The Girl You Left Behind

So I've finally read Jojo Moyes and now I understand what all the hype is about and I'm hooked for life! 

Title: The Girl You Left Behind

Author: Jojo Moyes
Read: July 12, 2014

Summary: What happened to the girl you left behind?

In 1916 French artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his wife Sophie to fight at the Front. When her town falls into German hands, his portrait of Sophie stirs the heart of the local Kommandant and causes her to risk everything - her family, reputation and life - in the hope of seeing her true love one last time.

Nearly a century later and Sophie's portrait is given to Liv by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. Its beauty speaks of their short life together, but when the painting's dark and passion-torn history is revealed, Liv discovers that the first spark of love she has felt since she lost him is threatened...

In The Girl You Left Behind two young women, separated by a century, are united in their determination to fight for the thing they love most - whatever the cost. goodreads

Review: We start this story in 1916 France. I fell in love with Sophie and her family very quickly which I think is easy to do when you see how smart, tough, and fiesty she is. When she goes toe to toe with the Kommandant in one of the first scenes, how could you not love her? I also really enjoyed a glimpse into life in France during WWI and how their little village was surviving. Just as I was getting attached to the characters, what do you know??? We jump to present day London with a completely new set of characters.

I've seen this type of story line absolutely crumble and fall on numerous occasions but Moyes did a beautiful job of connecting the character of Liv with the reader as much as she did with Sophie. If I had to chose, I couldn't pick one over the other which is a sign of great character development. In dual narratives, sometimes one of the characters gets lost which is very disappointing, but let me tell you, Moyes did not disappoint and I loved how these stories were interwoven and I cared about the outcome of each. Very well written! (Not that she requires my opinion, many better bloggers have given her this credit way before me!)

*Definitely going to explore Moyes' back catalog...

Ya-Ya Sisterhood Double Review

If you read my monthly goal posts (not like in the World Cup. It's over, let the soccer futbol references go) or follow my currently reading shelf, you will know that I have recently read Rebecca Wells' books based on the Ya-Ya sisterhood. I really felt that reading Little Altars Everywhere goes along with ready Divine Secrets so I've lumped them together into one post. I figure I'll mention a little on each book then compare and contrast at the end. Sound good?

Title: Little Altars Everywhere

Author: Rebecca Wells
Read: July 5, 2014

Summary: Little Altars Everywhere is a national best-seller, a companion to Rebecca Wells' celebrated novel Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Originally published in 1992, Little Altars introduces Sidda, Vivi, the rest of the spirited Walker clan, and the indomitable Ya-Yas.

Told in alternating voices of Vivi and her husband, Big Shep, along with Sidda, her siblings Little Shep, Lulu, Baylor, and Cheney and Willetta — the black couple who impact the Walkers' lives in ways they never fully comprehend — Little Altars embraces nearly thirty years of life on the plantation in Thorton, Louisiana, where the cloying air of the bayou and a web of family secrets at once shelter, trap and define an utterly original community of souls.

Who can resist such cadences of Sidda Walker and her flamboyant, secretive mother, ViVi? Here the young Sidda — a precocious reader and an eloquent observer of the fault lines that divide her family — leads us on a mischievous adventures at Our Lady of Divine Compassion parochial school and beyond. A Catholic girl of pristine manners, devotion, and provocative ideas, Sidda is the very essence of childhood joy and sorrow.

In a series of luminous reminiscences, we also hear Little Shep's stories of his eccentric grandmother, Lulu's matter-of-fact account of her shoplifting skills, and Baylor's memories of Vivi and her friends, the Ya-Yas.

Beneath the humor and tight-knit bonds of family and friendship lie the undercurrents of alcoholism, abuse, and violence. The overlapping recollections of how the Walkers' charming life uncoils to convey their heart-breaking confusion are oat once unsettling and familiar. Wells creates an unforgettable portrait of the eccentric cast of characters and exposes their poignant and funny attempts to keep reality at arm's length. Through our laughter we feel their inevitable pain, with a glimmer of hope for forgiveness and healing.

An arresting combination of colloquialism, poetry, and grace, Little Altars Everywhere is an insightful, piercing and unflinching evocation of childhood, a loving tribute to the transformative power of faith, and a thoroughly fresh chronicle of a family that is as haunted as it is blessed. goodreads

Review: I saw the Secrets movie way before I read any of these books so I was really looking forward to learning more about the characters and this book definitely provided that. This was a book told from various points of view that was charming at times, unexpectedly dark at others, and completely heartbreaking as well. I enjoyed getting to see the world through these various characters lives and how events that happened to them shaped the way they grew up and how they interacted with their family. Overall, the book was enjoyable but it didn't wow me as expected and really disappointed me at times, which I will get to later.

