Jenny Reviews: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

 The Vitals

 Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
 Release Date: 10 January 2006
 Page Count: 247
 Genre: Literary Fiction
 Target Audience: Adult
 Series: Gilead #1
 Source and Format: Purchased :: Paperback
 Goodreads | Amazon

 Summary (From Goodreads)
Twenty-four years after her first novel, Housekeeping,   Marilynne Robinson returns with an intimate tale of three   generations from the Civil War to the twentieth century: a story about fathers and sons and the spiritual battles that still rage at America's heart. Writing in the tradition of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, Marilynne Robinson's beautiful, spare, and spiritual prose allows "even the faithless reader to feel the possibility of transcendent order" (Slate). In the luminous and unforgettable voice of Congregationalist minister John Ames, Gilead reveals the human condition and the often unbearable beauty of an ordinary life.

Notes on Gilead

This short novel blew me away. I was compiling a list of people to recommend it to before I was even half way through with it. It is an epistolary novel (a novel written in letter, diary, etc. format) whose narrator is an old man who has reached the end of his life. He did not have a son until late in life and wants his son to be able to know who he was in his own words. As he reflects back on his own life and the events and people that shaped him, he is working out his thoughts, feelings, and salvation in the events that are happening in his present (as he is writing the letters). 

This is a book that you savor. It is not meant to be read in one sitting, though there is a great temptation to do just that. The reflective, self-aware tone of the novel is lost if one does not respect it and adhere to the pace Robinson sets for the reader. John Ames is one of the most honest, clear-thinking characters in modern literature. His is an honesty that soothes and convicts, that alternately tears and heals. I hope everyone is able to experience just a fraction of the self-awareness Ames has. To be able to see ourselves clearly, even for just a bit, is truly life-changing. I say this with full confidence, having survived my own season of self-awareness not too long ago. It is exhilarating, humbling, and defeating. But totally worth it. 

Even if you are not given to contemplation I think you should read this book. Learning how to think critically of yourself is a gift (and burden) that should be nurtured. When we strip away the lies that we believe about ourselves we are, finally, truly, able to grow into who we were meant to be. Is it painful? No doubt. Is it worth it? Read Gilead and see.

Memorable Quotes

“Love is holy because it is like grace--the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.”

“There is no justice in love, no proportion in it, and there need not be, because in any specific instance it is only a glimpse or parable of an embracing, incomprehensible reality. It makes no sense at all because it is the eternal breaking in on the temporal. So how could it subordinate itself to cause or consequence?”

“I don't know exactly what covetous is, but in my experience it is not so much desiring someone else's virtue or happiness as rejecting it, taking offense at the beauty of it.”

“Nothing true can be said about God from a posture of defense.”

2015 Releases Update

Awhile ago we did a post on the which 2015 releases we were most excited about and I thought it would be a good idea to talk about the ones I have read so far. I do not want you, faithful reader, to think that we come up with these lists and then do nothing with them. I enjoy the lists because they help me to organize my otherwise unwieldy TBR list.

Thus far I have read 2 of my 10 books that I was most anticipating. I am waiting on a Barnes and Noble coupon (it pays to be a member!) to buy book 3. Have you read any on your list yet? Did you have a list? I would love to hear it - I am always looking for new authors to try!

The Vitals

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
Release Date: 3 March 2015
Page Count: 336
Genre: Fantasy
Target Audience: Adult
Series: Alpha & Omega #4
Source and Format: Amazon; eBook
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (From Goodreads) 
For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

Notes on Dead Heat

I gave this book 3. 5 stars because it was just okay. The problem with a series like Alpha & Omega is that it starts out with complex, well-developed characters, which can be difficult to maintain the longer a series gets. Don't get me wrong, I still really like this series, but this particular entry was just okay. The ending felt a little rushed and overall I am not really sure what this book has to do with the overarching plot of the series. Perhaps this is just a bridge book and they do tend to be mediocre but necessary. Charles and Anna have been dealing with heavy issues their whole relationship and while there is certainly some heaviness here, it is more a secondary issue that is not as fully dealt with as previous conflicts have been. 

Overall Diagnosis

Memorable Quotes

“But that is the dual gift of love, isn’t it? The joy of greeting and the sorrow of good-bye.”

“It comes with being a teenager—you inspire violence in the hearts of those who love you. It mostly goes away when you hit twenty.”

The Vitals

Prudence by Gail Carrier

Release Date: 17 March 2015

Page Count: 368

Genre: Fantasy

Target Audience: YA/Adult

Series: The Custard Protocol #1

Source and Format: Amazon; eBook

Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (From Goodreads)

When Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama (Rue to her friends) is given an unexpected dirigible, she does what any sensible female would under similar circumstances - names it the Spotted Custard and floats to India in pursuit of the perfect cup of tea. But India has more than just tea on offer. Rue stumbles upon a plot involving local dissidents, a kidnapped brigadier's wife, and some awfully familiar Scottish werewolves. Faced with a dire crisis and an embarrassing lack of bloomers, what else is a young lady of good breeding to do but turn metanatural and find out everyone's secrets, even thousand-year-old fuzzy ones?

