Title: Life Sentences
Author: Laura Lippman
ISBN: 9780061128899
Pages: 352
Release Date: March 10, 2009
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Mystery
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary:

Writer Cassandra Fallows has returned to her hometown of Baltimore with the seeds of an idea for a new book.  Callie Jenkins, a girl she grew up with, was accused of murdering her son seven years ago.  The only problem was that Callie’s son had disappeared, and no amount of cajoling would bring Callie to speak.  Unsure if he was even alive or dead, the jury sentenced Callie to seven years in prison.  Now, Callie has been released and Cassandra is determined to learn what happened to Callie’s infant son.

Review:

I absolutely love Laura Lippman’s novels - I adored What the Dead Know and Every Secret Thing.  Her 2010 standalone release I’d Know You Anywhere made my Best of 2010 list, and I’ve enjoyed the first couple of books in her Tess Monaghan series, Baltimore Blues and Charm City.  Therefore, it was really a no brainer when it came to reading Life Sentences, another standalone book.  However, I was surprised to find that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I’d been expecting I would.

I’ll start with the good:  the premise is really fascinating.  As Lippman details in her author’s note at the end of the book, Callie Jenkins’ case is based on a real life mystery, one that remains unsolved to this day.  That alone made me want to read this book.  Additionally, the depiction of race relations in 1970s Baltimore is really interesting.  Cassandra’s first two books were memoirs, and she wrote about herself (Caucasian) and her three African American friends.  It’s interesting to see how they interpreted events and remember things differently due to the racial tensions that existed at the time.  The ethics of being a memoirist are also discussed in the novel, and I think it brings up interesting questions.

Unfortunately, there is also the bad:  this book didn’t hold my interest.  More than once I found myself wanting to put it down and go do something else, and had to force myself to keep reading.  There are too many characters, and the book jumps narrators way too often.  As a result, the book seems foggy and convoluted.  The main character, Cassandra, isn’t very likeable and is difficult to sympathize with at times, though she did grow on me as the novel progressed.  Finally, the solution to the mystery isn’t as jaw-dropping as I’ve come to expect from Laura Lippman’s novels.

And that’s where the root of my problem may lie:  expectations.  I am very familiar with Lippman’s work, so I expect her books to blow me away.  This one didn’t, and I have a feeling I’m being harder on it than I normally would because of that fact.  I can’t recommend this book if you want an introduction to Lippman’s work, just because her other books are so much more phenomenal than this, and if you’re a fan of her standalones, you’ll likely be disappointed.  I’m sad I didn’t love this book because I really wanted to, but I’m still looking very forward to whatever Lippman does next.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

I’m sitting in the NASA Tweetup tent this morning, waiting for the day’s program to being.  So far, the experience has been amazing, and it’s only going to get better with today’s launch!

Yesterday, I made my way the press accreditation center, around 7:30 in the morning and checked in for the Tweetup. I picked up my badge and signed some forms, and then headed on to the KSC press site, about 3 miles from the launch pad. I arrived at the tent early, considering the program didn’t start until 10 AM.  I was excited to unpack, get all my tweeting and blogging gear out, and meet my fellow tweeps!

We began at 10 AM with introductions, and I was so impressed with my fellow tweeps. We have a belly dancer/librarian (how cool is that!), a 3 time Jeopardy champion, teachers, writers, scientists, and of course Seth Green and Levar Burton!

After the introductions, we got a great demonstration of the spacesuit and exactly how it works.  Then we broke for lunch (I headed to the KSC cafeteria to grab some food), then returned for afternoon speakers.  We heard from NASA’s Chief Scientist, Endeavour’s Flow Director, the ISS associate program scientist, and and astronaut Clay Anderson.  All the speakers were excellent and they each had some interesting things to say.

We got a bit of a break, during which I talked a little to Seth Green (picture to come!), and then we boarded buses for a KSC tour. We headed to the shuttle landing facility (SLF), where we got to see the runway the shuttle lands on (the width of the runway is 300 feet!) and the crane that places the shuttle on top of the 747 for transportation. Then we moved on to the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) which is so massive the doors have to be opened in a certain sequence because otherwise weather patterns will form inside the building. I can’t describe how amazing it was to see the inside of this building. No tour group is lucky enough to, and even previous Tweetups haven’t been able to go inside, so it was really an experience. I took a ton of pictures, so I’ll be posting those once I get home.

After the VAB, we went to the Saturn V museum, where we got to see a Saturn V and roam around for awhile. I hit up the gift shop (of course) and bought a few things, including an Endeavour STS-134 t-shirt.

Next, we returned to the twent and waited to board the buses for the RSS retraction from the shuttle. Unfortunately, due to weather, the retraction ended up being postponed until about 11:45 PM and we weren’t able to witness it. This was definitely a big disappointment, as it was our one chance to see the orbiter and launch pad up close.

Today’s launch forecast is 70% favorable and the emergency landing site in France is a “go”. I can’t describe how excited I am for this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you want more frequent updates, I’ll be posting to my Tumblr and tweeting as well.

Title: The Midwife’s Confession
Author: Diane Chamberlain
ISBN: 9780778329862
Pages: 432
Release Date: April 26, 2011
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publicist
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Noelle, Emerson, and Tara have been best friends since college.  They know everything about one another, or so Emerson and Tara think.  But when Noelle commits suicide with absolutely no indication she was depressed, Emerson and Tara are shocked and devastated.  They feel guilty that they didn’t see any signs and they begin to dig into her life to see what was so bad that Noelle couldn’t live with herself.  But as they begin looking into Noelle’s past and find things they didn’t expect, they start to wonder if they ever even knew the woman who claimed to be their closest friend.

Review:

Diane Chamberlain writes thought provoking and engaging women’s fiction novels (reviews of The Lies We Told and The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes), so reading her newest release, The Midwife’s Confession, was a real no-brainer for me.  Once again, I was plunged into a world of secrets where I had to know the answers, and couldn’t put the book down until I had them.

Like Emerson and Tara, I was shocked at how much Noelle kept from her two best friends.  How can you live a life with so many secrets, unable to share yourself with those closest to you?  At the same time I pitied Noelle, I disliked her.  She made some very bad choices, and began a downward spiral that ended with her suicide.  That didn’t preclude me liking the book, though.  As Tara and Emerson are learning the same thing as the reader, they constantly have to reevaluate what they thought they knew about Noelle.  It’s an interesting and difficult process.

At the same time, though, Tara and Emerson are still having to live their own lives.  Tara especially was a character that I really sympathized with and rooted for.  Not only has her teenage daughter shut her out, but Tara’s beloved husband died in a car accident not long ago.  She is trying to deal with so many changes in her life that finding out about Noelle threatens to push her over the edge.  I loved how well written and sympathetic all the characters were, as well as how the book was a great balance between plot and characters.

