Book Review - The Mothers; Brit Bennett

The Mothers; Brit Bennett - Penguin Audio - 2016

When The Mothers was first released in 2016, I didn't feel compelled to rush right out and read it but, that changed after recently reading and loving the author's second book, The Vanishing Half.  

Set in Southern California, Nadia Turner is a 16 year old black girl with a promising future in store, a scholarship to the University of Michigan. She's a bit rebellious yet she's thrived living with her father, despite the fact that her mother committed suicide when she was only 10 years old. 

The story begins with a 16 year old Nadia finding herself pregnant by the pastor's 21 year old son Luke Sheppard. Luke was once a football star, now a young man with shattered dreams as a result of an injury, he waits tables at the local diner. Too young for parenthood, Luke drops off Nadia at a clinic and pays for an abortion; he then disappears from her life but, they will meet again. What are the life long consequences of a secret of this magnitude that both have kept? It's something she hadn't even shared with her best friend Aubrey. 

There's a lot to think about in this novel. There are themes such as: love, loss, family and friendship and of course, "Mothers" and motherhood: the loss of a mother, a church group known as "the mothers", older women who curtailed church/community gossip and give superficial, often unsolicited, advice.  I think the author made it easy to understand how painful and long lasting the effects of losing a mother or having an uncaring mother, in the case of Aubrey really is.  I did think the characters could have been explored in more depth, especially since we follow them from the ages of 16 to their mid 20s. I also felt the overall flow felt uneven at times. I'm not sorry I read this novel, but I am thrilled that I read, The Vanishing Half first - that one was perfect for me.

The audio version was read by Adenrele Ojo who did a great job.

Rating - 3.5/5 stars

Book Review - Hieroglyphics; Jill McCorkle

Hieroglyphics; Jill McCorkle 

Algonquin - 2020

Hieroglyphics is the story of 4 lives shaped by past trauma. 

Frank and Lil are an elderly couple in their 80s from Massachusetts, now residing in North Carolina, to be closer to their daughter Becca. Frank was a former history professor and Lil a former dance instructor. Frank's father died in a train derailment and his mother severely injured, just before Christmas when Frank was a  young boy staying with his grandmother.  Lil's mother died in a nightclub fire when she was young and, she has never made peace with her death as she didn't understand why her mother was at the Coconut Grove nightclub in the first place.

Shelley, in an overly nervous court stenographer and single mother to an older son, as well as 6 year old Harvey. Harvey is overly anxious, scared of ghosts, somewhat eccentric and inappropriate at school. It's an issue which has put additional stress on his already frazzled mother.

The chapters alternate between the characters and, the story made me think about just how much our present happiness or unhappiness results from childhood joy or trauma. Who would I have become and what would my happiness factor have been if all those stars had been perfectly aligned?

The writing style definitely takes some getting used to, but the writing is thought provoking - a beautiful example of literary fiction. Hieroglyphics is a multi-layered, slow build story that makes the reader think about their own mortality with its themes of grief, loss, secrets and redemption. This is my second novel by Jill McCorkle, I do love her writing. Life After Life is another thoughtful novel of hers that I enjoyed back in 2014.

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

New Children's books: (2) just in time for Halloween from Candlewick Press

Love is Powerful; Heather Dean Brewer  (Ill. Leuyer Pham)

Love is Powerful  is based on a true story of a 6 year old girl named Mari and her "mama" who took part in the 2017 Women's March in New York City.  Their theme: "Love is Powerful."

It all started with a new box of crayons and poster board and the how their bonding experience allowed them to share their message of love and kindness, showing the world how our voices matter.

This picture book demonstrates how important it is to speak up, let your message be heard and to share the love beginning at a very early age.  Lovely illustrations and message.

Grades K to 3

Where's Waldo? Spooky Spotlight Search; Martin Handford

Odlaw's haunted castle  full of cobwebs and hidden symbols, is the perfect setting to this Waldo Spooky Spotlight Search. There is a cool glowing wand to to help in your search and makes kids feel like it's something magical.  Wait until you see the skeleton holding a pair of leg bones, the lighted houses with slime-spitting sea monsters, the mysterious hidden cave with air breathing monsters, slippery snakes along a labyrinth - will you find the way out?

This Halloween, 5-9 year olds will surely have fun with this not-too-scary spook fest.

Ghostology: A True Revelation of spirits, ghouls and Hauntings

by Lucinda Curtle (Author), Dugald A. Steer (Author), Garry Walton (Illustrator), Doug Sirois (Illustrator), Anne Yvonne Gilbert (Illustrator)

This book is very cool especially as Halloween approaches: did you ever wonder what to pack in ghost hunter's field kit? This book will answer lot's of questions ghost curious children will find fascinating. This book covers things like types of ghosts, haunted houses, hotels and forts, how to hunt ghosts, psychics and mediums, fakes and frauds and a history of ghosts and ghost hunters.

The layout of this book is very interesting and engaging and, there are a few pullouts and interesting inserts as well. The illustrations are wonderful but, it's definitely targeted for ages 10 or older. It's a beautiful book unlike any I've seen in recent years.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for providing these books in exchanged for my unbiased reviews.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Fresh Water for Flowers; Valerie Perrin

 

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, now hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book they are reading or that they plan to read soon.

