Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr

A wonderful fantasy filled novel

This novel marketed towards teens, is a great novel for fantasy lovers of all ages. Set in a world where faeries live among humans, this story tests the bonds of love. I liked that the story did have a happy ending, though it was not what one would have thought "happy" would be. Ash and Keenan were both able to have what they really wanted, once they were able to "think outside of the box", and allow themselves to want what they thought was not possible. A wonderful story with a good message for our youth!

This book was courtesy of HarperCollinsCanada The Reading Group, as a crossover event with the theme of books for teens, that adults would enjoy as well.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox

I quite enjoyed this book

The story is of a woman who has spent over 60 years in a mental hospital. When the hospital is set to close, they contact a relative, who had no idea of her existence. Initially Iris is concerned about her long lost relative's mental stability, and whether it is safe to be with her. Iris however, soon warms to her Grandmother's sister. She searches for the reason why Esme has been locked up for so long, and can find only sketchy records at the institution. Her grandmother, Esme's sister, suffers from Alzheimer's, and can offer little to no help. We are able to view bits of Esme's patchy memory throughout the book, giving us only clues as to the events that led to her institutionalization. In the end, the truth comes, but too late.

This book started it's journey in the U.K. by a bookcrosser who mailed it to a bookcrosser here in Winnipeg. I picked it up at a local bookcrossing meeting.

The Christmas Train - David Baldacci

A delightful "feel good" Holiday novel. Light reading, perfect for this busy, stressful holiday time.

This book delivers the usual elements of holiday fare, but in the end, that is why we choose holiday themed books this time of year. Brimming with love, hope, kindness to strangers, and second chances, this book will give you the warm fuzzies you might not be able to find being elbowed in the mall, and having the parking spot you've waited 5 min. for be taken by someone who just drove up that second from the other direction!

I will be releasing this book immediately through bookcrossing, in the hopes of giving someone else the warm fuzzies this Christmas season!

The Swinging Bridge - Ramabai Espinet

A good book by a Canadian Author.

This book really studies the need for all of us to have "roots", and how those roots may be tied to land, traditions, family, and history, or a combination thereof. I really felt that Mona found her roots in the end, and that while some of those roots were tied to the land of her childhood, she could accept those roots, despite being elsewhere physically. Mona was able to find peace in her life once she was able to define her roots and their origins.

Thanks to HarperCollins Canada Reading Group.

The Assassin's Song - M.G. Vassanji

This book was well worthy of it's nomination for the Giller Prize, and it's subsequent short-listing. It would have been worthy of the prize had it won.

A stunning novel about living with the pressures that come from religious, cultural, political, traditional and familial sources, and the difficulties in amalgamating these pressures with our own wants and desires, and how in our youth, it is often difficult to define our wants and desires.

This story is set during turbulent times in India, and follows a young boy named Karsan, from his earliest days with his parents and brother, living at a shrine. He is next in line to succeed his father as Guru and caretaker of the shrine. Though is father tries to keep him in the traditional ways, he soon rebels and seeks his own life in America. But soon Karsan finds it is not always so easy to escape your past.

The book ends with a subtle but delicious twist at the end. A fine work by Vassanji.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards

A wonderful novel about how the line between right and wrong can blur, how secrets can damage our relationships, and split second decisions can haunt us always.

The story starts in 1964, when Dr. David Henry ( an orthopedic surgeon) delivers his own twins during a bad snowstorm. The first, born healthy, and the second with Down syndrome. He makes a split second decision, and hands this baby to his nurse with instructions to bring her to an institution. The nurse in turn, makes a split second decision, NOT to leave her in the institution. The novel follows the impact of these decisions for decades to follow.

Edwards navigates this psychologically and emotionally complicated tale with compassion, and leaves you feeling a connection with all the characters, disliking none of them. A Good read.

Autobiography of a Face

A touching story of a childhood cancer survivor, seriously disfigured by the disease.

Lucy Grealy holds nothing back while describing the thoughts and emotions going through her while fighting the cancer that took almost half her jaw at a very young age, even when those thoughts and emotions might have cast her in a less than complimentary light. While not only dealing with the physical effects of the disease and it's treatments, she also had to deal with the emotional scars caused by how other people saw her. From childhood cruelty, to teenage angst, to young adulthood, you see how the pain of other peoples perceptions affected her, and how she came to grow both because of it, and in spite of it at the same time.

In short, a wonderfully honest piece of work.

The Shadow lines - Amitav Ghosh

A very good book.

This book requires some time without distractions to read, as the constant back and forth shifting of time could be problematic should you be distracted. It is well worth the read should you find that quiet time though.

The story follows a Bengali family and an English family as their lives intertwine during a period of great political unrest. Ghosh examines the difficulties within families against this back-drop of political upheaval, and brings it together beautifully, while adding elements of time and memory to the story being told. A wonderful story well worth reading.

Ines of My Soul - Isabel Allende

I received this book in error, and I have to admit, I would have never picked it up on my own. I must also admit that I was extremely and pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!!! Allende has a writing style so smooth and passionate, that you can't help but be pulled in to the story. Love, lust, compassion, savagery and brutality all spill from these pages, which tell the story of the birth of the city of Santiago, Chile, from the perspective of the woman who helped found it. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

A very good book written from the perspective of an autistic boy. The author has a unique ability to make you feel like you are actually reading the work of an autistic child. Written as a "murder mystery", it chronicles the young boy's search for the killer of a neighborhood dog. The character is funny, likable, and above all, believable.

Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs

In reading this book, it was very hard to remember that it was written as a memoir. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and this book is a good example of that saying, should you believe the events as recounted by this author. I cannot help but wonder how much "artistic license" was used.

That being said, it was pretty funny, and compelling in a "morbid fascination kind of way". It is surprising that a young impressionable boy could come out of this kind of world and not be stark raving mad. Then again, not knowing him...perhaps he is stark raving mad! I can only hope that he has a good therapist.

Apologies

I must apologize to the anonymous poster, who commented on the entry for the Kite Runner on Oct. 24/07. I was in the midst of packing and preparing for a move, and I fell behind in my emails, and therefore their comment was not approved in a timely fashion. Once again I apologize. Thanks for visiting and participating!

I should be caught up by today, and will then post my thoughts on Running with Scissors.

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

A beautifully poignant story. Riveting and deeply touching at once, a book that will not be forgotten.

This book spans nearly four decades, and in doing so, tells the story of modern Afghanistan along with the story of unlikely childhood friends, Amir and Hassan, one a member of the social elite, they other a member of a much hated minority. With elements of family, friendship, betrayal, and loss, the effects of violence, and ultimately the search for redemption, the Kite Runner's layers run deep. Hosseini is a gifted writer, and I look forward to reading other work by this author.

This book is destined to be a favorite of many readers.

Children's Hospital paperback booksale

Today was Day 1, for the Winnipeg Children's Hospital bookmarket paperback sale, at St. Vital Shopping Centre. This sale runs Oct 18-20, 2007. It looks like Dufresne furniture stores are providing a lot of support, so kudos to them for their community involvement, and to all the volunteers who are so helpful and friendly.

This is not "The BIG" sale for Children's Hospital Bookmarket. That traditionally happens in May, when they pretty well take over the entire mall for a full week. This is a smaller scale, and can be found near London Drugs.

They have GREAT TITLES for GREAT PRICES, and the money goes to a very worthwhile cause. So if you can make it, swing by and pick up a book or two (or more haha)!

Titles I picked up today:
A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
Family Matters - Rohinton Mistry
The Shadow Lines - Amitav Ghosh
Black and Blue - Anna Quindlen
Do They Hear You When You Cry - Fauziya Kassindja

and a Box (Yes a BOX!) of harlequin's for my Mother. Total Cost...about $26

2007 Nobel prize for literature

Doris Lessing won the 2007 Nobel prize for literature.


read the reuters article

I am embarrassed to say that I have not read any of her books as of yet. She has written over 20 novels, as well as a multitude of short stories, poetry, plays, co-wrote two operas, nonfiction and two volumes of an autobiography. That's quite the collection of work. Her earliest published work appeared in 1950, with a recent release to her credit, that's 57 years of work! Bravo!

Galveston - Paul Quarrington

A past nominee for the Giller prize (short listed), I started this book with high expectations of finding some sort of unknown treasure in it's pages. I finished this book feeling ambivalent.

The story follows a small group of people, some local, some "weather weenies", during the onslaught of a strong hurricane on a small island. Sprinkled with comic descriptions, and tender moments, this book follows the age old theme of a mix-matched group of ordinary people, in extraordinary circumstances. While I cannot say I disliked the book, I did find it unmemorable.
In all fairness, I was somewhat distracted by the general issues of my life while reading this, but I can't imagine recommending this book to anyone with any real enthusiasm.

Life on the Refigerator Door - Alice Kuipers

With all the attention this book was generating, I was thoroughly intrigued. I picked up a copy from the bookstore by work when I ended up taking a last minute double shift, and needing reading material for my breaks, realized I had left the book I was reading at home. Since so many people had mentioned reading it in one sitting, or one day, it seemed like the perfect diversion. I finished the last of it that night in bed.

If one could measure emotion to word ratio, this book would come up high on the scale! It left me thinking how lucky I was - to have survived that period of my life, where babysitting and friends and fashion, seemed to come before my very own family - without suffering such an ordeal.

I know many people have commented on how the mother's character was not as evolved. It seems to me, that in the early part of the book she was all about her busy career (which is part of the reason the notes started), in the middle part of the book she is holding back, trying not to worry claire, and in the end of the book too ill to be a particularly "active" character. To me, her lack of depth was a part of the story, not a flaw. In my opinion, the story was about Claire.

Although sad, I quite enjoyed this book!

The beginning

So, I decided to start a book blog. I guess I will do some basic set-up before I "open the doors" so to speak, but we must all start somewhere.

I have included a link for bookcrossing.com. For those of you who have not heard of this, please check it out!!! Ever wondered what happens to the books you give away after you have read them??? bookcrossing.com is your chance to find out! It's a lot of fun!



Warning: Bookcrossing can be addicting!

Reading can be a fairly expensive hobby. Brand new books are a treat to be savored in moderation. Other than books I bring home from the local bookcrossing meetings, and friends,I scour the local used bookshop, and second hand stores for affordable reading. A good local used bookstore here in Winnipeg is The Family Book Exchange on St. Anne's Road. Cost is usually around half of new, and Laurie is very knowledgeable, and willing to put you on a wait list for books not currently in stock. You can also "cycle" many of the books bought there, by returning them once again for partial credit. She also keeps a binder of "if you like this author, you might like this other author" suggestions, and has a small shelf dedicated to Oprah's book club picks as well. I never leave with just one book!

Let the blogging begin!