1 to 13 of 13
Review Date: 7/24/2010
Helpful Score: 4
Type: {Beach Read: fluffy, mindless, easy to read}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
Youre an Austenite (lover of all things Jane Austen)
You love time travel type books
Youre a sucker for a good love story
What I thought:
First of all, Im a total Austenite. Plop me in front of any version of Pride and Prejudice and youve lost me for hours. I was hooked by the blurb on the front cover that told me of Jane Hayes, a single woman living in the city who is obsessed with Jane Austen. A wealthy relative gives her a trip to Austenland (an English resort that is set up as a Regency-era role play getaway). I had fun reading as Jane plunged herself into this new life (for three weeks) full of characters who are visiting and others who work there (ahem, cute men who of course become love interests). Austen fans will be tickled by the references to her books, and newcomers will enjoy a good chick-lit romp through time.
This is the type of book you could read in one gulp. Short, easy, sweet, with just enough romance to keep smiling.
Rating: {An Unputdownable: couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
Youre an Austenite (lover of all things Jane Austen)
You love time travel type books
Youre a sucker for a good love story
What I thought:
First of all, Im a total Austenite. Plop me in front of any version of Pride and Prejudice and youve lost me for hours. I was hooked by the blurb on the front cover that told me of Jane Hayes, a single woman living in the city who is obsessed with Jane Austen. A wealthy relative gives her a trip to Austenland (an English resort that is set up as a Regency-era role play getaway). I had fun reading as Jane plunged herself into this new life (for three weeks) full of characters who are visiting and others who work there (ahem, cute men who of course become love interests). Austen fans will be tickled by the references to her books, and newcomers will enjoy a good chick-lit romp through time.
This is the type of book you could read in one gulp. Short, easy, sweet, with just enough romance to keep smiling.
Review Date: 7/24/2010
Helpful Score: 6
Type: {Weekend Read: a book to curl up on the couch with}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
British humor cracks you up
You like a bit of depth with humor, and some otherwise chick-lit staples
You are a single mom, were raised by a single mom, or know a single mom
You dream of moving to a quirky seaside community and starting your own shop
What I Thought:
I wonder if the fact that I am now craving tea everyday, took up crocheting again, and am dying to get back to England means that I was influenced by the charming book The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club. Gil McNeil gives us a story about Jo, who after being told by her husband that he has had an affair, loses him in a car accident. McNeil spares us the agony of going through the tragedy and allows us the uplifting glimpse of Jos life, with her two young boys, as she rebuilds after. She moves to the English seaside, takes over her grandmothers yarn store, makes new friends (including an international movie star) while keeping close contact with her refreshing and witty best friend and rebuilding her life with her two (quite funny) adorable boys. I devoured this book in a big gulp, and cant wait for a second helping. You can almost hear her boys as you laugh out loud at them, and see her seaside house which I imagine is a bit shabby chic and utterly comfortable. Her life and story are charming and real. Thanks to Hyperion/ Voice for this pleasant little surprise in my mailbox. I would giveaway a copy, but I wont because Im not ready to part with mine I plan on reading it again (kind of like comfort food and your favorite movies combined).
Lucky for us, this book has a sequel: Needles and Pearls.
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
British humor cracks you up
You like a bit of depth with humor, and some otherwise chick-lit staples
You are a single mom, were raised by a single mom, or know a single mom
You dream of moving to a quirky seaside community and starting your own shop
What I Thought:
I wonder if the fact that I am now craving tea everyday, took up crocheting again, and am dying to get back to England means that I was influenced by the charming book The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club. Gil McNeil gives us a story about Jo, who after being told by her husband that he has had an affair, loses him in a car accident. McNeil spares us the agony of going through the tragedy and allows us the uplifting glimpse of Jos life, with her two young boys, as she rebuilds after. She moves to the English seaside, takes over her grandmothers yarn store, makes new friends (including an international movie star) while keeping close contact with her refreshing and witty best friend and rebuilding her life with her two (quite funny) adorable boys. I devoured this book in a big gulp, and cant wait for a second helping. You can almost hear her boys as you laugh out loud at them, and see her seaside house which I imagine is a bit shabby chic and utterly comfortable. Her life and story are charming and real. Thanks to Hyperion/ Voice for this pleasant little surprise in my mailbox. I would giveaway a copy, but I wont because Im not ready to part with mine I plan on reading it again (kind of like comfort food and your favorite movies combined).
Lucky for us, this book has a sequel: Needles and Pearls.
Review Date: 6/20/2011
Helpful Score: 14
Type: {Airplane Read: makes time fly.}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book.}
Why Youre Reading It:
You enjoy a well written book and a compelling plot
You find unique characters refreshing
You love the South, and the books that feature it as a character
A well thought out mystery keeps you turning pages
What I Thought:
Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I have been texting my friends telling them to go get a copy of this book for book clubs, airplane trips, or just sitting on their porch and reading this weekend. I devoured every word of this; part character study, part mystery, part exploration of a small town in Mississippi. How to get you to read this? Im not sure what to say that would convey the message.
