A Letter to My Cat: Notes to Our Best Friends; Lisa Erspamer

A Letter to My Cat: Notes to Our Best Friends; Lisa Erspamer

Crown Archetype - 2014

A Letter to My Cat is one of those unique books that is a must read for anyone who has ever owned and loved a cat or two or more.  The book is a collection of short letters that cat owners have written to the cat(s), generally one letter per page, along with a beautiful colored picture of the cat.

Some of the letters in the story are funny, some will make you smile or remind you of  your own cat. There are stories from people who have rescued strays, and how the stray cat ended up rescuing them afterward by being there for them during the darkest days in their life.  Handicapped cats. therapy cats and ordinary house cats, each with a unique personality, fill the pages of this beautiful collection. There is a letter from a soldier who served in Iraq who rescued an abused cat while serving our country. He tells of how the cat ended up saving him from committing suicide down the road.

Many of the letters are written by celebrities about their cats, and even cat behaviorist, Jackson Galaxy offers a personal letter.  A few of the letters I ended up reading out loud to my husband -- stories about cats who sleep with their owner and gets their human to willingly rearrange their body so as not to disturb their cat's sleep. Cats who accompany you to the bathroom when you shower, the vocal cats who don't take "no" for an answer,  the cats who know your every emotion and when you need a fluffy warm lap warmer most of all, and just so much more.

At the end of the book there is a small photo and bio collection about the contributors of each letter and information about the animals in their lives.This beautiful book would make a great gift for the cat lover in your life.

5/5 stars
(library book)

Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You - A Little Life; Hanya Yanagihara

Here's my "Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You" pick for today.  What do you think?

 A Little Life; Hanya  Yanagihara

Doubleday - March - 2015

(Description)

Brace yourself for the most astonishing, challenging, upsetting, and profoundly moving book in many a season. An epic about love and friendship in the twenty-first century that goes into some of the darkest places fiction has ever traveled and yet somehow improbably breaks through into the light. Truly an amazement—and a great gift for its publisher.

When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome—but that will define his life forever.

In rich and resplendent prose, Yanagihara has fashioned a tragic and transcendent hymn to brotherly love, a masterful depiction of heartbreak, and a dark examination of the tyranny of memory and the limits of human endurance.

The Interestings; Meg Wolitzer

The Interestings; Meg Wolitzer

Penguin Audio - 2013

 I had read several reviews about this book over the past year and thought the story sounded "interesting" (no pun intended).

The Interestings follows the lives of (6) individuals who meet at an artsy summer camp called Spirit in the Woods, in the Berkshires. All but one of these teens came from very wealthy families living in New York City, while Julia (Jules), was there on scholarship - her father passed away in his 40s of pancreatic cancer. It's the1970s, and during the course of that summer, the group calls themselves "The Interestings", making a pact of sorts that they will make something of themselves and their lives moving forward. 

Over the course of some 40 years, the lives of, Julia (Jules), Ethan, Cathy, Jonah and siblings Ash and Goodman are followed. If the group stays true to their promise, what happens when one member of the group makes it really big, and others are still trying to figure things out?  From meaty topics like feminism, the AIDS crisis, sexual preference and 9/11, to the more common themes like marriage, children and careers, the author explores these issues and more in much detail.  

Each of the characters were well developed and, while I thought that the story was way too long at over 500 pages, it was still a good audio book to listen to. The book was narrated by Jen Tullock who did a great job.

Throughout the story there were keen observations and raw emotions that really made you think about what each character was feeling at the time. Although I was expecting that some of the group would fare better than the others, I wasn't expecting as much tragedy as what was written into this story.  This story demonstrated how some adults never do realize their full potential in life as a result of the things that happen to them as children. Although I couldn't relate to a lot of what these individuals experienced, it was still a story that made me reflect on my own life and the friendships that were made early on.

