For those of you who enjoy chick lit as much as I do, The Love Coach has compiled a list of the 50 Best Chick Lit Blogs....like we really need more blogs to read!

Title: The Forbidden Daughter
Author: Shobhan Bantwal
ISBN: 0758220308
Pages: 336
Release Date: August 26, 2008
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Review: Originally posted at Curled Up With a Good Book
Rating: **** (out of 5)

Isha Tilak is distraught. Her beloved husband, Nikhil, has been murdered under suspicious circumstances, and she is heavily pregnant with their second child. To make matters even worse, Nikhil’s parents are pressuring her to abort her unborn baby - not because the child would be a burden, but because it is a girl. Isha has witnessed their mistreatment of her older daughter, Priya, and refuses to subject her second child to that harshness simply on the basis of her sex. When her in-laws’ request for an abortion becomes a demand, Isha leaves their home and sets out on her own, not knowing where she can go or who she can turn to. All she knows is that she must protect her children, her beautiful daughters.

Shobhan Bantwal has a history of writing about controversial Indian subjects. Her first book, The Dowry Bride, was about bride-burnings in India; specifically, it was the story of a woman who wasn’t producing children in a marriage and uncovered a plot by her mother-in-law to kill her so she wouldn’t have to return the dowry (which she would have to do if there were a divorce). This second book is about female abortions and infanticide. These topics, while uncomfortable, do take place in India (female abortion much more so than bride burnings, if I am not mistaken), and it is important that people become aware of them. Bantwal writes her novels in a manner that is easy to digest and, while shocking, brings important issues to light. Her resolve to educate others is admirable.

The story of the novel, while a bit stilted in places, is sweet. We follow Isha’s story and watch her develop from a pampered girl into a strong, independent woman. She is very human - guarded and careful, not quick to forgive others. Sometimes in stories of adversity, the protagonist is written as a superhuman, someone better than the rest of us. Isha isn’t like that; she is very real and only does what she must do to protect herself and her children. The end of the story is a little crazy and unbelievable; one of the characters remarks that he feels like he is in a Bollywood movie. However, it is still an extremely worthwhile and enjoyable book.

Though the controversial subject of female infanticide doesn’t receive much publicity in the United States, it is a real problem in India. It is now illegal in India for a doctor to discuss the sex of a child with its parents before birth, though as we see in The Forbidden Daughter, that doesn’t prevent many doctors from doing it anyway. It is important to note that this isn’t a general mindset – my parents, who are Indian, have two daughters and have always been more than thrilled to have us. While a reader shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that this is the mindset of all Indians, it is a serious and very heartbreaking problem.

The Forbidden Daughter is a wonderful story that defies genres. It is a daring book, bringing to light a problem that has been hidden just beneath the surface in India for quite some time. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in controversial issues, or anyone simply looking for an engaging story.

This is at the temple - a statue of Lord Ganesha. I thought this one was really artistic and I love the colors!



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USA Today has compiled their list of the best-selling books of the past 15 years, as they started keeping track of best-selling books 15 years ago. It's an interesting list!

USA Today's Best-Selling Book of the Last 15 Years

The winner for the giveaway of Testimony by Anita Shreve is (according to Random.org), lucky number 7 - Alea!

Edit: It looks like Alea already got her hands on a copy of the book...so the runner-up is (according to Random.org) lucky number 3!! Congratulations Gwendolyn B!! I've e-mailed you to get your name and address.

My next giveaway will be announced on November 3, in conjuction with The Book Giveaway Carnival, sponsored by Book Room Reviews!

Mariel suggested this week’s question.

Are you a spine breaker? Or a dog-earer? Do you expect to keep your books in pristine condition even after you have read them? Does watching other readers bend the cover all the way round make you flinch or squeal in pain?

I am definitely not a spine breaker or a dog-earer. I have been known to dog-ear book pages when there is absolutely nothing to use as a bookmark, but it breaks my heart a little every time! I like it when my books are in pristine condition, even after I've read them. Watching others bend the cover all the way around doesn't make me flinch unless a) it's a library book or b) it's my book. People can treat their own books however they want; just be careful with mine!

Title: The Reluctant Widow
Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 1402213514
Pages: 320
Release Date: October 1, 2008
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

From the back cover:

A fateful mistake: When Elinor Rochdale boards the wrong coach, she ends up not at her prospective employer's home, but at the estate of Eustace Cheviot, a dissipated and ruined young man on the verge of death.

A monumentous decision: His cousin, Mr. Ned Carlyon, persuades Elinor to marry Eustace as a simple business arrangement. By morning, Elinor is a rich widow, but finds herself embroiled with an international spy ring, housebreakers, uninvited guests, and murder. And Mr. Carlyon won't let her leave...

Though I am a huge fan of historical fiction, I've never read anything by Georgette Heyer. I've heard a lot of good things about her so I was glad when I heard hear books were being re-released. When Danielle from Sourcebooks, Inc. (the publishing company that is re-releasing Heyer's works) contacted me and asked me if I'd like to review some novels, I jumped at the chance.

