Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch

Girls in TrucksTitle:  Girls in Trucks
Author:  Katie Crouch
Publisher:  Back Bay Books
Publication Date:  April 7, 2009
Format:  Paperback, 272 pages
Age Group:  Adult

Sarah Walters grew up in the South, a member of one of the oldest debutante societies in Charleston.  The Camellias teach rules of etiquette and proper behavior for young ladies in preparation for a charmed Southern life with an appropriate husband.  Sarah Walters, however, is not a proper young lady and her life is anything but charmed.  Although she spends much of her college years and beyond in the North, Sarah finds that something always pulls her back home.

I enjoyed Girls in Trucks quite a lot when I started reading it.  Sarah's voice is fresh and honest.  She tells it like it is and often deflects emotion with humor.  The time line shifted frequently, which was a bit confusing, but I was still able to hold the thread of the story through Sarah.  Unfortunately, somewhere around the middle of the book, the author began repeating information.  There would be a quick paragraph about Sarah's relationship with Max as if the reader needed a reminder even though we had just spent chapters in that portion of Sarah's life.  Another was a reference to Sarah's sister's wedding, reminding the reader that she had been married twice, after we had just lived the story of Sarah as the bridesmaid at the second wedding.

Another issue that I had with Girls in Trucks was the shifting point of view.  Most of the book is told through Sarah in first person but every once in a while another character steps in and takes over.  Then there was a strange section that was still focused on Sarah but was suddenly in third person.  I don't mind multiple character point of view but I would prefer the point of view be consistent through the entire book.

Crouch has wonderfully strong characters.  They are flawed and engaging and I really wanted to become absorbed in their story.  The writing is often refreshing and entertaining.  I just wish inconsistencies in the point of view and the repetition of information hadn't pulled me out of the story.

I was sent a copy of Girls in Trucks to review by Hachette Book Group in April 2009 when I also hosted a giveaway for this title.  Somehow it got pushed to the bottom of the pile and I just got around to reading it.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Monday, February 22, 2010

A Peek at the Review Pile (1)


photo credit: Andrew B47 via photo pin cc
I've had lots going on in the past few weeks and it doesn't look like things are going to slow down any time soon.  As a result of being busy, lack of sleep, and general stress my reading time has really taken a hit lately.  Today I took an afternoon nap when my daughter did.  I can't remember the last time I was tired enough to do that!

Anyway, I am still reading, even if it is going slowly, so I wanted to share with you some of the books that are sitting here waiting to be read and reviewed.

Currently Reading:

Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch is one that I'm about 3/4 of the way through.  I'm really hoping to get this one finished and reviewed soon.

The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West looks like it is going to be a great book about sleep for the early years.

In the Review Pile:

Master Your Debt by Jordan E. Goodman -- more financial advice to help us survive in this crazy economy.

The Power of Half by Kevin & Hannah Salwen is the story of one family's decision to live on less and give more to people who need it.

Longbourn's Unexpected Matchmaker by Emma Hox is another Pride & Prejudice spin off.  Look for a blog tour and giveaway coming in April.

The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser is the first in the Lumby series with the fifth book coming out this spring.

Twice Dead by Kalayna Price is the second book in her Haven series.  I am really looking forward to reading this one as I love the first book, Once Bitten.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

100 Followers!


I'm very excited that I have just reached a blogging milestone -- 100 followers!  It has taken me quite some time to get to this point but I'm glad that you are here with me.  There are many things I would like to improve on this blog this year including posting more regularly and a whole new layout so we'll just have to see if it actually happens.

To thank all of you wonderful followers, I will be selecting at least 2 winners in the February Giveaway.  If you haven't already entered it, it is open until February 24.  Comments on the post are moderated but I will approve entries as soon as I can.

Thank you again for taking this journey in reading with me!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

One Amazing ThingTitle:  One Amazing Thing
Author:  Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 
Publisher:  Voice
Publication Date:  February 2, 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 240 pages
Age Group:  Adult

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel, One Amazing Thing, is the story of nine people who are trapped together after an earthquake.  Well, it is actually more of nine stories as each of the characters tells of 'one amazing thing' that has happened in their life.  There is also the over arching story of their current experience as they hope for rescue while facing the possibility of death.

I honestly can't decide if I liked this book or not.  I want to.  Many of the stories are compelling and beautifully written.  On the other hand, the constantly shifting point of view from character to character, between stories and current events, and changes from first to third person and back made the novel difficult for me to follow at times.  Sometimes the narration would change between first and third person even as one character was telling a story so it was very difficult to determine who was actually speaking.  I would become absorbed in a story and then a sudden shift would occur to pull me out of it.  I realize that this was intended to mimic the experiences the characters were having as they dealt with the fallout from the earthquake but it made it hard to concentrate on the book.

