The Raising by Laura Kasischke

The Raising by Laura Kasischke
Published by Harper Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins
Review copy provided by the publicist

The accident was a horrific one, and it left beautiful, popular, smart sorority girl Nicole dead. Craig, her boyfriend and the one driving the car that killed her, is back at school a year later, trying to put his life back together. Perry, his roommate and Nicole’s long-time friend, is working through his own grief by taking a class about death and dying. Mira, Perry’s professor of said course, is working hard to juggle her full-time career, manage her stay-at-home husband’s happiness, and care for her two-year-old twins. And Shelly, a music professor at the same college, who was the first person at the scene of the accident, has given up on telling the media outlets and police the truth of what really happened that night. She spends her time trying to convince herself that what she saw that night – Nicole, very much alive after the accident – was a figment of her imagination, instead of a mystery that needs to be solved.

The Raising is one of the most interesting and surprising novels I’ve read in a while. When I began reading it, I thought the book would mainly be about how these characters dealt with their grief in the wake of Nicole’s death, and truth be told I didn’t understand why it was such a long book. I wasn’t sure how Shelly and Mira would fit in with the rest of the characters, or even if their stories really had anything to do with the meat of the novel. Boy, was I wrong!

While I absolutely was intrigued by and ended up loving the plot of this novel, the characters really took me by surprise (in a good way). Craig, Perry, Mira, and Shelly were each extremely vivid characters, expertly created by Kasischke and crafted into real people. And the way that their stories all came together in the end so the reader could finally understand how important each one was to the overall story – I thought that was genius. The character of Nicole, while she isn’t technically alive in the book, came alive through the other characters’ memories of her. By the end of the novel, I felt that I knew Nicole just as well as everyone else.

I loved that there was a mystery aspect to this novel, especially because I wasn’t expecting that at all. It has that creepy kind of undertone throughout the entire book, which was just delicious. I couldn’t wait to find out what characters’ motivations really were for their actions, what secret they were trying to cover up, and what really happened to Nicole. While the characters were fantastic, it was the mysterious plot that caused me to have extreme difficulty putting the book down!

I definitely feel that I can’t properly do The Raising justice in this review because the book really is that good. It’s the kind of book where the action builds slowly, allowing the reader to really get to know the characters before the “real” plot starts to happen. But if you are a patient reader, you will be rewarded in a big way by this novel. I loved, loved it!

Faking It by Elisa Lorello

Faking It by Elisa Lorello
Published by AmazonEncore
Review copy sent by the publicist

Andi Cutrone has just broken things off with her fiance and moved to New York City to take a job as a writing professor. When she meets drop-dead gorgeous Devin, she is surprised to find out that he is an actual male escort, one whom many of her coworkers hire quite frequently. After getting to know him a bit, Andi and Devin strike a deal – he will teach her the finer points of being with a man, and she will teach him to become a better writer. But an unexpected bond forms between the two of them – the type of bond that makes Andi question whether this is just a business relationship or if it has the potential for something more.

I was expecting to find a lighter, fun and romantic read when I picked up Faking It - and that was just fine with me. I saved the book for when I needed something a bit “easier” on my brain, and I sat back, ready to enjoy the wonderful fluffiness that I was expecting. And while the novel definitely delivered on that front, it ended up having more depth than I thought it would, thus surpassing any expectations I had about how much I would enjoy it.

Andi is the kind of character the reader can’t help but like. I really felt for her and couldn’t help but root for things to work out in her favor. I saw myself in her at times, especially when she was honest with Devin about her insecurities about her body – I’m no stranger to those feelings myself, and I could literally feel her vulnerability as she revealed those parts of herself to him (emotionally and literally). She is an extremely authentic character and the fact that she was written so honestly was a huge part of what was so great about this book.

The romantic tension between Andi and Devin was seriously hot. I don’t read a lot of romance novels, and Faking It isn’t a romance in the technical sense, but there are some majorly romantic scenes in the novel – and what fun they were to read! I definitely rooted for Andi and Devin to get together and live happily ever after… and you’ll just have to read the book for yourself to find out what happens!