This story explores how misconceptions can break a person but not their soul; how important it is to tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth; how sometimes the most beaten down people can be the most loving and how sometimes they can be the most disturbed. It will make you feel love for someone who, if you actually lived in this fictional town, you would probably fear. It will make you wonder who you are ignoring, neglecting, judging. It will make you think about how much you ridicule and isolation you could endure if made to do so.
Interwoven in the richness of the characters and their plights is a mystery; about a girl who went missing 25 years ago and another who went missing in the past few weeks. What happened to these girls, why it happened, and the effect it caused on the people left behind will have you tearing through the pages of this incredibly readable, short novel.
Please read it and do so before they make the movie; the rights have been bought and it is being optioned, but there is so much that they wont be able to capture. So read it this summer, you wont be sorry.
*One last thing: I will forgive Tom Franklin for using my name the way he did. But looking forward to someone, someday naming a charming, lovely, female character Wallace.
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book.}
Why Youre Reading It:
You enjoy a well written book and a compelling plot
You find unique characters refreshing
You love the South, and the books that feature it as a character
A well thought out mystery keeps you turning pages
What I Thought:
Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I have been texting my friends telling them to go get a copy of this book for book clubs, airplane trips, or just sitting on their porch and reading this weekend. I devoured every word of this; part character study, part mystery, part exploration of a small town in Mississippi. How to get you to read this? Im not sure what to say that would convey the message.
This story explores how misconceptions can break a person but not their soul; how important it is to tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth; how sometimes the most beaten down people can be the most loving and how sometimes they can be the most disturbed. It will make you feel love for someone who, if you actually lived in this fictional town, you would probably fear. It will make you wonder who you are ignoring, neglecting, judging. It will make you think about how much you ridicule and isolation you could endure if made to do so.
Interwoven in the richness of the characters and their plights is a mystery; about a girl who went missing 25 years ago and another who went missing in the past few weeks. What happened to these girls, why it happened, and the effect it caused on the people left behind will have you tearing through the pages of this incredibly readable, short novel.
Please read it and do so before they make the movie; the rights have been bought and it is being optioned, but there is so much that they wont be able to capture. So read it this summer, you wont be sorry.
*One last thing: I will forgive Tom Franklin for using my name the way he did. But looking forward to someone, someday naming a charming, lovely, female character Wallace.
Review Date: 6/20/2011
Type: {Weekend Read: a book to curl up on the couch with.}
Rating: {Im Lovin It: Very entertaining!}
Why Youre Reading It:
You are a fan of Isabel Allende
You enjoy rich characters
You enjoy Historical Fiction
You like stories that incorporate different cultures
Stories involving places as characters (in this case Chile and California) add to the story in your opinion
What I Thought:
In Isabel Allendes novel about Eliza Sommers, she brings together a cast of characters so well developed that you forget they arent real. The story begins in Chile, where Eliza is taken in by Rose Sommers and her brother Jeremy, and follows her through growing up and leaving for the gold country of northern California.
Not only is this a story involving the adventure of Eliza, it explores the unrational way that our first loves can conquer us, what we learn through them, and how powerful they can be in setting the course for our lives. Weaving in the beauty of both Chilean and Chinese culture and incorporating a myraid of characters that make this story engaging, Allende takes the reader for a well-paced ride through the 19th century beginnings of San Francisco as we know it. Attention to the details of class, culture, prejudice, and customs of the time make for an incredibly interesting reading; as does the glimpse into the world of the very few women, most of whom were soiled doves, and how they were able to survive (and sometimes flourish) in a mostly male dominated area.
This is a fantastic book to read while on vacation. I kept wondering why it was taking me so long to read since it was such an interesting story, and decided that though roughly four hundred pages, the type is quite small and the book could easily be much longer if it were written in a larger font. Though the beginning was a tad slow going, the speed picked up significantly as soon as the author introduces Tao Chien and never slowed down from there. This is the only reason that this work does not garner the Unputdownable ranking. I highly recommend it for summer reading, as you will be thoroughly entertained and have the benefit of looking to the authors large published, well-liked collection for follow ups after you are finished with this title.
Rating: {Im Lovin It: Very entertaining!}
Why Youre Reading It:
You are a fan of Isabel Allende
You enjoy rich characters
You enjoy Historical Fiction
You like stories that incorporate different cultures
Stories involving places as characters (in this case Chile and California) add to the story in your opinion
What I Thought:
In Isabel Allendes novel about Eliza Sommers, she brings together a cast of characters so well developed that you forget they arent real. The story begins in Chile, where Eliza is taken in by Rose Sommers and her brother Jeremy, and follows her through growing up and leaving for the gold country of northern California.
