Latest Review: And the Mountains Echoed

Summary blurb:
Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations.

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

 

My blabberings:
First off, I love Khaled Hosseini.  Every single book he's written is heartbreaking and beautifully written.  I still think that of all his books, A Thousand Splendid Suns is my favorite but this absolutely lived up to my expectations of Hosseini as an author.

It was a beautiful story of family and self-discovery all set against his familiar Afghanistan backdrop.  I always love learning a little bit more about Afghani history each time I read one of this author's books.

And the Mountains Echoed is very similar to a collection of short stories.  Each chapter focuses on different main characters, although they all intertwine at some point.  While this is not necessarily a page-turner type of read it is nonetheless compelling...just at a slower tempo. 

Once again, I'm recommending a book that necessitates tissues.  But it is well worth it people!  Mr. Hosseini has composed a solid addition to his life's work.  If you are a fan of his other books, you should definitely check out this book as you will not be disappointed.  If you have never read anything by this particular author, I would encourage you to pick up any of his books as they are all wonderful!

5/5 stars

BEA Books I'm Excited About!

So, I took a gander at BEA Buzz Books over at NetGalley and boy-howdy I'm excited!  I know some other bloggers have started talking about this and I wanted to put in my two cents.  So, in list form (because that seems to be my modus operandi these days) here are the books that I'm most excited about:

Origin by Jessica Khoury (9/4/2012) - Blurb: Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost. This is a supremely compelling debut novel that blends the awakening romance of Matched with the mystery and jungle conspiracy of "Lost."

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (9/27/2012) - this one's kind of a no-brainer!  So curious to see how Rowling does with a departure from Harry.

Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe (10/23/2012) - his first novel in eight years!!

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver - it's Kingsolver, that's reason enough.

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde - Anyone who's ever read the Thursday Next series should be excited for Ffordes first foray (how's that for alliteration?) into YA.

The Diviners by Libba Bray (9/18/2012) - YA novel involving 1920s NY, the occult, and a bunch of murders...also, it's Libba Bray.

Latest Review: Back Roads

Goodreads Summary:
Harley Altmyer should be in college drinking Rolling Rock and chasing girls. He should be freed from his closed-minded, stricken coal town, with its lack of jobs and no sense of humor. Instead, he's constantly reminded of just how messed up his life is.

With his mother in jail for killing his abusive father, Harley is an orphan with the responsibilities of an adult and the fiery, aggressive libido of a teenager. Just nineteen years old, he's marooned in the Pennsylvania backwoods caring for his three younger sisters, whose feelings about him range from stifling dependence to loathing. And once he develops an obsession with the sexy, melancholic mother of two living down the road, those Victoria's Secret catalogs just won't do the trick anymore. He wants Callie Mercer so badly he fears he will explode. But it's the family secrets, the lies, and the unspoken truths that light the fuse and erupt into a series of staggering surprises, leaving what's left of his family in tatters. Through every ordeal, the unforgettable Harley could never know that his endearing humor, his love for his sisters, and his bumbling heroics would redeem them all.

Funny and heartbreaking, Tawni O'Dell's pitch-perfect characters capture the maddening confusion of adolescence and the prickly nature of family with irony and unerring honesty. Back Roads is a riveting novel by a formidable new talent.
 

My thoughts:
This book was the Btown Booksters choice for last month...and wow, we did not know what we were getting ourselves into!  Let me say first, I really liked this book.  HOWEVER, it is extremely disturbing and intense.  How about I put it this way...there's murder, child abuse, adultery and even worse things (that I can't say because it will spoil the book).  So, if you have a weak constitution when it comes to the dark side of human nature - skip this book.  Otherwise, I think it is a gripping novel that is definitely worth reading.

I really liked Harley, the flawed narrator, despite the fact that he's not exactly sane nor a necessarily good person (others in a group did not have such a favorable opinion of him).  I loved the fact that the reader discovers the twists and turns in the plot as Harley does.  I think that is why I felt so much sympathy for his character - we were going through this shocking experience together.

I read this book in two sittings as it is quite the page turner.  Family secrets, hidden truths, sexual impulses and the Altmyer family legacy of violence converge into an explosive ending.  If you can handle a really dark book - I highly recommend Back Roads.

