A bunch of minis

Soul Tracker

Here's Amazon's synopsis (it's better than what I would write at this point :)):
What if you could visit heaven and hell, traveling when and wherever you wish . . . without ever dying? What if your teenage daughter, the joy of your life, had died a tragic death and you discovered a way to visit her? What if there were people and beings, on both sides of the grave, who want to stop your return? These are the questions facing novelist David Kauffman. As a single parent he is devastated when his young daughter meets an untimely death. Desperate to contact her, he meets Gita Patekar, a beautiful and committed Christian with a scarred and shame-ridden past. She works for “Life After Life”―an organization dedicated to tracking and recording the experiences of the soul once it leaves the body. Despite Gita’s warnings that God is opposed to contacting the dead, David uses the organization’s computer to try to find his daughter. In the process they discover Gita’s organization has some very deep and dark secrets. A suspense-filled game of cat and mouse begins―both on earth and beyond the grave―as the couple work together, fall in love, and struggle to expose the truth . . . until they come face to face with the ultimate Love and Truth.

my brief thoughts: I really enjoyed this! The writing is not spectacular (it's not bad, it's just a little simple), but the pacing is good, the plot is interesting, and the characters are relatable and engaging. I read this book quickly, and I am definitely looking forward to the 2nd and 3rd in the series!
FOUR out of five stars. 

Americanah



I thought the first half was very interesting, but the second half felt more like the author's blog/autobiography/expose on race. It had potential, certainly, but, IMHO, could have used a stronger editor.
THREE out of five stars.







The Island of Dr. Libris




I liked the end a lot, but the bulk of the book was unoriginal and lazy - relying on already written characters and literary tropes to move along a slow plot.
THREE out of five stars.






Snow White and the 77 Dwarfs



I was just altogether unimpressed with this. It felt like the author thought s/he was really clever, but s/he really was not. So, instead of 7 dwarves, there are 77, so her chores are neverending. So, after 1 day, she seeks out the evil queen for some sleep. ?! But the illustrations were nicely done! :)
TWO out of five stars.




Betsy's Story, 1934
It was cute and I thought it picked up the pace and ended well. I "saw it coming" pretty early, though I am definitely an adult reading a kid's book in this case ;) It's about a rich little girl in England and her cousin in America who's lost her fortune and is struggling. And the rich little girl in England (Betsy) knows that there are additional secrets, some good and some bad, that are being kept from her by her mother and, seemingly, her relatives and/or house-servants. So she sets out trying to discover the secrets before the adults deem it time for her to know them.

The little girl was headstrong (she is 11 going on 12) and entitled and unaware of real life, it seemed. But she was sincere in her desire to help those less fortunate than herself when presented with the opportunity. Her intentions were often misguided and, well, childish of course, but she seemed eager to do right and understand more so she could do more. I thought there were interesting morals at play here, but the overall story seemed to be ... I don't know, too black and white, too simple, too abrupt, even for the appropriate age.

But like I said, cute and sweet and an ok way to pass a little time. :)

THREE and a half of five stars. 

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

It's not your standard mystery -- no detectives or cops (really).  Rather, it's sort of a family saga, multi-generational historical fiction with a compelling mystery wrapped up in it. It's a quick read, and it's one of those that is highly satisfying when it's all said and done.

What's it about? The blurb (so I don't inadvertently add anything by attempting my own synopsis ;)): "During a picnic at her family’s farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson witnesses a shocking crime, a crime that challenges everything she knows about her adored mother, Dorothy. Now, fifty years later, Laurel and her sisters are meeting at the farm to celebrate Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this is her last chance to discover the truth about that long-ago day, Laurel searches for answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past. Clue by clue, she traces a secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds thrown together in war-torn London—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—whose lives are forever after entwined. A gripping story of deception and passion, The Secret Keeper will keep you enthralled to the last page." (from Amazon)

It has plenty of "what?!" and "a-ha!" and "no ... that can't be..." moments, and an abundance of "aww" and "so sweet!" and other touching and moving moments. It's a great book for discussion and a great book for pondering.

