Taking a break

I'm taking a break. From reading. From writing. I'll be back but right now I'm letting myself take a break. Keep your google alerts on because one day soon - "I'll be back".

The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom

I read The Kitchen House too close to reading The Help. The two stories are extremely different and set in completely different time frames, which may speak to a white reviewers inability to seperate two black stories from each other. Where The Help had some likable white characters, The Kitchen House had few. The main characters of The Kitchen House are a black woman, born of the father of the current master of the house but too black to pass for white so she's raised as a servant, and a white orphan from Ireland who joins the family when she is four but is relegated to the kitchen and raised with the servants for most of her life. Eventually the white girl, Lavinia, is educated by t master's wife and takes her place among white society. The plantation's family is dysfunctional to say the least. The master travels until his death, handing the family business over to his troubled son. The son, not realizing the pretty black girl in the kitchen is his sister, rapes her and then drives the family business into the ground but not before marrying Lavinia and wreaking havoc in his path.
If you are a history buff and don't mind reading about death, destruction, and the pain of slavery this book may be for you.

Super sad true love story

I started this book and couldnt' get past page 25. Once I realized the talking otter was real, I just couldn't keep reading. It seems I may be the only one that doesn't like this book though because it was written up in Oprah and, ever since, has been on the best seller list. This, of course, begs the question - Does Oprah make the best seller list or....well, nevermind, Oprah obviously makes the best seller list.

Room - Emma Donoghue

In Room a son describes in playful and vibrant details his mother’s ability to create amazing and fun games from everyday objects. They play eggsnake (a snake made of eggshells) and move furniture for Jack to practice his running. Jack revels in his mother’s games and forgives her occasional inability to get him things he wants (like candles for his birthday cake). The biggest inconvenience in Jack's young life is that he must begin his evenings in the wardrobe in order to avoid running into a man named Old Nick.
Old Nick is Jack and his mother’s captor and, it turns out, Jack’s biological father. When Jack’s mother hatches a plan to escape, Jack is thrown into a brand new world he doesn’t want and can’t understand.


Room takes a topic that could be dreadful - kidnapping, rape, abuse – and turns it into a story of love, perseverance, and hope.

I read this book in about 3 days (hours, here and there). It’s a quick read and very unique. I definitely suggest you pick it up. The website for Room is very cool, it has an actual rendering of the "room" with voice over narration - Inside Room.

On that note, after speaking with an author friend of mine (I’ll let you guess who that might be), my reviews are going to go back (toward) the more honest. I can’t read a book without reviewing it so I’m going to try to give it to you mostly straight and only recommend the stories I really like. I’d love to hear if you agree with my choices or not. Please leave comments when you are so inclined.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

A Reliable Wife - Robert Goolrick

In the same vein as Madame Bovary, A Reliable Wife by Robert Goodrick lays out the story of Ralph Truitt, a one-time playboy turned business man, as he places an ad for a wife and gets more than he bargained for. Catherine Land thought she could enter Ralph's life and take more than she would give but in matters of the heart this story proves one never knows what can happen. A Reliable Wife weaves the story of three troubled people as they all strive for what everyone thinks they want - happiness.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and plot twists this novel is for you.

I'm officially a regular contributor to NRAS blog!

Please check out the North River Arts Society Writer's blog. I have recently become a regular contributor. I'll be posting weekly (that's the goal at least) about writing, conferences, reading, and anything related to the arts. I am hoping to have a new post up by every Friday so check back regularly!

The Poacher's Son - Paul Doiron

The Poacher's Son came to my attention via my membership in the Maine Writer's and Publisher's Alliance. Granted I don't live in Maine but I summer there and (long story short) I incorrectly thought I had to sign up for the group in order to attend one of their events. It’s been a boon, however, because otherwise I won't have had a chance to read this unique and thrilling novel.

The Poacher’s Son is Paul Doiron's first in a series of future novels about a Maine game warden whose father is a reclusive animal trapper living deep in the backwoods of Maine. If you’ve ever been to Maine, this novel will bring back all those hikes through the tall trees and ruddy paths. The descriptions draw the reader into the heart of the forest where crazy characters live, breathe, and (mostly) drink. The weather, the seasons, and the Maine state of mind are living characters in this novel. In the middle of the Northern woods of Maine, Mike Bowditch, the game warden, is living a fairly ordinary life until one night he gets a startling midnight phone call from his father whom he hadn’t seen or spoken to in years. The message is cryptic and, for Mike, it brings back memories of nights spent in bars with his violent, drunken Dad. It’s a time he thought he had gotten past but when Mike learns that a real estate developer and a local policeman have been murdered in the Northern town where his father lives, Mike is quick to come to his father’s rescue. As Mike struggles to keep his past behind him while struggling to free his father from suspicion, he is never quite certain of his father's innocence. There are twists and turns throughout this novel. At one point I believe I literally said out loud on the train "Oh my God he can't be dead!" I won't share who I'm talking about or whether the person was really dead but I was so wrapped up in the book I forgot where I was (which I LOVE).

