Charmaine and Stan are running low on options. They have been living in their car and surviving off the tips Charmaine makes as as bartender. When they hear about the town of Consilience, it seems like it could be a literal life saver. The community has a lot of strict rules though. The couple will live in relative luxury for a month at a time. But then, every other month, they switch and they will become voluntary inmates in the local prison. Another couple will live in their home, go to work, and live their normal lives. Despite Stan's brother warning them not to go, they decide it is the best choice. For a few months, everything is fine. But then Charmaine and Stan both start wondering about the alternates who live in their house when they are gone. Their hypothetical and actual affairs will have irrevocable consequences for the couple, their alternates, and the whole community.
Margaret Atwood is Margaret Atwood, right? A new story from her brain is always reason to rejoice and she can write a bizarre and scary future like few other writers. That being said, this wasn't my favorite of her books and I think a big part of that had to do with our main characters. There are times when authors choose to make characters types in order to make a point. Every time I thought Atwood had written caricatures, something happened to make me think they were actually supposed to be well-developed characters who happened to fall short of that. As we read this story, we are supposed to be rooting for Charmaine and Stan to end up together, in spite of everything that happens to them and everything they do to each other. But I think many readers will actually be hoping that they just go their separate ways - they are so cruel and thoughtless to each other.
The setup of the town itself is fascinating and I loved finding out the little details. The town is divided in half and each side takes a month in either the town or the prison. Each person has a job in each location and a locker in their home to store their clothing and personal items when their alternates live there. I loved the little details, like the music and television choices that were available to the residents and the day-to-day minutiae of their lives.
Because this is a book by Atwood, there are big themes to ponder here about love, sex, power, and commerce. But The Heart Goes Last intertwines those ideas with a sort of campy bad romance about a couple who has no idea what their spouse wants. Neither seems to care too much to find out, which makes it difficult for readers to care either.
The Heart Goes Last
By Margaret Atwood
Nan A. Talese September 2015
320 pages
Read via Netgalley
Friday, October 30, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Mini-reviews: All We Have Is Now and A Window Opens
Today is the last day. Tomorrow an asteroid will strike the Earth and America will likely be decimated. Emerson and Vince have been living on the streets. The two teens think about ending it before an asteroid can do it for them, but then they meet Carl. He has been spending the past few days granting people's wishes. Emerson and Vince take up his mission and go through the city helping people to have a few last minutes of happiness. But will they be brave enough to grant their own deepest wishes?
This book unfortunately fell pretty flat for me. I'm not sure if it is because I just finished another book about the world ending. I never really found myself caring for Emerson and Vince. Strangely enough, I was much more invested in Carl as he thought to help other people in humanity's last moments while trying to get back to his loved ones. The author chose to intersperse the chapters with poems without ever discussing any of the character's love for or habit of writing poetry. I also really hated the ending. I'm not going to give it away, but it really did not work for me. I didn't love this book, but it might work for you if you are looking for a quick YA read about what we would do on our last day on Earth.
All We Have Is Now
By Lisa Schroeder
Scholastic July 2015
272 pages
From the library
Alice Pearse works part-time at a magazine and spends the rest of her days caring for her children. When her husband decides to leave the safety of his job and start his own law firm, Alice needs to make a change too. She is offered a job at a hip new start-up and can't say no. Scroll is a company that will open reading lounges that offer high-end snacks and high-end books. While she manages to balance a new career and her family for a while, things quickly start to fall apart. Alice's husband's law firm doesn't take off right away, her father becomes ill, and their long-time babysitter is thinking of moving to bigger and better things. How can Alice find time for a job and loved ones who need increasingly more of her time and attention?
Stories about moms trying to balance a professional and home life are nothing new, since we all struggle at times to do it in real life. It was easy to relate to Alice's excitement about getting to work for a new company that seemed to love literature as much as she did. But I was sometimes confused about how much she knew - at times, she is portrayed as a clueless woman expecting to work with a typewriter but in other moments, she navigates her smartphone with ease. I also had trouble wrapping my mind around some important plot points at her new job that just never made sense. Alice is an everywoman and she is certainly relatable. While I don't think A Window Opens does anything revelatory, it is nice to see your inner debate over how much time you give to your career and how much you give to your family play out on the page.
