Lottery by Patricia Wood

I'm in a it of a rut. After reading Room, I started in on David Copperfield. When I needed a break from that, I read Lottery. All of these have narrators who are children (or child-like) and there are definite similarities in the tone. So I need to read something else to break our of this pattern. That said, I enjoyed Lottery very much. Perry is such a likeable character, and although he is "slow", he sees the truth and is somehow wise and lovable. I've heard him compared to Forest Gump, and I see the similarities. Perry has some wonderful friends and some nasty relatives, and all of them show their true colors when Perry wins the lottery. While the ending is a bit of a fairy tell ending, the book is still a great read. -June

Room by Emma Donoghue

A haunting book. When I put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it and felt I had to finish it. BT recommended this one (along with several other friends) so I suggested it for a book club selection. I've already heard that a couple of members didn't like it, so it will certainly make an interesting discussion. While there were times in the book I just wanted it to move a bit faster, overall I thought it was a great read. I'm always impressed with the creativity an author has who writes a story from a different perspective - in this case from the mind of a 5-year-old boy. The book would have been entirely different had the story been told by the mother or a narrator. The first half of the book is all about the daily lives of Ma and Jack who are being held captive in a room by a crazy man. Part two is all about how they adjust to the real world once they escape. Both parts are fascinating and well written. Highly recommend this one. - June

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

It's interesting to read reviews on this one. It's a book you either love or hate. If you like books with lots of action and plot twists, avoid this book. If you are into quiet characters who live quiet but somehow interesting lives, give it a try. Major Pettigrew is a lovely old gent who lives in a small town in England. He has a quick wit, a pompous son, and an interest in the Middle Eastern woman who runs the small store in his village. I adored his sense of humor and would have read it just for that. It needs to be read with a cup of tea. -June

The All of It by Jeannette Haien

When Ann Patchett spoke at my local bookstore, she talked about discovering this little book. I think she found it in a used book store, and after reading it, was instrumental in getting it back in print. At any rate, it's very well written and has an interesting story. A priest hears the "confession" of a woman after her "husband" dies. All the secrets come one - except one which we can imagine any way we wish. But the priest's attraction to the woman is where the book gets to me. As a non-Catholic I just think the celibacy thing is so silly. But I still recommend the book and in many ways understand why Ann Patchett recommended it so highly. - June

Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan

Imagine working at a Red Lobster on a snowy night. And imagine that this is the last night you'll work there because the restaurant is closing. That's the story line of this book.... one day in the life of the manager of the soon-to-be defunct Red Lobster. This short little book is incredibly detailed and well-written. Obviously, the author shadowed someone who works at Red Lobster because he knew the ins and outs of what's done there. But the characters are what make the book. Manny is the manager who's a hard-working but flawed guy, and his cast of cooks, waitresses, and customers make this book a gem. Loved it. - June

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Dear Amazon,
You think you know me but your don't. You always have some recommendations for me, and yes, sometimes you are correct with your choices, but not this time. You kept recommending Still Missing to me and I believed you. I also believed all the 5-star reviews. And I thought you'd made a good choice for me at the beginning of this book. The first half of the book follows Annie as she is abducted by a crazy, scary guy and help captive in a remote cabin while he rapes and beats her. OK, this normally isn't the kind of stuff I read, but it was suspenseful and I wanted to know how she got out. But then once she's free, the book just fell apart for me. The entire second half is all about Annie re-entering her "normal" life which turns out to be anything but normal. And she's trying to solve the mystery surrounding her abduction. When we find out this mystery, it is just too unbelievable to even understand. So, Amazon, keep recommending those books, but I'll be more cautious next time. -June

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

A few months ago, Ann Patchett spoke at our local bookstore. Not surprisingly, there was standing room only. She was charming, articulate, funny, and very honest. It was a surprise to hear her say that she hated to write. Yet she is obviously a favorite for so many - including me. State of Wonder is a marvelous story taking us to the Amazon and introducing several fascinating characters. Marina works for a pharmaceutical company and is sent there to find out why one of her co-workers died and to find out the progress of the drug being researched there. It's hard to put this one down. -June

The Coffins of Little Hope by Timothy Schaffert

Recently, I listened to Nancy Pearl being interviewed on the radio, and this is one of the books she recommended. It's a wonderful little book that has some characters you want to know. The main character, Essie, is an elderly lady who is opinionated and spunky. Her relationships and conversations with her grandson and her great-granddaughter and some of my favorite parts of the book. There's a bit of a mystery going on in Essie's town. A woman claims her daughter is missing, yet no one has ever seen the little girl. The mystery is never completely resolved, but you end up understanding what Essie thinks about it, and that's enough. Recommend it. -June

to be sung underwater by Tom McNeal

I can't explain why, but I became obsessed with this book. I couldn't put it down. The characters were complex and fascinating, and I just had to find out what happened to them. Most of the book uses the technique where the author moves between the current time and the time when Judith was a young girl. Because so much of what's happening now is based on what happened in the past, this really works. And the book asks the question..... Do we ever really forget that first real love? Could you ever really get over Willy? This is a great book, and I highly recommend it.

The Seamstress: A Memoir of Survival by Sara Tuvel Bernstein & others

I'm through with WWII books for a few months. It seems like my book club has picked several of them, and although I find them fascinating, books like this one just haunt me. Sara Bernstein was a holocaust survivor having spent months in concentration camps. Most of the women with her died, but she managed to stay alive - although she was certainly close to death when the war ended and she was saved. The first half of the book focuses on her family and her life leading up to the war. But it's the second half that blows you away. It is graphic in it's detail, and there were actually times when I would have to put it down because I felt physically ill from reading it. It reminded me at time of Unbroken - both excellent reads. -June

The Cradle by Patrick Somerville

I read a review of this book in the newspaper months ago, and the plot sounded intriguing. So I wrote the name down and forgot about it. I found the note recently, ordered the book, and I loved it. The main character, Matt, goes on a road trip to find his pregnant wife's cradle, and along the way he uncovers all kinds of family secrets. At the same time, we meet Renee who is struggling with her son leaving to fight in the war. These stories merge only at the very end of the book. Highly recommend. Loved the writing. -June

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

I read "The Almost Moon" by Sebold (author of The Lovely Bones and Lucky) and OMG! Starts out with the protagonist saying "When all is said and done, killing my mother came easily." Someone else wrote, "With fierce intelligence and emotional intensity, Alice Sebold brings us a searing portrait of a mother-daughter bond that descends into murder." hmmmmm It is excellent, I think, but I was thoroughly entranced with her style in the other two novels. - BT