The only things that I thought could use some improvement, as far as the writing was concerned, are the following: (1) I felt that there were a few characters who seemed like bit characters or those you didn't need to "hold onto" in your brain that later turned out to matter.... and so I found myself flipping back and forth a bit more than normal to try to remember who is this person that suddenly I'm supposed to remember; and (2) I thought the end, though great and satisfying in many ways, was a little abrupt. Can't say more, but there you have it.

Overall, a great book. I'm happy that my 2nd Morton didn't disappoint!
Definitely recommend.
FOUR (plus) of five stars.

Four Reviews... Quesadillas, Casual Vacancy, Smekday, and 84 Charing Cross Road...

 1. Quesadillas by Juan Pablos Villalobos

I really enjoyed this quick little angry rant. Juan Pablo Villalobos is brilliant, witty, and dark. Quesadillas is a novella taking place in a small town in Mexico, featuring a 13-year-old boy that feels very much like the author's young self. This may be due in large part to the fact that the novel is supposed to be written by the boy, but 20'ish years later.  Consequently, the narrator has the vocabulary and awareness of someone in their 30s, but the telling of the story itself has the maturity of a teen.

It's fun, funny (laugh-out-loud funny), smart, dark, and thought provoking. While poking at his own country of origin, Villalobos also opens the window into the inner-workings, thought processes, and difficulties of the poor/middle-class-poor of Mexico's rural communities.

Villalobos plays around with the magical realism that his country is known for, while still keeping his head above waters with a psychological smirk on his face.  It was a pleasure reading Quesadillas.

Definitely recommend, but with the "warning" that the narrator is dark and crass. Very crass. But funny. FOUR of five stars.

2. The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling

Ahh, I think I've been avoiding this review.

In two words, I would say this book is "Devastating Masterpiece." It's devastating. It's brilliant. And, oh, by the way, it is NOTHING like Harry Potter.

As I've said to many people since finishing the book, it's best to think about this as by a different author altogether. Trying to put the Rowling-you-know into this book just creates a disjointedness that is hard to reconcile. Take it separately.

Rowling has a knack for characters. I really don't know how she does it. She has created a world of peoples inside this tiny English village abutting a city that you feel like you know. The "main characters" range in age from their mid-teens to their mid-sixties or seventies... And they're all just as believable as the next. And they are all so very very flawed.

Superficially, this book is about someone dying in this small town in England, leaving open a vacancy in the town government. What happens next is a whirlwind of activity as the two "sides" in the town vie for the open seat.

In this book, you name it and Rowling's probably covered it.  Assuming what you're naming is dark and desperate. While I disagree that she felt the need to "prove herself" by covering so much hard and gritty ground, as some reviewers had suggested, it did almost feel at times as if the darker side of life was fighting to get out, and it all landed in this book.  I mean, seriously: drugs, sex, rape, adultery, jealousy, hatred, fear, abuse, etc. It's there.

Nevertheless, somehow Rowing creates a story about the human condition of hope. With peoples you know. And in this normal, run-of-the-mill life story, extraordinary circumstances occur. Brilliant. Devastating. Hopeful.

FOUR AND A HALF of five stars (but inching toward 5, so 5 on those sites w/o half stars :))

3. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Wonderful elementary and middle-school level book. Highly recommended.

The protagonist is an eighth grader who has lost her mother to an alien invasion.
The book takes the form of an essay being written by the girl to explain what Smekday really means to her... The winner will have their essay included in a time capsule to be opened 100 years in the future.

So Gratuity ("Tip") Tucci begins her story.  She's funny, witty, and mature, while still having the light-heartedness and hopefulness of a, well, a middle-schooler.

She first goes into the "what happened"... then the "what next" when her teacher urges her to include more personal reflection.

Tip, her alien (Boov) compadre "J-Lo," and her cat all set out to first save themselves and then to save the world.

It's light, fun, quick, and cute. It's original, thoughtful, and funny. Well-populated by a wide variety of characters with their own personalities, this book is a gem that I'm glad I've discovered!

Definitely recommend for elementary (high level) and middle school readers looking for something new...


FOUR of five stars.

4. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

I am so glad this was recommended to me. What an absolutely lovely collection of letters.

I had no idea what this was about when I started reading it. I did not know that it was an actual series of correspondence (or, portions of it) between two actual people in an actual life.

Helene Hanff, a write in New York, begins her correspondence to the bookstore at 84 Charing Cross Road in London in 1949, seeking a better set and quality of books than what she has been able to find locally.