As always, The Midwife’s Confession would make an excellent book club pick.  It’s longer than many women’s fiction novels, but it’s so well written and engaging that it goes very quickly.  Additionally, there is so much to discuss within its pages.  Diane Chamberlain has written another winner with this book, and I already can’t wait to see what she does next.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: The Mistress of Nothing
Author: Kate Pullinger
ISBN: 9781439193860
Pages: 256
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Touchstone
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

When Lady Duff Gordon decides that she must go to Egypt for her health, her maid, Sally Naldrett is eager to go along with her mistress.  Sally has been with Lady Gordon since she was just a scullery maid, and she has managed to work her way up to Lady Gordon’s lady in waiting.  When Sally and Lady Duff Gordon arrive in Egypt, they fall in love with the peculiarities of the country, but what Sally doesn’t know is that her life will change drastically as a result from the choices she makes there.

Review:

The Mistress of Nothing is a quiet historical fiction novel about an English maid’s life in Egypt.  From the beginning, the reader knows that something is going to destroy the idyllic life that Sally and Lady Duff Gordon are leading, and it is this that drives the book forward.  Otherwise it moves forward at a languorous, but enjoyable pace, and readers will find comfort in the peace and quiet of this novel.

The historical background of this novel is very interesting; Egypt was in turmoil at this period in history (the 1860s) and Pullinger doesn’t shy away from it.  Indeed, because the novel is based on actual people, Pullinger uses the real text of Lady Duff Gordon’s letters in the book.  It’s fascinating to see what the British thought of the Egyptians.  The class differences between Sally and Lady Duff Gordon are also interesting to see - though Sally has devoted her life to Lady Gordon, she doesn’t realize how disposable she is.  It’s sad to read about, as the reader comes to care for Sally over the course of the book and wishes for her happiness.

Pullinger’s writing is spare and clean; this isn’t a book of vivid descriptions or flowery prose.  She is very matter-of-fact; while her writing isn’t severe or stark, it is bare.  It works well with the quiet nature of the novel, especially with its romantic aspects.  It makes the book a very quick, easy read.

I enjoyed The Mistress of Nothing; it’s a basic book, but it’s well written and engaging.  Sally is an appealing characters that readers will come to sympathize with.  Though it’s a quiet novel, it never loses the reader’s interest and it picks up pace in the last half of the book.  Fans of historical fiction, especially with a little romance thrown in, should definitely consider picking up this book.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: The Lost Gate
Author: Orson Scott Card
ISBN: 9780765326577
Pages: 384
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Tor
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Curled Up With a Good Book
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

The Lost Gate is the story of Danny North, a descendent of two of the greatest mages who has shown no power or skill of his own. He lives on a compound in Virginia with his extended family, separated from the rest of the world. After all, the world doesn’t know that mages exist, and that there used to be a Great Gate from Earth to a place called Westil, where mages would draw their power from. But since Loki the trickster closed all the gates centuries ago, the mages have lived in exile on Earth, trying to plot a return to Westil in order to gain an advantage over everyone else. However, the only people who can reestablish that connection to Westil through a Great Gate are killed before they have a chance. Gatemages are too dangerous to exist. When Danny realizes that the reasons his powers haven’t manifested is because he is a gatemage, his entire life changes in a flash.

Review:

Orson Scott Card has created a magical world that exists in parallel to our own in The Lost Gate. Life as we know it is going on, oblivious to the mage wars and the fact that what the mages want most is to grasp more power for themselves in order to subjugate humanity. Danny is thrust into the middle of this struggle. On one hand, he has little loyalty to his family because they have treated him so poorly over the course of the years. However, he knows that he is valuable, and if he manages to stay alive, he holds the power of worlds in his hands. The mythology of The Lost Gate is excellent; Card creates a rich and vibrant world with a fascinating history that readers will be eager to explore.

Adult readers may find Danny a bit frustrating at the beginning of the book. He is just a child, after all, and thrust into a situation he doesn’t understand. He responds to everything through tricks and takes little seriously. He doesn’t realize the extent of his powers, and refuses to consider how important they are, instead taking on a friend who drags him down and resorts to petty crime because it makes him feel powerful. However, over the course of the novel, Danny begins to realize what is important and curbs his childish behavior.

If you are looking for a solid fantasy novel and have never read anything by Orson Scott Card, The Lost Gate is definitely a good place to start. It’s not too heavy or technical, and provides a fun reading experience. The length will also be agreeable to those who aren’t too well versed in the fantasy genre. Ender’s Game fans, however, may find The Lost Gate lacking. The story is a little too whimsical at times and doesn’t take itself seriously enough, given the gravity of the situations Danny finds himself in. If, like me, you have little to compare it to, you’ll likely enjoy this book.

The Lost Gate is an interesting start to the Mither Mages series, and it sets the groundwork for what will be a game-changing sequel. Though the book was slow at times, it was an engaging read that fantasy and non-fantasy fans will both appreciate.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Well, tomorrow I leave for #NASATweetup. (If you have no idea what NASA Tweetup is, here is my post on it). On Thursday, I will join 149 other lucky people on the space coast in Florida for 2 days of amazing events and programming, hopefully culminating with the launch of the space shuttle Endeavour on the mission STS-134.

Not only is this mission commanded by Mark Kelly, husband to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (whose doctors have cleared her for travel to watch the launch), but President Obama and his family will be there as well.  While I won’t be lucky enough to meet them (though I have met Obama, back before he was on the national stage), Levar Burton and Seth Green will both be attending the Tweetup. I’m excited to meet them both.

I don’t want to overwhelm my blog with random pictures and posts about what I’m seeing, so I’m planning on only posting recaps of the day’s events here. I won’t be including pictures with those posts because I don’t want to spend time while I’m there loading pictures. If you want to keep up with my inane thoughts and posts during the trip, I’ve started a Tumblr at http://skrishnasbooks.tumblr.com, so feel free to follow me there. I’m hoping to post quick pictures and updates with my phone throughout the day.  This will also feed into Twitter, so that way I won’t be posting 3 different place and overwhelming my blog/Twitter followers!

I can barely contain my excitement! And, because no blog post is complete without one, here is a random picture. This is me sitting in the Mission Control Center for the space shuttle in Houston.  Luckily, there wasn’t a shuttle flying when we went, so I was able to poke around!

Title: Drinking Closer to Home
Author: Jessica Anya Blau
ISBN: 9780061984020
Pages: 368
Release Date: January 18, 2011
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Anna, Portia, and Emery have returned home after their mother, Louise, suffered a massive heart attack.  They had an unusual upbringing in the most bohemian of fashions, and they recall how they got to this point.  Between Anna’s addictions and recovery, Portia’s divorce, and Emery’s homosexuality and desire for a child with his partner, the children commiserate as they hold vigil at their mother’s bedside.

Review:

Drinking Closer to Home is a fascinating look at a family that is dysfunctional in the best of ways.  Each of the children, Anna, Portia, and Emery, have been damaged in some way by their upbringing, and they have all striven to overcome their personal challenges.  To me, Anna was the most fascinating of the three siblings.  Her addictions were tragic and I so badly wanted her to find some help and come to a place of peace.  The fact that most of her family (besides Emery) was so unsupportive during these struggles only made it that much more difficult for the reader.

