The Book Woman's Daughter: A Novel
by Kim Michele Richardson
Resonated with Me (5/20/2022)
I have a personal rating system I call the 4Es. Does the book engage my interest, educate and/or enlighten me, entertain me, and reach me emotionally? Very few books hit all four components. The Book Woman's Daughter did in spades. The characters were believable and well developed. The storyline was strong and well thought out. The descriptions of the geography, climate, and culture were perfect. As a reader, I felt I was there.
My maternal great grandparents came to Kansas from Hawkins County and Greene County, Tennessee in 1878. Greene County and Hawkins County are in Appalachia bordering Virginia and North Carolina respectively. My mother, aunt, and grandmother (Granny) brought my sister, my cousins, and me up on stories of our ancestors before, during, and after the Civil War and before and after their move to Kansas. Ms Richardson's writing resonated with me. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or learning about other parts of the USA.
In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage
by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
Lifted Out of an Abyss (4/3/2022)
Unsparing in facing her demons, Ms. Marquez-Lavado recounts growing up in Peru with an domineering, emotionally and physically abusive father and a loving, but submissive mother. Both parents were blind to the sexual abuse she was subjected to by a "beloved" housekeeper from age 5 to age 14-15. That trauma colors everything during her childhood and adulthood.
There are numerous parts that are dark and sad, yet this is not a dark, sad book. Rather, the reader is lifted by the author lifting herself out of her abyss through mountaineering and helping other women who have experienced similar trauma.
Girl in Ice
by Erica Ferencik
Dystopian Mystery Page Turner (2/27/2022)
Containing elements of science fiction and dystopian fiction, this mystery thriller kept me turning the pages in order to know the answer to the numerous questions arising throughout the novel. Although the characters seemed to fit into usual tropes: Unreliable female narrator, mad scientist protagonist, Igor-like assistant, innocent child around whom the story revolves, and baby yearning ancillary couple, they all were well-drawn and believable. The story line moved along at a good clip, and I found the ending to be satisfying. Often authors rush to the end of the book, but this was not the case with Ms. Ferencik. I had not previously read any of her books but am now definitely going to read her backlist books, Into the Jungle and The River at Night.
Valentine
by Elizabeth Wetmore
Best Book in a Long, Long Time (2/27/2022)
This is the best book I have read in a long, long time. The author's descriptions of the West Texas landscape, weather, and 1970s culture are so vivid I could feel the sun bearing down and the grit blowing on my face. Told in alternating voices, one comes to learn each woman's and girl's story and how they support each other and others in need. The depiction of the suppression of women, minorities, and the marginalized in a society controlled by white men is so accurate to that time. The characters are perfect in every way, the progression on the story is perfect, the ending is perfect. This book is flawless.
The School for Good Mothers: A Novel
by Jessamine Chan
Potent Examination of Expectations Placed on Mothers (1/9/2022)
Imagine the surveillance of George Orwell's 1984 and the subjugation of women in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and then throw in androids and you have Jessamine Chan's unbelievably potent novel.
Ms. Chan's descriptions of the trials and tribulations, difficulties and exhilarations of caring for an infant and toddler are outstanding. She captures the rewards and punishments exactly. I came to know the characters as well as the people in my life that I am close to; perhaps even more so because the author took me deep into their thoughts and feelings. The novel was easy to follow even though it moved back and forth from the mother in question’s current situation to the previous stages of her life. The moves were fluid and not at all confusing.
The only small issue that I had with the book was that there is little relief within the book from the anxiety and concern that it produces. I did feel the main character’s and the other mothers' love and longing for their children, but the dark wit that reviewers on the back cover mentioned wasn't enough to part the overcast feeling for just a little while. Still, I couldn't put the book down.
This debut novel is one of the most thought-provoking books that I have read in the past several years and I heartily recommend it.
The Reading List
by Sara Nisha Adams
You Have to Walk in Someone Else’s Skin (11/14/2021)
My thanks to Book Club Girl and William Morrow for this early read ebook.
Mukesh is a lonely widower of two years in a London neighborhood when he encounters Aleisha, a 17 year old working in a small branch library. Aleisha has problems of her own and does not treat his request for help in finding a book kindly. Subsequently, a dressing down by her supervisor propels Aleisha to apologize to Mukesh and make a recommendation, opening the way for friendship and connection to each other and the wider community.
This is a beautiful little book that says so much about connecting with others, mental health and getting help, death and grieving, aging and the moving dynamics of family relationships, and the power of books to change lives. I loved this book and can't find a single thing to fault in it.
The Adventurer's Son
by Roman Dial
A Parent’s Worst Fear (4/1/2021)
In his book, The Adventurer's Son, well-known scientist and explorer Roman Dial chronicles a parent’s worst fear and the two year search for his missing 27 years old adventurer son.
