Book Review: Perfect

Perfect
Author: Rachel Joyce
Publication: Nov. 5, 2013, Doubleday Canada

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

In 1972, two seconds were added to time. It was in order to balance clock time with the movement of the earth. Byron Hemming knows this because James Lowe has told him, and James is the cleverest boy at school. But how can time change? The steady movement of hands around a clock is as certain as their golden futures.

Then Byron's mother, late for the school run, makes a devastating mistake. Byron's perfect world is shattered. Were those two extra seconds to blame? Can what follows ever be set right?

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Rachel Joyce's writing is absolutely beautiful- art with words.

Byron's story is sad: his anxiety, his mother's loss of control, his lack of a guiding hand, his need for order and answers. While the plot is slow-moving and not all that gripping, it is Joyce's writing that kept me reading. It was my desire-- as a mother and as a human being-- to scoop Byron into my arms, hold him close and tell him that it will all be alright, that not everything has to be perfect and understood and predictable. I wanted him to know that it's okay to be flawed and afraid.

I enjoyed this book, but I definitely felt a wave of relief wash over me when it was all over. It is emotional and uncomfortable. It makes you hold your breath just a little, without ever being aware of it.

If you're looking for great writing, some thought, and a book with emotional pulls- this one is for you. If you're looking for a light, uplifting read, come back to this one when you're ready.

Book Review & Event Invitation: So Much it Hurts

So Much it Hurts
Author: Monique Polak
Publication: 2013, Orca Book Publishers

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

Iris is an aspiring actress, so when Mick, a well-known visiting Aussie director, takes an interest in her, she's flattered. He's fourteen years older, attractive, smart, charming and sexy--in other words, nothing like her hapless ex-boyfriend, Tommy. But when Iris and Mick start a secret relationship, she soon witnesses Mick's darker side, and his temper frightens her. Before long, she becomes the target of his rage, but she makes endless excuses for him. Isolated and often in pain, Iris struggles to continue going to school, where she is preparing for her role as Ophelia. When her family and friends begin to realize that something is terribly wrong, Iris defends her man, but she also takes the first tentative steps toward self-preservation.

MY REVIEW:

Note:  I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Monique Polak manages to take a difficult (and too often taboo) subject and makes it accessible and straightforward for young readers who might not otherwise consider themselves "readers". Teenagers who might not normally pick up a book and read for the fun of it might find themselves surprised with just how engaged they become with Iris and her descent into a dark, abusive relationship with an older man. 

The book is not perfect, but it is honest and that is what makes it so well done for the audience it was written for. "Young-adult" categorization aside, Iris, her state of mind and her struggles will resonate with female readers of all ages who have (like most of us, sadly) found themselves in a relationship that just "wasn't good" for them-- physically abusive or not. Yes, at times Iris borders on being so maddeningly naive that you just want to shake her, but the way she rationalizes with herself and makes excuses for Mick always manage to bring the reader back on her side with the bare, relatable truth behind her words.

"I wish Mick didn't have such an explosive temper. That's the right word for it: explosive. And it's hard to know what'll set him off. I know it comes with being passionate and creative. Mick gets upset because he cares so much-- too much, maybe. I could never be with someone who wasn't passionate and creative or who didn't care too much.... I know I'd be bored to death with anyone but Mick."

Iris and her need to and process of defending Mick and his actions to justify them to herself are just too familiar-- simply expressed or not. They're honest, real and raw. I know I've had similar conversations with myself in my own head at times while trying to rationalize someone else's behaviour that I logically and rationally know were "bad for me"-- the reasons we stay. I also know that I have heard too many friends have the same conversations out loud with me (and themselves). Polak has given a voice to Iris that, while still childish and frustrating at times, speaks to real and honest human experiences that are all to often dismissed through victim blaming, shaming or even acceptable as socially expected.

If you are in the Montreal area, you are invited to join Monique Polak and Orca Book Publishers at the launch of So Much It Hurts, tomorrow evening, Thursday, November 7th (details above). All ages are welcome and a portion of book sales will be donated to La rue des femmes, a Montreal centre for homeless women, many of whom have been affected by domestic violence. I hope to see you all there!

"...Because I lost myself, but now I am beginning to find myself again..."

Book Review, Author Interview and Giveaway: My Handy Little Health Journal

My Handy Little Health Journal
Authors: Mary Anne Alton & Tania Craan
Publication: 2013 ECW Press

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A structured tool for busy women, My Handy Little Health Journal by Tania Craan and Mary Anne Alton guides women in their process to track their health and wellness information, all in one place.