3.5/5 stars

(library audio)

The Drop; Dennis Lehane

The Drop; Dennis Lehane

2014 - William Morrow

The Drop has been on my radar since last fall. I'm a big fan of author, Dennis Lehane and, the film version was the last film that James Gandolfini starred in before his untimely death. It's a very short crime thriller that takes place in Boston (movie version Brooklyn).

Bob Saginowski, a quiet, lonely guy who works as a bartender at his cousin Marv's bar. Cousin Marv no longer owns the place, but still runs it. The place is also a "drop" site for illegally obtained money collected by the Chechen mob.
But in this story, it's Bob, not Marv, who is by far the most interesting character of the story. He is guilt-ridden, spends time at church, and tends bar. A few days after Christmas, he is walking home from work and hears whimpering coming out of a trash can on the sidewalk. He finds a beaten, pit bull puppy. The woman who lives in the house helps Bob, clean and nurse the puppy, and Bob soon becomes the dog's savior.  The puppy who he names Rocco, and the woman play an integral role in the complications which arise as the story progresses.

The Drop, is a story about desperate people and the desperate situations that occur when people make bad decisions in life.  The author paints a very vivid description of the characters, the neighborhood and how the mob operates.  A very short story with an ending that packs a punch.

4/5 stars

(review copy)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ Etta and Otto and Russell and James; Emma Hooper

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

Etta and Otto and Russell and James; Emma Hooper

Simon & Schuster - 2015

Otto

"The letter began, in blue ink,

I've gone. I've never seen the water, so I've gone there.  Don't worry, I've left you the truck. I can walk. I will try to remember to come back.

Yours (always),

Etta.

Underneath the letter she had left a pile of recipe cards.  All the things she had always made.  Also in blue ink,  So he would know what and how to eat while she was away.  Otto sat down at the table and arranged them so no two were overlapping.   Columns and rows.  He thought about putting on his coat and shoes and going out to try and find her, maybe asking neighbors if they had seen which way she went, but he didn't.He just sat at the table with the letter and the cards.His hands trembled. He laid one of top of the other to calm them."

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What do you think, would you read more?

Cat & Bunny; Mary Lundquist

Cat & Bunny; Mary Lundquist

Balzer & Bray - 2015

Cat & Bunny  are the very best of friends, in fact, they were even born on the same day and same year.  Every since they were little, they've done everything together -- just the two of them.  They've even made up games, where they are the only ones who know the rules.

One day when they are out playing, Quail, asks to join in. Bunny says, "sure", but Cat isn't so sure about inviting someone else into the circle.  Soon many other children join in the fun, but Cat is sad and upset and runs off to be alone.  Cat, however, isn't alone for long, when someone comes along and Cat begins to understand what friendship is all about.

This is a very cute debut book about friendship.  The illustrations are so terrific -- mostly earth toned, pencil and water color drawings against a white background.  The little children are dressed in cute animal costumes, and simple sentences help tell a story about friends having fun.

 

5/5 stars

(library book) 

Foreign Gods Inc; Okey Ndibe

Foreign Gods, Inc; Okey Ndibe

Blackstone Audio - 2014

Foreign Gods, Inc. tells the story of Ike - Ikechikwu Uzondu, a brilliant man from Nigeria with a degree in Economics from prestigious Amherst College. Ike lives in Brooklyn and now works in New York City as a taxi driver. He's capable of so much more, but has been told that his foreign (Igbo) accent is holding him back from obtaining a job on Wall Street. 

Disillusioned with the American dream, trying to make ends meet, and now divorced from the woman he married with the hopes of getting his green card, Ike has a plan. After he reads an article about, "Foreign Gods Inc.",  a gallery that buys and sells foreign deities, items which have become popular among the "I have more money than I know what to do with crowd", Ike decides to return his native village of Nutonki, in Nigeria to steal a war statue called Ngene. The statue revered by many from his former tribe, he believes he can sell it off once he returns to New York. After borrowing the money to return home in hope of carrying out his plans, he runs into a few obstacles and surprises along the way.

