2009 ARC Reading Challenge

Book Review: Romeo Romeo by Robin Kaye

January 19, 2009 by Darlene

Romeo Romeo by Robin Kaye was such an entertaining read for me. I really enjoyed it. I’m not much of a romance reader but when it’s mixed with a funny story like this one, I do love it.

Rosalie Ronaldi is a career driven lady who doesn’t want the bother of a committment. She is in no way domesticated and likes it that way. She enjoys leaving her clothes and shoes laying all over, her bras hanging on the shower curtain and if she eats at home, it’s over the sink so she doesn’t dirty any dishes. In short, her place is a disaster. Nick Romeo is a hugely successful car dealership owner who is also tall, dark and handsome. What could be better-right? Well, he’s talented at many other things that range from in the bedroom and out as he can cook and clean too and gets Rosalie’s place in tip top shape in no time except that now she can’t find anything.

So, the story begins one night with a chance encounter when Rosalie has a flat tire, and the two meet. Rosalie, being herself, impresses Nick in a way most women don’t and he’s intrigued. Rosalie, while finding him gorgeous, isn’t all that interested-at first. They go on a few dates but things really don’t start changing until Rosalie gets really ill and Nick takes it upon himself to take care of her. Up until this point the two had an agreement of no strings attached to their relationship and that nothing serious could ever come of it. Even while telling themselves that they weren’t falling love, they were. There is a bit of a twist in the story though with Nick hiding who he really is from Rosalie and Rosalie pretending not to know.

Rosalie is such a great character. She’s funny and outspoken and is a woman who stands up for herself and what she believes in; she’s a strong female character and I liked that. Even though in her Italian family the thing to do is get married and have babies, she wasn’t about to cave in to that no matter how often her mother harrassed her. This book had me laughing out loud in so many places. It’s full of great people and funny dialogue and was such a good escape from some of the heavier stuff I have on my plate to read.

If you’re looking for a light and really entertaining read, this one is for you. Those readers who aren’t fond of some *sex scenes and a bit of bad language may want to shy away from this read but I didn’t find either overwhelming.

You can visit the author’s website here and many thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks for this great read.

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Book Review: Cassandra & Jane by Jill Pitkeathley

January 18, 2009 by Darlene

Cassandra & Jane by Jill Pitkeathley was suprisingly for me a good read. It’s a fictional story weaved in with facts on the life of Jane Austen. Normally I shy away from biographies of any kind but this was really quite different and I enjoyed it a great deal. Truthfully I was expecting a sequel type book to Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice so at first I felt disappointed but once I started reading and was drawn in by the author’s story I was hooked.

The story is told from the point of view of Jane’s older sister Cassandra which I liked because it made the story seem so much more personal. By all accounts they were extremely close. They were the only two girls in a family of eight children and they were only a few years apart in age so that would have drawn them together especially back in those times. They shared everything from their thoughts and feelings to Jane’s writing. Cassandra lost her true love early on and chose to remain alone after that and Jane, it seemed, did not have much luck in the love department either and remained single.

What I found most interesting was reading how things were back in the 1800’s for women. They had no rights or opinions for that matter. Their duty as women in the family was to get married (preferably a good marriage) and then take care of their husband and hopefully a big family. They didn’t have careers but if they weren’t able to marry they could become a governess or a teacher, both professions which for some reason were very unappealing back then. The other thing that would have been so scary for women back then was having children as so many passed on during childbirth. So, ultimately if women didn’t marry they lived at home taking care of their parents and later when their parents were gone they were taken care of by other family relatives.

I also enjoyed the tidbits of Jane Austen’s novels woven throughout the story. We get an idea of how the novels may have come about, the discussions that may have happened about them, even how their titles were finally decided on. It was interesting to me, not being a huge Austen fan, to read the original titles of some of the books – like Pride & Prejudice first being called First Impressions. I can’t imagine as Pride & Prejudice seems to fit the story so well but then we’ve had that title around for a good long time.

I found that the author told this story so well. She brought to life what might have been with the lines between truth and fiction seemingly invisible. She drew me into the Austen’s world at that time and so fully into both Cassandra and Jane Austen’s hopes, dreams and friendship. What has happened for me is that my interest has been sparked. I want to learn more about Jane Austen now. I’ve reserved a biography of her (yes me who doesn’t even like them), but I really want to know more about this amazing woman now who went against what was proper back then to write great novels that have stood the test of time.

