This is a really sweet book from Rebecca Wells, the author who brought the YaYa sisters to life. She does southern really well, and she's done it again with Calla Lily and her family and friends.
Calla Lily grows up in La Luna, Louisiana, in a loving family who are a little more free spirited than most people of the time, and who are the dancing and hair-styling center of their small community. Calla is born in 1953, and Wells really captures the next 30 or so years. When tragedy strikes, Calla uses the lessons her parents taught her, moving to New Orleans and beginning her adult life there.
As with the YaYa sisters, the characters are beautifully drawn and wonderfully charming. There isn't quite the story arc that there was for the YaYa's (and maybe that's why no one made a movie of this book yet), but I enjoyed moving through Calla's life with her, and meeting all of the interesting and engaging people she makes friends with. This is a really enjoyable, easy read.
I have to thank Rita again for the recommendation... great book!
The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Chasing Fire
Okay, I know I have my issues with Nora Roberts, but I really enjoyed this latest of her suspense novels. This is a book that even non-fans would probably enjoy.
Rowan Tripp - that's a chick - is a veteran Montana smoke-jumper, the daughter of legendary jumper Iron Man Tripp and a tough broad. Gulliver (Gull) Curry is a rookie jumper who catches Rowan's attention with his looks, ability, and charm. The fire season finds them dealing with not only fires, but a couple of murders, possible sabotage, and their burgeoning romance.
The murder mystery was okay - but I had a pretty good bead on who the murderer was pretty early on. The romance is great - these are two very likeable characters who aren't really like Roberts' other protagonists, particularly Rowan. And although some of the reviews thought Roberts went too deep into the fire-jumping stuff, I actually found that most enjoyable. Roberts obviously did a lot of research - and it would have been nice if she'd acknowledged who helped her (there wasn't anything in the Nook version) - and she really seemed to capture the experience of being a member of the elite "Zulie" smoke-jumpers.
This was a really enjoyable read - best Nora Roberts in a while.
Chasing Fire
Rowan Tripp - that's a chick - is a veteran Montana smoke-jumper, the daughter of legendary jumper Iron Man Tripp and a tough broad. Gulliver (Gull) Curry is a rookie jumper who catches Rowan's attention with his looks, ability, and charm. The fire season finds them dealing with not only fires, but a couple of murders, possible sabotage, and their burgeoning romance.
The murder mystery was okay - but I had a pretty good bead on who the murderer was pretty early on. The romance is great - these are two very likeable characters who aren't really like Roberts' other protagonists, particularly Rowan. And although some of the reviews thought Roberts went too deep into the fire-jumping stuff, I actually found that most enjoyable. Roberts obviously did a lot of research - and it would have been nice if she'd acknowledged who helped her (there wasn't anything in the Nook version) - and she really seemed to capture the experience of being a member of the elite "Zulie" smoke-jumpers.
This was a really enjoyable read - best Nora Roberts in a while.
Chasing Fire
Monday, May 14, 2012
The Cat's Table
I have to again thank Rita for a great book recommendation. This novel is by Michael Ondaatje, who wrote The English Patient. I never read that book, didn't see the movie either, but I may read it now since I enjoyed this novel so much.
Michael is an 11-year-old boy in the 1950's, traveling on a ship from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Great Britain. The story is about the experiences of Michael and his companions at the "cat's table" - the least important table on the ship. While there is some plot and story development, I would call this more of a "slice of time" novel, just telling what happens during those 3 weeks on board ship, and describing Michael's encounters with other shipmates and the friends he makes.
Towards the end there is some deeper explication of some of the things that happened on the ship, but what I enjoyed about the novel was the author's eloquence in capturing the boy's experiences, and his richly drawn characters. It really felt almost autobiographical, although Ondaatje makes it clear that it is not. But either way, it's just a really lovely book.
The Cat's Table
Michael is an 11-year-old boy in the 1950's, traveling on a ship from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Great Britain. The story is about the experiences of Michael and his companions at the "cat's table" - the least important table on the ship. While there is some plot and story development, I would call this more of a "slice of time" novel, just telling what happens during those 3 weeks on board ship, and describing Michael's encounters with other shipmates and the friends he makes.
Towards the end there is some deeper explication of some of the things that happened on the ship, but what I enjoyed about the novel was the author's eloquence in capturing the boy's experiences, and his richly drawn characters. It really felt almost autobiographical, although Ondaatje makes it clear that it is not. But either way, it's just a really lovely book.