However, at the same time, the fact that this family doesn’t really take anything seriously is one of their most endearing qualities.  Even when they are horribly frustrating and the reader wants to reach through the pages to talk some sense into them, you can’t help but continue to love them.  They are so dysfunctional and difficult, yet endearing at the same time.  It’s a difficult balance to achieve, yet Jessica Anya Blau did it masterfully with wonderful scene setting and snappy dialogue.

The novel took me a little while to get into because its main appeal is its characters.  These people are so lifelike and well written, it’s hard to believe that they only come to life within the pages of a book.  But as a result, while the characters are developing, readers’ attention might wander, as mine did.  All I can say is that it’s worth sticking with this book.  If you do, you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful story, memorable characters, and absolutely hilarious situations and dialogue.

Drinking Closer to Home was an entertaining, yet powerful look at one family through the ups and downs of life.  You’ll find yourself completely appalled by this family, at the same time you love each and every one of the people in it.  It’s an amazing contradiction, and I really admire Blau for provoking such strong feelings within me.  I look forward to seeing what she does next.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Shelving Books: Swapna’s Picks is a series profiling books that have been released in the past two weeks, posting every other Monday.  These are books that I am excited about, but will not get the opportunity to review for a few months.

The South Asian Author

I absolutely loved Roopa Farooki’s previous book Half Life, so I was very excited to learn she had a new book coming out.  The Way Things Look To Me by Roopa Farooki (St. Martin’s Press, April 12, 2011) is about three adult siblings, the youngest of which has Asperger’s. It looks like it will be an amazing novel about the relationship between brothers and sisters, and I’m looking forward to it.

Series Books Out of Order

Once again, there are two books being released this week which I really want to read, but I haven’t yet read the preceding books in their respective series.  One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Minotaur, April 12, 2011) is the seventh book in the Reverend Clare Fergusson mystery series.  I currently just finished the fourth book, To Darkness and to Death, so I’m getting close.  A Hard Death by Jonathan Hayes (Harper, April 12, 2011) is the second book in the series about forensic pathologist Dr. Edward Jenner.

Suspense Abounds!

All I know about Lisa Scottoline’s newest book is that it’s set in the aftermath of an explosion in a school cafeteria. I think the premise sounds interesting, so I’m looking forward to Save Me by Lisa Scottoline (St. Martin’s Press, April 12, 2011). I also think Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore (Hyperion, April 19, 2011) sounds very interesting. It’s about a law student who returns home to her grandmother’s farm in rural Mississippi and stumbles onto an unsolved murder from the civil rights era.

I’m an Alien, You’re an Alien, It’s a Beautiful Rain, Beautiful Rain

(10 points to anyone who knows what song those lyrics are from WITHOUT Googling)

The subject of The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence by Paul Davies (Mariner Books, April 13, 2011) is pretty self-explanatory. Davies tackles the current search for alien intelligence program, SETI, and discusses its weaknesses. This was originally released in hardcover last year, but somehow I missed it, so I’m excited for the paperback release!

Title: The Immortals
Author: Amit Chaudhuri
ISBN: 9780307454652
Pages: 352
Release Date: September 21, 2010
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Shyamji is a singer in 1980s Bombay who makes a living off the wealthy students to whom he gives voice lessons.  The story centers on one of his pupils, Mallika, who has a beautiful voice, and her son, Nirmalaya, who forms a unique bond with Shyamji.

Review:

The Immortals is an interesting look at classical music in 1980s India.  Specifically, classical music is the framework through which Chaudhuri discusses the change in culture in India during the time period.  Where classical music was once revered, during the story, the reader can see how pop music is encroaching on its status, to the point where people don’t necessarily want to learn classical music anymore.  Western culture is infecting Bombay, and the wealthy residents of the city welcome it with open arms.  The entire book is a commentary on cultural change, whether through art, music, or philosophy.

Chaudhuri’s writing is breathtaking in The Immortals; readers are really in for a treat if they love gorgeous prose.  His descriptions are incredibly vivid; the reader can see India when they close their eyes.  I was very impressed with how truly Chaudhuri depicted Bombay of the 1980s, and how much he managed to convey through just his writing.  His attention to detail is masterful, and as a result, this is a great pick for those interested in learning more about India in a time when its culture was transforming.

Though The Immortals centers and Shyamji and Mallika’s family, there are a lot of secondary characters that make appearances throughout the novel.  As a result, the story can be really difficult to follow at times, and it takes some perseverance to fully grasp what is happening.  Additionally, Chaudhuri uses Indian terms and colloquialisms without fully defining them.  Though I was able to follow because I am familiar with the language and culture, it might be frustrating for someone new to books about India.  As a result, while I do recommend this book for those who love novels about India, I wouldn’t start my literary travels through India with The Immortals.

Chaudhuri is a talented author, and I look forward to going back and reading his previous books. Though I did have some issues with The Immortals, I was impressed by the author’s writing talent, and would love to see what else he’s done.  This was an interesting look at the changing of a culture through the prism of classical music.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Good morning everyone! This Sunday finds me relaxing before a very busy week. I am leaving for the Space Coast in Florida on Wednesday, and I have a lot of packing to do before then! I am so excited to have the opportunity to see the shuttle launch this Friday and I am determined to make the most of the experience.  I’ll be posting a lot more about it later in the week, so keep an eye out for those posts (or ignore them, if you’re completely uninterested!)

I was sick earlier this week, so I began to reread the Harry Potter series. They are my comfort reads when I’m sick, for when I’m in the mood to read but my brain is too fuzzy to absorb anything new. I made it through the fourth book before I started picking up other reads.  I’ve been wanting to reread the series, so I’ll be continuing with books 5-7, but at a slower pace.

This week, I posted on the NASA Tweetup and discussed the space-themed review week I’m planning on having in late June to coincide with the last space shuttle launch.

Reviews posted this week:

Title: The Kitchen Daughter
Author: Jael McHenry
ISBN: 9781439191699
Pages: 288
Release Date: April 12, 2011
Publisher: Gallery
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

Ginny Selvaggio is 26 years old and still living with her parents.  Her “personality”, as she calls it, makes her unsuited to live alone - she can’t handle people touching her, she refuses to make eye contact with people, and the way she handles circumstances she doesn’t like is thinking about food and cooking because it calms her.  When her parents are killed, Ginny and her sister Amanda must come to terms with what their deaths mean, and face the truth about Ginny’s condition.

Review:

The Kitchen Daughter is a well-written debut that deals with a variety of aspects of life.  From the beginning of the book, it’s clear that Ginny has Asperger’s.  She’s a high functioning autistic that can deal with other people, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for her.  I absolutely loved the voice that McHenry created for Ginny.  While I can’t say I understand Asperger’s after reading this because that would be incredibly presumptuous, McHenry has given me an idea of what the condition means for the person suffering from it.  I absolutely loved this insight, and think the book is worth reading just to understand Ginny.

