Mini-reviews: Sweet Tooth and Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders

Serena Frome graduates from Cambridge and is recruited by MI5. It's 1972 and the intelligence agency hopes to manipulate British culture by giving a grant to writers who will write a certain way. Her first assignment is to get close to a young author named Thomas Haley. She is meant to offer him a fellowship. He agrees, and so begins Operation Sweet Tooth. Before long, Serena and Thomas become romantically involved and it's only a matter of time before Thomas discovers her ulterior motives or Serena's bosses find out she is involved with him.

Sweet Tooth is not particularly long, but it moves slowly. For a book about spies, there is very little action. Instead, the book is an exercise in literary contemplation. Serena and other characters ponder the point of writing and how it can both inspire and damage. In order to enjoy this story (and I'm not sure all readers will), you have to be willing to re-examine what you think about the role of story and the importance of honesty from your author and characters. Reading Sweet Tooth occasionally feels like listening to a really smug professor as he points out all of the connections you missed and glories in being much smarter than you. There is no doubt that McEwan is an incredibly talented writer. But in this book, I wish it felt more like he was giving you a friendly, conspiratorial wink instead of showing off his brain and his writing.

Sweet Tooth
By Ian McEwan
Anchor July 2013
400 pages
From my shelves

Harriet Wolf was a widely renowned writer. Her stories told the story of the enduring romance between an unforgettable couple. But her own life didn't always have a happy ending. Her relationship with her daughter Eleanor was full of turmoil and she spent much of her granddaughters' lives bedridden. When Eleanor ends up in the hospital, her granddaughter Tilton wonders if it is finally time to reveal Harriet's last secret. Maybe bringing the truth to light will bring her sister Ruth home again and perhaps it can even bring peace to their fractured family.

The story moves in multiple narratives and timelines, as we follow Ruth and Tilton in the present while learning about the histories of their mother and grandmother. It reminded me of The Thirteenth Tale, which is one of my all-time favorite novels. I also felt a definitive Alice Hoffman vibe in places. But I wanted to like this book more than I did. I kept waiting to really connect with the characters and their story, but it never happened for me.


Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders
By Julianna Baggott
Little, Brown, and Company August 2015
352 pages
From the library

It's Monday and Christmas is coming soon!

Hey friends! It's t-minus 12 days until Christmas and this week has been about trying to get ready. I got the Christmas cards sent out and we finished most of our shopping. Phew! Now we just have to do all the wrapping, keep rehearsing for the Christmas Eve worship service, and plan Christmas dinner for 20 people or so...

This week I read Things Unsaid, which is about adult children trying to help their elderly parents while also juggling their own careers and families. Anthony Marra's The Tsar of Love and Techno was also in my reading pile this week. In case you were worried, I am here to tell you that Marra's linked short stories are just as beautiful and heartbreaking as his novel A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.

                

I'm about halfway through Stewart O'Nan's Emily, Alone. Next up is Sounds Like Me by Sara Bareilles, who is one of my favorite singer/songwriters.

                

What are you reading this week?

A Month of Faves: Five New to Me Authors

I'm linking up with Tanya at Girl xoxo, Andi at Estella's Revenge, and T at Traveling with T to participate in A Month of Faves. Today, we are talking about the authors we read and loved for the first time in 2015. Here are my picks!
 
Nadiz Bolz-Weber
Book I read: Accidental Saints
Looking forward to reading: Pastrix

Karen Russell
Book I read: Vampires in the Lemon Grove
Looking forward to reading: Swamplandia!

Jami Attenberg
Book I read: Saint Mazie
Looking forward to reading: The Middlesteins

           

Nadia Hashimi
Book I read: When The Moon Is Low
Looking forward to reading: The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

Lucy Knisley
Book I read: Relish
Looking forward to reading: An Age of License


What wonderful authors did you read for the first time this year?

Readathon Mini-Reviews: Ms. Marvel and Submerged

Kamala Kahn is living a normal kind of teen life - she navigates her friendships, tries to get all of her schoolwork done, and bristles under the stern rules of her parents. One night, she sneaks out to a party and has an encounter with a strange mist. Suddenly, she is super strong, super stretchy, and can heal herself when injured. Kamala embarks on some amazing adventures, meets a longtime hero, and tries to make it home before curfew.

I was really glad to meet Kamala and I'm thrilled that kids (and adults) have a superhero to admire who is both female and Muslim. Wilson checks a lot of reader's boxes with a heroine who is both plucky and unsure of herself, a lot of references to and visits from other Marvel characters, and plenty of adventures to keep the reader and Kamala on their toes. I enjoyed reading this, but I don't feel the immediate need to run out and get the next one. The balance between superhero action and insight into Kamala and her friends and family just didn't work for me as well as I had hoped. 

Ms. Marvel, Volume 1, No Normal
By G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
Marvel October 2014
120 pages
From the library

Bailey vowed she would never return to her hometown of Yancey, Alaska. But when a beloved relative passes away, she has to go back for the funeral. The stay becomes even longer when evidence suggests that the plane crash was not accidental. Cole was one of the divers who dove to recover the wreck. He is surprised when Bailey returns to town. She broke his heart when she left town and never looked back. Can the two solve the mystery and repair the broken relationship between them?

This is one of those mysteries with romance that makes for a good read in a day or during one weekend. But a few weeks later, I'm having trouble remembering exactly what happened. I know that my reading preferences are not the same as everyone else. If you like clean romantic suspense with interesting locations and a dash of history thrown in, this might be the book for you! Submerged is the first book in a series of related books that follow Bailey, Cole, and their family members and friends in Alaska.

