of.

This book had me checking my doors more than once. There are no vampires or werewolves in this story but this was much scarier than any other book I have read in awhile. Nothing is more scary than something that can truly happen. And this obsessive, manipulative and abusive man is the scariest.

There have been a lot of great reviews of Into the Darkest Corner and has been on many lists for good beach reads. Not sure I would consider this a beach read, but it definitely deserves to be on your must-read book list.

Source: Publisher for review

You will find more information on the book and Elizabeth Haynes here:
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Check out more reviews from the Book Tour here.

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Book Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Two aging magicians (or illusionists) use the Night Circus as a venue to pit their young students against each other. During their quest to show off their magical skills and up the other, Celia and Marco fall in love and try to find a way to end their duel amiably and without it hurting the Circus and the people within it. 

I fell in love with this book from the very beginning. The first description of the Night Circus made me want to jump right into the book so I could walk in through the magically lit gates and wander the tents. This is going to be made into a movie, right? I can't wait to see these places brought to life. This is a magical love story that dragged me in and I really didn't want to leave it. I am so glad I finally got to read it.

This was a great book for discussion during our Book Group. Most of us loved it, but some had issues with the love story- feeling it wasn't believable. 

Source: purchased

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Book Review: The Car Thief by Theodore Weesner

The Car Thief by Theodore Weesner was first released in 1973 to critical acclaim. It is the coming of age story of Alex Houseman, a troubled teen who finds himself in Juvenile Detention for stealing cars. Despite the alcoholic father, absent mother and stint in Juvie, there seems to be a little light within him that will get him through it all.

Weesner, I read, had a very similar childhood, growing up in Flint, Michigan which influenced this novel. It makes it feel very real, almost like a memoir, but with the narrative of a novel. It is a quiet story, a look into the life of a young boy and the people who influence him. This is what I feel YA books today are striving for. A character to cheer on, that reflects the kids that are reading it and a good piece of literature that can garner discussions. 
The beginning of the book had me a little worried. It was a bit confusing and slow moving but just as I thought I might give up on it, I couldn't put it down (or turn it off). The rerelease of The Car Thief is in eBook form exclusively, published by Astor + Blue. What a great way to get this book into the hands of new readers! It is well worth the read.
Source: Publisher for review

For more information about the book and author visit the publishers site here.

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Book Review: A Million Nightingales by Susan Straight

A Million Nightingales by Susan Straight
This was my Book Group's pick for May.  
It is the story of Moinette, a slave of mixed race. She chronicles her life, from a young teen to her death as a free woman. It is a sad, heartbreaking story, difficult to read at times and yet there are instances of happiness and hope. 
It was a little hard to get into but got easier as I went along.  The beginning was difficult to read at times due to the use of the Creole dialect. Either, less was used or I got used to it, but the second half of the book was much easier to read and went much faster.  
I had to miss Book Group on Tuesday so I don't know how the rest of the group felt about the book. I hope to find that out next time I see them. As for me, I feel that Susan Straight, with her use of local dialect and realistic imagery, was able to put me right in the middle of Louisiana. It was hard not to feel what Moinette was feeling, mourn her losses and cheer for her when things went well for her. 
3.5/5
Source: purchased ebook

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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Book review: Guest of Honor by Deborah Davis

Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt And the White House Dinner That Shocked A Nation by Deborah Davis

Guest of Honor gives a great look into the lives of Booker T. Washington and Theodore Roosevelt way before they become the two extraordinary men sitting together at dinner. The reader gets a glimpse of both Booker's and TR's childhoods and the affect of Emancipation and the assassination of Lincoln on their lives. Then we get to read about the events leading up to their dinner and the backlash that happens after.

Davis' research is very thorough and it is very evident that she enjoyed learning and writing about these two very interesting men. She has taken great care to make this book accessible to all readers interested in learning more about this small but significant even on our history. It's written in a very readable narrative that pulls you in to their story.

If you like history you will enjoy this book and even if you don't regularly read histories this one will most certainly keep you reading despite that.

