Fiction

Review: Sarasota Dreams by Debby Mayne

Posted by

0

20140228-144652.jpg Sarasota Dreams is the compilation of three novellas. Each novella focuses on a Mennonite man and woman and their search for romance.

I like Amish/Mennonite fiction, and Debby Mayne writes it well. I appreciated that we could see what the men AND women were thinking. Abe had to figure out how to make Mary trust him. Jeremiah had to prove his faithfulness to God before Shelley would let herself fall in love, and Charles had to commit to becoming Mennonite so Ruthie’s reputation wouldn’t suffer.

Besides the romances being very well written, Mayne illustrated her knowledge of the Mennonite lifestyle without making the novellas feel like documentaries. The reader gets more than a glimpse of small business management (diner and souvenir shop), farming, and church life.

These were three lovely, realistic, fun, clean romances. The loyalty to family and community was comforting, and the food sounded delicious. Bring on some coconut cream pie!

–Calliope

New Release March 1!

Buy Sarasota Dreams

Review – Indecent Proposal by Jack Engelhard

Posted by

6

indecent proposalRaise your hands those of you that remember seeing the 1993 (20 years ago!) angst fest that was Indecent Proposal. Was you Team Woody or Team Robert? Well, treasure those beloved memories because the original story is far different from the wildly popular film adaptation. This book explores so many emotional, historical, societal, and contemporary issues, that it makes the film look positively flat.

We all know the story – apparently happily married couple try their luck in Atlantic City, get propositioned by a billionaire, and deal with the repercussions. However, the novel explores the still relevant issue of Arab vs Israeli conflicts. Joshua is Jewish and has had harrowing experiences of WWII, and Ibrahim (the billionaire) is Arab and has his own views. Although this may sound a strange aspect to write about, it actually adds to the morality tale. It isn’t just simply a question of “would you spend a night with anther person for $1,000,000?” – the different cultural and historical layers all play a part, especially in the aftermath of dealing with fall out from decisions made.

The character development in the book is really strong. Joan and Josh are not two naive high school sweethearts – they’ve been around the block a few times. Throughout, you will (or at least I did) love and hate these characters with equal measure. No one is perfect, and no one is correct all of the time.

This is not a comfortable read by any stretch of the imagination. At times it feels so authentic that you feel like you are a fly on the wall. The discomfort is what really makes this novel; the rawness, emotion, morality, faith, lack of faith, missed opportunities, that you witness when reading this novel, is what sets it apart from most other morality tales. Just like real morality and real humans, this tale will take you all kinds of directions – some expected and many not.

At only $4.95, go and treat yourself to a different kind of novel that will question everything you have ever believed.

Enjoy!

Pegasus.

Indecent Proposal

Review (Take 2): Once in a Lifetime by Jill Shalvis

Posted by

0

20140225-151742.jpg Fly me to Lucky Harbor, home of strong women with loyal friendships, gossipy old Lucille, and quiet alpha men! This installment finds troubled Aubrey making amends to the people she’s wronged, and strong silent Ben finally ready to fall in love again.

I always enjoy Shalvis’ romantic tales. But I also appreciate Aubrey’s friendship with the women who own shops adjoining hers. How fun to be a fly on the wall while the girls eat cupcakes and dish about their lives!

I also enjoy the recurring character Lucille. She’s one of the threads that gives the Lucky Harbor series continuity, and her gossip is good-hearted and harmless.

Shalvis focused a bit on children’s welfare in this novel, and she did it realistically. Shalvis shows the difference between men who shirk their parental duties (sometimes unknowingly), and men who are nurturing and raise their children well.

Lucky Harbor is a must-read for me. I’m invested in the characters, the shops, the relationships and the romances. Thanks, Miss Jill, for yet another happily ever after.

–Calliope

Just Released!
Buy Once in a Lifetime

Review: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Posted by

2

where'd you go bernadetteAre you kidding me? I loved this book! Are you kidding me? I never saw that coming! Are you kidding me? I surely didn’t see THAT coming! What a charming, funny book, that is also horrible and the exact opposite of charming and funny at the very same moment! A true paradox of a book. I shocked myself by laughing out loud at terrible things. I hated and loved most of the characters. I felt sorry for them and angry at them, again, at the same time. I lived near Seattle for a number of years. The description of the Emerald City both offended me and warmed my heart at the same time. It made me angry and giggly at the same instance.