However, Ginny refuses to see a doctor and to be labeled with something like Asperger’s, which is frustrating for both the reader and her sister, Amanda.  It’s completely understandable though - Ginny is obsessed with the idea of normal, and is adamant that there is no such thing.  She doesn’t want to have a doctor tell her that she is outside the bounds of normality.  While Ginny believes she is fully capable of taking care of herself, as the novel progresses, she begins to realize how much she has been shielded from over the course of her life.  At the same time, it becomes clear what a disservice her parents did her by not acknowledging her condition from a young age and trying to get help for her.

Amanda was a little more difficult for me to accept.  While I did appreciate that she wanted her sister to move in with her, rather than casting her out on her own, she becomes more intransigent as the novel progresses.  In novels like this, readers have to take into account the fact that the characters have lived a lifetime before the books starts that we don’t get the privilege of reading about.  I realize that Amanda has had her entire life to become frustrated with Ginny, that there are years of resentment behind her actions.  At the same time, though, I couldn’t help but feeling like she was a bit of a bully - taking advantage of Ginny because she knew she didn’t have the tools to fight back.  I felt as though Amanda was fighting against Ginny, rather than working with her.

The other major storyline of The Kitchen Daughter is food.  When Ginny is trying not to panic, she thinks of food - the texture, the process of cooking it, the taste.  It makes for absolutely mouthwatering descriptions that I really enjoyed.  There is another plotline that goes along with the food, that of ghosts that appear when Ginny cooks something from a recipe handwritten by the dead person.  I have to admit, this storyline did not work for me at all.  I thought it was really jarring and didn’t fit in with the overall novel.  The ghosts detracted from an otherwise wonderful, insightful, and introspective book.

The Kitchen Daughter was a promising debut, and I will definitely be keeping an eye on Jael McHenry.  I absolutely loved getting to know Ginny.  I also found that being thrust into the mind of someone with Asperger’s, rather than being told about it, was very informative and eye opening.  Though there was a subplot that didn’t work for me, I can’t let that take away from my enthusiasm for this book.  It was well-written, engaging, and I highly recommend this book to foodies, fans of women’s fiction, and those curious about Asperger’s.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: The Dog Park Club
Author: Cynthia Robinson
ISBN: 9780312559731
Pages: 304
Release Date: June 22, 2010
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

Opera singer Max Bravo is concerned about his good friend Claudia.  She and her husband are having problems, and Max worries about leaving Claudia alone.  In an effort to get her to make friends in her neighborhood, Max encourages her to take her dog to the local dog park and socialize with the interesting people who hang out there.  Max himself becomes friends with this colorful cast of characters.  One day, Amy, a young, attractive member of the group with an overbearing husband, disappears, and the dog park club takes it upon themselves to figure out what happened to her.

Review:

First of all, a warning to dog lovers:  this is NOT a cozy mystery about dogs.  I know from the cover and description, it seems like the entire plot revolves around dogs, but it really doesn’t at all.  It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I have a feeling that a lot of people who seek this book out will make that assumption, as I did.  So consider yourself warned - this is not the book for you if you’re specifically looking for something about dogs.

The Dog Park Club was an interesting, if muddled book.  The book isn’t really a mystery at all; instead, it’s about the eccentric people who meet at the dog park and the trouble they get into together.  It’s entertaining, because there are definitely some great characters in this book.  Claudia in particular was a favorite of mine - she was looking for love and comfort, especially after the trouble with her husband, and tried to find it in the most amusing of people. 

However, it is not a typical, straightforward whodunit, which is what I was expecting.  Yes, someone does disappear, but that isn’t the point of the book.  As a result, I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as I expected.  I went into it expecting a cozy mystery that centered around dogs, only to find something much more complex than that.  I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I’d had a better idea of what to expect.

That being said, I did find The Dog Park Club amusing.  Max Bravo is a great narrator, and the book is very funny.  It makes me sad that my expectations clouded my experience of reading the novel and I had trouble appreciating it for what it was.  If you’re looking for an amusing story with a crazy set of characters, definitely consider picking up this book, but I’d steer clear if you’re looking for a dog-based mystery.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship
Author: Lisa Verge Higgins
ISBN: 9780446563512
Pages: 352
Release Date: January 26, 2011
Publisher: 5 Spot
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Rachel, Kate, Jo, and Sarah have been best friends since their college days.  Rachel is the daredevil, while Kate is a stay-at-home mom with a good marriage whose life revolves around her kids.  Jo is a driven career woman living the single life in New York City, while Sarah is a nurse with Doctors Without Borders and spends her days helping the less fortunate in remote countries.  But then the unthinkable happens - Rachel dies.  In the midst of their grieving, her three friends are each given a letter with instructions from Rachel.  She challenges them each to do something out of their element, to push their own personal limits.  While her instructions seem crazy, each of these women feels compelled to follow her instructions, and in the process, they will learn a lot about themselves.

Review:

The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship is all about taking risks.  Risks can be a very good thing - they can change things up, keep life exciting, and help you understand what you are capable of.  At the same time, though, risks can have unwanted consequences.  Sarah, Jo, and Kate are all comfortable with their lives, until Rachel comes along and challenges each of them to do something unexpected, something fresh and new.

Higgins’ characters are well-drawn and three-dimensional.  The author gives each character their own distinct voice and personality, such that I had no trouble telling them apart.  I appreciated how they seemed like real people, and as a result, I was very emotionally invested in their journeys, wanting each of them to come to a place of happiness.

However, I did have a major problem with The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship, and that was with Rachel herself.  It’s not a bad thing to ask your friends to take risks.  I even admire Rachel for caring enough about her friends to want to change their lives while she was on her deathbed.  However, I really had a problem with what she asked of Jo.  Specifically, Jo was to adopt Rachel’s daughter and raise her as her own.  Jo was a single woman living in New York City with a life, a job, and a lot going on in her life.  I’m not saying things were perfect, or that her life wasn’t a bit empty, because it was.  But thrusting your daughter on your best friend without any sort of discussion because you think it will help your friend? It doesn’t seem like she was really thinking about her daughter in this whole situation.

That being said, I felt much less strongly about this issue as the book progressed as Rachel’s motives become clearer.  Additionally, I want to stress that this is not a criticism of the book.  Indeed,the characters actually discuss Rachel’s presumption when it came to directing their lives after her death.  It’s just an aspect of a character that I found distasteful and really wanted to discuss.  As a result, I think this book would make a great book club discussion book.  There is a lot to talk about within its pages - it’s a solid women’s fiction novel that I enjoyed, and I look forward to seeing what Lisa Verge Higgins does next.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: Now You See Her
Author: Joy Fielding
ISBN: 9781416585312
Pages: 368
Release Date: February 22, 2011
Publisher: Atria
Genre: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Marcy Taggart has been living in a rut ever since her daughter’s disappearance a few years before.  Everyone else believes that Devon is dead, but in her heart, Marcy believes that her daughter is still alive.  Since Devon’s death, Marcy and her husband have drifted apart, and Marcy receives the unwelcome news that her husband wants a divorce just before their 25th wedding anniversary. On an impulse, Marcy chooses to go alone on the vacation that was so supposed to celebrate the happy occasion, to Ireland.  One day, sitting at a pub in Cork, Ireland, Marcy sees a glimpse of someone she knows is Devon, and decides she needs to stay in Ireland to find her daughter.

