The Traveler by Daren Simkin

March 5, 201414 Comments

The Traveler. Finished 3-4-14, rating 3.5/5, fable, 48 pages, pub. 2008

Once, there was a boy named Charlie. He had a pretty nice life . . . but it wasn’t perfect. So one day he packed up all his time—all his round, squishy years and square, mushy months, down to every itsy-bitsy second—in his suitcase and locked it up safe, said goodbye to his parents, and set off to find something better to spend his time on. Charlie traveled all over the world in search of the perfect thing to make him happy, but that turned out to be much harder to find than he thought. In the meantime, his itsybitsy seconds and silky, smooth hours and raggedy days ticked away and vanished, and soon they added up to weeks and months and years—so that once Charlie stopped his traveling and realized what he really needed out of life, it was almost too late. Almost.

from Goodreads

I rarely have the opportunity to browse library shelves. I usually go in with a purpose or am picking up books on hold, so when I had forty free minutes at the library, I somehow found this very slim book in the fiction section. I think the only reason I’m mentioning this is because if I actually just talk about the book my review would be over.

I thought this was a sweet 5 minute read. There isn’t exactly anything profound about spending your time wisely as advice, but it left me with a smile on my face and a little nod in agreement. If you have a moment I’d see if your library has a copy. I also think it could be a cute gift for a young person going offi into the great unknown for the first time. They might not fully appreciate the lesson (not many do in their youth) but it is packaged in such a way (easy to read with illustrations) that you can be pretty sure that at least they’ll read it!

This book was written and illustrated by two brothers and dedicated to their sister.

So how often do you browse your library bookshelves?

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida

February 27, 2014February 27, 20149 Comments

The Reason I Jump. Finished 2-25-14, autism memoir, 150 pages, pub. 2007 (English translation 2013)

You’ve never read a book like The Reason I Jump. Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Parents and family members who never thought they could get inside the head of their autistic loved one at last have a way to break through to the curious, subtle, and complex life within.

In his introduction, bestselling novelist David Mitchell writes that Naoki’s words allowed him to feel, for the first time, as if his own autistic child was explaining what was happening in his mind. “It is no exaggeration to say that The Reason I Jump allowed me to round a corner in our relationship.” This translation was a labor of love by David and his wife, KA Yoshida, so they’d be able to share that feeling with friends, the wider autism community, and beyond. Naoki’s book, in its beauty, truthfulness, and simplicity, is a gift to be shared.

from Goodreads

Reading books told from the perspective of a person with autism is hard for me. It’s difficult to imagine my Gage having to deal with all of that on a daily basis, but I read the introduction written by bestselling author David Mitchell, whose own son suffers from autism, and decided that this one would be worth the read. And it was. Yes, there was a place or two I cried, but overall this book gives some hope and clarity. This is a 13-year-old boy who can’t speak and yet has the ability to communicate his feelings letter by letter, word by word, paragraph by paragraph.

I think everyone should read this book. It’s short, the book contains illustrations and a few pieces of short fiction by Higashida, but the bulk of it is Higashida showing the world that autism does not mean unintelligent or unaware and that they are hurt when they disappoint the people they love. Every person with an autism diagnosis is not the same, not even close, each one having strengths and problem areas- just like every other kid, but everyone will gain a better perspective after an hour with this book. He does not speak for every autistic child, like he sometimes says he does, but he does offer a real insight into his emotional world.

I wish there had been more, but what there was is good. Did you know that in the U.S. 1 in 54 boys is being diagnosed on the spectrum? I think everyone should take the time to learn a little more. Here’s a taste of one of the questions…

Why do you ask the same questions over and over?
It’s true, I always ask the same questions. “What day is it today?” or “Is it a school day tomorrow?” The reason? I very quickly forget what it is I’ve just heard. Inside my head there isn’t such a big difference between what I was told just now and what I heard long ago.

I imagine a normal person’s memory is arranged continuously, like a line. My memory, however, is more like a pool of dots. I’m always “picking up” these dots – by asking my questions – so I can arrive back at the memory that the dots represent.

But there’s another reason for our repeated questioning: it lets us play with words. We aren’t good at conversation, and however hard we try, we’ll never speak as effortlessly as you do. The big exception, however, is words or phrases we’re very familiar with. Repeating these is great fun. It’s like a game of catch. Unlike the words we’re ordered to say, repeating questions we already know the answers to can be a pleasure – it’s playing with sound and rhythm.

I checked this out from our library.

The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

February 20, 201417 Comments

The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress. Finished 2-19-14, rating 4.75/5, historical fiction, 308 pages, pub. 2014

A tantalizing reimagining of a scandalous mystery that rocked the nation in 1930-Justice Joseph Crater’s infamous disappearance-as seen through the eyes of the three women who knew him best.