Title: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Author: Rebecca Wells

Read: July 12, 2014

Summary: When Siddalee Walker, oldest daughter of Vivi Abbott Walker, Ya-Ya extraordinaire, is interviewed in the New York Times about a hit play she's directed, her mother gets described as a "tap-dancing child abuser." Enraged, Vivi disowns Sidda. Devastated, Sidda begs forgiveness, and postpones her upcoming wedding. All looks bleak until the Ya-Yas step in and convince Vivi to send Sidda a scrapbook of their girlhood mementos, called "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood." As Sidda struggles to analyze her mother, she comes face to face with the tangled beauty of imperfect love, and the fact that forgiveness, more than understanding, is often what the heart longs for. goodreads

Review: Now, this is the book I was looking for which I didn't find in Little Altars. This is the book for the movie I fell in love with and wanted to read to help me connect better with Sidda and Vivi. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed! This has become one of my very favorite books. I loved the way the story was told through memories of different people and the Ya-Ya scrapbook. The friendship the Ya-Ya's have is something to be coveted and admired. The family ties and tangles that are described in this book are common for the time period (as well as often relevant today) and could have happened to anyone. And my absolute favorite part, Wells nailed the complicated relationship between a mother and a daughter. This book tugged on every one of my heartstrings. I hurt with Sidda, I was confused with Connor, and empathized with Vivi. I loved every part of this book!

Now for my comparisons of the books. I'm going to talk candidly about these books as if you have read them, which may open this to a discussion so I'm going to warn now, 

SPOILER ALERT!!!!! READ THE BOOK AND COME BACK!

I think all of the characters were relatively consistent throughout the two books with one main exception: Vivi!!!!! In Little Altars (LAE from here on out) , Vivi was made into a monster and even a child molester. WTF?!?!?!?!?! I so wish I had read Ya-Yas (YY from here on out) first, if only to get that image out of my head. Since I didn't, I chose to ignore it as best I could and focus on the Vivi from Ya-Yas who was extremely flawed but still a human who was trying to do her best. I hated her in LAE. She didn't have any redeeming qualities. She was a drunk who traumatized her children and was a poor mother. 

That being said, in YY, her flaws were out there in the open and while she made bad parenting decisions and was an alcoholic, it was clear that these were coping skills for the traumas she had growing up and she was always trying to do better. She had great parenting moments, even if they happened few and far between, and she is one of the most loyal people there has ever been. The fact that she can have the relationships she has with the Ya-Yas speaks volumes for her and her ability to connect and show love. And I love that the girls love her despite all of her faults and flaws. I thought this character was so well done and perfectly developed that I become pissed the more I think about how butchered she was in LAE. Supposedly there is a third book that I'm obviously going to have to check out because I need more validation for Vivi. 

Please tell me someone has read these books or at least YY, because I need to discuss. Comments, thoughts, feels? Anyone?!?!?!

Feed

Title: Feed
Author: Mira Grant
Read: June 24, 2014
Series: Newsflesh #1

Summary: The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop.

The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED. Now, twenty years after the Rising, bloggers Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives - the dark conspiracy behind the infected.

The truth will get out, even if it kills them. goodreads

Review: First things first, I'm the realest yes, this is a zombie book but it is also sooooooo much more! I'm sure I'm one of the last book bloggers on the planet to read this book (and review it) so I'm sure you've heard this all before. I knew this book would be good but I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did because I'm not a huge zombie person. Yes, I got into Walking Dead with the rest of the world but I don't really watch anymore because it became redundant and I didn't care. It's hard to follow a story if the whole plot is trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. I'm not interested in that. I need more. And Grant, gave me way more!

So, where do we start? Characters, my fav! We follow George (aka Georgia), her brother Shaun, and their bestie Buffy, who are all bloggers, onto the presidential campaign trail.  Already we have news, blogging, and politics in a world overrun with zombies. This is SO not a "zombie book." Shaun and George are not biological siblings but they are as close and loyal to each other as most twins are. The relationship is real and emotional and unbreakable. Buffy is their friend who helps them run their blog and she's a techie with the best of the best hardware. Together, along with other members of their team, they provide the world with a glimpse of a presidential campaign from the inside. And all the while, zombies are a threat.

I enjoyed all of the characters, even the bad ones, and I think one of my favorite parts of this story was that romance was not the main component. It's hard to find a strong, female, lead character (under the age of 50) whose whole world doesn't revolve around boys. Why the hell is that?!?!?! In real life, there are plenty of strong, females who lives do not revolve around romance. Actually, most intelligent, successful women fall into this category. Yes, the feel love and desire romance but it definitely isn't the end all be all of their life's happiness. This should be better represented in novels IMHO, but I digress.