Review:

Now You See Her is a suspenseful book that is successful because of its creative characters.  Marcy herself is broken in a lot of ways.  She is still reeling from Devon’s death, especially because they had such a tumultuous relationship. She feels responsible for Devon’s choice to disappear/commit suicide.  However, at the same time her guilt threatens to overwhelm her, Marcy is certain that Devon chose to disappear and start over, rather than take her own life.

What complicates things for the reader, though, is that Marcy has seen Devon before.  In restaurants, shops, and all around her, Marcy sees her missing daughter.  Though she can’t understand why no one will support her in her quest to find her daughter in Cork, the reader understands their skepticism.  Will Marcy find her daughter?  Is Devon alive, or did she actually commit suicide?  Fielding takes the reader on a bit of a roller coaster ride when it comes to answering these questions, and it really drives the narrative forward.  Admittedly, the twists at the end require some suspension of disbelief, but overall, it is an entertaining novel.

Marcy meets a lot of interesting people on her journey, and since her family won’t support her in this search, she begins to rely on them.  Some are strange, others are endearing, and one in particular really creeped me out with his stalker vibes; one of Fielding’s strengths is writing strong, bold characters with distinct personalities.  Whenever Marcy’s search seems to start dragging, it is the characters that the reader relies on for entertainment.

Now You See Her isn’t a typical mystery; the interesting characters often overshadow Marcy’s overall mission.  In the end, it’s a quick, entertaining read that does provoke deep questions about motherhood and trust.  Readers will sympathize with Marcy’s guilt about her impatience with Devon before her suicide/disappearance, and it makes Marcy’s unrelenting need to find her easy to understand.  If your book club is interested in mysteries, this would make a good pick because it’s easy to read, yet still provides fodder for discussion in the character of Marcy.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: Rescue
Author: Anita Shreve
ISBN: 9780316020725
Pages: 304
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

EMT Peter Webster is worried he is losing his daughter, Rowan.  She is a high school senior, and has been making bad choices.  Peter has done the best he can with her, but he can’t help but think of her mother, Sheila, who left them when Rowan was just a baby. As things begin to spiral out of Peter’s control, he considers reaching out to the one person who might be able to help Rowan - Sheila herself.

Review:

I’ve read a few Anita Shreve books, and I do admire her as a writer.  While I haven’t loved everything I’ve read by her (A Change in Altitude being a prime example), Testimony was an impressive and powerful book that still is with me today.  After hearing mixed reviews of Rescue, I wasn’t sure what to think, so I went into the book with an open mind.  While I didn’t love this book, I did enjoy the process of reading it.

I loved the character of Peter.  Just as he rescues people in his job as an EMT, trying as hard as he can to save people’s lives, he wants to rescue those around him as well.  This is what happens with Sheila - from the beginning, the reader knows that Peter tried (and failed) to “save” her.  When Rowan seems to be starting down the same path, Peter is understandably worried.  After all, Rowan is all that he has left.

Rescue was an interesting look into the life of an EMT.  It’s a difficult life, and Peter describes the burnout that affects most people after just a few months.  That is completely understandable, after seeing what Peter faces on a day-to-day basis.  I appreciated this insight into working as an EMT, and for me it was the most interesting part of the novel.

There were also aspects I didn’t love about Rescue. It was predictable and a little bit cliché towards the end.  It was simultaneously a quick read, yet very slow because overall, not a lot happens in the book, even as Shreve’s smooth writing helps the reader journey through it quickly.  That being said, I still enjoyed the process of reading it.  I got involved in Charlie’s journey, and though Rowan never endeared herself to me, that was enough to keep me interested in the novel.  If you’re looking for a personal story, light and quick, but that will still make you think, this is a good novel to pick up.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

A few weeks ago, you may remember me excitedly posting that I was selected for the NASA Tweetup for STS-134 - that is, I was selected, along with 149 other lucky people, to head down to Florida for the last launch of the space shuttle Endeavour.  I was looking forward to two fun-filled days of space geeking out - after all, I am a huge NASA/space/science nerd.  You want proof?  Check out this manic (almost scary/creepy) look of glee on my face while piloting the space shuttle mockup during a trip to the Johnson Space Center in Houston last year:

This was the look on my face almost the entire time we were there. (For those of you wondering how we got that super-special access to the JSC, my husband’s uncle is an astronaut.)

If NASA had stuck with the launch date we originally signed up for, I would be in Florida right now, watching Endeavour lift off.  But due to some scheduling conflicts, the launch date was pushed back to April 29.  That was confirmed today in the Flight Readiness Review - all systems are go for an April 29 launch.

One week from tomorrow, I will fly down to Florida for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, and of course I’ll be blogging and tweeting about it.  And it’s in this I must beg for your patience - if you have absolutely no interest in the shuttle launch or the space program, I completely understand, and I hope I won’t annoy you too much with my posts.

This is also a good time to mention Space Week.  To coincide with the final space shuttle launch, currently scheduled for June 28, I’ll have an exclusive space/science/NASA book review week here on the blog to celebrate 50 years of human spaceflight and the 30 years the shuttle has been flying.  If the launch date moves (a likely outcome), I’ll move the week along with it.

I hope everyone is excited about the upcoming space-filled fun I have in store for you!  And if not, I hope you’ll bear with me and maybe some of my enthusiasm will rub off on you! (Trust me, I have much to spare.)

Title: An Atlas of Impossible Longing
Author: Anuradha Roy
ISBN: 9781451608625
Pages: 336
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Free Press
Genre: Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:

An Atlas of Impossible Longing is a multigenerational novel spanning decades, following the course one family sets during the tumultuous early-to-mid twentieth century in India.  The novel begins with Amulya and his mentally ill wife Kananbala, and their two sons, Nirmal and Kamal.  As fortunes change and lives progress, the book moves onto the new generation, centering on Bakul, Nirmal’s daughter, and Mukunda, the orphan child Amulya chose to support.

Review:

I absolutely adore South Asian literature, but sometimes I have trouble taking it.  While wonderfully composed, it can be very difficult to read.  There is a sense of tragedy that seems to be inherent within the genre, centering on hardship, loss, and abuse.  But there is also beauty in this world, along with the heartbreak, and that’s why I loved The Atlas of Impossible Longing - it’s amazingly written, finely wrought, and simple.  It’s about the beauty and longing present in everyday life.