The Poacher’s Son reads like a mix between a John Grisham and a James Patterson novel. The ending was a wonderful surprise and left me hoping Mr. Doiron is working diligently on his next Mike Bowditch story. Pick it up and let me know if you agree!

Two new reviews!

It appears I am better at reading than writing lately. Hopefully everyone has been able to find a few good books without me! If not, here are two new reviews for you to consider.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson

Does it say something that I seem to be reading a lot of novels about older peoplelately? That was rhetorical, meaning don't answer. I really enjoyed this novel, it was different in an Olive Kitteridge king of way. The story told the tale of an old-fashioned Major whose wife has died and he finds love again in a Pakistani widower. His friends and son look down upon this relationship and the Major capitulates only to realize it's his life to live. He finds himself forced to make a decision whether to save a future he wants or live in a past of comfort but solitude. The novel is filled with rich characters and settings, from the snotty yet insecure son to the brash Pakistani nephew of the Major's amore. Major Pettigrew is a very comfy read by the fire with a cup of tea and shawl.

The Girl who played with Fire - Stieg Larsson

This author clearly doesn't need any help from me - his books are everywhere including the best seller list for I don't know how long but it's been at least all summer. Fans of his are clearly bereft that there won't be anymore Lisbeth Salander in the future because Larsson unfortunatley died but a movie based on his books is in the works.
As for me, I sort of did everything wrong with this book, which could be why it didn't grip me. I bought #2 first, not realizing it was a series. I thought it was more like Lawrence Sanders or Janet Evanovich where you can pick up anywhere and it's another story with the same characters. No so. If you want the full experience buy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo first. Though I realized my mistake I solidered on. As I read I had a hard time (as did many of the readers I spoke with) with pronouncing the Swedish names and places . I was also very distracted because the majority of my reading was done on the beach with the kids who tend to wait until someone is about to be murdered (or the murdered is to be revealed) before they feign drowning.
The story was definitely thrilling; two writers and a bad guy are killed and we don't know if Lisbeth, who is a troubled character, did it or not. My issue was it was looonnnnngggg, I'd say too long for the plot, but again I was distracted and not super into it. A lot of people love these books - I've seen it on the train, in Maine, on-line, all over the place - and I think I'm the only one who wasn't head over heels so try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Marshfield Literary Events - 2010

Here is a list of upcoming Writers Workshop Author Series, being held at the GAR Hall in Marshfield Hills:

• Saturday, September 25 at 2 p.m.: Brunonia Barry (The Lace Reader, The Map of True Places)
• Saturday, October 23 at 2 p.m.: Lynne Griffin (Life Without Summer, Sea Escape)
• Tuesday, November 16 at 7 p.m.: Michelle Hoover (The Quickening)

All of these Author Series events are free and open to the public, so please spread the word! See the North River Arts Society page for more information.

Bad Blood - Casey Sherman

Recently I was sitting at the YMCA pool talking with my friend about books.He said, somewhat louder than usual though he tends to be loud (in a good way) anyway, "YOU SHOULD READ CASEY SHERMAN."
"Really?" I said. "What does he write?"
My friend looked sheepish so I wondered what was up.
"Um, non-fiction. True crime stuff," he said.
"Oh I'll have to.." I said but turned when the woman next me to me spoke up, "He's my husband, that's why he's saying that."
"Oh, cool," was my usual intelligent response.
As you may expect I then proceeded to probe her about her husband's agent, whether I might speak to him, how he first got published, etc.
She, clearly being well versed in this approach, directed me to his Facebook page. I did and found his impressive listing of books including Bad Blood.
Bad Blood is about a townie from Franconia, NH named Liko Kenney and a police officer, Bruce McKay. The two men come from different backgrounds and ideologies. Liko is a free spirit with a wild bent, while Bruce is a disiplinarian who doesn't play favorites. Their first interaction is during a 2003 suspicious loitering traffic stop. The situtation dissolves as Liko refuses to bend to Bruce's will. As the author takes us through this troubling event, he takes great care not to take sides. It's difficult to understand how either man wouldn't have walked away from the situation at some point but neither did and Liko ends up squeezing Bruce's testicles in front of two other officers. The hatred from this event lingers in both men's souls for years until their final showdown after which both men end up dead.
In order to understand where these two were coming from the reader must know the history of both the Kenney and McKay families and of Franconia itself. Throughout the story, Mr. Sherman shows his expertise at weaving pertinent historical information into a action packed narrative.  I was so enthralled after finished the book I looked up more information about Liko on You Tube and found a great video of him describing how much he loved living in the North Country and how outsiders just didn't get it. He reminded me of a lot of young men: confident, self-assured, and naive.
Bad Blood is the story of a sad confluence of events but stands as a great lesson to police officers and wild youth alike - holding a grudge doesn't do anyone any good and sometimes it can kill you.
Check out Casey Sherman on Facebook or click here to buy Bad Blood.

