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Review – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach

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bestWithout a doubt, this novel is a permanent contender in my top 5 favourite read stories of the past few years. Where to even begin? Well, you can read the blurb to discover the plot, so I shall refrain from repeating it. I picked this book up purely on a boredom impulse one day when I was on a business trip, and I am so glad I did! This story is perhaps one of the best examples, since Arundhati Roy’s ‘God of Small Things’, of the complex Anglo-Indian relationship, post-independence. Whilst it doesn’t rub it in your face and whack you over the head with a stick, the story does get you thinking about the effect of colonialism, and the aftermath that it brings. Ideals are presented, and turned on their head once reality kicks in, and Deborah Moggach does this in a very stark fashion, without coming off a preachy.
The mix of characters, whilst completely over the top, are a refreshing bunch of fun, quirky, old-school (some being inherently racist/ignorant), Raj-yearning individuals. The reader to form a definite and firm opinion of each character due to Moggach’s expert character presentation and the changing shift in language and style used when writing from each perspective.
Now, the style of the novel is very “British” in regards to some of the things that happens to the characters and how they react, or in fact, how the reader acts when “witnessing” these calamities. It’s not quite as “British” as Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy (many readers this side of the pond did not like this novel), but it is definitely not what you might be used to. To say this isn’t your conventional story would be an understatement; Moggach makes you laugh in the wrong places, gasp in shock and then smile, and completely refreshes your pallet for future stories.

~ Pegasus

You can buy this relatively short story, that is bound to leave a lasting impression, here:
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: A Novel (Random House Movie Tie-In Books)

Review: Death Comes to the Village by Catherine Lloyd

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20131202-090141.jpg This cozy historical mystery, set in England, has a little bit of a Regency romance feel.

Lucy, the rector’s daughter, and Robert, a magistrate and wounded soldier, notice some thievery and strange goings-on in the village. With a young woman disappearing, and the men of the village not quite acting themselves, Lucy and Robert put their heads together to investigate. That’s the main plot. The subplots include Lucy’s resistance to spinsterhood and wanting to find a husband, Robert’s difficulty coming to terms with his leg injury, and the strong friendship that grows between Lucy and Robert. I enjoyed the various threads and thought they were developed appropriately for a light mystery novel.

I also liked the characters’ efforts to maintain propriety and appearances, and Lucy’s subtle rebelling against all of it. The whole regency feel made Lucy’s visits to Robert seem almost taboo. It was fun to see Lucy doing a lot of things that other young women wouldn’t dare do in this setting.

Death Comes to the Village was a light read, with a slow and deliberate start. I totally loved it, from Lucy and Robert’s banter to the mental illness and morbidity. I read this book at night, and when I finished it, I was scared to go to sleep! The ending was somewhat of a cliffhanger, and I am eager to know if and when a Book 2 will be released.

–Calliope

Buy it now Death Comes to the Village

Review: The Reader by Bernhard Schlink Translated by Carol Brown Janeway

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readerThe last twenty pages of this book deeply affected me. I can’t even express it at the moment. I just wish I could take it all back and somehow unread the entire book. Then I want to read it for the very first time again…but this time somehow read it while being the person that read the last 20 pages…

This story is told by Michael Berg. It is told later on his life. He is looking back to a relationship he had with a woman named Hanna Schmitz. A woman who by one random act of kindness changes his life when he is 15 years old. Later on, he attends a trial and finds Hanna as one of the defendants.

At times this novel felt disjointed. However, the more I think about it, the more I am sure that Schlink wanted me to feel this way. This novel is told by Michael. It is his story of Hanna. Even as an older man, decades after his relationship started with Hanna, he is still unsure what she means to him. How she has changed him into the man that he has become. He understands bits of it. He can even rationalize much of it. But there is still mystery to much of it.

In some ways, I wish this story could have been told from Hanna’s voice. However, I realize that it would not be the story it was if it had been. I am both appreciative and frustrated with this knowledge.