Back home his family and former friends have their own issues. He finds they are caught up in a religious war and conflicted. The first real love of his life is now a widow with five children. And, to make matters work Ike's uncle is now a devoted priest of Ngene, the very god figure he planned to steal.

Foreign Gods, Inc., is a wonderful tale about one immigrant's pursuit of the American Dream. Ike is a compelling character who experienced more than a few bad breaks. It's easy to get caught up in his story and that of those around him back home. He was an easy character to root for. The writing is engaging, clever and darkly humorous. Foreign Gods, Inc. is one of those stories that I wasn't sure I would enjoy, but ended up liking so much, such a pleasant surprise. This is definitely an author with talent, I plan to be on the lookout for more of his work moving forward. The audio book is read by, Dominic Hoffman who does an excellent job.

4.5/5 stars

(library audiobook)

The Half Brother; Holly LeCraw

The Half Brother; Holly LeCraw

Doubleday - 2015

When I think about fiction, boarding school settings, and particularly schools in New England, have always been high on my list for perfect settings. The Half Brother, by Holly LeCraw does have that perfect setting.

In this story the protagonist, Charlie Garrett is just out of Harvard when he is hired as an English teacher at the Abbott School in Massachusetts.  Growing up in Georgia, Charlie lived with his mother, Anita, wealthy step-father, Hugh and younger half-brother Nicky, 12 years his junior. Now just out of college, Charlie's first job at the prestigious Abbott school, feels a bit intimidating at first, given the fact that that he is not that much older than many of his students.

As Charlie gets a bit more comfortable there, he begins an innocent friendship with May Bankhead, a student there, and the daughter of the school's chaplain.  When May graduates the two continue to keep in touch, but it isn't until sometime later that they are reunited when May returns to the area to care for her dying father. It's then that the two of them realized that there is something more there besides friendship.

When Charlie learns something shocking, he chooses not to discuss it with May, but breaks up with her instead. Fast forward a decade or so and May, as well as Charlie's, half-brother Nicky, handsome, smart and outgoing, are also teaching at the Abbott school.  

You can probably guess where this story is headed. Sadly, I had such high hopes for this novel, but it just didn't work for me.  It's a slow moving story about love, lies and past betrayals. Unfortunately, the prep school setting was just not enough for me. The story and characters just felt flat.

2/5 stars

(review copy)

Aquarium; David Vann

Aquarium; David Vann

Atlantic Monthly Press - March 2015

Aquarium is an addictive read that hooked me early on, shocked me as the story progressed and made me wonder whether emotionally wounded individuals can ever truly heal.

The story opens in 1990's Seattle, where 12-year-old Caitlin lives in a tiny apartment with her mother Sheri.  Sheri works long hours at the local container port to support the two of them.  Together their life has been built on routine. They wake early, have breakfast, and then mom rushes off to work and Caitlin goes to school. She is always the first kid to arrive at school.  Mom works overtime whenever possible, and Caitlin goes to the "aquarium" after school until her mother is done with work.  This arrangement was cheaper than childcare, but Caitlin doesn't mind, she loves her time spent at the aquarium, and is fascinated by all of the exotic fish she visits with each day. She hopes to study the science of fish when she gets older. When day is done sometimes Caitlin and her mom collapse together or talk briefly, unless Sheri has her boyfriend over, and then Caitlin is off to her room.

One day Caitlin befriends an elderly man at the aquarium, the two talk about the fish. Soon every time she goes to the aquarium, the man is there as well and soon they begin to talk about more than just fish. Caitlin likes the man and is unafraid, so when he asks a favor of her, she thinks nothing of telling her mother.  No way could Caitlin have anticipated how her mother would react, and the horrific consequences that would result as a result of the situation which has been set in motion.  The mother/daughter relationship will forever be changed.

I loved everything about this simple, but well crafted story.  Caitlin is such a strong, and brave young girl. She's smart, inquisitive and longs to be loved. Despite the situation over which she has no control, she displays a childlike determination to make things right.