Not only is this a story involving the adventure of Eliza, it explores the unrational way that our first loves can conquer us, what we learn through them, and how powerful they can be in setting the course for our lives. Weaving in the beauty of both Chilean and Chinese culture and incorporating a myraid of characters that make this story engaging, Allende takes the reader for a well-paced ride through the 19th century beginnings of San Francisco as we know it. Attention to the details of class, culture, prejudice, and customs of the time make for an incredibly interesting reading; as does the glimpse into the world of the very few women, most of whom were soiled doves, and how they were able to survive (and sometimes flourish) in a mostly male dominated area.
This is a fantastic book to read while on vacation. I kept wondering why it was taking me so long to read since it was such an interesting story, and decided that though roughly four hundred pages, the type is quite small and the book could easily be much longer if it were written in a larger font. Though the beginning was a tad slow going, the speed picked up significantly as soon as the author introduces Tao Chien and never slowed down from there. This is the only reason that this work does not garner the Unputdownable ranking. I highly recommend it for summer reading, as you will be thoroughly entertained and have the benefit of looking to the authors large published, well-liked collection for follow ups after you are finished with this title.
The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
6
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
6
Review Date: 8/11/2011
Helpful Score: 2
Type: {Impress Your Friends Read: notable; prize-winner or all around intelligent crowd conversation piece.}
Rating: {Me Likey: Enjoyable! Particularly for fans of this genre.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You love history.
- 1920′s Chicago, prohibition, jazz-age really gets you going.
- You love the play Chicago.
- Youre a true crime junkie.
What I Thought:
Whoa nelly! I love anything having to do with the jazz and art deco age the 1920′s/ 1930′s are my bag, baby. Especially if it has anything to do with Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, or Paris during that time. But wow what a completely different time in the way of what was acceptable and what wasnt. Murder was nothing new not even in nice areas like the old Hyde Park of Chicago, and murders by women were actually fashionable; imagine! What started as a possible wave of feminism (women starting to stick up for themselves after decades/centuries of being their husbands property) took a new turn as women started popping off husbands and lovers. Many of these were somewhat crazy but in 1920′s Chicago womanhood was still synonymous with virtue. And if virtue could kill, then the man had it coming. On top of it all, juries were made up of men only, so if a woman came in on trial and she was beautiful fah-get-abboud-it; all the evidence went out the window.
Throughout Douglas Perrys The Girls of Murder City we follow Maurine Watkins, new reporter who wanted to get some experience writing before she started her real career (which would prove to be playwriting, maybe youve heard of the musical Chicago?). She covered the crime beat in the early twenties and was a keen observer of the absurdities that surrounded these women as they became celebrities through the publicity given to them while awaiting their trials in Cook County Jail. From her experiences she penned the now famous Chicago as a satirical look at what happened with the infamous Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner (who became Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly respectively in the stage version). Watkins pulled not only the story lines, but actual quotes straight from her articles and put them into her script.
This thought provoking, very detailed account of the stories of the woman of Cook County Jail and the reporters who covered them, conjures up some questions about if and how much things have really changed. These trials were the inception of criminals becoming celebrities; a conundrum still relevant today. And one has to wonder if women are still considered virtuous with their style, beauty, and personal lives taken into account when charged for a crime. Regardless of how it relates to the murder trials of the 21st century, it will make the reader hurry to Netflix to add Chicago to their queue!
Rating: {Me Likey: Enjoyable! Particularly for fans of this genre.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You love history.
- 1920′s Chicago, prohibition, jazz-age really gets you going.
- You love the play Chicago.
- Youre a true crime junkie.
What I Thought:
Whoa nelly! I love anything having to do with the jazz and art deco age the 1920′s/ 1930′s are my bag, baby. Especially if it has anything to do with Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, or Paris during that time. But wow what a completely different time in the way of what was acceptable and what wasnt. Murder was nothing new not even in nice areas like the old Hyde Park of Chicago, and murders by women were actually fashionable; imagine! What started as a possible wave of feminism (women starting to stick up for themselves after decades/centuries of being their husbands property) took a new turn as women started popping off husbands and lovers. Many of these were somewhat crazy but in 1920′s Chicago womanhood was still synonymous with virtue. And if virtue could kill, then the man had it coming. On top of it all, juries were made up of men only, so if a woman came in on trial and she was beautiful fah-get-abboud-it; all the evidence went out the window.
Throughout Douglas Perrys The Girls of Murder City we follow Maurine Watkins, new reporter who wanted to get some experience writing before she started her real career (which would prove to be playwriting, maybe youve heard of the musical Chicago?). She covered the crime beat in the early twenties and was a keen observer of the absurdities that surrounded these women as they became celebrities through the publicity given to them while awaiting their trials in Cook County Jail. From her experiences she penned the now famous Chicago as a satirical look at what happened with the infamous Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner (who became Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly respectively in the stage version). Watkins pulled not only the story lines, but actual quotes straight from her articles and put them into her script.
This thought provoking, very detailed account of the stories of the woman of Cook County Jail and the reporters who covered them, conjures up some questions about if and how much things have really changed. These trials were the inception of criminals becoming celebrities; a conundrum still relevant today. And one has to wonder if women are still considered virtuous with their style, beauty, and personal lives taken into account when charged for a crime. Regardless of how it relates to the murder trials of the 21st century, it will make the reader hurry to Netflix to add Chicago to their queue!