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I opened up The Reluctant Widow. I was apprehensive that the book would be difficult to read and wouldn't be able to hold my attention - imagine my surprise, then, when the first time I looked up from the novel, I was a quarter of the way through it! The Reluctant Widow is very captivating and funny; I was hooked from the very first page. The story took its time to unfold, but dropped enough tantalizing hints to keep me extremely interested in the plot.

The characters are also wonderfully written and charming. I absolutely loved Elinor - she was witty, funny, and smart, everything we've come to expect from an Austen heroine. Indeed, many aspects of the book reminded me of the Jane Austen novels I have come to know and love. Ned Carlyon was also a great personage; his affability and charm really were as apparent to me as if I had been standing with him in the pages of the book.

One word of caution to readers - this is not a historical romance. Though Heyer is known for her romances, she also wrote straight historical fiction; The Reluctant Widow is an example of this. The main storyline of the book is the intrigue that surrounds the house of Eustace Cheviot; there is little to no romance in the book.

One more thing - I know this seems inane, but I loved the feel of this book. The pages were thicker and heavier than usual, which gave the book some gravitas, some weight. It's obvious that Sourcebooks took great care with publishing these books.

I'd highly recommend The Reluctant Widow to any Austen fans, or anyone who enjoys historical fiction. If you are looking for romance, I'd definitely look at some of Heyer's other titles. To learn more about the Georgette Heyer books that Sourcebooks, Inc. has re-released, visit Austen Fans. I have to give a huge thank you to Danielle for sending me this book to review - I can't wait to read the next one!

My husband e-mailed me an interesting article about the upcoming book of Gilding Lily author Tatiana Boncompagni. (I haven't read the book, but it's been patiently waiting on my shelf for me for sometime.) Apparently, her next novel, entitled Hedge Fund Wives has hit a snag as her sister, Natasha, is trying to take partial credit for authorship!

Of Copyright & Family Feuds: “Hedge Fund Wives” Goes to Court - Wall Street Journal Law Blog

Edit: the link seemed to be broken, this one should fix it and doesn't require registration!

Title: Wife in the North
Author: Judith O'Reilly
ISBN: 158648639X
Pages: 352
Release Date: August 4, 2008
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Review: FSB Associates
Rating: **** (out of 5)

From the back cover:

Perhaps it was because she was pregnant and hormones had eaten her brain that Judith O'Reilly was persuaded by her husband to leave London for the northern wilds. But pregnancy hadn't addled her enough not to have a back-up plan: if life in the country didn't measure up, the family would return to the city.

Far from home, Judith, a journalist and mother of three young children, discovers just how tough an assignment making a new life is. In the heart of the country, with no dcent coffee in sight, Judith swaps her high heels for rubber boots and media-darlings for evangelical strangers and farmers' wives in an effort to do that simple thing that women do - have a happy family.

Her headlong foray into the country invites adventure at every turn. As she adjusts to the lay of the land and searches for her own true north in an alien landscape, her story offers a hilarious, heartfelt reflection of how to navigate the challenges and rewards of motherhood, marriage, and family.

As I was perusing other reviews of Wife in the North, I came across more than a few that said the author should stop complaining and make the best of her situation. I think that these readers didn't understand the point of the book (at least, the point as it was apparent to me). We'd all love to be that person that, when adversity strikes us, we smile and roll up our sleeves without a word of complaint escaping our lips. We don't want to be the person who becomes more and more miserable as life slowly falls apart. But let's face it. That is real life.

And that's what this book is - real life. It is fun and love, but also unhappiness. O'Reilly is literally grieving for her former life; as she begins to let it go, her outlook on life in Northumberland brightens. But the process takes some time, which only seems natural.

I also enjoyed my ability to relate to Wife in the North. No, my husband has never dragged me to live in the countryside and left me there with our three children (and by the way, is it really that hard for O'Reilly's husband to remember to put gas in the car? Geez!) but I can understand her hurt when she is alone and has no friends to call. I felt her pain when children at school were bullying her son (though I don't have children). The fact is that this book lays it all bare; the author's emotions are at the surface of the book, waiting for the reader to partake in them. That emotion invests the reader in the story and propels it forward. It is intimate and fresh, but also very funny.

I enjoyed reading this book in multiple, short sittings. The diary format makes it a great read to keep in your purse or car, reading it on the many occasions you are waiting for something (but don't read it while driving, that's just a bad idea in general!). I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys chick lit, women's fiction or memoirs.

A big thank you to Julie at FSB Associates for sending me Wife in the North to review! And if you're interested in learning more about the author, she has a blog you can visit!

Getting down and having a good time after a looooong night (by the way? I have NO idea whose sunglasses those are or where they came from.)



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A moment to breathe, getting ready for our wedding reception. This picture wasn't posed, that outfit that I was wearing was so heavy that I couldn't bend to put my anklets on!



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As if one post inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie wasn't enough for today, here's another one! She blogged about her favorite commercial, which inspired me to dig through YouTube and find mine! It's a few years old, but I think it's amazing how powerfully a story can be told in less than a minute.



What do you think?