Notes on Prudence

I was seriously disappointed in this book. I have read both her Parasol Protectorate and Finishing School series, the first Adult and the second YA, and enjoyed them immensely, especially the first books in which she really fleshes out her characters and sets out a plausible story arc for the series. This one was missing both of those things. The main character, Prudence, is an amalgamation of the protagonists from her previous 2 series. She is so very flat, which is something I never thought I would say of Ms. Carriger's characters. Another issue is the target audience; I do not think this book was supposed to be considered YA but it very clearly is. The situations were a little too outrageous and the characters a little too immature to be believable as adults. This book seems a little too ambitious for a first book in a series. The more you love the characters, the more leniency you are willing to extend and this book just did not justify that leniency, in my opinion. 

Overall Diagnosis

Memorable Quotes

“He wielded verbal italics as if they were capable of actual bodily harm.”

"The ambassador’s wife was clearly a woman who enjoyed the sound of her own voice. She dropped flowery vocabulary about her like an incontinent hen might deposit eggs."

Jenny Reviews: Innocence by Dean Koontz + Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer

I am doing another two-for-one today because both of these books are A) really good and B) really hard to rate. They have nothing in common, but the fact that I read them back-to-back has gotten me thinking (always a dangerous thing) about rating and reviews and what makes a good/great book. This post is part book review and part musing.

The Vitals

Innocence by Dean Koontz
Release Date: 10 December 2013
Page Count: 480
Genre: 
Target Audience: Adult
Series: No
Source and Format: Lesley Anne; Paperback
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (From Goodreads)
In Innocence, Dean Koontz blends mystery, suspense, and acute insight into the human soul in a masterfully told tale that will resonate with readers forever.

He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen. She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found. But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance--and nothing less than destiny--has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching.

Notes on Innocence

1. The writing is phenomenal. This is my first book by Koontz and it will definitely not be my last. He has gone on my list of "Authors I Read Because of How They Write". This list contains authors such as Elizabeth Kostova and Kate Morton. The way they string words together is marvelous.

2. The story was odd. I am still not sure if I like it or if I am ambivalent. It starts out really engaging and pulls you in immediately. By the end I was wondering if Koontz is beyond brilliant or simply ran out of steam. I cannot tell you much without spoiling it, but the reason behind the main characters ostracization from society is... original. Kind of hard to wrap your head around. BUT society's reaction to this is spot on and the reason I am leaning towards Koontz being brilliant. 

3. How do I rate this book?! The writing is wonderful. The characters are engaging, for the most part. The commentary on human nature is inspired. The storyline is just a little off. I ended up giving it 4 stars because I did enjoy it, for the most part, and the writing is perfect. It seems I have a higher tolerance for mediocre storytelling when the storyteller is a master of language.

Overall Diagnosis

The Vitals

Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer

Release Date: 2 April 2013

Page Count: 384

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Target Audience: Adult

Series: No

Source and Format: Purchased; Kindle e-Book
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (From Goodreads)

Queenie Wake, a country girl from North Star, Texas, has just been fired from her job as a chef for not allowing a customer to use ketchup. Again. Now the only place she has to go is home to North Star. She can hope, maybe things will be different. Maybe her family's reputation as those Wake women will have been forgotten. It's been years since her mother-notorious for stealing your man, your car, and your rent money-was killed. And her sister, who as a teenager was branded as a gold-digging harlot after having a baby with local golden boy Wes McKay, is now the mother of the captain of the high school football team. It can't be that bad…

Who knew that people in small town Texas had such long memories? And of course Queenie wishes that her memory were a little spottier when feelings for her high school love, Everett Coburn, resurface. He broke her heart and made her leave town-can she risk her heart again?

At least she has a new job-sure it's cooking last meals for death row inmates but at least they don't complain!

But when secrets from the past emerge, will Queenie be able to stick by her family or will she leave home again? A fun-filled, touching story of food, football, and fooling around.

Notes on Nowhere But Home

1. This was a wonderful story. The characters are so real and I want to be friends with them. The story was unique and yet easy to relate to (at least for me). The humor was one of my favorite parts. This is one of those books that makes you happy for no particular reason.

2. The plot had a couple of holes that were filled a bit too conveniently for me. Some of the ways that information was revealed was too easy and unrealistic. This kept me from loving the book.

3. How do I rate this book? I enjoyed the story immensely but was disappointed in the way things were so easily resolved. No lie, all people had to do was talk to one another, just once, and most issues were resolved. Now, I realize this is probably a clever way of showing how communication is so important but it was just a little too easy. I highly recommend it but I do not love it.

Overall Diagnosis 

Do y'all see why it was so hard to rate these books? How do you decide the number of stars when a book is really great but just didn't appeal to you personally? Or what do you do when you love a story but was not impressed with the way it is resolved? 

Lesley Anne Reviews: Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

The Vitals

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
Release Date: December 31, 2012
Page Count: 369
Genre: Contemporary
Target Audience: Adult
Series: Standalone
Source and Format: Library; Audiobook
Amazon | Goodreads

Summary (From Goodreads)
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Notes on Me Before You

It has been really difficult for me to put my thoughts on this book into words. Jenny can confirm this review has been sitting as a draft in our queue for forever. It was probably driving her crazy. I know it was driving ME crazy. So in an attempt to preserve our sanity, I'm finally making myself finish my thoughts on Me Before You, and I hope I can do it justice.