The Cat's Table
Monday, April 30, 2012
Ape House: A Novel
When I saw this novel from Water for Elephants author Sara Gruen, I had to get it. I was not disappointed. This is the story of great ape researcher Isabel Duncan, who reporter John Thigpen meets the day before her lab is blown up - seriously injuring her - and the apes are spirited away. The novel is the story of how Isabel, John, and others work to find the apes, get to the bottom of the story, and find justice for everyone (human and ape) involved.
One of the things I like best about the novel is that Gruen's characters are real. Nobody's perfect - in fact Isabel seems more comfortable with apes than with humans - but all have a certain charm and humor, particularly John. I also liked Isabel's intern, Celia. I also enjoyed John's interaction with people from all walks of life - including his encounter with what's obviously a meth lab. That's just one of several humorous moments in the novel.
I also really liked the characters of the apes - bonobos to be exact. Gruen does a lovely job of giving them personalities and humanity, and of making them truly important characters in the story.
Ape House: A Novel
One of the things I like best about the novel is that Gruen's characters are real. Nobody's perfect - in fact Isabel seems more comfortable with apes than with humans - but all have a certain charm and humor, particularly John. I also liked Isabel's intern, Celia. I also enjoyed John's interaction with people from all walks of life - including his encounter with what's obviously a meth lab. That's just one of several humorous moments in the novel.
I also really liked the characters of the apes - bonobos to be exact. Gruen does a lovely job of giving them personalities and humanity, and of making them truly important characters in the story.
Ape House: A Novel
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Fifty Shade of Grey
Okay, I know everyone has heard about this erotic trilogy by E.L. James - this is the first book. Because it's had so much publicity I had to read it. I have to say, it was just okay for me, and I doubt I'll read the other two books.
In case you haven't heard about it, the book is about graduating college student Ana Steele, and insanely wealthy businessman Christian Grey, who meet and develop a relationship when she interviews him for the student newspaper. Christian is "fifty shades of fu--ed up," hence the title. He's also into BDSM as the Dominant (look it up if you don't know what that means). The story is told from Ana's point of view, so the only glimpse we get of Christian's inner self is from what he tells Ana.
The characters aren't bad - James does a very good job of making a screwed-up control freak into a likeable character, and Christian is definitely hot. But Ana, while interesting, is a little unbelievable. I'm not sure which part I found more unbelievable: that she's a beautiful 21-year-old virgin who's never masturbated, or that she's a college student who doesn't own a computer. Anyway, she has spunk and courage, which I like, but she also has an "inner goddess," which I found annoying.
Okay, the sex. I haven't read erotic fiction in years, and to be honest, after the first couple of sex scenes I found myself skimming over them and reading ahead to the actual story. Some of them were obviously necessary to show the nature of the BDSM world, but some of them just felt gratuitous to me.
The book ended rather abruptly in my opinion, but I guess that's supposed to make me run out to get the next one. I doubt I will, simply because I don't want to spend the money, and I don't particularly care how things work out for Ana and Christian.
Fifty Shades of Grey
In case you haven't heard about it, the book is about graduating college student Ana Steele, and insanely wealthy businessman Christian Grey, who meet and develop a relationship when she interviews him for the student newspaper. Christian is "fifty shades of fu--ed up," hence the title. He's also into BDSM as the Dominant (look it up if you don't know what that means). The story is told from Ana's point of view, so the only glimpse we get of Christian's inner self is from what he tells Ana.
The characters aren't bad - James does a very good job of making a screwed-up control freak into a likeable character, and Christian is definitely hot. But Ana, while interesting, is a little unbelievable. I'm not sure which part I found more unbelievable: that she's a beautiful 21-year-old virgin who's never masturbated, or that she's a college student who doesn't own a computer. Anyway, she has spunk and courage, which I like, but she also has an "inner goddess," which I found annoying.
Okay, the sex. I haven't read erotic fiction in years, and to be honest, after the first couple of sex scenes I found myself skimming over them and reading ahead to the actual story. Some of them were obviously necessary to show the nature of the BDSM world, but some of them just felt gratuitous to me.