Caught - Harlan Coban

Harlan Coban is the new Sidney Sheldon or Lawrence Sanders of our times. He has seventeen novels in print including Caught, his most recent release.
In this thriller/mystery, Wendy Tynes is a sensationalistic television reporter. She works for a tabloid show that "outs" sexual predators. When she realizes that her latest journalistic victim, Dan Mercer, may be just that, a victim, she begins an investigation into the case of a young girl that was recently abducted and attributed to Dan.
As the story unfolds, Wendy ends up questioning her career and her motives, along with the validity of her investigation into this charming alleged predator. In the end we find out things aren't always as they seem and justice should be left in the hands of the law. It's a thrilling, beach read, just like the other Coben novels I've read. Worth the read!

Loose Girl - Kerry Cohen

In general I'm not a huge fan of memoir. They tend to meander into personal opinion and intricate detail of events I don't care about. Not so in this novel. Loose Girl - A memoir of promiscuity is the story of Kerry, the daughter of  divorced parents. Her mother leaves her and her sister to go to the Phillipines to get her doctorate depositing the two girls with their father, a self-involved 80's capitalist.
Kerry and her sister are left to their own devices. Kerry turns to men while her sister retreats into herself. Much of Kerry's adventures are scary. I read them now - a mother of two young daughters - wanting to stop her. At 14 she frequents New York City bars - one of which is the infamous location of the "Preppy Murder". In fact, Kerry knew Robert Chambers and Jennifer Levin and had seen them a few nights before her murder. She weaves this story and a myriad of others into her tales of searching for her next mate hoping to fill the void her parents have left behind.
Many of Kerry's conquests remain nameless but a few she hangs on to for longer periods of time. Leif, Eli and Heath are ships she returns to again and again giving us a glimmer of hope for this lost little girl. The story ties up somewhat neatly but I was left with the impression that Kerry's nature, her longing and search, may continue though she clearly hopes it doesn't. It was a very satisfying ending, not romanticized but realistic.
Any woman who sowed her wild oats at one period of time will appreciate this story while thanking her lucky stars these days are behind her.

Life without Summer - Lynne Griffin

Lynne Griffin is another South Shore writer I met at the Muse & Marketplace conference. Her debut novel, Life without Summer, is the story of two families struggling to deal with the deaths of their young daughters.
The stories are interwoven when one woman's four year old daughter, Abby, is hit by a car while walking from the park to her pre-school (cringe, I know!) The driver of the car speeds away leaving poor Abby to perish. The mother, Tessa, works through her pain by resolving to find her daughter's killer. As her pain threatens to drag her down she begins therapy. The therapist, Celia, while helping the grieving mother, is dealing with issues of her own. Her ex-husband is a recovering (we think) alcoholic and her son has just left her house to live with his father.
The beauty of this story lies in Lynne's ability to make each chapter flow seamlessly from Tessa to Celia's story. Each chapter is titled cleverly, keeping you in the proper storyline.
If you are a mother and in need a reminder of all that you have (and have to lose) this book is definitely for you. I know I'll never complain about my children again without thinking of Abby.
Lynne also has a website and has just launched her newest book, Sea Escape, which I'm planning to pick up as soon as possible. She's reading at Buttonwood Books in Cohasset tonight but, unfortunatley, I can't make it. If you are in the area please check it out.

The Surrendered, Olive Kitteridge, Hush

The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee

This story of three interwoven characters beautifully depicts the human toll war takes on innocents and soliders. It also exposes the brilliant ability of people to adapt, overcome, and live.
June is an 11 year old left to take care of her siblings when her mother and sister are killed by a bomb in the Korean War. Her younger siblings don't fare any better, and when June is left alone she, too, is prey to the evils of men in a war zone; until she meets Hector, an American GI.
Hector and June end up at an orphanage where she becomes the black sheep among the gaggle of children left behind and he falls in love with a minister's wife. Sylvie, the subject of Hector's passion, turns out to have a devasting story of her own.
The novel follows these three, using backstory and dialogue, from their childhoods to the present. Hector's tale felt to me like the main plot but I think that may be open to interpretation depending on which character you find most relatable.
The Surrendered is beautifully written and difficult to put down - though the subject matter is hard to read. This is not light reading - coming in at 480 pages - but an enlightening tale you are sure to remember for a long time.

Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout

This novel is a Pulitzer Prize winner and an Oprah recommendation so I won't review too thoroughly as it clearly doesn't need my 2 cents.
Olive is a collection of short stories woven together by a common thread: Olive Kitteridge a retired school teacher. She is crochety, mean, and hard to like; everything they say you shouldn't have in a main character. But she's like most of us. We see her judging herself (and others) like we all do. And there is a lot to judge - from her infidelity-longing-unable- to-follow-through husband, to her son, Christopher, who can't get far enough away from his mother, and she can't understand why.
Each story opens us up to new limb on Olive's tree , making us wonder where it will end - and end it does, in a twist you'll find surprising.