A Window Opens
By Elisabeth Egan
Simon and Schuster August 2015
384 pages
Read via Netgalley
This book unfortunately fell pretty flat for me. I'm not sure if it is because I just finished another book about the world ending. I never really found myself caring for Emerson and Vince. Strangely enough, I was much more invested in Carl as he thought to help other people in humanity's last moments while trying to get back to his loved ones. The author chose to intersperse the chapters with poems without ever discussing any of the character's love for or habit of writing poetry. I also really hated the ending. I'm not going to give it away, but it really did not work for me. I didn't love this book, but it might work for you if you are looking for a quick YA read about what we would do on our last day on Earth.
All We Have Is Now
By Lisa Schroeder
Scholastic July 2015
272 pages
From the library
Alice Pearse works part-time at a magazine and spends the rest of her days caring for her children. When her husband decides to leave the safety of his job and start his own law firm, Alice needs to make a change too. She is offered a job at a hip new start-up and can't say no. Scroll is a company that will open reading lounges that offer high-end snacks and high-end books. While she manages to balance a new career and her family for a while, things quickly start to fall apart. Alice's husband's law firm doesn't take off right away, her father becomes ill, and their long-time babysitter is thinking of moving to bigger and better things. How can Alice find time for a job and loved ones who need increasingly more of her time and attention?
Stories about moms trying to balance a professional and home life are nothing new, since we all struggle at times to do it in real life. It was easy to relate to Alice's excitement about getting to work for a new company that seemed to love literature as much as she did. But I was sometimes confused about how much she knew - at times, she is portrayed as a clueless woman expecting to work with a typewriter but in other moments, she navigates her smartphone with ease. I also had trouble wrapping my mind around some important plot points at her new job that just never made sense. Alice is an everywoman and she is certainly relatable. While I don't think A Window Opens does anything revelatory, it is nice to see your inner debate over how much time you give to your career and how much you give to your family play out on the page.
A Window Opens
By Elisabeth Egan
Simon and Schuster August 2015
384 pages
Read via Netgalley
Sunday, October 25, 2015
It's Monday and I think I am coming out of a slump
Hi friends. How are things going?
I've been feeling so lethargic this week. I didn't really want to do anything. I got home from church today, put little girl down for her nap, and ended up taking one myself. I don't know why, but I woke up feeling so much better. I made a delicious dinner tonight, got the dishwasher running, did some reading, and now I'm watching tv while blogging. I finally feel motivated again and I'm hoping this feeling sticks around.
This week, I read Geraldine Brooks' newest novel, The Secret Chord. While this wasn't my favorite of her books, a new story by Brooks is always a reason to be happy. Today I'm finishing up The Gift of Failure and sneaking in St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves as one final Readers Imbibing Peril (RIP) read.
On the blog this week, I talked about Ann Patchett's Truth and Beauty and picked some companion books to read alongside it. I also played along with the newest edition of Top Ten Tuesday, where we discussed what wishes we would ask a book genie to grant.
Next up in my to-be-read pile are We Never Asked for Wings and Sweet Tooth.
What are you reading this week?
I've been feeling so lethargic this week. I didn't really want to do anything. I got home from church today, put little girl down for her nap, and ended up taking one myself. I don't know why, but I woke up feeling so much better. I made a delicious dinner tonight, got the dishwasher running, did some reading, and now I'm watching tv while blogging. I finally feel motivated again and I'm hoping this feeling sticks around.
This week, I read Geraldine Brooks' newest novel, The Secret Chord. While this wasn't my favorite of her books, a new story by Brooks is always a reason to be happy. Today I'm finishing up The Gift of Failure and sneaking in St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves as one final Readers Imbibing Peril (RIP) read.
On the blog this week, I talked about Ann Patchett's Truth and Beauty and picked some companion books to read alongside it. I also played along with the newest edition of Top Ten Tuesday, where we discussed what wishes we would ask a book genie to grant.
Next up in my to-be-read pile are We Never Asked for Wings and Sweet Tooth.
What are you reading this week?