As the story goes along, we experience death and loss (what do you expect? It's a "zombie book," not everyone is going to survive) and I'll admit I cried. But in addition to that, we discover a conspiracy! Politics and conspiracies go hand in hand so we shouldn't be surprised but the plot was well developed and drawn out and I was thoroughly entertained throughout.

Finally, we should address the zombies. They do play a role but people have learned to live with them after twenty years and they just have more security and find ways to live despite the ever present threat. Some people hunt zombies while others avoid them. Everyone has their own way of dealing. But I think the best part of this book was that while there were plenty of zombie scenes, they weren't overly graphic and sickening. I also thought the science behind the disease was interesting and makes sense. That always helps.

If you're looking for a pure zombie book, look elsewhere. If the idea of zombies is intriguing but you need a good plot line behind it, run to the nearest bookstore and pick this up, you won't be disappointed. And needless to say, I will be continuing the series.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

Title: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Author: Matthew Quick
Read: June 11, 2014

Summary: How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?

Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher.

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

Review: This book destroys any argument Ruth Graham made about why adults should be embarrassed to read young adult. Not that I thought her argument was valid to begin with (read and let read, woman!) but this book shows that a "young adult" book can (and should) be read and enjoyed by the masses. In this touching, well written, deep story, we meet Leonard Peacock. From the beginning, it's obvious that Leonard is a little different than most of the people in his school. His best friend is his elderly neighbor who he watches movies with, he's the son of a "rock star" and a fashion designer who couldn't want anything less to do with him, and he recently cut off all of his hair with scissors. Oh yea, and he's suicidal.

This book gives a brilliant glimpse into a teenager's mind as well as person who has a history of trauma and is currently suicidal. I don't have enough positive things to say about this book. Yes, the homicide/suicide idea is not easy to address and focus on and it was a little predictable, but Matthew Quick did a phenomenal job of addressing how various events in a teenager's life can easily lead to suicidal thoughts. Now, I won't get all therapeutic on everyone (even though all of my therapist red flags were flying throughout the whole book) but I think this story shows what can go through a suicidal teen's head. The warning signs are there all day long and people miss them or they acknowledge them and fail to do something about it. It's heartbreaking and it happens every day in our society.

When we meet Leonard, we realize he is a smart, sarcastic, engaging teenager and he is the boy who would grow up to do great things if only he could survive high school. Like many kids out there. But he has to find a way to survive, and he hasn't. He thinks suicide is his only way out. I wasn't one of the cool kids in high school and I wasn't one of the losers either (I don't think at least.) I floated along with my group and made it out alive. I also know how hard it is to do that especially if people are telling you that "high school is the best time of your life." I was told this and I can 100% say it was wrong. I can also state with 100% accuracy that 9th grade was the worst year of my life! But this is the message we sell to teenagers. Can you imagine thinking that high school is as good as it gets? It's easy to understand how suicide becomes so common at that age if that is what you are taught. Let's stop teaching kids this, please!!!

Now, back to the story. We follow Leonard throughout the day on his 18th birthday (which nobody in his life even acknowledges) and we also start to understand the history that got him to this suicidal state. (Side note: I will warn you, there are a million footnotes which provide flashbacks and comments throughout the book but they are worth it. I suggest using an e-reader because one click gets you where you need to go but to each his own.)  We found out that Leonard is thoughtful and takes other people's feelings into consideration when he is planing his suicide which is why he has presents for the four most important people in his life. Our hearts break with him as we have to relive some of the worst moments in his life but we also hope throughout the whole story that someone, somewhere, will stop him from what he is about to do. I won't spoil it for you because you absolutely have to read this book. It will make you laugh, cry, think deeply, and want to watch a good Bogart film. Go pick it up whether you love or hate young adult because your feelings on YA are irrelevant when it comes to reading this book. Go. Do it now.

"I can tell you get it-- you're different. And I know how hard being different can be. But I also know how powerful a weapon being different can be. How the world needs such weapons. Gandhi was different. All great people are. And unique people such as you and me need to seek out other unique people who understand--so we don't get too lonely and end up where you did tonight."

The Lies of Locke Lamora

 Title: The Lies of Locke Lamora
Author: Scott Lynch
Date Read: January 12, 2014
Series: Gentleman Bastard #1

Summary: In this stunning debut, author Scott Lynch delivers the wonderfully thrilling tale of an audacious criminal and his band of confidence tricksters. Set in a fantastic city pulsing with the lives of decadent nobles and daring thieves, here is a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part "Robin Hood", one part Ocean's Eleven, and entirely enthralling...