Frank Doel takes on the task of fulfilling Helene's requests and corresponding with her.

What develops, however, is a real 20-year friendship between not only Frank and Helene, but several other bookstore employees and their family members.

It is at times funny, at times moving, and always just lovely.  I loved this book. I highly recommend to anyone who loves books!

FIVE of five stars.


**Note: I was so eager to see the movie (made in the late 70s) after reading this book.... Ultimately, it was also lovely, but it took more than half the movie for me to adjust my expectations of who the characters were... In my mind, there was more of a playfulness to the people than the movie portrayed. Although I don't recommend against the movie, perhaps following up with the movie right after finishing the book wasn't my best move...

Playing Catch-up

I'm going to do somewhat-mini reviews on the following, and then try to get back to normal!

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed


I loved this book.  I started hiking a few years ago with my sister.  We've only done what regular hikers consider "easy" or "moderately easy" trails.  I would consider myself more prepared than Cheryl was on her big hike.  Now, to be fair, I do happen to know (in-laws) someone who hiked a large portion of the Appalachian Trail (and was VERY well prepared), so I may know a little more than the average amateur dabbling hiker.  But still.  Strayed was so severely unprepared it was... well, it was funny.

Strayed did well what I believe very few memoir-ists are able to accomplish:  She told her story in a compelling, humorous, deferential, emotional, sincere manner that made her both endearing and likeable.  She told her story in a way that begged to be read.  She made it interesting.

Wild made me want to hike, be a trail-angel, buy hotel rooms for hikers, bring food to hikers... and it made me appreciate my life, my family, and my friends.  It is a wonderful tale and I highly recommend it.  This was a book club selection (for April), and I eagerly await the other members' reactions!

Night Film by Marisha Pessl


Oh man.  Night Film is one of my new favorite books.  I think I might be lucky that I was able to read it on a very laid back vacation... because I read the nearly 600 pages over the course of only 3 days.  As a result, the ambiance and the story and the nuances weren't lost on me.  This is another book club selection (March), and I am very curious if my ability to read it in such a condensed timeframe made the book better...

Regardless... yes, this book is about (none of this is spoiler -- this is intro/first chapters type information): a spoiled brat rich kid, the daughter of a famous highly eccentric very dark film maker.  The kid kills herself, spurning the journalist (who, in an attempt to discredit her father, was himself discredited in his career) to pursue this huge story.  Because of this journalist's raw talent and prior history with the subject matter, he seems to be a step ahead of the other people who may be attempting to "get this story."  SUCH an over-simplification of the story, but that's the bones of it.

This is my first Pessl.  I am so impressed.  She created the perfectly creepy (but never quite scary) atmosphere, a tangle of questions that seem to have partial and flawed answers, and just a darn good story.  She populated her story with interesting, three-dimensional characters who you had feelings about (not all positive, which adds depth).  This book is full of darkness, humans who act in the worst of ways, blood, maybe murder, psycho- and socio-pathic tendencies... and hope.

This was one of those books where I slowed down my reading to savor the treat of it.  I was SO pleased to be reading this book.  And for me... I was SO satisfied when it was all done.  Highly recommend.

Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson


Well, to be fair to Buncle, I had just come off of Wild and Night Film, so Buncle had some telling to live up to!  Miss Buncle's Book is cute and fun and ok.  It wasn't terrific, it certainly wasn't terrible.

Miss Buncle lives in a small countryside-ish type town in England.  She has money troubles so she writes a book in an attempt to solve them.  However, Miss Buncle cannot (as she says) write about something about which she has no knowledge.  So she writes about her town and the people within it.  The publisher loves the novel, thinks it's either the work of a simpleton or a genius, and seeks to publish it in short order, under a pen name for Buncle, to protect the not-so-innocent.  The name of the town and the name of the characters have, of course, all been changed, but it is clear to the townsfolk that they are the subject of the book.  As might be anticipated, chaos ensues.  The townspeople are in an uproar about the book and react in humorous, over-the-top, caricature-like fashion.

The book is a sweet little thing, a quick read, a pleasant romp through this 1940s (I think -- around that time) small town in England.  The personalities are strong, the story is fun, and it was an entertaining way to pass the afternoon.