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Four Books to read with Truth and Beauty
In Truth and Beauty, Ann Patchett writes about her relationship with fellow writer Lucy Grealy. I loved how Patchett presented a really honest picture of their friendship. It's tempting to portray ourselves and the ones we love best as always kind and always good. But that's not the case. We all make selfish decisions. We all hurt each other sometimes. Ann writes about not really wanting to be roommates with Lucy at the beginning of their relationships and she recalls the times when Lucy was less than kind or considerate to her.
Truth and Beauty is a great book to read as readers think about what makes a good friendship and the marks that our relationships leave on our lives. And of course Patchett is an incredible writer, so it is a pleasure to read each and every page.It was especially interesting to see how Patchett (unsurprisingly) talks about many other books and authors. This would be a great choice to read in tandem with some other books. Here are my picks for Truth and Beauty companion reads!
1. Bel Canto is probably Ann Patchett's most beloved novel and it is also the book that catapulted her to literary stardom. The novel is about a group of terrorists takes a birthday party of dignitaries as hostages. It is beautifully written and will make readers reflect on the connections we make in unexpected situations.
2. Autobiography of a Face is Grealy's memoir about her many surgeries and living with a face that didn't look like everyone else's. She writes candidly about the advantage of getting special treatment but the pain of being ostracized and wanting to look like and be like the people around her.
3. Elizabeth McCracken was a colleague and friend of both Ann and Lucy. I've always heard great things about short stories, but now I am determined to finally read some. I love finding all of the connections among writers!
4. MFA vs. NYC explores the benefits of having an MFA and those of just writing without the constraints of a degree program. There are long stretches of Truth and Beauty where Patchett remembers the stress of handing in work for classes, finding fellowships, and applying for the scholarships that would allow the two friends to keep writing.
Truth and Beauty is a great book to read as readers think about what makes a good friendship and the marks that our relationships leave on our lives. And of course Patchett is an incredible writer, so it is a pleasure to read each and every page.It was especially interesting to see how Patchett (unsurprisingly) talks about many other books and authors. This would be a great choice to read in tandem with some other books. Here are my picks for Truth and Beauty companion reads!
1. Bel Canto is probably Ann Patchett's most beloved novel and it is also the book that catapulted her to literary stardom. The novel is about a group of terrorists takes a birthday party of dignitaries as hostages. It is beautifully written and will make readers reflect on the connections we make in unexpected situations.
2. Autobiography of a Face is Grealy's memoir about her many surgeries and living with a face that didn't look like everyone else's. She writes candidly about the advantage of getting special treatment but the pain of being ostracized and wanting to look like and be like the people around her.
3. Elizabeth McCracken was a colleague and friend of both Ann and Lucy. I've always heard great things about short stories, but now I am determined to finally read some. I love finding all of the connections among writers!
4. MFA vs. NYC explores the benefits of having an MFA and those of just writing without the constraints of a degree program. There are long stretches of Truth and Beauty where Patchett remembers the stress of handing in work for classes, finding fellowships, and applying for the scholarships that would allow the two friends to keep writing.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Top Ten Tuesday: Wishes for the Book Genie to Grant
1) The ability to remember everything about the books I read without having to go back to my reviews
2) A library that would deliver my books to my house
3) A replicator from Star Trek by my reading chair, so I could have coffee and snacks without having to go to the kitchen
4) A book finder for the library books my little guy seems to keep losing
5) A kindle that is always charged
6) Endless funds to buy more books and bookish stuff
7) New releases every year from my favorite authors
8) A book club in my community with great members, books, wine, and snacks
9) An indie bookstore within walking distance with a great kid's section
10) More time to read (duh!)
What would you wish for?
Sunday, October 18, 2015
It's Monday and we are champions of Readathon
In case you somehow missed it, this weekend was the 24 Hour Readathon. I started at 8 a.m. on Saturday and read until 2 a.m. on Sunday. A few hours later, I got the kids up and going and we headed to church. Afterwards, I crashed on the couch for a few hours and now I'm catching up on everything I let slide during a glorious day of reading!
During the week, I read An Unnecessary Woman. During the Readathon, I read Dumplin', Submerged, Ms. Marvel volume 1, and Tables in the Wilderness.
