Book Review - The Nature of Fragile Things, Susan Meissner

 

TITLE/AUTHOR:  The Nature of Fragile Things, Susan Meissner

PUBLISHER:  Berkley

YEAR PUBLISHED:  2021

GENRE: Fiction / Historical

FORMAT:  eGalley PP/LENGTH: 384pp

SOURCE:  NetGalley download

SETTING(s):  San Francisco, CA

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A compelling story of marriage based on convenience and deceit and the great SF earthquake of 1906.

BRIEF REVIEW:  Sophie is a young woman who has immigrated from Ireland to New York City in 1906 in hopes of a better life.  Her living conditions in NY are deplorable and she is desperate to get out of her current situation.  She decides to respond to an ad for a "mail order bride," to a handsome widower with a five year old daughter who lives in San Francisco.  Traveling to San Francisco alone, she and Martin Hocking are quickly married.

Martin is polite and provides a nice place for the three of them to live but, her marriage isn't as she had imagined. They have separate bedrooms, he is very short with his answers about his family and work and he is frequently away from home. Despite this, Sophie loves being a mother to young Kat, a girl who rarely speaks and seems traumatized by what has happened in her short life.  Just as Sophie begins to piece together secrets about Martin's past, a stranger appears at Sophie's door and she soon realizes that her only option is to leave but, at the same time a massive earthquake hits the area.

Without giving out spoilers, and there are plenty out there if you read the reviews, this is a page-turning, character driven novel with a nice mystery element. Rich in historical detail of early 1900's, S.F., I rooted for Sophie all the way. She is a strong, determined, resilient young woman who has been through so much. She made a beautiful friend, neighbor and replacement mother for Kat.  I loved the writing and how the secrets were slowly revealed. Try this one, even if historical fiction really isn't your thing, it's a story that will stick with you

RATING: 4.5/5 stars

3 new Kids Books - Book Reviews - Ella's Night Lights, Lucy Fleming - No Buddy Like a Book, Allan Wolf and See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog, David LaRochelle

                                             (3) Delightful new books from Candlewick Press

Ella's Night Lights, Lucy Fleming (2020)

(32 pp. ages 3-7)

Ella has a wish that she may see the sunrise but, because of her delicate wings she only goes out at night. It is a time when she gathers light for others who need it the most to travel at night like her friend Sable, the fox and, on another night she helps Luna, a frightened owl.  She and some of her animal friends play at night with the light that Ella provides but, as soon as the sun begins to rise she must return to her nook in the tree.

Her friends come up with a plan and for the first time Ella is able to see the sunrise and still protect her delicate wings.  Friends help friends - that's what friends do.

Lovely message and wonderful illustrations of the vivid woodlands and other critters. A charming story of friendship and hope, as sometimes dreams do come true.

No Buddy Like a Book, Alan Wolf (Ill. Brianne Farley)

Candlewick Press - 2021

(ages 4-8)

Now get ready for the Book Express which teaches young children the many important things that they can learn from books and, the places they can visit by reading as well if they only learn to use their imagination.  You can start your new adventure right now or any day, just grab a book buddy and let your imagination grow.

This book was written in a fun style that combines very short sentences with rhyme.  The illustrations are interesting,  bright and colorful and allow for for plenty of good discussion.  I loved that it encourages a love for books

See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog;David LaRochelle (Ill Mike Wohnoutka)

Candlewick (2021)

Winner of the 2021 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

(Ages 4-8) 

Max isn't a cat, he's a dog and his name isn't Baby Cakes - thank you very much - it's Max., just Max and he wants to be noticed.  Young readers will be amused and quite proud of themselves as well as they begin to learn to read with this fun book. The story is not only fun with it's hilarious illustrations, there is large simple text and who can resist a story about an excitable dog who constantly assures readers he IS NOT A CAT!

There are (3) short stories in this book: #1, See the Cat - #2, See the Snake and #3, See the Dog. 

Very clever, kids will love this one. The style is fun and perfect for beginning readers. It reminded me of the Mo Wilhelm, Piggie and Pigeon and Elephant series which my grandchildren also loved as they learned to read. Highly Recommended.