Why did I love this book so much? At about 1/2 way through this book I was feeling very frustrated. I kept going back and forth on my feelings for Michael. At points I thought he was so unbelievably selfish. At other times I felt like he was almost a victim. At points I had the exact same feelings about Hanna herself. I was also becoming increasingly pissed off that I was not allowed to see inside of Hanna’s mind. With the last couple of chapters, none of those feelings changed….however, I was left humbled and a bit awestruck at my emotions. If I had been reading this book standing up, I might have even staggered a bit and found myself leaning up against the closest wall until I could find myself on steady feet again. It’s not that Schlink reviled anything I didn’t already know…it’s just the way that he brought it all into the light of day. Why??

Simply because this book didn’t just seem to provide answers and questions about the characters it was about. At this point…I had questions about myself. I am not even sure at this point what they are. I just know that they are bouncing back and forth within my mind, even at this moment. And much like Michael, I am not sure I will ever know the correct questions to ask. I am not sure that I will ever find the answers if I do. Much like Michael, I am not sure these questions need answered…perhaps they only need to be asked.

This novel moved me….and has given me so much to ponder…It’s a book that I *know* will stay with me for days, weeks, even years to come. One day, I will be walking down a lonely city street. The wind bitterly cold against my skin. I will be confident that I am happy and secure in my life. “The Reader” will be the furthest thing from my mind….then like a ghost of the past, Hanna will be there…walking along beside me…begging me, finally, to ask the questions just within by grasp….my mind will find itself, out of the blue, wrestling with the feelings this novel has brought to me….

Until next time

Urania xx

Buy it now The Reader

Review: Our Picnics in the Sun by Morag Joss

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20131129-122346.jpgA man trapped both physically and mentally after a debilitating stroke. His wife resentful and overwhelmed by his needs. A distant son who refuses to return to the home he worked so hard to escape. A harsh, unforgiving landscape. And two strangers who mysteriously appear at their doorstep one night. Morag Joss has given us a cast of characters worthy of a fulfilling, suspenseful story.

Howard and his wife, Deborah, are simple, eccentric country people who insist on living off the land and shun many modern conveniences. Their son Adam escaped his sheltered upbringing to become a successful businessman. Howard loves nothing more than making pottery and practicing yoga while Deborah spends her time weaving and tending to her home and garden. They also run a not-so-successful bed and breakfast. When Howard suffers a stroke and becomes completely dependent on Deborah for his most basic needs, feelings begin to change and long buried resentments rise to the surface. Both Howard and Deborah are desperate for the attention and affection of Adam. But time and again they are disappointed by his unfulfilled promises of a long past due visit. Complicating matters is a lingering guest, Theo. As Deborah’s relationship with Theo begins to grow, she starts to view him as a replacement for her absent son. However, dark thoughts soon start to cloud her judgment as she begins to question everything she thought her life has stood for up to this point.

This book was described to me as a psychological thriller, and it definitely had me on the edge of my seat waiting for “it” to happen. The author wove a story full of such secret and suspense that I just knew at any moment the bottom was going to fall out. Although I caught on to one of the cliffhangers at about three quarters of the way through the book, her writing is so beautifully lyrical and descriptive that I wanted to keep reading just for the pleasure of the journey. The ending did not disappoint me and all of my questions were answered, although I would describe this book as more of a suspenseful drama than a psychological thriller. A good read!

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Our Picnics in the Sun: A Novel

Review: Yours to Keep by Serena Bell

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Well, I thought this was going to be an ordinary light romance, but it was EXTRAORDINARY! Ana is an undocumented immigrant from the Dominican Republic, but only because her visa ran out when she was a child and her mother passed away. Ethan is a well-loved local doctor (and widower) who needs a Spanish tutor for his teenage son. You can connect the dots that form the romance.

But Serena Bell gives the reader even more of a story… the story of Ana’s family, their efforts, their fears, their love for one another. I cried my eyes out at Ana’s plight: trying to achieve and succeed while flying under the radar in a country that didn’t know she existed. Ana’s brother and sister were her whole world, and they sometimes had to give up personal wants and values for the good of the whole family.

The other moms in the community were surprising but necessary characters. They tried to befriend Ana, help her, and make her feel better. But no rich white woman had been in her shoes. They didn’t feel the fear of getting caught that Ana lived with daily. They were awkward and ignorant, even if they meant well.