Hush, by Kate White

This is a beach read; a summer quickie.
Lake Warren (see the name even evokes summer time) is a marketing consultant for a fertility clinic. She is coming off of a recent divorce and gets herself into hot water with one of the new doctors at the clinic. Twists and turns ensue as she learns she can't trust anyone, even her closest friends. The one piece I would have liked to see more realistically depicted is her relationship with her children, who are away at camp during the entire book. Otherwise it was a fun, mystery/thriller.

Lake Overturn - Vestal McIntyre

If you read, you'll like Lake Overturn by Vestal McIntyre. This is a unique and compelling story set in a small town in Idaho but really about Anytown, USA. Two young boys read of a natural disaster, called Lake Overturn, that happened in 1986 in Cameroon, West Africa. One of the boys, Enrique, decides to base his upcoming science project on the phenomenon. He asks his friend to be his partner but the friend proves to be more of a project than the model they build.


Enrique, his mother and brother live in a trailer park. Enrique's Mom, Lina, cleans houses on the other side of town. When her client's husband, Chuck, comes on to her, the two begin to fall in love. Lina's guilt over the affair leads her to confess to both her priest and her son. The situation is made more complicated when Enrique's father makes an unplanned visit and Chuck’s wife turns out to be fatally ill.

While Lina dusts and debates whether to follow her heart, across town, Wanda, a down on her luck recovering-ish drug addict, tries to pull her life together. She decides she will never find the perfect man so she looks to surrogacy to fill the void. She meets a needy couple, says all the right (lies) things and gets pregnant. As Wanda's story unfolds she falters and recovers over and over. Ultimately whether she can change her life lies in one moment of decision making. Vestal's story telling is at it's best with Wanda. One moment you are rooting for her, the next you hope she’s hit by a bus.

While Lina cleans house and Wanda tries to get clean, Connie, Lina's neighbor in the trailer park and a religious zealot with an unrequited libido, latches on to a traveling missionary. Connie's son, Gene, is Enrique's somewhat autistic science partner, and as Connie tries to follow God's path (which of course includes judging everyone else along the way) she ignores her son’s needs to the point the reader is left shaking their head wondering how much religion is too much.

As these characters make their way through what amounts to daily life, we feel we are in the room, in their heads, with them as they make decisions good and bad. We feel their pain, we see the road ahead, and when the book is done and all the lose ends come together, it's one of those books where you wish there were more just so we could hang in Eula, Idaho a little longer.

If you enjoy fantastic storytelling, beautifully written descriptions and complex, realistic characters this novel is for you. Check it out!

Free children's book from Borders!

It's just like in the old days - at least in North Carolina where I went to the library constantly - a good old book reading contest!
Borders is offereing a free book to all children (under 12) who read and list 10 books over the summer. I know my kids can read 10 books in about 2 weeks but who says they can't do the contest a couple of times? There is no purchase necessary but I'm sure the folks at Borders are banking on a few extra purchases once you walk into the fun-factories that are Borders or Borders Express.
Print out the form and get the kids reading!
http://media.bordersstores.com/pdf/summerreading.pdf

The Map of True Places - Brunonia Barry

Brunonia Barry's new book, The Map of True Places, has been out since yesterday (May 4th) but I bought an advance copy at the Muse & Marketplace conference so I've already finished it. Lucky you!

This novel revolves around a psychotherapist, Zee, who loses a paitent to suicide. Zee's life begins to unravel after her patient jumps off a Boston bridge. Her father, who she's been putting off visting, turns out to be losing his battle with Parkinson's. Zee moves to Salem, where her father lives, and tries to help her father's partner - cleverly named Melville - take care of him. While there, Zee is forced to relive her own mother's suicide, unlocking her families secrets along the way.

Unique and interesting characters are strewn through out the book from the aunt who is a witch (and not really Zee's aunt), to the uncle who plays a pirate, to the handyman who reads the stars, each page is full of characters and history.

The various threads of this story were perfectly woven together to keep the reader interested and turning pages. Each character's voice is explored, with unique chapters dedicated to Finch, Zee's sick father, and Roy, a hard scrabble character who the author pens just as deftly as the women.

I delighted in Brunonia's revisting a few of the characters from The Lace Reader. These references are delicately woven into this story, making Brunonia's readers feel "in on the joke" as she mentions Mae Whitney, Towner, and Rafferty.

The twist at the end of this novel isn't as dramatic as that in The Lace Reader, but it puts a smile on the reader's face and gives them a sense of peace where moments before there was none.

Buy ten copies and go hear her read. Upcoming schedule of reading:
http://www.brunoniabarry.com/blog/book-signings-events/

Enjoy!

The Murderer's Daughters - Randy Susan Meyers

Yipes! I promised a review of this book awhile back then got caught up in life. Well that was a disservice to my readers because I loved this book almost as much as I loved the author.

The Murderer's Daughters revolves around two young sisters who witness, to one degree or another, their mother's death at the hands of their father. The sisters are shuttled from the house they lived in, which neither they nor I call a home, to their aunt's house, which proved to be even less of a home than their first.

