The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publish Date: January 15, 2013
Format: Kobo 
Pages: - 
ISBN: 9780345534699

For much of her life, Anne Morrow, the shy daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, has stood in the shadows of those around her, including her millionaire father and vibrant older sister, who often steals the spotlight. Then Anne, a college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family. There she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles’s assurance and fame, Anne is certain the celebrated aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong.
 
Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding. Hounded by adoring crowds and hunted by an insatiable press, Charles shields himself and his new bride from prying eyes, leaving Anne to feel her life falling back into the shadows. In the years that follow, despite her own major achievements—she becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States—Anne is viewed merely as the aviator’s wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life’s infinite possibilities for change and happiness.

My Thoughts

While I had some knowledge of Charles Lindbergh and his life accomplishments, this book gave me so much more information about his personal life as well as professional, told through the eyes of his devoted wife, Anne Morrow.  There is nothing more enjoyable that learning about a strong historical figure and seeing how the driving force behind them is most often a woman.  A strong woman, who no matter what stood beside her controlling husband, sacrificed so much and was "his crew" until his death.

This novel had much more than I thought it would, assuming most of it would have been based on the famous kidnapping of Charles Jr. in 1932, this was only a portion woven in to a much deeper story.  A little bit too political for me at times, but that is a portion of Lindbergh I did not know about and still found it interesting to read about.  Charles and Anne's life and the fascination with it truly was the birth of paparazzi. 

This novel does what any great historical fiction novel does, gets the reader interested in the characters to then do a further search about them after reading to determine fact from fiction.  What I personally love about historical fiction is the just that, fiction woven in to make it interesting. As long as the basis of the novel stays factual, the small details that piece everything together can be as fictitious as the author can create, showing how much imagination an author really has, which is key when writing.

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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.

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publish Date: July 1, 2014
Format: Audio
Discs: 10
ISBN: 9781611762730

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight-in-shining-armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever

My Thoughts

Jojo Moyes is an author that I either really love her work or it is just so-so.  I really wanted to love this book but it was just so-so.  I listened to this on audio and found it enjoyable to listen to and thoroughly enjoyed all 4 narrators, even if they were British, but the story itself I just didn't love.  I am really struggling with why I didn't love it and have yet to come to a conclusion and for that reason this review will be short and sweet.  I did enjoy that last quarter though and even found myself getting a bit choked up over Norman - how can you not love a huge lug of a dog?

I would still recommend this novel - 3 star books are still worth reading.


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Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio

Publisher: Plume
Publish Date: September 25, 2015
Format: Download library
Pages: - 
ISBN - 

Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's.

Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 1 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways...

My Thoughts

Cover love! I really really enjoyed this read, even better than Morning Glory which I listened to earlier this year.  Having read 2 of her novels and the synopsis for The Bungalow (which is up next) I have quickly noticed a pattern to her writing style, but I'm ok with a reoccurring theme in her novels as long as the story intrigues me.  I was so engaged with both story lines and Vera and Claire that it was hard to put this one down.  I love how the stories were woven together and although each story line was a little bit too neat and predictable I still really enjoyed this read.

Sarah Jio has very quickly become a must read author for me and can't wait to dive into the rest of her novels. 

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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 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.  

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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.

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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 Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

Publisher: Random House Audio
Publish Date: July 17, 2012
Format: Audio
Discs: 9
ISBN: 978 0307917379

When Elizabeth Endicott arrives in Syria, she has a diploma from Mount Holyoke College, a crash course in nursing, and only the most basic grasp of the Armenian language.  The First World War is spreading across Europe, and she has volunteered on behalf of the Boston-based Friends of Armenia to deliver food and medical aid to refugees of the Armenian genocide.  There, Elizabeth becomes friendly with Armen, a young Armenian engineer who has already lost his wife and infant daughter.  When Armen leaves Aleppo to join the British Army in Egypt, he beings to write Elizabeth letters, and comes to realize that he has fallen in love with the wealthy, young American woman who is different from his wife he lost.  

Flash forward to the present, where we meet Laura Petrosian, a novelist living in suburban New York.  Although her grandparents’ ornate Pelham home was affectionately nicknamed the “Ottoman Annex,” Laura has never really given her Armenian heritage much thought.  But when an old friend calls, claiming to have seen a newspaper photo of Laura’s grandmother promoting an exhibit at a Boston museum, Laura embarks on a journey back through her family’s history that reveals love, loss – and a wrenching secret that has been buried for generations.

My Thoughts

"How do a million and a half people die with nobody knowing?  You kill them in the middle of nowhere."