I can honestly say I have never read a novel like this, and the subject matter dealt with is something I have not quickly forgotten, nor will I ever forget. This is the kind of book that stays with you for a long time after you turn the final page, no matter how you feel about it at the conclusion. I finished this book last Fall, and somehow I've managed to think about it fairly often since then. For that reason alone most people would be intrigued to pick up this novel, but I did have a few issues with it that kept me from calling it a favorite.

Lou Clark, the main character, is a 26-year-old who is content with her job at a local cafe called The Buttered Bun. At the opening of the novel, she is shocked to find out the cafe is closing (not a spoiler, promise!) and she must find other means of employment, as she is still living at home with her family and they rely heavily on her income to sustain their standard of living. She resorts to using a staffing agency to find a new position, and ultimately accepts a job as a caretaker for quadriplegic Will Traynor.

What I loved about Lou is that she felt so REAL to me. Her insecurities, her mistakes, and her complacency were so true-to-life and refreshing to read about in a heroine. There were times when she drove me nuts and I badly wanted to shake her out of her stupidity, but that only made her feel more authentic to me. It also helps that this is the first novel I've read in a LONG time where the main character was my age. Obviously, MCs in young adult novels are mostly in their teens, while main characters in adult novels average age 40+, leaving the twenty-something crowd without a lot of books about people their age. The publishing industry has tried to address this deficiency with the New Adult genre, but we won't go there, lest you want to hear me rant. To read a book about a character in the same stage of life as me, wrestling with the same questions and struggling with the same fears, was a welcome surprise and very refreshing. So thank you, JoJo Moyes, for that!

The banter between Will and Lou also had its moments of brilliance and I really enjoyed the unconventional nature of their relationship. They certainly had a lot to learn about each other, and in turn, discovered a lot about themselves. One of my all-time favorite fictional moments EVER happens between these two, specifically during Lou's birthday celebration. Such a sweet, sweet moment. :) There's so much anticipation and build-up in this book when it comes to Will and Lou, which leads me to one of my biggest issues with Me Before You.

This is 100 percent my fault, but here it is nonetheless: I hyped up this book in my head WAY too much. Pretty much every review I read about it or mention of it on Twitter had me prepared for a heart-wrenching, life-changing, tearjerker of a novel. And call me heartless, but that was not my reaction at all to this book. In fact, I would say it was quite the opposite for me. I still had an emotional response, but it leaned more towards the angry and frustrated side of the spectrum than anything else. And no, I didn't read this book because I wanted a good cry, but I did feel like maybe I missed something that had everyone else in tears but made me ready for some fighting words. Like I said, this frustration is due to misguided expectations on my own part, and not necessarily a fault with the book itself. But as a warning, if you do decide to pick up this book, be prepared to feel strongly one way or the other, and don't be surprised if you want to chuck the book across the room, like me.

So am I glad I read Me Before You? It certainly opened my eyes to several things I was clueless about, and made me think about what I would do if I were in someone else's shoes in a seemingly helpless situation. Ultimately, it solidified my beliefs on suffering and that purpose can take on many shapes and forms in our lives. I know I'm being really vague about this, but I don't want to take away from the experience of reading the book for yourself if you haven't picked it up yet. So my answer is yes, I'm glad I read Me Before You, though I probably won't read it again. And if you have read it, PLEASE let me know so we can chat. This book has me itching to discuss!

Memorable Quotes
“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”

“Push yourself. Don't settle. Just live well. Just LIVE.”

Overall Diagnosis

Get A Second Opinion

• Alexa from Alexa Loves Books: "Me Before You was certainly an enjoyable, gripping novel that had me from nearly the very first page. The book had me feeling all sorts of things, with glee, anger and sorrow being chief among all others."

• Asheley from Into the Hall of Books: "Me Before You is one of the most discussable adult contemporary books I think I've ever read. It seems like everyone will likely have an opinion on some of the events that are included in the story. Whatever your opinions, however you feel, this book is one that is worth taking the time to read if you enjoy books that spark discussion and make you think."

The Pathological Readers Holiday Gift Guide: Books for Adults

In case you missed it, Lesley Anne and I are doing a gift guide series for the holidays. Our gift guides will mainly stick to book recommendations (since this is a book blog after all) broken up by age group. Today I'm sharing just a few of my favorite recommendations for the adult book lovers in your life.

Mystery/Thriller

1. The Pawn by Steven James
The amount of details James packs into these books are incredible. The series - The Bowers Files - follow Special Agent Patrick Bowers as he solves cases that are creepy and engrossing. The psychological element is intense. If you are a fan of the show Criminal Minds you will definitely love this series!

2. In the Woods by Tana French
I devoured this book in 6 hours. I literally could not put it down. French captures your attention from page one and does not let it go. I was lucky in that I discovered her after three of her books had already been published so I gorged on them over a weekend. Each of her books is a stand alone, though the sidekick of the previous book is the protagonist of the following book. Example: the protagonist of In the Woods is Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox is his partner. The next book, The Likeness, is about Cassie Maddox. A bit of warning- French is Irish (ha! That was inadvertently funny) so the dialogue is a bit colorful (read: profane). And by a bit I mean a lot. If that is something that is off-putting for you then this is not the author for you.

Fantasy

3. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
This book is why I love fantasy. The protagonist is a wizard who manages to get in and out of scrapes that his unusual childhood has prepared him to deal with. Rothfuss is a bit long-winded but the prose is wonderful and the characters who inhabit his world are the best. They are who they are, warts and all. They are not sugarcoated or magically perfect. That, to me, is what is what makes a great fantasy book.

4. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
This book is about a mercenary who lives in a magical Atlanta. There are multiple factions who control parts of the city, including vampires (not your traditional vamps!), animal shifters, witches/wizards, and some not so easily identifiable creatures. The protagonist is a strong female who does not end up with anyone at the end of the book *gasp* and it is great. This series is more light-hearted than The Name of the Wind but the world-building is second to none.

Magical Realism

5. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
Lesley Anne and I both have been obsessed with Allen this year. Literally every person I let borrow my copy of this book returns it to me asking for more. It is a deceptively short novel that packs a lot of humanity into a few pages. Wonderful for a night snuggled under blankets with hot tea or on the beach soaking up the sun.

Literary Fiction

6. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
This book is both heartbreaking and satisfying. Oscar Wao is a boy who is not afraid to live. It is a multigenerational story that shows the consequences of actions. It is a multicultural story that shows the beauty of diversity within society. It is sad in way that gives you hope.

Nonfiction

7. No Man Is an Island by Thomas Merton
This is my all-time favorite nonfiction book. It is very contemplative and not something you can sit down and read in two days. The beauty with which Merton sees the world and Jesus is unsurpassed, in my opinion. Even if you are not a deep thinker this book will help you to see the world in a richer, kinder way.

8. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
This is a bit of a cheat as I haven't read it yet, but she is so stinkin' funny. We are reading it for book club this month and I have no doubt I am going to enjoy every page. That is how confident I am in how good it will be- I am recommending before having actually read it!

Hopefully this will help y'all out! I obviously have a ton more recommendations so please feel free to ask. If nothing else, it will look impressive to have any of these books on your bookshelf (though that pains me to say!).

Book Club Reviews: Longbourn by Jo Baker

Happy Thursday, friends! Jenny and I thought we'd do something fun on the blog today--so welcome to our first book club review post!

First of all, I have to say that book club has gotten off to a GREAT start! We had 13 girls at our first discussion meeting, and since we were discussing Longbourn by Jo Baker, we decided to have a tea party food theme. Jenny made for the perfect hostess for this theme, because she definitely doesn't mess around when it comes to tea. Just check out this post she wrote earlier this year if you don't believe me.

Anyway, Jenny and I knew we wanted to do something different when we reviewed book club books on the blog, so we're going to break our reviews down into three parts: (1) Jenny's Thoughts, (2) Lesley Anne's Thoughts, and (3) Overall Book Club's Thoughts. You'll see at the bottom that we have a fun way to show what the overall book club thought every month. ;) So first things first, we'll give you the summary of Longbourn so you have an idea of what the novel is about.

If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, Sarah often thought, she’d most likely be a sight more careful with them.

In this irresistibly imagined belowstairs answer to Pride and Prejudice, the servants take center stage. Sarah, the orphaned housemaid, spends her days scrubbing the laundry, polishing the floors, and emptying the chamber pots for the Bennet household. But there is just as much romance, heartbreak, and intrigue downstairs at Longbourn as there is upstairs. When a mysterious new footman arrives, the orderly realm of the servants’ hall threatens to be completely, perhaps irrevocably, upended.

Jo Baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of Jane Austen’s classic—into the often overlooked domain of the stern housekeeper and the starry-eyed kitchen maid, into the gritty daily particulars faced by the lower classes in Regency England during the Napoleonic Wars—and, in doing so, creates a vivid, fascinating, fully realized world that is wholly her own.


Jenny's Thoughts: Hmmm. I honestly loathed this book. I tried really hard to temper my comments at book club and when people would ask my opinion, but there it is. Jane Austen is not my favorite and Pride and Prejudice gets on my nerves, to be honest. The beginning of this book, though, seemed like it would be really good. The immediate contrast between the Bennetts' life of privilege and the reality of their servants was really well done. That was, however, the only thing that was well done (in my opinion). Not one of the characters was fully developed. The pacing was.... odd. There was so much potential for her to fall so short. Pride and Prejudice was a brilliant story to use (it has a built-in audience) to really talk about the realities of 18th/19th century England. Jane Austen provided social commentary for a very select group of her society; this book could have been used as a foil to flesh out the rest of the Austenian (I made that word up--how do you make 'Austen' an adjective?) world. Her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennett was my favorite. It was gusty of Baker to take on such an iconic character of British literature. That being said, Baker set up a brilliant novel and then peopled it with flat characters who you have a hard time caring about. I would never recommend this book to anyone.

Lesley Anne's Thoughts: I think what helped me like this book more than others was listening to the audiobook in addition to reading a physical copy. Hearing Emma Fielding's (the narrator's) English accent as she read the description-heavy passages distracted me from being annoyed by the nitty gritty details of the book. And y'all, this book did not shy away from the nitty gritty. Jo Baker made sure she didn't gloss over what life was like as a servant in Regency era England. Somebody had to empty out the Bennett's chamber pots, slave over a meal all day, and clean up after the Gardiner children's nappies, and those people were the main characters in this novel. I have to say that this aspect of the novel was very eye-opening and educational for me, though it was an education I wasn't expecting to receive. Longbourn also made me step back and think more deeply about the beloved characters in Pride & Prejudice, and shed a new light on the unsympathetic ones, such as Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Collins, and Mary. I think the glimpse at the motivations and interactions of these three characters was my favorite part about this novel. Overall, my feelings for Longbourn are blasé at best. I liked it, but it's definitely not a new favorite.