4.5/5 stars

Latest Review: The Language of Flowers

Goodreads Summary:
The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness. "The Language of Flowers" is a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love.
 

My thoughts:
This easily makes my list of top books in 2011!  It is gorgeously written and filled with realistic and memorable characters.  I fell in love immediately with Victoria - her misunderstanding of human nature and her communication difficulties are oddly endearing.  I was rooting for her throughout all of her struggles to understand the world around her and find her place in it.  I read the second half of this book on the plane and couldn't prevent my eyes welling up with tears despite trying desperately not to look a fool in front of the other passengers and flight attendants.  While sniffling was inevitable, at least I managed not to let a sob escape (not an easy feat)! 

The inclusion of the Victorian language of flowers as a means of communication was another aspect that I really enjoyed - and my ARC included Victoria's dictionary of flower meanings which I just loved perusing.  The way in which Victoria's flowers impacted people almost reminded me of a floral version of Chocolat.  I heartily recommend The Language of Flowers to ALL readers - I can't believe this is Diffenbaugh's only fictional endeavor to date!

5/5 stars

*I received my advanced copy courtesy of the publisher

Latest Read: Joy for Beginners

Goodreads Summary:
At an intimate, festive dinner party in Seattle, six women gather to celebrate their friend Kate's recovery from cancer. Wineglass in hand, Kate strikes a bargain with them. To celebrate her new lease on life, she'll do the one thing that's always terrified her: white-water rafting. But if she goes, all of them will also do something they always swore they'd never do-and Kate is going to choose their adventures.

Shimmering with warmth, wit, and insight, Joy for Beginners is a celebration of life: unexpected, lyrical, and deeply satisfying.

My thoughts:
I loved this book!  Her previous novel The School of Essential Ingredients was wonderful, so I knew that I would enjoy this book immensely.  Each chapter was told from the perspective of a different woman in this group of friends.  And each woman's story was a perfect circle...the endings of their journeys often made my eyes mist as it brought the exact closure needed for that character.

The best way I can describe Bauermeister's books is to say that they are extremely cozy reads.  She envelopes you in sounds, textures and smells.  She is amazing when it comes to her descriptions of food.  Although this is not a foodie book, elements of food are in most of the intertwining stories making this novel all the more cozy.

You also fall in love with the magnificently real characters that unfold before your eyes.  It's wonderful that Bauermeister showcases positive female friendships (I much prefer it to reading about catty women).  She exhibits a deep understanding of human nature and of complex relationships.  Here's an example of one of the author's many little insights gifted to readers:

"'I think love is kind of like those waves out there,' she said.  'You ride one in to the beach, and it's the most amazing thing you've ever felt.  But at some point the water goes back out; it has to.  And maybe you're lucky--maybe you're both too busy to do anything drastic.  Maybe you're good as friends, so you stay.  And then something happens--maybe it's something as big as a baby, or as small as him unloading the dishwasher--and the wave comes back in again.  And it does that, over and over.  I just think sometimes people forget to wait.'" -- pages 45-46

Sigh!  So many wonderful little tidbits doled out in this gem of a book!  I highly recommend Joy for Beginners to everyone - especially to lovers of literary fiction, foodie fiction, and cozy reads.

4/5 stars

Friday Finds: The House of Tomorrow & Gun, with Occasional Music

Friday Finds is hosted by Should Be Reading and allows readers to showcase books they have discovered over the past week.  This week I found a literary fiction book and a sci-fi/mystery/farce novel.

First up, a book about outsiders trying to find their place in the world The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni...here's the super-fun trailer:



I also heard of a unique book called Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem (I love the title)!

Goodreads Summary:

Conrad Metcalf has problems. He has a monkey on his back, a rabbit in his waiting room, and a trigger-happy kangaroo on his tail. (Maybe evolution therapy is not such a good idea.)
He's been shadowing Celeste, the wife of an affluent Oakland urologist. Maybe falling in love with her a little at the same time. When the doctor turns up dead, Metcalf finds himself caught in a crossfire between the boys from the inquisitor's Office and the gangsters in the back room of the Fickle Muse.

Gotta love a quirky sci-fi mystery!