Review Date: 7/24/2010
Type: {Beach Read: fluffy, mindless, easy to read}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
You love British Chick-Lit
You need a vacation from heavier books
You need a good book to read by the pool
Funny, light, entertaining stories with a good splash of romance charm you
What I Thought:
I read and loved Hollys Inbox by Holly Denham. I ate it up. Swallowed it whole. It is 665 pages and I downed it. Its that good. And its written in e-mail form, so it goes faster than other books. (Be sure to click the link about Holly Denham, but maybe after you read? You dont want to spoil the surprise about the author until youve started reading and can understand the irony. Let me know what you thinkI was impressed.)
This book is from the UKpublished three years ago, and was only recently published in the United States. It popped out of the table at me in my Barnes and Noble. I went to pick it up, thinking it was a thin, chick-lit novelit is a brick. I almost dropped it because I wasnt prepared, and I was laughing (out loud, by myself). I knew I had to have it; a thicker than thick, total chick-lit, British novelSOLD! Did I mention it had a recommendation by OK! Magazine on the front cover (thats the British version of US Weekly only better)? It was exactly the kind of light read I was looking for to get me through the end of the year (the beginning and end of the school yearok, and all the times right before a vacation, tooare madcompletely exhausting and stressful) last year as I was ending my last teaching job.
Can I tell you how fun this book was to read. First, its always fun to read e-mails and letters (who doesnt like getting letters? And who doesnt remember The Jolly Postman and how fun that book was?) So 665 pages of e-mails, that you dont have to worry about answering, is spellbinding. Not to mention that Holly is very Bridget Jones-esque, yet not quite so incompetent. (Note here: I love Bridget Jones, and most other of the British chick-lit booksisnt there just something delicious about the way British authors write?) Its got the ridiculous aspects, but is also relatablewhich is why this genre is so successful.
For the first few hundred pages I was reading it because it was fun and entertaining. For the last couple hundred I was reading because I couldnt put it down and wanted to know what happened next! It was kind of like eating guacamole; although there isnt that much nutritious value, you just cant stop eating!
Tastes. So. Good.
Even though I could feel the stack of papers in my right hand getting smaller as I approached the end, I was still shocked when I got to the last page. No! It cant be over! Luckily there is a sequel that is now available in the US (ahem, some of us had to order it from the UK last year because we couldnt wait I wont tell you who though).
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
You love British Chick-Lit
You need a vacation from heavier books
You need a good book to read by the pool
Funny, light, entertaining stories with a good splash of romance charm you
What I Thought:
I read and loved Hollys Inbox by Holly Denham. I ate it up. Swallowed it whole. It is 665 pages and I downed it. Its that good. And its written in e-mail form, so it goes faster than other books. (Be sure to click the link about Holly Denham, but maybe after you read? You dont want to spoil the surprise about the author until youve started reading and can understand the irony. Let me know what you thinkI was impressed.)
This book is from the UKpublished three years ago, and was only recently published in the United States. It popped out of the table at me in my Barnes and Noble. I went to pick it up, thinking it was a thin, chick-lit novelit is a brick. I almost dropped it because I wasnt prepared, and I was laughing (out loud, by myself). I knew I had to have it; a thicker than thick, total chick-lit, British novelSOLD! Did I mention it had a recommendation by OK! Magazine on the front cover (thats the British version of US Weekly only better)? It was exactly the kind of light read I was looking for to get me through the end of the year (the beginning and end of the school yearok, and all the times right before a vacation, tooare madcompletely exhausting and stressful) last year as I was ending my last teaching job.
Can I tell you how fun this book was to read. First, its always fun to read e-mails and letters (who doesnt like getting letters? And who doesnt remember The Jolly Postman and how fun that book was?) So 665 pages of e-mails, that you dont have to worry about answering, is spellbinding. Not to mention that Holly is very Bridget Jones-esque, yet not quite so incompetent. (Note here: I love Bridget Jones, and most other of the British chick-lit booksisnt there just something delicious about the way British authors write?) Its got the ridiculous aspects, but is also relatablewhich is why this genre is so successful.
For the first few hundred pages I was reading it because it was fun and entertaining. For the last couple hundred I was reading because I couldnt put it down and wanted to know what happened next! It was kind of like eating guacamole; although there isnt that much nutritious value, you just cant stop eating!
Tastes. So. Good.
Even though I could feel the stack of papers in my right hand getting smaller as I approached the end, I was still shocked when I got to the last page. No! It cant be over! Luckily there is a sequel that is now available in the US (ahem, some of us had to order it from the UK last year because we couldnt wait I wont tell you who though).