An orphan's life is harsh — and often short — in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains — a man who is neither blind nor a priest.

A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected "family" of orphans — a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting.

Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld's most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful — and more ambitious — than Locke has yet imagined.

Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi's most trusted men — and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr's underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game — or die trying... goodreads

Review: Honestly, I don't know how to do this book justice. I don't. It's going to turn into a love letter to Locke and Jean and the Gentlemen Bastards in general. If you've read the book, you'd understand that love letter, but if not I would just sound like a crazy person. Which I may be but in this case you should listen to this crazy person when she tells you to read this book.

The writing is phenomenal. The characters are witty and sarcastic and have a way with words that would make even the most illiterate of people swoon. I'm not even going to expand upon this because I simply am not worthy.

The world that Lynch creates is fantastical and magical and wonderful all on it's own but the fact that Locke and his Bastards inhabit it makes it that much more perfect.

The story follows Locke Lamora and his band of thieves through their various cons that they run on members (and royalty) of their community. Locke is very low on the totem pole of society but this does not speak of his intelligence and various abilities that he uses in order to get the best of the people that would not usually give him the time of day. The relationships which Locke forms are genuine and your heart breaks with him as he loses those closest to him. This book is a classic case of cheering for the bad guys because they are just so damn charming.

This was my first time re-reading this book and it was just as magical this time around as the first. I noticed things I missed the first time (Sabetha is mentioned on the very first page of the series people!!!) and reminded me of important moments that had, somehow, slipped my mind between reads. I'm so excited for a re-read of #2 and finally getting my hands on #3.

Ok. That's it. I can't form complete paragraphs or sentences in order to review this book so you'll have to take my word for it. If you don't, your loss. But I will leave you with some words from Locke:

"If reassurance could dull pain, nobody would ever go to the trouble of pressing grapes." --Locke

The Chaperone

Title: The Chaperone
Author: Laura Moriarty
Read: January 16, 2014

Summary: The New York Times bestseller and the USA Today #1 Hot Fiction Pick for the summer, The Chaperone is a captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922 and the summer that would change them both.

Only a few years before becoming a famous silent-film star and an icon of her generation, a fifteen-year-old Louise Brooks leaves Wichita, Kansas, to study with the prestigious Denishawn School of Dancing in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is accompanied by a thirty-six-year-old chaperone, who is neither mother nor friend. Cora Carlisle, a complicated but traditional woman with her own reasons for making the trip, has no idea what she’s in for. Young Louise, already stunningly beautiful and sporting her famous black bob with blunt bangs, is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will transform their lives forever.

For Cora, the city holds the promise of discovery that might answer the question at the core of her being, and even as she does her best to watch over Louise in this strange and bustling place she embarks on a mission of her own. And while what she finds isn’t what she anticipated, she is liberated in a way she could not have imagined. Over the course of Cora’s relationship with Louise, her eyes are opened to the promise of the twentieth century and a new understanding of the possibilities for being fully alive.

Drawing on the rich history of the 1920s,’30s, and beyond—from the orphan trains to Prohibition, flappers,  and the onset of the Great Depression to the burgeoning movement for equal rights and new opportunities for women—Laura Moriarty’s The Chaperone illustrates how rapidly everything, from fashion and hemlines to values and attitudes, was changing at this time and what a vast difference it all made for Louise Brooks, Cora Carlisle, and others like them. goodreads

Review: Oh, I love the 20's! I thoroughly enjoyed being transported into the Jazz Age to discover Cora and Louise. I think one of the pivotal parts of this story is the fact that Louise Brooks is a real person. I didn't realize this until I was well into the book and when I found out, I thought it made this story so much more tragic than it already was. I tend to relate to characters as real people and empathize with them anyway but when I found out that a real person had actually gone though some of this (obviously very loosely based) it just made my heart ache even more.

The initial premise of the story is that Cora must chaperone Louise on her trip to NY to participate in a dancing troupe. It is quickly revealed that Cora has a plan of her own which involves delving into her past for answers but also finding herself which she has never been able to do in Kansas. Why NY had to be the place where she could finally follow her heart, I don't know but it worked in the story. So we follow the girls to The Big City where Louise is constantly ignoring the rules and regulations of society and Cora is trying her hardest to teach her the value of morals. Along the way, both girls grow up. Louise doesn't necessarily find her way but she makes her way to what she thinks it is she wants. Cora gets some answers and finally starts to see there is more to life than just what is expected of you as a good housewife and ends up shirking her morals and embracing feminist beliefs as well as an older German gentleman.