I have to admit that I had never heard about the Armenian Genocide before this book.  It's sad, I know, but I'm defiantly not alone.  But once I started reading I needed to know more and spent hours devouring the internet to educate myself on this horrific event that is widely unknown.  The author take you away on such a heartbreaking journey of war and grief, love and loss and I loved how each character leaves a huge impact in unfolding this incredible story.  

I listened to this on audio and absolutely loved the alternating narration with Elizabeth and Laura - I think it's important in audio to have different voices if a story from multiple points of view.  It just makes for a more enjoyable listen in my opinion.

This was such a powerful and insightful novel that was overall unforgettable.  I encourage everyone to read this novel of an important piece of lost history.  This was my first novel by Chris Bohjalian and I am eager to read more.

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.

A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore

Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publish Date: February 1, 2012
Format: Audio
Discs: 12
ISBN: 978 

Can dreams be passed down through families?  As a child Jude suffered a recurrent nightmare: running through a dark forest, crying for her mother.  Now six years later her six-year0old niece, Summer, is having the same dream, and Jude is frightened for her.

A successful auctioneer, Jude is struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband.  When she’s asked to value a collection of scientific instruments and manuscripts belonging to Anthony Wickham, a lonely 18^th century astronomer, she leaps at the chance to escape London for the untamed beauty of Norfolk, where she grew up.

As Jude untangles Wickham’s tragic story, she discovers threatening links to the present.  What have Summer’s nightmares to do with Starbrough folly, the eerie crumbling tower in the woods from which Wickham and is adopted daughter Esther once viewed the night sky?  With help of Euan, a local naturalist, Jude searches for answers in the wild, haunting splendor of the Norfolk forests.  Dare she leave behind sadness in her own life and learn to love again?

My Thoughts

Was this a story about trying to understand the reason for Summer's bad dreams or Jude finding love again or solving the mystery of the Wickham family and what happened to Esther or tracking down her grandmother's long lost childhood friend?  I'm not really sure because there were so many sub-plots going on that each got lost.  It was very slow paced and I just found the overall plot to be boring and uninteresting.  The novel had so much potential - why couldn't it just be about Jude unraveling the mystery of Esther and be done with it.  The dream aspect was just plain unrealistic and held no value to the story.  I also found the love story to be unnecessary and boring.  I felt zero engagement with the characters and couldn't wait for the story to end.

I listened to this on audio and I have come to the conclusion that I strongly dislike British narrators!  I have listened to a number of them and the attempt at doing different voices for each character (especially a man or child) makes my skin crawl.  

It had been a few weeks since I listened to this book and I can't real how it even ended.  Hate when that happens.

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.

Confessions of a Wild Child by Jackie Collins

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publish Date: February 4, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 304
ISBN: 978 1250050939

Confessions of a Wild Child takes you on trip and navigates the teenage years of a wild child who will eventually rule an empire. Lucky Santangelo is a powerful and charismatic woman. But how did she become the woman she is today? Many people have asked, and in Confessions of a Wild Child we discover the teenage Lucky, and follow her on her trip to discover boys, love and how she fought her father, the infamous Gino Santangelo, to forge her own individual and strong road to success.

My Thoughts 

I have long since been a huge fan of Jackie Collins - she is to me the original smut writer.  Her Lucky Santangelo novels are what she is known for.  While this is her 9th installment of the series it is probably the weakest.  You don't need to read the first 8 novels (I haven't) to understand this one.  This takes you back and reiterates everything about Lucky's teenage years that you have already found out if you have read any other books in the series.  This one just seemed like a time filler while Collins contemplated her next move with Lucky. 

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 Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

Publisher: Harper
Publish Date: April 3, 2012
Format: Kobo ereader
Pages: - 
ISBN: 9780062098061

The Fateful first meeting of Enza and Ciro takes place amid the haunting majesty of the Italian Alps at the turn of the last century.  Still teenages, they are separated when Ciro is banished from his village and sent to hide in New York’s Little Italy, apprenticed to a shoemaker, leaving a bereft Enza behind.  But when her own family faces disaster, she too, is forced to emigrate to America.  Though destiny will reunite the star0crossed lovers, it will, just as abruptly , separate them once again-sending Ciro off to serve in World War I, while Enza is drawn into the glamorous world of the opera…and into the life of the international singing sensation Enrico Caruso.  Still Enza and Ciro have been touched by fate-and, ultimately, the power of their love will change their lives forever.

My Thoughts

I've said it before and I'll say it again (and probably again) I am a total sucker for a tragic love story.  When it comes to any story, fictional or not, some stories are just meant to be.    Although slow, and extremely over descriptive, I was captivated and drawn into the lives of Ciro and Enza.  I found the first three quarters of the novel the best part and would just get lost in their love story, but then the last quarter that span several decades and managed to be rushed but at the same time dragged out when it could have ended much sooner, although it would have been on a sad note, it would have made this tragic love story more compelling.