Review Date: 7/30/2011
Helpful Score: 1
Type: {Impress Your Friends Read: notable; prize-winner or all around intelligent crowd conversation piece.}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You love historical fiction that is more historical than fiction
- Well-written informative books are your thing
- You like a good page-turner that brings something more to the table than just entertainment
What I Thought:
While I love Phillipa Greggory, she writes historical fiction for fiction lovers. Madame Tussaud is a historical fiction book for history lovers. What I mean by this is that the amount of research that went into this book was so meticulous that the author even wrote an afterward admitting to the parts that she embellished, which were few (and mostly minimal in significance) for a book of this length. Michelle Moran has written a deft mix of historical accuracy and engaging fiction.
By concentrating on Marie Grisholtz (Madame Tussaud), Moran has given us a personal view of the French Revolution. A revolution that, as an American, I knew only the basic overview that we are taught in school. For the second half of the book, my mouth was hanging open as I swiftly turned pages soaking up the information about what happened in France in the late 18th century. Completely drawn into the story, I had to remind myself that I already knew what the ultimate outcome was. However, the outcome that I knew (King XVI and Marie Antoinette die sorry if that was news to you if it was I recommend you go back and have a series chat with the schools that educated you) was so very limited in its information that I almost embarrassed now. Perhaps as a child I wouldnt have understood the significance of this revolution, but as an adult I am amazed that this movement is not taught in more depth in American schools (I am singling out America only because I am not privy to the education system in other countries as I am with my own).
This is a book that anyone who is interested in monarchies, politics (including modern politics), and democracy as well as what can happen when a country has a weak leader. I assure you, it can be disastrous and if the revolution were to happen today, it would have been even more so (look at the turmoil in Northern Africa over the past several months if you dont believe me). And how the very people who are trying to make changes can turn into the very thing that they hate the most.
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You love historical fiction that is more historical than fiction
- Well-written informative books are your thing
- You like a good page-turner that brings something more to the table than just entertainment
What I Thought:
While I love Phillipa Greggory, she writes historical fiction for fiction lovers. Madame Tussaud is a historical fiction book for history lovers. What I mean by this is that the amount of research that went into this book was so meticulous that the author even wrote an afterward admitting to the parts that she embellished, which were few (and mostly minimal in significance) for a book of this length. Michelle Moran has written a deft mix of historical accuracy and engaging fiction.
By concentrating on Marie Grisholtz (Madame Tussaud), Moran has given us a personal view of the French Revolution. A revolution that, as an American, I knew only the basic overview that we are taught in school. For the second half of the book, my mouth was hanging open as I swiftly turned pages soaking up the information about what happened in France in the late 18th century. Completely drawn into the story, I had to remind myself that I already knew what the ultimate outcome was. However, the outcome that I knew (King XVI and Marie Antoinette die sorry if that was news to you if it was I recommend you go back and have a series chat with the schools that educated you) was so very limited in its information that I almost embarrassed now. Perhaps as a child I wouldnt have understood the significance of this revolution, but as an adult I am amazed that this movement is not taught in more depth in American schools (I am singling out America only because I am not privy to the education system in other countries as I am with my own).
This is a book that anyone who is interested in monarchies, politics (including modern politics), and democracy as well as what can happen when a country has a weak leader. I assure you, it can be disastrous and if the revolution were to happen today, it would have been even more so (look at the turmoil in Northern Africa over the past several months if you dont believe me). And how the very people who are trying to make changes can turn into the very thing that they hate the most.
Review Date: 8/11/2011
Helpful Score: 7
Type: {Impress Your Friends Read: notable; prize-winner or all around intelligent crowd conversation piece.}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You want to read the book that I am calling my favorite of the year, so far!
- New York City, 1930′s? Youre hooked!
- A smart, witty, & complex variety of characters are enough to convince you to read a book.
- Beautiful prose, continuously moving plots, rich details, and convincing story lines make a book a keeper in your eyes.
What I Thought:
Hello, and welcome to New York City in the 1930′s. Not only will you find the glamour, the music, the lingo, and the romance of one of the golden ages of the city, you will also meet one of the most refreshing protagonists in literature Katey Kontent. Lets follow Miss Kontent through a flashback to the year of 1938 a year that defined her life and meet the exquisite cast of characters that Amor Towles creates on the pages of his debut novel, The Rules of Civility. Against the backdrop of a time when anyone could become anything and women were starting to make their own paths to the top, Towles creates a peephole back through time that has you turning page after page wishing you could actually be there, even just for a moment, to catch a glimpse of the sleek and confident Anne, the charming Tinker, the lively Eve, sweet and sincere Wallace, or intelligent, witty, down-to-earth Katey. (This is the second book of the year with a character named Wallace. Though Im still waiting for a female Wallace to emerge in literature this books Wallace was a tribute to the name!)
My very favorite read this year, landing a spot on my favorite books ever, I was absorbed by this delicious novel. Balancing the thin line between eating it up in one bite but knowing how much I would regret doing that once it was finished I paced myself so that I could enjoy the company of this book for as long as possible. Towles did an extraordinary job of creating the scene, making realistic characters, and spinning a plot that a reader can care about. The lessons in these pages are timeless even if the era in which they are portrayed is exact (and thoroughly enjoyable). I highly, highly recommend this book to everyone. There are very few books that I re-read, but this will be one of them. The charming dialogue, the poignant passages, the intelligent references, and the three-dimensional characters make this poetic, philosophical book, about life and the individual experiences that shape it, fun to read and easy to digest.
