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Published on 3 Comments on Review: Dear Carolina

Dear Carolina

 

 One baby girl.
Two strong Southern women.
And the most difficult decision they’ll ever make.Frances “Khaki” Mason has it all: a thriving interior design career, a loving husband and son, homes in North Carolina and Manhattan—everything except the second child she has always wanted. Jodi, DearCarolinaher husband’s nineteen-year-old cousin, is fresh out of rehab, pregnant, and alone. Although the two women couldn’t seem more different, they forge a lifelong connection as Khaki reaches out to Jodi, encouraging her to have her baby. But as Jodi struggles to be the mother she knows her daughter deserves, she will ask Khaki the ultimate favor…Written to baby Carolina, by both her birth mother and her adoptive one, this is a story that proves that life circumstances shape us but don’t define us—and that families aren’t born, they’re made.
~ Goodreads

 

My review...........4 stars

 

First of all, let's take a moment to marvel over this absolutely gorgeous cover!! If you don't know by now, I am a sucker for an attractive cover. But as we all know, a book with a beautiful cover does not always translate to a beautiful book......except when it does, and in this case it does! This is told in alternating voices as a story for Carolina, the little girl given up by one mother and taken in by another. I loved that this book was not only a story about family, but about how each woman grew and developed within themselves. Each chapter began with an observation from the two mothers relating to a project that they found near and dear to them (one decorating, the other food preserving). It created a really nice flow to the story, and separated each section of the telling. It does take place in the south (NC), so I appreciated some of the local references. The characters were well written, and it was easy to get involved in their daily lives. Really well done for a debut author, you would never suspect that this is her first novel. If I had to nit pick I would say that it is a tad predictable (which never bothers me, but does for some) and had a bit more of a religious aspect than I would like (not a lot, but I'm not a big fan of God in my books).

 

Disclaimer: Since randomly seeing the cover of this book months ago, and then finding out the author is from my state, we have become "blog buddies".  We still haven't met in person yet, although we were both at the same author event and didn't know it! I will be attending her author event later this month, and I'm thrilled to finally meet her, she is a sweetheart! I was sent a copy of Dear Carolina by Kristy. I have done my best to remain unbiased in my review.
Kristy's website: http://www.kristywoodsonharvey.com/

 

Overall a really wonderful debut book, I think this would be an absolutely perfect summer read. Go out and pick this up and support my friend Kristy! You know you have to have this on your shelf........it's SO stunning in looks and words.

 

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Published on 2 Comments on Review: Love Anthony

Love Anthony

Two women, each cast adrift by unforseen events in their lives, meet by accident on a Nantucket beach and are drawn into a friendship.
Olivia is a young mother whose eight-year-old severely autistic son has recently died. Her marriage badly frayed by years of stress, she comes to the island in a trial separation to try and make sense of LoveAnthonythe tragedy of her Anthony’s short life.
Beth, a stay-at-home mother of three, is also recently separated after discovering her husband’s long-term infidelity. In an attempt to recapture a sense of her pre-married life, she rekindles her passion for writing, determined to find her own voice again. But surprisingly, as she does so, Beth also find herself channeling the voice of an unknown boy, exuberant in his perceptions of the world around him if autistic in his expression—a voice she can share with Olivia—(is it Anthony?)—that brings comfort and meaning to them both.
~ Goodreads

My review.............4.5 stars

This was pretty close to perfection. Lisa Genova certainly has a way with words that just catches you up into the story and doesn't let you go until the last page. I was captivated by the storylines of both women, and the descriptions given of the various places make you feel like you are actually there. I laughed so hard over "the rules" for the locals during summer on Nantucket, since I also have a house in a summer tourist area. This book made me laugh, cry, empathize, contemplate, and oh yes......want to visit Nantucket during the tulip festival and have a vase full of white rocks. The only issues I had with the book (without giving anything away) was the channeling (which is a bit too out there for me), and the end decision that Beth makes (not a good choice in my opinion).

I listened to this book on audio. The narrator was Debra Messing (sniff sniff.....made me nostalgic for Will & Grace). I thought she did a fabulous job, she has a soothing quality to her voice that lent itself well for this audio.