The average woman visits a healthcare professional six to ten times a year, but her responsibilities extend far beyong that with regular regimens for nutrition, exercise, hygiene, and stress management. With space to record healthcare providers, appointments, medications, tests, expenses, and procedures, this journal is as useful before a routine appointment as it is in an emergency. Plus, the journal highlights helpful tips about medication, smart recipes, fitness, and travel- and even includes brainteasers for the waiting room.

My Healthy Little Health Journal is the result of extensive consultation with women in the medical, communications, and marketing fields and inspires women to change their healthcare habits with a broad approach to wellness.

MY REVIEW AND AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

I was sent a copy of My Handy Little Health Journal (MHLHJ) from ECW Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This journal is so well thought out, so adorable, and very smart. It's the perfect size to slip into your computer case, diaper bag, or purse, so you can take it with you wherever you go. It's the perfect way to keep track of everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) related to your health and wellness while keeping organized. 

I was so impressed by this journal that I wanted to know more. The lovely creators, Tania Craan and Mary Anne Alton, obliged by answering some questions that I thought would be fun to share with all of you!

MamaKujo (MK):       I would love to know more about each of you. What can you tell me about your respective backgrounds that might give a little more insight into the creation of MHLHJ?

Tania Craan (TC):       I have been an art director and book designer for over 30 years. I started my graphic design career working as a designer at Penguin Books Canada and then went on to become the art director at McClelland & Stewart. For the past 20 years, I have run my own graphic design studio while managing to keep up with a hectic family life- being a wife, mother of two teenage girls, daughter of aging parents and official daily dog-walker of Koko, our dog. 

Mary Anne Alton (MA):       I'm a mom to two teenage boys, a wife, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and best friend to Abby, our dog. I'm also a documentary filmmaker who has written, directed and produced award- winning documentaries for over 20 years. My docs have aired in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. Many of my docs have been about health, specifically women's health. I've worked the past 20 years as a freelancer, but prior to that, I worked for CBC television and radio.I was an early local food advocate, having grown up on a farm where we ate what we grew. I love to cook, bake and eat good meals with my family and friends. I've always respected traditional medicine but have approached my own health from a holistic perspective. I'm also an active member of my church, organizing a cooking series and an author's series to feed the body, mind and soul. 

MK:     How did the two of you meet and how and when did you decide to collaborate on this project? 

TC:      Mary Anne and I have been friends for over ten years. We have shared a great deal together. We're both freelancers in very demanding creative fields. We met through our husbands who are good friends working in the advertising world. One day, over coffee, we decided we needed to do something to protect our most important asset- our health. We felt that id we could develop a tool to help us take control of our health other women might to want to use it too.

MA:       Tania and I decided after that cup of coffee that we'd try to put something together even if just for ourselves. I'm a writer and researcher and Tania is a graphic designer who works on a lot of books. With our complimentary skills, we started mapping out the book in coffee shops, meeting once a month, then weekly, eventually working out of our homes to start researching, writing, and designing the layout. It's been a labour of love!

MK:      What inspired you to write and prepare this journal? What's the story behind the story that actually got you to sit down and start putting it all together?

TC:       The idea of creating a health journal was always in the back of my mind. I have always been responsible for keeping track of my health history (as well as my family's), but it was always scattered all over the house. Telephone numbers were in one place, tests and documents in another, and bits of paper in folders and drawers. Every time I had to fill out a medical form, I spent too much time looking for information. It was never at my fingertips.

I also noticed I could not always remember when I was due for a check up or a follow-up test. I'm a relatively healthy person, but I have 6-10 medical-related appointments per year (family doctor, specialists, dentist, tests and more tests, etc.). It was becoming too hard to keep track of everything. 

Being a book designer, it only made sense to have all of my information all in one place. Why not in an attractive book form? The options on the market were pretty ordinary journal books. I wanted something more inviting and fun to use.

MA:       I've talked with too many women over the years who didn't stay on top of their health and wellness and ended up having to deal with a life-threatening condition. I've always been interested in my own health and wellness, but I've found it harder to manage with all the demands of work, family and my own routine medical appointments. I had started a file folder which had bits of paper in it, but it wasn't very organized. What if I ever got sick and needed to know important information about past medications, treatments, appointments? I wouldn't be able to tell my health care team what they would need to know to help me.

While in the process of writing this journal, I found myself in the emergency room one day with my son. He had had a minor bike accident. The nurse asked me when he'd had his last tetanus shot. I couldn't tell her. It made me realize I didn't know when I'd had my last tetanus shot either- or any of my vaccinations for that matter. 

It was confirmation that we were on the right track, and that this project could be really helpful to other women. One place to have all of their health and wellness information, easily accessible whenever it might be needed.

MK:      What kind of research went into the preparation of the journal?