When they return home (or leave NY) things start to move along very quickly with Cora becoming her own person but also hiding who she really is. I think this was another tragic part of the story. Cora finally found her happiness but she was not brave enough to share it with the world and allowed her morals to hold her back from being truly happy. She was not so set in her morals that she wouldn't break them but she definitely wouldn't break them in public. Louise goes on to be a big star with her own version of tragedy interspersed but her way of coping and living makes sense based on her background so you can't fault her too much for it.

This was a coming of age novel to an extent and the two characters were vastly different but also had similarities and were able to learn from each other, whether they acknowledged this learning or not. I really enjoyed following their lives through the 20s and 30s and wished that the relationship between Cora and Louise were actually true.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Read: December 16, 2013

Summary: “ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways. goodreads

Review: Oh, this book! This is a book lover's dream! I feel like the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society would just get me. This book has quickly skyrocketed to the top of my favorite books list and I didn't even see it coming! This story is simply about people who love books and how books bring people together. The society reminded me of the book blogger community. Everyone reads their own books then comes together to talk about them. I love it! The characters are fantastic and the relationships seem genuine. I find that the epistolary format of a book, which can sometimes hinder the story doesn't, here it allows the reader to develop a relationship with the characters and get a view into all of their different lives.

Unfortunately, I didn't have many notes for this book when I look back on it. I just have quote after quote listed. The writing is beautiful and the characters are lovable and entertaining. Juliet is a spitfire and I loved reading her letters which make up the majority of the book. She's funny, charming, witty, and strong. She knows what she wants and she's not going to let anyone push her around. I was glad she found her place in the world at the end of this story. Elizabeth is another strong woman that this book revolved around and even though we never go to meet her, it was clear the type of person she was based on the stories about her. Guernsey and their society were lucky to have her.

At this point, I'm just gushing about this book so I'll end here and leave you with some wonderful quotes. They're random but they are perfect, and beautiful, and speak to me. Here you go:

"Because there is nothing I would rather do than rummage through bookshops."

"That's what I love around reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you to another book, and another bit will lead you onto a third."

"I love seeing the bookshops and meeting the booksellers-- booksellers really are a special breed. No one in their right mind would take up clerking in a bookstore for the salary, and no one in his right mind would want to own one-- the margin of profit is too small. So it has to be a love of readers and reading that makes them do it-- along with first dibs on the new books." 

"What a blight that woman is. Do you happen to know why? I lean toward a malignant fairy at her christening." 

"All my life I thought that the story was over when the hero and heroine were safely engaged-- after all, what's good enough for Jane Austen ought to be good enough for anyone. But it's a lie. The story is about to begin, and every day will be a new piece of the plot."

South of Broad

 Title: South of Broad
Author: Pat Conroy
Read: December 27, 2013

Summary: Against the sumptuous backdrop of Charleston, South Carolina, South of Broad gathers a unique cast of sinners and saints. Leopold Bloom King, our narrator, is the son of an amiable, loving father who teaches science at the local high school. His mother, an ex-nun, is the high school principal and a well-known Joyce scholar. After Leo's older brother commits suicide at the age of thirteen, the family struggles with the shattering effects of his death, and Leo, lonely and isolated, searches for something to sustain him. Eventually, he finds his answer when he becomes part of a tightly knit group of high school seniors that includes friends Sheba and Trevor Poe, glamorous twins with an alcoholic mother and a prison-escapee father; hardscrabble mountain runaways Niles and Starla Whitehead; socialite Molly Huger and her boyfriend, Chadworth Rutledge X; and an ever-widening circle whose liaisons will ripple across two decades-from 1960s counterculture through the dawn of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

The ties among them endure for years, surviving marriages happy and troubled, unrequited loves and unspoken longings, hard-won successes and devastating breakdowns, and Charleston's dark legacy of racism and class divisions. But the final test of friendship that brings them to San Francisco is something no one is prepared for. South of Broad is Pat Conroy at his finest; a long-awaited work from a great American writer whose passion for life and language knows no bounds. goodreads

Review: Oh, this book and Pat Conroy officially have my heart. I've heard of Conroy for years but never read one of his books. I've also lived in SC for about 12 years and am what they lovely southerners refer to as a "transplant." Despite that, even I, a second generation Yankee, can feel the pull of Charleston. And not the touristy, "let's look at the pretty houses on the Battery" pull, but the resident of South Carolina, weekend trips to the real Charleston, summers on the beach pull. It's easy to fall in love with this city and South of Broad is like a love letter to the Holy City.

