Calliope

Review: The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

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  I have no idea how this book got on my kindle, but I’m glad it did. If you gifted it to me, or anyone, THANK YOU, because it’s truly wonderful. 

The Shell Seekers is a family saga, replete with cultural, historical and generational contrast. You’ve got love, war, births, deaths, eating, laughing, painting, celebrating, mourning, and the satisfaction of unvarnished truth. 

In the countryside and beside the sea, through the world of art and artists, and across five decades including wartime in England, the novel illustrates how love carries people through pain and disappointment. 

Olivia and Penelope seemed to me to be the central characters, though you might have your own ideas. They were full of matriarch Sophie’s love, and spread it around the best they could despite their own wounded hearts. 

Pilcher amused me with military characters, wartime rations, long walks home, and the laughter of love. I could feel the bit of ease in an otherwise structured general’s day, the cool juice of canned peaches, the tired thighs covered by a thin dress. And I could very well see the sparkle in the eyes of Sophie, Penelope and Antonia… and the men they loved. 

The Shell Seekers also comments on family – disloyalty through selfishness, the effects of nurture vs. nature, and the rewards given to those who make life a little lighter for another. Do we all give ourselves to the people who need and appreciate it most? 

At first it was difficult for my linear self to get into Pilcher’s rhythm of occasional flashbacks, but once I fell in love with the characters, I also fell into the rhythm.  The novel was also on the long side as far as pleasure reading goes (can’t give five stars because some pages were pure skippable description without moving the plot forward). However, I was glad for every character, every kiss, every seaside gaze. I relished the daydreaminess of Sophia and Penelope… and then occasional bouts by Olivia.  And despite deaths and some residual bitterness, the family pretty much lives happily ever after, leaving me with a satisfied smile and a full heart. 

If you’re looking for a substantial, long, hearty, uplifting read, look no further. It may be available at your library, or click the title here to find it on Amazon: The Shell Seekers.

-calliope

Review: Making Your Mind Up by Jill Mansell

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 Jill Mansell writes satisfying stories. Here it is a week after I finished Making Your Mind Up, and I’m sighing with satisfaction at this complete, thoroughly developed, fun piece of fiction.  

So Lottie lives in a little cottage with her two children (when they aren’t with their nice-enough but childish father). She feels chemistry with her new boss Tyler, but her children aren’t having it. They behave badly around him, and speak badly of him. So after a failed attempt at dating, Lottie moves on to ever charming Seb… who isn’t all that he seems to be. I KNEW there was something odd about that guy! 

In the end, love prevails, as do family and loyalty and reason. 

So besides phenomenal characters and a happily ever after, Making Your Mind Up illustrates the strength of family love. Most of Mansell’s novels are fun and flirty, but this one adds the dimension of children – truth-telling, tiring, joyful parts of us that keep us forever in love. 

-calliope

Buy MAKING YOUR MIND UP

Review: Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah

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So Kristin Hannah is a pretty popular author, but I’m not really one for making a reading list based on popularity only.  I chose to pick up this book next because I fondly remembered Firefly Lane, also by Hannah.  And because the title of this one referenced sisters. I’m a sister, and I have a sister… I love sisters! 

Okay except these sisters don’t even get along AT ALL. They’re on different pages, in different ballparks, on different wavelengths. But Meghan keeps trying to make things better with Claire. And it’s the effort that makes all the difference.  

The sisters’ relationship developed so nicely throughout the book. Hannah had the women change and grow together, letting the women maintain their quirks and disagreements and strengths and weaknesses. For example, by the end of the book, we see Meghan is still bossy, but she leads with love. 

I loved seeing the sisters love each other – really put each others’ needs first. I also enjoyed the sisters’ attempts at communicating with their mother. But it wasn’t all smiles –  I cried my eyes out at times… Forewarned is forearmed: get some tissues. 

The romance angle was unexpected, I’ve got to say. The choice of love interests surprised me, not just for their uncommonness, but also because I didn’t see how they would fit with Meghan and Claire. But Hannah made it work and eked out a happily every after, so I’m happy. 🙂 

-calliope 

Buy BETWEEN SISTERS  

Review: One Year by Mary McDonough 

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 One Year. Basically a description of one year of events and growth in the Fitzgibbons clan. 

I’m not going to sugar coat it. This book was terrible. I felt like I was reading a lengthy self-help book, with Mary Bernadette Fitzgibbons’ pride being the principle of the lesson. 

Though I wanted to stop, I kept reading the between-the-lines psychological diatribe on what happens when you try to be perfect/ don’t let anyone in/ assume a prideful posture/ try to control everyone and everything around you. Frankly, it felt patronizing. And even if I didn’t have such an emotional response to the story, objectively I can tell you that reading One Year was tedious. I felt like the author wanted to make a point so she beat it to a pulp, chapter after chapter. 

I liked the subplots, and I liked the characters, but the main thread of Mary Bernadette changing her ways was contrived and unappealing. 

A better use of your time: my most recent favorite read, The Happy Hour Choir by Sally Fitzpatrick (because THAT is how you write a book that shows positive character change and growth). 

-calliope

Review: The Happy Hour Choir by Sally Kilpatrick

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Some books are just magical, making me feel like I’m in another world, even though the plot and characters are pretty realistic. Some authors have a way of spinning a story into ethereality. The Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith, The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue, and First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen all took me by surprise, embracing me into their twilight. And now The Happy Hour Choir joins the list. 