Over and over, I exclaimed to myself (out loud of course, because it doesnt count if people dont think youre crazy), I love this book. I LOVE this book! I also can not get over how much I adore the character of Katey; and how fast they will probably turn this into a movie (and probably should), but how very, very sad Ill be because this is a book that belongs to the imagination its that magical.
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You want to read the book that I am calling my favorite of the year, so far!
- New York City, 1930′s? Youre hooked!
- A smart, witty, & complex variety of characters are enough to convince you to read a book.
- Beautiful prose, continuously moving plots, rich details, and convincing story lines make a book a keeper in your eyes.
What I Thought:
Hello, and welcome to New York City in the 1930′s. Not only will you find the glamour, the music, the lingo, and the romance of one of the golden ages of the city, you will also meet one of the most refreshing protagonists in literature Katey Kontent. Lets follow Miss Kontent through a flashback to the year of 1938 a year that defined her life and meet the exquisite cast of characters that Amor Towles creates on the pages of his debut novel, The Rules of Civility. Against the backdrop of a time when anyone could become anything and women were starting to make their own paths to the top, Towles creates a peephole back through time that has you turning page after page wishing you could actually be there, even just for a moment, to catch a glimpse of the sleek and confident Anne, the charming Tinker, the lively Eve, sweet and sincere Wallace, or intelligent, witty, down-to-earth Katey. (This is the second book of the year with a character named Wallace. Though Im still waiting for a female Wallace to emerge in literature this books Wallace was a tribute to the name!)
My very favorite read this year, landing a spot on my favorite books ever, I was absorbed by this delicious novel. Balancing the thin line between eating it up in one bite but knowing how much I would regret doing that once it was finished I paced myself so that I could enjoy the company of this book for as long as possible. Towles did an extraordinary job of creating the scene, making realistic characters, and spinning a plot that a reader can care about. The lessons in these pages are timeless even if the era in which they are portrayed is exact (and thoroughly enjoyable). I highly, highly recommend this book to everyone. There are very few books that I re-read, but this will be one of them. The charming dialogue, the poignant passages, the intelligent references, and the three-dimensional characters make this poetic, philosophical book, about life and the individual experiences that shape it, fun to read and easy to digest.
Over and over, I exclaimed to myself (out loud of course, because it doesnt count if people dont think youre crazy), I love this book. I LOVE this book! I also can not get over how much I adore the character of Katey; and how fast they will probably turn this into a movie (and probably should), but how very, very sad Ill be because this is a book that belongs to the imagination its that magical.
Review Date: 7/30/2011
Helpful Score: 2
Type: {Weekend Read: a book to curl up on the couch with.}
Rating: {Me Likey: Enjoyable! Particularly for fans of this genre.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You like interwoven short stories made into a novel.
- You love food and the way it relates to our lives.
- You enjoy comforting, sweet stories.
What I Thought:
I started The School of Essential Ingredients in my kitchen; listening while cooking. That was the perfect place to listen to it! The nice rythym of the readers voice, the easy to follow story slow but in a comforting way. However, once I took it on the road with me (either while walking or driving) I found that I always got hungry! So, maybe this is a better one to read curled up on your couch with a glass of wine and a plate of yummy food.
Each character in the cooking school, which is held at a restaurant that I wish actually existed tell me if you dont think it sounds like the most delightful place to have nearby, has a short part featuring their story. Each of these shorter stories leaks into other stories to bring all of the characters together with a well-written thread. Though the plot is not fast moving, Bauermeister takes as much care and thought with her writing as the characters do with their cooking. The book is easy to swallow in one or two gulps. It is the epitome of a comfort read for a slow summer evening. If I could have, I would have read this short, lovely book while sitting on the back porch, wine or sweet tea in my hand a pot of something delicious on the stove and then curled up in a hammock with someone to cuddle with after. That is the kind of book this is. The reading wont require much thought, and youll feel peaceful and hungry afterwards.
Buon appetito!
Rating: {Me Likey: Enjoyable! Particularly for fans of this genre.}
Why Youre Reading It:
- You like interwoven short stories made into a novel.
- You love food and the way it relates to our lives.
- You enjoy comforting, sweet stories.
What I Thought:
I started The School of Essential Ingredients in my kitchen; listening while cooking. That was the perfect place to listen to it! The nice rythym of the readers voice, the easy to follow story slow but in a comforting way. However, once I took it on the road with me (either while walking or driving) I found that I always got hungry! So, maybe this is a better one to read curled up on your couch with a glass of wine and a plate of yummy food.