Unfortunately Cassandra destroyed most of the letters ever written by Jane Austen which is sad but I imagine she had her reasons at the time, mainly being to protect her sister. Imagine how much more we might have known had those letters been passed on to historians. I’d like to end with a quote from the front of the book which embodies the relationship of Cassandra and Jane, the intense closeness that they shared. This quote grabbed me from the start, it’s at the very beginning of the book. I think it sets the tone for the novel in showing us how special they were to each other…

‘I have lost a treasure, such a sister, such a friend as never can have been surpassed. She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow; I had not a thought concealed from her, and it is as if I had lost a part of myself.’ (Letter written by Cassandra Austen to her neice Fanny Knight on 18 July 1817 after the death of her sister Jane Austen)

I did enjoy this novel and as I said it has sparked my interest in Jane Austen even more. I think anyone can enjoy this book. You don’t have to be a diehard Jane Austen fan to want to read it or enjoy it. The way Jill Pitkeathley has written this historical fiction novel invites all readers to enjoy it.

I also participated in a noontime chat on this novel this past week with J.Kaye from J.Kaye’s Book Blog and you can see her thoughts here, here and here and my thoughts here, here, and here. I think this novel would really make a good book club pick because even aside from the curiousty surrounding Jane Austen’s life there is also the topics of life for women in the 1800’s and all that entailed.

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Book Review: The Private Patient by P.D. James

January 17, 2009 by Darlene

The Private Patient by P.D. James pleasantly surprised me. I had never read one of her books before and wasn’t completely sure I was going to like this one when I first started as the first few chapters are a bit slower. However it wasn’t long before the author had dragged me right into the heart of this British mystery and I was hooked.

This is an Adam Dalgliesh mystery and not the first one either-apparently it is the fourteenth one. Sheesh, where have I been? I plan on making time to fit a few more of them into my reading. Ideally I’d like to start from the first one and work my way through. They aren’t a fast-paced thriller by no means yet you can’t seem to keep yourself from reading more and wanting to find out what comes next.

This story starts out following Rhoda Gradwyn as she plans on having plastic surgery to remove a scar. She sees a top plastic surgeon, Dr. Chandler-Powell, and makes plans to have her surgery done at the Cheverell Manor. Her surgery goes off without a hitch but unfortunately she never gets to leave the Manor alive. Dalgliesh and his team are called in to investigate and while trying to figure out one murder, yet another occurs at the Manor.

I think what I found most interesting about this novel was the solving of the mystery itself. You, as the reader, are taken through all the procedures required to solve a crime not to mention insights into the psychological side of the suspect’s natures. Another thing I really enjoyed was that it is a British mystery and I love their use of language and their sayings; I always have. In addition the descriptions of the Dorset countryside leave you wanting to be able to see it and experience it all for yourself.

I can’t really say I had a favorite character as this is much more of a plot driven book than character driven although the author does a wonderful job of fully developing all her characters. That being said, with this only being my first Adam Dalgliesh mystery, I must say that I’m already partial to him.

The writing in the novel is great. P.D. James attention to details-even the smallest ones is just amazing. From the beginning I kept going back and forth on who might be the killer. Even at the end when I was pretty sure I knew who it was, I was still debating with myself. That’s what I call a good old-fashioned mystery that’s to be savoured page by page.

The Private Patient by P.D. James was released by Random House in hardcover on September 16, 2008, and will be released in paperback on March 31, 2009. I would absolutely recommend this Adam Dalgliesh mystery!

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Book Review: The King’s Rose by Alisa M. Libby

January 12, 2009 by Darlene

The King’s Rose by Alisa M. Libby is a nice blend of history and a good fictional story to make it even more interesting. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from the author and I’m so glad I did as I really enjoyed it. This novel is written for a young adult audience yet I found it perfect for an adult audience as well. It certainly kept me reading to the very last page.

As most who are fascinated with the time period of Henry VIII know, Catherine Howard, who this novel is based on, did not come to a good end. Yet, the author weaved such a good tale around the history of this time that I was completely drawn into the world of Catherine Howard and the Tudor Court was brought to life once again. I really enjoy reading of the parties, balls, and the gowns-one of my favorite things to read about.