So if we take this book and read the description this is what we get:

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette’s intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic….

For much of the book you believe this is what the novel is about. Then the author, Maria Semple, throws in a little twist. A simple hand written note from Bernadette’s husband. Suddenly you start to understand a little bit more. However, Semple then throws in an e-mail from Bernadette and you’re like, “OMGreatGoodness, I am so getting this book now! Oh my, I can’t believe this”…..and the hidden truths of the past and present are dropped here and there, bit by bit….until suddenly the entire picture you had painted in your head is like looking at a Bev Doolittle original painting! You’re looking at this image and the more you look, the more you see….the whole image you first glanced at is built upon one little hidden gem upon another…and another….

I was just as surprised by some of the twists in the novel as the characters were. All I can say is that this novel reinforces what we all already know…Don’t judge a book based solely upon its cover. We all do things for different reasons. We all have pasts that shape whom we are today. What you take as indifference from someone might be anything but….

I admire Semple for not giving this ending a happy ever after finish. There are still messy bits that can’t be easily solved…bits that the characters will have to deal with after this book finishes. I admire her for turning a simple straightforward “chick lit” book into so much more. I appreciate the laughter and the shock value as well. Sure, you might look at parts of the novel and think, “But grown adults would NEVER act that way”….I say hey ho…they do it every single day….thank you Semple for putting it in the light of day….

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now Where’d You go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Review – The Good German by Joseph Kanon

Posted by

0

147326There have been thousands of books written about WWII, but not as many focus on the immediate aftermath, let alone set in immediate post-war Berlin. In The Good German, Joseph Kanon explores the many different facets of war, the intricacies of motive, and the ethical dilemmas one can be faced with when carrying out actions in the name of love and war.

The plot follows Jake, an American reporter that is on his way to Berlin to write an article on the post-war efforts to re-build the city. Once in Berlin, Jake stumbles upon the body of an American soldier and finds evidence that all may not be what it seems. Along the way, Jake encounters a host of characters that he will later reunite with further in the story. The plot essentially is split up between a love story and a mystery; Jake has a secondary reason for going to Berlin, which is to seek out his former Girlfriend, Lena, who he had met on a previous trip. Rest assured though, there are many plot twists and diversions in order to save it from becoming a two dimensional experience.

What I loved most about this book, apart from the entertaining plot, was that it really made you question your already strongly held morals. It presents both sides of an argument and doesn’t necessarily side with either argument. What you once thought hypocritical, might actually make sense. What you once found acceptable might now be unacceptable. What you once found abhorrent might now be not so abhorrent. There is no right or wrong answer set in stone. If you want a book that will question and challenge your views/morals and not a cozy mystery that will sit you around a camp fire, with you signing kumbyah, and present you with a box of answers with a nice bow tie on it (I don’t knock any that type of book – sometimes we need that!), then do yourself a favour and pick up The Good German.
Hope to see you next week for another review!
~ Pegasus.
The Good German

Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Posted by

0

RebeccaUffda….where to start….I found myself at times so aggravated with this book that I wished nothing more to give it a hard throw against a solid brick wall….whilst at the same time, I really found myself enjoying the writing style of du Maurier. I had no problem walking away from the book for a day or two at a time…yet whilst reading it, I really did enjoy it. I’m not at all sure I’ve experienced this feeling before…I usually love and obsess about a book, hate it and am angered by it, or am bored and can’t be bothered by it….never before have I felt all of these things at once….

I can’t even begin to express my disbelief in how someone as spineless as the current Mrs. de Winter can exist in the *real* world. I understand she was young…I understand she was shy…..I understand she felt outclassed…I understand she lacked confidence….but damnit….she also lacked a fracking brain!!!! I can’t think of a single literary character (or a real live person for that matter) that I wished to take by the shoulders and shake until some resemblance of sense came upon her….

Here’s the thing…it was a great story….it was full of surprises (although throughout the entire novel I kept having feelings of deja vu…perhaps I read this as a teenager?)…although nothing that happened was a huge surprise, I did not guess all of the plot twists…and I surely did enjoy all of the twists….the last twenty percent of the novel had me where I simply could not put the book down….I was racing to get to the end to find out how it would all come together….

