The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K Lee

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Publish Date: January 13, 2009

Format: Audio

Discs: 9

ISBN: 978 0143144410

Exotic Hong Kong takes center stage in this sumptuous novel, set in the 1940s and '50s. It's a city teeming with people, sights, sounds, and smells, and it's home to a group of foreign nationals who enjoy the good life among the local moneyed set, in a tight-knit social enclave distanced from the culture at large. Comfortable, clever, and even a bit dazzling, they revel in their fancy dinners and fun parties. But their sheltered lives take an abrupt turn after the Japanese occupation, and though their reactions are varied -- denial, resistance, submission -- the toll it takes on all is soon laid bare. 

Enter Claire Pendleton from London. Months after her husband is transferred to Hong Kong in 1951, she accepts a position as a piano teacher to the daughter of a wealthy couple, the Chens. Claire begins to see the appeal of the sweltering city and is soon taken in by the Chen's driver, the curiously underutilized Will Truesdale. A handsome charmer with a mysterious limp, Will appears to be the perfect companion for Claire, who's often left to her own devices. But a further examination leaves her with more questions than answers.

My Thoughts

Talk about a yawn fest.  The book was so boring to listen to that if I wasn't driving I would have probably fallen asleep.  I should have listened to this as my bedtime story to lull me to sleep.  The story had so little to do with Claire - the piano teacher - and more to do with Trudy and Will.  I have to say that the only storyline I found remotely interesting was Trudy's and would have maybe enjoyed this book more had it focused on her.  But probably not because I didn't like her.  None of the characters were likable and by the end I just felt frustrated and deflated.  

My Rating: ««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: April 1, 2014
Format: Kobo
Pages - 
ISBN: 978 0062316875

A voyage across the ocean becomes the odyssey of a lifetime for a young Irish woman. . . .

Ireland, 1912 . . .

Fourteen members of a small village set sail on RMS Titanic, hoping to find a better life in America. For seventeen-year-old Maggie Murphy, the journey is bittersweet. Though her future lies in an unknown new place, her heart remains in Ireland with Séamus, the sweetheart she left behind. When disaster strikes, Maggie is one of the few passengers in steerage to survive. Waking up alone in a New York hospital, she vows never to speak of the terror and panic of that fateful night again.

Chicago, 1982 . . .

Adrift after the death of her father, Grace Butler struggles to decide what comes next. When her great-grandmother Maggie shares the painful secret about Titanic that she's harbored for almost a lifetime, the revelation gives Grace new direction—and leads both her and Maggie to unexpected reunions with those they thought lost long ago.

Inspired by true events, The Girl Who Came Home poignantly blends fact and fiction to explore the Titanic tragedy's impact and its lasting repercussions on survivors and their descendants.

My Thoughts

I have long since been fascinated by the Titanic and it's ill-fated maiden voyage and I never tire her haunting stories.  It was interesting to learn that this novel was inspired by a group of 14 people from small town Addergoole Ireland who set sail on the RMS Titanic for a better life in America.  I was very fascinated with this story and did further research on this remarkable group of people to learn more  I thoroughly enjoyed Maggie's story and thought it was beautifully written.  There is something about an old woman telling a story of her youth to her granddaughter that is just so beautiful and moving.

It wasn't a literally masterpiece by any means but it was charming and very touching.  Defiantly recommend this to Titanic lovers everywhere. 

My Rating: ««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publish Date: April 1, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 260
ISBN: 978 0670068241

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming.

My Thoughts

"There ain't nobody in the world like book people."

This is a story that reminds me of all the reasons I love to read.  And if you don't like to read, read this book and THEN tell me you don't like to read.  Everything about this novel is so charming and quirky - it was instant love.  I couldn't put it down and read it in 2 sittings.  I loved A.J., my heart hurt for him and all the hardships that fell upon him.  People aren't jerks because they want to be, it's a way of masking pain.  And the journey A.J. went on to find true happiness was remarkable filled with humour along the way.  There wasn't a character I didn't love and they all did what a good character is supposed to do - serve a purpose to the story.