4/5

Source: publisher/author for review

Book Review: The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley

THE ORCHID HOUSE: A Novel By Lucinda Riley
Published by: Atria Books / Trade Paperback Original
ISBN: 978-1-4516-5578-0
Pages: 449
Price: $15.00
US Pub Date: February 14, 2012
eBook: 978-1-4516-5580-3

Julia has suffered a great loss and finds herself depressed, holed up in her dark dreary cottage avoiding contact with everyone. Her sister and family try to help but it takes a return to Wharton Park, the estate where her grandfather worked in the gardens and she used to visit as a child, to help her start healing. Along with the new Lord Crawford and the history they learn after finding an old journal, Julia finds a way to live and love again.

What a beautiful story this was. It spans generations, takes you from the English countryside to Thailand and to France. Not only a story about Julia, but also of all the people who made Wharton Park home, including the servants. Rich in atmosphere and family secrets, it was a hard book to put down. It had been awhile since I had gotten so caught up in the lives of characters in a book. It was fun to lose myself in their stories every night this past week.

If you enjoy Downton Abbey, you will enjoy The Orchid House. Especially when the story jumps back to the 30's and 40's. I highly recommend this book. It would make a great choice for book groups.

4/5
Source: publisher


 Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland, and during her childhood, traveled extensively abroad, particularly to the Far East. While taking a break from writing and acting to have her children, she designed and built a house on the island of Koh Chang, Thailand. It was this experience, combined with her passion for history, that inspired her to write THE ORCHID HOUSE, which Atria Books is publishing as her American debut. She currently lives in rural England with her husband and four children. To learn more about Lucinda Riley and her work, visit her website at: www.LucindaRiley.co.uk.

England, France

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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Review: Merciful Law by Darby Rae

Merciful Law by Darby RaeSolid Spirit Publishers455 pages, paperback
Warning: Spoilers
This book was very different than what I was expecting. The cover photo and the title had me thinking this was going to be a legal thriller but instead it turned out to be a mix: thriller and love story. 
It follows Annie Logan after she has left her husband, Lawrence, and started a new life with a new identity. She is a bit fearful for her life, scared that her husband will find her and kill her. He was possessive, manipulative and abusive (verbally, I think) and before leaving she had discovered that he was also a killer. She finds a job as a personal assistant to Emmet Navar who is similar to her husband in that he is a successful lawyer, possessive and a strong willed. He is different, though. He has a son and loyal friends. He is also a bit damaged and that always makes the girls swoon, right?
A romance begins between Annie and Emmet despite the fact the he loses his temper easily- yelling at her  and calling her names when he jumps to the wrong conclusions more than once and she forgives him every time! She even blames herself for this abuse! It was hard for me to understand her relationship with him when she was so determined to get away from her own abusive husband. I was also amazed that this relationship would be considered a good alternative by the author when this is supposed to be Christian fiction. 
I actually wasn't aware of this before reading, but it came clear rather quickly when the main character is always at mass, her values are shared throughout and the relationship between Annie and Emmet doesn't progress much beyond some very innocent canoodling. She is, of course, still married. I don't have a problem with this, Rae just kept hinting that more was coming and every time they would go to their separate rooms. Quite the tease.
This book was hard to put down. I continued reading and reading even through the slow parts. I don't know why, really, because in the end I have come to the conclusion that I didn't much like the main character or the choices she makes throughout the book. There were some other interesting and fun characters, though. Emmet's friends and their banter was rather entertaining. The "guardian angel" Michael who looks after Annie was…a little weird, but oddly enchanting.
Anyway, I finished it. I liked parts and disliked others. It was okay, but I think I would have been happier if Annie had just left both men and gone off on her own.
2.5/5Source: Author/publisher for review



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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Review and GIVEAWAY: The Day The World Ends: Poems by Ethan Coen

The Day The World Ends: Poems by Ethan Coen

As I have mentioned before, I am not a frequent reader of poetry. In fact, I couldn't remember the last time I had read any poetry before this month. I was a little apprehensive above agreeing to review this collection of poetry but was willing to give it a try when I saw who the poet was and also remembered that April was National Poetry Month. 