I got tagged for the 7 Random Things meme by Alea over at Pop Culture Junkie! So here are seven random things about me:

1. I LOVE watching sci-fi. I love Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate...more than one of my favorite shows is on the Sci Fi channel. I don't read much sci-fi for some strange reason, but I love watching it!

2. Though I am getting my master's degree in political science, I hate politics. I like studying policy though.

3. I am a packrat. I hate throwing things away. It drives my husband crazy! :-)

4. I really enjoy cooking but I'm a ridiculously messy cook.

5. I'm stealing this one from Alea - I collect DVD's along with books. My house is like a media library.

6. I love me some Final Fantasy - I've played VII, VIII, X, X-2 (blah), and XII.

7. I hate tomatoes. I know that's random, but I can't stand them. I like tomato sauces, salsa, ketchup, etc., but any raw tomato on a sandwich? No way. If a tomato has touched my sandwich, I have trouble eating it because it leaves the tomato pulpy juice behind (though I also hate being a brat and sending things back because I don't like them when I'm dining out, so usually I just bear it!)

I'm not going to specifically tag anyone for this, but I'll open it up - feel free to blog this one if you haven't already done so!

I know a lot of us are enjoying the new HBO show True Blood, based on Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series. Omnivoracious has a short interview up with Charlaine Harris, in which she talks about the books as well as the TV series!

Interview with Charlaine Harris

Title: Scot On The Rocks
Author: Brenda Janowitz
ISBN: 0373895283
Pages: 304
Release Date: April 1, 2007
Genre: Chick Lit
Series: Prequel to Jack With A Twist
Rating: 4 out of 5

From the back cover:

When her ex-boyfriend, Trip, gets engaged to Hollywood's latest It Girl, Manhattan attorney Brooke Miller plans to attend the wedding. Who says a modern girl can't stay friends with her ex? Besides, Brooke's got her sexy Scottish fiance, Douglas, to take as her date. Okay, so maybe he's not exactly her fiance, but they're living together in his apartment, so she'll be getting the ring any minute, right?

Wrong.

After a fight leaves her without a boyfriend (much less a fiance) just days before the wedding, Brooke faces the ultimate humiliation of attending her ex-boyfriend's nuptials alone. Desperate to find a replacement to fill Douglas's kilt, Brooke concocts an outrageous plan to survive the wedding and win the man of her dreams, all with her dignity ever-so-slightly intact.

I've read a lot of reviews of Scot On The Rocks and they all gushed about how wonderful this book was, so I've been wanting to read it for awhile. When Brenda Janowitz released the sequel, Jack With A Twist recently, I managed to get my grubby little fingers on it without even having read Scot On The Rocks. I decided it was about time to pick up this book, and I'm glad I did.

Scot On The Rocks is funny and charming. I'd say it was quirky, except it's not - it's more on the "completely insane" end of the spectrum, but in a good way. Brooke watches her situation spiral more and more out of control, and it's hilarious to read about her running around frantically, trying to regain some semblance of command over her life. Of course, there is always the question of why she didn't just tell her ex-boyfriend that her fiance wasn't able to make it to the wedding, and that she was bringing a different date, but if she had done that we wouldn't have this lovely book, so I'll put that question on the back burner.

Janowitz is also a pro at making her characters likable. I really enjoyed reading about Brooke; she was written well enough to seem like a crazy friend, rather than a character in a book I just picked up. I can imagine sitting with Brooke over drinks, listening to her relate the crazy story of her ex-boyfriend's wedding. It's a great talent which makes me look very forward to reading the author's books in the future.

The one thing I wish is that we had gotten more than that brief glimpse of Brooke's life with Douglas. Though I was able to form a solid (and negative) opinion of him through the course of the book, I didn't know much about their relationship when they broke up.

As I said before, I have Jack With A Twist sitting on my shelf right now, and I'm looking forward to continuing Brenda's story. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of chick lit, or anyone looking for a light, fun read.

Well, this week saw the end of my midterms, which was a really nice feeling. Now I have a couple of weeks off before I have to start researching for my final papers! I also can't believe how quickly time is flying. I didn't even realize that Halloween was next week until I turned on the TV last night and the only thing I could find were horror movies. Before we know it, it'll be Thanksgiving, and then Christmas (my FAVORITE!)

This week, I posted about mixing reading with alcohol and my library book sale finds. I also decided to join the 2009 Pub challenge and started a discussion on book rating systems.

Don't forget, my giveaway for Testimony by Anita Shreve [review] ends on October 29. Comment on this post about the question presented to enter.