Where do I begin?!? The characters were phenomenal! They were well rounded and from every walk of life and I could picture meeting them in high school as well as how they got to where they are now. Their personalities and upbringings mimic real residents of SC who I've grown up with and it makes me connect to this story even more. (Sidenote: is this for everyone or just people in SC? I'm biased and need a baseline.) Who wouldn't love Leo and fall under Sheba's spell. Who didn't want Trevor for a best friend and Niles on the police force? It all just seemed genuine and to me, that's the makings of a good book!

The story line has something for everyone. It addresses everything from the AIDs epidemic to race to natural disasters. There is substance abuse (many types of abuse), mental illness, and culture gaps. There is action, love, and heartbreak. And through it all, loyalty. Unfathomable loyalty.

I know I'm gushing at this point but how can I not? I dare you to read this book and not be swept away to Charleston or San Francisco with these characters. I dare you to have your heart not break right along with the characters throughout these 20 years of life. I dare you not to have this book make you think deeper about real issues that still exist today, 30-50 years later. Read this book. I dare you.

I'm amazed that I'm one of the few who feel this way on goodreads. Interesting...

I'm amazed that I'm one of the few who feel this way on goodreads. Interesting...

Gone With the Wind

Title: Gone With the Wind
Author: Margaret Mitchell
Read: December 31, 2013

Summary: Set against the dramatic backdrop of the American Civil War, Margaret Mitchell's epic love story is an unforgettable tale of love and loss, of a nation mortally divided and its people forever changed. At the heart of all this chaos is the story of beautiful, ruthless Scarlett 'O' Hara and the dashing soldier of fortune, Rhett Butler. goodreads

Review: OH THE FEELS!!! How did I make it until now without reading this book?!?! I loved it! It has quickly made it's way to the top of my favorite books list and I enjoyed every second of the 1,000+ pages.

Where do I begin? Well, since shes the main character and the person everyone loves to hate, let's start with my girl Scarlett O'Hara. I have a confession. I loved Scarlett. Okay, okay, I know she was wretched most of the time. And pretty much a horrible friend, wife, mother, and all around person. But the girl was a spitfire and I liked that!

I liked her because she wanted to buck the traditions of meek, quiet women in the South even though it was for selfish reasons and now equality. She's all around a selfish person but while accomplishing her own goals, her success trickles down to positively affect those around her. Granted, sometimes she makes things harder for others, but the Wilkes would not have survived the war if it wasn't for Scarlett. Yes, she's a hard person to love and cheer for at times but she is a phenomenal character!

Next, good ol' Rhett Butler. One word, swoon. I fell in love with this man from the start. I loved how he pursued Scarlett and valued her for her mind and her individuality. He was the rebel of the 1800s but I can't be the only one who's heart he grabbed from the beginning. I loved his relationship with Bonnie and my heart broke for him at the end of the book. I didn't see any of that coming and was expecting more of a happy ending.

And in the end, I saw this story as a tragedy. It's about ill timed love affairs and how things can fall apart with one false move. Scarlett lost a lot throughout this book but she always stood strong and came out on the other side. Knowing that, I think it was easier to accept the ending of this book and know that Scarlett is nothing if not a survivor.

It turns out I'm a sucker for southern novels. I loved reading about the history of the civil war and what life was like before, during, and after. A lot of the beliefs and ways of life still ring true today in the south and it was interesting to be able to see where a lot of them stem from. As a transplant in the south, I never knew why people had these certain ways of thinking but after reading about the things they went through in the civil war, a lot more makes sense. Some of it is still certifiably crazy, (the north won and the war is over guys...) but I can empathize with them a little better.

My favorite part of this book overall continues to be the characters. Mitchell did a great job of the characterizations and I really connected with them. You cheered for them and wanted what's best for them even if they were crazy and selfish (looking at you, Scarlett.) I didn't want the book to end but now I'll have the pleasure of watching the movie for comparisons. I'm sure it won't hold a candle to the book but I'd love to see how this story comes to life in film.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

Title: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Author: Fannie Flagg
Date Read: October 27,2013

Summary: It's first the story of two women in the 1980s, of gray-headed Mrs. Threadgoode telling her life story to Evelyn, who is in the sad slump of middle age. The tale she tells is also of two women -- of the irrepressibly daredevilish tomboy Idgie and her friend Ruth, who back in the thirties ran a little place in Whistle Stop, Alabama, a Southern kind of Cafe Wobegon offering good barbecue and good coffee and all kinds of love and laughter, even an occasional murder. goodreads