Thanks go to Candlewick Press for sending me these lovely books in exchange for my unbiased reviews.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - A Girl Returned; Donatella DiPietrantonio

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.

                                                      A Girl Returned; Donatella Di Pietrantonio

                                                                  Europa Editions - 2019 - 170 pp

                                                   (Translated from the Italian by Ann Goldstein)

1.

"I was thirteen, yet I didn't know my other mother.

I struggled up the stairs to her apartment with an unwieldy suitcase and a bag of jumbled shoes.  On the landing I was greeted by the smell of recent frying and a wait.  The door wouldn't open: someone was shaking it wordlessly on the inside and fussing with the lock.  I watched a spider wriggle in the empty space, hanging at the end of its thread.

There was a metallic click, and a girl with loose braids that hadn't been done for several days appeared.  She was my sister, but I had never seen her.  She opened the door wide so I could come in, keeping her sharp eyes on me.  We looked like each other then, more than we do as adults."

What do you think - read more or pass?

Book Review - We Keep the Dead Close; Becky Cooper

 

TITLE/AUTHOR:  We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence; Becky Cooper

PUBLISHER:  Grand Central Publishing

YEAR PUBLISHED:  2020

GENRE: Non Fiction  - True Crime/Memoir

FORMAT:  hardcover  PP/LENGTH: 512

SOURCE:  hardcover sent by publisher

SETTING(s):  Cambridge, MA 

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A true crime memoir about a 1969 murder that rocked Harvard and, a case that remained unsolved for half a century.

BRIEF REVIEW:  Jane Britton was a grad student preparing for her doctorate in Anthropology at Harvard in 1969 when she was found brutally beaten and raped in her Cambridge, MA apartment.  Her murder was unsolved for 50 years although there were several suspects which included faculty.

The author Becky Cooper, became interested in Jane's unsolved case in 2009 when she was an undergrad at Harvard herself. She soon began to immerse herself in the details of Jane's life on campus as well as many of the rumors and speculation about her life leading up to her murder. Included in this was Jane's relationship with a married, tenured, faculty member, a few boyfriends and conversations with former classmates and friends. With each new interview the story grew more complex. Not only was this a story about Jane Britton, it was a story about a prestigious institution and the university's desire to make the speculation and investigations disappear in an effort to protect the school's reputation and that of its faculty members.

The story jumped back and forth in time from the late 1960s to the author's time on campus followed by nearly a decade of research and interviews.  I thought the author did a great job acclimating the reader to Harvard /Radcliffe culture and the way faculty were revered and coverups, at times,  seemed almost commonplace.   This book, 500 pages with sources and photographs, was very good but, I did think it could have been shortened. I didn't think that the author needed to insert so much of her personal story into this effort.  The Jane Britton murder was eventually solved a few years ago as the author was finishing this book.  (DO NOT Google this case, as I did,  if you plan to read this book -- even though I knew the outcome, I still thought the author's efforts were commendable. and I was happy I read this one.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for sending me a finished copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

RATING: 4/5 stars

Book Review - The Murder at the Vicarage; Agatha Christie

TITLE/AUTHOR:   The Murder at the Vicarage; Agatha Christie

PUBLISHER / YEAR PUBLISHED:  1930 (2011 - Harper Collins Ed)

GENRE: Fiction Vintage Mystery

FORMAT:  PP/LENGTH: 256 pp.

SOURCE: Library

SETTING(s): England - Small village of St. Mary Mead

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  This was the first book in the Miss Marple mystery series, just who killed Colonel Protheroe?

BRIEF REVIEW: When I first read the intro paragraph to this book sometime back, I figured I'd be in for a fun ride, I liked the humor here:

"It is difficult to know quite where to begin this story, but I have fixed my choice on a certain Wednesday at luncheon at the Vicarage.  The conversation, though in the main irrelevant to the matter in hand, yet contained one or two suggestive incidents which influenced later developments.

I had just finished carving some boiled beef (remarkably tough by the way) and on resuming my seat I remarked, in a spirit most unbecoming to my cloth, that anyone who murdered Colonel Protheroe would be doing the world at large  a service."