They say behind every great man, there’s a woman. In this case, there are three. Stella Crater, the judge’s wife, is the picture of propriety draped in long pearls and the latest Chanel. Ritzi, a leggy showgirl with Broadway aspirations, thinks moonlighting in the judge’s bed is the quickest way off the chorus line. Maria Simon, the dutiful maid, has the judge to thank for her husband’s recent promotion to detective in the NYPD. Meanwhile, Crater is equally indebted to Tammany Hall leaders and the city’s most notorious gangster, Owney “The Killer” Madden.

from Goodreads

Since joining the women at She Reads last September I have received a monthly treat in my mailbox – a book that I may not have chosen, but once read, I loved. This was no exception. I definitely would not have picked this up on my own (gangsters, prohibition and showgirls are not my thing really), but once I started I was immediately drawn into their world. I could feel the smoky rooms, smell the liquor and hear the jazz of the early 1930’s. The fact that this was based on a true story, the disappearance of a New York Supreme Court judge, that has never been solved added extra interest. Now that I’ve read Lawhon’s take on it I am more curious about what really happened and I’m in good company since this is a mystery that tantalized the public for a good 50 years.

Told from the perspective of the three women in Crater’s life, his perfect wife, his flashy mistress and his hard-working maid, this book keeps you on your toes as you jump from one woman to another. There were also changes in the time frame thrown in that kept me off-balance but in a good way as it kept momentum moving forward. I loved the women, although Stella did perplex me at times, and was rooting for them all to have their happy ending. There was no shortage of very bad things happening to people in the story, so a happy ending was not in the cards for everyone.

This book really did have a little bit of everything. There were really bad bad guys, politicians without morals, the glitz of New York City, sexy showgirls, hardworking people trying to better themselves, lies, heartbreak, and, of course, murder. I loved it.

If you want to see the real pictures of the major players and find out why Lawthon was intrigued, read here. Also, there is an awesome giveaway for book clubs with very cool shot glasses here.

I received this book from She Reads. Go on over and see what other bloggers think about this one.

Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio

February 12, 201414 Comments

Blackberry Winter. Finished audio 2-6-14, rating 3.75/5, fiction. pub. 2012

Unabridged audio 10 hours 6 minutes. Read by Tara Sands

Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator’s.
Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 1 “blackberry winter” storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways…

from Goodreads

I read The Violets of March a few years ago and loved it, so I was happy to see a quick return visit to our friends on Bainbridge Island in this book. I still love Jio’s writing, but this one missed the mark of being great read for me. Still good, still want to read her other books, but this one won’t be making my favorite list.

I like the alternating storylines, and that’s a good thing since everyone seems to be doing it these days, and Jio does it so well. We start with Vera, a very poor single mom trying to raise her young son during the Depression-era. She has to work at night and sometimes has to leave Daniel alone in their small apartment above a tavern. As the story moves along we learn who Daniel’s father is and why he’s not in their lives anymore. Claire is the modern-day storyline. She is a reporter who has married into a very wealthy family, but has suffered a loss that is causing the crumbling of her marriage.

As with any alternating storyline plot there are always going to be coincidences that connect the two, you expect it and accept it, but there were just so many in this one, too many for my logical brain to accept. And I did have a likeability problem with Claire. She was whiny for much of the book and I get that that was the place she was in at the time, but it didn’t make me all that invested in her story. It was Vera and Daniel’s story that drew me in. I wanted to know what had happened to him!

A note about the audio production, I hated the voices the narrator used for the men. She was fine otherwise, but the men in the story suffered. I checked the audio out of the library.

I liked this one, didn’t love it, and can’t wait to read more from Jio.

Mailbox Monday – February 10

February 10, 2014February 19, 201616 Comments

mmb-300x282 Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh from Lloyd (The Book Sage) after a win on his blog. He raves about it so I’m excited 🙂 Thank you Lloyd!

I received a copy of Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen from the publisher and since I already purchased a copy it looks like there’s a giveaway coming up!

I picked up While I’m Falling by Laura Moriarty for under $2 at Barnes & Noble yesterday 🙂

So what showed up in your mailbox this week?

Inferno by Dan Brown

January 30, 201414 Comments

Inferno. Finished 1-29-13, rating 4.25/5, thriller, 462 pages, pub. 2013

Robert Langdon #4

In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces . . . Dante’s Inferno.

Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust . . . before the world is irrevocably altered.

from Goodreads

I read the reviews when this came out that it was just another recycled Dan Brown book, so I put it on the backburner, and picked it up at the library last week with low expectations. I’ll be honest and say I do think this does follow a formula, but for me it’s a formula that works. As for it being recycled I disagree. The bad guy in this one is more complex than some of his others (especially the tattooed Lost Symbol guy) and I loved that this book tackled a very real issue of today, overpopulation. And our dear professor was not to be relied on since he was suffering from amnesia, which I personally found lame.

This book took us back to Italy, Florence and Venice, and I was happy to revisit both of these beautiful cities. I did think that Brown used way too much description and I wanted to read about the cities I love, unfortunately, I did find myself skimming some paragraphs when Langdon was escaping capture in Florence. Which leads right into the biggest issue, for me. The book needed some editing. If I had to read (and each time more dramatic than the last) how the woman in charge of WHO was a broken soulless woman because she couldn’t have children one more time I was sure I would start swearing (ok, maybe the fifth time I did). The book needed to be tighter, especially for the thriller it was intended to be.