And without further ado, here are my stats for the week:

Books I've read:


The Heretic Queen - Michelle Moran [review]


Somebody Else's Daughter - Elizabeth Brundage [review to be posted on 11/5]


Scot on the Rocks - Brenda Janowitz [review to be posted on Monday]


The Opposite of Love - Julie Buxbaum [review]


My Best Friend's Girl - Dorothy Koomson [review to be posted]


Knitting Under the Influence - Claire LaZebnik [review to be posted]


The Reluctant Widow - Georgette Heyer [review to be posted Thursday]

Other reviews I've posted:


The Fortune Quilt - Lani Diane Rich [review]


Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth - Xiaolu Guo [review]


Thank You For All Things - Sandra Kring [review]


Testimony - Anita Shreve [review]


The Safety of Secrets - DeLaune Michel [review]

Title: The Opposite of Love
Author: Julie Buxbaum
ISBN: 0385341229
Pages: 320
Release Date: January 29, 2008
Genre: Chick Lit
Rating: 5 out of 5

From the dust jacket:

When successful twenty-nine year old Manhattan attorney Emily Haxby ends her happy relationship just as her boyfriend is on the verge of proposing, she can't explain to even her closest friends why she did it. Somewhere beneath her sense of fun, her bravado, and her independent exterior, Emily knows that her breakup with Andrew has less to do with him and more to do with...her. "You're your own worst enemy," her best friend Jess tells her. "It's like you get pleasure out of breaking your own heart."

As the holiday season looms and Emily contemplates whether she made a huge mistake, the rest of her world begins to unravel: she is assigned to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit where she must defend the very values she detests by a boss who can't keep his hands to himself; her Grandpa Jack, a charming feisty octogenarian and the person she cares about most in the world, is losing it, while her emotionally distant father has left her to cope with this alone; and underneath it all, fading memories of her deceased mother remind her that love doesn't last forever.

When I first heard about The Opposite of Love back when it was released, I thought it sounded good and added it to my ever-increasing list of books to be read. I pretty much forgot about it until I recently heard that it was being made into a movie with Anne Hathaway in the leading role. (My post about it). So I made it a point to read it, and I only have one question: Why did I wait so long to read this amazing book?

The Opposite of Love is charming, funny, sweet, and heart wrenching. It deals with love, loss, and the difficulty of life - sometimes it can be so hard to remember to live each day, rather than just exist. I can't believe this is Julie Buxbaum's first novel; she writes with the confidence and grace of someone who has been at it their entire life. It is beautifully written, but simple; the words don't get in the way of the emotions she is trying to convey.

I loved the character of Emily. She is so damaged without even realizing it; she goes through life in denial, afraid of losing those she loves. While I was reading, her emotions were my emotions. I laughed when she laughed, was heartbroken when she was, and yes, I even cried when Emily cried. I was amazed at the way I was drawn into the character and into the book.

I think The Opposite of Love has something for everyone; Emily's life basically comes crashing down as she has to deal with trouble in the workplace, her breakup with her boyfriend, and the deterioration of her beloved grandfather. It's not your typical chick lit book; it is about love, but not the search for a boyfriend. Instead, the love described in the title is more general; it is the love of a father, a mother, a grandfather, a friend, and a boyfriend. It is about the fear of losing those close to you. I adored this novel and I can't wait for Buxbaum's next book.

Title: The Fortune Quilt
Author: Lani Diane Rich
ISBN: 0451220277
Pages: 272
Release Date: March 6, 2007
Genre: Chick Lit
Rating: **** (out of 5)

From the back cover:

Carly McKay's life is going just fine until she produces a television piece on psychic quilt maker Brandywine Seaver and receives a quilt with an enigmatic reading telling her that everything is about to change. Carly blows off the reading until it comes true. Her boss runs off with all the stations assets, leaving her jobless; her best friend, Christopher proclaims his (unrequited) love for her, leaving her friendless; and her mother, who deserted the family seventeen years ago, returns, sending Carly into a serious tilt.

Convinced it's the quilt's fault, Carly races down to the small artists' community of Bilby, Arizone, to confront its maker, and ends up with an unexpected friend in Brandy - and in Will, the laid-back painter who rents the cabin next door. With quirky new buddies and no more deadlines, Carly starts to enjoy her reimagined life - until her old one comes calling. Now Carly has to decidwe what parts of each world she wants to patchwork in...and how much she's willing to leave to fate.

The Fortune Quilt is a quick, easy read that is a lot of fun. It deals with serious issues, but never takes its eyes off the fact that it is, at its core, a light-hearted and enjoyable novel. I liked this treatment; it never downplayed the gravity of Carly's situations but it kept the book from becoming heavy or overdramatic.

My favorite part of The Fortune Quilt was Carly's slow transformation as a character. At the beginning of the book, she is basically living in denial, refusing to acknowledge when she is hurt or upset. Gradually, Carly begins to express herself and opens up to Brandy, Will, and the other people she meets. They help to draw her out and transform her into a person who has room within herself to believe in the predictive power of Brandy's quilts.

Carly's mother was harder for me to swallow. I didn't like the way Carly's family turned on her, especially after she had raised her two younger sisters after their mother's departure. I would have hoped they could have been more understanding of her aversion to their mother's return. That being said, because Carly grew so much over the course of the book, she was able to make decisions that prove her transformation into a more understanding and open woman (MUCH more understanding than I think I could have been).

I enjoyed The Fortune Quilt very much; it was quick and easy, perfect for when you don't want to get too bogged down in a book. I'd recommend it to any chick lit fans.