From the beginning to the end of the book, Mr. Dial's love for his son, as well as for his wife and daughter, shines through. At the same time he puts a lens on his feelings of conflict at exposing his families to dangers not experienced by most American families. This includes not only extreme sports such as pack rafting dangerous rivers, ice climbing, mountain climbing, etc. but also accompanying him on scientific expeditions to some of the most extreme areas on earth. The Arctic Circle, tropical rain forests of Borneo, countries rife with poachers, smugglers, and drug runners, and numerous other locations all presented dramatic climates and dangerous plants and animals including the two legged human variety. The overriding question of the book is whether this, and instilling this need for thrill-adventure in his son, was good and right parenting.
The writing style is straightforward and journalistic, yet very moving and emotional. Inclusion of the author's youth, marriage and family life, and son's life prior to his going missing provide background for understanding the disappearance and search process.
Throughout the book I found myself for an improbable outcome. The strength of this family and their love for each other and the natural world shines through.
Sold on a Monday
by Kristina McMorris
Compelling Subject (3/21/2021)
The title and book jacket picture were compelling and definitely piqued my interest as it was set in the Great Depression. I recall that this book came out at about the same time as Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate so I wondered if it would be similar to it. It was a pleasant surprise that it was not. The author did an outstanding job of showing that many children during this time were treated horribly and that government had given little thought to protecting their welfare. I enjoyed the book overall.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
by Erik Larson
The Right Man at the Right Time (3/21/2021)
As with all of his books, this is an outstanding read. Larson's writing is factual, but always keeps the reader's interest. I firmly believe that God sends us the right men to overcome evil and Churchill was one of those men. The injection of the daily lives of Churchill's family members, secretaries, etc. showed that life continues, with its grandness and pettiness, even during war. I read this while staying at home during the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown and it truly brought home to me how much those before us in history have overcome.
The Things They Carried
by Tim O'Brien
Iconic Expression of Vietnam War Experience (3/21/2021)
I have heard over the years that this book was the iconic expression of the American soldier's experience in the Vietnam War. After reading it, I can understand that belief. Reading the book left me feeling flat and depressed from the loss of life and innocence and pride that these young men and our country suffered in a war that no one understood. Almost all of the stories are heartbreaking.
Life After Life
by Kate Atkinson
Seeking an Appreciated Life (1/5/2021)
Revolving around the life of an upper class English woman from her birth and death (and subsequent numerous alternative births and deaths) on a cold winter night through both World Wars, this book portrays English society and an individual woman's life in an unusual premise. In reading other reviews, some found it difficult to follow and choppy. Perhaps because I listened to the audiobook, I had no difficulty with this. The book's greatest point for me was Isabel's victimization and her acceptance of it which started with her no importance as far as her mother was concerned. Her boys were clearly her favorites. Isabel's older sister and her father did show her love and compassion, but her mother's coldness seemed to suppress Isabel. The brutality that She suffered at the hands of her husband illustrated the hopelessness of women in that situation at that time. Those scenes literally made me gasp.
I have seen that there are sequels to this book and I do intend to read them.
At the Wolf's Table
by Rosella Postorino
In the Fuhrer's Service (9/7/2020)
A book about Hitler's food tasters at the Wolf's Lair during the last 2 years of WWII. The main character's distrust, desire, and ambivalence are portrayed adequately. The author does a good job of showing the effects of the war on civilians.
True Colors
by Kristin Hannah
Sibling Rivalry, Again (8/18/2020)
This was an enjoyable read, but not one that I would pass along to friends as a must read. Our book club has now read four of the author's books, reading The Great Alone first and The Nightengale second. We later read Firefly Lane and this book. I have to say that Ms. Hannah's writing has definitely improved as time has progressed. The Great Alone and The Nightengale were far and above much better books than Firefly Lane and this book. Sibling rivialy and/or yearning after a sister's/friend's romantic interest seemed to be a common theme in her books which she finally got away from in The Great Alone.
Did I hate it? No. Did I love it? No. Would I recommend it? No. Would I give it to someone to read? With the qualifying statement that it was okay.
The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice
by David Hill
The Las Vegas of the South (8/17/2020)
The Vapors recounts the history of Hot Springs, Arkansas as a den of vice from the 1930s to the 1960s. Casinos, bootleg liquor, and houses of prostitution drew the wealthy, as well as those down on their luck, from the American South and Midwest to this small spa town in the Ozark Mountains. The author also follows the lives of Hazel Hill, brought to Hot Springs at age 16 by her father and dumped there; Owney Madden, an ex-pat Brit turned New York mobster turned Hot Springs godfather; and Dane Harris, the son of an abusive, lawless Cherokee Indian bootlegger, who rose through the ranks to become the town's Boss Gambler.