Overall Book Club's Thoughts: Ok, so here's where the experimentation comes in. Y'all will have to let us know how you like it! Each month, Jenny and I are going to ask everyone in book club to summarize their feelings/thoughts/reaction to the book in one word, and then we'll share everyone's words in a cute graphic when we review the book on the blog. We'll also take a group photo where everyone will give either a thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs "middle" (yes, we've made that a thing, lol) depending on their reaction to the book. This picture is so much fun to me since you can see the range of everyone's reactions all at the same time - and in a book club this size, they are all across the board! So as you can see, for the most part, book club was NOT a fan of Longbourn. But if you are still curious about this story, please don't let us discourage you from trying it! Popular opinion might not  always match your opinion, and that's ok.

So what are we reading in October?! The Maze Runner by James Dashner!

Jenny Reviews: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

The Vitals

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Release Date: 31 January 2006
Page Count: 288
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Target Audience: Adult
Series: Mercy Thompson #1
Source and Format: Purchased; e-book

Summary (From Goodreads)
Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson is a talented Volkswagen mechanic living in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. She also happens to be a walker, a magical being with the power to shift into a coyote at will. Mercy's next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a bus for a vampire. This is the world of Mercy Thompson, one that looks a lot like ours but is populated by those things that go bump in the night. And Mercy's connection to those things is about to get her into some serious hot water...

Notes on Moon Called
(This review is actually going to focus on the series as a whole, rather than me reviewing all 8 books that are currently out. You're welcome.)

This series is so refreshing. I am a big fantasy fan and I enjoy paranormal fantasy, but it is so blasted hard to find stories that don't rely on sex and foul language and characters who think very highly of themselves to capture your attention. Patricia Briggs is a breath of fresh air. Mercy & Co. are down to earth and relatable. I mean, think about it for a minute- it's a bit difficult to make werewolves relatable while still retaining their other-ness. Mercy is a mechanic who does not really care what she looks like. She is comfortable in her own (and her coyote) skin. She does not like cursing and often gets onto the other characters when they slip up. Speaking of other characters, secondary characters are fabulous. As a matter of fact, the secondary characters are actually my favorite part of the later books in the series. If you do not want to be best friends with Warren after the first book then something is wrong in with your head. As I've said before, I am a big fan of solid, well-written characters and this series delivers.

The world building and conflicts are also well planned. Most of the otherworldly creatures coexist with humanity just fine, so Briggs had to focus on culture building rather than world building. She balances the line between too much information and not enough information nicely. There are no rambling info dumps in an effort to tell a lot about the culture in a short amount of time. You are also not left to wonder how the heck these creatures work. The conflict she lays out in the first book has consequences that reverberate through the other books, which gives the series a sense of continuity that is sometimes lacking in long running series. You don't feel like each book is a vignette in a character's life; the events of one book carry over into the other books, as our decisions and circumstances do in our own lives. Briggs has another series- Alpha & Omega- which is also set in the Mercy Thompson world and ties into the plot at large nicely. (I love it too, though the first book was not my fave. I'm glad I stuck with the series though!)

Chief Complaint

I have two complaints and both are relatively minor. The first is that the covers of the books are a bit misleading. It makes the heroine out to be a bit more... flamboyant than she really is. The Mercy in the books does not dress like the Mercy on the covers of the books and does not want to dress like that. The second complaint is that the series is starting to drag. Some of the conflict in the later books is a bit flat, though I believe she is setting up plot lines for later books. Don't get me wrong. I like all of the books, I just don't like them all equally well. Where (for me) Alpha & Omega starts out slow and gets better and better, Mercy Thompson starts out good, slows down, hits a high note with #5, and then slows back down again.

 
Memorable Quotes
“Love thy enemies, it says in the scriptures. My foster mother always added, "At the very least, you will be polite to them.”

“Happiness is German engineering, Italian cooking, and Belgian chocolate.”

“I have a degree in history, which is one of the reasons I’m an auto mechanic.”

Overall Diagnosis
                        

Get a Second Opinion

• Jess from Gone with the Words - "Mercy, a strong heroine. Adam, the alpha who completely intrigued me from the get go. The world building, which I’m guessing we’ve only seen a bit of, was totally magical. The plot was mysterious and exciting. The secondary characters had so much character, they completely cemented my feelings on how much I will enjoy the rest of this series." 
• Daniela at Lit Snit- "At times, I forgot I was reading fiction and caught myself thinking how cool it would be if the History Channel did a doc on these werewolves."

Lesley Anne Reviews: The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

The Vitals

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
Release Date: March 22, 2011
Page Count: 273
Genre: Contemporary; Magical Realism
Target Audience: Adult
Series: Standalone
Source and Format: Bought; Hardcover

Summary (From Goodreads)
It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.

But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.

For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town. 

Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.

Notes on The Peach Keeper

The Peach Keeper was one of those books that absolutely did not leave me alone until I finally gave in to its relentless charm and read it. The initial draw for me was the understated elegance of the cover - the floating peach blossoms, the cover girl's top knot, the lace camisole, the peach tree perched on a hill. And then every time I went to a bookstore, The Peach Keeper would show up on a display table, or would instantly stand out to me while browsing the shelves, batting its eyes at me, like it was just begging me to buy it and take it home. And then, one cold February day at 2nd & Charles in Augusta, I did that very thing. I brought a used copy of The Peach Keeper home with me for a measly $2.50. And I am so glad I did.  