Review: I saw this movie a very long time ago and all I remembered about it was the story of Idgie and Ruth. Don't get me wrong, I love Idgie and Ruth, but the best part of this book were all of the colorful characters. This book is told through a series of flashbacks and stories which I though gave it a very unique perspective. I fell in love with the main story teller Mrs. Threadgoode. She had a spark that I thought was special. But the characters get even better from there. Dot Weems gave us a look at the local gossip through Weems Weekly which I thought was very typical for the south. We love us some gossip! She's also extremely feisty and has a good sense of humor throughout. One time she tried to sell her husband through her column and I laughed out loud. Who hasn't been there? Flagg does a good job of characterizing all ages. I found myself relating to Stump as he interacted with his first crush. I think everyone remembers what it was like to be at that awkward age and the author does a good job of portraying that. 

Now let's get back to Idgie and Ruth. Idgie is everything that a strong female lead should be! She's smart, compassionate, tough as nails, and generous. I love that she found Ruth and they made a life together in their own little part of the world. I see Ruth as Idgie's opposite and they complement each other throughout. Ruth is kind, endearing, and caring but she learns to stick up for herself throughout this book and I think she has Idgie to thank for a lot of that. I understand how a movie could be made around these two but the book is soooo much better than (what I remember of) the movie. 

This book addresses everything from race and culture in the south, to religion, to women's rights, to mental illness. It covers it all. It also provides different perspectives of all of these topics which helps the reader to understand (to the best of their ability) what it was like for a black man to go through the same situation as a white woman and get a completely different experience out of it. The reader starts to see how different life can be for someone based on their race or social status. They may handle the same situation but get grossly different outcomes. Sometimes it's hard to remember that and I loved the way Flagg reminded us through this novel. You all already know I have a soft spot for well done "southern novels" and now I just have to add this one to the list! (I may have to watch the movie again.)

Arcadia

Title: Arcadia
Author: Lauren Groff
Date Read: October 1, 2013

Summary: In the fields and forests of western New York State in the late 1960s, several dozen idealists set out to live off the land, founding what becomes a famous commune centered on the grounds of a decaying mansion called Arcadia House. Arcadia follows this lyrical, rollicking, tragic, and exquisite utopian dream from its hopeful start through its heyday and after. The story is told from the point of view of Bit, a fascinating character and the first child born in Arcadia. goodreads

Review: This is another one of those uncle hand-me-downs that I got over the summer and this book came out of left field and smacked me in the face. I loved it! I started this book without even reading the summary and was amazed when I found myself genuinely connecting with characters and the story. A story about a bunch of hippies! I’m as un-hippie as it gets. The closest I’ve ever come to hippie-dom was wearing a tie dye shirt I made when I was little. (That thing was ugly but no one ever mentions how hard tie dying can be when you’re a kid and when you finally create one, you rock that baby. Brown colors or not.) I could never live on a commune. I support the idea of everyone working for their share but know that, as proven by this book, it rarely actually works out that way. So why did I enjoy this book so much?

Well, for one, Bit. Little Bit of a hippie. I loved the way this story was told through his eyes and at every age, the viewpoint seemed so genuine. It felt as though a 5 year old was really describing the way a commune works in his own special, albeit distorted, ways. It felt as though a 14 year old was really pouring his heart while going through one of the most upsetting and life changing points of his life and puberty at the same time. I was able to see how the commune genuinely affect Bit in his 30s and then the struggle between his love for Arcadia and his life in the city in his 40s. I also felt that Bit was just a genuine person all around. He was caring and loving and it came back to bite him in the ass sometimes which I thought was honest. Being caring and loving are great traits that can get you very far in life, but they can also get you burned easily if you don't look out. Bit got burned/abandoned by the "love of his life" which got him stuck in a rut for awhile. As the story progressed, we saw him crawl out of his rut, overcome more sadness and hurt, and begin to find his place in a world that began in Arcadia and moves on to city living.

The author did a phenomenal job of creating Acardia and helping the reader (even an anti-hippie reader) connect with the community and understand the reason this place existed in the first place. She helped us see impact of mental illness and addictions through various lenses which allowed the reader to truly understand how family members view these diseases. She also pointed out the flaws in this type of living if people who aren't like Bit, Hannah, Astrid, and Abe are involved. She did it in a loving way that people can understand without completely destroying the abstract concept of a "successful hippie commune." As I said, the hippie life is not for me but this book gave me a glimpse into why people choose this life and what it would take to make it work; as well as how easily utopia can be destroyed. Check it out!