The book contains lovely color photographs of exotic fish which is such a nice touch.  Readers who enjoy stories about dysfunctional childhoods or coming of age stories, this is one of the best of its kind that I've read in a long time. Be prepared to be shocked! A word of caution -- a few reviews out there give away some significant spoilers, do yourself a favor, and just dive in, too much detail will spoil the experience for you.  So far this is my favorite read of 2015.

5/5 stars

(eGalley)

Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You - Act of God; Jill Ciment

Here's my "Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You" pick for today.  What do you think? (I love the cover, and the potential for lots of laughs.)

Act of God; Jill Ciment

Pantheon - March 2015

(DESCRIPTION)

It’s the summer of 2015, Brooklyn. The city is sweltering from another record-breaking heat wave, this one accompanied by biblical rains. Edith, a recently retired legal librarian, and her identical twin sister, Kat, a feckless romantic who’s mistaken her own eccentricity for originality, discover something ominous in their hall closet: it seems to be phosphorescent, it’s a mushroom . . . and it’s sprouting from their wall.

Upstairs, their landlady, Vida Cebu, a Shakespearian actress far more famous for her TV commercials for Ziberax (the first female sexual enhancement pill) than for her stage work, discovers that a petite Russian girl, a runaway au pair, has been secretly living in her guest room closet. When the police arrest the intruder, they find a second mushroom, also glowing, under the intruder’s bedding. Soon the HAZMAT squad arrives, and the four women are forced to evacuate the contaminated row house with only the clothes on their backs.

As the mold infestation spreads from row house to high-rise, and frightened, bewildered New Yorkers wait out this plague (is it an act of God?) on their city and property, the four women become caught up in a centrifugal nightmare.

Part horror story, part screwball comedy, Jill Ciment’s brilliant suspense novel looks at what happens when our lives—so seemingly set and ordered yet so precariously balanced—break down in the wake of calamity. It is, as well, a novel about love (familial and profound) and how it can appear from the most unlikely circumstances.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Fiercombe Manor; Kate Riordan

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

Fiercombe Manor; Kate Riordan

Harper - 2015

Prologue

Alice

Midsummer, 1936

"Fiercombe is  place of secrets.  The fret among the uppermost branches of the beech trees and brood at the cold bottom of the stream that cleaves the valley in two.  The past has seeped into the soil here like split blood.  If you listen closely enough, you can almost hear what's gone before, particularly on the stillest days.  Sometimes the very air seems to hum with anticipation.  At other times it's as though a collective breath has been drawn in and held.  It waits, or so it seems to me."

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What do you think? Feel free to join in and link below.

Sunday Blatherings More Snow and Books

Another snowy weekend, and I suppose I shouldn't be complaining as we have LESS snow than Boston here.  We live 90 minutes from Boston, and although we've had snow whenever Boston has, it's been less each time.  I am grateful to be living in a condo where even our sidewalk and door steps are shoveled.  But...still...this is getting a bit ridiculous.

Today has been so relaxing thus far -- made pancakes for breakfast and beef stew is in the crock pot for tonight.  I was able to finish David Vann's new book, Aquarium.  It's an addictive read, and like his previous books quite dark, but very good.  Tonight we have 4 more episodes of Season 2 of The House of Cards to watch - we have really enjoyed this series.

New Books

• The Half Brother; Holly LeCraw - Doubleday
• I See You Made an Effort; Annabelle Gurwitch - Blue Rider Press
• Recipe for Disaster; Stacey Ballis - Berkeley
• Poisonville; Carlotto and Videtta (paperpack swap - Europa)
• The Jerusalem File; Joel Stone (paperback swap - Europa)
• Dog Day; Alicia Gimenez-Barlett (paperbackswap - Europa)

Hope Everyone Has a Great Week!