One thing you should know to give you a little context for this review is that this book had a winning formula for me from the very beginning. Three things that top my favorites list are (1) Old Southern homes, (2) The mountains of North Carolina, and (3) PEACHES. This book has all three of these things and more. Add in the fact that I was in the mood for something on the lighter side when I picked this up, and The Peach Keeper really just hit the sweet spot for me. 

So what's this book about, exactly? To describe it in one sentence, it's one part mystery, one part romance, and another part about discovering who you are. Sarah Addison Allen has created a vivid fictional town in Walls of Water, North Carolina - a place steeped in history and tradition, with the old Southern cottages and the Women's Society Club, contrasted with the modernized downtown scene where one of our main characters, Willa Jackson, owns a sporting goods store and coffee shop. Walls of Water is a place I can absolutely imagine in my head, and it's a place that sounds eerily similar to a town I visit in NC every summer. I loved this element of the book. Growing up in the South myself, I can say with certainty that Walls of Water fits right in.    

Not only was The Peach Keeper my first Sarah Addison Allen read, it was also my first experience with magical realism. I didn't know what to expect when it came to the magical realism element, but I have to say I was a little disappointed on this front. I honestly think my preconceived notions were a little out of line, since I was expecting more of the magic and instead got more of the realism. Which totally is my fault, and I will have to read more books in this genre to see what a better expectation of the magic to realism ratio should be. But I did appreciate the sprinkling in here and there of magical elements, like party invitations showing up at random, or food that changed people's mood, that made this book more than just another contemporary romance.

I think what I loved most about this book was the strong bond of female friendship between Willa and Paxton's grandmothers, Georgie and Agatha, that created fertile ground for Willa and Paxton to come together as friends themselves. It was awkward at first, yes, but isn't that how all friendships begin when you're an adult? I really appreciated the realistic way Allen portrayed the growth of their friendship. And don't even get me started on how much I identify with Willa on moving away for college and then coming back to live in her hometown and having to deal with the many questions and feelings that come with it. That's a whole separate post for another day. :) 

Anyway, I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance, who don't mind having a little magic and mystery sprinkled in. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised if you give this one a try!

Memorable Quotes
"You aren't always shown the path in life you're supposed to take. But if there was one thing she'd learned in the past few weeks, it was that sometimes, when you're really lucky, you meet someone with a map."

"Coffee, she'd discovered, was tied to all sorts of memories, different for each person. Sunday mornings, friendly get-togethers, a favorite grandfather long since gone, the AA meeting that saved their life. Coffee meant something to people. Most found their lives were miserable without it. Coffee was a lot like love that way. And because Rachel believed in love, she believed in coffee, too."

"She was smart. She was savvy. And most of all, she was Southern."

Overall Diagnosis

Get a Second Opinion

• Angie from Angieville - "I'm telling you, there is nothing, nothing like a brand new Sarah Addison Allen book when it comes to comfort reading. You just know you're gonna get the full southern treatment, that the prose will be lighter than air, and that magic will swirl through your veins like cream in one of Rachel's red-and-white striped coffee cups."
• Lydia at The Lost Entwife - "A bit of a mystery, a touch of magic, the charm of the setting – all these combine to make The Peach Keeper another on my list of comfort books to read on that rainy day."

Jenny Reviews: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Release Date: 6 September 2007
Page Count: 335
Genre: Contemporary; Historical Fiction
Target Audience: Adult
Series: No
Source and Format: Purchased; Paperback

Summary (From Goodreads)

Things have never been easy for Oscar, a sweet but disastrously overweight ghetto nerd, a New Jersey romantic who dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and, most of all, of finding love. But he may never get what he wants, thanks to the fukú — the ancient curse that has haunted Oscar's family for generations, dooming them to prison, torture, tragic accidents, and, above all, ill-starred love. Oscar, still dreaming of his first kiss, is only its most recent victim - until the fateful summer that he decides to be its last.

With dazzling energy and insight, Junot Díaz immerses us in the uproarious lives of our hero Oscar, his runaway sister Lola, and their ferocious beauty-queen mother Belicia, and in the epic journey from Santo Domingo to Washington Heights to New Jersey's Bergenline and back again. Rendered with uncommon warmth and humor, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao presents an astonishing vision of the contemporary American experience and the endless human capacity to persevere - and to risk it all - in the name of love.

Notes on The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
This book is my favorite of the semester. As the title suggests, it is a story about a boy named Oscar. That is just the surface story, though. It is a book about Oscar's family and his one friend, and the many seemingly ordinary events that make up their lives. There are two narrators, and neither is Oscar, which means we learn about his life from others. The book is filled with Spanish words, but don't let that put you off. It adds to the authenticity of the book. You feel the Dominican-ness of the characters. 

This novel is one that sticks with you. My students had to write a response telling me why Oscar's life was considered wondrous; it is a good idea to keep that question in mind when you are reading it. He is the epitome of nerd in a culture that is known for machismo. It seems that there is nothing wondrous about his life, that perhaps tragic would be a better adjective. The beauty of his life is his refusal to give up on love and his refusal to change who he is in order to fit in. 