“Zobrist asked the following: If you could throw a switch and randomly kill half the population on earth, would you do it?”

“Of course not.”

“Okay. But what if you were told that if you didn’t throw that switch right now, the human race would be extinct in the next hundred years?” She paused.: “Would you throw it then? Even if it meant you might murder friends, family, and possibly even yourself?”

(page 218)

I thought that by tackling the overpopulation issue Brown moved from the past to the future well. Frankly, it was scary. I haven’t read Dante’s Inferno and I must remedy that soon now that I’ve had a primer, but even so I’m sure it was a stretch to connect the two. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the ride.

I think this is better than the last one but not back on par with the first two Langdon books. What did you think?

Mailbox Monday – January 27

January 27, 2014January 27, 201422 Comments

For years I’ve loved seeing what books all of you received each week, but I’ve never joined in. I don’t really receive a lot of books, so I don’t know how often I’ll jump in, but when I have something to share, I will.

This week I have three books by three authors I love so I am a very happy reader this week. Maybe I want to share because I am so excited about all three of these books 🙂

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen– I’ve read all her others and purchased this brand new hardcover with my own money.

The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio and The Splendor Falls by Susanna Kearsley were both surprises sent to me by Nise. I had to include her stationary in the picture because I love beautiful cards. Thank you Nise!!

So, what did your mailbox bring?

The Autism Mom’s Survival Guide by Susan Senator

January 16, 20145 Comments

The Autism Mom’s Survival Guide (for Dads, too!);Creating a Balanced and Happy Life while Raising a Child with Autism. Finished 1-16-14, rating 4/5, autism, 196 pages, pub. 2010

Given the daily challenges of raising a child with autism, it’s easy for parents to lose themselves and for their overall quality of life to plummet. Susan Senator interweaves the voices of autism parents, researchers, and professionals to offer guidance and encouragement on how to find happiness and fulfillment in the midst of the struggles of raising an autistic child. Topics include: how to handle feelings of despair and hopelessness; finding fun, even during turbulent times; caring for your marriage; and finding a balance between accepting your child as he or she is and seeking new treatments.

from Goodreads

When a child is diagnosed with autism, parents read as much as they can about the current treatments available to help their child. And then start the different treatments, adding more as time and money allow. In my own personal experience we were so busy with this that I didn’t really take the time to breathe and accept the future. I was trying to save my son from the diagnosis. Honestly, I still am, but around the year mark acceptance crept in to my daily thoughts too. This book really did help with that.

The author has a grown son with autism and two younger sons at home and has had 20 years to make peace and come up with some advice that might help other parents. This is not a book on therapies and it will not lead you to a quick fix, as a matter of fact she really is not a fan of alternative solutions, like biomedical. What this book does so well is to offer comfort and advice on how your family can have a better home-life. It’s full of resources (books, websites, blogs) and stories from other parents to help you feel understood and armed with more information.

At first, it was a struggle to get my mind out of the scary, unknown future. But as therapies, research, and behaviors kept me busy, the future faded and only resurrected itself on the very bad days. This book, detailing her experience with her son moving out of the house at 18, was something I needed to read. While her life isn’t what she expected, it is good and fulfilled and happy.

If you have a friend that has a child with autism this would be a nice recommendation or gift (when she’s having one of those bad days). I checked this out of the library.

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

January 9, 201414 Comments

A Hundred Summers. Finished 1-7-14, rating 4/5, historical romantic fiction, 357 pages, pub. 2013

Memorial Day, 1938: New York socialite Lily Dane has just returned with her family to the idyllic oceanfront community of Seaview, Rhode Island, expecting another placid summer season among the familiar traditions and friendships that sustained her after heartbreak.

That is, until Greenwalds decide to take up residence in Seaview.

from Goodreads

I fell in love with this story right away. The time period, Lily, the complicated friendships, Nick, the mystery of how it all unraveled. I was hooked. I love reading about people who used to take whole summers off somewhere outside the city. The rich and the idle are such interesting creatures and its fascinating to see how they spend their days. Only in books though I find the rich and the idle in real life pretty boring.

The love story of Nick & Lily was beautifully written. Nick was Jewish and while the world pre-WWII might have cared, Lily didn’t. Lily saw him and fell hard and we find out that Nick fell hard too. I couldn’t understand what could break them apart and then when I did find out I was a little disappointed because it seemed small in comparison to how they felt. But just like in real life, often misunderstandings or harsh words can cause more damage than they should.

I devoured this book faster than I expected (often books on my Nook only get read a few nights a week in bed) but it did fall apart for me toward the end. The soap opera like quality became too melodramatic for me and while I liked the end, it might have been nice to have more understanding of the characters than excitement over the weather. I wanted a bit more from Budgie and Lily’s mom.

I loved most of this one but it ended up just a little less than that for me, but I consider myself a new fan and am really looking forward to her first book, Overseas. It seems most bloggers who read both liked Overseas better. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to any romance lover. Williams knows how to deliver romance for sure!

Question- If you got to spend every summer somewhere else where would you choose? I’ll reveal my answer in the comments 🙂