MA:      We made our way through books, periodicals, online sources, and consulted with medical professionals. We also asked our friends and potential users what they might like to see in the book and what they thought of the information we were gathering. I also took a 13-week mindful meditation course which really gave me some great insight into the mind-body connection and how it affects our overall health and well-being. 

TC:      Mary Anne and I spent over eight months developing, researching and designing the first draft of the health journal. We felt it was important to get the right feel and tone-- we did not want it to be a chore for women to use it. It had to be guilt-free and filled with inspiration and humour.  

MK:      What is the most important message you have for working moms?

MA:      Take care of yourself... because if you don't, you won't be able to care for those you love.

TC:      There are always health issues we want to improve-- eat better, exercise more, reduce stress-- but we don't always know how to begin. I believe the key is just taking that first step. Just start. Take small, achievable steps, and before you know it a new habit will have taken root.

GIVEAWAY:

I am also thrilled to be giving away a copy of My Little Handy Healthy Journal to one of my lucky readers!


Contest ends November 8th.
Open to Canadian residents only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



If you would like to learn more about the authors, ask your questions, or learn more about My Handy Little Health Journal:

Website: www.myhandylittle.com
Facebook: My Handy Little
Twitter: @myhandylittle
LinkedIn: My Handy Little
Goodreads Author Pages: Mary Anne Alton & Tania Craan

Book Review: This House is Haunted

This House is Haunted
Author: John Boyne
Publication: October 8, 2013 by Other Press

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

Written in Dickensian prose, This House Is Haunted is a striking homage to the classic nineteenth-century ghost story. Set in Norfolk in 1867, Eliza Caine responds to an ad for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall. When she arrives at the hall, shaken by an unsettling disturbance that occurred during her travels, she is greeted by the two children now in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There is no adult present to represent her mysterious employer, and the children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, another terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.
 
From the moment Eliza rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence that lives within Gaudlin’s walls. Eliza realizes that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past. Clever, captivating, and witty, This House Is Haunted is pure entertainment with a catch.

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I fell in love with this book in the first 2 chapters. I loved the writing style- harkening back to Dickens and the classic gothic ghost story. I loved that we got to meet Dickens, that Boyne took the reader to a time and place where he was real, alive, and influential.

Then Eliza's journey as governess at Gaudlin Hall began and my affections began to wane. I have always loved a good scary story. I was really hoping (especially after the disappointment of reading Bellman & Black) to find a good creepy ghost tale to set the mood for the Halloween season. This one was definitely a ghost story- haunted old house, dreary English setting, angry spectres, unexplained deaths of young women, creepy children in starched and formal clothing.

Some other readers and reviewers have suggested that the author intended his story to be a tongue-in-cheek love letter to the greats of the genre. I am not so convinced. If that were the case, then I would have expected the motifs to be more over-the-top, making me chuckle a little here and there. Instead, I felt more like I was reading a ghost story in which the writer is telling me 'this is scary' and 'you should be spooked now'.

I can see how this story might work really well as a film- things that happen might be more scary if I were watching them happen rather than being told about them. Maybe it's because whenever the "scary" ghost stuff happened, it was always sudden and abrupt violence rather than the slow, spine-tingling torment that has you holding your breath which might be more effective with the written word.

I will admit that there was a point where I decided to give up on this book. I was bored. Then guilt took over and I decided to give it one more chance to hook me. It redeemed itself. I finished the second half of the book in a single sitting. At no point was I shocked or scared, but I was definitely curious enough that I lost myself in the story and needed to know how it would end.

Book Review: Teatime for the Firefly

Teatime for the Firefly
Author: Shona Patel
Publication: Harlequin MIRA, September 24, 2013

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

My name is Layla and I was born under an unlucky star. For a young girl growing up in India, this is bad news. But everything began to change for me one spring day in 1943, when three unconnected incidents, like tiny droplets on a lily leaf, tipped and rolled into one. It was that tiny shift in the cosmos, I believe, that tipped us together-me and Manik Deb.

Layla Roy has defied the fates. Despite being born under an inauspicious horoscope, she is raised to be educated and independent minded by her eccentric Anglophile grandfather, Dadamoshai. And, by cleverly manipulating the hand fortune has dealt her, she has even found love with Manik Deb-a man betrothed to another. All were minor miracles in India that spring of 1943, when young women's lives were predetermined-if not by the stars, then by centuries of family tradition and social order.

Layla's life as a newly married woman takes her away from home and into the jungles of Assam, where the world's finest tea thrives on plantations run by native labor and British efficiency. Fascinated by this curious culture of whiskey-soaked expat adventurers who seem fazed by neither earthquakes nor man-eating leopards, she struggles to find her place among the prickly English wives with whom she is expected to socialize, and the peculiar servants she now finds under her charge.