On the blog last week, I posted reviews of A Monster Calls, and We Should All Be Feminists and An Unnecessary Woman for Diversiverse. You can read all about my time doing the readathon here.
Up this week? I'm psyched to read Geraldine Brook's newest novel The Secret Chord and then I'm following it up with The Gift of Failure.
What are you reading this week?
During the week, I read An Unnecessary Woman. During the Readathon, I read Dumplin', Submerged, Ms. Marvel volume 1, and Tables in the Wilderness.
On the blog last week, I posted reviews of A Monster Calls, and We Should All Be Feminists and An Unnecessary Woman for Diversiverse. You can read all about my time doing the readathon here.
Up this week? I'm psyched to read Geraldine Brook's newest novel The Secret Chord and then I'm following it up with The Gift of Failure.
What are you reading this week?
Saturday, October 17, 2015
24 Hour Readathon Fall 2015: The Second Twelve
Which hour was most daunting for you? Around 11 p.m., I think, which was hour 15 or so for us. The kids were sleeping, the house was quiet, and husband was getting ready to go to bed. It was hard not to give in to the pull of sleepy time!
Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Dumplin' was a great choice this year. I always recommend Saga to readers looking for comics, and Glaciers to people who want that feeling of accomplishment from finishing a short book!
Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? As always, I leave things in the capable hands of our fearless leaders. You guys rock!
What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? Everyone seemed very prepared and ready to run on so many platforms - blogs, twitter, instagram, Goodreads, etc.
How many books did you read? Four
What were the names of the books you read?
Dumplin', Submerged, Ms. Marvel Volume 1, and Tables in the Wilderness
Which book did you enjoy most? I thought spiritual memoir would be a tough genre to tackle for readathon, but I loved Preston Yancey's story of figuring out what he believed and how he learned to have grace for people who believe differently than he does.
Which did you enjoy least? Submerged was pretty much what I expected it to be. I obviously liked it enough to finish it, but I wasn't overwhelmingly in love with it.
If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? If I am reading and cheering, I like to do spurts of reading and then take a break for a half hour or so to cheer. It seems to work - I cheered through my whole team list this year!
How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? As long as there is a readathon, I will be there. Since the April readathon falls around my birthday, I tend to do fewer things. However, I am thinking about trying co-hosting or maybe help with the Goodreads group.
Hour 19
I think I'm calling it for the night, friends. I finished the book I was reading and I have to get up in the morning and get the kiddos (and myself!) out the door to church.
What have I been doing the past few hours, you ask? I watched Doctor Who with the husband, did a little work and a load of laundry, ate dinner and some snacks (including Milano cookies with pretzels), and took advantage of this very cold evening to soak in the tub with a good book.
240 pages; finished!
320 pages; finished!
256 pages; finished!
Hour 14
Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? I just finished Submerged and I'm halfway through Tables in the Wilderness!
2. How many books have you read so far? Two
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Ms. Marvel!
4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? A few: these children who insist on calling me mom; work; Doctor Who. You just roll with the punches. Readathon is fun no matter how many hours you read!
5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? How fast and slow the time goes at the same time!
24 Hour Readathon Fall 2015: The First Twelve
Hour 10 Check-In:
The books:
119 pages read
119 pages read
Food: Husband brought me a turkey club and fries for lunch. I may have snacked on some Pirate's Booty while he cooks dinner. Yum!
Drinks: More water and a second cup of coffee.
Cheering: I think I'm almost all of the way through Team Beech, so I may see if I can take a second trip through everyone's Twitter accounts.
Up next: It's almost dinner time, followed by bedtime for the kiddos. I'm not sure how much reading will get done in the next two hours or so. After that though there will be more reading, perhaps in the tub, and then a break for Doctor Who!
How goes your readathon, friends??
Hour 5 Check-In:
Hello friends! How are your books? And your snacks? Are you still in pajamas? (I totally am. There is no shame in this game.)
Here are my books so far:
375 pages; finished!
Food: A muffin and an apple. I know, it's so healthy and boring so far. The good snacks will come out later!