Food: A Love Story; Jim Gaffigan

Food: A Love Story; Jim Gaffigan

Crown / Random House Audio - 2014

In Food: A Love Story,  author Jim Gaffigan gives his readers a humorous look at food, the love of eating, from good food to junk food and many places in between.  The author traces his earliest relations with food and his love of eating. Jim doesn't consider himself a "foodie", but rather an "eatie." Living now in New York City with his wife and (5) kids in a 2-bed apartment, most every topic that comes out of Gaffigan's mouth made me smile or burst out laughing while I was driving.

The author is known for his stand up comedy, so while listening to this one, it was easy to imagine him sharing some of these skits on stage. Spending many years in the Midwest, Jim has a particular fondness for barbeque and pizza, but doesn't get the obsession others have with seafood.  He has an opinion on everything from fast foods, hot dogs, Hot Pockets, pretzel bread, flavored waters and even leafy stuff like kale.

While a little of his humor goes a long way, this was fun to listen to in short segments. It would be easy to OD trying to finish this one in just a day.

A fun audio book, I think this one will appeal to fans who enjoy David Sedaris.

4/5

(audio download)

The Bone Orchard; Paul Doiron

The Bone Orchard; Paul Doiron

Minotaur/McMillian Audio - 2014

In this crime mystery thriller former game warden, Mike Bowditch, now works as a fishing guide in Down East Maine after a few incidents and personal tragedy shook things up in his life. Just a few months after his job change he learns that his old supervisor Kathy Frost is under investigation after shooting and killing a suicidal war veteran.  Feeling for his former mentor he decides to visit her and offer his support, but has no idea what he is in for.

Kathy is shot, possibly and her sniper at-large. Mike, despite the fact he is no longer holds an official position in law enforcement, decides to pursue his own investigation to track down the shooter. As he dig deeper and deeper, he uncovers some new revelations about his friend Kathy. As the list of suspects grow, things escalate and quickly get a bit out of control.

I liked this crime mystery well enough, but I realized well into the story that this is the 5th book of a series which begins with, The Poacher's Son.....darn. So for me, there were some characters and some back history that would have made this a more enjoyable experience if I had read the other books first.  I loved the backwoods Maine setting, which played out so well in this story. I also liked the way the suspense grew gradually, but I thought the ending was a bit abrupt. Not sure whether I'll go back to read the first (4) books in the series at this point, but I still enjoyed the audiobook experience -- great narrator as well -- Henry Levya.

3.5/5 stars

(library audio book)

A Fireproof Home for the Bride; Amy Scheibe

A Fireproof Home for the Bride;Amy Scheibe

St. Martin's Press - 2015

In A Fireproof Home for the Bride, the protagonist, Emmaline (Emmy) Nelson was born into a strict, hard working religious family. Her parents are Lutherans, and her husband had been selected for her early on -- it's Minnesota in the mid-50's. Although Emmy wants to please her family, she also longs for her independence. It isn't until her fiance, a young man 10 years older than her, does something despicable, does she have the courage to break away.  She finds a job at a small newspaper, against her parents wishes, and meets a nice young man of a different faith--Catholic. His family is warm, kind and accepting, unlike her own family.

Working at the newspaper Emmy is hoping to have her skills recognized. She begins researching some fires back in her hometown and makes some shocking discoveries about some of the people closest to her. Her findings reveal the unimaginable evil done by people who profess to be religious.

I must say that this novel started off painfully slow for me, and I almost gave up.  Once the story got going though I found it more engaging. The characters are well developed and I enjoyed watching Emmy mature, becoming independent and her own person. The vivid descriptions of the land, harsh winters, and life in Minnesota and North Dakota worked well too. This book has a little bit of everything in it: coming of age, mystery, racism, and even romance.  Overall, a decent read.

3/5 stars
(arc)

Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You - Aquarium; David Vann

Here's my "Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You" pick for today.  What do you think?

Aquarium; David Vann

Atlantic Monthly Press - March 2015

Twelve year old Caitlin lives alone with her mother—a docker at the local container port—in subsidized housing next to an airport in Seattle. Each day, while she waits to be picked up after school, Caitlin visits the local aquarium to study the fish. Gazing at the creatures within the watery depths, Caitlin accesses a shimmering universe beyond her own. When she befriends an old man at the tanks one day, who seems as enamored of the fish as she, Caitlin cracks open a dark family secret and propels her once-blissful relationship with her mother toward a precipice of terrifying consequence.