Not spectacular, but recommended for readers to whom the above-paragraph appeals.

The City & the City by China Mieville


Phew!  I've been meaning to read Mieville for years.  This was my first Mieville, and what an introduction!  I understand from having read other reviews that this is not the most typical of Mieville... But I think I get the picture.

So, I was about 30-40 pages in, and I had to stop reading to do some research on what the F was happening.  The story is about two cities that share the same space on a map, but which do not engage with one another at ALL, without express permission from the appropriate governmental authorities.  If citizens of one city interacts with the other city at ALL without such permission, a "breach" is deemed to have occurred.  A murder happens in one city, and the detective assigned to the case believes that breach is involved.  In such a case, an entity that oversees even the governments of the two cities--itself called Breach--takes over.  The detective proceeds thusly, but there are, of course, complications of the factual-type, the political-type, the potentially-supernatural-type, etc.

After about 30-40 pages,  I still could not figure out if the two cities were interposed on one another in some kind of magical way (as I had assumed upon first reading the description of the book), or if it was a political/governmental separation, involving no magic.  I read one review that said that at about 70 pages, it becomes more clear and sorts itself out.  So I kept reading.  At about 70 pages, I still felt like my question was answered.  Frankly, I think it is HELPFUL and makes for a better read of the book if you understand which is happening, so I will tell you.  But I will couch it in SPOILER protections in case you don't want to know ;)

The Spoiler (highlight with your cursor/mouse to see):  They are in the same location on a map and are in the same place physically and there's nothing magical about it.  THAT is, frankly, one of the things that I think is so brilliant about this book.  I've lived in a very big city, and when you live in that big city, you stop noticing people as individual persons and start just treating them as physical objects you pass.  Take that and mix with it a sort of Dr.-Seuss-Stars-on-Chest mentality, then make it serious and brilliant, and you have The City & the City. Something happened years ago, we never know what and the characters in the story are not clear, the the two cities were either merged or split, thus creating the current situation.  There are two cities, governmentally, mentally, and in every single other way, except physically.  Certain portions of the geography are exclusively in 1 city OR the other, and various portions are in both, or what they call "cross-hatched."  In a cross-hatched portion of the city, one building in 1 city could be immediately next to a building in the other city, or one floor in a building could be above a floor in another building. In these cross-hatched portions, the cars drive on the same road, but they have to act as if the other does not exist.  You can imagine what happens in ambulance-type situations!  But Mieville pulls this off and makes it believable.

And then, overseeing the two cities is Breach.  And involved in this whole murder mystery is the question of whether Breach is good or bad, real or perhaps imaginary, supernatural or political, in a war with another potentially existent supernatural-or-not "city"in the cracks..... It's so complicated and SO well done and SO recommended.

The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr


This is a fun classic murder mystery.  What I really liked about this one is that it was FUN!  It was funny, light, and moved quickly.  There weren't long and involved explanations of the scenery or drawn-out descriptions of the personalities... it was just a story that quickly moved from one scene to the next, creating, complicating, and then resolving the mystery.

In the book, several people have been called to a castle in Scotland for a "family meeting" to discuss the death and after-affect of a certain family member.  There is a dispute about whether the man committed suicide or was murdered and the various characters are quickly drawn into the activity, the mystery, and the frivolity.

Recommended for people looking for a quick and fun classic murder mystery.

Just Checking: Scenes from the Life of an Obsessive-Compulsive by Emily Colas


And finally, Just Checking.  I bought this book SO many years ago because I have some interesting tendencies toward OCD and because a quick peruse of the book made me laugh (i.e., she is funny, not that I was laughing at her).

I finally re-picked up this book and read it from front to back.  It did not quite live up to its expectations.  Emily Colas is writing mini David Sedaris'esque essays on her life.  It is somewhat chronological, though often flips between her past and her present, in an effort to make a single point.

Some of the essays are funny.  Some are sad.  Some are enraging or depressing.  Emily Colas indulged in her ocd and those around her did the same.  She managed a marriage and motherhood despite her rather severe (at least at times) inclinations.  Although she appeared toward the end (and in the afterward interview) to have finally made some progress and address the issue (e.g., seeing a doctor; taking medication), it took her a LONG time and a LOT of heartache to get there.