Definitely on my list for fans of women's fiction, and although it is fiction, a great book covering the subject of autism.

Published on Leave a comment on Review: Maybe Someday

Maybe Someday

At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move MaybeSomedayshould be.

Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

A passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance, Maybe Someday will immerse readers in Sydney’s tumultuous world from the very first page.

~ Goodreads

My review.............3 stars

Another author that I'm late to the party in reading is Colleen Hoover. After reading this book I can definitely see why she is so popular. Her writing is addictive and I found myself just flying through this book. And while it gets maximum stars for its writing, the content was not as appealing to me. While I loved the male character in this, and the fact that he had a disability gave the story a great dimension that I don't think I've seen addressed in a book before, the main character of Sydney annoyed the crap out of me. I thought she was a total hypocrite, was very judgmental of others, and needed to get her life together before jumping into another relationship. I'm more tolerant of the whole insta-love concept in teens because they are immature and crushes come and go, but once you are an adult they just don't work for me in books. I would have chosen for these characters to have gone ahead and lived their lives and come back together ten years down the road if it was really meant to be.

While not a favorite plot wise, this was still an enjoyable read. I loved the writing and will absolutely read another novel by this author.

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Published on 2 Comments on Short and Sweet YA Reviews (#2)

Another listing of the young adult novels I've read over the past few months. Lots of good ones and no duds in this grouping 🙂 On to the books..........

ThisSongWillSaveYourLife

Wonderful story about a girl who is an outcast at school, but who learns how to love herself through making musical connections. Great characters and writing, and while I wasn't familiar with all of the music, there is a playlist accompanying the book which is a great add on feature. My review...........4 stars

 

 

 

 

BrownGirlDreaming

I'm not known to have a good connection with most award winning books, but in this case I completely agree! This book was told in verse (another thing that I'm not a fan of), and it completely captivated me! I loved this book, it was just so well written and the pages flew by. Definitely a must read! My review.........5 stars

 

 

 

 

WillGraysonWillGrayson

Great coming of age story about teen boys. Not a lot of books written with teen boys as the main characters, so I enjoyed this aspect. I thought the beginning was a bit confusing, but it was cleared up mid point and was probably more my fault for not catching on. Best part of the story was one of the secondary characters who has his own book out now (Hold Me Closer). My review..........3 stars

 

 

 

HarryPotterSorcerer'sStone

My first time reading Harry Potter (I know I know, no scoffing allowed). I was making a trip to Universal and decided that I needed to bite the bullet and read at least one book before visiting Harry Potter world. I've always avoided these because I'm not a wizards and magic kind of reader. Surprisingly enough I really liked this! Great story with fantastic writing that just sucks you in. I promise I'll be continuing on with the series. My review.....3.5 stars

 

 

 

ToAllTheBoysI'veLovedBefore

My first book by this author (other than her short story in My True Love Gave to Me), I loved the writing style. The story just kept me turning pages to find out what was going to happen next. I only wish that we could have found out what happens with all the boys, it focuses mainly on a couple of them. I do know that this has a sequel coming out (PS I Still Love You), so maybe the author plans to delve a bit more into it then. My review......4 stars

 

 

 

Fangirl

I loved the story about Cath and her sister, family, and friends. The Simon Snow fangirl story parts were not my favorite and I found myself skimming through them. I'm not sure how I'm going to react when Simon's story is told in the next Rowell book (Carry On). My review.........4 stars

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Published on 4 Comments on Review: The Unraveling of Mercy Louis

The Unraveling of Mercy Louis

 

In this intricate novel of psychological suspense, a chilling discovery near the high school ignites a witch hunt in a southeast Texas refinery town, unearthing communal and family secrets that threaten the lives of the town's girls.

In Port Sabine, the air is thick with oil, superstition reigns, and dreams hang on making a winning play. All eyes are on Mercy Louis, the star of the championship girls' basketball team. Mercy seems TheUnravelingOfMercyLouisdestined for greatness, but the road out of town is riddled with obstacles. There is her grandmother Evelia, a strict evangelical who has visions of an imminent Rapture and sees herself as the keeper of Mercy's virtue. And then there are the cryptic letters from Charmaine, the mother who abandoned Mercy at birth.

