Maggie

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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“This wonderful book has become a staple graduation gift for students leaving grade school, high school, and college. I first received it when I was leaving my job to start a completely new career. It moved me to tears. It inspired me, motivated me, soothed me, and informed me. I take it out...”

“This wonderful book has become a staple graduation gift for students leaving grade school, high school, and college. I first received it when I was leaving my job to start a completely new career. It moved me to tears. It inspired me, motivated me, soothed me, and informed me. I take it out and re-read it every time I feel stuck in my life’s journey. Seuss doesn’t sugarcoat things; he states there will be bumps in the road and foul weather and enemies surrounding you at times, but as long as you keep hiking and climbing you WILL get there (wherever there is). Oh, the places you’ll go!

UPDATE May 2013 - I re-read this with my niece, who is graduating from high school this month. Oh, the places SHE'll go!”

Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Book on CD performed by Rosalyn Landor

Everyone knows everyone in the small town of Stoneybridge, on Ireland’s west coast. Still, when Chicky Starr buys Stone House from the last remaining Sheedy sister and announces she will turn it into a special kind of inn for paying guests, most...”

“Book on CD performed by Rosalyn Landor

Everyone knows everyone in the small town of Stoneybridge, on Ireland’s west coast. Still, when Chicky Starr buys Stone House from the last remaining Sheedy sister and announces she will turn it into a special kind of inn for paying guests, most everyone is certain the plan will fail. When the young people of town are leaving for the big city, who would want to come to tiny Stoneybridge? But Chicky assembles an eclectic group of travelers for her opening week, and begins a new chapter in her life and in the future of Stoneybridge.

This is Binchy’s last novel, published posthumously. It’s evident that she loved the landscape and the people of Ireland and she conveys that beautifully. This is an ensemble piece and there are sections devoted to each of the major players. From Chicky Starr (who comes back to Stoneybridge after decades in America) to Rigger (bad-boy turned general manager) to Freda (librarian and psychic), the reader gets to know each of the characters dreams, disappointments, strengths and flaws.

Rosalyn Landor does a wonderful job performing the audio version. She is a gifted voice artist and has a wide repertoire of voices and accents which allows her to bring the many character’s to life. My only disappointment is that it is Binchy’s last work – I would love to be able to look forward to a sequel.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Audio book narrated by the author.
3.5*** (4**** for the book / 3*** for the audio)

Detective Gus Ramone thinks he recognizes a signature in the body of a local teen found shot in a community garden in a middle-class area of Washington DC. Twenty years ago, when he was just a...”

“Audio book narrated by the author.
3.5*** (4**** for the book / 3*** for the audio)

Detective Gus Ramone thinks he recognizes a signature in the body of a local teen found shot in a community garden in a middle-class area of Washington DC. Twenty years ago, when he was just a rookie, Ramone and his partner Dan “Doc” Holiday” assisted veteran detective T.C. Cook in the investigation of several murders. The serial killer, dubbed “The Night Gardener” because the bodies were left in gardens, was never found. Now Ramone must wonder whether the murderer is back, or whether this is a copycat. Cook is long since retired, but the case still haunts him. Holiday is no longer on the force, having quit under a cloud of suspicion, and now operates a limousine service. But this boy’s death will bring all three men together in an effort to finish the work begun decades previously.

Pelecanos writes a tight, suspenseful mystery/thriller. I was completely drawn into the story and there were enough complexities to the plot to keep me guessing all the way through. The action is fast but he still takes time to carefully draw his characters, slowly revealing one layer at a time and demonstrating that the line between right and wrong, truth and justice, good guys and bad guys is frequently blurred. This is my first Pelecanos, but it won’t be my last!

Had I read the text, I would have rated this higher because the quality of the writing merited 4-stars. However, Pelecanos read the audio book himself. His lack of voice-over training means that most characters sound the same and with a fast moving plot it was sometimes hard to distinguish who was speaking. On the other hand, perhaps he was purposely going for that “jaded cop” quality. Audio gets only 3-stars.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“In present-day Bombay, Bhima leaves her slum each day to work as a domestic in a wealthy widow’s home. She has faithfully served this woman, Sera Dubash, for decades and prides herself on caring for the family. Sera is an upper-middle-class Parsi, but her social status has not protected her from...”

