47. Book Review: A Sudden Light (2014)

A Sudden Light by Garth Stein

Synopsis

In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant whole trees and is set on a huge estate overlooking Seattle’s Puget Sound. Trevor’s bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch the ailing and elderly Grandpa Samuel to a nursing home, sell off the house and property for development, divide up the profits, and live happily ever after. 

 But as Trevor explores the house’s secret stairways and hidden rooms, he discovers a spirit lingering in Riddell House whose agenda is at odds with the family plan. Only Trevor’s willingness to face the dark past of his forefathers will reveal the key to his family’s future.

Review

I picked this book up on a whim from the library recently without having previously heard anything about this book or even having read this authors very popular previous book.  Which is pretty rare for me these days, usually I read on a recommendation.  I love it when I  randomly choose a book and then  absolutely fall in love with it. It is like winning the reading lottery.

This book was beautiful and eloquent and a definite page turner.  To say it is merely a "ghost story" doesn't do it any justice, but is in fact a ghost story in the best way possible. Ghosts, old dilapidated mansions, abandoned cottages, secret passageways and difficult family dynamics are a few of things that make this book irresistible.  I loved, loved, loved this book!  

In addition to an amazing story the author writes so candidly and tenderly about family and family obligations.  This book was an A+ in my book. I highly recommend it.  It's the perfect snuggle up and read by the fire book.  This would be a really great book club read as well… there are so many great opportunities for discussion.

Other books you may like (that are kind of "ghosty" in the best possible way)…

Her Fearful Symmetry

Thirteenth Tale

Bellman & Black 

31. Book Review: The Fever (2014)

The Fever: A Novel by Megan Abbott

Synopsis

The panic unleashed by a mysterious contagion threatens the bonds of family and community in a seemingly idyllic suburban community. 

 The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hockey star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their seeming stability, however, is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. 

Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community. As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security.

Review

I had heard this book reviewed in a few places with glowing reviews.  I will say the story line was interesting - girls dropping of weird symptoms left and right is quite the page turner - but I found the character development a little lacking and the whole book a little ho-hum.  This is just my very small opinion of it, but I found the high school setting and characters a little contrived. For a book that should have been a fun and quick read, it seemed long and a little laborious at times.

That being said this book is characterized as a "dark" novel or a "noir" novel and that genre isn't one I usually gravitate towards.  So it could be that the genre of the book was a wrong fit for me.  I'm glad I read it though. It's interesting as a parent to see into the lives of high school students or even think what I would do in the circumstances of the book. This would be a great book to discuss in a book club as well.

You may also like…

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls (review here)
Gone Girl: A Novel

30. Book Review: The Dinner (2014)

The Dinner by Herman Koch

Synopsis

An internationally bestselling phenomenon: the darkly suspenseful, highly controversial tale of two families struggling to make the hardest decision of their lives—all over the course of one meal. 

 It's a summer's evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened. 

 Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple show just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love. 

 Skewering everything from parenting values to pretentious menus to political convictions, this novel reveals the dark side of genteel society and asks what each of us would do in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

Review

Oh, how to review a book like this? I kind of knew I wasn't going to like it when the description said "dark" but I also wanted to take a risk and maybe surprise myself and like it.  But I didn't really like it.  It was a little too dark for me and "dark" novels aren't really a genre I get excited about.  So I took a risk and while I didn't absolutely abhor this book, I probably wouldn't recommend it to a friend.  It's just not my style.  That being said it was a thought provoking read and a well constructed story that left you guessing until the end. If you like a little "dark" in your novel you will probably enjoy this book - it hasn't gained in popularity for no reason.  There are definitely those that like this type of book.  I'm just not so much one of them. As an aside, for some reason reminded me of the "Girl with a Dragon Tattoo" series - not sure why.  Maybe European writers or their translated books gift off that certain aura.