As I mentioned, this was a highly descriptive novel, and was clearly well researched, but it all didn't seem necessary to make the story flow, the characters were developed enough that the rest was just mumbo jumbo.  The positive aspect of this is as I was reading, I could easily see this as a movie.  The description used to illustrate each character and plot line consistently had a movie like aspect that I just couldn't get out of my head.  I loved every minute of it.

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.

Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane #1) by Kristin Hannah

Publisher:

Publish Date: February 5, 2008

Format: Audio

Discs: 15

ISBN:

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eight-grade social food chain.  Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend.  Tully Hart seems to have it all – beauty, brains, ambition.  On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn.  Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her.  They make a pact to be best friends forever, by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate.  Inseparable.

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship – jealousy, anger, hurt, and resentment.  They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart…and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

My Thoughts

This novel can truly be described as a trip down memory lane.  Starting in the 70's, it takes you all the way to present day and all the heartbreak, jealousy, loyalty, friendship that life throws at you.  While I really enjoyed the premises for this story I found parts to drag on a bit and become a bit boring.  Then there were some really great parts that held the story together for me.  I found this a very long book to get through - however I listened to this on audio are thoroughly enjoyed the narration, which in my opinion can make or break an audio book.

I was not a fan of Tully.  I found her character to be obnoxious and over bearing.  Kate was obsessive and was driving me crazy how she was so insecure about Tully and Johnny.  She was staring to sound like a broken record and just down right annoying.  Even to the very end she still couldn't get past it.

The end of the novel was very heartbreaking - probably the saddest that I have read in a very long time and it was very well written and constructed.  The ending is the reason for the 4 star rating, or else it would have just been a 3 star for me due to the dragginess of the novel.  And my constant want to slap Tully.

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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 Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Publish Date: July 7, 2011

Format: Hardcover

Pages:390

ISBN: 978 0670220809

It is 1960.  When Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital, she can remember nothing – not the tragic car accident that put her there, not her husband, not even who she is.  She feels like a stranger in her own life until she stumbles upon in impassioned letter, signed simply “B”, asking her to leave her husband.

Years later, in 2003, a journalist named Ellie discovers the same enigmatic letter in a forgotten file in her newspaper’s archives.  She becomes obsessed by the story and hopeful that it can resurrect her faltering career.  Perhaps if these lovers had a happy ending she will find one to her own complicated love life, too.  Ellie’s search will rewrite history and help her see the truth about her own modern romance.

My Thoughts

I really really enjoyed this book.  I think I was in the small minority that didn't think You Before Me was a masterpiece...that it was just ok.  This one I enjoyed so much more.  I am a sucker for a tragic love story and this one had it's fare share of heartbreak and lose.  The first little bit was hard to get into and I had to give myself a pep talk to buckle down and read on but once I did I was hooked.  I would get so lost in Jennifer and Anthony's story and I have to say that the 1960's high society has to be one of my favourite time period to read about.

The writing is graceful and beautiful and each chapter ended with me wanting more.  I found myself gasping a few times then doing the dramatic page turn to find out what happened next.  I fell in love with their love story and I think Jennifer said it best that "by finding "B" she is opening Pandora's box."  But with a love like that how could you not?  

Then enters Ellie Haworth.  While she is an important character in the novel I could have done without her dramatics.  I thought some of it was drawn out and unnecessary.  I keep going back and forth with the ending...thinking if I would like it more if it had went the direction I assumed it would and the author lead you to believe.  One small thing I didn't enjoy was the switching of voice midway through a chapter.  Although I am a fan of multiple point of view, I wish each would have had their own chapter.

Overall just a great story with lots of good twists. Highly Recommended!

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.

Must Love Otters by Eliza Gordon

Publisher: West 26th Street Press

Publish Date: October 25, 2013

Format: Kobo ereader

Pages: -

ISBN: 978 1630640101

Hollie Porter is the chairwoman of Generation Disillusioned: at twenty-five years old, she’s saddled with a job she hates, a boyfriend who’s all wrong for her, and a vexing inability to say no.  She’s already near her breaking point, so when one caller too many kicks the bucket during Hollie’s 911 shift, she cashes in the Sweethearts’ Spa & Stay gift certificate from her dad and heads to Revelation Cove, British Columbia.  Once caveat: she’s going solo.  Any sweethearts will have to be found on site.

Hollie hopes to find her beloved otters in the wilds of the Great White North, but instead she’s providing comic relief for staff and guests alike.  Even Concierge Ryan, a former NHL star with bad knees and broken dreams, can’t stop her from stumbling from one (mis)adventure to another.  Just when Hollie starts to think that a change of venue doesn't mean a change in circumstances, the island works its charm and she starts to think she might have found the rejuvenation she so desperately desires.  But then an uninvited guest crashes the party, forcing her to step out of the discomfort zone where she dwells and saves the day… and maybe even herself in the process.

