The Lake of Dreams is the recent novel by Kim Edwards, author of The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. In the novel, Lucy Jarrett has been living abroad in Indonesia, and Japan, as far away as she can get from the town she grew up in, Lake of Dreams, where her father died in an accident ten years earlier. When she returns home to spend time with her mother, after she has been in a minor accident, Lucy is dragged back into…
I love Bill Bryson. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is one of the most hilarious memoirs I’ve ever read. Recently, I picked up an earlier book of his called A Walk in the Woods, about his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with an overweight, out of shape, ex-alchoholic friend of his. Needless to say, they didn’t make it all the way. But they did hike a good portion of the trail, and this book tells of…
Daughters of Fire by Tom Peek, is a modern day adventure story set on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is a mix of myth, culture, romance, thriller, mystery, and ancient Hawaiian ritual. Having lived for many years on the Big Island, I loved this book. Hawaii’s volcano goddess Pele comes alive in these pages, and if you have been to the Big Island, then you know, she is an undeniable force. The modern culture clash between Hawaiians and developers…
Upside Down Inside Out by Monica McInerney is a fun, romantic, somewhat predictable, slightly silly novel about an Irish woman on holiday in Australia who meets the man of her dreams, who is on holiday from London, both posing as someone other than themselves. If you can suspend your disbelief, it is a nice, lighthearted tale of travel, romance and happily ever after. Nothing amazing here, but enjoyable nonetheless. A fun vacation read. I do wonder though-who is that blond…
Barbara Kingsolver is one of the few authors whose books I just have to have-even when they are still in hardback. Sadly, I was very disappointed with her latest offering, Flight Behavior. This novel tells the story of the Monarch butterflies changing their migration for the first time in thousands of years and landing in a forest in Appalachia. The whole book is a warning about Global Warming. Although this is a real problem, and I feel strongly about this…
Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg is a book lovers book. Set inside a literary agency, and along the lines of The Devil Wears Prada, complete with the boss from hell, Ginsberg has concocted a story that is at times hilarious, at times mysterious, and always fully engaging. I stayed up half the night reading this book. It probably helps that, like the protagonist, my idea of heaven is being surrounded by wonderful books. Ginsberg’s writing is clever and witty-a well crafted tale…
Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott is a slim volume of thoughts on prayer. This is the latest addition to her non-fiction writing since she became religious and started writing about faith. She breaks everything down here into what she considers the three essential prayers: Help, Thanks, Wow. If you are a Lamott fan, this is a nice addition to her previous writings, with her direct, honest and often hilarious approach to life. If not, you should still enjoy this…
The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelman is part historical fiction, and part mystery, intrigue, political conspiracy and divination. Engelman has woven a story full of interesting characters both real and imagined that populate late 18th century Sweden at the time of the assassination of King Gustav III. She cleverly combines the use of cards, and the mysteries of fans into the novel. The pictures of the cards are wonderful. A fun and engaging read.
The Orchardist is an incredible debut novel by Amanda Coplin. Set at the turn of the twentieth century in the Pacific Northwest, a peaceful and solitary man named Talmadge makes his living as an orchardist, caring for his apricot and apple trees and selling the fruit himself in town. When two runaway, pregnant teenage girls show up on his land stealing his fruit out of starvation and desperation, his world is forever changed. Coplin is an amazing writer, getting to…
The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell begins with two disparate stories alternating back and forth between present day London, and London in the 50’s. The story of Lexie Sinclair, working and living among writers and artists of post-war Soho, seems to have no connection with the story of Elina, a Finnish artist living with her boyfriend in modern day London.The only tie that binds them is that they are both new mothers, navigating their way through the…