But navigating the hazards of tea-garden society will hardly be her biggest challenge. For even Layla's remote home is not safe from the incendiary change sweeping India on the heels of the Second World War. Their colonial world is at a tipping point as tectonic political shifts rock the tea industry, and Layla and Manik find themselves caught in a perilous racial divide that threatens their very lives.

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Yet another review I am feeling conflicted about writing... So I will keep this one short and sweet.

I wish I had all the time in the world to REALLY sit down and enjoy taking the journey through reading this novel. It is beautifully written, transporting the reader to another time and place: the tea-gardens of Imperial India. Layla is a heroine I could truly feel and empathize with. I was rooting for her despite her "luck". She is smart, intuitive, kind, and wise beyond her years and social status.

My love affair with this book was quickly overshadowed, however, by my frustration at its sudden slow pace at about 1/4 of the way through. Having to read it within a reasonable amount of time for preparing a review (as opposed to over the course of a month's leisure), and as a busy working mom I just could not give this lovely novel the time and nurturing that it truly needed.

Despite all that, I do recommend taking the time to read this book if its premise interests you. It is a charming and whimsical treat if you have the time to give it the attention it deserves. Hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to revisit this story and really enjoy it at its own pace.

Book Review: Bellman & Black

Bellman & Black
Author: Diane Setterfield
Publication: Atria Books, November 5, 2013

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

ONE MOMENT IN TIME CAN HAUNT YOU FOREVER. 

Caught up in a moment of boyhood competition, William Bellman recklessly aims his slingshot at a rook resting on a branch, killing the bird instantly. It is a small but cruel act, and is soon forgotten. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to have put the whole incident behind him. It was as if he never killed the thing at all. But rooks don’t forget . . .

Years later, when a stranger mysteriously enters William’s life, his fortunes begin to turn—and the terrible and unforeseen consequences of his past indiscretion take root. In a desperate bid to save the only precious thing he has left, he enters into a rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner. Together, they found a decidedly macabre business.

And Bellman & Black is born.

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Let me start by saying that I was so excited when I received an email asking me to read this book for review. Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale is one of those books I've been hanging on to forever, meaning to read, but for whatever reason never getting around to. I heard only wonderful things about it and have had it recommended to me over and over again by various people. The prospect of reading her very latest, in advance of publication got me very excited.

I was even more excited about the dark and mysterious synopsis that reminded me of something we might see from Carlos Ruiz Zafon, especially with Halloween coming up. Sadly, I was disappointed.

It started off hopeful... a tale of boys being boys... a little bit of a Poe vibe...

Then it just got weird-descriptions of birds that just felt out of place. And boring- loooooong periods of nothing at all happening other than a lot of sudden deaths and a hard-working main character who was completely unsympathetic.

There was a point about 1/3 of the way where I was ready to give up on this one. I wasn't even curious. In the end, guilt of abandoning a book that miiiiiiight potentially redeem itself won over. Fear of missing out? I pushed through and finished it, but it just wasn't worth it.

Above all- this is NOT a ghost story. Not by any definition I understand, anyway.

I'm not really sure what the author was trying to get across. If anything, I ended up confused, furrowing my brow, shaking my head and not looking forward to writing this review. I finished reading this 2 or 3 weeks ago now, and I've been putting off writing anything about it because I just don't know how to put into words what I read or experienced.

I suppose the best I can do is say that I just hope that one day I will get around to picking up The Thirteenth Tale, and I will be able to tell you how wonderful and glorious it is. As for Bellman & Black, the best I can say is, "meh" and shrug my shoulders.

As always, feel free to leave comments or questions down below- I would love to hear from you if you had a different experience with this one, have a recommendation, want more info, or just want to say "hi"!

Book Review: The Rosie Project

The Rosie Project
Author: Graeme Simsion
Publication: HarperCollins Canada, May 2013 

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

A first-date dud, socially awkward and overly fond of quick-dry clothes, genetics professor Don Tillman has given up on love, until a chance encounter gives him an idea.

He will design a questionnaire-a sixteen-page, scientifically researched questionnaire-to uncover the perfect partner. She will most definitely not be a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker or a late-arriver. Rosie is all these things. She is also fiery and intelligent, strangely beguiling, and looking for her biological father a search that a DNA expert might just be able to help her with.

The Rosie Project is a romantic comedy like no other. It is arrestingly endearing and entirely unconventional, and it will make you want to drink cocktails.

MY REVIEW:

Drop whatever else you're reading right now, and read this book! 

