Death Comes to Pemberley

Death Comes to Pemberley

Author: P.D. James

Source: My mom

Days to read: 7

Have you read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice? If not no big deal, P.D. James provides a brief synopsis at the beginning of the book to fill the reader in on the characters and how they have come together.

Elizabeth and Darcy have been married for 6 years and live on Darcy’s estate, Pemberley. Elizabeth's beloved sister Jane, and her husband Bingley, are visiting Pemberley for the annual Lady Anne's ball. On the eve of the ball, Elizabeth's youngest sister Lydia, arrives hysterical and screaming that her husband, Wickham, has been murdered. Darcy and Bingley and several other gentleman that are staying at Pemberley, travel off into the woods to investigate and find Wickham leaning over his murdered friend sobbing that it was all his fault. Pemberley is thrown into a murder investigation and the reader is left to ponder "Who done it?"

I am not a big fan of mystery novels anymore but I did enjoy this book. It's interesting to read a novel that draws characters from a different author's novel. I felt that I already knew these characters and wanted to know where they were in their lives and what they had been up to!! This wasn't an all-time favourite of mine because I didn't find it wildly enthralling. HOWEVER if you enjoyed Pride and Prejudice then you may enjoy catching up with the Bennet sisters!

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The Winter Palace

The Winter Palace

Author: Eva Stachniak

Source: A Chapters buy

Days to read: 10 days

I picked this book up at Chapters while I was shopping for a birthday gift for a friend. I think I have mentioned this before but historical novels are my FAVOURITE!!! More specifically, I love reading about women in history. Cleopatra, Josephine Bonaparte, Anne Boleyn to name a few! After reading the inside flap I knew it would be a goody!

This novel follows the life of Varvara, a young girl, in the Russian court. Because of a promise made by the Empress to her late father, Varvara is taken into the court and cared for. Her role is to be one of the many “tongues” to the Empress, listening, watching and reporting back to her majesty. She learns to be invisible, to read people and to know what the Empress is thinking, feeling and wanting to hear.

But when young Sophie (destined to become Catherine the Great) is brought to court to marry, Varvara finds in her, a friendship that she has been longing for. Varvara begins to align herself with Catherine and slowly forgets all that she has learned at the Russian Court. Power comes with a big price.

The only thing lacking in this book was a love interest for Varvara. She is the narrator of the story but I felt that she was too much on the sidelines. I really began to care for Varvara so I wanted some good things to happen to her and not just Catherine. But other than that I loved the book!

I ended up buying it for my friend Lauren; I wonder what she will think of it! Next time I am in Chapters I will pick up some other books by Eva Stachniak.

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The Lost Girls

The Lost Girls

Author: Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett, Amanda Pressner

Source: Our book club book, chosen by Lauren

Days to Read: 2 weeks

Lauren picked our next book club book, The Lost Girls. This book is a journal of sorts in which 3 women decide to take a year-long trip around the world. I wasn’t sure if I would like this book. I thought there was the potential for it to be kind of boring but I was pleasantly surprised. Now it isn’t in my top 10 favourite books but for non-fiction it was pretty entertaining.

The 3 women have tons of adventures and visit some really interesting places. In one chapter, I actually thought to myself that I would like to visit this place they were describing (I think it was Lima, Peru).

One other thing to note was that it was really smooth switching between chapters/writers. All the chapters are written similarly so you don’t feel that it is really choppy or that you have to get re-accustomed to the new author’s voice.

I wonder what my fellow book club members will think! Our next meeting is July 18^th so I will find out soon enough!

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Under the Hawthorn Tree

Under the Hawthorn Tree

Author: Ai Mi

Source: Another random Chapters buy

Days to Read: 6 days 

Before starting this book I asked my coworker about it because as I read in the novel, the original book was discovered on a blog, was published, and was a huge success in China. The book was translated into English and has been made into a feature film. Ai Mi is an alias as the real author is unknown. My coworker had not read the book but had heard of the film and the story. 

I was immediately drawn into this book. I love a good romance, especially one that occurs in a different culture or time period. This book was so different from any I had read in that the innocence of the young girl Jingqiu was very extreme. The story takes place during China's Cultural Revolution (socialism was being enforced across the country). Jingqiu is sent to the country along with several other students to interview the villagers and write a textbook. While living in the village, Jingqiu falls in love with Old Third, an army general's son. Jingqiu comes from a family that has been disgraced as her father was branded a Capitalist so the relationship would never work. However the two find time to meet and spend time with each other. In a stark contrast to todays societal norms, Jingqiu is naive and cautious in her courtship with Old Third. She is also conflicted between her love and personal desires and the political climate at the time. Falling in love and marrying for love were not for the greater good and were considered selfish. 