About a month after I received Faking It in the mail I was delighted to find out that there is a sequel, which I subsequently received as well. I can’t tell you how excited I am to read the sequel in the very near future. The novel really did capture me that much – I just loved it.

I definitely recommend Faking It - it has an extremely likable main character, an exciting romance, and an extremely fun plot. If you like any or all of these elements in a book, don’t miss this novel.

Winners of Caleb’s Crossing

Congratulations to Mystica and Dianne! You both win an ARC of Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks!

Caribou Island by David Vann

Caribou Island by David Vann
Published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins
Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley

On a small island in Alaska, Gary and Irene’s marriage is deteriorating rapidly. After thirty years together, they are attempting to build a cabin on Caribou Island to reclaim the feelings they first had when they came to Alaska to live. But the project is not going well – they are blindly attempting to put the cabin together, the weather is atrocious, Irene is struck with awful migraines that leave her bedridden, and Gary becomes obsessed with getting this cabin built at any cost. Caught in the drama is their adult daughter Rhoda, who is dealing with the disappointments of her own life as well as the issues between her parents. Caribou Island is a darkly honest and beautifully written novel about one couple’s journey to redemption.

When I finished reading Caribou Island, I can honestly say that my feelings for the novel were all over the place. I had a very difficult time trying to figure out if I actually liked the book or if I strongly disliked it – it definitely could have gone either way. And now, several weeks later, I’m still trying unsuccessfully to wrap my brain around this novel. On the one hand, the writing is excellent – dark, atmospheric, the kind of writing that draws the reader into a book, regardless of the actual story. On the other hand, the characters were flawed to the point where I strongly disliked them, the story itself is extremely depressing, and it left me with such strange, confused feelings.

I still can’t say for sure that I liked or disliked Caribou Island, but what I can say is that I appreciated the novel. The writing really is stunning. Several times throughout the book I had to pause and ask myself if I wanted to continue reading such a depressing novel, and every time I decided to continue on with it because of how much I was enjoying Vann’s writing.

Every single character in this novel is impossible to like. Gary is obsessed with building this cabin, no matter the cost, and basically ignores his wife’s excruciating pain as she deals with her migraines. Irene has already given up on Gary and everything else in her life, and is simply putting on a show for him, building the cabin because he wants her to. Rhoda is okay, but her boyfriend is not a good guy and she doesn’t seem to see him for his true self. In a way I admire Vann for creating these despicable characters that the reader can’t help but want to understand, but also I have to admit to being annoyed with how much I disliked these people. It was difficult to find any redeeming qualities in them, to connect with them at all, which made the overall reading experience somewhat depressing.

I have a love/hate relationship with the ending of Caribou Island. It was very fitting to the rest of the story – it’s shocking, sad, and actually makes a lot of sense given the rest of the book. But it made me feel so very depressed and when I closed the book I had a difficult time shaking the feelings of sadness I was experiencing. It was just such a hopeless ending, such a terrible thing to happen to this family – it made it difficult for me to say I enjoyed the book as a whole.

So, all that being said, in the end the word “appreciate” best captures the way I feel about this novel. I appreciate what David Vann did here, even though I didn’t particularly like it. I would recommend Caribou Island for readers who delight in fantastic writing and darker, more somber fiction.

Mini-reviews: A Variety of Nonfiction Reads (TSS)

The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill was the February selection for A Year of Feminist Classics, and I have to say that I found it to be surprisingly accessible and very interesting. As the book was written in 1869, and as I tend to have difficulty reading classics, I imagined that this would be a trying read for me. While it wasn’t the most fun book I’ve ever read, it was a much more enjoyable experience than I was expecting! I was pleasantly surprised by how progressive Mill’s opinions were on the subject of women’s rights and equality. Of particular interest to me was the fact that he mentioned the social construction of gender multiple times throughout the book. While he didn’t use the phrase “social construction of gender” (of course) he blatantly stated that men “are” a certain way and women “are” another way because society tells men and women how to behave and think, and people tend to act accordingly. While anyone who has taken Women’s Studies 101 or even read a basic feminist text will be able to explain this nowadays, I didn’t expect to read about someone having a solid understanding of that concept in the mid-1800′s. Overall, this was a pleasant reading experience and I would definitely recommend The Subjection of Women as an important feminist classic.