The aunt quickly finds she doesn't want the children and sends them to live in an orphanage. One of the sisters makes out alright, while the other is teased and bullied, leading to issues we'll see later in her life. I found this section of the story riveting and intense. Having two young children of my own made it even harder to read but the author added enough supporting characters that you didn't feel you were drowning in the sister's sorrowful tale.

As the girls mature, one turns to academia and the other to men and drink. I have to admit I am a sucker for a good alcoholic story and we this one does not disappoint. Merry's story unique and true to life, which is what gives it power.

The central factor in the story is how the two women deal with the father that floats about the periphery of their lives from his prison cell. Lulu, the doctor, refuses to see him, while Merry dutifully visits him but pays a price for each trip.

The ending of the novel was action-packed and terrifying. The story resolves nicely, though not too nicely. Really a very good read. I'd suggest you pick it up.

The Muse & the Marketplace conference

Yesterday I attended day one of the Muse & the Marketplace conference at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. The event was fantastic and very rejuvenating for my tired, beat-down writing soul. Plus, I met an agent I would love to work with, Mitchell Waters. Before we get too excited, he hasn't agreed to take me on - yet. He did ask for my card and promised (well, not promised but said) he would read my submission. He represents the key note speaker at yesterday's event, Vestal McIntyre who wrote Lake Overturn which you can pick up on Amazon by clicking on the link - it's on sale for $10!! I haven't read it yet but it won the Grub Street Book Award so it's a no-brainer.

I also got a chance to chat with my friend Brunonia Barry whose new book The Map of True Places is coming out tuesday! I am on page 150 (at the event she had 10 pre-debut copies available and, of course, I scooped one up) and LOVING it. Not sure I should say this but I like it even more than the Lace Reader, which is saying a lot!

I also bumped into Randy Susan Meyers, who remembered, which is amazing considering she must do a ton of speaking engagments over the course of the year, and Amy MacKinnon, who you may recall turned me on to Grub Street and was gracious enough to call me, way back when, to give me some much needed advice. She had actually read my blog and gave me an addiitional pointer that was hard to hear but clearly true and useful, so I thank her again for that.

Other than my brushes with greatness - I attended three seminars. One on the publishing industry's glossary of terms, one on query writing, and one where they randomly selected first pages and read them aloud.

The glossary session was extremely helpful. I thought I knew it all but they discussed a lot of insider terms I have never heard, like "quiet" and "up-market". Having attended the seminar I will be a more savvy marketer of my work.

The Literary Idol session was wonderful until they got to my page, which was the very last one. In fact, the actress who was doing the readings was standing there with my page in her hand for about five minutes as the panel of four agents chatted and answered questions. My heart literally raced and I could feel my face flush as I waited, hopefully, to see if they would get to my page. They did. Which was good and not so good. The agents stopped the actress before she got to the end of her reading but they had very good input and made me see somethings I can fix to better catch their eye in the future.

My final session, on query writing, was a little less helpful only because I feel pretty confident about my query letter. I did enjoy meeting the agent who ran the session, Sorche Fairbanks, because she is local and clearly very good at what she does.

At the end of the day I got to meet one on one with an agent, Julie Barer, who had reviewed 20 pages of my novel and critiqued it. Yippee, she said the writing was great. Not so yippee she said the structure needed work (put it back how it was - and Dad & Karen nod to each other saying "we told you so"). She wasn't interested in taken the project on but she did give me great feeback and, overall I thought the session was well worth it!

The Muse & the Marketplace is held yearly and sponsored by Grub Street. If you are serious about writing it's well worth attending.

Matters of Faith - Kristy Kiernan

Matters of Faith revolves around a family: mother, father, son, sister. The son is in college and brings home, for lack of a better term, a wacko. She is a religious freak, which the mother seems to think is OK because she's liberal and willing to let her child experiement with his beliefs and pretty much anything else.
The father, having been raised by a religious wacko of his own, disapproves of this girl but keeps quiet, receeding into his work, giving fishing tours to local tourists.
The family's daughter has a peanut alllergy. When the son and girlfriend decide to take the father's boat out for a ride, the younger sister asks to come along. The girlfriend, trying to ingratiate herself with the family, readily agrees. While the three are on the boat an accident occurs. There is blood everywhere - so much blood it's difficult to figure out what really happened. It turns out the son and girlfriend mixed a bit of peanut butter into the sister's sandwich because the girlfriend thought the daughter would build up a tolerance. The girlfriend unfortunately convinces the brother their prayers would pull them all through, but of course, she is horrifically mistaken.

Not to give away too much away - as the daugher lays in the hospital, struggling to recover we learn about the parents and their battle to believe their daughter will (or won't) recover. They argue over how best to handle their son who, upon being released from prison and bailing out zealot girlfriend, flees to live with his grandmother - the same one his father refuses to speak to.

In the end the daughter comes out of her coma but will never be whole again. The girlfriend returns to her fugitive life after being outed as older than she let on and more criminally inclined. She escapes back to her family leaving the son holding the bag and facing years in prison. The end of this novel could have easily been sappy but wasn't which was a plesant surprise.

