Books Read - Week in Review - 4/8/2017

This has been an interesting week and although I did finish (2) books I've found myself wasting lots of time playing Scrabble and Yahtzee online (so addictive). The weather has been rainy and we still have a small mound of snow left but next week we are supposed to have a few 70 degree days so hopefully that will be the last of the snow.  

These are my (2) completed books for the week.

How to Be Human; Paula Cocozza

Metropolitan Books - Henry Holt - May, 2017

(My Thoughts) - Set in an urban area of London where fox sightings are common, Mary is a troubled young woman with a lot on her mind. She's recently broken off her engagement and is on leave from work over a disciplinary issue.  As the story opens she sees a baby on her doorstep and a beautiful fox in her garden.  The fox soon becomes a regular around her home, he brings her little gifts and the two seem to have a deep soulful connection.  Is Mary losing her grip on reality or is there something more here?  The story is told mostly from Mary's POV but, occasionally we hear from the fox as well. An odd, quirky different kind of love story which focuses on loneliness and obsession. 

 (3.5/5 stars)

The Inner Life of Cats: The Science & Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions

Thomas McNamee - Hachette - March, 2017

(My Thoughts) - Being a cat lover all of my life, I really enjoyed the insight that this book provided.  This book is well written and I liked that much of it was a love letter to the author's cat, Augusta, who arrived as a kitten one cold day in winter when the author lived in Montana. The book also provides terrific information about the psychology and biology of cats both domestic and those in feral colonies.  He makes the reader think about the needs of a cat and what owners need to insure to make the cat's life a good one.  There was much in this book that made me smile like when he discussed how his cat and his wife "mastering the art of the slow turn in bed at night" so as not to disturb the cat sleeping in the fold of one's legs.  This is something that I grew to love and now miss that our Lily is gone. At times I found myself in tears as the author explained signs to look for when your cat be very sick since cats do an excellent job hiding illness (we missed many of the early signs ourselves). He describes the euthanasia process and his decision to have his 15 year old beloved cat, Augusta put to sleep. This part was tough to read about for me since it was just (7) weeks ago that we had our sweet Lily put to sleep but, I was also appreciated reading about how the grieving process for a beloved pet is very normal and that it takes months and sometimes longer to heal (I still feel our sweet girl's presence everywhere and hardly a day goes by when I don't tear up at some point thinking about her).  I really enjoyed this book overall, very readable, even the research and scientific material was interesting and not dry in the least.  

(4.5/5 stars)

• The People We Hate at the Wedding; Grant Ginder (Flatiron Books)
• White Fur; Jardine Libaire (Hogarth) Amazon Vine

Books Read - Week in Review - W/E - 4/1/2017

It is spring but still doesn't feel like it here - a few mounds of snow still remain and although we are getting some heavy rain, some areas not too far away are getting more snow.  This past week we had an unexpected guest on our deck eating some seed we had thrown out for the birds.  (Very unusual to see a red fox like this in my backyard but apparently his food supply is scarce.) 

 This past week found me watching more movies at times than time spent reading books: My Cousin Vinny, As Good as it Gets, Something's Gotta Give and Dan in Real Life -- all movies I've seen before and LOVE.

 This Week in Books 

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk; Kathleen Rooney

St. Martin's Press - 2017

(DNF)

Inspired by the story of a NYC woman named Margaret Fishback, this fictionalized story just didn't work well for me. Lillian Boxfish is a woman who has lived and worked in NYC since 1934 and on New Year's eve in1984, at the age of 85, she walks and walks the city reflecting on her half-century of life living and working in New York City and all the changes that have taken place. 

(I tried the audio and then the print edition but, ultimately, this just wasn't a book for me. DNF)

The Futures; Anna Pitoniak

Lee Bourdreaux Books - 2017

(My Thoughts) - This was a fun debut novel about a young couple, Julie and Evan, who meet and fall in love while students at Yale. Their backgrounds are quite different - Evan is from a working class family in Canada and Julie family are wealthy Bostonians.  After college the couple moves in together full of love and plans but their career paths are totally different. Evan's job for a hedge fund in the midst of a financial crisis requires long hours and missed communication opportunities with Julie. It's no surprise when their relationship begins to tank but, ultimately all in not lost.  Told in alternating chapters, The Futures was an engaging story about young lives, young love and all the hopes and uncertainties in life that sometimes makes holding a relationship together challenging. (4/5 STARS) 