Roy is a talented writer; she is incredible at developing layered, nuanced characters effortlessly.  Readers fall in love with the personas contained within this book without realizing it.  Each person is distinct; sometimes it seems as though Roy is writing a biography rather than fiction because these people seem so real and vivid.  Her prose is absolutely gorgeous, yet restrained.  She doesn’t allow her words to overwhelm the story, nor does she rely on her prose to smooth out the rough parts of the plot.  She recognizes that her language is a tool to deliver a story, and uses it like a master to accomplish that task.

There are many characters within An Atlas of Impossible Longing, but the reader will have no trouble telling them apart, thanks to Roy’s expert character development.  My personal favorite was Mukunda; the reader gets to see him grow and change over the course of his life, to become his own man.  After he is sent away for school, he longs for Songarh and the life and people he left behind.  After he leaves school, his longing changes and fades, but it never completely leaves him.  When circumstances force him to revisit Songarh and see Nirmal and Bakul again, he can no longer deny what he feels.

There is heartbreak and difficulty and sadness within the pages of An Atlas of Impossible Longing; after all, this is a book about life, and that’s part of it.  But it’s handled so deftly and beautifully that it doesn’t drag the reader down.  Indeed, Roy confronts many difficult topics within the pages of this book:  caste, mental illness, love in a culture of arranged marriages.  It is incredibly realistic; there are no fairy tale endings.  Instead, Roy creates a believable picture that is often bittersweet, but has its own beauty nonetheless.

I cannot deliver enough praise to Anuradha Roy for crafting An Atlas of Impossible Longing.  This was a novel I absolutely adored from beginning to end.  It never lost my interest, and just when I would think that the sadness was too much to bear, a ray of light would shine through.  I loved the balance present in this novel, as well as the universal themes of love and longing.  This is a book accessible to anyone who has felt love and loss.  I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe
Author: Gayle Lemmon
ISBN: 9780061732379
Pages: 288
Release Date: March 15, 2011
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Non-Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Kamila Sidiqi was a normal teenage girl living in Afghanistan in the 1990s. She was educated, as her father had insisted that all of his daughters have an education along with his son, and was looking forward to working in Kabul one day. However, all that changed when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. All of a sudden, Kamila, her sisters, and the other women of Afghanistan were required to be covered from head to toe – even the most innocent violation of this rule could result in severe public beatings, or even jail time. Their career prospects shot down to zero because the Taliban ruled that women weren’t allowed to work outside the home; indeed, they couldn’t even leave home without a male relative escorting them.

Because Kamila had four sisters and only one brother, feeding her family was becoming increasingly difficult, and even worse, this situation was the case all over Kabul. Women in the Khair Khana district of Kabul were becoming increasingly desperate to feed their children and their brothers and sisters. Kamila decided that she had to do something to help her family and her community, and in the process, she changed the lives of countless women in Kabul.

Review:

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is a beautiful and inspiring case study of female entrepreneurism in the most desperate of situations. Kamila was irrepressible and determined. Like everyone else, she was frightened of what might happen to her if she was caught by the Taliban, but she didn’t let that fear paralyze her. What’s more, she tried to help as many people as she could. It would have been easy (and much safer) to restrict her business to her sisters, but Kamila felt the urge to help her community as well. It’s an inspirational story and really emphasizes the power of one person to make a difference.

The author, Gayle Lemmon, is a journalist who was in Afghanistan looking for female entrepreneurs to write about. Her own experiences in the country, detailed in a prologue to the book, were also very interesting. It would have been easy for Lemmon to make this a memoir, framing Kamila’s experiences with her own in today’s Afghanistan, but she refrained, making the book solely about the dressmakers of Khair Khana. Readers will appreciate Gayle’s story, but also be grateful that she chose to put the spotlight on Kamila and her family.

However, the narration tends to stay on the surface for much of the book.  Lemmon went to Afghanistan looking for a case study, and in some ways, that’s how the book reads.  While Kamila is clearly a strong, independent woman, there isn’t much character development beyond that.  While that makes sense for the scope of the book, some readers may be disappointed because you don’t really get to know these women. 

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is a short easy read, but it provides so much to the reader in so few pages. An exceptional story about an amazing woman, inspiration, education about another culture and a country’s history – all of this is packed in the pages of this small book. Readers will race through the story to see how things end for Kamila and her family. It’s an easy read, but a powerful one, that I highly recommended.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: Elizabeth I
Author: Margaret George
ISBN: 9780670022533
Pages: 688
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Viking
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Summary:

Elizabeth I begins in the late 1580’s, with the threat of the Spanish Armada bearing down upon England.  Queen Elizabeth I is in the throes of middle age, unhappy with her condition, and trying to do her best as she is watching things fall apart around her.  What’s more, she is watching her closest advisors and confidantes perish around her, beginning with the unconsummated love of her life, Robert Dudley.  As she tries to hold her country together, Elizabeth must face the prospect of her own mortality, and what England will be left with once she is gone.

Review:

The first thing you will likely notice about Elizabeth I by Margaret George is the length.  “688 pages?  I’ll pass,” you might be thinking to yourself.  But if you don’t pick up this majestic, amazing work of historical fiction simply because of the length, you will be doing yourself a disservice.  Elizabeth I is an engaging, well-written, and informative novel about the latter days of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.

George portrays Elizabeth I as a woman devoted to her country.  Above all, England is her concern.  Yes, she loves Robert Dudley and later Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex, but these personal passions are secondary to her constant fidelity to her country and her people.  She is wiser and more contained than her father in his later years, yet Elizabeth is also sensitive to the accusation that she is a lesser monarch because she is a woman.  She also is devastated by the fact she is losing her closest friends and advisors and doesn’t know how she will move on once they have passed.  George has crafted a complex, shrewd, and dedicated woman in her Elizabeth.

One aspect of the character of Elizabeth I really loved was how much I genuinely liked her.  I understood her motivations.  Elizabeth I was known for being mercurial, for delaying important decisions, for not being able to make up her mind.  George brings these qualities to light and gives the reader some explanation of them.  I really appreciated this portrayal of Elizabeth as a graceful, dignified monarch, rather than someone who can’t control her temper and is ruled by her current emotional state, as has been the case in many recent novels.

However, I also enjoyed how human George made Elizabeth.  She loves, she laughs, she hurts - she’s no different than any other woman, except for the fact that she has the fate of an entire country resting on her shoulders.  Her passion for Robert Dudley is inspiring and tragic, as the reader knows Elizabeth will never put aside her duty for him.  Her dealings with Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex, make Elizabeth reflect on how she treats her courtiers, and what her mercurial moods might do to them.  I loved how unsure of herself she could be at times, and the dichotomy between her personal life and her queenly persona.

Elizabeth I actually has two narrators - the queen, and her look alike cousin, Lettice Knollys.  While they were close as children, Lettice and the queen grew apart in their later years.  This divide was cemented when Lettice secretly married Robert Dudley; while Elizabeth was willing to forgive Robert (to a point), she banished Lettice from court.  Lettice is the mother to Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex, and is forced to watch as everything around her slowly unravels.  While I didn’t love Lettice at the beginning of the book, one of my favorite aspects at the end was how much she’d changed.  While Elizabeth remains relatively constant over the course of the novel in terms of personality (though she does soften), Lettice undergoes a transformation.  I loved seeing the change in her character, and watching her endear herself to me as the novel progressed.