I absolutely enjoyed the love story in Yours to Keep. Ana and Ethan overcame personal challenges and came to a meeting of the hearts and minds. What really pulled at my heart strings though was Ana’s illegal immigrant status and her determination to succeed despite it. The adorable-but-typical teenager was a heart-tugger, too. And watching his talented dad (He cooks! He cleans! He saves lives!) fall in love was very romantic.

–Calliope

Buy it now Yours to Keep

Review: The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

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cuckooDid you love watching Mike Hammer back in the day? Did Colombo melt your heart? Do you still dream of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe? I have to admit, I absolutely loved watching those types of shows. I loved the language. I loved the smokey rooms. I’m not quite sure how Galbraith has created that magic in a modern-day novel set in a modern-day London, but he has! I swear I heard those old voices in my head all throughout this novel as I read! It was surreal! I really seemed to be reading every line though a smokey haze in a room with jazz music playing in the background.

This is the first novel about Cormoran Strike. A modern-day detective that fought in Afghanistan and lost a leg. He is now barely making ends meet. He has a famous father that he does not talk to. His mother is no longer living. He has recently left his long time on/off again fiancée. He sleeps on a camp bed in his office. His hired help is temp agent that he isn’t sure how long he can afford. He sometimes drinks too much.

yea…yea…yea….sounds boring right? WRONG! There is so much more to Strike than meets the eye. There is a deep longing to know more about him. He keeps to himself. You can’t help but be intrigued by him. You want to know what makes him tick. There is no doubt that you feel a deep-seated morality to Strike. He seems to take the high road. Yet you get the feeling that he has had to fight for that part of him for most of his life. That he has been tempted and he has resisted….but at a personal cost….you want to understand why this is. What has drove him to become the person he is…the man, that for all outward looking appearances appears to be a failure, but one that once you meet him, you know this couldn’t be further from the truth….

Yes, I want to see more of this flawed mess of a man!

Okay, so you want to hear about the controversy over the whole J.K. Rowling thing? Well just forget about it! You won’t find any of that here….I will say, that it gave me pause. If I hadn’t known J.K. wrote it, I would have totally believed that this was written by a man. The wording just fit. She did a brilliant job with this. It just *seems* to be written in a man’s style. Now having said that, and *felt* that as I was reading the novel, it gave me pause…Do men and women write differently? Do we perceive their writing styles differently? Of course I am generalising here…but on the whole, do they? Before reading this novel, I would have automatically said no….but now I am not so sure…and since this was IN FACT written by a woman, well that’s just silly, isn’t it?

I hope Galbraith sticks around. I hope he writes a few more in this series. I *really* want to get to the “inner tickings” of Strike and I want to see where the relationship between him and his secretary goes….

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now The Cuckoo’s Calling

Review: This Is Not a Drill by Beck McDowell

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20131120-190720.jpgIn an ideal world, parents would send their little ones off to school each day worrying about nothing more serious than if they’ll have someone to play with at recess. Teachers would be free of the worry that they might have to step in front of an armed gunman to protect their students. And those precious little ones wouldn’t have to suffer through lockdown drills where they practice what to do if a “bad guy” gets into their school. Unfortunately that world does not exist.

Emery and Jake are high school seniors who spend time volunteering at their local elementary school. Their hours at the school are spent tutoring the children in French and just helping out wherever they can. It’s understandable that they’ve formed attachments to the first graders they spend so much time with. Brian Stutts is an Iraqi war veteran who is going through a custody dispute over his son, Patrick. Because he is suffering from violent outbursts as a result of PTSD, he is not allowed to spend unsupervised time with his son. A confrontation occurs between him and the teacher, resulting in an armed Stutts holding the first grade students, the teacher, and Jake & Emery hostage. The high schoolers must not only worry about their own safety but also the safety of the little ones who look up to them.

This is a fast-paced book that’s full of tension and suspense. The author tells the story from two viewpoints, switching seamlessly between Emery and Jake. It’s hard to take at times, coming so soon on the heels of Newtown and all the other school shootings that seem to be in the news on a regular basis. But, will there ever really be a perfect time to grapple with this issue? I also found myself feeling some sympathy for Stutts and what he experienced in Iraq. There’s never an excuse for this type of violence, but there are very real issues that must be addressed before we can even begin to end the violence. Regardless of your politics or where you stand on the issue of gun control, this is an excellent book for young adults and older readers as well.