So, first, the poet. Ethan Coen. One half of the Coen Brothers who are responsible for some of my favorite movies: Fargo, Burn After Reading, Raising Arizona! Love these. Of course, there are many more. The quirkiness in these movies is what I was hoping to find in Ethan Coen's poetry. I wasn't disappointed.

In fact, not only quirky these were also a little twisted and crazy. I had a lot of fun reading some of these to the hubby. We both would either find ourselves laughing hysterically or completely silent with mouths hanging open at the wrongness of what I had just read. 

If you are interested in reading this interesting collection of poems, beware. There is profanity and some... questionable topics. If that doesn't bother you..be ready for some entertainment, and limericks!

Mixed in amongst these are a few shareable poems that are quite nice and give another view into Coen's mind. Here is one:

Smart

They hurl their lightening bolts at me.

I duck- and dodge- and feint- and flee.

The great contend; the mighty strive;

The slippery, like me, survive.

GIVEAWAY: Would you like a copy of your own to read? Just leave me a comment to be entered to win a copy of The Day The World Ends: Poems by Ethan Coen. 

3.5/5

Source: Publisher/Author for review

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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Book Review: The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

BOOK INFO:

Atria Books(S&S)
384 pages
Published March 13, 2012


REVIEW:

I have always been amazed at the power of smells- How a certain scent can trigger memories from childhood or cause a very physical reaction such as sadness or anger. For me, it is the smell of China Rain oils. Reminds me of being a teen, vacationing with family on the Central Coast of California. Because of this, I was very excited to read The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose.
In the book, the author introduces a fragrance that can bring back the memories of past lives! So cool.

The House of E'toile is a perfume company in danger of going under, but a discovery of broken Egyptian pottery in the cellar of their father's home give brother and sister, Jaq and Robbie, a chance to save their family's legacy and unlock the mysteries of reincarnation. Unfortunately for them, some people, such as the Chinese government, are not as excited by this discovery. The Book of Lost Fragrances is a love story, suspense and mystery novel, and a bit of history all rolled up in to one great and interesting story.

I really enjoyed the storytelling and pace of this book. The suspense grows throughout which kept me reading wanting to find out what was going to happen next. The characters are interesting and likable, as well, which also made me want to know how it was all going to end for them.

This was my first time reading anything by M.J. Rose and am now a fan. Can't wait to get my hands on her other books. Really looking forward to reading her Reincarnationist Series.

4/5
Source: Author/Publisher for review

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

 For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE.
You can also find her on Facebook.

Book review: A Will to Murder by Hilary Thomson

A Will To Murder by Hilary Thomson

Death by rap music.

A promising start to an interesting premise and funny story. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get myself into it. It is really hard for me to enjoy a book when I can't relate to at least one character. Before continuing, let me say that I did not finish the book. I read about 40% of it and then gave up. I don't do that very often but with limited reading time these days, I just can't continue with a book I am not enjoying. Perhaps I was just not in the mood for this type of humorous, slapstick mystery.

So, the premise: A family comes together in the large house of their wealthy father, who has just died of a heart attack because someone blasted rap music out of his car during a drive through town. He basically died of embarrassment. The family is there to hear his will and perhaps find out if the music was put in the car as a joke or for the purpose of murder. More deaths and crazy family relations ensue.

I had a hard time making sense of the dialogue. The way these characters speak was unbelievable to me, their reactions seemed forced and unrealistic. It made it hard to sympathize with them or understand them.The family is supposed to come from a wealthy home and so it seemed to me that the author was trying very hard to make them all sound like snobby stuck up rich folk. They seemed more like caricatures of the wealthy crazy East Coast family that you would see in a sitcom.

The things they said sometimes made no sense at all, especially the parents speaking to their kids, or the way they interacted with the help.  It wasn't believable to me and believable dialogue is so important to my reading enjoyment. It is the way I get into a story, relate to characters, and feel a part of what is happening. If this doesn't happen, I lose interest.

Perhaps the caricatures are meant to be, actually I am sure they are. This isn't a serious murder mystery and scenes are definitely there for laughs, but they just didn't work for me. I couldn't find the humour in it, but I am sure this would be perfect for others. My sister would find it hilarious.