After seeing this over at Dawn's blog, She is Too Fond of Books, I've just signed up for my second challenge - the 2009 Pub Crawl! The rules are as follows:

1. Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. You don’t have to buy these. Library books, unabridged audios, or ARCs are all acceptable. To qualify as being first published in 2009, it must be the first time that the book is published in your own country. For example, if a book was published in Australia, England, or Canada in 2008, and then published in the USA in 2009, it counts (if you live in the USA). Newly published trade paperbacks and mass market paperbacks do not count if there has been a hardcover/trade published before 2009. Any questions on what qualifies? Just leave a comment here, and I’ll respond with the answer.
2. No children’s/YA titles allowed, since we’re at the ‘pub.’
3. At least 5 titles must be fiction.
4. Crossovers with other challenges are allowed.
5. You can add your titles as you go, and they may be changed at any time.
6. Sign up using Mr. Linky.
7. Have fun reading your 2009 books!

So, what books am I going to be reading?

1. Real Life & Liars - Kristina Riggle (June 2009)
2. Posed for Murder - Meredith Cole (February 2009)
3. The Marshmallow Effect - Dorothy Koomson (January 2009)
4. The Mighty Queens of Freeville - Amy Dickinson (February 2009)
5. The Girl Who Played With Fire - Stieg Larsson (January 2009)

I know it's kind of a sad list, but I'm going to add to it as I learn about more '09 titles. I'll update this page, as well as my sidebar, with the books I'm completing for the challenge.

Today was the first day of our library book sale, and I went just a little bit crazy buying books! (Hey, it only happens twice a year, so you can't really blame me...so what if I still have books from the book sale two years ago that I haven't read yet?) Here's a list of what I came home with:

Three Junes - Julia Glass
Learning to Breathe - Karen White
The Life of Elizabeth I - Alison Weir
One Good Turn - Kate Atkinson
The Assault on Reason - Al Gore
Sputnik: The Shock of the Century - Paul Dickson
The Dirty Girls Social Club - Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII - David Starkey
A Married Man - Catherine Alliott
Going Home - Harriett Evans
All Recipes All-Time Favorite Best Brand Recipes
All Eyes On Her - Poonam Sharma
Naked - David Sedaris
Brother and Sister - Joanna Trollope
The Sari Shop - Rupa Bajwa
Little Children - Tom Perrotta
My Name is Red - Orhan Pamuk
Snow - Orhan Pamuk
Kept: A Victorian Mystery - D.J. Taylor
Under the Tuscan Sun - Frances Mayes
Bella Tuscany - Frances Mayes
Seeing Me Naked - Liz Palmer
A Passage to India - E.M. Forster

Title: The Heretic Queen
Author: Michelle Moran
ISBN: 0307381757
Pages: 400
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Sequel to Nefertiti
Rating: ***** (out of 5)

From the dust jacket:

When Nefertari's entire family is killed in a fire, she's left to grow up alone, a spare princess in the palace of the new Pharaoh. Her young life is overshadowed by the past - the name of her infamous aunt, Nefertiti, the Heretic Queen, still strikes terror into the souls of Egyptians. So, when she finds herself falling in love with the young Pharaoh, Ramesses, she knows it's not going to be easy to win his heart.

But when the Pharaoh' aunt takes Nefertiti under her wing and begins to educate her in the ways to gain a man's attention - and hold it - marriage to him seems within her reach. Yet, even as Ramesses declares his love for her, she knows there's more work to be done. If she's to be Queen, all of Egypt must recognize her worth and overcome her connection to the dark, heretical days of her past.

Ramesses will face challenges from all sides: war, drought, conquest, and the determination of a man named Ahmoses will all threaten his right. Could Egypt's rulers, and more importantly her people, ever allow him to marry the womean he loves, let alone make her his Queen?

Michelle Moran is my newest favorite author. Her books are well crafted and meticulously researched. The historical part of her work is amazingly vivid; she really brings ancient Egypt to life. But this can be a problem for some authors; while they excel at research and writing a historical scene, their characters are flat. The fiction part of their novels are left wanting. Thankfully, Michelle is just as talented at writing her characters as she is at researching them - her novels really are not to be missed.

I would really recommend reading Nefertiti before The Heretic Queen. It's not necessary; they are written as stand alone novels and function well as such. But in order to understand the hurdles that Nefertari must clear, it is helpful to have read an account of her aunt's tumultuous reign.

Nefertari herself is a wonderful character. She is smart and rational, but at the same time, she is very vulnerable. Her mother, Mutny, was the narrator of Nefertiti, and was definitely the most sympathetic character in the book. Nefertari is the same way, though I do like seeing the book through her eyes, rather than the eyes of someone watching on the sidelines. Moran made a wise choice in narrators, making her voice clear and strong.

Moran's next novel, Cleopatra's Daughter, will be about the surviving children of Cleopatra and Marc Antony. It sounds like it will be an amazing read, and I can't wait for its release next year.

Oh no! Our families...they're EATING ALL THE CAKE!!!