The Sacredness of Questioning Everything by David Dark was exactly the kind of thing I needed to read at the time I was reading it. What Dark argues is that the God of the Bible doesn’t look for us to be docile sheep who simply go along with the crowd, acting and thinking just like everyone else. Instead, the God of the Bible encourages questioning, demands that we look at the world with a critical eye, analyze what’s happening around us and really question those aspects of life and of faith that just don’t add up. I loved this book so much because often in my faith journey, I get the feeling that I am doing it wrong. That when I read a passage of scripture or hear a teaching by my pastor and think to myself, “Hmm, not sure I agree with this” that I am somehow offending God, that I am not being an obedient child of His. I needed to be reminded that it was God Himself who gave me my brain, who gave me the freedom to think for myself and the courage to question that which just does not agree with my sensibilities. This may not be the book for everyone, but it tremendously encouraged me and I would highly recommend it.

I loved, LOVED The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. In case you haven’t seen the buzz this book has generated, Gretchen Rubin dedicated a year of her life to trying to become a happier person and then wrote a book about that year. She also maintains a blog about her happiness project, which I have visited one time but now I plan on becoming a regular reader. This book was just so very motivating. I do not have the time nor the energy to come up with an actual happiness project of my own, but I can see the immense value in some of the things Rubin did, especially when it comes to attitude adjustments. I loved that she came up with twelve personal commandments for herself and really attempts to live according to those commandments – something I definitely would consider doing myself. Truly, I loved so many things about this book and I absolutely couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.

I also really liked Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo by Vanessa Woods. Vanessa is an Australian scientist who thought she would want to study chimpanzees for the rest of her life – that is, until she met and fell in love with Brian, who researches bonobo apes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She agrees to travel to the Congo with Brian and gets involved with his research, and this decision completely changes the course of her life. The first time I’d personally heard of the bonobo was when I read Sara Gruen’s Ape House, and I have to admit that as a reader, I fell in love with these delightful animals immediately. That love was expanded quite a bit after reading Bonobo Handshake - I still find it so difficult to believe just how human-like these apes really are. They can communicate, cooperate, show affection, form familial bonds, among many other things. Many traits that we believe make us human these bonobos actually share. I also appreciated that Woods treats the reader to quite a bit of information regarding the government in the Congo, the various wars that have happened there, and how the bonobo/chimpanzee black market works there. Also, I listened to Bonobo Handshake and can definitely recommend the audio version. This was such a fascinating read, I absolutely recommend it.

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers
Published by St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of Macmillan

Eddie Reeves is still reeling from her father’s tragic suicide. In her grief, she is desperate to find out why he did such a horrific thing – he was a successful photographer, he had what Eddie thought to be a happy marriage with her mother, and he had Eddie: his wonderful daughter who loved him more than anything in the world. Why would he leave all the beauty the world has to offer for such an early death? While she’s exploring her father’s art studio one afternoon, she meets Culler Evans, a student of her father’s, someone who loved and respected him almost as much as Eddie had. She immediately begins to fall for him – not only is he mysterious and interesting to her, but he seems to know her father on a different level than she, and Eddie hopes he will give her some insight on why her dad did what he did. Her relationship with Culler begins to get very intense, very quickly, and Eddie must decide if she wants to explore the dark, uncharted waters of her father’s life.