Drinks: 1 cup coffee, 1 1/2 glasses of water
Cheering: I'm making my way through the Team Beech list and I've cheered for about 30 readers so far.
Up Next: It's time for book #2! I think I'm going to try one of my own books, since I just finished a library book.
Mini-challenge: Cover Escape!
Hour 1
It's time for the opening meme!
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I am reading in the lovely state of NJ, where fall has definitively taken up residence with chilly mornings and changing leaves.
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Oh gosh. I'm excited for Dumplin'. And Ms. Marvel. And Yes Please. Really, all of them!
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? I bought some of those Milano cookies with the pretzel pieces on them. I think they are going to be the snack winner.
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! Why is this always the hardest question? Freelance editor. Book blogger. Wife. Mama to two. Very snarky and until my allergy meds kick in this morning, very sniffly.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? I think I've got it down to a good rhythm. When you have two kiddos, you have to go with the flow to some extent.
Happy readathon, everyone!!
Friday, October 16, 2015
The Post Before Readathon
Tomorrow is the fall Readathon. If you aren't signed up, hop over here first and join in! Then come back, please.
Let's start with the most important thing first - the books! Half the fun of readathon is ridiculously overplanning, with the hope that you will somehow you will read faster than you have ever read in your life, unhampered by family, a need for bathroom breaks, or the stuff of day-to-day life. Here is my ambitious pile of books:
From the library:
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Ms. Marvel, volume 1 by G. Willow Wilson
From my shelves:
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Things Unsaid by Diana Paul
Submerged by Dani Pettrey
Tables in the Wilderness by Preston Yancey
Yes, Please by Amy Poehler
The next important thing is the food. I usually do better with planning and cooking/baking ahead of the Readathon. This time around, things just didn't happen so much. I plan to make a late night Target run tonight and pick up some yummy snacks. Hubby has promised to cook dinner, so we should be all set!
This year, I will be reading and cheering so maybe I will come visit you on twitter!
What are you reading? What snacks will you have? Tell me of all your readathon plans!
Let's start with the most important thing first - the books! Half the fun of readathon is ridiculously overplanning, with the hope that you will somehow you will read faster than you have ever read in your life, unhampered by family, a need for bathroom breaks, or the stuff of day-to-day life. Here is my ambitious pile of books:
From the library:
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Ms. Marvel, volume 1 by G. Willow Wilson
From my shelves:
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Things Unsaid by Diana Paul
Submerged by Dani Pettrey
Tables in the Wilderness by Preston Yancey
Yes, Please by Amy Poehler
The next important thing is the food. I usually do better with planning and cooking/baking ahead of the Readathon. This time around, things just didn't happen so much. I plan to make a late night Target run tonight and pick up some yummy snacks. Hubby has promised to cook dinner, so we should be all set!
This year, I will be reading and cheering so maybe I will come visit you on twitter!
What are you reading? What snacks will you have? Tell me of all your readathon plans!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Mini-Reviews for Diversiverse: We Should All Be Feminists & An Unnecessary Woman
Adichie has a way with words. This is obvious from her wildly popular and much beloved short story collection and novels. In We Should All Be Feminists, she combines her charm with some very persuasive reasoning. She points out the insidious problems of modern sexism, like teaching girls to be likable, apologizing for being too feminine or not feminine enough, and assuming that men are the one with the power, authority, or money.
This is an important read for everyone. Adichie is quick to point out that feminism is beneficial to everyone - allowing people to be who they are is freeing and good for both men and women. She sees a future where we teach our sons and daughters differently, where we can change the culture, and where each person is free to discover how they want to live their life and then pursue it with boldness.
Aaliya Saleh lives alone. But she would be the first to tell you it is by choice. Her marriage didn't work out, she has some issues with her family, and frankly, people are irritating. She is happy to spend her days in the little Beirut paradise she has created, among her beloved books. Aaliyah's life is ordered by her work as a translator. This work is just for her, since she has never published it and really has no desire to do so. In An Unnecessary Woman, readers are taken on a journey through the mind and heart of an elderly woman who will tell you exactly what she thinks of war, her nosy neighbors, and the power of literature.