The story is a typical love story but the complexities of the culture provides the reader with a a new perspective. You can't help but adore Jingqiu and the other characters in this novel.

I highly recommend it! 

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Alone In The Classroom

Alone in the Classroom

Author: Elizabeth Hay

Source: Random Chapters buy

Days to Read: I don't remember!

I usually have pretty good luck picking books from Chapters. I feel fairly confident when I read the back of a "Heather's Pick" and buy it that it will be a decent read. Now I don't remember if this was a "Pick" or not, but unfortunately this was one book I was anxious to finish so I could start another!

The book is narrated by Anne who is on a journey to discover more about her mother and her aunt Connie's past. Connie was a teacher living in the prairies in the 1920s and is not a conventional woman. She takes a particular interest in a struggling student, Michael Graves and they develop a relationship that lasts a lifetime. Other than that I am not really sure what else to take away from this book. 

When I read the back of the book it sounded really interesting; mysterious deaths, the strange behaviour of a principal and passionate relationships. These all pointed to a good read. However, I found this book extremely difficult to follow. It jumps around from Anne the narrator in the present, to Connie in the 1920s. I could not figure out the significance of Anne's story line or really grasp what it even was. The book felt like a bunch of events that are loosely strung together by the recurrence of the characters but with no real or deep connection to anything. 

I would have to say that I do not recommend this book, it just didn't make the cut!

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Bookclub Book!

Our next book club book is called The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett & Amanda Pressner. It is a travel memoir of three girls who left Manhattan to backpack around the world.

Stay tuned for the book club review coming in July!

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Birdsong

Birdsong

Author: Sebastian Faulks

Source: My parents

Days to Read: 2 weeks

I don't think I read the back of this book before I started it so judging from the cover (a silhouette of a WWI soldier) I was expecting to dive into a heavy war novel. Boy was I wrong (initially)! The first part of the book is narrated by Stephen, an English businessman who is visiting a small French town in order to learn about the manufacturing business. He stays with a man named Azaire who owns and runs factory. While living in Azaire's home, Stephen is drawn to Azaire's wife Isabelle. After finding out that her age and the fact that she is Azaire's second wife and step mother to his two children, Stephen's interest in her peaks. The two have a whirlwind affair that leads to Stephen and Isabelle moving away and ends with Isabelle leaving Stephen. Shortly after starts Part 2 of the book in which the reader is transported several years ahead and Stephen is now fighting in World War I.

This part of the book is a stark contrast to the first. While the beginning of the book is full of passion and romance, the second part, which takes place several years later during World War I, is dark and disconsolate. Stephen has become hardened and rarely thinks of his passionate love affair with Isabelle. While returning to the same French town on a brief leave from the front lines, Stephen meets Isabelle’s sister, Jeanne, and then arranges to see Isabelle. A lot of time has passed and things have changed for both Stephen and Isabelle…

Along side this story line is another told by Stephen’s grand daughter. I didn’t really feel that this added anything to the story and I would have preferred if these parts were left out and it just stayed with one time line. But an awesome book!

I found out that it was made into a TV series but I don’t think it has played in Canada. I would love to watch an episode to see if the characters are how I pictured them!

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The Tender Bar

The Tender Bar

Author: J.R. Moehringer

Source: My parents

Days to Read: A week

When my dad gave me this book to read he said it was great.  I went into this one with high expectations and it did not disappoint! The book is a memoir and details J.R.'s life growing up with a love and deep connection to a bar in Manhasset, New York. 

J.R.'s mother left his abusive father when he was young and growing up without a father figure he looked to the bar and the men that frequented it to be his guides and mentors. With all types of characters found at the bar, J.R. grows up in the company of these men and loves them all.  The bar is his sanctuary.  

As a young 20 something who recently graduated from Yale, he returns home to Manhasset and to his beloved bar in search of some direction in his life. As you read the memoir you can feel the emotions of J.R. as he struggles to find himself.  It came across to me as an honest recollection and analysis of his youth and the lessons he learned. At times it is funny, sad and depressing, and still heart warming. 

Definitely worth a read!