Fall for Anything is intense with a capital I. The way Summers is able to create such an emotionally charged piece of fiction, the kind of book that makes the reader feel what the characters are feeling, is pretty amazing. This is one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve read in a while, and the raw emotion that is displayed on the page makes the novel almost impossible to put down.

Eddie is the kind of character that is impossible for the reader not to love. She is extremely scared, confused, and overwhelmingly sad – and as I stated, the reader feels these emotions right along with her. The situation she finds herself in overall really sucks – not only did her dad commit suicide, but her mom is barely able to function as she grieves, and her mom’s friend, Beth, who has moved in to take care of Eddie’s mom basically tells Eddie to get over her grief so she can focus on her mother’s. Beth as a character is someone I absolutely detested, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what adult with a brain in his/her head would think that a teenager doesn’t need to grieve over the loss of a parent. It was maddening to me. But it did cause me to feel even more connected to Eddie, and I felt more empathy for her situation, causing me to hope and pray that she would be okay eventually.

The conclusion to Fall for Anything was the right one, I think, for the story. Things will never be perfect for Eddie and her mom, and that is clear from the ending, but as a reader I was satisfied that their little family would get through the tragedy.

I can’t say enough praise about Courtney Summers. Now that I’ve read two of her novels, I can safely say that I am a fan of her work, and for young adult novels, she is an author not to be missed.

The Sunday Salon + Weekly Geeks!

Two weeks ago, I said I was taking a “short” break… I had planned to be up and running and churning out reviews this past week, but that clearly didn’t happen. It is more complicated, time-consuming, and stressful than I had anticipated to move into a new home, and let’s just say that I have been very busy over the last couple of weeks.

That being said, I still don’t know exactly when I’ll start to post reviews again. I’ve been reading a little, but haven’t had the time or energy to sit down and collect my thoughts in a way that would allow a review. For now, I’ll just focus on getting my new home all settled and enjoy that. Which, by the way, I absolutely love. LOVE.

I have not participated in Weekly Geeks in I don’t even know how long, and I thought this week’s topic was fun, so there you have it. This week, we were asked to list ten facts about books as pertaining to us personally. Here are ten random things about me and books.

1. Last year, I organized my bookshelves by color. It looked super pretty but I could never find the books I was looking for, so I reorganized them by author’s last name. Now it’s much easier to find specific books, but the shelves are not nearly as pretty.

2. Before I was a blogger, I was a book monogamist. Now I can read no fewer than three books at one time. Typically it’s more like five or six at once.

3. I always use a bookmark.

4. I discovered audiobooks about two years ago, and thank God I did. So much love for audios over here.

5. My favorite book format is trade paperback. Not too heavy, easy to keep open, the paper is usually decent if not really nice, and they look great lined up together on my bookshelves. And they are much more affordable than hardcover.

6. I have to admit, I am a sucker for buying books online from “big box” stores. The deals are just really difficult for me to pass up.

7. As much as I like to own my books, I am a huge library fan. There’s just so many books, all for the taking, all for FREE! And plus, if you dislike a book, you don’t have to feel bad about that – just return it and find something else.

8. My husband has always been a sporadic reader at best. Now he finishes a book every few weeks and has a huge TBR wishlist. I like to take credit for this.

9. I truly believe there is nothing better, book-wise, than an excellent chunkster. But I unfortunately don’t read enough long books, as I seem to lack the patience it requires to really get into the story. I need to work on this.

10. The first book I can remember reading over and over and over again is Addie Meets Max.

That was fun! What are some interesting facts about you and books?

I hope to post some reviews this week, but if I don’t, you can bet I’ll be busy with other stuff. What are you up to this weekend?

Giveaway: Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

I have to admit that I haven’t read anything by Geraldine Brooks, but she’s one of the top authors on my “authors I need to get to soon” list. (I don’t have a physical list, just one in my head, lol!) I was very excited when I received an email asking if I wanted to host a giveaway of Brooks’ latest novel, Caleb’s Crossing. Obviously I am thrilled to have the opportunity to give away TWO copies of this awesome-sounding novel!