My Thoughts

I thought this book was freaking hilarious and it must be made into a movie immediately!  I absolutely loved Hollie and the misfortunes she got herself into...everything she did I felt like I was reading about myself.  I would be that girl stuck in a rowboat with no oars in a rainstorm.  I'm just unlucky, what can I say.  I bought this book solely based on the title...who doesn't love otters!?  They have to be the cutest animal there is.  Oh and Ryan, how can you not instantly fall in love and root for him?

Written by the husband and wife duo team of Eliza Gordon, I thought it was witty, sharp and very original.  I can't wait to read more from this dynamic team.  I laughed and cried then laughed some more...it was that good!

I highly recommend Must Love Otters to anyone who loves a feel-good romantic comedy that you don't want to end. 

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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 Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: May 21, 2013
Format: Kobo ereader
Pages: - 
ISBN: 978 1443422680

Narrator Don Tillman 39, Melbourne genetics prof and Gregory Peck lookalike, sets a 16-page questionnaire The Wife Project to find a non-smoker, non-drinker ideal match.  But \Rosie and her Father Project  supersede.  The spontaneous always-late smoker-drinker wants to find her biological father.  She resets his clock, throws of his schedule, and turns his life topsy-turvy.

My Thoughts

I found this to be suck a cute quirky read.  Don is such a lovable offbeat narrator that at times I would laugh out loud at the situations he got himself into.  Meeting Rosie turns his life upside down and ends up complementing Don's character perfectly.

As the first novel by Simsion I thought it was very well written and delivered and loved that it is a romantic comedy with a male protagonist as the main character and written by a male author.  I loved being along for the ride during all of Don's ups and downs as he faces his fears, embraces change, adapts to social etiquette and eventually learns the power of love.

Defiantly an off-beat one of a kind love story that is sure to have you laughing.   

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 Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

Publisher: Bantam
Publish Date: March 22, 2011
Format: download library
Pages: - 
ISBN: -

It’s dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruins generations ago.  The Blue Ridge Madam-built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Wall of Water, North Carolina has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal.  Willa has lately learned that an old classmate – socialite Paxton Osgood – has restored the house to its former glory, with plans to turn it into a top-flight inn.  But when a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light, accompanied by a spate of strange occurrences throughout the town.  Thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the passions and betrayals that once bound their families – and uncover the truths that have transcended time to touch the hearts of the living.

My Thoughts

I really really enjoyed this book.  The cover of the novel was just so beautiful how could I not fall in love with it?  I found it a nice easy read and got completely wrapped up in the story.  While the story lacked any real depth, I found it cute and entertaining and kept me engaged.  It had the perfect blend of charm and haunting mystery you just needed to devour and has the flawless magical realism aspect Sarah Addison Allen seems to have perfected.

Sarah Addison Allen has quickly made her way onto my auto-read list and I can't wait to consume myself with the rest of her novels.

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 Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

Publisher: Random House Audio
Publish Date: February 21, 2012
Format: Audio
Discs: 9
ISBN: 978 0307970121

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she’s had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designed Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic’s doomed voyage.  Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire.  But on the fourth night, disaster strikes.

Amidst the chaos and desperate urging of two very different suitors, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat.  Tess’s sailor also manages to survive unharmed, witness to Lady Duff Gordon’s questionable actions during the tragedy.  Others – including the gallant Midwestern tycoon – are not so lucky.

On dry land, rumours about the survivors being to circulate, and Lady Duff Gordon quickly becomes the subject of media scorn and later, the hearings on the Titanic.  Set against a historical tragedy but told from a completely fresh angle, The Dressmaker is an atmospheric delight filled with all the period’s glitz and glamour, all the raw feelings of a national tragedy and all the contradictory emotions of young love.

My Thoughts

I was somewhat disappointed with this novel.  While I love everything Titanic, I just found this story fell flat.  The majority of the story takes place after the sinking of the ship and the tragedy it entailed with actually hearing manuscripts that took place.

The premise of the book follows Tess, and her journey aboard the ship as Lady Duff Gordon's maid and as she stands by her during the aftermath and the trials involved with the inquest.  What was disappointing is that the story had very little to do with Tess and her dressmaking.  I assumed with a title like The Dressmaker that the majority of the story would be about dressmaking.

The character of Lady Duff Gordon was extremely shallow and conceded, and later found out that her part of the story is based  on actual events...she really was that shallow. While Tess was a fictional character many others mentioned in the novel were real people.  While I always find Titanic fascinating,  this one just didn't do it for me.  It was too blah for my liking.

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.