The Life She was Given by Ellen Marie Wiseman

I'm such an idiot! I need to start reading my own blog! Three years ago, I read and wrote about another book by Ellen Wiseman, What She Left Behind. And in my review, I clearly did not care for the writing. So what do I do? I dive into another one of her books expecting that I'll love it. Unfortunately, the author's writing style has become worse, not better!!

The Life She Was Given came with excellent reviews. Some reviewers called it a "beautiful" book. Beauty is not the same for everyone, that's for sure. Yes, there's an interesting-sounding story line. A young girl is kept in an attic by her parents who eventually sell her to the circus. A separate story line starts where a young girl runs away from abusive parents only to return home when her parents die and she inherits their estate. All kinds of unrealistic things happen and, as you'd expect, the two stories merge. However, the writing.......

The author uses a questioning technique that becomes extremely annoying. Things like..... What if the ice storm continues? What if the heat doesn't come on? Will she need to feed the horses? And what if they don't eat? What if the sky falls? And on and on. So irritating. I thought it might just be me, but I did read several other reviews that noticed the same issue.

So I'm done with this author. I just need to remember it and not buy another one of her books. Way too many good books out there to read instead. - June

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

This novel starts with a bang. No, it actually starts with two bangs! And after both of these, I couldn't help but wonder if the whole book was going to be one shocking event after another. I don't know how to write anything here without giving it away, and I would encourage you to read it like I did without any knowledge about the plot at all. But be prepared to be blown away with the first 100 pages.

After things calm a bit, we learn about two sisters, Sam and Charlie, both lawyers, who have a strained relationship. There are secrets and lies and mysteries to figure out. If you're looking for a good thriller, a real "who dunnit", this could be it. It's not my normal read, but I enjoyed it for a change of pace. It gets wonderful reviews and I understand why. - June

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Several years ago, a friend of mine was telling me about her Mother-Daughter Book Club. I was jealous. I wanted a daughter I could share books with and then drag her to meetings with me. And then very recently, several friends and I were talking about how we all had daughters-in-law who have moved to our town within the past few years and who really haven't met many people yet. And a light bulb went off in my head! Let's have a book club with them!! And they agreed to give it a try! So in a few weeks, we're having our first meeting and there will be maybe 16 people there.

We wanted to start out with an easy book, one that can be read quickly and not either intimidate anyone or scare them away. One of the members suggested Wonder, and I think it's an excellent choice. Although it is technically a Young Adult book, it certainly has some adult themes too. And I think it will generate discussion. Plus - a big bonus here - if people just don't have time to read it, they can go see the movie that has just been released.

If you haven't heard of it, Wonder is the story of a young boy starting 5th grade. His face is severely disfigured, and of course he is subject to all the nastiness you can imagine in middle school. However, he is bright and funny, and he has the support and love of his parents and sister. It's a quick read and I think it will be a great way to start our club - and a great way for anyone to start off the year. - June

Coincidence by J. W. Ironmonger

Azalea is found wandering a local fair when she is just three years old. She is adopted, moved to Africa, and then returns to England. Her life includes a series of coincidences and she is determined to figure it all out. Do we have control of our own destiny? Or is everything in our lives predetermined? Are coincidences just things that happen? Or more?

This is also a love story. Azalea finds Tom, a professor who has studied coincidences. Together they talk (and talk and talk) about Azalea's life and all the turns it has taken.

I enjoyed this book and the ideas it presents. And the story of her life in Africa was intriguing.  I do think there were times when the author got bogged down in the debates about fate vs fact, and the author never reveals how he feels about it all. And the ending was not all it could have been. But it was an interesting read. -June

Lies You Wanted to Hear by James Whitfield Thomson

I needed a break after The Sellout. And this novel was the perfect selection. I read it in two days!

After the first few chapters, I thought this might be a little bit of a Chick Lit book. But as I read further and got more into the lives of the characters, I knew it was more than that. The book focuses on a couple, Lucy and Matt, and the chapters alternate between the two characters. When they meet, Matt is instantly in love with Lucy, but she is still drawn to Griffin, a man who recently left her and continues to come into her life when it suits him. The first half of the book simply shows how the relationship between Lucy and Matt develops, and they ultimately marry. Then things start to unravel. I won't give away any more than that. But both characters are flawed and both make mistakes and poor decisions. And there's lots of guilt and shame and blame to go around. And, like the title suggests, they tell lies to each other that they think their partner wants to hear.

Well written and a surprise - this is a debut novel by a man who is 67! I guess there's still hope for us to write that all American novel! - June

The Sellout: A Novel by Paul Beatty

One of the main reasons I belong to a book club is that we try to challenge ourselves by choosing books we normally wouldn't read. I am drawn to contemporary fiction, and yet our club pushes me to try more non-fiction, historical literature, and more. This book is like no other book any of us have ever read.

Sometimes as I read a book, there is a little hand in my head that is giving a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Do I like this book? Is it a good read? Is it well-written? As I read The Sellout, I would think, "This is weird!" or "This is the funniest thing I've ever read!" or "I hate this book. How much longer is it?" I was all over the place.

The book is satire. If you read it, do not expect your typical novel. It is all about race, and the plot (what there is of a plot) seems almost a minor part of the book. The bulk of the book consists of short vignettes that, for me, were amazingly creative and often hysterical. And the characters are a 10 on the quirkiness scale.