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Monica suggested this one:

Got this idea from Literary Feline during her recent contest:

“Name a favorite literary couple and tell me why they are a favorite. If you cannot choose just one, that is okay too. Name as many as you like–sometimes narrowing down a list can be extremely difficult and painful. Or maybe that’s just me.”

My favorite literary couple...that's a difficult one. I mean, there's the classic Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy, who we all know and love (and whom I'm sure will be mentioned multiple times in today's BTT). Besides them, it'd probably have to be Vina and Ormus from The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie. It's so hard to narrow it down though!

Title: Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth
Author: Xiaolu Guo
ISBN: 0385525923
Pages: 176
Release Date: August 5, 2008
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: **** (out of 5)

From the dust jacket:

Twenty-one-year-old Fenfang Wang has traveled one thousand eight hundred miles to seek her fortune in contemporary urban Beijing, and has no desire to return to the drudgery of the sweet potato fields back home. However, Fenfang is ill-prepared for what greets her: a Communist regime that has outworn its welcome, a city undergoing rampant destruction and slapdash development, and a sexist attitude seeminly more in keeping with her peasant upbringing than the country's progressive capital. Yet Fenfang is determined to live a modern life. With courage and purpse, she forges ahead - and soon lands a job as a film extra. While playing roles like woman-walking-over-a-bridge and waitress-wiping-a-table helps her eke out a meager living, Fenfang comes under the spell of two unsuitable men, keeps her cupborad stocked with UFO noodles, and, after mastering the fever and tumult of the city, ultimately finds her true independence in the one place she never expected.

Take a look at the cover of Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth. Isn't it gorgeous? I think the cover drew me to this book more than anything else.

Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth is written in a very interesting style. It is basically a series of vignettes, glimpses into Fenfang's life. This fragmentation actually allows for a simpler storytelling; there is no need to fill in the gaps with unnecessary details. The reader gets a straightforward telling of Fenfang's life in Beijing.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this book is the glimpse it provides of modern day China. It is hard for many of us to imagine living under a Communist regime. What is it like to live there? How do that many people live side-by-side? Fenfang's story provides us some answers to these ubiquitous questions and is really worth reading just for this aspect of it.

Though the novel is very short, it is best read slowly. Reading a fragment or two and then putting the book down for awhile allows the reader to reflect on Fenfang's life, on her innocence compared with the lack thereof in the Beijing that surrounds her. Though there is a lack of urgency to propel the story forward, Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth is still a rewarding glimpse into life in modern-day China.

I like this one because you can see the whole stage, or mandap. If you're familiar with Indian weddings, you can see that we didn't do it traditionally - usually, just the bride's parents are on the mandap, not the groom's parents. But we didn't want my husband's family to feel left out, so we put his parents up there as well. And we weren't going to make my sister or his brother sit by themselves, so our whole families ended up on the mandap! I liked having our families up there with us though.


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Here's a gem I just stumbled across: the Washington, DC Book Examiner has come out with The Ultimate Guide to Pairing Alcohol and Literature.

My favorite recommendation? White wine goes with "any frothy, pink-jacketed chick lit book." The main reason I find that amusing is that I often enjoy a glass of white wine at night while I'm reading my lighter chick lit fare. The perfect pairing!

(The funny thing is that I didn't even used to like wine. Then I realized I was drinking crappy wine. I still don't like the heavy reds, but I enjoy the occasional white or lighter red).

Title: Thank You for All Things
Author: Sandra Kring
ISBN: 0553591495
Pages: 448
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

From the back cover:

At eleven, Lucy McGowan already knows she'll be a psychologist when she grows up. And her quirky and conflicted family provides plenty of opportunity for her to practice her calling. Now Lucy, her "profoundly gifted" twin brother, Milo, her commitment-phobic mother, and her New Age grandmother are leaving Chicago for Timber Falls, Wisconsin, to care for her dying grandfather.

Lucy believes her time in a rural town where the McGowan story began will provide a key piece to the puzzle of her family's broken past, and perhaps even reveal the truth about her own missing father. But what she discovers is so much more - a lesson about the paradoxes of love and the grace of forgiveness that the adults around her will need help in remembering if their family is ever to find peace and embrace the future.

Thank You for All Things is a powerful and poignant novel by a brilliant storyteller who illustrates that when it comes to matters of family and love, often it is the innocent who force others to confront their darkest secrets.

For some reason, when I began reading Thank You for All Things, I thought it was about the grown up Lucy returning home to care for a dying grandfather and uncovering secrets from the past (I think because of the way the summary starts - at eleven, she already knows she wants to be a psychologist. So when she grows and becomes a psychologist, she has this other stuff to face.). I didn't realize that the story was told from the point of view of an eleven year old. Would that have prevented me from picking up the book originally? Maybe. But I'm very glad I stuck with it anyways.

Lucy is not a typical eleven year old. She is incredibly precocious and very intelligent. She is intuitive and is perceptive enough to be able to read body language. This means that she is a gifted narrator; there is little frustration associated with the fact that she is young.

It's also incredibly interesting to witness the story through Lucy's eyes. If we were seeing it through Tess's eyes (the mother), her irritation with Lucy's obsession over the identity of her father would be palpable. The reader would become irritated with Lucy - whatever the story, why can't Lucy just understand that Tess is trying to protect her daughter?