Each character in the cooking school, which is held at a restaurant that I wish actually existed tell me if you dont think it sounds like the most delightful place to have nearby, has a short part featuring their story. Each of these shorter stories leaks into other stories to bring all of the characters together with a well-written thread. Though the plot is not fast moving, Bauermeister takes as much care and thought with her writing as the characters do with their cooking. The book is easy to swallow in one or two gulps. It is the epitome of a comfort read for a slow summer evening. If I could have, I would have read this short, lovely book while sitting on the back porch, wine or sweet tea in my hand a pot of something delicious on the stove and then curled up in a hammock with someone to cuddle with after. That is the kind of book this is. The reading wont require much thought, and youll feel peaceful and hungry afterwards.
Buon appetito!
Review Date: 7/24/2010
Type: {Airplane Read: Makes time fly}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
You like unique books in a favorite genre
You enjoy twists in a novel
You like chick-lit with a little meat
You loved Something Borrowed and want to see what happens next.
What I Thought:
This is the sequel to Something Borrowed. You will be so glad it exists, yet you will wonder how you can read it after connecting so well with the main character in the first book. And, as contradictory as it sounds after just saying how much I related to the main character in the last book, I fully related to the main character in this book too! (You will realize how interesting that is after reading these). This is actually my favorite of the two. I was obsessed and almost read it in one sitting.
I loved it.
I had so much fun, wanted to be in the novel, and willed the book not to end. But it did. Bummer. Read it, love it, and dont tell me if you dont. (Just kidding, you can tell me, but Ill think youre stupid.)
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
You like unique books in a favorite genre
You enjoy twists in a novel
You like chick-lit with a little meat
You loved Something Borrowed and want to see what happens next.
What I Thought:
This is the sequel to Something Borrowed. You will be so glad it exists, yet you will wonder how you can read it after connecting so well with the main character in the first book. And, as contradictory as it sounds after just saying how much I related to the main character in the last book, I fully related to the main character in this book too! (You will realize how interesting that is after reading these). This is actually my favorite of the two. I was obsessed and almost read it in one sitting.
I loved it.
I had so much fun, wanted to be in the novel, and willed the book not to end. But it did. Bummer. Read it, love it, and dont tell me if you dont. (Just kidding, you can tell me, but Ill think youre stupid.)
Review Date: 7/24/2010
Type: {Airplane Read: Makes the time fly}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
You like unique books in a favorite genre
You enjoy twists in a novel
You like chick-lit with a little meat
What I Thought:
This is the first book in a two part series. I adored this book. I devoured it. I think it is so well written; the quality side of chick lit. Quality writing while in a genre that relates to women so well. Although the plot of the story might sound off-putting, I could not believe how much I ended up relating to/ liking the main character. It takes a great writer to make that happen. I highly recommend! If you only have time for two books this summer, read these two (this one and its sequel, Something Blue)theyre great summer reading. The only problem is you wont want to leave your house until youre finished. Just remember that books are transportable and you can take it with you wherever you go!
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldnt eat or sleep until I finished this book}
Why Youre Reading It:
You like unique books in a favorite genre
You enjoy twists in a novel
You like chick-lit with a little meat
What I Thought:
This is the first book in a two part series. I adored this book. I devoured it. I think it is so well written; the quality side of chick lit. Quality writing while in a genre that relates to women so well. Although the plot of the story might sound off-putting, I could not believe how much I ended up relating to/ liking the main character. It takes a great writer to make that happen. I highly recommend! If you only have time for two books this summer, read these two (this one and its sequel, Something Blue)theyre great summer reading. The only problem is you wont want to leave your house until youre finished. Just remember that books are transportable and you can take it with you wherever you go!
Review Date: 7/30/2011
Helpful Score: 2
Why Youre Reading It:
- You enjoy Virginia Woolf, or you have always wanted to read one of her books.
- Stream of consciousness writing makes you happy.
- You like an intelligent character study.
What I Thought:
To the Lighthouse is a small but mighty book. It is to be read slowly and carefully no speed reading will do here. Virginia Woolf is masterful at studying characters in this novel, one said to be closely autobiographical. It follows the lives of the Ramsey family and those who interact with them at their summer house off the coast of Scotland.
Ive never read a book that more fully rides on my ability to feel rather than understand. You must be willing to give up the cerebral control that readers try so hard to maintain while reading and just go with the flow literally, the flow. Woolfs writing was accurately described as being like water (or waves) by readers who read this book along with me. One reader even remarked that reading Woolf was like getting a blanket thrown over your head while someone spins you around and around. So true. But, we like it anyway. Why? Because if you can just give yourself up to her writing you will find that every few sentences you want to declare, Yes! Rightly so, Virginia, you have captured humanness precisely!
You will notice that her prose feels a lot like your own thoughts, before you are able to slow them down so that they can be articulated to come out of your mouth as words. There can be no rushing, because you will miss the parts that make sense - absolutely this is a rule. No rushing.
If I had to summarize this book into how it made me feel (because, I really dont know how else to summarize this book), I would say that it is a tremendous achievement in getting a reader to feel the great contrast between the vitality of life and the loneliness of emptiness. Like some of her most remarkable characters, her prose is not meant to be captured, but rather to be experienced. Try too hard, and you will miss the point entirely (maybe like life itself?).