It's as simple as that. I will not make any attempt to be witty or clever in this review because it will be an insult to the smart, insightful, and deliciously giggle-worthy writing found in Graeme Simsion's novel.

I really did not know what to expect when I FINALLY got my hands on this book. (I say "finally" because I've been itching to read this one since I first heard about it back in May.) All I knew was that the buzz was great, the description sounded fun, and the title was screaming my name (my daughter's nickname is Rosie). What I got was absolutely better than what I could have imagined, and I am glad that I jumped right in without knowing more than I did.

We are introduced to Professor Don Tillman when he is asked to step in for a friend at a presentation about Aspergers to a room full of kids diagnosed with the condition and their loved ones. What becomes clear as the book progresses, if not immediately, is that Don has much more in common with his beloved "Aspies" than he recognizes when he presents his cold, clinical, academic assessment. While Don never puts a name to his own "condition", he recognizes that he is "not wired" like most people.  This makes for an honest, clever, chuckle-infused, and sometimes bittersweet read.

I want to go on and on and on about how fabulous this book was, but I need to restrain myself. I believe that part of what made this book so enjoyable for me (as with so many great reads) was all of the little surprises along the way. So go out and scoop up your copy now, get in touch with me in the comments below, via Twitter, Goodreads- however- and let's gush!

Added bonuses:

- Professor Don Tillman has his own Twitter handle. I mean, COME ON- amazing!

- The book has just been optioned for film by Sony Pictures!

- It's the October 2013 Savvy Reader Book Club pick, so there are lots of people out there reading and excited to chat everything Rosie!

Book Review: Making the "Terrible" Twos Terrific!

Making the "Terrible" Twos Terrific!
Author: John Rosemond
Published: Paperback August 13, 2013 (originally published 1993) Andrews McMeel Publishing

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

In a completely revised and updated edition of his classic parenting guide, nationally recognized expert John Rosemond offers practical, tantrum-free methods for raising toddlers and getting them through the "terrible" times from age eighteen to thirty-six months. Focusing on the developmental period spanning age eighteen to thirty-six-months, which renowned parenting expert John Rosemond dubs, "the twos" Making the & "Terrible" Twos Terrific! offers practical parenting advice to ensure that every child's "twos" are terrific.

By offering comprehensive tips on everything from toilet training to developing good habits for bedtime, as well as disciplinary techniques to control aggressive behaviors, Making the "Terrible" Twos Terrific! approaches parenting in a straightforward, accessible manner that is easy for parents to implement and achieve success with their toddlers.

No bribing, meltdowns, nudging, or cajoling are necessary. All parents need is consistent, firm, and loving interactions with their toddler to guide him or her during the developmental years. The methods described by Rosemond also translate to success throughout other life endeavors such as school, relationship building, and even productivity in the distant tween and teen years. To ensure that earthquaking foot stomps, decibel-shattering screaming, and consistently stubborn behavior are not the norm for your toddler, consult Rosemond's Making the "Terrible" Twos Terrific!.

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

No! No. No, no, no, no, no... A thousand times NO! Just no.

In light of the fact that we have entered "the twos" in my household, I thought this Galley came my way with providential timing. Not that my "terrible" twos have been so unbearable thus far that I needed guidance (thank the powers that be for my generally cooperative munchkin), but any parent that tells you they've got it, thanks-but-no-thanks for your advice, is LYING! We can all use a little insight from someone else every now and then. This book is just NOT the place to look- for me anyway.

In general, the author spends his time criticizing modern mothers (in particular) and parents (in general). Now, most of what he says about the helicopter-parenting and then psychological development stages of the toddler is legit. Don't get me wrong on that. However, it's his editorializing on the terrible, horrible parents who tend to their child's every whim that is just NOT helpful. 

Okay- I get it, some moms (and dads) out there need to stop the constant attention and child-serving. You've made your point, now move on to the substance... Oh- you just want to keep lambasting? Oh- well, then I'll just keep skimming and find the part where it stops. Oh- there isn't one? Well then...

In between the constant pontificating, Rosemond does attempt to provide advice. However, it may just be me, but most of what he offers seems like common sense and second nature-type stuff. I guess for parents who didn't grow up around siblings or other kids, some of what he has to offer might be helpful, but most of the time I just found myself saying, "Yeah, and?" 

Not sure how or why this book has such high reviews elsewhere. In fact, a lot of the reviews that give even 3-star ratings are actually quite negative. I suppose this is one of those times that the star-rating vs. review substance will be deceiving for some readers.  

In my humble parenting/mommy blogger opinion, if you're curious what Rosemond has to say about the "terrible twos", you're better off just asking your own parents or grandparents. Yes, you'll be subject to some lecturing, but chances are what you'll take away will be more useful (and you'll waste less of your precious non-toddler time). 