Submerged
By Dani Pettrey
Bethany House Publishers May 2012
313 pages
From my shelves

It's Monday and we have had a birthday!

A certain little boy who lives around here turned eight on Friday. We celebrated by having some friends sleep over on Friday, and then celebrating with the family on Saturday (Pokemon-style).

Sunday was all about taking it easy and recuperating before the start of another week. There was a lot of reading for everyone, a little time with the ipad, and then the kids got out the markers and worked on making their own books for a while. 

You want to know about books, you say? Alrighty then. Accidental Saints was wonderful. I get all the Nadia Bolz-Weber love now. I suspect that book, as well as her previous book Pastrix, will be finding a home on my shelves soon. Also, I finally finished reading Bonhoeffer! It's a great biography and I think Metaxas does a really good job of presenting a man who was determined to do good and a nation torn between several bad choices.

                     

This week, I'm back to fiction. I plan to tackle Things Unsaid and the new Anthony Marra story collection The Tsar of Love and Techno. 

              

What are you reading this week?

November Wrap-Up/What I'm Into

What is going on with November? I feel like it's just an awkward few weeks between October and Advent. There is not much to report from this month. D had lots of days off from school. We celebrated Thanksgiving with a multi-faith community service the Sunday before, and then we had dinner at my parent's church with the family and other families from their congregation.

Now it's onward to a certain little boy's birthday and all of the excitement of Christmas! 

Watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade

What I Read/Reviewed:  I only reviewed five books this month. Yikes. I think I'm reading at about the same pace, but the time (or desire) to sit down and write those reviews is just not happening.

Thanks to Nonfiction November, I read three nonfiction titles and two novels. Two books were for review, one was from the library, and two were from my own bookshelves.

                

                                        The Crescent Spy    Out of Sorts   Dumplin'
                                     Tables in the Wilderness   Between You And Me 

Favorite posts from this month:The little girl and I tried our hands at being music reviewers when we wrote about Laurie Berkner's new album for kids. I had a lot of fun with Nonfiction November, talking about fiction/nonfiction book pairings and my experiences with nonfiction so far this year.

What I'm watching:
The husband and I finished watching Parks and Rec and most of our regular shows are on winter hiatus. We watched Jessica Jones along with everyone else. It was great, but I probably need a comedy chaser after that one!

I don't know what we will end up watching over the tv wasteland of December and January. Perhaps a rewatch of The West Wing or Fringe?

                      
          

What I've been listening to:

Have you heard the concept album of Sara Bareilles' Waitress? It's wonderful. I hope I will be able to see the show when it comes to Broadway next year.

                                    

What I've been cooking and baking:

Oat and Wheat Sandwich Bread (Smitten Kitchen): I've been baking my own bread for the past few months. I like knowing exactly what is in our bread, and my kids eat cream cheese sandwiches like they are going out of style. I recently switched to this recipe and the consensus is that it is a keeper!

                            

 Steak, Spinach, and Mushrooms Crepes (Half Baked Harvest)
So perhaps you and your husband happen to have a weekday off on the same day and, when your toddler sleeps, you make yourself a fancy lunch. This would be that lunch. And yes, it is just as delicious as it looks.

                                             

Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas (Budget Bytes): I know, I know. You have made quesadillas a million times. But I have to tell you guys that you have been missing out - your quesadillas need pineapple. Get to it.

                                       

What we love this month:

1) I've mentioned before that the little girl and I have an hour-long commute twice a week. Snacks are a must-have! We are especially fond of applesauce pouches from GoGo Squeez or Charlie and Alice and Nature's Valley Soft Baked Oatmeal bars. A toddler who is no longer hungry is a toddler who is much happier!

2)The other thing that has made the long drives a little easier is the Winnie The Pooh audiobook. The stories themselves are ones I have read to the kids many times, but the narration on this edition is wonderful. You can't get much better than Judi Dench and Stephen Fry as narrators and each character is voiced by a different actor.

Review: The Secret Chord

He is one of the most beloved men in the Bible. He is the boy who slew the giant, the king who danced before God, and the man who grieved for his sins and the loss of his son. David, the King of Israel, was both revered by his people and reviled by the people whose kingdoms he conquered. When David asks the prophet Natan to compile a history of his life, he discovers hidden chapters as well as triumphs and tragedies he could never have anticipated. David is desperate to be known not just as a name, not just as king, but as a whole man who had successes and failures.

Natan and David share a special bond. David spared Natan after he took revenge on his family and instead took him in as a part of his entourage. He soon discovers that Natan hears directly from God, who has quite a few things to say to David about his life and the future of his kingdom. Natan knows David as few other people do, but he is still surprised by the brutal choices he makes to hold his kingdom and his reign together. He is a bold leader, but he can also be terribly selfish and the power and glory of being a king goes to his head all too often.

In one important scene, David dances before the holy Ark of the temple. That joy is not often to be found in the pages of The Secret Chord. As witnesses to David's life, we are too late to witness the moment of triumph when he is crowned king and we do not see the joy of meeting his children or the happy private moments with any of the women he loved. This is a dark book, full of battles, deception, and pain felt by David, Natan, and pretty much every other character to appear in this story. The continuous feeling of darkness can make it a difficult book to read in some sections and without the levity and joy, it can be hard for the reader to believe they should care for this hardened and stone-faced king.

Geraldine Brooks is a very gifted historical fiction writer and she is unafraid to tackle any topic, era, or person. At this point, her books have been about the plague, Louisa May Alcott's famous March family, and the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. While this is not my favorite of her novels, I admire her love for history and her ability to take moments and people out of the archives and bring them to fascinating and nuanced life.


The Secret Chord
By Geraldine Brooks
Viking October 2015
302 pages
Read via Netgalley