Widowmaker; Paul Doiron

Macmillan Audio - 2016

(My Thoughts) -- Mike Bowditch is a Maine game warden who is approached by an attractive woman named Amber who needs his help. Her adult son is missing and she him claiming that he is Mike's half brother. Mike's father, Jack is dead and even when he was alive their relationship was strained as his father had a history of violence. Reluctant to look into Adam's disappearance, he can't quite resist knowing the truth which leads him to some strange and often dangerous situations.  A hybrid wolf, sexual predators and vigilante justice in the snowy, mountainous terrain of Maine are just some of the things this game warden uncovered, making for an interesting and at times addictive audio book listen. This was my first book by this author and although it was part of a mystery series, starting out midway I didn't have any problem following the story. I'd definitely try other books by this author. (4/5 stars)

 Green Pants; Kenneth Kraegel

Candlewick Press - 2017

(My Thoughts) A beautiful kids book with delightful illustrations that many parents with young people will be able to relate to.  Jameson is a spunky young boy with a mind of his own and a unique style of his own --- he insists on wearing "green pants" day after day. His parents love his independence and go with flow until he is asked to be in his cousin's wedding party where ---gasp--he must wear black pants!  Terrific fun to read over and over and, a great resolution as well. (5/5 stars)

Rain, Sam Usher

Templar / Candlewick - 2017

(My Thoughts) - The cover and illustrations are amazing, almost multi dimensional. Narrated by a young boy who wakes up to a rainy day and can't wait to go outside and play.  His granddad thinks they should stay indoors until the rain stops, but the boy is persistent, waiting for the opportunity for new adventures outdoors. Overall, a beautifully illustrated and engaging rainy day adventure that is sure to please little ones in the 2-6 age range.  This book is #2 of a seasonal series that began with "Snow". (5/5 stars)

Books Read in March

1. Among the Lesser Gods; Margo Catts - (arc) - 4.5/5 - March/2017
2. First Women; Kate Anderson Brower - (audio) - 3.5/5 - March/2017
3. The Residence; Kate Anderson Brower (audio) - 4/5 - March/2017
4. What I Know For Sure; Oprah Winfrey (NF) (Audio) - 5/5 - March/2017
5. Books for Living; Will Schwalbe (NF) (audio) - 5/5 - March/2017
6. Every Living Thing; Cynthia Ryland - (my shelves) - 4.5/5 - March/2017
7. Ill Will; Dan Chaon (eGalley) - 4/5 - March/2017
8. All the Stars in the Heavens; A. Trigiani (library) - 2/5 - March/2017
9. The Widowmaker; Paul Doiron (audio) - 4/5 - March/2017
10. The Futures; Anna Pitoniak (arc) - 4/5 March/2017
11. Green Pants; Kenneth Kraegel - 5/5 March/2017
12. Rain; Sam Usher - 5/5 - March/2017

Favorite March Reads 

New arrivals by mail this week

(minus the 14 year old cat)

• White Fur; Jardine Libaire (sent by Hogarth)
• Beartown; Fredrik Backman (sent by Atria)
• The Break Down; B.A. Paris (sent by ST. Martin's Press)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - How to Be Human; Paula Cocozza

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph, maybe two, of a book that I'm reading or plan to read soon.

How to Be Human; Paula Cocozza

Metropolitan Books - Henry Holt - 2017

CHAPTER ONE

" There was a baby on the back step.  A white bundle, downward sloping, spilling two arms and a head, the head looking at the edge of the step precariously.  Not really looking.  The eyes were shut. One hand lay beside an ear, fingers stiffened into a fist that might have held something.  Such a beautiful hand: its sliver of palm was streaked with shimmers of purple and blue, veins rubbed with moonlight.

The surprise came not after seeing the baby, but from seeing what was around her.  A baby on a back step.  It was the step that was wrong.  She was meant--Mary turned to check that she was alone before she finished the thought.  She was meant to take the child into the house."

Based on this intro, would you read more or pass on this book?

Feel free to join in by posting your own First Chapter First Paragraph Intro and linking below.