I have said so much about this novel already, and have not even touched on the history yet.  As expected in a Margaret George novel, the history in Elizabeth I is impeccably researched.  The historical details are amazing; George immerses the reader into her setting, making them feel like they are a part of the scene.  While I was initially disappointed that this novel focuses only on the later part of Elizabeth’s reign, I soon realized that writing an entire book about her life would take thousands of pages.  Since I didn’t know a lot about these latter days, I feel like I learned a lot. 

I can’t say enough amazing things about Elizabeth I.  I absolutely loved the portrayal of Elizabeth, how there was so much going on under that white painted face she showed the world.  George has really done justice to this great queen; I loved how personal it was, how Elizabeth was able to share her aches and pains and fears with the reader that she couldn’t show to the world around her.  This was an incredible novel, and I look forward to seeing what subject George tackles next.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: 666 Park Avenue
Author: Gabriella Pierce
ISBN: 9780061434778
Pages: 320
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: Avon A
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Chick Lit
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary:

Jane has been completely swept off her feet by Malcolm, her fiancé.  Even though they have only known each other for a little while, she knows she is completely in love with him.  When she goes to her estranged grandmother’s house to tell her about the engagement, Jane finds her grandmother dead.  However, her grandmother left a note behind telling Jane that she is a witch, which completely upends Jane’s world, to the point where she doesn’t know what to think.

Review:

666 Park Avenue is a cute mix of chick lit and urban fantasy.  Pierce creates a world in which witches hide among humans.  Jane discovers this history in pieces, so there are a lot of gaps for the reader.  The focus of this book isn’t on worldbuilding, which is a shame because Pierce does seem to have a knack for creating spooky, mysterious hints.  For example, the history of Malcolm’s family is very interesting, and it would have been great if Pierce had elaborated on and taken more advantage of that.

Jane is a wonderful heroine for this novel.  She is smart and independent, unwilling to put all her wants and needs aside for her husband and his family.  She values her job and being able to contribute and isn’t willing to give that up.  At the same time, though, she understands the value of compromise and the importance of picking your battles.  I appreciated her well-established sense of self and how she stood her ground, even when things were difficult.  I also appreciated her wit and keen intellect; she’s the type of person any woman would want to have as a friend.

This book is a very quick read and works as a breezy novel, especially with Pierce’s clear writing style.  It’s hard to pinpoint a single genre for the book because it gets pulled in so many different ways.  While this definitely means that there is a lot happening in the book, it also means it can be jumbled at times.  Still, it was a very easy read, and very enjoyable on the surface.  If you’re looking for something light, this might be a great book to pick up.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: Reading Lips: A Memoir of Kisses
Author: Claudia Sternbach
ISBN: 9781609530372
Pages: 224
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Unbridled Books
Genre: Memoir, Essays, Non-Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

In this book of essays from Claudia Sternbach, the author frames important experiences and relationships in her life through the memory of kisses.

Review:

In Reading Lips: A Memoir of Kisses, Claudia Sternbach reflects on a life of kisses:  some wanted, some not.  Some on the lips, others on the cheek or head.  Highly anticipated kisses, and those that symbolize more than just a simple gesture.  She starts with her childhood, sharing a bedroom with her younger twin sisters, and eager for some semblance of privacy in her life.  School is not much better - her best friend seems to always be a step ahead of Claudia, knowing exactly what to do and say and wear in order to garner attention and look “cool”.  All Claudia has is the promise that one boy might want to kiss her, and it’s that thought that keeps her going.

As she grows up, kisses take on a new meaning.  The essays in Reading Lips cover Sternbach’s life thus far, and events of all types, from first dates to the funeral of the author’s beloved cousin.  But this isn’t a book about the pivotal moments, at least, not in and of themselves.  Many of the major events of the author’s life are likely represented here, but so are many quieter and smaller remembrances.

The author’s writing style is sharp and pitch perfect for a collection such as this.  Sternbach is witty and injects humor and warmth into these stories.  It’s clear she looks back fondly over the course of her life, and that sentiment shines through in Reading Lips.

I enjoyed Reading Lips and definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a quiet, quick read that will leave you feeling a fuzzy warmth.  The publisher, Unbridled Books, has never steered me wrong in the past, and they definitely have continued that course with this slip of a book.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: The School of Night
Author: Louis Bayard
ISBN: 9780805090697
Pages: 352
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Henry Cavendish is a disgraced Elizabethan scholar who is mourning the death of his close friend, Alonzo Wax.  At Alonzo’s funeral, Henry is approached by Bernard Styles, an Elizabethan collector and enemy of Alonzo’s.  He claims that Alonzo stole an original Sir Walter Raleigh letter from him and pays Henry to find it among Alonzo’s things and deliver it to him.  Desperate for money, Henry accepts the charge, but by doing so, he becomes caught in a web of intrigue, unsure of whom to trust or what to believe.

Review:

The School of Night centers around the concept of a mysterious and shadowy group of people who lived in Elizabethan England.  They included some of the best minds and most famous personalities of the time, including Sir Walter Raleigh (spelled Ralegh in the book - apparently, according to the novel, that is how historians have begun to spell it, but I can’t bring myself to leave off that “i”), scientist Thomas Harriot, and playwright Christopher Marlowe.  The letter that Bernard Styles is seeking supposedly proves the existence of this group, hence his willingness to pay Henry to find it.

Louis Bayard does an excellent job weaving the historical elements with those set in the present day.  Most of the novel takes place in the present, though it does flash back to Thomas Harriot.  While I was more engaged in the present-day affair, simply because I really appreciated the character of Henry Cavendish, it was gratifying to learn about a lesser known person from Elizabethan times.  Bayard could have focused on one of the more famous personages from the era, but instead chose Thomas Harriot, a scientist whose name isn’t known among the general public.  I enjoyed learning something while I was enjoying this gripping novel, and his inclusion gave the novel a depth it otherwise might have been lacking.

The mystery is actually an old fashioned treasure hunt, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It’s a fun story that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is great.  At the same time, though, Bayard’s writing creates a wonderful sense of atmosphere, such that the reader isn’t sure of who to trust over the course of the story.  There’s also a wonderful love story hidden behind the mystery; it’s sweet and tragic, and adds yet another layer to this interesting book.

The School of Night was my first Louis Bayard novel, but it definitely won’t be my last.  I am now excited to go back and read his previous novels while I eagerly anticipate his next work.  I had a tremendous amount of fun reading this book, and I think historical fiction and mystery lovers will both enjoy this one. 

