The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

I love it when a friend recommends a book I haven't heard of, and I always want to like it.  And this one starts off with such promise.  It takes place on a Southern plantation in the late 1700's and early 1800's, and I wanted it to be like The Help where we see the relationships between the slaves and masters.  And for the first quarter of the book, I was pretty hooked.  But then it just started to fall apart and irritate me.  The writing is not good, and the author has the annoying tendency to repeat things over and over as if I didn't catch them the first time.  The book contains every type of tragedy you can imagine: incest, child abuse, rape, murder, spousal abuse..... the list goes on.  And there are all these secrets (who fathered who and such) that some people know but for some reason don't reveal to the other characters.  Anyway, I just got tired of all the drama.  I think the author tried to throw in everything that possibly happened back in those environments into the book, and it was overwhelming.  Sorry, but I don't recommend this one.  -June

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Such a fascinating book!  It takes place in Bombay, and describes the relationship between a wealthy family and their employee, Bhima.  We learn about both Sara and Bhima, their children, their husbands, and how their lives differ and yet are so often the same.  The author does a marvelous job of describing Bhima's living conditions in the slums and the frustrations she endures.  The characters are well developed, and the story line is moving.  I highly recommend this one!  -June

Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan

Poor, sweet Emily.  First of all, I think Stewart O'Nan is an incredible writer.  I loved Last Night at the Lobster, so I was excited to read about Emily.  Perhaps I should have started with the "prequel", Wish You Were Here, but I wasn't aware that it would be smart to read them in order.  Anyway, I enjoyed getting to know Emily and (unfortunately) could relate to some of her concerns and anxieties.  Getting old sucks, and Emily is certainly struggling with the process.  The book is almost written in small short stories, but they all are chronological in Emily's life.  Each one, however, is a little nugget of wisdom about her, and although it was depressing sometimes, I enjoyed the book. - June

Good Things I Wish You by A. Manette Ansay

Where has the time gone?  I read this one a month ago, and it just seems to have slipped my mind.  I guess that's not a ringing endorsement for the book, is it?  I'm always drawn to books that have interesting concepts, and this one does.  Two separate stories - one in the present and one in the past.  The main character in the present story is writing a book about the characters in the past, Clara Schumann (wife of Robert Schumann) and Johannes Brahms.  Although I found the writing to be excellent, I never was really drawn to any of the characters.  And while their relationships were interesting, I found myself uncaring.  So I'd only recommend this one if you're interested in the lives of either Schumann or Brahms.  -June

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Why is it that when you finally read a book that all your friends have read and raved about, you often are disappointed?  I couldn't wait to read this book based on all the wonderful reviews I'd heard, and while I enjoyed it, the book will not stand out as one of my all-time favs.  Perhaps one of the reasons is this..... when I read fiction that is about people who actually lived, I can't help but continue to ask myself, "Did this really happen?  Did she really think that way?  Did he say those words?"  I know the author made up the scenes and just used Hemingway and Hadley in them, but how much is based on truth?  I'm sure there was research involved, but some of the scenes and thoughts are so intimate..... well, I just keep wondering what's truth and what's fiction.  Another friend has recommended I read some of Hemingway's works and some of my questions will be answered.  So many books to read!  My list continues to grow.  -June

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

First of all, this is not a baseball book. Yes, there are several chapters that describe a game, an inning, an event that took place during a game. But this is so much more than that. It's about relationships at a small college in Wisconsin, and many of the characters just happen to be on the baseball team. I loved the writing - very descriptive - and I can see the movie being made soon. And although all the characters were flawed, they were completely lovable - and I loved them all. I highly recommend this book. -June

11/23/63 by Stephen King

It's been years since I've read a Stephen King novel, and I probably would have pushed this one away if I hadn't read and heard several good reviews. The novel is massive (over 800 pages) and I couldn't imagine that it could hold my interest without losing me somewhere in the middle. But it kept me reading. It's obvious that Stephen did his research. The book is loaded with information about the Kennedy assassination and Lee Oswald. Plus there are a variety of characters woven into the plot that are interesting and likeable. Yes, there were a few times that I wanted to shout "get on with it" - but I still highly recommend it. -June