In crystalline, chiseled yet graceful prose, Aquarium takes us into the heart of a brave young girl whose longing for love and capacity for forgiveness transforms the damaged people around her. Relentless and heartbreaking, primal and redemptive, Aquarium is a transporting story from one of the best American writers of our time.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Precious One; Marisa de los Santos

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

The Precious One; Marisa de los Santos
William Morrow - 2015

Chapter One

Taisy

"IF I HADN'T BEEN alone in the house; if it hadn't been early in the morning, with that specific kind of fuzzy, early morning quiet and a sky the color of moonstones and raspberry jam outside my kitchen window; if I had gotten further than two sips into my bowl-sized mug of coffee; if he himself hadn't called but had sent the message via one of his usual minions; if his voice had been his voice and not a dried-up, flimsy paring off the big golden apple of his baritone; if he hadn't said "please," if it had been a different hour in a different day entirely, maybe--just maybe--I would have turned him down."

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What do you think ? Would you read more?

New Books

My mailbox was overstuffed this week with new books.  My problem always seems to be prioritizing which book to read first.

• Etta and Otto and Russell and James; Emma Hooper
• Into the Night; Jake Woodhouse (Penguin)
• The World Before Us; Aislinn Hunter (Hogarth)
• This House is Not for Sale; E.C. Osondu (Harper)
• A Spool of Blue Thread; Anne Tyler (Knopf)
• Golden State; Stephanie Kegan (Simon & Schuster)

• A Head Full of Ghosts; Paul Trembley (William Morrow)
• Trigger Warning; Neil Gaiman (William Morrow)
• Wichita; Thad Ziolkowski (Europa - paperback swap)
• Finding Jake; Bryan Reardon (William Morrow)

Happy Reading - Enjoy Your Week

(more snow coming tonight and tomorrow - this should push us over 2 feet)

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy; Rachel Joyce

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy; Rachel Joyce

2015 -Random House

Rachel Joyce's first book, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2012), is a book which made my top reads list for that year. In that story her protagonist, Harold who had recently retired receives a letter from an old friend who tells him she is dying.  Harold feels compelled to walk 600+ miles to see his old friend before she passes away.

In The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, it's Queenie's turn to tell her story before she passes away from cancer.  The last time she had ever seen her friend Harold she left Kingsbridge without even saying goodbye. Now from her hospice room with the help of Sister Mary Innoconnu, Queenie shares her story.  How she met Harold, how she came to know Harold's son David who has since died and her relationship with him, and her fond memories of the years she has spent at her beach house sea garden in Embleton Bay. Most important for Queenie though is unburdening herself of one particular event which had an impact on the rest of her life.

As Queenie shares her story, periodic postcards arrive at the hospice from Harold as he continues his journey to see Queenie one last time.

For readers of Joyce's earlier book, there are many new revelations to experience through Queenie. Reflective in tone, there is sadness, but also humor to be found.  I especially loved the descriptions of her life and solitude living by the sea and tending her garden.The author has created a cast of interesting and quirky characters from the hospice where Queenie now resides. She skillfully tells the final stories of others who are dying in a respectful manner as well.  The story is not written in traditional letter format, but nonetheless packs an emotional punch.  I'm not sure this novel will make my tops list for 2015, but it is still a very good story. I would recommend reading Harold's story first though, if you have not already done so.

4/5 stars
(eGalley)

Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You - Golden State; Stephanie Kegan

Here's my "Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You" pick for today.  What do you think?

Golden State; Stephanie Kegan

Simon & Schuster - February 2015

A haunting literary drama, with a ripped-from-the headlines urgency reminiscent of Defending Jacob and Sue Miller’s While I Was Gone, Golden State asks hard questions about the limits of loyalty and the bounds of family ties.