This is a book for readers who love books and have read a lot of them. Aaliyah will most likely school you with her breadth of knowledge and the range of authors and works who she can quote at a moment's notice. But she uses literature as a shield, as a way to avoid meaningful connection with the people around her. An Unnecessary Woman is a story about both the joy of solitude and the beauty of common ground with others.
This is a quiet story and it is a story that expects you to pay attention and to think while you are reading. Aaliya is a fully realized character and her musings, memories, questions, and declarations combine in a book you are not likely to forget anytime soon.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Review: A Monster Calls
Conor's mother has been sick for a while now. Ever since his classmates started avoiding him, his teachers began pitying him, and his grandmother has been smothering him, he feels incredibly lonely. The only constant in Conor's life is the terrible dream that comes each night. But tonight, the nightmare doesn't end when he wakes up. Instead, a voice calls his name and a monster appears at his bedroom window. The monster promises he will tell him three stories. When he is finished, Conor will have to tell him the truth.
This story was originally conceived by Siobhan Dowd, who died before she could complete the book. Patrick Ness is a master storyteller and A Monster Calls feels very familiar to his readers all the while paying homage to its original creator.
This was a beautiful story but I think I was ultimately hurt by all the hype. I was warned by many readers that I would need to keep a box of tissues handy. While I did find it sad and wanted so badly to reach into the book and help Conor, I didn't find that I needed those tissues after all.
A Monster Calls is a book I want to push into the hands of anyone who is dealing with darkness or grief. Conor is determined to be strong for his mother. He holds in his rage and his sorrow at his mother being ill and refuses to consider any possibility other than his mother getting better. I loved that the monster in this story was not like a modern day horror movie, where a being kills for seemingly no reason. Instead, the monster here is an ancient creature who bring insight to the people he visits. Little by little, the monster uncovers what Conor is truly thinking and feeling and gives him the freedom to express those things.
A Monster Calls is difficult to read because it rings so true. Patrick Ness has written a beautiful story about love, grief, and loss.
This story was originally conceived by Siobhan Dowd, who died before she could complete the book. Patrick Ness is a master storyteller and A Monster Calls feels very familiar to his readers all the while paying homage to its original creator.
This was a beautiful story but I think I was ultimately hurt by all the hype. I was warned by many readers that I would need to keep a box of tissues handy. While I did find it sad and wanted so badly to reach into the book and help Conor, I didn't find that I needed those tissues after all.
A Monster Calls is a book I want to push into the hands of anyone who is dealing with darkness or grief. Conor is determined to be strong for his mother. He holds in his rage and his sorrow at his mother being ill and refuses to consider any possibility other than his mother getting better. I loved that the monster in this story was not like a modern day horror movie, where a being kills for seemingly no reason. Instead, the monster here is an ancient creature who bring insight to the people he visits. Little by little, the monster uncovers what Conor is truly thinking and feeling and gives him the freedom to express those things.
A Monster Calls is difficult to read because it rings so true. Patrick Ness has written a beautiful story about love, grief, and loss.
A Monster Calls
By Patrick Ness
Walker September 2012
237 pages
From my shelves
Book #3 for Readers Imbibing Peril
Sunday, October 11, 2015
It's Monday Again. Time for Books!
Hello my bibliophiles. What is happening in your corner of the world?
BG has been having a tough couple of days - either she is coming down with something, she is growing, or she is pushing out those 2 year old teeth. We've been doing a lot of extra cuddling and a lot of snuggling through tears. But we've had some fun too. My mom came over one day and on Saturday, we attended our town's Harvest Festival and had fun in the bounce house, riding ponies, petting various farm animals, and selling bottles of water with our church to raise money to build a well.
What did I read this week? It took me longer than I hoped to read Margaret Atwood's latest The Heart Goes Last. I did manage to squeeze in We Should All Be Feminists as part of A More Diverse Universe.
I'm currently reading An Unnecessary Woman, also for a More Diverse Universe. Then I really am planning to read Chris Cleave's Gold before the 24 Hour Readathon starts on Saturday! You are readathoning, right? It's so fun and you don't have to read for 24 hours. Feel free to sign up and then read however long you can.
What are you reading this week?