If you are interested in matters of faith and enjoy an interesting twist on a family saga, check this book out.

The brief wonderous life of Oscar Wao - Junot Díaz

The brief wonderous life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz is a crazy, unique, stomach churning novel about an overweight, sci-fi obsessed boy growing up in the Dominican Republic and New Jersey. It chronicles the struggles he faces with the mythology of Dominican men as predatory lovers and macho cavemen. It's about tolerance and acceptance and love, then death.

I heard about Oscar Wao in a writing group at Grub Street in Boston. My instructor, Lara, mentioned how amazing the book was but I didn't think I wanted to read a biography or autobiography - because at the time I didn't know if it was either - of Oscar Wilde, which is what I thought she said. Katherine, another student in the group, told us her book group had read Oscar and unilaterally hated it. Lara was aghast having thougth it one of the best books she'd ever read. Katherine, on the other hand, explained that whole sections of the novel were told in footnote - what? - and Spanish. That clenched it for me; I knew I'd never read it.
Until, I saw it in a bookstore. Then I realized it wasn't Oscar Wilder but Oscar Wao and I wondered who the heck that was, so I picked it up and read the back. I have to say the write-up and the cover intrigued me so I signed up for it at the library and forgot about it.
When it finally came through (about 2 months later), I was surprised it had won the Pulitzer Prize. Now I was convinced I would hate it but I dove in and, I have to say, I loved it! The brief wonderous life of Oscar Wao is one of those novels that read like the author speaks, which - yes - is interspersed with Spanish and heavily footnooted, but the footnotes are intriguing and his way of getting "behind the scenes".
I tore through the book in a week and loved every minute of it. Some of the story is told from other people's points of view but each shows a different side of Oscar and the trials he faces as he grows older and continues to be hampered by his weight and appearance. It reminds me a little of She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb but edgier and less Oprah-ish.
Because of its Pulitzer and, mostly, because of the writing I'd say this is a novel to buy and share with friends. Let me know what you think!

Four Circles Hell & 19th Wife review

I hate my book. I hate it! I worry about it constantly..should Jack's story be first, should it be the short version or the longer version with Trista's back story? Should I start with Marsha, as I originally intended? Should all of the characters be introduced before going into what the Four Circles is? Is the chapter explaining the Four Circles too much of an information dump? What even happens at the end of the book because it's been so long since I've read it to the end I'm not sure I know.

I would quit, I'm telling you I would, but my big mouth is stopping me - which is good, I guess. People ask, e-mail, or call me about the book about five times a day - more than they ask me about the kids. Which means I can't quit but I still hate it. Though it's a good book, I just feel like someone else should have written it at this point.

The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff

First off, I marvel at David's ability to write in completely different voices depending on the chapter. His chapter's in Jordan's voice (if you see the review below you will catch up) were excellent but all of the following chapters were also engaging.

I loved this book, though it was a slightly long in certain parts but always informative and well written.
If you are a fan of historical fiction this book is well worth the money so I suggest you check it out and, if you love it as much as I did, recommend it to five friends!!

Author reading of The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff

When you go, as a writer, to hear another writer read their work it's many things, one of which is intimidating.
Not the author themselves, they're almost always wonderful, intelligent, and inspirational. It's the writing that's intimidating, the work itself. When I hear an author read, and I like their work, I compare it to my own and it often comes up lacking but enough of my tales of insecurity. On to David's tale of polygamy.
David Ebershoff made the trip from Martha's Vineyard to Duxbury this past Sunday for a reading from his historical saga The 19th Wife. He was a tad late, being that it was a monsoon, so it gave me and my outing partner a chance to buy the book ahead of time. When he arrived, apologetic and wonderful, Anne and I looked at each other wondering if he could have possibly driven there being that he looked all of 18! After the reading I asked for a picture to prove my point (by the way I've since thrown away the sweater - it may be soft but it also makes me look like a purple wooly mammoth).

His youthful appearance did not stop him from writing an eloquent novel and reading powerfully from it.
The 19th Wife is about Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young and deserter of the First Church of Later Day Saints. The story is told from many points of view including Jordan Scott a young man left by the side of the road because he is a boy and was caught holding hands with one of his sisters. It's not the sister thing that was a problem, it was that she may reciprocate his affections and the group's elders liked to hold on to their young girls.  Did I mention the one that left him by the side of the road was his mother? That can mess with your head.
Other voices I've read are thsoe of Ann Eliza, her father, and her mother. David spoke about the different points of view and his research in Utah. It was fascinating and amazing to learn this way of life continues to go on to this day in many parts of the mid-Western United States.
I'm only part way through the book (having had it in my possession for only 2 days) but I can already say I recommend it whole heartedly. It's interesting, educational, horrifying, and soul-searching.
I wish I could be home reading right now but kids, work, life calls. I'll be reading it tonight though, probably until midnight. It's that good.
http://www.19thwife.com/
Buy it!

N.B. - North Arts Arts Society Writers Workshop meeting TONIGHT, 7pm GAR hall. All aspiring writer's welcome! For more info: http://nraswritersworkshop.blogspot.com/

I'm a guest blogger!