I also found the ending to be abrupt and unsatisfying.  Again, I realize it mimics the experiences of the characters but it felt to me as if the author simply stopped writing without any sort of conclusion to the novel.  There were individual stories that felt this way as well - as if the story teller was interrupted and never got to finish their tale.

I think One Amazing Thing could have been a wonderful story examining the similarities of the human condition in times of distress but somehow the story as it is is lacking.

This review is based on an Advance Reading Copy sent to me for review by the publisher in response to my request via an advertisement in the Shelf Awareness newsletter.



Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Stephanie Saldana radio interview

New Hampshire Public Radio has a wonderful interview with Stephanie Saldana, author of The Bread of Angels.  On the same page, they also have a slide show narrated by Stephanie.  It was interesting to hear her voice after reading such an intimate story and a fantastic opportunity to hear a bit more about her experience in the Middle East and her reasons for writing the book.

I greatly enjoyed The Bread of Angels and did a complete review of the book on February 4, 2010.  I was quite surprised to see a link to this review on the NHPR page!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Featured at Oodles of Books

Miss Cindy at Oodles of Books runs a Sunday featured called Meet a Blogger.  Today, I am the featured blogger.  So if you would like to know more about me and the beginnings of Library Girl Reads, head over to Oodles of Books and check out Meet a Blogger.

Thanks so much to Miss Cindy for featuring me on her blog today!

Happy Valentine's Day :-)


Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

Men of the Otherworld: A Collection of Otherworld TalesTitle:  Men of the Otherworld
Author:  Kelley Armstrong
Publisher:  Bantam Books
Publication Date:  February 23, 2010
Format:  Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  related to the Women of the Otherworld Series, might be the first book in a Tales of the Otherworld series

When Kelley Armstrong started her website, she asked her readers what they would like to see her write about in an online novella.  The readers wanted to know about the guys who are characters in the Women of the Otherworld books.  This started an annual tradition of Armstrong allowing her readers to vote for which topic she would write about next. Armstrong said she would only consider publishing these stories if she was able to donate her proceeds to charity.  Her publisher agreed and the result, Men of the Otherworld, is the first time that some of the online stories have been available in a book.  Proceeds go to World Literacy of Canada, a non-profit volunteer organization.

Men of the Otherworld focuses on the male werewolves:  Malcolm, Jeremy, and Clayton Danvers.  I had not read these stories when they were available on Armstrong's website so it was a great way to get their background stories.  While it is definitely not necessary to know this information when reading the books of Women of the Otherworld, knowing so many more details about the men does add a new dimension to those books.  Now we understand why Jeremy is different from the other werewolves and how Clayton came to be so damaged.  Although the book contains two short stories and two novellas, Armstrong's focus on the werewolves and movement through time make it easy to forget that this isn't just a single novel.

I am eagerly anticipating the April release of Tales of the Otherworld which will contain more of Armstrong's online fiction as well as a new story.  Men of the Otherworld was a great book and I'm sure Tales of the Otherworld will be also.  Although Armstrong is no longer writing online novellas relating to the Otherworld, she does have some of the other stories still available at her website - www.kelleyarmstrong.com

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Monday, February 8, 2010

Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop

Letter to My Daughter: A NovelTitle:  Letter to My Daughter
Author:  George Bishop
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Publication Date:  February 16, 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 160 pages
Age Group:  Adult

When her almost fifteen year old daughter runs away after they have a fight, Laura sits down to write her a letter describing her teen years.  It is a confession of sorts for Laura who now reveals why she was sent away to a strict Catholic school, her relationship through letters with a boy serving in Vietnam, and the meaning behind her tattoo.

Letter to My Daughter is a very short novel at only 160 pages.  The length and the conversational tone of the letter make it a very fast read despite the very emotional content.  Laura's letter to her daughter, Liz, is filled with the powerful emotion of a mother worrying for her daughter as well as the emotions she felt as a teenager.  The book was less about the relationship between mother and daughter as it was the experience of being a daughter and being a mother.  We never actually meet Liz, only seeing her through her mother's eyes, and we never meet Laura's mother but see her through the eyes of her daughter.  Laura is both the author and the central character as this is her story.

Letter to My Daughter is honest, straightforward, and filled with the pain and confusion of being a teenager.  Laura fully reveals herself to her daughter in this letter yet, for this book, whether Liz actually reads the letter and gains a deeper understanding of her mother is irrelevant.  It is enough that Laura finally told her story.