Books Read - Week in Review - W/E - 3/25/2017

Another week has flown by, definitely more cheerful than the previous.  I had my book group meeting, spring flower show and yoga. We also celebrated my daughter and DIL's birthdays with a nice restaurant lunch on Tuesday, and then we watched the girls at our house on Wednesday so that my daughter and her husband could enjoy a nice kid-free dinner out.  Here are a  few pictures from the flower show.

Books Read Last Week

Ill Will; Dan Chaon

Ballantine Books - 2017

(My Thoughts) - In the present, Dustin is psychologist in Cleveland, Ohio who has recently lost his wife to cancer. He has 2 grown sons, one in college and another struggling with drug addiction. Some 30 years earlier Dustin's parents, aunt and uncle were brutally murdered.  The individual convicted of the crime was his adopted foster brother Rusty who has spent decades in prison until DNA evidence later proved his innocence. So who was the real killer?  In addition to this crime, there is also a present day serial killer thread that runs through the story. Ill Will is a gripping thriller that hooked me from the very beginning but, it's not a quick or easy read. The story is told by a series of narrators, some in the first person and others in the third.  A lot of the story relies on memories, some events having occurred some 30 years earlier,  while the story jumps back and forth in time. Despite this it's a well written novel that kept me on the edge of my seat. Worth reading (4/5 stars)

All the Stars in the Heavens; Adriana Trigiani

Harper - 2015

(March Book Group Read) - Loosely based on the true Hollywood love story of actress Loretta Young and Clark Gable who meet on the set filming Call of the Wild in 1935. Clark Gable is married and 13 years her senior. Alda Ducci, was in training to be a nun at an orphanage when she was forced to leave. She is given a job as Loretta Young's personal secretary, a job which she's ill prepared for given the contrast between her background and the things that go on in Hollywood yet, the two grow very close. The Hollywood story includes other stars such as David Niven, Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy and a few others as well.  Although I liked Alda's story, I struggled with this book, finding the dialogue between the stars trivial and uninteresting which resulted in my skipping pages while plodding along.  can't recommend this one.

The other women in my book group (most older than me) seemed to enjoy what they described as a "trip down memory lane" so I found myself, along with one other reader about my age to be the only ones disappointed by this offering.  (2/5 stars overall)

Swing Time; Zadie Smith

Penguin Random House Audio - 2016

(My Thoughts) - This was a DNF for me. I had high hopes for this novel, a story of first friendships between two biracial girls in London.  Both girls dream of being dancers, even though only one (Tracey) has real talent. The story is told in the first person by an unnamed narrator and later by Tracey. I started out enjoying the audio but as the story moved from past to present and back again and location to location. London, New York and West Africa, I found myself losing interest. After falling asleep listening 3 nights in a row, I decided to abandon ship. (Honestly, the story seemed unfocused and, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this one any more if I had tried the print version instead -- probably just not for me. (DNF)

Widowmaker; Paul Dorion

Macmillan Audio - 2016

The Futures; Anna Pitoniak

Lee Bourreaux Books - 2017

(3) new books arrived by mail last week. I think they all sound great.

• How to Be Human; Paula Cocozza (Metropolitan Books - Amazon Vine)
• The Hideaway; Lauren Denton (Thomas Nelson - Amazon Vine)
• Chasing the North Star; Robert Morgan (Algonquin)

How was your week ?

Books Read - Week in Review - W/E - 2/25/2017

First of all,  I wanted to thank all of you who took the time to leave very personal and heartfelt comments about our cat Lily who we lost last Friday. I shared these messages with my husband and although many of them made me tear up, they also were very comforting. Thank you so much!

I tried to keep busy last week which helped keep the sad moments at bay. This week was more yoga,  lunch with high school friends, and time sorting through lots of old photos of family and cats which brought back happy memories.  Our most senior cat, Buddy, age 15, seemed to sense that we were sad and became my new constant companion and lap cat -- so sweet --

Buddy

Our other cat, Freckles, age 14, was never a lap cat, but started bringing my husband toys to get him to play.  I think cats are much smarter than many people think.