At the periphery of Mercy's world floats team manager Illa Stark, a lonely wallflower. Like the rest of the town, Illa is spellbound by Mercy's beauty and talent, but a note discovered in a gym locker reveals that Mercy's life may not be as perfect as it appears.

The last day of school brings the disturbing find, and as summer unfolds and the police investigate, every girl becomes a suspect. At the opening game of the season, Mercy collapses--and Evelia prophesies that she is only the first to fall. Soon other girls are afflicted by the same mysterious condition, sending the town into a tailspin and bringing Illa and Mercy together in an unexpected way.

Evocative and unsettling, The Unraveling of Mercy Louis charts the downfall of one town's golden girl while exploring the brutality and anxieties of girlhood in America.

 
~ Goodreads

 

My review...........4 stars

 

Excellent coming of age story told in alternating chapters by two girls, Mercy (the high school basketball star) and Illa (team manager and classic wallflower). I thought that the author had a very realistic view on teenage life in a small backwoods southern town. There were a lot of intermingling stories going on other than the most notable mystery surrounding the discovery. Many topics brought to light including mother-daughter bonds, first love, evangelical religion, industrial pollution, team sports, mental and physical illness, and purity balls. Lots of social issues to wade through, the biggest of which would be the slut shaming surrounding the town girls (with no regard to the boys of course). The writing was great, the book flowed well and you could get into the minds of the characters and their various plights. What prevented this from a higher rating was the ending. I don't like to place spoilers in my reviews, so it's hard to articulate it, but there were some aspects of the story that were tied up (maybe a bit too neatly), but others that were left wide open. One in particular that I thought should have been answered more fully.

 

I won this book in a contest over at The Book Wheel book blog.Many thanks to Allison and the author for sending it to me!

 

Although I felt the ending was not all that I had hoped it would be, this was an excellent read. I highly recommend it.

 

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Published on 1 Comment on Review: Bettyville

Bettyville

When George Hodgman leaves Manhattan for his hometown of Paris, Missouri, he finds himself—an unlikely caretaker and near-lethal cook—in a head-on collision with his aging mother, Betty, a woman of wit and will. Will George lure her into assisted living? When hell freezes over. He can’t bring Bettyvillehimself to force her from the home both treasure—the place where his father’s voice lingers, the scene of shared jokes, skirmishes, and, behind the dusty antiques, a rarely acknowledged conflict: Betty, who speaks her mind but cannot quite reveal her heart, has never really accepted the fact that her son is gay.

As these two unforgettable characters try to bring their different worlds together, Hodgman reveals the challenges of Betty’s life and his own struggle for self-respect, moving readers from their small town—crumbling but still colorful—to the star-studded corridors of Vanity Fair. Evocative of The End of Your Life Book Club and The Tender Bar, Hodgman’s New York Times bestselling debut is both an indelible portrait of a family and an exquisitely told tale of a prodigal son’s return.

~ Goodreads

My review..........2 stars

If I could describe this book in one word it would be boring. Having said that, this book has some glowing reviews, so I'm feeling like I must have missed something? I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher for review, and quite honestly, that is probably why I stuck with it instead of just moving on. When I read the synopsis, and based on the title, I assumed the book was going to be about Betty. I love books about elderly people (A Man Called Ove, Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Elizabeth is Missing all come to mind), but this was really more about the son than his mother. I did enjoy, and even chuckled over some of the situations involving Betty, but then the book would ramble on (moving back and forth in time), and I would find myself counting how many pages until the end. The writing was fine, it did get a tad confusing when we were going back and forth in time, but I don't really think that was the problem for me. I think I did get what the writer was trying to portray, but it just needed a bit more of Betty, and a bit more spark for me to enjoy it fully.

Sad to say this one just didn't work for me, but don't take my word for it, go look at some of the other reviews before deciding whether to pick this one up. Has anyone else read this? Please share your thoughts if you have, especially if it was a win for you.