I've been trying to reach out to other writer's and recently found the North River Arts Society Writer's group. They were looking for some guest bloggers so I gave it a shot.
See my post on overused words and writing pet peeves here: http://nraswritersworkshop.blogspot.com/2010/03/guest-blog-post-by-lisa-vallier.html

The Innocent – by Harlan Coben

Early this winter a friend of mine, Sharon, was waiting desperately to buy the newest Harlan Coben. I asked who he was and she looked at me like I had two heads. I figured I better get on the ball and check out his work.

I found The Innocent in paperback, which generally means it did very well in it’s first run. Always a good sign. The story is a murder mystery but the plot is much more intricate than many I’ve read.

Without giving too much away there are two stories that intertwine beautifully in the end (I had no clue as to the ending which is a nice – and rare - surprise). The main character, Matt Hunter, is just released from prison for his role in a deadly fight. The fight occurs at Umass Amherst (my alma mater) during a fraternity party. The man Matt struggled with is killed and Matt is sent to prison for ten years. When he gets out he reconnects with an old girlfriend, Olivia, and they marry.

The two seem to be on the path to a normal life when Matt suddenly receives a video of his wife with another man. This leads to the second story, which unfolds as Matt tries to dig for the truth. Is his wife cheating? Who is the man she is seen with in the video? Matt desperately wants to believe his wife and, eventually, they work together to unravel the mystery of a dead nun and a bribery ring that leads back to Olivia’s past. Their relationship and his love for her is something that sounds impossible but has the reader believing in trust and marriage again.

The Innocent would be a great summer read or an airplane book. I am guessing the rest of Harlan Coben’s work is similar. Entertaining, fun murder mysteries. I am looking forward to picking up a few more.

N.B. I've finished The Murderer's Daughter - will be posting a review in the next few days.

Randy Susan Meyers

Yesterday my mother-in-law and I went to Randy Susan Meyers' reading from her debut novel, The Murderer's Daughters. I'd never been to a reading before and, for a writer, it was a great experience. Randy was extremely approachable, sharp and witty
I found her story inspiring. Before settling into writing full-time Randy was a bartender, social worker and battered-men's counselor. She is passionate and eloquent about her writing and about the entire process she navigated in order to get her novel published.
The Murderer's Daughters is about a man who kills his wife and stabs one of his daughters. It's written from the daughters point of view and takes the reader through the girl's childhood to maturity. I'm only on page 45 (since 5:40 this morning) and am totally hooked. I'll post a real review later but am certain it's going to be good.
I encourage all (ten, twenty?) of my readers to pick up a copy AND to check out her blog. Single women will benefit greatly from her most recent post on 'Why not to date a bad boy'. Check it out.
Seriously.
Now.
http://www.randysusanmeyers.com/blog/
Buy the book here.

SNEAK PREVIEW!! Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader (see previous review) has gratiously posted the first three chapters of her new book The Map of True Places. Click on the link to go directly to the page. Of course, I read them and they are GREAT!! Salem and Marblehead are upfront and center in the prologue with Boston being the location for chapter 1 and 2. A couple tidbits I really loved "grand theft boato" - that's a great quip. It's one of those things you write and then think about taking out because you wonder if others will get it. Also, her main character has a great explanation of the word 'nonetheless', which I plan to add to my daily vocabulary as soon as possible.
The book is coming out May 1st but you can pre-order it by clicking here!

Help by Kathryn Stockett

Help is a New York Times bestseller and rightfully so. I bought this book for my MIL (mother-in-law for those not up on their internet-speak) for Christmas. I badgered her to lend it to me when it kept hanging on to the bestsellers lists. As she handed it to me she said, “Can you get it back fairly quickly? I have a bunch of people who want to borrow it.” Help is fairly long but I was able to get through it in about two weeks.

The story gracefully lays out the feelings and thoughts of a group of black maids living in Mississippi in the fifties. It’s told from various points of view starting with, Abileen, one of the maids narrating her feelings about her employer, a white woman. The dialect is spot on especially considering the author is a young white woman. In the first few chapters Abileen works at a bridge party for her boss. One of the women at the bridge party approaches Abileen about writing a book based on the experiences of black maids living in Mississippi. This being the time of Martin Luther King and not AFTER Martin Luther King, the maids are reluctant but eventually capitulate and begin meeting with the writer.

Many of the stories about the maids’ treatment are hard to read – cringe inducing really – but no doubt based on true accounts as reported by black maids at that time. One story in which the “popular” white woman suggests her friends install bathrooms for their coloreds so whites don’t get their diseases, is particularly offensive but, in the end, the writer and her protégé retaliate in a way that makes you laugh out loud (or lol for us cool folks).

There weren’t any down chapters or slow parts to this book. The characters were well rounded, eccentric and believable. The plot was interesting and had you longing for the book, the fruit of their many heart wrenching meetings, to be published.

Help is a novel you should buy and lend to your friends.