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

This is a book club choice that will definitely spark some conversation. It takes place in the future, and it starts with a woman who's skin has been turned red because she has committed a crime..... having an abortion. People have of course compared it to The Scarlet Letter. There are many references to futuristic technology which are very creative - and probably realistic. And the whole concept of treating "criminals" by changing the color of their skin instead of putting them in prison is certainly a creative idea. I just love it when an author really gets you thinking about a concept like this one. The book certainly has some religious and political tones so it might not be for everyone. And the ending gets a little bizarre. But I loved reading it, and I highly recommend it. -June

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones

This was one of those books that kept popping up as a recommendation for me on Amazon. So when I saw it at the library, I grabbed it. It's a pretty quick read, and although I thought it was well written, I don't think I'll run back and pick up all the other books by the author. It's basically the story of two mothers and their daughters living in Atlanta in the 60's. Both mothers are married to the same man. One mother and daughter live their lives as part of a "normal" family with the father. The other mother and daughter are secrets, and although they know about the other family, they are not a part of their lives. The first half of the book is written from the secret daughter's point of view, and the second half from the other daughter. Of course, the characters are bound to meet, and the results are disastrous for everyone. The only character that is really difficult to figure out is the father who seems like a decent man some of the time but who doesn't understand the hurt he's caused to so many people. Recommend this one but with some reservations. - June

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

This is a well-reviewed first novel by the author, and I read it for my book club. It will be an interesting discussion since several members of my club work with children's services and family therapy. In the Language of Flowers we meet a main character, Victoria, who is just leaving the foster home program as she turns 18. We learn about her troubling past, and we can see how it has molded her into someone who has major issues with forming relationships. I thought that this part of the book was fascinating even though there were times when I wanted to reach into the book and smack her. The other interesting part of the book is the information on flowers and how they can be used to communicate emotions. The first half of the book is wonderful. There are many holes in the second half, and while it still is enjoyable to read, it becomes a bit frustrating. Even the ending leaves some unanswered questions. I think the author felt that the happy ending was complete, but there were still people Victoria dumped along the way who were truly good to her. If we are supposed to feel that Victoria has changed..... well, she still has a really long way to good. But I still recommend the book. -June

Skippy Dies by Paul Murray

This novel has it all - suspense, drugs, sex, humor, amazing characters, and more. The book takes place over the course of about six months in a boy's Catholic school in Ireland. And yes, Skippy does die in the first chapter. It's a long book and it's intense, but it's worth it. There were some parts that I admit were strange enough for me to just skim over (scientific stuff and video game stream-of-consciousness writing) but I loved how you really understand where each character comes from. But my favorite parts of the books were little nuggets of philosophy the author throws in that tie into the book - but are not really a part of the plot. Here's an example:

You know, you spend your childhood watching TV, assuming that at some point in the future everything you see there will one day happen to you: that you too will win a Formula One race, hop a train, foil a group of terrorists, tell someone "Give me a gun", etc. Then you start secondary school, and suddenly everyone's asking you about your career plans and your long-term goals, and by goals they don't mean the kind you are planning to score in the FA Cup. Gradually the awful truth dawns on you: that Santa Clause was just the tip of the iceberg - that your future will not be the rollercoaster ride you'd imagined, that the world occupied by your parents, the world of washing the dishes, going to the dentist, weekend trips to the DIY superstore to buy floor-tiles, is actually largely what people mean when they speak of "life". Now, with every day that passes, another door seems to close, the one marked PROFESSIONAL STUNTMAN, or FIGHT EVIL ROBOT, until as the weeks go by and the doors - GET BITTEN BY A SNAKE, SAVE WORLD FROM ASTEROID, DISMANTLE BOMB WITH SECONDS TO SPARE - keep closing, you begin to hear the sound as a good thing, and start closing some yourself, even the ones that didn't necessarily need to be closed.

Each time I'd run across one of these, I marveled at the creativity and talent it took to put those thoughts together. Anyway, loved the book but not for the squeamish. -June

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

I need to get back to current fiction! After reading two classics, I'm ready for a change. The Age of Innocence was a book club selection, and I guess it was "good for me".... kind of like exercising when I really don't want to. Yes, the characters are well developed and the writing is good. But I struggled to find one character I liked! And the ending.... well, I just didn't understand why the main character did what he did!! I wanted to reach into the book and shake him. The book was made into a movie, and I'm planning to rent it to see what I think of that. I hope they changed the ending. -June