~ Thalia

Buy It Now: This Is Not a Drill

Review: Otter Bay series by Julie Carobini

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I just finished a few books in the Otter Bay series. Set in a small town on the northwest coast, Otter Bay offers a tiny Main Street with the necessities: a coffee shop, a diner, a church. A little further out of town are the Pines, some cottages, and some winding mountain roads.

All this beauty provides the backdrop for new beginnings. Whether it’s Diner owner Peg’s niece Holly looking for her family, or Gage and Callie starting a life together, or Suz learning to be a single mother — and (gasp) start dating, the water in Otter Bay has heart-and-soul-cleansing properties.

Heartfelt family dynamics, strong but sweet heroes, and heroines searching for something – or someone – recur in the Otter Bay novels. This series is similar to Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series, but with a slightly (non-preachy, yet inspired) Christian slant.

Julie’s novels uplift me, give me hope, and give me a case of Happily-Ever-After sighs. If you’re in the mood for inspirational and sweet stories with romance in the plot, read Julie Carobini!

–Calliope

Only 99¢-$2.99!
Buy them now:
A Shore Thing
Fade to Blue
Sweet Waters

Review: See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles

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20131110-155653.jpgI remember with absolute clarity the angst and turmoil that came with being a preteen and entering middle school: hormones, self-image issues, embarrassing family members, bullying, secret crushes…See You at Harry’s encompasses all that and more.

Twelve-year-old Fern, named after the character in Charlotte’s Web, is entering middle school and all the accompanying drama that goes with it. Her eccentric but loving family includes three siblings, all also named after book characters, each accompanied by their own drama. Brother Holden is coming to terms with his sexual orientation. Charlie is the much-loved and over-indulged baby of the family. Older sister Sara has recently graduated from high school but is trying to find herself while working in the family restaurant. Fern’s mom, although a loving parent, distances herself from the family by withdrawing into her private world. Fern’s dad is understandably tied up with the day-to-day business of running a restaurant. And speaking of the restaurant, this is the center point in the family’s life and the source of much of Fern’s discomfort. However, when tragedy strikes the family they must all come together in order to survive.

This book is an amazing account of a young girl’s journey through one of the most difficult life events imaginable. Jo Knowles does an amazing job of bringing this story to life. Fern’s story is funny, embarrassing, sad, and entirely believable. It’s an excellent read for young adults and preteens as well as adults such as myself. There was also an element of suspense as the story led me to believe one tragedy was about to occur before going in another direction. I couldn’t pull myself away from this one and can’t wait to read more by this author.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: See You at Harry’s

Review: The Stone Boy by Sophie Loubiere

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20131110-160727.jpgWhat would you do if you thought your neighbour was abusing their child? Well, that’s the predicament faced by Elsa Perau. In this novel (touted as a national phenomenon in its native France), the reader is presented with the narrative view of Elsa Perau and her increasing concern for the safety of a child living next door to her. However, this isn’t just your usual case of an abused child living next door; Elsa isn’t exactly the most reliable person, and paranoia is the main theme of this novel. Is the child actually being abused, or is Elsa imagining it?
This novel is translated into English, and I believe that it lost something in translation. Don’t get me wrong, the pace and style was good, but I just couldn’t help thinking that I was missing something by not reading in the original language. It felt like a heavy fog – you could make out something, but not quite see it clearly.
As mentioned above, the pacing of this novel was good because just when you think it is going in one direction, it turns on you. This kept me guessing, and changing my mind at various points throughout. However, there are some parts where it seems like there is no build up to surprises, and it feels like a kind of “oh this happened, surprise!” And then it moves straight on. I did like how it made you think about what is real, and what you want to be real; so often in life we can make things seem real enough, and in fact there will be a completely different interpretation, depending upon who you ask.
Overall, it was an entertaining read, but I felt it lacked that certain je ne sais quoi. I recommend it for its ability to portray truths and versions of truths that I haven’t seen before, but being a phenomenon? I don’t know….

ARC provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Buy it here: The Stone Boy