Book Review: The Sweetest Hallelujah

The Sweetest Hallelujah
Author: Elaine Hussey (aka Peggy Webb)
Published: July 30, 2013 by Harlequin MIRA

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

Betty Jewel Hughes was once the hottest black jazz singer in Memphis. But when she finds herself pregnant and alone, she gives up her dream of being a star to raise her beautiful daughter, Billie, in Shakerag, Mississippi. Now, ten years later, in 1955, Betty Jewel is dying of cancer and looking for someone to care for Billie when she's gone. With no one she can count on, Betty Jewel does the unthinkable: she takes out a want ad seeking a loving mother for her daughter. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, recently widowed Cassie Malone is an outspoken housewife insulated by her wealth and privileged white society. Working part-time at a newspaper, she is drawn to Betty Jewel through her mysterious ad. With racial tension in the South brewing, the women forge a bond as deep as it is forbidden. But neither woman could have imagined the gifts they would find in each other, and in the sweet young girl they both love with all their hearts. Deeply moving and richly evocative, The Sweetest Hallelujah is a remarkable tale about finding hope in a time of turmoil, and about the transcendent and transformative power of friendship.

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Desperate. Nowhere to turn. Dying woman seeks mother for her child. Loving heart required. Call Vinewood 2-8640.

This short advertisement taken out by a mother as a spur-of-the-moment, maybe even foolish (as Betty Jewel acknowledges) act of desperation sets off a series of events that will forever change the lives of Betty Jewel Hughes, Cassie Malone, and everyone they love. 

This book was such a warm, lovely joy to read. While at times, I started to wonder whether the plot was starting to drag a little, the author still managed to make me wish I could stay on a little longer in the world of Shakerag when it finally came to an end. 

As with any great Southern Fiction novel, there are elements of magical realism and some larger-than-life characters. There are tons of laughs and snickers, but also tears. Spirituality, music, soul food, civil rights and women's rights, baseball, adventure, and even a ghost. 

I am a sucker for good Southern Fiction. I am not ashamed to admit it. I have been ever since stumbling upon The Secret Life of Bees for the first time. I am happy to say that this novel is worthy of sitting up on a shelf right beside that favourite, along with The Help and Saving CeeCee Honeycutt [read my review].

This was a story about women and their love of a child. (It takes a village, after all...) Hussey captured the essence of true friendship and the love that can bind people despite even seemingly impossible odds. It is an ode to humanity in the face of ugliness, and it is a tale of hope and grace. 

I've been putting off writing this review because I was afraid it would feel like saying goodbye to a good friend. As I sit here writing, I'm not sad- I just wish I had the words to describe how warm and fuzzy I am feeling just thinking about the joy I had reading this book. All I can do is tell you to go out and read it for yourself... It's like being wrapped up in a warm blanket while relaxing on a porch swing on a breezy summer evening. 

Book Review: Between You and Me

Between You and Me
Author: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Published: Simon and Schuster, Inc., Atria Books (First Published 2012)

PUBLISHER SYNOPSIS:

In Between You and Me, twenty-seven-year-old Logan Wade has built a life for herself in New York City, far from her unhappy childhood in Oklahoma. But when she gets the call that her famous cousin needs a new assistant, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Logan hasn’t seen Kelsey since they were separated as kids; in the meantime, Kelsey Wade has become one of Fortune Magazine’s most powerful celebrities and carrion for the paparazzi. But the joy at their reunion is overshadowed by the toxic dynamic between Kelsey and her controlling parents. As Kelsey grasps desperately at a “real” life, Logan risks everything to try and give her cousin the one thing she has never known—happiness. As Kelsey unravels in the most horribly public way Logan finds that she will ultimately have to choose between saving her cousin and saving herself.

MY REVIEW:

Note:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really did not enjoy this book. I read while I was on vacation recently, hoping for a light, happy easy read based on the synopsis and cover artwork. It was easy to read, but it was not easy to keep reading. I just didn't care or want to. I read almost 85-90% and decided it just wasn't worth it. I didn't care how it ended, and I knew it wouldn't make a difference to how I felt about the story or the writing or for the purpose of writing a review.

This is a thinly (spiderweb-thin) veiled fictionalized version of the life of Britney Spears circa 2007. The breakup with Justin, the partying, the rushed nuptials, the baby-itch, the pregnancy, the messy divorce, the crash and burn. Now, I'm one of those who has always been rooting Britney on- hoping she would find her way eventually. I don't however, care to read someone else's storybook version of her public meltdown. We know the story. We know how bad it was. We can see how young Hollywood struggles. If you're going to write a book about this kind of material, at least make it original (no, pairing the Britney character with a Matthew McConaughey type doesn't count as original) and use it to say SOMETHING insightful. OR at the very least make it more emotional and less obvious.