Henry VIII had six wives in his lifetime, Catherine Howard was number five. In this time period the point to any existence was how much power you had, how close to the King you could get no matter what you had to sacrifice as a family. The Howards, after Anne Boleyn’s beheading, were having financial difficulties and needed another pretty young face to catch the King’s attention. That pretty girl happened to be fifteen year old Catherine. The story is very well told from Catherine’s point of view and we get a feel of what the Tudor Court and all the responsibility of being a Queen would be like for such a young girl.

I’ve never read a lot on Catherine so this novel really drew me into the story. Many thought she was just a silly girl wanting more pretty things, not to mention she did not have a clean past as a girl marrying the King should. Yet we need to remember she was fifteen. This is still a child. Of course she was silly and romantic and wanted more pretty gowns and jewels. She didn’t have the maturity to be a proper wife; at that age she didn’t have any idea what to do. Catherine was following her family’s wishes as most young girls of that time had no choice but to do. Her family wanted her in the King’s way to be noticed and all of the family worked towards that goal. At the time of Catherine marrying King Henry VIII he was already an old man. Catherine was not in love with him and was taken with another young man at court and it didn’t take long before she was swayed in that direction. She had a taste of love-however any talk of betraying the King is treason.

Catherine’s past is finally revealed to the King along with her current pastimes and this does not bode well for her. He is angry of course and has her confined to her rooms. It has not helped that in the time they were married that Catherine was unable to produce an heir; that may have saved her. Along the way she is willing to risk her life and her family to find a way to become pregnant, keeping in mind that she is always coached from the sidelines by her family. The King leaves and Catherine’s life is decided by The Privy Council with the King’s consent. The author has weaved this story so realistically that I was in tears by the end and very impressed with a young girl approaching death in a very dignified manner.

In any novel of historical fiction I read I am always horrified by the lives of the young girls of this time. Being forced into marriage at such young ages and paraded on dance floors like pieces of meat has always made me angry. Catherine, being a young girl, did as she was told. Many times during the novel she is at her witt’s end because she doesn’t know anymore what to do or what to think. At the end when she is pressured for answers she is distraught because she has always had someone there to tell her what to say and what to do. She never really had a chance to be her own person as I think it was for many women of that time. Towards the end of the novel there is a quote I’d like share:

‘All of my life I felt as if I belonged to someone else: my father’s pretty daughter, my grandmother’s charge. Anne Boleyn’s cousin, betrothed to Francis, beloved of Thomas, then wife to King Henry. I think back now to when I was truly myself, and I can see it in my mind: I’m a child, lying in the grass and singing, the face of a kitten moving close and sniffing the tip of my nose. I had nothing then, or I thought I had nothing, but really I had everything: I had myself. That was truly me, on my own and complete. It makes me smile, just to think of it.’ (pg. 288 from an advance, uncorrected copy-may be different in published copy)

Catherine was fifteen years old when she was beheaded. A girl who never had a chance to become a woman. This novel gives us some insight into how things may have come about for her. It is written with great style and the story keeps moving forward at a good pace. I would recommend it for young adults 14 years and up and it is certainly suitable for an adult audience.

I hope Alisa M. Libby will delve into more historical fiction and if she does I’ll be watching for it. She has a wonderful talent for weaving a great fictional story in among the historical details. I must also mention before I finish here how much I love the cover-it’s beautiful! I like when the cover of the book matches up with significance in the novel itself-you’ll have to read it to know why though. You can visit her webiste here. This book will be available in the US on March 19, 2009 and you can purchase it here and in Canada on March 24, 2009 and you can purchase it here. Many thanks again to Alisa for sending me this wonderful novel!

Check out Melissa’s wonderful review here at Melissa’s Bookshelf.

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Book Review: The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

January 6, 2009 by Darlene

The School of Essential Ingredients is Erica Bauermeister’s first novel and what a novel it is! I have to say right off that I loved it! It is beautifully written with language that just seems to flow so smoothly throughout. From the very first page I was hooked and it took me a while longer to read this book as I stopped to re-read many passages just because they sounded so beautiful to me.

I love food and I love cooking so I think this goes a long way to making this book more beautiful to me. I love to pick up things I’m cooking with or eating and just smell them and experience them. It’s wonderful and that’s what this book is about-the things that food can teach us about life. For me, it’s about slowing down and really taking the time to experience the different tastes and feelings certain foods will give me.