Locals are shocked by the murder of Colonel Protheroe, a local magistrate whose body is found is the study of the Vicar.  The Colonel had many enemies and, he had a pretty, younger, second wife as well.  

The Vicar, Rev. Len Clement, narrates the story.  He is a fun, observant and a gentle soul and smart too (well maybe, he did marry wife Griselda after just knowing her for 24 hours.)  She's not the type of woman you would expect to be a vicar's wife.  When Miss Marple does eventually enter the picture,  she's not what I expected: she a nosy, next door neighbor of the vicarage, a spinster with binoculars in tow, she's quite clever in her process.  While I did like the humor in this mystery, I wished I liked it more .  There were at least seven potential suspects and the story seemed like an unlikely mess.  It got somewhat confusing as well with all the characters and everyone telling half-truths.

Unfortunately, bottom line, I think I'm just not an Agatha Christie fan. I've tried a few of her books over the years and they just don't seem to work well for me. While I liked the narrator, I just struggled with this one and set it aside several times to pick up other books.

Are you an Agatha Christie fan?

RATING: 3/5 stars

Book Review - The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett; Annie Lyons

TITLE/AUTHOR: The  Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett; Annie Lyons

PUBLISHER:  Harper Audio (narrator: Nicolette McKenzie - very good)

YEAR PUBLISHED:  2020

GENRE: Fiction 

FORMAT:  audio PP/LENGTH: 10 hours 39 min.

SOURCE:  audio download purchase

SETTING(s):  London

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A sweet story about an elderly woman who feels her life is over and, a few caring individuals who show her maybe it's not.

BRIEF REVIEW:  Eudora (Dora) Honeysett is an 85 year old single woman with no friends or family.  Her entire life she has sacrificed her own happiness by putting the needs of others first.  The oldest child, she was only around 10 when her father went off to fight in WWII, never to return.  Her younger sister Stella was born shortly after and mother Beatrice was never able to cope with raising another child.  Eudora, still a child herself,  stepped in to be her sister's protector from their mother's anger.  More sacrifices and disappointments soon followed for Dora whenever it seemed there was a slight glimmer of happiness for her as an adult.

Now an old woman Eudora decides she wants to end her life on her terms before she is unable to care for herself. She contacts a clinic in Switzerland to make arrangements. It is around the same time that Rose and her family move in next door. Rose is a sweet, smart 10 year old who realizes that she enjoys spending her free time with Rose instead of children her age.  She is quick to teach Eudora what living is all about. Then there is another neighbor Stanley, a recent widower who is lonely as well who enters the picture.

Even though it was easy to see where this story was headed, I really enjoyed the ride.  The characters in this story are memorable - Eudora, grouchy, set in her ways and strong willed.  I found her life story sad at times and felt badly that she gave up her earlier chances for happiness for others. Rose is insightful and wise beyond her years and brought so much life, fun and humor to the story, as did  Stanley, a lonely man who needed a friend.  The story in many ways reminded me of A Man Called Ove but, most of all it acted as a reminder to readers that showing a little attention and concern to a lonely person can make all the difference in the world.  I think this would make a good book club choice as well.

RATING: 4/5 stars

MEMORABLE QUOTES:    “Life is precious and as long as we have a reason to continue, we should follow that path.” 

Book Review - Champ and Major First Dogs; Joy McCullough

 

Champ and Major: First Dogs, Joy McCullough (Ill.Sheyda Abvabi Best) 

Dial Books / Random House 2021

Champ and Major: First Dogs, has something import to tell readers -   their human dad has an important job as the new President of the United States.  Champ had visited the White House when dad was Vice President. At that time Champ used to play with Sunny and Bo, the Obama's dogs.  Major was adopted in 2018 after the Biden's fostered him and then adopted him from a Delaware shelter. Major is the only shelter dog to ever live in the White House.  As Champ teaches Major the ropes: greeting visitors and showing him the good places to sleep, when dad is done working they look forward to playing with him outdoors.  Presidents love animals it seems, did you know that only (2) former Presidents never had a pet living at the White House? 

This is a beautifully illustrated fun and informative book for young readers. My grandchildren love animals so when I heard about this book, I had to order it; I wasn't disappointed and neither were they - not just for kids. 

RATING - 5/5 stars