The Bells by Richard Harvell

My rating:  4.8

Moses is born in a belfry and raised by his deaf mute mother who rings the bells in the bell tower.  Contrary to expectations, this doesn't make him deaf but rather he develops a sensitive ear and an exquisite singing voice.  This historical fiction is based on the 18th century Opera Singer and the struggles he went through in his life.  Not only is the story awe inspiring but, the writing makes Moses, and all the characters, come to life.  Very well told and such an enjoyable read/listen.

 

I never would have read this book were it not for Marlene's recommendation so, thank you so much!

Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes

My rating:  4.8

From the opening chapter, this book grabbed me.  It flashes between 2007 and 2003 with Catherine Bailey as the central character.   In 2003 she was in a relationship with Lee.  In 2008 she is living on her own with an upstairs flatmate named Stuart.  These two men are very different - and so is Catherine.  In the 4 years Haynes unfolds what happened to make her such a different person and you completely understand how she got to where she is. 

I can see why this was UK's Best Book of the Year in 2011 and the film rights have already been sold.  It is harsh and gripping and worth the read.  Warning, this book captures violent abuse, extreme OCD will have you on the edge of your seat.  

The Bride's Farewell by Meg Rosoff

My Rating: 3.3

Where to start. This is a mid-19th century novel that, on first glance, doesn't warrant your time.   Then, as you read further, you discover that Pel is more than a run-away bride that you can slot into the conventional format.  Yes, at times this feels formula but, it is so much more than that.  It has depth and so much more than a typical romance.  If you like young adult novels, there are a lot of layers here.  Not Rosoff's best work but still entertaining.

 

The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell

My rating: 4.2 

How to capture my feelings about this book. Yowza. Uncomfortable. Dysfunctional. Awkward. Disturbing. Those things are true but, that also makes me realize that this is an amazing bit of writing. I felt for the characters and got pulled into their lives. Wow. To make me squirm and feel so uncomfortable takes a very talented author. I can't recommend such an uncomfortable book so, you will have to decide if this is right for you.

 

Incantation by Alice Hoffman

My Rating:  3.8

Incantation is the story of Spanish Jews having to lead double lives as Catholics during the Spanish Inquisition. When Estrella discovers that her family, whom she thought was Catholic, are truly Jews she confronts a world she never imagined. This is a beautiful poetic telling of a horrific story.

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

My Rating:  4.8

This book is about a Cree boy who is raised by his Auntie in the wilderness and taught to live off the land.  He develops a close friendship with another Cree boy.  When they are of age, the two of them enlist and become snipers in the killing fields of Ypres in WWI.  This is a brutal yet beautifully well told story.  This captures so much - the brutality of war, the beauty of the wilderness, the Native American life and so much more that I am not eloquent enough to capture.  AMAZING writing and this will be in my 'best of' for this year.

When & Where Do You Read?

I rarely sit down for long periods of time to read.  A 'long time' for me would be 30 minutes.  I typically sit down for 10 minutes and then get up and do dishes or some other task, then sit and read again for a few more minutes before I am off doing something else.  This may come from the fact that, as a child, most of my reading was done while I walked home from school - I would take a few steps, stop and read, take a few more steps.  My mother always wondered why it took me so long to walk home those couple of blocks!

At night, I do enjoy curling up with my book in bed and reading for 10 or 20 minutes before I fall asleep.  I also get in a lot of reading on planes.  Recently, a girlfriend shared that she used to read ALL day from when she got up until she went to bed.  How decadent!  It is rare that I sit and read for much more than 10 or 15 minutes at one time.  How about you?  Comment below and let me know where you like to read and for how long.

The Silver Lining Playbook by Matthew Quick

My Rating:  4.0

After a lengthy stay in a mental institution (the bad place), Pat People's returns home ready to resume his life.  This is a quirky, funny (in a black humor) and yet it is also touching and sad.  This is a light easy read that really touched me.  I will never look at Kenny G the same way again.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler

 My rating:  2.4

This storyline sounds intriguing *spoiler alert* about a family of a brother and the girl Rosemary who tells the story and her 'sister' Fern.  Rosemary and Fern are like twin sisters until Fern disappears when Rosemary is 5.  Fern is a chimpanzee.  Rosemary's brother, Lowell, goes missing a few years later.  The story of love, loss and animal cruelty is told in flashbacks that are very choppy and disjointed and Rosemary's voice is very whiney and grating.  I just didn't connect with any of the characters and felt disappointed that, despite the promising storyline, this book fell flat for me.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

My rating:  3.3

This book is primarily about Achilles and Petroclus and teenage love but it also somewhat about the Iliad.  It is written in modern easy to read style and actually has some beautiful clean writing at times but, at other times, it really drags and drones on.  Also, the characterization was so extreme (Achilles is so handsome and Petroclus was weak and feminized).  I wanted to like this book more than I did as Miller is a gifted writer and I would definitely read more by her.

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

My rating:  4.7

A man returns to his childhood home and is drawn to the house at the end of the lane where, when he was 7, he had a childhood friend.  Lettie and he spent time at the pond (that she claimed was an ocean).

The writing is brilliant.  There are so many great quotes such as:

Adults are content to walk the same way, hundreds of times, or thousands; perhaps it never occurs to adults to step off the paths, to creep beneath rhododendrons, to find the spaces between fences.

 “Nobody actually looks like what they really are on the inside. You don’t. I don’t. People are much more complicated than that. It’s true of everybody.”

There is gorgeous imagery, magical realism and will remind you of what it was like to be a child.  Enchanting.  If this an example of Gaiman's writing, I want to devour everything he writes.  For me, this was bordering on 5 stars for the enjoyment value.

Library books that never expire

Get library books on your kindle that never expire  A step-by-step tutorial

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

My rating: 4.6

Kate and her identical twin sister, Vi, were born with 'senses'.  This book isn't earth shattering or really about anything but, it is immensely enjoyable.  There were so many layers to this story and so many things that were captured so well that I still find myself reflecting on it.  Sittenfeld is a fabulous author and I will definitely pick up more by him.

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

My Rating: 4.8
NOS4A2 is a spine-tingling novel of supernatural suspense.  This is not a genre I would ever normally read.....and I loved it.  Yowsa!  Does Joe Hill know how to write!  I guess, this isn't surprising considering who his father is.  Keep in mind with my rating that this isn't normally my genre so I don't have a lot to compare it to but, I thought it was superb.

The Execution of Noa P. Singleton

Noa is on death row and has a chance at clemency.  This book is her flashing back and recounting the crime.  For quite a while, you don't know what she was accused of and, for even longer, you don't know if she is guilty or innocent.  Perhaps that is what kept me reading.  I didn't find any of the characters appealing and it seemed to drag at times but, I did enjoy the writing.