So there you have it- my first really negative book review on my blog (I've avoided writing about the ones I just couldn't finish until now.) I would love to hear from someone who read this and disagrees with me. Was there something I missed? It does have a 2.85 rating on Goodreads, so someone out there must have enjoyed it... Feel free to leave your comments down below!

Happy weekend, dear readers!

Book Review: The Silent Wife

The Silent Wife
Author: A.S.A. Harrison
Published: June 25, 2013 by Penguin Canada

PUBLISHER SYNOPSIS

A chilling psychological thriller about a marriage, a way of life, and how far one woman will go to keep what is rightfully hers

Jodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake, including the affluent life they lead in their beautiful waterfront condo in Chicago, as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose. Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife is about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can’t be made, and promises that won’t be kept. Expertly plotted and reminiscent of Gone Girl and These Things Hidden, The Silent Wife ensnares the reader from page one and does not let go.

MY REVIEW

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

ALSO- SPOILERS BELOW!!!!! Continue at your own risk!

First thing first- can everyone in the publishing/book reviewing world all agree to stop it- JUST STOP IT- with the Gone Girl comparisons?! Please?! Husband, wife, unlikeable characters, a little bit of sociopathology, marriage falling apart, infidelity, murder as a tool, chapters written from his and her perspectives. Fine, this book has those things in common with Gone Girl, but that is exactly where the similarities end. Period. 

Now that I've let that off my chest...

This book was voyeuristically addictive. I couldn't stop reading. I couldn't get enough. I felt a little dirty reading it- like I was given a private open window peek into this marriage and I couldn't look away. I was the nosy neighbour. [Shudder!]

Our introduction into the mind of Jodi:

"Daily routine is the great balm that keeps her spirits up and holds her life together, warding off the existential fright that can take you by ambush any time you're dithering or at a loss, remind you of the magnitude of the voice you are sitting on... She likes things orderly and predictable and feels secure when her time is mapped out well in advance..."

As opposed to Todd:

"His mind is on everything at once, encircling the whole of his world at a sweep... It's come to a point where he savours the constant apprehension, the risk he takes with each small decision, the strain of being overextended, the pressure of betting everything on the current venture. The anxiety he feels is stabilizing in a way, letting him know that he's alive and on track. It's anxiety cut with anticipation, an  interest in what comes next, a stake in things unfolding. this is what propel him through his day."

You can see how this was a marriage made in heaven, no? Jodi's educational background and need to control everyone and everything in her life really seem to work for her. But she's crazy. Like no-give-on-the-reigns, silk-thread-holding-it-together crazy. Todd and his midlife crisis are causing problems for him, his marriage, and his life. He's crazy too. My-wife-understands-I-have-manly-needs, I-can-have-my-cake-and-eat-it-too crazy. 

As a reader, I knew I was hooked from the opening:

"She assumes, without having thought about it, that things will go on indefinitely in their imperfect yet entirely acceptable way. In other words, she is deeply unaware that her life is now peaking, that her youthful resilience... is approaching a final stage of disintegration, that her notions of who she is and how she ought to conduct herself are far less stable than she supposes..."

It is really well-written. The fact that it is written in 3rd person but still manages to capture 2 completely different voices (Jodi: logical, theoretical, academic reasoning; and Todd: male libido, Freudian ego, impulsive, materialism) is a feat!

There were some loose threads that I would have liked cleared up or left out of the story altogether (regarding Jodi's past), but they weren't distracting enough to change my reading experience, so I will leave it as a throw-away comment and move on...

As I mentioned, all of the characters in this novel are deplorable. It is actually hard to find a single redeeming quality in ANY of them. (I would love to hear if any of you disagree on that.) Somehow, though, I still cared enough about what was happening to and among all of them to keep reading. I think that speaks more to the quality of writing than anything I could possibly try to explain in a review.

Go pick up a copy and enjoy. Sadly, there will be no future books from this author as she died while this novel was being published.

Book Review: Creeps

Creeps
Author: Darren Hynes
Published: 30 July 2013

PUBLISHER SYNOPSIS:

Fifteen-year-old Wayne Pumphrey wishes he were courageous enough to actually send the heartfelt letters he writes to friends and family. He also wishes his father would drive on the right side of the street, his mother would stop packing her suitcase to leave, and his sister would stop listening to Nickelback. But most of all, he wishes that Pete “The Meat” would let him walk to school in peace. After all, how many times can one person eat yellow snow?