****Somewhat Spoiler*****

My discomfort came only with the *evil* housekeeper….I just felt the current Mrs de Winter took too much from her….It’s not that I wished the character was any nicer….or that Mrs de Winter was any less naive…I just thought the housekeeper could have been more…errrrrr…covert in her doings and still had the same effect…at times I found it almost comical that she was able to bully in such an open way with no repercussions….if she had been more sneaky in her ways, I would have found the current Mrs de Winter a more believable character….obviously, as often happens, I stand on a lone island with my views….as it’s very obvious that other’s did not have this same problem with the current Mrs. personality….

I will only add-on that the way this book ended was frightening….not because I was shocked…or wished it had ended any other way….but the ending….again….uffda!!!!! Mr de Winters talks of his wife growing up and loosing that youthful look of innocence….later, it is noted that she looks like she has grown up years in a space of hours….but by the end of this novel, I think perhaps she is no braver, more confident or has any more of spine that she showed at the beginning of the novel….in fact, I am more disappointed in her than ever….without giving too much away, there is simply no way to go into this…but damn, girl….get some gumption…..for all of her talk of no longer being intimidated or afraid…well…..screw that….she was no better at the end than the beginning….perhaps she was even worse…

Should you read this book? By all means, yes….there is a reason why this book has never been out of print….This book is over 70 years old, but it could have been written today….I’ve read classics before of course….but this might well go down as one of my favourites….regardless of my dismay for the current Mrs. de Winters….Daphne du Maurier sure can spin a tale….romance, suspense, mystery and more….UFFDA!!!!

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Review: Killer (Alex Delaware #29) by Jonathan Kellerman

Posted by

0

killerI have long been a fan of Jonathan Kellerman. There was a time where thrillers/mysteries such as Kellerman’s were all that I bothered to read. Kellerman was always a “must-read” author for me during this dozen or more years of my life. The Delaware series has always been enjoyable for me, but after reading so many of them my passion somewhat slacked off a bit and I wasn’t in a huge rush to give up other reads to continue on with the series….as many can relate to, reading time is often a very precious thing. One can never seem to find enough time to read all of the books we so desire….

So, basically it’s been a few years since I’ve picked up a Alex Delaware novel. I must admit, I enjoyed this one much more than I have the last few I read. There was less focus on Delaware’s lady-love.

There were some faults here, I thought….the rapport between Delaware and his mate Milo didn’t seem to be as close as it has been in the past….It almost felt like Delaware was resentful of Milo….too many comments about his overeating and being out of shape….In the past maybe this didn’t bother me…but something about it this time just made me feel like Delaware was looking down upon Milo for these things….that he was a bit resentful and perhaps a bit disapproving of him. The warmth between the two friends just didn’t seem to be there…

Much like real life, I suppose, once the mystery was figured out, it all wrapped up rather quickly….

I am much more likely to hurry and pick up the next installment of this series because I really enjoyed this novel, despite the few flaws I felt it held….

I’m not sure what has happened…perhaps Kellerman is just a bit tired of Delaware…but the character really seemed to lack the warmth and openness of the past….Delaware seemed to want to explore some of his feelings and perhaps some actions, but at the end just didn’t seem like he could be bothered with it all and just let it go….

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review….

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now Killer (Alex Delaware #29)

Review — The Fall of Saints by Wanjiku Wa Ngugi

Posted by

0

18144135Wanjiku Wa Ngugi’s debut novel entices the reader with an interesting premise that has the potential to be different, and yet remain in the comfort zone of the “don’t trust your spouse” sub-genre that has dominated 2013/2014. In reality however, it falls a little short.
As an expat myself, I am always interested in stories told from the point of view of a person who is not on home turf. That element, added to the fact that it had potential to explore modern African culture, is what initially attracted me. The novel has all of these aforementioned elements, but the exploration of each one is rather lackluster. It is almost like an imposter, a fake, trying to emulate these experiences, has written the story, and that is really disappointing. Disappointment is the main feeling I experienced when reading this novel.
The suspense element was fine; it wasn’t particularly nail-biting, but it kept you on your toes for a few chapters. However, some of the dialogue and the situations that the characters faced, felt very trite and forced, resulting in a lot of eye rolling and mutters of “really?”.
However, in amongst the negative points, there were a few positive aspects. The scenes in Kenya were interesting and descriptive. They felt organic and genuine for the majority of the time. Also, as previously stated, the main protagonist, Magure, did have some potential moments that manage to escape from the disappointing moments.
It really wasn’t a bad read, but I think I set myself up to expect a lot more than I received. I definitely recommend you try it; after all, there are far worse books out there, and the author will hopefully produce a stronger novel in the future.