It is not a happy-go-lucky book; life is hard, especially life under a dictator. There are a ton of bad words, lots of talking about sex (though no sex scenes), and several beatings. It is a messy novel because life is messy. My students loved it. I dare you to read it and not fall a little in love with Oscar yourself. 

Overall Diagnosis

Get a Second Opinion

• Amanda at Late Nights with Good Books - "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is literary fiction at its finest...Highly recommended for those who aren't afraid of crude language, who want a thought-provoking, lasting read that offers a glimpse into another culture and its history."

Jenny Reviews: American Gods

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American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Release Date: 19 June 2001

Page Count: 541 (in the edition I read, which included extra stuff not found in the original)

Genre: Hard to say, exactly. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Mystery

Target Audience: Adult

Series: American Gods #1

Summary (From Goodreads)
Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Notes on American Gods
Oh. My. Gosh. Why I have I not read this book before? I am almost mad that I am just now reading it. This is everything I love in a book- mystery, mythology, beautiful prose, plot twists, and unforgettable characters. It is really a genre-defying book. It has won several major awards in the science fiction/fantasy world and a horror award. Don't let that scare you away- I don't like horror myself. I feel that there is no way for me to possibly convey to you, faithful reader, how much I love this book in a coherent manner. There is too much to talk about in one blog post. Go read it for yourself and then try to describe why you love it. I personally think magic is involved somehow.

Memorable Quotes
“What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore it knows it's not fooling a soul.”

“All your questions can be answered, if that is what you want. But once you learn your answers, you can never unlearn them.”

“Fiction allows us to slide into these other heads, these other places, and look out through other eyes. And then in the tale we stop before we die, or we die vicariously and unharmed, and in the world beyond the tale we turn the page or close the book, and we resume our lives.”

Overall Diagnosis

  

*Disclaimer*

This book is what Lesley Anne calls literary fiction. I call it a reader's book (can you tell she did lots of P.R. work in her degree?). It is not fast-paced and has some weird scenes in it. I do not want you to think you are reading the next Divergent or, heaven forbid, 50 Shades of Grey. It is a book for thinkers and Gaiman spends a lot of time setting up scenes and giving readers food for thought. It will take you a bit to put the pieces together because he does not spoon feed you. Just wanted to let you know so you don't go into it thinking it is a beach read... though it was my beach read and I loved every minute of it!

Jenny Reviews: Sula by Toni Morrison

The Vitals

Sula by Toni Morrison

Release Date: 1973

Page Count: 192

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Adult

Series: No

Source and Format: Purchased; Paperback

Summary (From Goodreads)
In Sula, Toni Morrison, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize for literature, tells the story of two women--friends since childhood, separated in young adulthood, and reunited as grown women. Nel Wright grows up to become a wife and mother, happy to remain in her hometown of Medallion, Ohio. Sula Peace leaves Medallion to experience college, men, and life in the big city, an exceptional choice for a black woman to make in the late 1920s. As girls, Nel and Sula are the best of friends, only children who find in each other a kindred spirit to share in each girl's loneliness and imagination. When they meet again as adults, it's clear that Nel has chosen a life of acceptance and accommodation, while Sula must fight to defend her seemingly unconventional choices and beliefs. But regardless of the physical and emotional distance that threatens this extraordinary friendship, the bond between the women remains unbreakable: "Her old friend had come home.... Sula, whose past she had lived through and with whom the present was a constant sharing of perceptions. Talking to Sula had always been a conversation with herself." Lyrical and gripping, Sula is an honest look at the power of friendship amid a backdrop of family, love, race, and the human condition.

Notes on Sula
This book was a very quick read. We only took 2 weeks to cover it in class, and that was due in part to the snow day we experienced. That is not to say, however, that there was not a lot going on in the story. Morrison populates this novel with a lot of characters. So many, in fact, it is hard to tell who exactly the main character is. You could make an argument for several of them. There is also no clear cut "hero"; all the characters are morally ambiguous. Her writing style is beautiful and earthy. She invokes vivid mental images in her descriptions of the people, places, and emotions in this novel. With all that being said, it is hard for me to call this a novel. It is almost a series of vignettes (see definition 3). It is a novel of events- each chapter covers an episode in the characters' lives and there is not a lot of cohesion between the events. It is more a social commentary told in short sketches than a novel with an overarching plot line. This is my first Toni Morrison novel and I believe that everyone should read her at least once so they can experience her voice. Sula is short and sweet; it is not a difficult read. Would I recommend it? Maybe, depending on who was asking. It is not for everyone; some people need more action and less introspection.

Overall Diagnosis

Memorable Quotes
“It is sheer good fortune to miss somebody long before they leave you.”

“You been gone too long, Sula. Not too long, but maybe too far.”

“It had been the longest time since she had had a rib-scraping laugh. She had forgotten how deep and down it could be. So different from the miscellaneous giggles and smiles she had learned to be content with these past few years.”

Review: Burial Rites

The Vitals

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Page Count: 322
Genre: Historical Fiction
Target Audience: Adult
Series: No
Source and Format: Library; Audiobook

Summary (From Goodreads)
A brilliant literary debut, inspired by a true story: the final days of a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in 1829.

Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.

Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard.

Riveting and rich with lyricism, Burial Rites evokes a dramatic existence in a distant time and place, and asks the question, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?