Instead, the reader feels Lucy's need to learn who her father is. We see the unfolding of the history of dark secrets and family tragedies through the eyes of a curious eleven-year-old. Though Lucy can seem much older than her years, she works wonderfully as a narrator. Seeing the story through another's eyes would make it entirely different, which is why it works so well. It is an extremely interesting point of view, and Kring deserves credit for writing it convincingly.

Thank You for All Things is a story of forgiveness and understanding. It also explores the friction between a mother's need to protect her children and a child's need to know and understand. It's a great read, and I definitely recommend it.

Another favorite - my sister and her boyfriend. I think it's incredibly creative!

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I'm excited to announce that my next book giveaway is going to be Testimony by Anita Shreve [review], in partnership with Hachette Book Group! A big thank you to Miriam for providing this book for me to give away.

I'm going to twist the entry rules a little bit. In order to enter, leave a comment on this post answering the following question: What are your thoughts on the book's topic? I know most, if not all of you, haven't read the book, so here's an elaboration. Specifically, let's say there's a 14-year-old girl and one eighteen-year-old guy (to simplify things a little bit) and they have sexual relations. Can the girl be responsible if she seduced him? Or should the guy always be mature enough to say no? Is there blame at all? The thing I loved about this book was the discussion it would provoke, so I want to hear some of that in the comments.

So, comment on this post to enter, with a second entry if you blog about it and link back here. Contest is open to US & Canada only since Hachette is providing the book. The closing date of the contest is October 29 at 11:59 PM. I'll draw the winner on October 30, so make sure I have a way of getting in touch with you if you win.

Good luck!

Today's question: Series. Do you collect any series? Do you read series books? Fantasy? Mystery? Science fiction? Religious? Other genre? Do you use the series feature in LT to help you find new books or figure out what you might be missing from a series?

I don't collect any series, but I do read some. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher is a favorite of mine, but I have yet to read the latest book in the series, Small Favor. I also follow Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, but it has been losing my interest lately. I haven't really felt the urge to pick up Fearless Fourteen. I don't use the series feature in LT, but it's good to know it's there in case I want to start a new series.

Edit: Ok, I realized I forgot some. The Violet series by Melissa Walker - I own all of those, as well as all of the Harry Potters. After watching True Blood, I also want to start reading Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.

J. Kaye brought up an interesting point in one of her comments that I wanted to address to everyone who reads this blog: how exactly does my rating system work? Why do I sometimes give sub-5 star reviews to books that I seem to have thoroughly enjoyed?

It's a great question, but the answer is a little more ambiguous. My rating system is a personal one, and often has to do more with my gut feeling at the end of reading a book rather than any sense of logic. Part of it has to do with whether I want to own a copy of the book - is this something I want to display on my shelves? Is it something I might want to reread one day? If the answer is no, but I enjoyed the book, the rating will probably be a four star one. It also has to do with my sense of enjoyment - did I enjoy the book, but it was poorly written? Did I not enjoy the book, but it was well written? Did I appreciate the book, but not enjoy it (even though it was well written) because it was a difficult subject matter?

I can definitely tell you that sub-three star means that I didn't like the book, though I will look for something positive to discuss in my review. But that four-to-five star area is definitely gray; there's a lot of elements that go into my ratings, and a good amount of it is simply gut feeling.

I know a lot of you have a more transparent rating system. Do you think that's something I should do? What are your thoughts? If people would like something easier to interpret, I'd be happy to come up with something - let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Title: Testimony
Author: Anita Shreve
ISBN: 0316059862
Pages: 320
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: **** 1/2 (out of 5)

From the dust jacket:

At Avery Academy, a prestigious New England boarding school, the headmaster finds himself in possession of a videotape - a disaster in a small package. More shocking than the sexual acts recorded on the tape are the ages of the students. One girl is just fourteen.

A Pandora's box, the tape unleashes a storm of shame and recrimination throughout the small community. The men, women, and teenagers involved speak out to relate the events of that night and their aftermath. Mike Bordwin, the headmaster, struggles to contain the scandal before it destroys the school. Silas Quinney, a well-liked local boy, grapples with the tremendous consequences of his mistakes. Anna, his mother, confronts her own forbidden temptations. And Sienna, an enigmatic and troubled young woman, tries to put her past behind her.

For all the tape reveals, it provokes more questions than answers. How did this happen? Who is to blame? And will the mistakes of one foolish moment ruin the futures of everyone involved? As the chorus of voices rises to a crescendo, it reveals the surprising truth of what occurred that night and how the lives touched by these events will be forever transformed.

Testimony is a powerful novel that that weaves an intricate story of truth and consequences. It is told after-the-fact through the eyes of multiple people involved in the scandal. The title is actually a description of the book, as each of these people are giving testimony as to what happened that fateful night and how it affected them. This method provides mere glimpses into multiple lives, but allows for a more sophisticated understanding of how the consequences of the actions of a few individuals affected a wide range of people.