 Freckles

Books Read

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End; Atul Gawande
Metropolitan Books - 2014
(book group read )

I actually listened to this book last year in audio and loved it so when it ended up being our book group read for February, I didn't mind reading it in print.  I still liked it a lot and felt that Dr. Gawande did a great job giving several case study examples of individuals in declining health and making the reader think about prolonging life versus quality of life in each case. Lots of good info about health, health care, statistics and later year options.  My book group, which is all women ages 60 and older really disliked the book. I was the minority here but, also one of the youngest in the group.  Several of the women are dealing with serious medical issues and currently live alone so they found the entire topic depressing which is understandable.  The book did generate lots of end of life conversation about housing options like co-housing versus assisted living and nursing homes which was interesting to talk about.

Next month's selection a light weight work of fiction by Adriana Trigiani.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family & Culture in Crisis; J.D. Vance
Harper Audio - 2016

A memoir about class differences written by a self-proclaimed hillbilly, and former Marine who ended up graduating from Ohio State with a double major and then continuing on to Yale Law.  The author grew up poor in Appalachia and was raised largely by his grandmother as his father had abandoned them at a young age. Although his mother had once been at the top of her class in school and worked in nursing, she then turned to drugs, was in and out of rehab, and was married and divorced 5 times.

I expected this book to be somewhat of a political hotbed but, that was not the case. Vance offers his take on the decline of white, working class America over the last forty odd years as he shares his life story.  I downloaded the audio version of this from the library after seeing many positive reviews online.  I enjoyed it, but I must say Vance's outcome is certainly not the norm for someone growing up like he did. He did have encouragement and obviously the personal drive to make a better life for himself. The audio book is read by the author and thought it was well done (no accent which made it an easy listen). (4/5 stars)

Every Fifteen Minutes; Lisa Scottoline
(audio - from library read by George Newbern)

This was a DNF after 10 chapters. It was a story that seemed to be going no where fast and I lost interest very quickly. Has anyone read this one? DNF

(Here's a description from Goodreads) -----

Dr. Eric Parrish is the Chief of the Psychiatric Unit at Havemeyer General Hospital outside of Philadelphia. Recently separated from his wife, Caitlin, he is doing his best as a single dad to his seven-year-old daughter Hannah. His work seems to be going better than his home life, however. His unit at the hospital has just been named number two in the country and Eric has a devoted staff of doctors and nurses who are as caring as Eric is. But when he takes on a new patient, Eric's entire world begins to crumble. Seventeen-year-old Max has a terminally ill grandmother and is having trouble handling it. That, plus his OCD and violent thoughts about a girl he likes makes Max a high risk patient. Max can't turn off the rituals he needs to perform every fifteen minutes that keep him calm. With the pressure mounting, Max just might reach the breaking point. When the girl is found murdered, Max is nowhere to be found. Worried about Max, Eric goes looking for him and puts himself in danger of being seen as a "person of interest". Next, one of his own staff turns on him in a trumped up charge of sexual harassment. Is this chaos all random? Or is someone systematically trying to destroy Eric's life? 

New Books from Publishers

• Among the Lesser Gods; Margo Catts (Arcade Publishing - Amazon Vine)
• The Book of Polly; Kathy Hepinstall (Pamela Dorman Books)
• Princess Cora and the Crocodile; Laura Amy Schmitz (Candlewick Press)

Where did the Weekend Go? and New Books!

Yesterday was a long tiring day as we headed to New York City for Father's Day (just for the day). My husband's sons live in Manhattan and Philadelphia so they invited us to the city for brunch.  It was a fun day with perfect weather but, it made for a very long 12 hour day. I hope you all had a nice weekend as well.

The publishers were very generous last week, several new books arrived in my mailbox.  They all look really good but, I am especially looking forward to the new Allen Esken's book, The Heavens May Fall. (I've read his first two books, The Life We Bury and The Guise of Another. I  enjoyed them both.

• The Couple Next Door; Shari Lapena (Pamela Dorman Books)
• In the Darkroom; Susan Faludi (Metropolitan Books)
• The Heavens May Fall; Allen Eskens (Seventh Street Books)
• Jonathan Unleashed; Meg Rosoff (Viking)
• Return; Aaron Becker (Candlewick)
• Tuesday Nights in 1980; Molly Prentiss (Gallery/Scout Press)
• An Abbreviated Life: A Memoir; Ariel Leve (Harper)