In addition, I am happy to treat you to a Q&A with Ms. Brooks about Caleb’s Crossing.

Caleb Cheeshahteamauk is an extraordinary figure in Native American history. How did you first discover him? What was involved in learning more about his life?

The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head/Aquinnah are proud custodians of their history, and it was in materials prepared by the Tribe that I first learned of its illustrious young scholar.   To find out more about him I talked with tribal members, read translations of early documents in the Wopanaak language, then delved into the archives of Harvard and the Massachusetts Bay Colony, especially the correspondence between colonial leaders and benefactors in England who donated substantial funds for the education and conversion to Christianity of Indians in the 17th century.   There are also writings by members of the Mayhew family, who were prominent missionaries and magistrates on the island, and John Cotton, Jr., who came here as a missionary and kept a detailed journal.

There is little documentation on Caleb’s actual life. What parts of his life did you imagine? Do you feel you know him better after writing this book, or is he still a mystery?

The facts about Caleb are sadly scant.  We know he was the son of a minor sachem from the part of the Vineyard now known as West Chop, and that he left the island to attend prep school, successfully completed the rigorous course of study at Harvard and was living with Thomas Danforth, a noted jurist and colonial leader, when disease claimed his life.  Everything else about him in my novel is imagined.  The real young man—what he thought and felt—remains an enigma.

Bethia Mayfield is truly a woman ahead of her time. If she were alive today, what would she be doing? What would her life be like with no restrictions?

There were more than a few 17th century women like Bethia, who thirsted for education and for a voice in a society that demanded their silence.  You can find some of them being dragged to the meeting house to confess their “sins” or defending their unconventional views in court.   If Bethia was alive today she would probably be president of Harvard or Brown, Princeton or UPenn.

The novel is told through Bethia’s point of view. What is the advantage to telling this story through her eyes? How would the book be different if Caleb were the narrator?

I wanted the novel to be about crossings between cultures.  So as Caleb is drawn into the English world, I wanted to create an English character who would be equally drawn to and compelled by his world.   I prefer to write with a female narrator when I can, and I wanted to explore issues of marginalization in gender as well as race.

Much of the book is set on Martha’s Vineyard, which is also your home. Did you already know about the island’s early history, or did you do additional research?

I was always intrigued by what brought English settlers to the island so early in the colonial period…they settled here in the 1640s.   Living on an island is inconvenient enough even today; what prompted the Mayhews and their followers to put seven miles of treacherous ocean currents between them and the other English—to choose to live in a tiny settlement surrounded by some three thousand Wampanoags? The answer was unexpected and led me into a deeper exploration of island history

You bring Harvard College to life in vivid, often unpleasant detail. What surprised you most about this prestigious university’s beginnings?

For one thing, I hadn’t been aware Harvard was founded so early.  The English had barely landed before they started building a college. And the Indian College—a substantial building—went up not long after, signifying an attitude of mind that alas did not prevail for very long.  It was fun to learn how very different early Harvard was from the well endowed institution of today.  Life was hand to mouth, all conversation was in Latin, the boys (only boys) were often quite young when they matriculated.   But the course of study was surprisingly broad and rigorous—a true exploration of liberal arts, languages, and literature that went far beyond my stereotype of what Puritans might have considered fit subjects for scholarship.

As with your previous books, you’ve managed to capture the voice of the period. You get the idiom, dialect, and cadence of the language of the day on paper. How did you do your research?

I find the best way to get a feel for language and period is to read first person accounts—journals, letters, court transcripts.  Eventually you start to hear voices in your head: patterns of speech, a different manner of thinking.  My son once said, Mom talks to ghosts.  And in a way I do.

May 2011, Tiffany Smalley will follow in Caleb’s footsteps and become only the second Vineyard Wampanoag to graduate from Harvard. Do you know if this will be celebrated?