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Before I Go To Sleep

Before I Go To Sleep

Author: S.J. Watson

Source: My fellow book club member, Danielle

Days to Read: 10 days 

This was our next book club book chosen by Danielle. I thought when beginning this book that it would along the same lines as Left Neglected where Christine, the main character in Before I Go To Sleep, would wake up each morning not remembering anything about her life and having to learn everything all over again. It was somewhat similar to this with a huge twist near the end of the book.

The book begins with Christine meeting a doctor who claims to be helping her with her memory recovery. He tells her to look in her closet for a journal that she has been writing documenting each day so she can use it as a resource the following day to remember things. Her husband, Ben, patiently explains each morning that she was in a car accident and her memory has been affected. Every morning Christine looks at the photos of herself and Ben that are taped to the bathroom mirror. Each day begins the same with the devastation of not remembering anything that has happened and her discovery of her journal. Christine keeps the journal a secret from Ben and also hides the fact that she is seeing a doctor who is assisting in her recovery. 

Without giving away too much, the pieces start to fall together for Christine and she begins to remember some things on her own. What Ben has been telling her does not seem to add up and she finds herself searching for the true. The last 50 or so pages are thrilling and intense and definitely not what I had expected!!

At our book club meeting everyone said that they had enjoyed this book although no one really LOVED it. We all felt that at times it was confusing trying to piece together what was real and what wasn't. Two of the girls hadn't finished the book and it was quite funny listening to all of us that had finished try to explain the last few crucial parts in the book. All in all we give this book a 7.5! 

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The Gargoyle

The Gargoyle

Author: Andrew Davidson
Source: My fellow book club member, Danielle

Days to Read: 10 days 

I wanted to branch out and read something a bit different than what I am used to. This actually didn’t turn out to be very different but I did really enjoy it. The Gargoyle is about an unnamed porn-star drug addict who gets in a car accident and is severely burned. While in the burn ward he meets an eccentric and schizophrenic patient, Marianne, who claims to know him.

Throughout his recovery the woman tells him tragic love stories from long ago all the while claiming to know him.  When it comes time for the narrator to leave the rehabilitation centre, Marianne insists that he come and live with her. Marianne explains that she has enough money to cover all his medical expenses. She is a stone carver that makes gargoyle figures that are then sold through her agent.

Marianne and the narrator develop a relationship and Marianne continues to tell him stories from the past. Throughout the book you are wondering whether the stories are about the two of them in their past lives. The book was really good and I liked how you could draw your own conclusions from the stories told by Marianne and the “real life” story of Marianne and the burn victim.

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Rooftops of Tehran

Rooftops of Tehran

Author: Mahbod Seraji

Source: My mom

Days to Read: 5

This was among several books that my mom had read and thought I might like. With almost every trip home, my mom and I exchange books and I am always excited to see what she has picked out for me. When starting a new book I am open to what it has to offer. I try not to really think about if I like it or not and just keep reading. This tactic comes in handy when I know I am beginning to get bored or am struggling to understand what is happening. I push those thoughts away and trek on. Some books, like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, require a good 100+ pages before the reader has a grasp on the characters and what is going on. I owe it to whichever book I'm reading, to give it an honest to goodness attempt to enjoy it!

Now you may be thinking given what I have just explained, that I did not enjoy the Rooftops of Tehran. But this is not the case! I absolutely LOVED this book and found myself wanting to continue reading after I had turned the final page.

The story is set in Iran and told by the main character Pasha. Pasha is a young boy with a passion for reading growing up in a small alley community. More than anything, it is a love story between Pasha and his neighbour Zari whom he falls in love with. Zari is an enchanting, intelligent, beauty who has been promised to marry Doctor. Pasha and Doctor develop a special friendship in which they discuss books and politics and their views on their country's judicial system. Pasha also spends countless evenings on his rooftop discussing everything under the stars with his best friend Ahmed. Life is sweet and beautiful for Pasha, Zari, Ahemd and Faheemah (Ahmed’s love) until their friend Doctor is taken by the SADAK, the secret police organization in Iran. From then on, the four friends are forced to grow up and deal with issues far beyond their years. But their love for one another bonds them together.

I wish Mahod Seraji had other books that I could read! I truly enjoyed Rooftops of Tehran.

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The Story of Beautiful Girl

The Story of Beautiful Girl

Author: Rachel Simon

Source: Birthday present from my friend Jenna

Days to Read: 5

My friend Jenna bought me this book for my birthday and I read it shortly thereafter.