I think that this book is probably a good read for people who know people with OCD, to help understand the disease a little better.  Colas seems to be pretty (at times, embarrassingly) honest and definitely self-depricating (i.e., not making things sound better than they actually were) and I think provides a good understanding of those people with the disease who have NOT sought to address the problem.  There are certainly amusing moments, and there were definitely stories to which I could relate.

Overall, the book just fell a little flat because she was just not particularly likeable and the reader was left frustrated with her lack of willingness to do anything for herself.  So, a kind of hit and miss, overall.  Not terrible, somewhat useful, somewhat entertaining, and somewhat recommended.

IOU

Book Updates
I've had a BUSY reading month in February and, as a result, IOU Reviews on the following:

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed 

Night Film by Marisha Pessl 

Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson 

The City & the City by China Mieville 

The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr 

Just Checking: Scenes from the Life of an Obsessive-Compulsive by Emily Colas 

To come... hopefully soon!

Reading Updates

Also, I've joined the ROOTS group on LibraryThing - which is where members commit to Read Our Own Tomes.  For my first year, I've committed to 24 books, and count all books that came into the house 2013 or before, which I read in 24.  My status so far:



I've also joined the Goodreads reading challenge, and for 2014, I've committed to read 36 books.  My status so far:



I'm well on my way!

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Overall, a great book and a great read.

There were a few issues, but overall I really enjoyed it. I typically do not read books that are touted as "poignant" and "inspirational" ... least of all "love story." Even less, a book where someone is discovering the hidden life of someone they love, which apparently involves infidelity, and which involves "the power of love to move mountains." brrp. sorry just threw up in my mouth a little.

Yeah. so, not my kind of book. But it's a book group book, so I give it my full attention and an open mind. And it was GOOD. From the beginning. It drew me in and kept me there. It's a fast read and an engaging plot.

Let me describe it a little: 

Meet privileged family, in big city in America, at sudden disappearance of the father (Tin Win) of the family. Understand that the family knows nothing of the father's first 20 years of his life and that it seems to be some kind of grand mystery. Know that the father is a very successful lawyer who hails from some faraway foreign land. And then travel with the early-20s daughter (Julia), a newly minted lawyer herself, to Burma to discovery "the truth" of her father.

Enter strange old man (U Ba) who seems to know every thought, emotion, and intimate part of Tin Win's life and the life of the woman he apparently loved from his mid-teens until approximately 20. And discover Burma and the Burmese, blindness and discovery, and struggle and heartache with Julia as she begins to learn "the truth" about her father. Sendker made Burma come alive, made the Burmese insistence on belief in astrology interesting, and made the reader desire to learn the art of hearing heartbeats.

It was so interesting! It was so well paced and the characters were so well drawn! I loved the varying perspectives we managed to get. I loved the scenery and the thoughts. I loved the peripheral characters. I even liked MiMi and Tin Win and wanted to believe in their love.

So what didn't I like? HUGE SPOILERS HEREIN (highlight to read):

I did not like that U Ba not only knew the intimate (and I mean intimate) details of Tin Win and MiMi's lives, but that the shared them with Tin Win's daughter?! That was probably my biggest beef. But since we're on spoiler-alert here anyway, I also didn't like (really didn't like!) that somehow Julia was just hunky-dory with the fact that her father supposedly had this undying amazing love for Mi Mi, somehow also loved her mother and his family, and that that was all just ok. 

I didn't like that Tin Win was selfish enough to find a new family in America, and selfish enough to hold so ardently onto his feelings for Mi Mi. And I didn't like that he was selfish enough to "choose" to die and leave his son, his daughter, and even his wife without any note, explanation, or apology. His only "note" was the story he told his other son, and that was supposed to be sufficient. And then they were celebrated?! I get that Julia was trying to recognize cultural differences and allow for more than 1 kind of love... but what he did to both of his sons and his daughter, not even paying any attention to the two women, I don't think that's loving. It's self-focused. 

END SPOILERS

But aside from not liking the PERSON all that much, and/or his decisions, I liked the STORY, and I thought it was well told. Very well told.

 And I definitely recommend the book! FOUR of five stars.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

When I read something like "A literary miracle" on the front cover of a book, I'm both intrigued and wary.  Like, what does that even mean?  Literary miracle.  Well, after having read Beautiful Ruins, I understand.