Beulah is a poor southern young woman, living with a friend, working in a bar, rolling her eyes at religion, and avoiding the church rectory across the street. Until a new, good looking, patient, strong, God-loving pastor comes to town. Beulah certainly notices Luke, and even though she avoids talking about God with him, she appreciates his steadfastness and stability.  

Luke doesn’t try to convert Beulah, but he does guide her in the areas of self-respect and leading others. 

And that’s where the happy hour choir comes in. Beulah uses her connections from the bar to put together a new choir for Luke’s church. And it just happens to meet after Luke’s bible study… Also held at the bar. 

Beulah and Luke wend their way through storms and calm, meeting up and lending support along the way. I loved to see their hearts changing and them shepherding the people around in amazing ways. 

Maybe the magic is in the southern-ness of the story, maybe it’s conviction of faith, or maybe it’s just Luke’s strong silent alpha maleness, but whatever it is left me feeling warm and wanting more. 

-calliope

Buy THE HAPPY HOUR CHOIR

Review: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

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So maybe you’re hanging in on a Friday night (like me), wondering what to read next (like me). Or maybe it’s Saturday and you’d like a book to help you procrastinate, because really, who wants to clean the bathroom right now?  Look no further. Barbara Kingsolver is a five star author. And if you’re lucky, you’ll be reading her instead of doing anything else. 

The first novel I read by Kingsolver was The Bean Trees. Loved it. So clever. I reviewed it on this blog. Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior – even more clever. See, Barbara Kingsolver writes in layers, so I can effortlessly enjoy the superficial layer: Dellarobia and her family living in Appalachia; the beauty of butterflies and the wonder of their migration. 

And then I can look underneath… at the marriage struggles, and the secrets, and the desires to stop the cycle of poverty and ignorance. I can understand the socioeconomic and ecological divisiveness that microcosms create. 

And as I keep reading, the deepest layer peeks out: the hows and whys of nature gone wrong; the right way to be honest with the ones you love; the flight of survival, even when it takes you away from the comfortable, predictable place you’ve always called home. 

There’s even more, of course. Love, religion, education, science,  living off the land… Kingsolver addresses myriad facets of life and polishes them from underneath. She keeps putting pieces together… And when you see the result you’ll be amazed. 

This is a five-star read. 

-calliope

Buy FLIGHT BEHAVIOR

Review: Hold Me by Susan Mallery

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Talk about character development! You’ve got Kipling Gilmore as a secondary character in previous Fool’s Gold books, and though he was always okay, I never felt the need to know him better. In Hold Me, Mallery highlights Kipling’s intuitiveness, protectiveness and good will toward his community. 

Destiny Mills’ character drives forward the plot as she changes from living a superficial life with defensive walls up, to a woman who embraces and rejoices in the challenges and blessings that befall her. Destiny gets in touch with her inner musician, and subsequently thrives. 🙂

I loved Destiny’s relationship with her sister and the other women of Fool’s Gold. But I also had a lot of fun reading the male bonding scenes. Mallery put an authentic voice to husbands and brothers who want to appear macho while staying out of the proverbial doghouse. 

Well done, as always, and I can’t wait for the next book. 

-calliope

Buy HOLD ME

Review: The Traveling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones

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Here’s the premise: Ex-pat Laurie takes British pastry chef Pamela on a food tour of New England. On a red London double decker. Driven by Pamela’s mom… and then later by Pamela’s true love… who has a really good-looking and nice son about Laurie’s age. Sigh.  

Oh sorry I got carried away with the romance part. 

Most of the book brings you to bakeries in the New England states. You read about gorgeous kitchens and quality ingredients, talented chefs and scrumptious treats. And then you get back on the bus with Laurie et al, check the itinerary, and go on to the next one. And maybe you watch some people fall a little bit in love. 

I loved the food, the traveling, the allusions to quirky state stereotypes, the Newport, R.I. scenery, and the cathartic hotel stays.  The Traveling Tea Shop gives you a cozy, family feeling, like you’re home on holiday, eating cakes and baking for friends. If I were going to take a road-trip with some friends, this very well might be our guidebook. 

-calliope

Buy THE TRAVELING TEA SHOP 

Musing: The Anti-Best-Seller Reader

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If you’re a reader, chances are you take a gander at book lists. You probably even look at a weekly best-seller list, whether it’s in the Sunday paper or via your favorite online book-seller. 

Now maybe you’re the type who reads a best-seller list and zips right out to the grocery store to see if maybe they have a few copies left of anything from the top five. Maybe you’re in a book club and you’re taking notes so you have some ideas for your next read. Maybe you already OWN those books because you like to be in the know. Maybe you and your friends have such awesome taste in books, you had a hand in a book appearing on the list. 

Or maybe you’re a rebel. 

Yep. Some of you look at that list and decide you won’t be reading any of those books on the best-seller list. You’re going rogue. Maybe you’ll search NetGalley for an obscure sounding author and hope that your future review will boost a new author into fame. Or maybe you’ll hope it won’t, and you can keep the awesome new author all to yourself. 

Hey, maybe you’ll just stick to your favorite authors… the best-seller list be damned. And if one day your personal fave appears on the list, you can say “I read her when… .”

You might be the reader who looks at the list and thinks you’re better than pop culture. You’re above it all! You can find better books, whether or not they make it onto The List. Bring ye to the library, or Overdrive, or your best friend’s blog, or the water cooler. You’ll browse and ponder and find a title you’ll love. 

I like to think of the best-seller lists as a guide for Everyman: if you’re not entrenched in the book world, you need some sort of direction when looking for a monthly read. The best-seller list can do that for you. 

As for the rebels, we keep searching for what fits us, and we hope it’s not on a list. 

-calliope