Pegasus.
(ARC provided for an honest review)

The Fall of Saints: A Novel

Review: The Bat (Harry Hole #1) by Jo Nesbø

Posted by

0

The BatThe Harry Hole series by Nesbo has gotten a lot of attention in the last few years. I’ve been meaning to try it out for quite some time….as it goes with so many of my OMGIWANTOREADTHISSOFREAKINGBAD books, the series just kept getting bumped for one reason or another. Lucky for me a friend gifted me the first of the series (thanks Art…xx). Also, lucky for me, I waited long enough for the first two book to actually get published and didn’t have to start the series in the middle….

As I marked this book “to read” I noticed that a couple of friends had read it and weren’t that impressed with it….however, I believe that they read the later books first, as those were the first ones published in English….after seeing the ratings, as anyone that has thousands of books on their TBR list, I was apprehensive of wasting time on a book that I might not like…but since this was a gifted book..and since I’ve been wanting to try the series for a few years, I went ahead.

All I can say is I am very glad I did. No….it is not a perfect book. I’m not sure all the clues added up correctly. I am not sure if everything was laid out properly….but I am very sure that I seriously like Harry Hole. I am sure I was entertained by this book as well. This book has just the type of flawed hero I really enjoy. This read made me remember why mysteries/thrillers/crime novels were just about the only type of books I read for over a decade. I so enjoyed loosing myself in the world that Nesbo painted…Sure, lots of people wish to lose themselves in a world of romance, chocolate, roses and true love….but screw that…give me the smell of gun powder, addict’s stale sweat, the metallic scent of blood, and the tension from cops racing against the clock any day of the week…

I’m seriously excited about the lower ratings from all of my friends now. If they didn’t much care for this novel, but loved the others….well well well, I might just be reader’s ecstasy once I give them a shot….There’s so much in Harry to build on. So many ghosts in his past. So many demons he must fight daily….oh hell yea….I’m seriously excited now…bring it….

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now The Bat (Harry Hole #1)

Review: Just What Kind of Mother Are You? By Paula Daly

Posted by

0

20140208-185133.jpgThis is one of those books that I can’t, for the life of me, remember just where I heard about it from. Likely it came to me from a link to a link to a link…you get the idea. Regardless, it’s been on my list for a couple of months and the title recently caught my eye once again when I was searching for my next read.

Moms everywhere, and parents in general, will be able to relate to Lisa Kallisto. A mother of three who also runs a successful animal rescue shelter, she’s overworked and stretched too thin. Husband Joe is an involved father and husband as much as his job as a taxi driver will allow him to be. Still, Lisa holds it together most of the time and her family is basically happy and well-adjusted. Her carefully constructed balancing act begins to fall apart when the teenage daughter of a close friend goes missing while supposedly under Lisa’s care. To add to the sense of urgency, a serial rapist appears to be on the loose. Plagued by guilt, Lisa does her best to help find the girl. The dynamics of family and friendship play a huge part in this story as long -buried secrets on all sides begin to come to light.

I thought this was a good, solid story. It was definitely a page turner and held my attention all the way through. Lisa was incredibly likeable to me, in no small part because of her passion for the animals she rescues. It’s also easy to see how something like this could happen-wires get crossed, messages aren’t relayed, and so on. One thing did bother me, and still does. The lead detective, Josephine, is given a lot of page time to explore her personal life and background. Of notable mention is her desire to have a breast reduction. This comes up several times during the book but isn’t resolved by the end of the story. My only thought is that Josephine may be a recurring character in future books by this author. Just a little quirk of the story but something that bugged me. I also felt that some parts of the ending were a bit too far-fetched, especially after most of the book being so believable and relatable. Still, a good read for me!

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Just What Kind of Mother Are You?