Growing up in the 1960s in one of California’s most prominent political families, Natalie Askedahl worshiped her big brother, Bobby, a sensitive math prodigy who served as her protector and confidante. But after Bobby left home at sixteen on a Princeton scholarship, something changed between them. Now that Natalie is happily married, with a career and two young daughters, her only real regret is losing Bobby.

 Then, a bomb explodes in the middle of her seemingly ideal life. Her oldest daughter is on the Stanford campus when one person is killed and another maimed. Other bombings follow across California. Frightened for her family, Natalie grows obsessed with the case until she makes an unthinkable discovery: the bomber’s manifesto reads alarmingly like the last letter she has from Bobby.

Unsure of whom to sacrifice and whom to protect, Natalie is confronted with a terrible choice that will send her down a rabbit hole of confusion, lies, and betrayals. As her life splits irrevocably into before and after, she begins to learn that some of the most dangerous things in the world are the stories we tell ourselves.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Home Place; Carrie La Seur

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

The Home Place; Carrie La Seur

William Morrow - 2014

Chapter 1 - 

Sunday, 2 a.m. Mountain Standard Time

"The cold on a January night in Billings, Montana, is personal and spiritual.  It knows your weakness.  It communicates with your fears.  If you have a god, this cold pulls a veil between you and your deity.  It gets you alone in a place where it can work at you.  If you are white, especially from the old families, the cold speaks to you of being isolated and undefended on the infinite homestead plains.  It sounds like wolves and reverberates like drums in all the hollow places where you wonder who you are and what you would do in extremis.  In this cold, you understand at last that you are not brave at all."

Calling Me Home; Julie Kilber

Calling Me Home; Julie Kilber

Blackstone Audio - 2013

Isabelle McCallister grew up as a privileged white girl in Kentucky in the 1930s. Now at 90 years of age she makes an unusual request of her longtime hairdresser Dorrie.  Dorrie is a black woman who has had some setbacks in life, and has had a poor track record with men.  Isabelle's request -- to drive her from Texas to Ohio for a funeral.  Dorrie gives the idea some thought and agrees, feeling that time away from her family, the new man in her life and her business might be just what she needs while she assesses her life.

Along the way driving to Ohio, Isabelle begins to share the story of herself as a young girl and young love. Isabelle fell in love with a young black man named Robert Pruitt, the son of her family's maid, and the tragic consequences which resulted. Dorrie also opens up to her friend Isabelle, sharing her personal struggles as well.

The story is told in alternating POV of both women. Isabelle's story is told mostly in the past, while Dorrie's story  is told mostly in the present. Both stories were touching and seemed believable.  The hatred exhibited by some white people against blacks in that time period (30s) is hard tp read about at times and it is difficult not to feel for the individuals.  I do wish that Dorrie's story was a bit more developed.

I thought the author did a fantastic job transporting the reader back to Isabelle's early life, and I was surprised to read that the story in part, is based on the personal family history of the author's family.  The ending was a huge surprise and added a lot to the overall experience.  I listened to the audio version (read by Bahri Turpin and Lorna Raver), and most say that the two voices took some getting used to, so I alternated with the print version at times.  A very good story that many readers will enjoy, and a great book club choice as well.

4/5
(Audio book and print)

January Reading - Plans for February - Super Bowl Sunday

Wasn't it just Christmas?  January felt like it passed in a blur -- not sure why, but that's how it was for me.  I managed to read (12) book in January - 2 were kids books and 4 were audio books.  I think my favorite book was Bones & All by Camille DeAngelis, but many others were enjoyable as well. 

February Reading Plans 
 

 Finish - The Bone Orchard; Paul Doiran and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy; Rachel Joyce

-- review Calling Me Home; Julie Kilber

• A Fireproof Home for the Bride; Amy Scheibe  
• West of Sunset; Stewart O'Nan
• Etta and Otto and Russell and James; Emma Hooper

Today's Plans 

(Go Pats)