Code Name Verity

Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Date Read: September 15, 2013

Summary:  I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team. goodreads



How do I review this book without spoilers? I will try my very best but I may slip up and reveal more than you want so if you are cautious of that, just take my word for it AND READ THIS BOOK!!! Also, this review is chock-full of quotes because the writing was phenomenal and I'll never be able to describe all of my feelings like Ms. Wein can. Here we go:

"It's like being in love, discovering your best friend."

First and foremost, this is a love story. A love story between two best friends. Anyone with a best friend knows exactly what I'm talking about. You may not see the friendship coming, you may not have predicted it, but somehow, someway, it develops and you eventually realize that you are soul mates.

"I don't believe it for a minute- that we wouldn't have become friends somehow-- that an unexploded bomb wouldn't have gone off and blown us both into the same crater, or that God himself wouldn't have come along and knocked our heads together in a flash of green sunlight. But it wouldn't have been likely."

That's the case for Verity and Maddie. They were thrown together during a crisis in WWII and forged an unbreakable bond. From the beginning, each girl admires the other and is impressed by the specific skills that the other does not have. Maddie flies planes (she's a girl who flies planes in WWII!!!) and Verity can speak multiple languages (among other things.) While reading this story I found myself connecting to these two characters in a magical way that can happen in books but does not happen enough. Verity is feisty, snarky, sarcastic, and obviously brilliant. I love it! She's also Scottish to core which reminds me of my beloved Outlander series. One of my favorite quotes from the books that sums Verity up is :

"You know- the stupid man's big mistake was calling me ENGLISH. It made my fury wholly convincing. A whore-maybe I'll consider that in desperation; filthy, it goes without saying; but whatever else the hell I am, I AM NOT ENGLISH."

Se what I mean? That girl is fiesty! Maddie is more subdued but it is obvious that she is equally as brilliant and independent and is all about some girl power. She is cool and calculated but has more power and skill than she gives herself credit for. This quote describes part of Maddie for me:

"Maddie quickly pulled down the blackout curtains over her bright and vulnerable soul and went off to sort the tire."

Who wouldn't like these two?!?

CNV is unique because it provides the reader with the female "soldier" perspective of WWII. There are countless books of male soldiers  and of females who stayed at home to care for the kids. There are even books based around children in the war. It's easy to forget that there were strong, important women with imperative roles in the war and this novel reminds us of that. I also loved the twist in part two of the book when the story changed perspectives. What an awesome way to let us see how sneaky and intelligent Verity is! It gives us an honest view of what actually happened as well as some of the things that Verity may not have known.

And the underlying theme of Peter Pan? Be still my beating heart. I've always had a connection with Peter Pan and remember the movie and my all time favorite, the televised play with Mary Martin (if you haven't seen it, watch it! Or at least make your kids watch it!). While reading this book I laughed, I cried, I had goosebumps, and I easily found myself picturing the 1940s as if I was there with Verity and Maddie. I will never be able to express in words the feelings this book gave me but I would encourage you to find out for yourself. With that, I leave you with the most emotion-provoking line of the whole novel for me:

"The window is always open."

5+++ to be specific

The Fault in our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Date Read: August 29, 2013

Summary: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. goodreads

Review:

Okay.

 

I have to admit it took me a few days to process this book because otherwise, this entire review would just be me gushing about how you should read this book. Don’t get me wrong, you should definitely read this book! But I can finally form some sort of review around my gushing. This book was beautiful! The relationships, the characters, the story, I loved it all.

 

Where to begin? Oh, I know! Augustus Waters. Good ole Gus is probably 10 years younger than me but I may or may not have a crush on him. What a cool kid! He has a unique view of the world that only his illness could give him and instead of becoming angry and beaten, he reframes everything into very cool metaphors (see below). Plus, he sees all that is amazing in Hazel Grace. Now, Hazel. This girl is snarky, and sarcastic, and cynical, but she is genuine and funny and honest. I have a girl crush on her! She has a realistic view of her illness but she has not let it keep her from looking for the good in people and life. The love story between these two is beautiful. Gus likes Hazel for her personality and her brains and her sarcasm but he also recognizes that she is beautiful. He helps Hazel see that she is beautiful despite her illness. The witty repertoire they have is endearing and entertaining. John Green did a great job of creating a young adult romance without the insta

 

Yes, this book is sad, and yes, I cried, but it is so much more than that. This is a coming of age novel with two teens who were told from when they were very young that they may not make it to the point where they had to “come of age.” This is a love story in the best way. It makes you fall in love with both people and understand the attraction between them.  If you don’t read any other novels reviewed on this blog, do me a favor, and please read this one. Thank me later.

 

Okay.

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