It seems something of a miracle that the Jess Walter was able to create such depth in his stories and his characters in a single book and even in single chapters.  The book starts in a tiny village in Italy in 1962, from the perspective of a young hotelier who inherited the hotel when his father passed away.  Pasquale, the young hotelier, is excited when his friend Orenzio brings a beautiful young American actress, Dee Moray, to his hotel, for whom Pasquale quickly falls.  It was well written and believable.

However, after reading the chapter, I was worried that I was not going to really enjoy this one because I was not really in the mood to read another foreign literary masterpiece that is dry and boring and too dense to really care.  Not that the first chapter was those things -- I was just concerned that it was going to be given the high praise and where the book started.

After another day or two, I picked up the book again and started reading the second chapter.  The second chapter is in Hollywood, "recently" (say, around 2010), from the perspective of a young girl (late-20s) who is disillusioned about life, hollywood, and her future.  It was fresh and modern and believable.  It was not dry, boring, or too dense to really care.  Claire is trying to find herself in Hollywood, after landing her dream job as assistnat to the legendary but somewhat washed up Michael Deane, and after landing her dream boyfriend - the gorgeous but stripper-obsessed idiot in her bed, she's realized that the glitter and the glamour are not all they're cracked up to be.  With a new job prospect from a small new museum, Clair is considering whether it's time to throw in the towel on film production and cut her losses.  When the new museum happens to be primarily funded by the church of scientology, it gives Clair just enough pause to give herself an ultimatum:  Either she finds the one film she's been dreaming she would make on Wild Pitch Friday (where the pitches are unlikely to be for glorious masterpieces), or she quits both her job and her boyfriend and takes up the job building the new museum.

And then I lost track of the chapters and time as I tore through the rest of the book.
The various chapters are told interchangeably from the perspectives of Claire, Pasquale, Michael Deane (even through the memoir his agent told him they could never publish, but which Deane gives to Claire to read), Dee Moray and her son Pat Bender.  Each perspective is believable -- the view from a 1962 Italian Pasquale's eyes is just as convincing as the view from a 2010-ish Hollywood Claire's eyes, is just as convincing as the memoir written from Michael Deane explaining the whole "mess."  Walter even incorporates famous people and movies -- Liz Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatria -- to add to the realism of the tale, without ever crossing lines into the impossibility (i.e., he did not change any known facts, he just added in details into the pockets and unknowns that could be... who knows... feasible).

The perspectives are all over the place, the times are all over the place, the stories are all over the place, -- front to back and back to front, and yet it is a cohesive, believable, perfectly timed story.  A miracle.  Even more.... he managed to actually tie together all of the characters from the 1940s to 2010, from all over the world, without it being "too convenient."  I was so impressed with Walter.  It felt like just a series of life events that ultimately brought all of the characters together within one story.  But it did not feel forced or contrived.  It just felt... natural.  Like yeah, that's what happened.

And then you find yourself nearing the end of the book.  But, oh no, there are too many strings to tie up!!  He's going to leave me hanging, I just know it.... ahhh, i hope he at least wraps up ____, and ____.  And ___.  But how can he!  Too few pages....  You keep reading.

And he does it.  and it feels a little bit like a miracle.  Not everything is neat and bowtied, but it's all done just enough to leave the reader at peace.  With all of the stories, and all of the different lines, and all of the different characters, resolved just enough to close the book and go to sleep.  All is well.

A literary miracle.  Now I understand...

(this and other reviews at AllBookReviewer.blogspot.com)
(see also book group review at Desert Girls Blog)

An Evil Eye by Jason Goodwin

I purchased this book and recommended it to my book group based on the recommendation of a highly respected, interesting, cultured, intelligent friend.  I'm not sure if I needed to have read the first three in this "set" to really appreciate the book, or if it just wasn't my style, or what, but I thought it was good!  But just that:  good!

This "set" is not so much a series of books that must be read in order -- I understand it is more like a set of mystery novels, that can certainly be read out of order.  Inspector Yashim is a Eunuch in Istanbul with connections to the Sultan and other high ranking politicos, who is permitted to live outside of the castle, and who ends up being the man called in to solve the most bizarre or intricate of crimes.  He also happens to stumble upon others, in light of his life and connections.  In this book, Yashim is called in to see about a body in a monastery that has mysteriously appeared.