Because that's what this book is about - consequences. What are the consequences of a single action? How much do mistakes cost? How much should they cost? Are there crimes for which a person should pay his or her entire life? But it also delves deeper into the psyche than it seems. Was it just the fault of the boys on the tape? What about the girl, was she at fault? What about the circumstances surrounding each of the boys? If one of them was having a hard time at home, was the fact that he made a poor choice the fault of his home life?

I think the most delicate part of Testimony, and the part that will be the most discussed in book clubs and such, is whether the girl was at fault. It is clear from her portrayal in the novel that she is no innocent and knew what she was doing. At the same time, legally, the boys were responsible for their actions. It is a heinous and incredibly awkward thing to read about, and engenders internal conflict within the reader - whose side am I on? Is it really even a matter of sides, or is the whole thing so unthinkable that it just doesn't matter? It really provides fodder for thought and discussion.

This is a serious subject and one that is becoming all the more relevant as children are increasingly eager to become adults at younger and younger ages. There was one point made in Testimony that I thought was incredibly interesting. It was towards the very end, but is not any kind of a spoiler. One of the characters says, "I don't believe any of us...gave a single thought to the age difference. We knew there was a disparity, of course, but I think because we were all part of the same community, allowed to attend the same dances, even encouraged to attend the same dances, it never occurred to us that one girl might be off-limits while another wasn't." Of course, this is no excuse, but it does present an interesting point that I have never considered. It is definitely a book worth reading. I especially recommend it to book clubs because this is a book that will produce a lot of discussion.

I almost forgot that my giveaway for Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe ends today! The winner is...Julie from Julie's Jewels! Congratulations! Stay tuned for my next giveaway, which will be announced later today.

Title: The Safety of Secrets
Author: DeLaune Michel
ISBN: 0060817364
Pages: 320
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Chick Lit
Rating: **** (out of 5)

From the back cover:

"Now we're just alike." So begins Fiona and Patricia's friendship that warm autumn morning in first grade in Lake Charles, Louisiana, their bond forged ever closer by Fiona's abusive mother and Patricia's neglectful one. Their relationship is a source of continuity and strength through their move to L.A. to become actresses through Fiona's marriage and Patricia's sudden fame. When husband and career pressures exact a toll, the women wonder if their friendship can survive. Then a dark secret from their past emerges, threatening to destroy not only their bond, but all they've worked for as well.

The Safety of Secrets is a beautifully written exploration of the bonds forged in childhood and challenged decades later, of the fulfillment of dreams and the damage they can cause, and of secrets being uncovered and the truth we find inside.

The Safety of Secrets is a very interesting look at the friendship between women. It's an exploration of how deep these bonds go and a hard look at the trust between two people. What happens when that trust is betrayed? Can you ever go back to the way things were?

I have to say, I am a little confused as to what genre this book actually is. On one hand, I can't classify it as purely chick lit because it's much more about friendship than anything else. It's not really about a romance or anything like that. On the other hand, it's not really women's fiction either. I settled at contemporary fiction, but it definitely has elements of chick lit and women's fiction, so if you don't like those genres, keep that in mind as you approach this book.

Despite that confusion, I really enjoyed The Safety of Secrets. I've had friends that have been there for me since childhood, and it's easy to underestimate the complexity of these relationships, especially among women. This book tries to dive through the layers of secrets that make up these bonds - secrets between the two of you, but also the secrets you keep from each other. The novel shows how these secrets affect can affect friendships, positively and negatively. I'd definitely recommend this book to any fan of chick lit who wants something a little bit deeper.

Well, we're back from our glorious beach trip! The weather was coooold, but we still had a great time hanging out with friends. It was nice to get away from the city, even for just a short time!

I don't know how many of you have been to Maryland, but despite having lived in DC for years, I've never actually been over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It really is massive and awe-inspiring.

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get much reading done while I was there, but it still was a pretty productive week for me. And just as a reminder, my book giveaway for Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe by Jennie Shortridge [review][entry page] ends tonight at 11:59 P.M., so if you haven't entered yet, make sure you hurry on over!

Books finished this week:


Your Roots are Showing - Elise Chidley [review to be posted on Oct. 29]


Thank You For All Things - Sandra Kring [review to be posted on Wednesday]


The Sleeping Beauty Proposal - Sarah Strohmeyer


Altared - Collen Curran [review to be posted]


House of Daughters - Sarah-Kate Lynch [review to be posted]


The House on Tradd Street - Karen White [review to be posted on Nov. 3]


Twenty Fragments of a Ravenous Youth - Xiaolu Guo [review to be posted on Thursday]


Testimony - Anita Shreve [review to be posted on Tuesday]


The Fortune Quilt - Lani Diane Rich [review to be posted]

Reviews posted this week:


When Will There Be Good News - Kate Atkinson [review]


The Fire - Katherine Neville - [review]


Soup in the City - Kelly Hollingsworth [review]


Lulu in Marrakech - Diane Johnson [review]


A Constant Heart - Siri Mitchell [review]


Civil and Strange - Clair Ni Aonghusa [review]