The novel takes place in the late 60's. Two people escape from the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded and stumble upon the home of a widowed, retired schoolteacher.  At first the woman, Martha, is hesitant to let the strangers into her home, a petite white woman with a developmental disability and a deaf African American man. Martha quickly sees the distress in their eyes and takes them in, clothes and feeds them. Shortly after, the guards from the school are at her door looking for the two escapees. Before she can assess the situation the guards are removing the young woman and the young man, Homan, has disappeared.  As she struggles against the guards, Lynnie, the young woman, tells Martha to “Hide her” Martha is frozen and doesn’t know what to do but agrees. She then hears a cry and finds a newborn baby in a basket in the attic.

The journey of Martha and the baby girl, Julia, takes them all over the country. The story follows Martha, Lynnie and Homan through their separate lives and always their constant thoughts of one another.

This was a pretty good book and kept me interested. However nothing about it stood out to me nor was remarkable.

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The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Author: Suzanne Collins

Source: Everyone!

Days to Read: 2 weeks

I am typically very resistant to jumping on the band-wagon and reading books that are so extremely popular! However, I was persuaded to give the Hunger Games trilogy a try after I was ASSURED they were far better than the Twilight books (which I think are poorly written and super cheesy).

The first book, I admit, I loved. It was an easy read and the story line was straightforward. Right from the first few pages the reader is hooked and it continues to be a page-turner right until the end. I’m sure everyone knows what these books are about but on the off chance you do not, here is a very concise run-down of the first book.

Katniss, the main character, lives in Panem which is a dystopic society. There are 12 districts which each produce a different commodity for the Capitol. The Capitol is where the super rich and super modern people live. Years ago there were uprisings in the districts and as a result the Capitol hosts the annual hunger games where each district must send one male and one female to the games. The games are a fight to the death with only one person left standing.

The first book is all about the hunger games in which Katniss is the female representative of district 13 (I told you it would be concise!).

I won’t say much more because if you already know about the books you won’t care to read my summary and if you haven’t, you should read them for yourself!

Now keeping in mind these books are geared towards young adults, some of the “scenes” were a little cheesy. But you do get a good grasp of the characters and their personalities although instead of inferring most of their characteristics, the reader is straight up told. Again I attribute this to the fact that the novel is for younger people.

I do recommend these books as they are entertaining, fast paced and there are a lot of underlying themes that are good for young people to be exposed to. Some of these themes include poverty, the role of government, violence, standing up for what you believes in, and the list goes on.

If you don’t want to read the books, just go see the movie – it is a relatively accurate portrayal of the Hunger Games. 

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Half Blood Blues

Half Blood Blues

Author: Esi Edugyan
Source: TTC Subway
Days to Read: 2 weeks

Our first book club meeting was a success! Albeit only half of the members were able to make it and of that half, only another half had finished the book! It turns out my pick was not well received which was very frustrating because I enjoy practically every book that I read and I had high expectations for this book.

I thought that this book just fell flat. The characters and their relationships with one another were not developed enough to really make you feel anything about them. I also felt the language in this book was difficult and unlike in The Grapes of Wrath, the narration was also written in the vernacular which meant constant concentration on the getting into the groove. Also, some people found the jumping from different times confusing and not effective.  

Perhaps my expectations were too high but I just did not enjoy this book. I realized half way through that I had read another novel by Esi Edugyan, The Second Life of Samuel Tyne. I did not really enjoy that book either for similar reasons. There is no emotional connection to the characters and I can not relate to them, their situations or their relationships with others.

Despite all the rave reviews this was not my cup of tea. 

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The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath

Author: John SteinbeckSource: My dadDays to Read: 2 weeks

A classic novel that I had never read before! My dad had just finished reading this book and thought I might enjoy it so passed it on to me. The edition was from 1939 and had an old library card in the back. It also had a great old book smell!

The story follows a family of sharecroppers during the great depression who are thrown off of their land by the big bad bank. Like thousands of other families, the Joad family travels from Oklahoma to California where they have been led to believe there are jobs in the orchards. 

At first I found the language a bit difficult but eventually found my groove. There are plenty of themes in this book and I can see why it is read in many high school English classes. The novel vividly illustrates the struggle of a family to make ends meet during the depression and the strength of the family that allows them to pull through. 

I didn't LOVE the book but definitely enjoyed it.

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