The unfamiliarity with the subject matter and even the most basic of things such as a persons title make the beginning of the book difficult to wade through.  Efendi appears to be a sort of casual title -- perhaps akin to "sir" or "friend" and is often used in connection with the proper name for an individual, and occasionally on its own.  Such as:  Efendi Yashim or just Efendi.  Pasha is another title... and Valide I believe is a title and not a proper name.  Goodwin uses these words as if they are every day words to his readers.  And perhaps they are to some; and perhaps readers of the first three found these words familiar.  But as for my friends, co book group readers, and myself: a glossary would have been helpful to refer to for reminders and a brief explanation or background.  I can understand not weighing down the story w/ these definitions, but as I say, a glossary of some sort would have been helpful.

The other frustrating/annoying bit about the book is the author's gratuitous food scenes.  I understand that some of these mystery-type authors want their theme, but this one already has one -- exotic locations, foreign involvement, and history!  No need to bring in how that onion was cut, how the parsley was sprinkled, etc.

On the plus side, however, it was an entertaining story and somewhat rewarding in the end.  For me, once I passed the halfway point, it became a quick read, and I wanted to know what happened next.  I began to read much more quickly, and even found myself wanting to turn the page rather than obey my bed time.  I also liked some of the side characters quite a bit (particularly Palewski), and I imagine that having read the first 3 books would have assisted more in caring about Yashim's own backstory.

There appears to be a story of revenge lurking in the background, and once the "big reveal" was made at the end of An Evil Eye, I imagined that I might have cared more if I knew why it was such a big reveal.

Overall, I enjoyed the scenery, I enjoyed the familiarity with the unusual (to us here in America, anyway), and I enjoyed the mystery.  As I said, it was good!  But not great.  I would recommend to someone who is a big mystery fan, a fan of Istanbul and/or harems and/or sultans and/or historical politics.  I would recommend to someone looking for a meatier book, a denser book.

THREE AND A HALF of five stars.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

This is another book that we read for book group, but which I also feel inclined to personally review.

This is a great debut.  While reading this book, I have told many who will listen that this is what I wanted The Great Gatsby to be, but wasn't.  I know, blasphemy.  But I had heard so much about The Great Gatsby before reading it, and I really really built it up in my head.  I don't know that anything could have lived up to what I was expecting.  And along came Rules of Civility.

Set in 1938 in Manhattan, the book explores the "life and times" of a young girl (late 20s), finding her way.  The book is told from the perspective of Katya a/k/a Kate a/k/a Katherine a/k/a Katey, with brief and infrequent deviations from her perspective to Tinker Grey (Teddy/Theodore).  Many authors try to garner familiarity with their characters by the forced imposition of nicknames... Towles' use flowed off the proverbial tongue.  I never felt as if my feelings about the characters were being forced upon me or manufactured by clever tricks--whether that was in fact happening or not ;)  Instead, I felt that there was a natural, organic discovery of the various individuals in the story, and I was able to come to my own conclusions about them as "time" (the pages of the novel) passed.

I truly enjoyed Rules of Civility.  I loved reading about Kate's job as a paralegal, and then as an assistant (however briefly) in the literary world, and best of all, her role as co-executive assistant of the classed-up gossip magazine.  I loved reading about Kate's various friends and acquaintances.  I loved Anne Grandyn.  I loved Wallace.  I didn't particularly love a couple of the other characters -- including Tinker himself, but they were still intriguing ... and I'm not so sure I was meant to love them.  There was depth to the story and dynamics to the characters, and I appreciated that not everyone was the 150% version of what a real person would have been at that time.

The primary thing I did not love about the book:  There was a bit of time, in the middle to 2/3 point of the book, where it felt likt it was dragging just a little, where Kate's love life seemed to take on a depressing-romantic weighed down feel.  But Towles moves past that point and brings the reader back into activity and movement without straying too long in the "drama" side of Kate's year.

Overall, an excellent debut that definitely made me want to read more.  Definitely recommend to all readers, men and women alike.  Towles did an impressive job writing from the perspective of a woman, but there's still a gentleman's touch that I think will appeal to both genders alike.

FOUR of five stars.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

First, I would like to link to my book group's Anne of Green Gables review, which is largely my review ;), posted here.