On to the novel. It is about Lillian who owns a restaurant that sounds like a fantasy in itself. She teaches a cooking lesson each Monday night and the novel follows the lives of the eight people who take the class. There is Claire, a young mom who is struggling with the demands of two young children, a husband and all that goes with that. Then there is Carl and Helen, they are married but have experienced many up and downs in their marriage that has brought them to the loving couple they are now. We’ve got Antonia who is learning about American life having come from Italy and Tom, a widower, still struggling a great deal with the loss of his beloved wife. The last ones are Chloe, a very young girl, just trying to make something out of her life without breaking everything around her, and Ian, a budding chef who falls hopelessly in love with one of the ladies. Finally there is Isabelle, an older lady who is beginning to lose her memories but is so endearing. This book is about their stories and how food comes to bring them together and realize things about their lives they hadn’t known before.

Erica has brought these characters to life on these pages. I felt as though I was personally involved in each and every one of their lives. I can’t even say I had a favorite character in this novel because truthfully I felt drawn to all of them in different ways. I really loved the character of Lillian herself. She struggled as a girl with a mother who had her nose constantly buried in a book and therefore found her solace in cooking which became a lifelong passion. There are way too many passages in this book that I loved but I’ll share a few that I found especially wonderful…

‘Aromas that started calling to her’…’Some smells were sharp, an olfactory clatter of heels across a hardwood floor. Others felt like the warmth in the air at the far end of summer’.

Making a white sauce…’and Lillian looked at the sauce, an untouched snowfield, its smell the feeling of quiet at the end of an illness, when the world is starting to feel gentle and welcoming once again’.

‘The more she cooked, the more she began to view spices as carriers of the emotions and memories of the places they were originally from and all those they had traveled through over the years’.

There’s so many more like that, all throughout the book. The last quote for me rings so true. How many times do you walk in a room or somewhere else and smell that certain spice and then relive the memories it brings back. As I said for me this book was beautiful. I loved the descriptions of food and could almost smell the aromas drifting from the pages.

I thorougly enjoyed this novel and would love to thank Erica for sending it to me. I was lucky enough to receive the last copy she had and for that I’m grateful. I don’t do this often, but Erica’s is one book I’m going to order in hardcover to keep on my shelves and go back to for a comfort read because that’s what this book felt like to me-comfort. You can visit Erica’s website here and you can buy her book in Canada here and in the US here.

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Book Review: The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

January 5, 2009 by Darlene

I’ve been a huge Nicholas Sparks fan for years now and have read everything he’s written so of course I had to read this one too. The Lucky One was a good read, maybe not as good as some of his earlier ones but I still really enjoyed it.

This novel centres mainly on Logan, Elizabeth, and Keith-Elizabeth’s ex-husband; it is told to us from their points of view.

Logan was a soldier who had served in Iraq. While there he finds this photo with a beautiful woman in it and after finding nobody to claim it, he keeps it with him all the time. It ends up becoming his good luck charm. He and his friend Victor believe it’s what brings him through the war alive.

After he leaves the war, he takes his friend Victor’s advice and sets out to search for and find Elizabeth who is the lady in the photo although he doesn’t know this at the time. He has some clues from the picture itself on which direction to head and he sets out to walk hundreds and hundreds of miles to get there with his dog in tow. He doesn’t know what to think. Does he owe this woman something for keeping him alive during the war? The power of a thought and belief can be a lifesaver when trying to survive the daily nightmare of the war. Victor believes that it is Logan and Elizabeth’s destiny to be brought together.

Logan finds Elizabeth. She lives with her Nana and her son Ben. Elizabeth is a teacher but Nana runs a dog kennel/training business and Logan manaages to secure himself a job there. From this point the story takes off and we’re drawn into Logan and Elizabeth’s relationship and its developments, along with a lot more on her not so nice ex, Keith. He is a cop and comes from a very influential family in the area and doesn’t hesitate to use his control over anybody and everybody if it suits his advantage.

I really enjoyed the story although the flashbacks to the war I found boring and I really don’t think they added anything to the story. My favorite character was Elizabeth although I really liked Nana’s spunkiness too. As usual Sparks managed to draw me completely into the characters and the story. I liked that this one had the romantic aspect with a touch of suspense too. It started out slowly for me but when it took off I had a hard time putting it down. I had to know how it was going to end. I think fans of Nicholas Sparks will enjoy this new novel of his and as a true fan, I look forward to whatever he offers up next.

Many thanks to Miriam at Hachette for sending me yet another good book to enjoy!

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