And if you have no idea what I just said because it was a bit abstract, just wait until you read this book. I dare you.
- You enjoy Virginia Woolf, or you have always wanted to read one of her books.
- Stream of consciousness writing makes you happy.
- You like an intelligent character study.
What I Thought:
To the Lighthouse is a small but mighty book. It is to be read slowly and carefully no speed reading will do here. Virginia Woolf is masterful at studying characters in this novel, one said to be closely autobiographical. It follows the lives of the Ramsey family and those who interact with them at their summer house off the coast of Scotland.
Ive never read a book that more fully rides on my ability to feel rather than understand. You must be willing to give up the cerebral control that readers try so hard to maintain while reading and just go with the flow literally, the flow. Woolfs writing was accurately described as being like water (or waves) by readers who read this book along with me. One reader even remarked that reading Woolf was like getting a blanket thrown over your head while someone spins you around and around. So true. But, we like it anyway. Why? Because if you can just give yourself up to her writing you will find that every few sentences you want to declare, Yes! Rightly so, Virginia, you have captured humanness precisely!
You will notice that her prose feels a lot like your own thoughts, before you are able to slow them down so that they can be articulated to come out of your mouth as words. There can be no rushing, because you will miss the parts that make sense - absolutely this is a rule. No rushing.
If I had to summarize this book into how it made me feel (because, I really dont know how else to summarize this book), I would say that it is a tremendous achievement in getting a reader to feel the great contrast between the vitality of life and the loneliness of emptiness. Like some of her most remarkable characters, her prose is not meant to be captured, but rather to be experienced. Try too hard, and you will miss the point entirely (maybe like life itself?).
And if you have no idea what I just said because it was a bit abstract, just wait until you read this book. I dare you.
Review Date: 6/20/2011
Type: {Beach Read: fluffy, mindless, or easy to read.}
Rating: {Im Lovin It: Very entertaining!}
Why Youre Reading It:
You are a fan of Philippa Gregory
You prefer fast paced historical fiction
Youre looking for something to keep you occupied in the car (audio version)
What I Thought:
The White Queen was a perfect pick as an audio book. It kept my attention in the car and I was eager to get back to it each time I had somewhere to drive. Philippa Gregory does a good job of merging the entertainment factor with historical details. The narrator, Elizabeth Woodville, was the wife of Edward IV and the mother of the two heirs (young boys) who went missing in the Tower of London in the 15th century. (If you ever go to the Tower, you can actually visit the room where they spent their last night). This book takes place during, and fictionalizes, the infamous War of the Roses in England and is full of lust, war, deceit, magic, and ambition. (Side note: Elizabeth Woodville was also the grandmother of Henry VIII, who is not featured in this book, but his mother, and Elizabeths daugher- Elizabeth of York plays a role).
I recommend this as an audiobook with the mention that the narrator uses somewhat of a formal voice, which tends to make the characters sound quite old even though they are actually young throughout most of the story. Thats easily overlooked by the fact that the plot is engaging and fluid.
Books like this (and TV shows like the Tudors) both intrigue me and make me incredibly grateful that our world doesnt function in the same way it used to. So much killing on a whim, and extraordinary power in very few hands with no repercussions. Terrifying! It was almost as if no one was safe. (I think I can honestly say I would have rather been a commoner, because they seemed ten times safer than nobility with all their jealousy and scheming).
Rating: {Im Lovin It: Very entertaining!}
Why Youre Reading It:
You are a fan of Philippa Gregory
You prefer fast paced historical fiction
Youre looking for something to keep you occupied in the car (audio version)
What I Thought:
The White Queen was a perfect pick as an audio book. It kept my attention in the car and I was eager to get back to it each time I had somewhere to drive. Philippa Gregory does a good job of merging the entertainment factor with historical details. The narrator, Elizabeth Woodville, was the wife of Edward IV and the mother of the two heirs (young boys) who went missing in the Tower of London in the 15th century. (If you ever go to the Tower, you can actually visit the room where they spent their last night). This book takes place during, and fictionalizes, the infamous War of the Roses in England and is full of lust, war, deceit, magic, and ambition. (Side note: Elizabeth Woodville was also the grandmother of Henry VIII, who is not featured in this book, but his mother, and Elizabeths daugher- Elizabeth of York plays a role).
I recommend this as an audiobook with the mention that the narrator uses somewhat of a formal voice, which tends to make the characters sound quite old even though they are actually young throughout most of the story. Thats easily overlooked by the fact that the plot is engaging and fluid.
Books like this (and TV shows like the Tudors) both intrigue me and make me incredibly grateful that our world doesnt function in the same way it used to. So much killing on a whim, and extraordinary power in very few hands with no repercussions. Terrifying! It was almost as if no one was safe. (I think I can honestly say I would have rather been a commoner, because they seemed ten times safer than nobility with all their jealousy and scheming).
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