Ok, Bernadette...
This was also a book group book and, in fact, it was recommended to us by a non-book group member!  I am posting my separate review here because I expect that a lot of the Desert Girls will have a lot to say about this book, separate from my thoughts.

I really really really enjoyed this book.  I FLEW through the first half... as my bath got cold.  Bernadette is a sort of mixed media book, using letters, emails, transcripts, etc. to tell the story.  There is a little bit of narration by Bee (daughter) throughout the first 2/3 or so, and then quite a bit more narration in the latter portion.  The Desert Girls recently read Wife 22, which was also a mixed-media book, but Bernadette took the concept and, really, showed the world how it should be done.

The book is touted and/or implies that it is a mystery.  Bernadette has disappeared and we must discover where she went.  This is not a particularly accurate description.  Bernadette does disappear, but not until more than halfway through and then... well, you're not really unsure about where she went.  You don't know for certain, but you can piece it together pretty well.

Instead, the book is really a wonderfully told story about a rather dysfunctional family (aren't they all), with a mother (Bernadette) who is a genius hermit former architect, the daughter (Bee) who is a brilliant young girl with a medical history and a love of life, and the father (Elgie) who is a workaholic genius microsoft project head who loves his family, if from a distance.  Blech, sounds boring the way I just did that.  Trust me, it's not.

The characters are quirky, crazy, relatable, totally un-relatable, enraging, off-putting, loving, spiteful, and the complete heart of the story.  Semple does not describe her characters in the traditional sense; rather, she provides enough information to give you an outline, and a bevy of personality traits for the reader to fill in the details.  The story is less the point, focusing instead on the development of the characters and their character.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bernadette, and I highly recommend.  What made the book not perfect was the ending, which sort of dropped, just a little, in its intrigue.  The resolution was just a little less climactic than I would have hoped.  But it did not detract from the book as a whole, and it did not leave me feeling frustrated... just a little less than perfectly satisfied.

Highly recommend.
FOUR AND A HALF of five stars.

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon

Review based on ARC:

Also, my book group, Desert Girls, read the book.  See the group's review at desertgirlsbooks.blogspot.com.

I thought the book was OK.  I didn't hate it, but I found it cliched and predictable.

I found the characters to be somewhat dull and 2-dimensional, and a lot of them seemed to have a lot of anger and negativity.  The so-called best friend of the protagonist seems to love her friend by offering good advice, but seems to turn her back on the emotional sufferings and baggage of bad decisions.  She was a friend who seemed present only when it was convenient for her to be so.  The various "mother" figures in the book were interesting and ... well, probably the only likeable characters that were really there. 

The writing and the story-telling, however, were quite good.  I thought Gideon did a *great* job interweaving various social networking, texting, emailing, etc. to tell the story.  I also felt that there were a lot of realistically drawn characters, but I felt that the "resolution" was altogether too easy for the lack of self-reflection and growth the characters seemed to exhibit or experience in the story.

Overall, I would recommend to someone who likes suburban stories about the emotional struggles that we experience as a result of our own decisions.  The book isn't challenging, but it's funny at times, light at times, thoughtful at times, and written well enough to not throw.

Iron House by John Hart

See Review of Iron House by John Hart here.

BossyPants by Tina Fey

See BossyPants by Tina Fey for my book group's review on BossyPants.
As you'll see at the end of that review, my personal feelings are "READ THIS!"

FIVE out of five stars.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Read for book group.  Please see post here.

Highly recommend.  FOUR AND A HALF of five stars.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Wow. I can see why this book has attained "classic" status. In a mere 200 pages, Achebe presents us with an intimate look into a world with which most are wholly unfamiliar. The book does not have a "plot" per se, but is more one of those series-of-events types of books.. However, it is written so well, it feels as if it does, indeed, center around a plot and the reader is driven forward to find out "what next".

Although the characters are not particularly empathetic.. they are incredibly engaging. You feel very strongly about what is happening and the motives behind it, without being traumatized by the events.

So much happens in such a short amount of space -- love, hate, pride, loathing, joy, fear, excitement, life changes on grand spectra, shock, comfort... it is, somehow, all there.

Absolutely, positively, without a doubt, you will enrich your life by reading this book. Do it.

FIVE of five stars.