BG has been having a tough couple of days - either she is coming down with something, she is growing, or she is pushing out those 2 year old teeth. We've been doing a lot of extra cuddling and a lot of snuggling through tears. But we've had some fun too. My mom came over one day and on Saturday, we attended our town's Harvest Festival and had fun in the bounce house, riding ponies, petting various farm animals, and selling bottles of water with our church to raise money to build a well.
What did I read this week? It took me longer than I hoped to read Margaret Atwood's latest The Heart Goes Last. I did manage to squeeze in We Should All Be Feminists as part of A More Diverse Universe.
I'm currently reading An Unnecessary Woman, also for a More Diverse Universe. Then I really am planning to read Chris Cleave's Gold before the 24 Hour Readathon starts on Saturday! You are readathoning, right? It's so fun and you don't have to read for 24 hours. Feel free to sign up and then read however long you can.
What are you reading this week?
Friday, October 9, 2015
Review: Bellweather Rhapsody
The statewide music festival is held each year at the Bellweather Hotel. Twins Rabbit and Alice Hatmaker will be attending this year as a basoon player and singer, respectively. Alice sees the festival as the first stop on her way to Broadway. But her time at the Bellweather gets off to a eerie start when her roommate Jill disappears and Alice discovers that their room was home to a bizarre murder-suicide fifteen years ago. As a snowstorm strands everyone at the hotel, Alice and Rabbit will discover that music is more powerful than they imagine and that everyone at the hotel is hiding a secret.
I enjoyed Kate Racculia's earlier book This Must Be The Place, so I thought her newest novel would be perfect for Readers in Peril. It turns out I was absolutely right. The high school musician in me loved reading about the bravado and dreams of the kids in the choir and orchestra and it was spooky enough to keep me turning pages while still letting me sleep at night.
Bellweather Rhapsody is incredibly atmospheric. The Bellweather Hotel used to be glamorous and readers are privy to that through the eyes of Harold Hastings, the long-time hotel concierge. But nowadays the hotel is run-down and creepy, and the ambiance isn't helped by the tragic events of fifteen years ago. As the snow comes down and the character's secrets comes to light, it starts to feel downright claustrophobic for Alice, Rabbit, their chaperones, and Hastings.
Racculia strikes the perfect balance in this book - you can't stop laughing, but you also feel genuine dread that something awful is about to happen to the characters. We are witness to the big dreams of high school kids and the pain of regret experienced daily by their chaperones and the hotel employees. The perspective switches often and it's a testament to Racculia's characters that I found myself intrigued by them all.
The people in this book are perfect examples of the fickle nature of the musical muse and success as musicians. Alice, Rabbit, and all of the other students are dreaming of fabulous careers as world renowned singers and instrumentalists. The adults in the room know better, as they find themselves conducting or teaching high school music instead of playing sold-out concert halls.Perhaps the most present ghost in this whole story is the ghost of what might have been for these musicians searching for a way to make music even when their dreams are over.
This mystery will keep you guessing until the last pages, while also making you think about the importance of music, honesty, and confronting the darkness in our lives.
Bellweather Rhapsody
By Kate Racculia
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt May 2014
340 pages
From the library
Book #2 for Readers in Peril X
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Review: Simply Tuesday
Are you tired of not feeling important enough? Does your everyday life feel too small in a world that pushes you to have big dreams and great goals? Emily Freeman has a few thoughts about that. In Simply Tuesday, she shows readers how we can embrace today's work, how to deal with the inevitability of disappointment, and ways to find contentment in our lives. This book is a balm for the reader who feels like their small life will never be enough.
Throughout Simply Tuesday, Freeman talks about the concept of benches. She writes about her instinct to do more, to help, and to fix things. Instead, she suggests that we need to take the time to sit and take life in. Sitting on a bench with someone is an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation and really listen to another person without having to rush away.
Freeman takes the bench metaphor further to challenge readers to be bench builders. We want to have answers, to know that our work will produce results, that people will respond the way we want them to. But we can only do so much and then we have to wait and see what will happen. We are not in control of the outcome, in our lives or in our work. We build our benches and then wait to see who will come and sit on them.