I originally rated this a 4 star and had to go back and give it 5 stars because its only once in awhile a book comes along that touches your soul, and those are the best books.

My Rating: «««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Publisher: Doudbleday Canada
Publish Date: January 13, 2015
Format: Kobo
Pages: -
ISBN: 978 0385682329

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning.  Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck.  She’s even started to feel like she knows them.  “jess and Jason.” She calls them.  Their life – as she sees it – is perfect.  Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking.  It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.  Now everything’s changed.  Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved.  Has she done more harm than good?

My Thoughts

This novel was a pleasant surprise and you need to read it right now!  Don't read any reviews, just read it.  Told in the voice of 3 female narrators - none are to be trusted.  How easy it is to get caught up in the lives of people you only see as you sit on a passing train, that is exactly what happened to Rachel and it got her into some hot water and making her very unreliable.  A story filled with secrets and full of grittiness.  Amazing character development and very well written, it wasn't hard to figure lout who the culprit was early on, but that didn't deter me from wanting to know what happened along the way while still holding my interest the entire time.

I devoured this novel - and that doesn't happen very often.  I loved the thrill, I loved the mystery.  Would I compare it to Gone Girl?  I don't think you really can.  There is no book that stands up against Gone Girl.  I LOVED Gone Girl and I really really liked The Girl on the Train.  Paula Hawkins has instantly become an author I will be keeping my eye on.

My Rating: ««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

Morning Glory by Sarah Jio

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Publish Date: November 26, 2014

Format: Audio

Discs: 8

ISBN: 978 1480542006

Fleeing an East Coast life marred by tragedy, Ada Santorini takes up residence on houseboat number seven on Boat Street.  She discovers a trunk left behind by Penny Wentworth, a young newlywed who lived on the boat half a century earlier.  Ada longs to know her predecessor’s fate, but little suspects that Penny’s mysterious past and her own clouded future are destined to converge.

My Thoughts

This was my first novel by Sarah Jio and I quickly fell in love with the characters and her flare for storytelling.   I was instantly pulled in and didn't want to let either Penny or Ada go.  My heart just broke for both of them and their stories were so beautifully woven together I never wanted an ending.  Part love story, part mystery and I really felt like I became part of the houseboat community.  I listened to this on audio and loved the narration - when listening to audio the narrator either makes or breaks a story.  And this narrator was defiantly a winner.  I can't wait to dive further into the tales of Sarah Jio and see where she takes me next.

and P.S. Why haven't her novels been adapted into movies yet?  

My Rating: ««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

The Last Romanov by Dora Levy Mossanen

Publisher:
Publish Date: April 3, 2012
Format: Kobo 
Pages - 
ISBN:978 1402265952

She was an orphan, ushered into the royal palace on the prayers of her majesty.  Yet, decades later, her time spent in the embrace of the Romanov haunts her still.  Is she responsible for those murderous events that changed everything?

If only she can find the heir, maybe she can put together the broken pieces of her own past – maybe she can hold on to the love she found.

My Thoughts

My typical cover loving self got the best of me on this one!  With a new found love for Russian storytelling,especially the Romanov family, I was excited to stumble across this one on sale.  Well there is always a reason a book sells for dirt cheap - it's awful.  And apparently I will never learn.  It took me so long to actually figure out what the story was about that by then I had lost interest.  It was boring, poorly written, and just a down right confusing jumble.

I don't mind a fantasy element in a novel, although it's not my favourite, but in no way did it work with this story.  An opal eye? Really?  And while historical fiction novels have a tendency to be inaccurate, this novel was so beyond inaccurate it makes me think the author knew nothing about the history of the Romanov family.  A little bit of research is necessary when writing a historical fiction novel.  The author attempted to write a story, and I'm sure there was a story in there somewhere, it was just very unclear.  All the characters fell flat and had no real depth to them.

My advice?  Steer clear of this one. 

My Rating: «

Buy it Now!

The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.