Kathryn Stockett's web site: http://www.kathrynstockett.com/

N.B. This weekend author Randy Susan Meyer is coming to the South Shore to speak about her new novel The Murderer’s Daughters. She will be at the North River Arts Society in Marshfield on Saturday at 2pm and then at the Duxbury Library at 2pm. If you are interested check it out!

Two new books reviewed!

I've been a reading manic lately. Both books are exceptional reads. One was quick (for me), the other not so quick but well worth sticking with.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

This was an epic at 529 pages. It was the story of young man's roots going back to Greece and growing up in America. Boring, right? Not so much. Turns out the boy was born a hermaphrodite (both male and female genitalia). He was raised as a girl but later decides to become a boy after much trial and tribulation lead him to realize his true inclinations.
It's an epic because the book takes you from thenbeginning of his family tree, where his grandparents, who are brother and sister, flee Smyra for the United States. Theirs is a true love story and you are able to go along with the incest because of the time frame (early 1920's) and the lack of external socializing available in their small village.
Once they come to America and have children, you're introduced to the main character's parents. Tessie and Milt are second cousins but again, because of their traditional Greek upbringing and the story of their love affair, the reader is able to overlook the implausibility of another somewhat incestuous relationsip.
Callie, the main character, is born and, finally, her story takes over. She is tall and ungainly but grows her hair extremely long to hide behind . Who doesn't know a young woman who has done such a thing?
She is sent to a private girls school where she makes a friend who will shape her life. It turns out the perfect redheaded suburbanite is willing to experiment with Callie as long as Callie does all the work. This affair of sorts ends in Callie's first real sexual experience with her friend's brother.
Fast forward, Callie is in an accident and her sexual anomoly is discovered by doctors who had thus far ignored her genital issues. She runs away and becomes Cal. Cal hitchhikes across the country to find himself in San Fransisco which turns out to be good and not so good for him. Having no money, he is dragged into an exotic dance club and presented as something of a freak with other similar performers, whom he, of course, befriends.
Throughout the story the writer is able to deftly switch between the past and present without making your head spin. His writing is also comfortable and humorous. He gives wonderful nicknames to many of the supporting characters making me laugh out loud more than once.
If you have the time - this one took me about 3 week - it's worth a read.
For the sheer size of the book you may want to buy so you don't feel rushed (and incur a dreaded $.55 charge from the library).

Sarah's Key by Tatiana DeRosnay
This book absolutely blew me away. I almost cried at many spots throughout it. The writing is fantastic. I have no idea how this woman wrote it without having a nervous breakdown. If you think the Shack (see previous review) was tough to get through get a load of this book!
The story is about a journalist who is assigned to write about the Vel' d' Hiv' roundup of 1942. What the heck is that you may ask. Well, that's basically the point of the book. No one knows what it is and it actually did happen. The author includes a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that the story is fictional but the round up is fact.
The Vel' d' Hiv' round up was on July 16, 1942 in occupied France. The French police went around and rounded up 13,000 French Jews, most of whom were women and children. The story is told from the point of view of one of these children, Sarah, and Julia Jarmond, the journalist assigned to write about the round up 60 years later.
The two stories intersect when Julia realizes the apartment she is about to live in was once rented by one of the families that was rounded up and sentenced to death at Aushwitz. It becomes her mission to find the little girl who, documentation identifies, escaped.
Torture, that's all I can say about reading the Sarah chapters. They are descriptive and painful at a base level. Your eyes want to look away from the page while reading. I think it's important that we all read about these historical atrocities in order to be reminded of what human beings are capable of then and now.
So - if you can take it, read it. I highly suggest it.

The Shack - by William Young

There are two things that scare the sh*t out of me. Dying and something happening to my children. If you are llike me the premise of this book is going to put you off immediately. The Shack is about a father whose daughter is kidnapped while he attempts to save his other child from drowing . He leaves his daughter unattended for five minutes and then *poof* she's gone. So right there I hate the book. It's my biggest fear realized but I hung in there because my aunt-in-law recommended it and I figured I owed it to her.
As expected, the father immerses himself in the search for his daugher for years until finally the police locate evidence indicating that the girl was murdered at a remote shack. The father must go there to identify her clothes because the body can not be found. The first third of the book is about the disappearance of the girl and the murder. I won't give away too much but it's an easy read and a page turner.

The father, who has a troubled upbringing, which is also detailed earlier in the book, searches for answers. He is summoned to the shack by an annonymous note. Questions abound. Who sent the note? Is it the killer? Could it be God himself (which makes sense in the context of the story)?

He makes a trip to the shack and finds out more about himself and his daughter than he would have had he stayed home and wallowed in his grief.

The rest of the story is heavy into theology and the divinity but it's wrapped in comical and likable characters. My only complaint is that it goes on and on where it could have been much more concise. In some areas it starts to sound like preaching but for what religion?

I read the book in about six hours (during a few days) which indicates it was easy to read and interesting. If you question what happens after you die and can pull yourself through the daughter tragedy, it's a good read, one worth renting at the library.