At my book club, two of the 5 members attending had read the book. Three started it, hated it, and quit. And one member didn't show up. I assume she had no interest in discussing it. And yet I recommend trying it. After all, it is the first book by an American author to win the Man Booker Prize! It can't be all bad, right? - June

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

I procrastinated in reading this book for two reasons. First, who wants to read a book about a man who lives his life in a hotel in Russia? And second, everyone (and I mean everyone) was raving about this book and I was afraid that my expectations would be too high and I'd be disappointed. So I was an idiot. This is a beautiful book and well worth the praise. And the writing..... is simply divine. It took me a long time to read it because I kept rereading paragraphs that were so wonderful! Here's a few of my favorites.

In describing how the Count had trouble sleeping due to problems on his mind:

Like in a reel in which the dancers form two rows, so that one of their number can come skipping brightly down the aisle, a concern of the Count's would present itself for his consideration, bow with a flourish, and then take its place at the end of the line so that the next concern could come dancing to the fore.

When writing about dining in a restaurant:

Surely, the span of time between the placing of an order and the arrival of appetizers is one of the most perilous in all human interaction. What young lovers have not found themselves at this juncture in a silence so sudden, so seemingly insurmountable that it threatens to cast doubt upon their chemistry as a couple? What husband and wife have not found themselves suddenly unnerved by the fear that they might not ever have something urgent, impassioned, or surprising to say to each other again? So it is with good reason that most of us meet this dangerous interstice with a sense of foreboding.

The characters are all unique and charming, especially the Count. And while I admit to knowing very little about Russian history, I found the setting and the time to be fascinating. This truly is truly a special book. Put aside what you're reading now and get this one! Very highly recommend!! -June

Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

Note: This book was originally released with the title "The Book of Negroes".

Someone Knows My Name is the story of Aminita, a fictional character, who lived in the 1700's and was born in Africa. When she's 11, she is abducted and taken by ship to Charleston where she is sold as a slave. She is bright and desperately wants to be free to return to Africa. The book follows her as she falls in love, becomes a mother, endures the constant mistreatment of white people, and travels to other countries as she attempts to return home.

This is a long book and not always easy to read. But I never knew about the slaves in New York City during the Revolutionary War and their role during that time. And I didn't know that many were shipped to Nova Scotia and what happened to them there. I found it all to be fascinating.

Highly recommend this one. -June

Ask Him Why by Catherine Ryan Hyde

I think this must have been a BookBub selection, and for the price, it was a great read. This novel is by the same author as Pay It Forward, which I confess I never read but did like the theme of the movie. Ask Him Why is another novel where there are multiple narrators, and so you are brought into the minds of two of the central characters: Ruth and her brother, Aubrey. The story starts when they are kids and their older brother Joseph returns from Iraq after only serving for a few short months. Why he has come home and what happens after that is the basis of the book.

The characters are very well developed and the writing is good. I recommend the book with just one small caveat. When friends and business associates of the family discover why Joseph is home, they shun the entire family. I just don't know if this is realistic. Do we really judge and blame an entire family for the supposed actions of one member? But otherwise, I did like knowing the characters and reading the book. -June

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

This book has it all! Passionate love affairs, AIDS, abortion, child pornography, concentration camps, aging, homosexuality, interracial relationships, euthanasia, Down Syndrome, internment camps, and dead family members showing up years later! And everyone has a secret. Members of my book club imagined that the author had a checklist of all of these topics and simply checked them off as she assigned characters to each one.

So does the book work with all of this stuff going on? Yeah, kind of. The author utilizes an interesting writing technique in regards to time. Unlike some writers who jump back and forth in time, Allende is all over the place moving from time to time, backward and forward, and sometimes making the reader's head spin. She also refers to something that happened to a character in the past but she doesn't explain that fact until later in the book. She also does a lot of branching. She will start a chapter with the idea that she is going to tell a certain part of the story, but then somehow she dives into a totally unrelated tale that has nothing to do with the first story.

Yes somehow it all kept me reading. I liked it. Didn't love it, but certainly thought it was a decent read. - June

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

Oh no! Not another World War II book! Just when you thought there wasn't another angle to the story, along comes a book that finds one.

The women in the castle are three German women, all mothers, who married men who resisted the Nazi's. One of the women, Marianne, has promised that she will look out for the other women in the event something happens to the husbands. After all the men are murdered during an attempt to kill Hitler, she brings the women into her castle where they live together and create relationships.

Well written and great character development. Definitely recommend this one. -June

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a book reading by Ann Patchett. She was very entertaining, smart, and very down-to-earth. I've always loved her books and she has moved to the top of my Favorite Authors list. After hearing she had a new book out, I knew it was only a matter of time before I'd read it. And Commonwealth is quite the read.

This is a book best read in a short period of time. I'm not saying you have to devour it in a weekend, but it's not the kind of book you can pick up and put down over several months. The reason for this is that there are lots of characters with a variety of different relationships.... plus the book takes place over many years and the stories jump around within that time frame. Basically, the novel is about two families, each with multiple young children, who merge when the father of one family marries the wife from the other family. All the children develop relationships as they grow up together, and the book follows them all into middle age. Each chapter jumps you into the life of one of the other family members so it sometimes gets confusing, but persistence pays off. Excellent writing and character development. Highly recommend this one. -June