Other books you may like…
Gone Girl: A Novel
The Husband's Secret (my review here)
Before I Go To Sleep: A Novel

28. Book Review: All the Light We Cannot See (2014)

All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr

Synopsis

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. 

 In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

Review

Wow! This book was a stunningly gorgeous read and an up-all-night-page-turner.  I highly highly recommend this book.  The characters and scenes are brilliantly rendered - I felt like the characters were old friends and the settings of the book were my childhood homes.  I could so vividly see each and every character and each and every scene.  This book was such a delight to read.  The short (often very very short) chapters made for an addicting read as I continually found myself saying "just one more chapter" and would end up reading another 100 pages.  This is one of those books that I waited all day to finally sit down and read and now that it's over I'm a little sad, but I will never forget it.  

While the book takes place during World War II I wouldn't categorize it as just another WWII book (while I do love reading that genre, if it even is a genre, it can get old after a while) in that the characters are so richly portrayed that the war takes a back seat to the story. Definitely read this book!

Other books you may like…

Suite Française

The Book Thief

21. Book Review: The Goldfinch (2014)

The Goldfinch: A Novel by Donna Tartt

Synopsis

Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art. 

 As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love--and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle. 

 The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

Review

After hearing so many polarizing opinions (I LOVED IT! I HATED IT!) reviews about this book I was pretty sure I was going to avoid it.  I was afraid it was overhyped and I usually like to know in advance of reading a book if I am going to remotely like it… and since it was polarizing I didn't think I would take the chance or I would at least just wait for a copy to show up at the library randomly (fate! then it's meant to be, right?!).  

Then it became the next book club selection for my book club and I realized I was actually glad it was "assigned" reading.  Now I could find out what all the hype was about with out buying into the hype (or something… that was my reasoning).  Let me say that this book really did live up the hype. It was moving and sad and thought-provoking and redeeming and full to the brim with humanity.  It was quite a long book but I read it less than a week… just pouring over the pages and absorbing them and not even realizing what was going on around me.  And for all it's depth and sadness and tragic story lines… it absolutely redeemed itself at the end.  And even if it hadn't of (which it absolutely did - the last chapter is so beautiful and meant to be read and re-read) it still would have been an amazing literary experience.  I am now quite curious as to what this authors other books are like.  This is a great book club selection with so many juicy parts to dissect and discuss among friends.

Other books you may like…

The Interestings: A Novel
Tell the Wolves I'm Home: A Novel

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo  

(for some reason The Goldfinch reminded me so much of Dragon Tattoo… plus, Goldfinch even references Dragon Tattoo… funny, huh?!)

20. Book Review: What Alice Forgot (2014)

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Synopsis

Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child. 

 So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over… 

 Review

I absolutely LOVED the premise and the story line of this book. But with one caveat, this book seemed to take me FOREVER to read.  The story line moved dreadfully slow at some points and Elizabeth & Frannie's story lines seem to detract at times from Alice's - or I just found myself only wanting to read about Alice.  But that is the only bad thing I am going to say about this book.  Because really it was so well written and so visual - I could totally picture the whole thing.  The meringue pie making scene was so hilarious and one I think I will always remember.

What I loved most about this book was the way it made me look at my own life (and isn't that what we love so much about books?) as if it were through Alice's point of view.  What decisions do we make in life that take us to where we are now versus ten years ago or ten years in the future?  Are we building the life we always imagined or are we off course?  This book was a thinker for sure. And for a reader that is usually hypercritical of book endings, I really liked the way this book ended.  To make the book even more interesting I just heard about a real-life example of memory loss like this that mirrored the book quite closely on The American Life's recent episode.  Check that out - it's in Act 2 and is definitely worth a listen!