"As I begin to slow, I see smallness is not a punishment but a gift. Rather than something to fear or run from, my smallness can be a celebration, an invitation for me to lie back on the wide, green earth and let the world spin the sun right up above me. I can breathe a sigh of sweet relief as I realize I had nothing to do with it. The effort is in believing it's true, not in controlling the outcome. I have to remember this. I must."
This is a really good and, dare I say, an important book. This book changed my perspective about everyday life and I can see myself reading it again and again. Simply Tuesday will confirm that you don't have to run the race faster than everyone else. You are already enough as you fold that load of laundry or drive that same commute for the millionth time.
"What if God's intention for the world and me begins here, on my regular Tuesdays? What if we decided to take back Tuesday from the wasteland of to-do lists and give it a prominent place in our walk of faith? What if, instead of thinking we have to choose between our ordinary life and an extraordinary life, we began to realize they're the same thing?"
Throughout Simply Tuesday, Freeman talks about the concept of benches. She writes about her instinct to do more, to help, and to fix things. Instead, she suggests that we need to take the time to sit and take life in. Sitting on a bench with someone is an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation and really listen to another person without having to rush away.
Freeman takes the bench metaphor further to challenge readers to be bench builders. We want to have answers, to know that our work will produce results, that people will respond the way we want them to. But we can only do so much and then we have to wait and see what will happen. We are not in control of the outcome, in our lives or in our work. We build our benches and then wait to see who will come and sit on them.
"As I begin to slow, I see smallness is not a punishment but a gift. Rather than something to fear or run from, my smallness can be a celebration, an invitation for me to lie back on the wide, green earth and let the world spin the sun right up above me. I can breathe a sigh of sweet relief as I realize I had nothing to do with it. The effort is in believing it's true, not in controlling the outcome. I have to remember this. I must."
This is a really good and, dare I say, an important book. This book changed my perspective about everyday life and I can see myself reading it again and again. Simply Tuesday will confirm that you don't have to run the race faster than everyone else. You are already enough as you fold that load of laundry or drive that same commute for the millionth time.
"What if God's intention for the world and me begins here, on my regular Tuesdays? What if we decided to take back Tuesday from the wasteland of to-do lists and give it a prominent place in our walk of faith? What if, instead of thinking we have to choose between our ordinary life and an extraordinary life, we began to realize they're the same thing?"
Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World
By Emily P. Freeman
Fleming H. Revell Company August 2015
256 pages
Received for review from Icon Media Group
Sunday, October 4, 2015
It's Monday and I am a lump on my couch...
Hello, fellow book lovers. How were your weeks?
I am happily sitting here catching up on tv and twitter. This weekend, we attended a wedding which was wonderful, but I'm really not used to wearing high heels for that long! Then on Sunday, we had church and spent the rest of the day with hubby's family. I am that very specific kind of tired that comes from a really good but long couple of days.
Reading-wise, I tackled three books this week. It's some sort of new trend for me. We'll have to see if I can keep it up, but I doubt it...
All We Have Is Now is a YA novel about two teen spending the last day on earth together before an asteroid destroys the planet. It wasn't my favorite but it's a really fast read. Then I finally read Patrick Ness' beautiful A Monster Calls and finished out my week with Fat Girl Walking.
This week, I'm hoping to read Margaret Atwood's new short story collection The Heart Goes Last and Chris Cleave's Gold.
What are you reading this week?
I am happily sitting here catching up on tv and twitter. This weekend, we attended a wedding which was wonderful, but I'm really not used to wearing high heels for that long! Then on Sunday, we had church and spent the rest of the day with hubby's family. I am that very specific kind of tired that comes from a really good but long couple of days.
Reading-wise, I tackled three books this week. It's some sort of new trend for me. We'll have to see if I can keep it up, but I doubt it...
All We Have Is Now is a YA novel about two teen spending the last day on earth together before an asteroid destroys the planet. It wasn't my favorite but it's a really fast read. Then I finally read Patrick Ness' beautiful A Monster Calls and finished out my week with Fat Girl Walking.
This week, I'm hoping to read Margaret Atwood's new short story collection The Heart Goes Last and Chris Cleave's Gold.
What are you reading this week?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)