The book ended rather abruptly in my opinion, but I guess that's supposed to make me run out to get the next one. I doubt I will, simply because I don't want to spend the money, and I don't particularly care how things work out for Ana and Christian.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The Baker's Daughter
So I started reading this book but had to return it to the library, but I really wanted to finish it, so I had to reserve it again. I got it back and finished the last few chapters the other night.
The baker's daughter of the title is Elsie Schmidt, who was a 16-year-old in Germany in 1944. Her family were good Nazis - her sister was a member of the Lebensborn program (look it up) - and Elsie was all but engaged to a high-ranking SS officer. Then she meets a young Jewish boy who changes her life forever.
Fast forward to 2007 El Paso, Texas, where Reba Adams is a reporter working on a feature story about Elsie's German Bakery - yep, that Elsie. Reba is "sort of" engaged to Riki but is uncertain about what she wants in life and where she's headed, and she finds herself drawn to Elsie and her daughter, Jane.
The novel goes back and forth between the past and the present, and between Elsie's story and Reba's. The author, Sarah McCoy (a Hokie!) does a nice job of juxtaposing Elsie's and Reba's journeys and maturation. And the characters are beautifully drawn, particularly Elsie, Reba, Jane, and Riki.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about finding one's way out of a difficult situation, and figuring out what's important in life. I'm glad I was finally able to finish it.
The Baker's Daughter
The baker's daughter of the title is Elsie Schmidt, who was a 16-year-old in Germany in 1944. Her family were good Nazis - her sister was a member of the Lebensborn program (look it up) - and Elsie was all but engaged to a high-ranking SS officer. Then she meets a young Jewish boy who changes her life forever.
Fast forward to 2007 El Paso, Texas, where Reba Adams is a reporter working on a feature story about Elsie's German Bakery - yep, that Elsie. Reba is "sort of" engaged to Riki but is uncertain about what she wants in life and where she's headed, and she finds herself drawn to Elsie and her daughter, Jane.
The novel goes back and forth between the past and the present, and between Elsie's story and Reba's. The author, Sarah McCoy (a Hokie!) does a nice job of juxtaposing Elsie's and Reba's journeys and maturation. And the characters are beautifully drawn, particularly Elsie, Reba, Jane, and Riki.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about finding one's way out of a difficult situation, and figuring out what's important in life. I'm glad I was finally able to finish it.
The Baker's Daughter
Monday, April 16, 2012
Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World!
I don't read a lot of political books, and I'm not the most conservative person around, but a friend recommended this Andrew Breitbart book so I picked it up. I have to say I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed it.
For those of you who don't know, Breitbart was the new media activist who coined the term "Democrat-Media-Complex." He broke the Anthony Weiner sexting story. He brought down ACORN. Even if you don't share his political views, he tells an entertaining - and believable - story of how the media controls the news and only tells us the story that they want us to hear. He also gives a really nice history lesson about how and why the Democrat party has moved further to the left.
Do I believe everything in the book? Mostly. All books of this type are certainly influenced and, ahem, slanted by the author. But as a person who has first-hand experience of unions, higher education, and politics, I think he's mostly telling it like it is. I may be one of a handful of people who had actually read Saul Alinsky before reading this book, let alone ever heard of Alinsky.
Sadly, Breitbart died unexpectedly earlier this year, at the young age of 43. It's a shame, but hopefully there are others out there who will continue his work. Because what he was doing, to me, isn't about which side of the aisle you're on. It's about your right to get the real news, not the news that one side wants you to have.
Righteous Indignation
For those of you who don't know, Breitbart was the new media activist who coined the term "Democrat-Media-Complex." He broke the Anthony Weiner sexting story. He brought down ACORN. Even if you don't share his political views, he tells an entertaining - and believable - story of how the media controls the news and only tells us the story that they want us to hear. He also gives a really nice history lesson about how and why the Democrat party has moved further to the left.
Do I believe everything in the book? Mostly. All books of this type are certainly influenced and, ahem, slanted by the author. But as a person who has first-hand experience of unions, higher education, and politics, I think he's mostly telling it like it is. I may be one of a handful of people who had actually read Saul Alinsky before reading this book, let alone ever heard of Alinsky.
Sadly, Breitbart died unexpectedly earlier this year, at the young age of 43. It's a shame, but hopefully there are others out there who will continue his work. Because what he was doing, to me, isn't about which side of the aisle you're on. It's about your right to get the real news, not the news that one side wants you to have.
Righteous Indignation
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