Then one morning, while facing Pete and his posse, Wayne is rescued by Marjorie, the girl with a dead father and a mother who might as well be. Together, the two of them escape Pete’s relentless bullying by rehearsing for the school play, and an unlikely friendship is formed. As they grow ever closer to one another, they begin to dream of escape from their small town and restricted lives. But Pete now has plans for both of them—and after a moment of sudden violence, nothing will ever be the same again for Wayne, Marjorie, or Pete himself.

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was just "okay" for me. Actually, if it weren't for those chapters written as Wayne's actual letters, it would have been pretty terrible. 

The subject and the characters really had potential, but the book just never reached "adolescence", if you will. I don't think Hynes gives his YA audience enough credit (emotionally or intellectually). The characters felt like a bunch of token stereotypes. Wayne spoke and acted like he was 10, maybe 12 years old, and not like a 15-16 year old. The Wayne we encounter in the narrated chapters feels like a completely different kid than the insightful Wayne of the letters. The whole thing felt much more reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite trying to be serious than I'm sure the author ever intended.

There is nothing really new about this book or its handling of the subject matter. However, there were small glimpses of insight and unique voice that saved it from a two-star rating.

Book Review: The Book of Secrets

The Book of Secrets
Author: Elizabeth Joy Arnold
Published: 2 July 2013 by Bantam 

PUBLISHER SYNOPSIS:

After more than twenty years of marriage, Chloe Sinclair comes home one night to find that her husband, Nate, is gone. All he has left behind is a cryptic note explaining that he's returned to their childhood town, a place Chloe never wants to see again. 

While trying to reach Nate, Chloe stumbles upon a notebook tucked inside his antique copy of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Written in code, the pages contain long-buried secrets from their past, and clues to why he went home after all these years. As Chloe struggles to decipher the notebook's hidden messages, she revisits the seminal moments of their youth: the day she met the enigmatic Sinclair children and the increasingly dangerous games they played to escape their troubled childhoods; the first time Nate kissed her, camped out on the beach like Robinson Crusoe; and the elaborate plan she and Nate devised, inspired by "Romeo and Juliet, " to break away from his oppressive father. As the reason for Nate's absence comes to light, the truth will forever shatter everything Chloe knows--about her husband, his family, and herself. 

MY REVIEW:

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Everything about this book was unexpected. It caught me by surprise. Honestly, I read the synopsis- the marriage falling apart and buried secrets thing- and I jumped in to reading skeptical about the subject matter. That and - confession- I judged the book by its cover. (Collective gasp.) Cardinal sin, I know. But, truthfully, the cover art just DOES NOT fit the content and the story. I really don't get it.

On to the review...

This book is about the secrets we keep, the faith we cling to, the bonds of family and loyalty, and the dark strings that tie them all together. It's also a story for book-lovers.

How well do we really know the ones we love? How true are the stories we have written and called our memories? How much of what we know and believe to be true about who we are and where we have been is really a product of our own editing, guided by love and faith and need?

"We think we know our friends, our lovers, but really all we know is pieces of them. Fragments we learn by watching, sharing time and place, listening to their stories; over the years there are more and more of these fragments and we can draw lines between them, fill them with what we imagine is the truth. But of course we only know what they show us; lines we think jig here may actually curl somewhere else altogether. The lines we draw aren't always real, and often have more to do with our own selves."

--

"Maybe from a distance most lives seem more love story than tragedy and the key is finding enough perspective to see that, to be able to manipulate emphasis and rearrange. Because all memories are a form of storytelling, rewritten with that distance because of new wisdom, or maybe based on what we wish had been. We're all authors continually editing in an attempt to make sense out of our lives." 

This is a story of two star-crossed lovers and childhood sweethearts, told from the perspective of the wife, now middle-aged, forced to reflect on the story of their life together. With Nate's coded journal, Chloe begins to find the missing pieces from their story- pieces she previously filled in with her own presumptions, suppositions, beliefs or hopes. 

I will say that at times the religious commentary and story lines felt out of place or forced. I understand what Allen was trying to do with the motif- the blind faith, the passionate need for answers, and building suspense. However, it raised too many questions that didn't need to be asked, added an element of (for lack of a better word) preachiness, and sometimes- as I said- forced.

That said... Beautifully written. Rich characters. Honesty and truth about life and relationships.

Without giving too much away, I have to say that as a mother, I was DREADING the unfolding of the story and the secrets. I was not sure that I could read the entirety of the book with what I was expecting to be revealed. Allen's writing tugged at that deepest place in my heart and in my gut and just kept on pulling. And pulling. I wanted to keep reading. I needed to keep reading, and yet I wasn't sure that I physically could. I am so glad I did. 

I couldn't get enough of this book. I ate it up.