Fresh Water for Flowers; Valerie Perrin 

Europa - 2020

1.

When we miss one person, everywhere becomes deserted.

My closest neighbors don't quake in their boots. They have no worries, don't fall in love, don't bite their nails, don't believe in chance, make no promises, or noise, don't have social security, don't cry, don't search for their keys, their glasses, the remote control, their children, happiness.

They don't read, don't pay taxes, don't go on diets, don't have preferences, don't change their minds, don't make their beds, don't smoke, don't write lists, don't count to ten before speaking, They have no one to stand in for them.

Their not ass-kissers, ambitious, groudge-bearers, dandies, petty, generous, jealous, scruffy, clean, awesome, funny, addicted, stingy, cheerful, crafty, violent, lovers, whiners, hypocrites, gentle, tough, feeble, nasty, liars, thieves, gamblers, strivers, idlers, believers, perverts, optimists.

They are dead.

The only difference between them is in the wood of their coffins: oak, pine or mahogany."

What do you think? I'm really enjoying this one (90 pages in). 

Book Review - The Death of Vivek Oji; Akwaeke Emezi

The Death of Vivek Oji; Akwaeke Emezi

Penguin Audio - 2020

Just who was Vivek Oji and, how and why did he die?  From the title and as the novel begins, we know he is dead. His mother finds his nearly naked, bloodied body on her doorstep.  Did his death have anything to do with the riots that were happening in their Nigerian town?  His family needs answers about the death of their only son who was born on the day that his grandmother died.

What a beautiful story, it pulled me in right away. The writing is vivid and powerful and, it's a story that has an air of mystery to it as well.  Each of the characters tells a piece of the Vivek story so that the reader gets to know the deceased a little better.  I loved learning about his family and I was impressed how well his character came to life with each new chapter.  Unfortunately, there is nothing else I can say about Vivek and this book without spoiling the story for you. 

DO NOT read the reviews out there - too much of the story is exposed in those reviews. This is a fairly short novel, a story that is beautiful and yes a bit sad, it will make many parents ask themselves, " how well do I really know my children?"    This novel is so worth reading and one that is sure to make make top 10 list for 2020; I loved it.  The audio version is read by Yetide Badaki and Chukwudi Iwuji; both did a fabulous job.

RATING - 5/5 stars

September in Review

 

I read (10) books in September: (3) print, (4) eGalleys (3) audios.  (2) children's books, (1) non fiction/memoir and (7) fiction. (2) of the books I read were for the RIP Challenge and neither really impressed me sadly.  Year to Date - 91 books

1. Grow: The Secret of Our DNA; Nicola Davies - 5/5 (print/ September)
2. Gustavo: The Shy Ghost; Flavia Drago - 4.5/5 (print/Sept)
3. The Vanishing Half; Brit Bennett - 5/5 - (eBook/September)
4. One By One; Ruth Ware - 3/5 (eGalley/Sept) - RIP Challenge
5. The Lying Life of Adults; Elena Ferrante - 3/5 stars (audio/Sept)
6. The Answer Is: Reflections on My Life; Alex Trebek - 4/5 (audio/Sept)
7. Unsheltered; Barbara Kingsolver - 3.5/5 (print/book group/Sept)
8. The Yellow Bird Sings; Jennifer Rosner - 4/5 (audio/Sept)
9. Daughters of Erietown; Connie Schultz - 4/5 (eGalley/audio/combo/Sept)
10. Ghosts of Harvard; Francesca Serritella - 3.5/5 (eGalley/Sept) - RIP Challenge

Favorite Book of the month

October Reading Plans

(Finish)

• The Death of Vivek Oji; Akwaeke Emezi - (audio in progress)
• Hieroglyphics; Jill McCorkle (print/library/in progress)

(To Read)

• Good Morning, Monster (NF); Catherine Gildiner
• Fresh Water for Flowers; Valerie Perrin
• Confessions on the 7:45; Lisa Unger (RIP)
• Lady in the Lake; Laura Lipman (RIP)
• His and Hers; Alice Feeney (RIP)

How was your month in books? Any exciting plans for October?

Book Review - The Daughters of Erietown; Connie Schultz

 

Daughters of Erietown; Connie Schultz 

Random House Audio - 2020 (read by Cassandra Campbell)

Beginning in 1957 in a small town in Ohio and continuing for the better part of the century (1950s - 1990s), The Daughters of Erietown is a multi-generational story about women and their families.  Most of the residents are ordinary everyday people. The women are stay at home mothers and the men hold blue collar jobs to support their families.  There's a neighborhood bar and some friendly neighbors.

Brick McGinty and Ellie and young and in love. Brick grew up with an abusive father but, he is a basketball star and looking forward to promising future with a full scholarship to college. Ellie, raise by her grandparents, thinks about becoming a nurse but, it's an unplanned pregnancy that chases this young couple's dreams away.

This debut novel quickly drew me in to the lives of these of these characters. The writing was quite good with strong female characters and dialogue that felt genuine. I liked the way the author depicted small-town life. Seeing how the lives of the women had changed over the years was a highlight of this novel.  I did think this book was unnecessarily long (almost 500 pages in print and over 14 hours on audio); IMO it could have benefitted by some additional editing.  Overall, I was happy that I read/listened to this one. Cassandra Campbell narrated the audio which was very well done.

RATING - 4/5 stars