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: Devil’s Trill
Author: Gerald Elias
ISBN: 9780312653507
Pages: 320
Release Date: August 18, 2009
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary:

When a famous violin, an unparalleled 3/4 size Stradivarius, is stolen from the Grimsley, a competition for gifted violinists under the age of 13, the first person the police look at as a suspect is Daniel Jacobus.  Daniel is a bitter blind man who was a Grimsley competitor himself when he was young (he came in second), but since has become a vocal opponent of Grimsley, which he believes exploits and destroys children who would otherwise have long and happy careers as violinists.  Daniel does have a motive to steal the violin, but since he didn’t, he goes on the hunt for it in order to clear his name.

Review:

Devil’s Trill is a complicated novel, as you can tell by the somewhat convoluted summary above.  There are a lot of characters and the plot is complex and layered.  However, it never loses the reader’s attention; Devil’s Trill is a masterfully drawn mystery with engaging characters, interesting history, and a tantalizing glimpse into the world of violinists.

Daniel Jacobus is a real curmudgeon.  He’s so bitter and unhappy, yet the reader can’t help but admire him for his talent.  He has great instincts, and his processes of observation are impressive, doubly so since he is blind.  He’s simply a fascinating character and does a great job as investigator in the theft of the Stradivarius violin.  As his history is uncovered and the reader comes to understand more about him, they can’t help but sympathize with Jacobus.

The information presented about violins and their history is really interesting.  I recently read another mystery that had to do with violins, The Rainaldi Quartet by Paul Adam, and I was worried that this book would be more of the same.  However, I was completely wrong.  Devil’s Trill is unique and presents its own information and history.  The peek into the world of violinists is also really interesting.  Jacobus has very strong views on the Grimsley Competition and the exploitation of young violinists as a novelty.

Devil’s Trill is a captivating mystery that I highly recommend, whether you’re a music lover or just a fan of well-written mysteries.  It’s hard to believe that this is Elias’ first novel; I look forward to reading his most recent book!

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Title: The Bird Sisters
Author: Rebecca Rasmussen
ISBN: 9780307717962
Pages: 304
Release Date: April 12, 2011
Publisher: Crown
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Author
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:

Milly and Twiss are known as the bird sisters - they spend their days tending to injured birds that the local townspeople bring to their house.  Old maids, neither chose to marry and so they live out their days in solitude, surrounded by the memories their old house brings back.  Lost in the past, the two women can’t help but remember that fateful summer all those years ago when their cousin Bett came to visit for the summer, and Milly thought she might want to marry Asa, and everything changed.

Review:

The Bird Sisters is a coming of age story about Milly, Twiss, and Bett - three girls, about to become women, who find themselves overwhelmed by the situations life thrusts in front of them.  From the beginning, the reader knows Milly will not marry Asa; after all, she is a spinster who never chose to marry.  But why is that the case?  What happened to sweet Milly, why did she give up her dream and the boy she loved?  Why didn’t Tilly make it happen?  These questions will keep the reader interested in The Bird Sisters from beginning to end.

Above all, The Bird Sisters is a character driven novel.  Rasmussen writes her characters with such care and detail that they will seem like real people to the reader.  Milly was my personal favorite.  While Tilly was the troublemaker who seemed to want to cause problems in order to attract attention to herself, it was Milly that was always there to listen or to help when needed.  She was the responsible one, the strong one.  I knew from the beginning that Milly would experience a great hurt, and as the book progressed, I ached for her.  She seemed like a friend who was relating the story of a heartbreak, and I wanted to reach through the book and tell her everything was going to be okay.

The setting of The Bird Sisters was remarkable; not for its unique qualities, but for the vividness with which Rasmussen describes it.  Spring Green, Wisconsin comes alive in this book.  The amazing descriptions and careful details that Rasmussen writes are wonderful to experience.  It’s not surprising that Rasmussen grew up (at least partly) in Spring Green - she describes the town with such love and honesty, it’s clear that part of her heart is there.

The Bird Sisters was an enjoyable debut with impressively drawn characters that I really sympathized with.  Milly really spoke to me, and though the tone of the novel is bittersweet, I loved the testament to the relationship between sisters that Rasmussen provides.  This author is one I’m going to watch closely; I look forward to seeing what she does next.

Affiliate Links:

Buy this book from Powell’s Books
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Buy this book from your local Indiebound bookstore

Shelving Books: Swapna’s Picks is a series profiling books that have been released in the past two weeks, posting every other Monday.  These are books that I am excited about, but will not get the opportunity to review for a few months.

Mysteries Abound!

I’ve been really getting into cozy mysteries lately, so I’m excited for Murder Takes the Cake by Gayle Trent (Gallery, March 29, 2011), which is the beginning of the Daphne Martin cake mystery series.  On a completely different mystery track, The Bone House by Brian Freeman (Minotaur, March 29, 2011) is a standalone about a high school teacher who is accused of having an affair with a student.  When the student’s younger sister is found murdered, guess who the prime suspect is?  This sounds like a great mystery/thriller.

“Fortune” Favors the Histories and Mysteries

I enjoyed the first book in the Dido Kent series, Bellfield Hall, so it’s with great excitement that I await the sequel, A Gentleman of Fortune by Anna Dean (Minotaur, March 29, 2011).  It’s sure to be a wonderful historical mystery, and Dido is an amusing and resourceful heroine.  But I also love the history without the mystery, which is why I’m eager to read Sisters of Fortune: America’s Caton Sisters at Home and Abroad by Jehanne Wake (Touchstone, April 5, 2011).  It’s about the Caton sisters, early 19th-century American heiresses.

The Dreaded Comparison

I am really looking forward to Bent Road by Lori Roy (Dutton, March 31, 2011) but I hate that it’s been compared to Tana French’s.  French is a phenomenal writer and crafter of mysteries, but she has a certain style.  I would hate to pick up Roy’s book, expecting French and receiving something else equally as impressive, but not be able to appreciate it because of my expectations.  Still, I am very curious about this book.

I Love Me Some Women’s Fiction

In the women’s fiction universe, the start of the summer season is approaching, so there are a lot of great books on the horizon.  I’m really excited about The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher (Bantam, March 29, 2011).  I loved Asher’s novel My Husband’s Sweethearts, so I have high hopes for this one.  I also enjoyed Sarah-Kate Lynch’s House of Daughters, so her novel Dolci Di Love by Sarah-Kate Lynch (Plume, March 29, 2011) looks wonderful.  I mean, it’s set in Tuscany - what more could I really want?

And Of Course, the Non-Fiction

I’m always on the lookout for new non-fiction, and Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of the World’s Most Notorious Butterfly Smuggler by Jessica Speart (William Morrow, April 5, 2011) looks fascinating.  I mean, I didn’t even know there was a market for butterfly smuggling.  And how does one transport them?  I’m assuming a Tupperware container wouldn’t work.  And in travelogues, Cycling Home from Siberia: 30,000 Miles, 3 Years, 1 Bicycle by Rob Lilwall (Howard Books, April 5, 2011) seems like it would be incredible (yet very painful - hence why I want to read about it, and not undertake the journey myself.)