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Published on 6 Comments on Review: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Meet the Cooke family. Our narrator is Rosemary Cooke. As a child, she never stopped talking; as a young woman, she has wrapped herself in silence: the silence of intentional forgetting, of protective WeAreAllCompletelyBesideOurselvescover. Something happened, something so awful she has buried it in the recesses of her mind.

Now her adored older brother is a fugitive, wanted by the FBI for domestic terrorism. And her once lively mother is a shell of her former self, her clever and imperious father now a distant, brooding man.

And Fern, Rosemary’s beloved sister, her accomplice in all their childhood mischief? Fern’s is a fate the family, in all their innocence, could never have imagined.

~ Goodreads

My review............3.5 stars

This was a nominee for the Man Booker prize in 2014. I went into this book already knowing what the plot twist was (it was kind of hard to avoid if you read any of the press surrounding it), but this did not hinder my enjoyment of the novel. Great story about the devastating effects on a family when one of the members is gone, and has left under adverse circumstances. It does skip fairly often from the present to the past but I didn't find it hard to follow and it was a necessary part of the plot. My only issue that I had with it was that while I didn't dislike any of the characters, I wasn't really invested in them either. I think if I had related more to them (particularly the main character Rosemary) I would have given it a 4 star. I enjoyed the plot, particularly that it explored something different. The writing was well done, maybe a bit extraneous at times, but overall it hit the mark with the family dynamics and animal activism.

This one is worth a look, I can understand why it was an award nominee. Good story about the effects on a family after a change in the family structure.

4

Published on 4 Comments on Review: Your Perfect Life

Your Perfect Life

Best friends since childhood, Casey and Rachel couldn’t lead more different lives. While workaholic Casey rubs elbows with celebrities daily as the host of Gossip TV and comes home nightly to an empty YourPerfectLifeapartment, stay-at-home mom Rachel juggles an “oops” baby, two fiery teenagers, and a husband who barely seems the man she fell in love with two decades before. After an argument at their twentieth high school reunion, Casey and Rachel throw back shots to get the night back on track. Instead, they get a life-changing hangover.

Waking up in each other’s bodies the next morning, they must figure out how to navigate their altered realities. Rachel is forced to confront the reason she gave up her broadcasting dreams when she got pregnant in college, and Casey finally steps out of the spotlight to face the truth about why she’s alone. And they soon discover that they don’t know themselves—or their best friend—nearly as well as they thought they did.

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke bring humor and heart to every page of this novel that is sure to please fans of In Her Shoes and The Opposite of Me. Your Perfect Life is a story about two very different women, what they didn’t know about each other, and how, by switching lives, they each learn to appreciate their own.

 
~ Goodreads

 

My review...........3.5 stars

 

I fully intended to get to this book last summer by the pool, but "the best laid plans"........you know how it goes 🙂 I did bring it on vacation this spring to a balmy climate, so it still worked out. This book was a really quick, fun, and thoroughly enjoyable read. I love that it is written by two best friends who live across the country from each other (good thing we live in the internet age!). It's cleverly written, you really engage with the characters, and of course can't wait to see how it all plays out. I love that while the premise of the book was for each of them to appreciate what they had in their life, they also manage to create a better life for each other while in their  friend's shoes (literally in their shoes!). They discover how to make the life they are living even more fulfilling. You do need to avoid over analyzing while you are reading, of course it's not remotely possible that people would not catch on if you switched bodies, but just take it with a grain of salt, and you will enjoy. The authors have a new book coming in June that looks just as fun, so I'll be looking for that one.......maybe I'll even read it at the pool this summer!

 

Pick this one up for a light, fun take on "the grass is always greener on the other side".

 

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Published on 4 Comments on Review: The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe

The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Café (Cherry Pie Island #1)

 

When Annie White steps back onto Cherry Pie Island, it’s safe to say her newly inherited Dandelion Café has seen better days! And while her childhood home on the Thames-side island idyll is exactly GrandReopeningDandelionCafethe same retreat from the urban bustle of London she remembers, Annie’s not convinced that Owner of The Dandelion Cafe is a title she’ll be keeping for long. Not that she can bear the idea of letting her dedicated, if endearingly disorganized staff lose their jobs. Plus café life does also have the added bonus of working a stone’s throw away from millionaire Matt and his disarmingly charming smile!

