Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens

Stevens does her research and it shows in another page turner! I still have a few unanswered questions but that's a good mystery/thriller - the story keeps you guessing even when the pages run out.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

What is Left the Daughter by Howard Norman

I was excited to read this story after reading so many glowing reviews, but now realize a lot of those were from promotions for the book.  I wanted to really love this book but found myself feeling depressed most of the time.  Wyatt's outlook was always bleak and he seemed like a weak character -okay letting people tell him how to live and what to do.  Yes, he was struck by more than his fair share of tragedy but none of the tragedies seemed to build character or even courage.  But on the positive, there are some brilliantly funny lines in the book and I believe the back and forth banter between, Wyatt, Tilda, Cornelia and Constance, would make for a great TV movie.  

For a synopsis - Wyatt loses his parents to suicide, separately but simultaneously.  He's a 17-year-old boy and is taken in by his Aunt Constance and Uncle Donald.  His cousin, Tilda, who is adopted, thankfully, is beautiful and has some interesting and morbid ideas for a career path.  The book takes place in Newfoundland during the early years of WWII.  It was interesting to gain perspective on what the war meant to Canadians - not something you hear about often.  The story is a letter from Wyatt to his daughter, Maralis.  Once you get through the first two-thirds of the book, you zoom with much anticipation to the end when Wyatt's story really takes off, the true reasons he is writing to his daughter.  While beautifully written, with words I was excited to look up (anodyne, philology), I was left with little to really ponder over once finished.

Monday, August 1, 2011

The Butterfly's Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe

Rating:  Totally Tales
Emotions, spontaneity, questions and answers and a beautiful lesson on migrating Monarchs fills the pages of this road trip novel.  Luz, Abuela, Ofelia, Stacie, Margaret - all strong women with backgrounds as diverse as their looks and experiences.  And we can not forget El Toro, who turns out to be more like Ferdinand. 

Ms. Monroe has created a story that flows not only from north to south but from generation to generation with Spanish, lepidopterology, botany and horticulture lessons to lead us on Luz's journey.  (Yes, I had to look up the spellings and meanings.)  

Highly recommend for any woman wanting to remember, re-discover or re-connect!  Oh and you'll want to kiss your mom, sister, best girlfriend and even your dog once you've finished reading.


I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark

I believe I've read most, if not all, of Clark's books (as well as her daughter, Carol's) and I still have yet to figure out whodunit before the last chapter, grrr....  In I'll Walk Alone, I thought I had a pretty good chance but nope, she got me again.  That's why I always look forward to her books.  Not only are they an entertaining afternoon read, but they carry a high suspense puzzle that is fun trying to figure out.

Zan, the mother who lost her 3-year-old son the day the babysitter fell asleep, is very convincing as the picture of a distraught mom.  But two years later, is she as innocent as she looks.  She has blackouts and hears her son's voice, combine that with the newly discovered picture of her kidnapping Matthew, and her alibi of that day is cracking! Each character has their own reasons for wanting or not wanting the truth of Matty's disappearance to come to light.