In May Tiffany Smalley will become the first Vineyard Wampanoag since Caleb to receive an undergrad degree from Harvard College. (Others have received advanced degrees from the university’s Kennedy school etc.)  I’m not sure what Harvard has decided to do at this year’s commencement, but I am hoping they will use the occasion to honor Caleb’s fellow Wampanoag classmate, Joel Iacoomis, who completed the work for his degree but was murdered before he could attended the 1665 commencement ceremony.

To enter to win one of two ARC editions of Caleb’s Crossing, please leave me a comment here. And I’m curious: have you read any of Geraldine Brooks’ novels in the past? Which one(s) and did you enjoy it/them?

The giveaway is international, and I will draw two winners on Saturday, March 26th. Good luck!

TSS: Taking a Short Break

Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. This is going to be a very quick post because I have a lot going on this weekend. You see, hubby and I purchased a home – well, we will have purchased it after our closing tomorrow – and this week is packing/moving week! I’m beyond excited about this house, I haven’t mentioned it much here because I’ve been so nervous that somehow the whole thing would fall through, but it’s going to happen so now I can finally allow myself to talk about it! It’s a townhome and it’s new construction in an existing neighborhood. So we get all the benefits of new construction – we got to pick everything out, we are the only people who have ever lived there, the house is beyond beautiful, etc. – with all the benefits of an existing, fantastic neighborhood! There’s a town center with restaurants and shops directly across the street, and it’s in an excellent area with great schools, parks, nature trails, etc. I’m extremely excited.

So tomorrow is the closing, this week I am working a full week at work and packing today and the next few nights after work, and next Monday we are moving!

Because of that I’m going to abandon the blog for at least a week, maybe two. I have a blog tour post scheduled for the 15th but other than that you may not hear from me for a little while.

What are you up to this Sunday?

Falling Home by Karen White

Falling Home by Karen White
Published by NAL Trade, an imprint of Penguin
Review copy provided by the publicist

When Cassie Madison was twenty years old, she left her small Georgia hometown for an exciting life in New York City. Now she’s in her early thirties, is at the top of her game career-wise, and engaged to an intelligent, charming man. But a phone call from her sister puts all that on hold – their father is dying, and Cassie must return home for his final days. Cassie and her sister, Harriet, haven’t spoken since Harriet stole Cassie’s fiance and married him – inspiring Cassie to flee to New York. But when she gets to meet her nieces and nephews, spends time with Harriet and all the family members and friends she left behind all those years ago, she starts to question her glamorous New York lifestyle – maybe her new life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

I have to admit that I have very high expectations for Karen White – I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by her, and I’ve come to expect excellent, well-developed characters in fun, heartwarming novels. It came as quite a disappointment to me when I didn’t find Falling Home to be as good as her other novels. I still enjoyed the experience of reading it, but I thought it fell short in several areas.

First of all, the novel was just too long. 464 pages is a lot of pages for a “lighter” novel. Not only that, but it didn’t seem to me that White did a whole lot with those pages – the first half really seemed to drag on, and the deeper parts of the book didn’t really start until around the 300 page mark. And the ending, while it packed a huge punch, sort of came out of nowhere – the first half of the book was just too light for what came in the conclusion of the novel.

While I didn’t dislike the characters in this book, I can’t say that they were very complex. Despite all of Cassie’s protesting, it was obvious from the beginning what she would choose to do in the end. I would have liked for her character to not be so transparent. And the rest of the minor characters just seemed incredibly one-dimensional to me. Take Harriet, for example – she was this saintly matriarch, loved by everyone, including Cassie who was still a tiny bit angry at her. If this person stole her sister’s fiance, shouldn’t she be slightly less than perfect? I was thinking that, but her character in the novel was just about as perfect as a person can get. And other characters followed this pattern as well – just being too predictable, not human enough.

Despite all of this, I did enjoy the novel. I certainly didn’t love it, but for any fan of women’s fiction, Falling Home isn’t a bad choice. Karen White, although she disappointed me with this novel, is still a winner in my book.