Letter to My Daughter officially goes on sale February 16, 2010 but can be pre-ordered now.  This review is based on a paperback, advance reader's edition which was sent to me by the publisher in response to my request after seeing the book advertised in the Shelf Awareness newsletter.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Sunday Salon February 7, 2010

The Sunday Salon.com


Will you be watching the Superbowl tonight?  We will definitely have it on here as the Indianapolis Colts are our home team.  While I'm not a super huge football fan, I often surprise my husband and father-in-law with my knowledge of the game or the players.  I blame my brother-in-law for that.  I spent so many Sundays watching football with him that some of it was bound to soak in.

Last week was not a great one for me.  I felt like I had so much to do and was constantly behind.  It didn't help that I was also feeling like I might be coming down with something.  Lucky for me the sickness never really took hold, although I'm still extra tired.  I also tried two new recipes last week which were total flops.  I'm still trying to figure out how to repair the White Chicken Chili so I will eat it because I hate to throw out that much food.  It came out too watery and just doesn't have much flavor.  Any ideas?  The other flop was a new chocolate chip cookie recipe using coconut oil.  I'm usually pretty good with baking but I nearly burned the first batch to a crisp and they spread too much and turned out very flat.  I'm wondering if there was a typo in the recipe because the picture on the blog I got the recipe from looked nothing like my cookies.

We got some snow here on Friday so today we took our daughter out to play with her new sled that she got from Grandma for Christmas.  Silly girl won't keep a hat on her head and I knew there was no way she would keep mittens on either so we didn't stay out very long.  I think she had a good time though, just riding around a bit in the open space near our apartment.  If it is sunny tomorrow, I'll probably take her back out for some more sledding fun before the next snow storm hits on Tuesday.

With all the business of last week, I didn't get much reading done at all.  Part of that was a lack of time and part of it was the book that I read for most of the week was a slow read for me.  The Bread of Angels by Stephanie Saldana was a wonderful book which caused me to think, meditate, and reflect on many things.  I became immersed in her story but needed to step back and take breaks instead of reading it straight through.

I also completed Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop.  This one was actually a very fast read for me and I'll have it reviewed this week.

Today I'm hoping to start Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong.  I'm a big fan of her Women of the Otherworld series and it will be nice to read some about the men in their lives.  This one has been sitting on our bookshelves for a long time but I just haven't gotten around to reading it.  I have been really bad about keeping up with what my favorite authors are doing lately so I just found out that she will be releasing another story collection, Tales of the Otherworld, in April.  I'm liking that she is putting so many of her stories into her own books instead of having them in anthologies with other authors.  I know I have missed out on some good stories from some of my favorite authors because I either didn't realize they had a story in one of these anthologies or my library doesn't have it.  I'm just not going to spend my money on a book if I only know one of the authors featured in it.

I'd love to hear about what your reading plans are for the week or if you are especially looking forward to any books which will be coming out soon.  Don't forget to enter my February Giveaway, which is open until February 24.  There are seven books to choose from this time around including four that weren't given away last month and three new additions.

I hope you have a great week!

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

The Bread of Angels by Stephanie Saldana

The Bread of Angels: A Journey to Love and FaithTitle:  The Bread of Angels: A Journey to Love and Faith
Author:  Stephanie Saldana
Publisher:  Doubleday
Publication Date:  February 9, 2010
Format:  Hardcover, 320 pages
Age Group:  Adult, non-fiction, memoir

In 2004 Stephanie Saldana spent a year living in Syria on a Fulbright fellowship.  Her official area of study was the Muslim Jesus but she found herself taking a very personal, spiritual journey as she came to know the people of Damascus and her own heart.

The Bread of Angels is an absolutely wonderful book.  I feel as if I know the author personally and was there to take the journey with her.  It is clear that Stephanie is a scholar of language, poetry, and faith as her writing flows beautifully, creating strong images and evoking strong emotions.  Although the place Stephanie finds herself and the journey she undertakes were so foreign to me, Stephanie manages to convey our essential human similarities even in the midst of the differences.  She shows us her own initial discomfort with her surroundings and her human failings as she struggles with matters of faith.  Stephanie clearly examines her own Christian beliefs while learning about the Islamic version of Jesus.  She studies Arabic and spends a month praying in a desert monastery.  Stephanie's desire to find her true calling, her life's path, takes her on a journey that most of us cannot imagine but she is able to make it real through her honest prose.  She does not try to hide her doubts or her confusion as she moves through a year of difficult lessons.  The Bread of Angels is a book to meditate with and digest slowly, not one to be rushed through.  It is a book that will provoke thought, emotion, and wonder as you embark on your own journey in the Middle East.

The Bread of Angels officially goes on sale on February 9 but can be pre-ordered now.

I received The Bread of Angels directly from the publisher after I responded to an advertisement in the Shelf Awareness newsletter.  This review is based on a paperback, bound galley, uncorrected proof.  All opinions contained in this review are entirely my own.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

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