2.5/5
Source: Author for review

Book Review: The Last Letter From Your Lover by JoJo Moyes

The Last Letter From Your Lover by JoJo Moyes

Jennifer Sterling awakes in a hospital bed with no memory of the car accident that got her there or the people around her. She goes home with her husband, now a stranger to her, to a home and a life that seems new and foreign. She tries to act the part of the dutiful wife and socialite but feels lost until she discovers a collection of letters written to her from before the accident.

She finds these letters full of declarations of love and sentiment that are somehow more familiar to her than anything else. The problem- they are not from her husband. She is determined to find the mysterious B and in the process, over many years, learns much about herself, the love she once had, and the lies and unforeseen circumstances that have kept them apart.

Moyes' characters are likable and relevant. I found myself both laughing and crying with them. This was just such an entertaining and encompassing story. It is a bitter sweet love story that spans 40 years. It was the perfect read for my February book group! With Valentine's Day this week, we felt the need for a good love story but not a cheesy romance novel. This was just what we wanted.

4.5/5
Source: purchased ebook

Happy Valentine's Day!

Book Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

What an amazing story.


The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a couple stories, actually.  First and foremost, it is about Henrietta Lacks. In 1951, Henrietta, a 30 year old wife and mother, is a black women living in Baltimore. After the birth of her fifth child, she is diagnosed with cervical cancer and begins treatment at John Hopkins' Hospital. Unbeknownst to her or her family, cells taken from the large tumor on her cervix were cultured and grown in the lab of George Gey. She died in pain, her body riddled with tumors and charred from the radiation treatments but her cells lived on as HeLa cells. These cells were used in the development of vaccines and in researching diseases and are still used today.
This is also the story of Henrietta's family. Those she left behind and how the cells have affected their lives. Her husband, her children and grandchildren all have dealt with it differently. Deborah, her daughter, is deeply affected by what is said and not said about her mother. She wants her mother to have recognition, and yet the truth of how her mother died, what happened to her sister, and the history of the cells all cause her anxiety and stress. Others have had so much anger with the hospital and doctors for not informing them. And some were just confused about what exactly it meant that Henrietta's cells were still living on. 
Deborah's relationship and interaction with Rebecca, the author, is really quite sweet and the stories she tells in her own words are wonderful. I really felt this was the heart of the book. Ms. Skloot is so open with the family and you can tell she really cared about them not just their story and information they could give her about Henrietta Lacks.
I found this book, deeply touching and very informative. It blended the science, the history and the human interest story so perfectly. I am so glad this one was picked for my book club because I probably would not have picked it up on my own.
 I highly recommend this one.
5/5Source: Purchased ebook

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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

2012 Reading Challenges

It has been a couple years since I joined in on a challenge other than R.I.P. I feel it is time to dip my feet back in a bit. I have been neglecting the blog and my reading habit for way too long. So, here are a couple challenges that I am looking forward to.

Literary Escapism's New Author Challenge I will try for 15 books by new-to-me authors. Starting slow and going to attempt at least one new author a month. Seems doable.


1. Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks 2. JoJo Moyes, The Last Letter From Your Lover 3. Hilary Thomson, A Will to Murder 4. MJ Rose, The Book of Lost Fragrances 5. Ethan Coen, The Day the World Ends: Poems 6. Darby Rae, Merciful Law 7. Lucinda Riley, The Orchid House 8. Susan Straight, A Million Nightingales 9. Deborah Davis, Guest of Honor 10. Susan Straight, A Million Nightengales 11. Theodore Weesner, The Car Thief 12. Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus 13. Elizabeth Haynes, Into the Darkest Corner 14. Allen Wyler, Dead End Deal 15. Posie Graeme-Evans, The Island House

Rose City Reader's European Reading Challenge I will be attempting the Five Star (Deluxe Entourage)- Five books by different European authors or books set in different European countries.

1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larssen (Sweden) 2. The Last Letter from Your Lover by JoJo Moyes (England) 3. Are You Somebody? by Nuala O'Faolain (Ireland) 4. The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley (England/France) 5. The Island House by Posie Graeme-Evans (Scotland)



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FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.