Notes on Burial Rites

I think it's safe to say that Burial Rites has ruined me for all other books. I have never read anything like it, and I mean that in a very, very good way. This is the type of story that sticks to your bones and won't go away. I find myself thinking about the characters and their situations all the time; even now, weeks after finishing. Burial Rites will leave you ruminating long after you turn the final page, and for that I truly, truly loved this book. 

At the center of Burial Rites is the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, an Icelandic housemaid who is charged with the murder of two men, one of whom was her former master, Natan Ketilsson. Due to Iceland's lack of prison space to house criminals, she is sent to live on a farm in isolated Kornsá with a district officer and his family to await her execution. The story of Agnes is told through multiple perspectives, including the farmer and his wife, Margrét, their daughters Steina and Lauga, and Agnes' spiritual advisor, Tóti  This book is not a murder mystery preoccupied with proving Agnes' guilt or innocence, it is simply the story of Agnes as she lives out the final months of her life. And it is so hauntingly beautiful. 

There are a few things you should know about Burial Rites before you make the decision to pick it up (and you should definitely pick it up, no matter!). First, this is not a happy story. Kent does not deign to sugarcoat what life was like for Agnes before she came to live with the district officer and his family. She lived in horrifying conditions, sitting for long periods of time in a vat of her own waste, covered by lice, deprived of light and any human contact. Kent describes each of these things in vivid detail, to the point where you can almost smell the sourness and feel your throat ache from thirst. Once Agnes arrives on the farm, she is faced with an excruciatingly long wait and plenty of time to think about her ultimate fate. On top of Agnes' situation as a convicted murderer, life in general was difficult for anyone living in rural 19th century Iceland, and this book does not try to paint a rosy picture of it. Not to say the entire book is bleak and depressing, but if you are looking for a feel-good book, this is not it. 

The second thing you should know (as mentioned above) is that this book is told from multiple points of view. I know multiple perspectives is a turn off for some people, but for me, I was glad to experience Agnes' story through those that were nearest to her in the last months of her life. Though we do not get to know the secondary characters the way we get to know Agnes, some of them still experience significant character growth that we wouldn't necessarily know about if the story were told only through Agnes' limited first person perspective. We get to see Tóti's struggle as a young priest trying to find his place among the clergymen, expected to deal with Agnes harshly in order to rouse her repentance, but instead chooses to understand her on a more personal level and encourages her to think about spiritual things through heartfelt conversation. We get to see the journey of Margrét as she slowly realizes her preconceived notions about Agnes could have been misguided. The first encounter between Agnes and Margrét might be my absolute favorite scene of the entire novel. I grew to really admire Margrét's determination and fierce protection of the ones she loved.   

Third, Burial Rites wrestles with some really tough questions. What defines you as a person? Your actions? What other people say about you? What you say about yourself? Is every person worth knowing, even a murderer no longer deemed worthy to live? (The answer to that last question is an absolute YES, but how often do I truly live that belief out in my own life?). This entire book reminded me of an article I recently read by Jen Hatmaker where she explores "The Mythical 'They'" and how our preconceived notions keep us from seeing and getting to know people as individuals. Basically, this book will have your brain turning things over and over as you contemplate the many issues it explores. And it's one of the things I really loved about it.

Before I wrap this up, I have to say a few things about the audiobook. IT WAS EXCELLENT! I highly recommend listening to the audiobook for your first read, or if you've already read a physical copy, the audio would be the perfect way to reread. This book was meant to be heard out loud. Morven Christie, the narrator, is right on with her Icelandic pronunciations and her ability to maintain unique voice for each of the characters. You could feel the desperation, the loneliness, the foreboding. I can't recommend the audiobook enough!

All in all, I am so glad I read Burial Rites. I learned so many things from this story, not just about a real person who lived in 19th century Iceland, but about myself as well. This book was raw and real and forced me to wrestle with some tough questions. The writing was incredibly gorgeous, and it was a debut! I can't wait to read more from Hannah Kent, and in the meantime, I beg you to add this book to your to-read pile. You will certainly not regret it.

Chief Complaint

I think a lot of people will find the flashbacks to Agnes' past a little jarring. I'm sure it's hard to follow when reading the physical copy, but it was especially hard to follow while listening to the audiobook. There were times when I wasn't sure if we were in the present or hearing about something that happened in the past. Also, I found the conclusion to be somewhat unsatisfying, but overall neither of these things really detracted from my enjoyment of the book. 

Memorable Quotes

“It’s not fair. People claim to know you through the things you’ve done, and not by sitting down and listening to you speak for yourself.”

"If I speak, it will be bubbles of air. They will not be able to keep my words for themselves. They will see the whore, the madwoman, the murderess, the female dripping blood into the grass and laughing with her mouth choked with dirt. They will say 'Agnes' and see the spider, the witch caught in the webbing of her own fateful weaving. They might see the lamb circled by ravens, bleating for a lost mother. But they will not see me. I will not be there."

Overall Diagnosis

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• Renae at Respiring Thoughts - "Burial Rites could have been excellent, but it was lacking. With a bit of structural rearrangement, and a bigger emphasis on the unique setting, I think I would have liked it better."
• Hannah at So Obsessed With - "[Burial Rites] is stunning, moving, and without a doubt, one of the best things I've read in a long time. It deserves all the praise it's been getting and more."