The clear concise writing made this non-fiction a quick enjoyable read. The story of how the Las Vegas of the South developed and expanded and the aspirations of those in control of the gambling and other illegal activities was interesting, but the inclusion of the personal stories, especially of Hazel Hill, the author's grandmother, made it even more engaging. The author was fair and candid about his family's history and his grandparent's failings. Rather than condemn, I felt he presented them honestly and showed that they were victims of the times and circumstances they lived in. The cover of the book was arresting and what drew me to it, but I have to admit that I had no idea of the history of Hot Springs. I honestly thought it had always been a sleepy little town that relied on the tourists drawn by the National Park as it source of income. Little did I know!
Although a good read, I was left wanting information on the relationship between Hot Springs and the Park Service and their shared histories. I believe that could have added even more to the book.
For those who enjoy history and travel, this is an enjoyable book. For those who enjoy history and travel and also travel to Hot Springs, this is definitely a book to pick up.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
by John Carreyrou
Meteoric Rise, Precipitous Fall (8/11/2020)
Bad Blood details the startup, meteoric rise, and precipitous fall of Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, who at her zenith was recognized by Forbes magazine as the youngest ever self made billionaire. It brings to the forefront all of the lies, half-truths, cover-ups, bullying, and downright scary tactics committed by Holmes, her cronies, and which her legal team used to advance their dangerous prototypes. If she had accomplished pulling off this charade, the risk to the American public would have been substantial. The brave former employees who stood up for what is right are to be commended. Also to be commended is the author for taking a critical look at Theranos when so many others, including former US government cabinet members, allowed themselves to be hoodwinked. The author's perseverance helped to refocus FDA and CMS scrutiny. As a retired acute care hospital employee who is familiar with CMS surveys, I was appalled by the Theranos leadership's willingness to bold face lie, cover-up, and hide information and equipment during surveys.
At present, Holmes and several of her inner circle are under federal indictment and have already settled with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Hopefully, justice will prevail over money, power, and social standing. This book is most definitely worth the reader's time.
Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country
by Pam Houston
Finding Beauty in a Difficult Life (5/20/2020)
A wonderful book. The abuse by her father and the neglect by her mother and the failure of all the adults in her life, except one, to try to rescue her was hard to handle, but the author's forgiveness enabled me to do so. As she said, Mother Earth became her parent. I share her overwhelming concern for the future of our planet, but her book also gave me hope.
Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero
by Christopher McDougall
I Want a Miniature Burro! (12/13/2019)
I want a miniature burro! A wonderful little book about a wonderful bunch of animals and the wonderful people the animals own. The descriptions of the animals and the time the people spent with them were entertaining and endearing. Sherman is the hero of the book, but Lawrence, the goat, holds a special place in my heart. His kindness was the breakthrough.
The author's analysis of our loss of connection to animals, our earth, and each other was and the tragedy of it was so true. Animals' value in treating mental illness, neurological and behavioral disorders, and life's catastrophes cannot be underestimated.
My only somewhat minor complaint with the writing was the author's somewhat long esoteric discussions of some topics. I felt like I was watching Bill Walton commentate on and on during the televising of an NBA game, much to the polite consternation of his fellow sportscaster.
Overall, this is a very good book that I will recommend to others.
The Silent Patient
by Alex Michaelides
Dynamite Read! (2/3/2019)
The Silent Patient engages the reader from the very beginning to the fantastic ending!
Raised in privilege, Alicia Berenson has continued to live in privilege in adulthood. Living in London with her somewhat older well-known photographer husband, she is a talented and famous painter. But Alicia's life has not been happy, either in childhood or adulthood. Late one night, a neighbor calls the police after hearing gunshots at Alicia's home. When the police arrive, the find Alicia's husband bound to a chair, dead with five gunshot wounds to his face, and Alicia standing in the shadows bleeding from lacerations to her wrists and with a gun that has only her fingerprints on it. She is unable to or refuses to speak. A trial ensues with Alicia continuing to remain silent. A plea of diminished responsibility is entered and Alicia is found guilty and placed in a mental hospital, the Grove. Six years later, Alicia remains at the Grove, still silent Theo Faber, a forensic psychotherapist, has also had a brutal childhood and believes he can help Alicia. When a position opens at the Grove, he joins the staff with the sole intent of bringing her out of silence and learning the whys of the murder.
Not having read mysteries or psychological thrillers in the past, I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this ARC provided via BookishFirst. Mr. Michaelides' writing is clear and concise and yet very descriptive. I easily pictured the locales of the narrative in my mind's eye and the character's were fully drawn. The story did seem to plod mildly at a few points, but not to the point of boredom. The conclusion of the book; OMG is too mild! The author rolls all elements into a tight, neat ball and then blows it up with dynamite. I daresay that this ending will be one of the biggest surprises of the 2019 publishing year.
The Silent Patient is a great read if you are a mystery or psychological thriller fan and it is a great read if you are not.
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