One (shoestring budget) café makeover, a few delightful additions to the somewhat retro menu and a lot of cherry pie tastings later, The Dandelion Café is ready for its grand reopening! But once she’s brought the dilapidated old café back to life, Annie finds herself wishing her stay on the island was just a bit longer. She always intended to go back to the big city…but could island living finally have lured her back home for good?

The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Café is Book 1 in The Cherry Pie Island series. Each part of Cherry Pie Island can be read and enjoyed as a standalone story – or as part of the utterly delightful series

~ Goodreads

My review............4 stars

Sometimes you just want a good chick-lit type book, and this fit the bill very nicely! I have read this author before (The Little Christmas Kitchen), and enjoyed her writing immensely. I remember after reading the first book, that I was craving Greek food, and with this one I was dying for cherry pie.....and I don't even LIKE cherry pie 🙂 Although her books are not really about the food, Oliver has such a way of describing it, and fitting it in to the story, that it just adds to the already captivating plot. Most of what occurs in the book are things you can see coming a mile away, but it's ok because you are rooting for all of them to happen. There is nothing really earth shattering that happens, no world problems are solved, and yet you just can't help but get sucked in by the characters and their daily happenings. It just makes you want to hang out with them, and if Dandelion Cafe were a real place, I'd be going there for certain. I might even try the cherry pie!! I'm definitely looking forward to the next books in the series. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a copy to read and review.

Pick this one up for a quick read (could read it in a few hours), great cast of characters, lovely setting, and did I mention the food descriptions?

 

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Published on 3 Comments on Review: The Secrets Of Midwives

The Secrets of Midwives

 

Three generations of women Secrets in the present and from the pastA captivating tale of life, loss, and love…Neva Bradley, a third-generation midwife, is determined to keep the details surrounding her own pregnancy—including the identity of the baby’s father— hidden from her family and TheSecretsOfMidwivesco-workers for as long as possible. Her mother, Grace, finds it impossible to let this secret rest. The more Grace prods, the tighter Neva holds to her story, and the more the lifelong differences between private, quiet Neva and open, gregarious Grace strain their relationship. For Floss, Neva’s grandmother and a retired midwife, Neva’s situation thrusts her back sixty years in time to a secret that eerily mirrors her granddaughter’s—one which, if revealed, will have life-changing consequences for them all. As Neva’s pregnancy progresses and speculation makes it harder and harder to conceal the truth, Floss wonders if hiding her own truth is ultimately more harmful than telling it. Will these women reveal their secrets and deal with the inevitable consequences? Or are some secrets best kept hidden?
~Goodreads

 

My review...........5 stars

 

This was my first attempt at an audiobook (I know, welcome to the 21st century Donna!). I honestly was not sure if I would be able to keep my mind on the story if I was listening to it, but was this ever a good book to begin with! I knew from the synopsis that this was my kind of read (multi generational saga, midwifery, strong women protagonists, buried secrets), and I'm happy to report that I was not disappointed. What a wonderful story that just sucked me in, I wanted to invite these characters over for dinner. They all had distinct personalities, and everything was not always rosy between mothers and daughters (as we know is the norm), but it was just the right mix of tension and love, doubt and forgiveness, truths and secrets. It was fairly easy to figure out the secrets, but for me, that was not the main focus of the book. The characters were at the heart of the story, and I didn't care that I could predict how it was going to end. I wanted everyone to have a happily ever after because they were my friends!

 

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this audiobook from Traveling with T. Thanks to her, I can now say that I am able to listen to books.....yay! This book was read by Alison Larkin. I don't have experience with audio narrators, but I thought she was fabulous! I adored her accent, and would definitely pick up another book read by her.

 

This is a great read if you like books about women (particularly generations of women), with lovely writing, and great character development. If you are looking for a great mystery (since the word secrets is in the title), you may not be as enamored of this one.