Other books you may like…

The Husband's Secret by the same author (review found here)

The Light Between Oceans: A Novel

12. Book Review: The Husband's Secret (2014)

The Husband's Secretby Liane Moriarty

Synopsis

At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read...  My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died. . . Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . . Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret. Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

Review

I bought this book after hearing so many good reviews and then I put off reading it for months and months. At one point I even asked myself "do I even want to know the husband's secret?" You know?!  Was this book going to freak me out!?  Even half way through I had my reservations… it seemed creepy and a little disturbing and part of me was wondering what was around each turn (similar to Gone Girl: A Novel). But a friend told me to soldier on and I am glad that I did. This is a book I won't soon forget… it has complex characters and an ending that was redeeming and that definitely made you stop and think. This would make a brilliant book club selection as I am sure it would bring up some great discussion. What would you do if you found a letter from your husband marked "To be opened only in the event of my death?" while he was still alive? Really it was a brilliant premise for a book.

Other books you may like…
The Interestings: A Novel
Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel

9. Book Review: The 19th Wife (2014)

The 19th Wife: A Novel by David Ebershoff

Synopsis

It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. A rich account of her family’s polygamous history is revealed, including how both she and her mother became plural wives. Yet soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah. Jordan Scott, a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect years earlier, must reenter the world that cast him aside in order to discover the truth behind his father’s death. And as Ann Eliza’s narrative intertwines with that of Jordan’s search, readers are pulled deeper into the mysteries of love, family, and faith. 

 Review

I randomly picked this book up at the library not knowing what to expect and I was really, really sucked in by the mormon polygamous story line. Shows like "Sister Wives" etc. have brought a lot of these practices to light in the media lately and for some reason they (and this book) are like a train wreck you can't stop watching/reading. The book was a fascinating look at the history of mormonism and it's various branches/sects.  The two story lines - past and present - played well off one another to make this book a definite page turner.  This would be a very interesting book club selection as well.  I think a hearty discussion could ensue.

Other books you may like…

These is my Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 (P.S.)

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

3. Book Review: The Circle (2014)

The Circle by Dave Eggers

Synopsis 

 When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO. Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in the world—even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge. 

 Review

I had heard so much about this and was very excited to pick it up. I think the story line lacked in some places and had weird bunny trails that didn't really make sense to the arc of the story - that is the downside. But the idea of this book was absolutely riveting to me, the family dynamics, business dynamics and the place of social media in our lives made this book a serious page turner. Even a few weeks after reading it I am still constantly thinking about it and to me that equals a great read.  This would also make a really interesting book club selection.  It would be fascinating to chat about the implication of social media in our lives through the eyes of this book.  If you are a social media lover or early adapter of technology, you will enjoy the ride this book takes you on.

Other books you may like…

Never Let Me Go

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel

1. Book Review: The Aviator's Wife (2014)

The Aviator's Wife: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin

Synopsis 

When Anne Morrow, a shy college senior with hidden literary aspirations, travels to Mexico City to spend Christmas with her family, she meets Colonel Charles Lindbergh, fresh off his celebrated 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. Enthralled by Charles’s assurance and fame, Anne is certain the aviator has scarcely noticed her. But she is wrong. Charles sees in Anne a kindred spirit, a fellow adventurer, and her world will be changed forever. The two marry in a headline-making wedding. In the years that follow, Anne becomes the first licensed female glider pilot in the United States. But despite this and other major achievements, she is viewed merely as the aviator’s wife. The fairy-tale life she once longed for will bring heartbreak and hardships, ultimately pushing her to reconcile her need for love and her desire for independence, and to embrace, at last, life’s infinite possibilities for change and happiness. 

 Review 

I loved this book as a fascinating look inside the Lindburgh marriage and also a great lesson on the history of aviation in America. It's amazing to think of a time before air travel in our world.  I equal parts loved the characters and loved to hate them. This book presents challenging characters and situations that made me think a lot about love and marriage, etc, etc. I recommend this book and hope you would enjoy it as well.  I think this would make a great book club selection as well, the characters would be interesting to discuss in a group setting.

Other book you may like…

Loving Frank: A Novel
Clara and Mr. Tiffany: A Novel