“In present-day Bombay, Bhima leaves her slum each day to work as a domestic in a wealthy widow’s home. She has faithfully served this woman, Sera Dubash, for decades and prides herself on caring for the family. Sera is an upper-middle-class Parsi, but her social status has not protected her from an abusive husband and mother-in-law. In Sera’s home Bhima has witnessed the intimate details of the family’s life, and cared for Sera’s injuries; in return Sera has helped Bhima deal with the hospital when her husband was injured, and is paying for Bhima’s granddaughter, Maya, to attend college. What Bhima doesn’t fully realize, however, is that she remains an outsider to the Dubash family. An unplanned pregnancy will shatter the illusions of both women.

The two women at the core of the novel share one very important characteristic – blindness. The beautifully dressed, elegant and graceful Sera does not want to see the truth of her husband’s cruelty or the despair of Bhima’s life. Bhima, a stoic illiterate, does not see that her blind faith in this family she “loves” is not returned. Time and again she fails to recognize the reality of her situation until it is too late. Intimately connected over time with one another, neither one of them truly sees the yawning chasm that separates them.

There are scenes of tenderness, love, joy and happiness which give the reader occasional relief, but the novel is at times emotionally difficult to read. I am appalled at the treatment both these women endure: Sera because she cannot face the shame and humiliation of admitting to anyone that her husband beats her; Bhima because her lack of education and status make her such an easy target for anyone more powerful (and virtually everyone she encounters is more powerful than she). My heart breaks for both these women, and at the end I am not sure which I am more worried about.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Flight attendant Hailey Lane is positive her pilot boyfriend of four years is going to propose, so when the rest of her schedule is cancelled she’s thrilled that she can fly home early. But instead of a celebratory dinner she gets a shock when she enters their apartment bedroom. Fleeing to a...”

“Flight attendant Hailey Lane is positive her pilot boyfriend of four years is going to propose, so when the rest of her schedule is cancelled she’s thrilled that she can fly home early. But instead of a celebratory dinner she gets a shock when she enters their apartment bedroom. Fleeing to a friend’s apartment she sets out to mend her broken heart by working more trips to Europe and taking advantage of long layovers and free flight passes.

This is pretty typical chick-lit, including a glamorous job (that really isn’t), lots of self-doubt, friends with fabulous Manhattan apartments, and several rich, handsome men all besotted with our heroine. Oh, and LOTS of use of italics to be sure the reader understands the significance of certain phrases.

This is total mind candy. It’s a fast and mildly entertaining read, but the writing is uneven and the situations just had me rolling my eyes. I finished it only because it satisfied several challenges.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Matthew Garth is a high school senior in the fall of 1962. He and his widowed mother live in Willow Falls, a small town in Southwest Minnesota. Although his mother works long hours at the local supper club, Matt doesn’t feel abandoned. He’s been accepted into the family of Dr. Dunbar, whose son...”

“Matthew Garth is a high school senior in the fall of 1962. He and his widowed mother live in Willow Falls, a small town in Southwest Minnesota. Although his mother works long hours at the local supper club, Matt doesn’t feel abandoned. He’s been accepted into the family of Dr. Dunbar, whose son Johnny is Matt’s best friend. Dr. Dunbar patiently and thoroughly explains the rudiments of medicine to the boys who are both interested in becoming doctors. So when their Thanksgiving meal is interrupted with news of a missing young woman, believed to have been shot by her boyfriend, the boys rally to join the search party, while Dr. Dunbar prepares his clinic to care for her. Louisa Lindahl will change everything about Matt’s relationship with the Dunbar family.

This is a heartfelt story of one young man’s awakening, and the missteps of youth. Matt has always relied on Dr. Dunbar for advice and has taken the lessons he imparts, whether about medicine, sportsmanship or curbing one’s baser instincts, to heart. But sometimes the lessons we are taught are not necessarily the lessons we learn. His fascination – even obsession – with Louisa is understandable, but a recipe for disaster. The inevitable confrontations will change the way Matt sees himself and his place in the world. The few months following Thanksgiving 1962 will mark him and force him to reconsider his view of the American dream.

Watson writes with such a sense of time and place as to put the reader right in the landscape of his novel. The reader feels chilled to the bone in a Minnesota blizzard, relishes in the warmth of a fire, and enjoys the flush that results from a sensual kiss. The writing is spare but fraught with tension. My loyalties shifted in the course of the novel, just as Matt’s did. I’ve read two of his previous novels - Montana 1948 and Justice. Once again, Watson has written a novel this is both specific to a time and place, and yet universal in its themes. Watson’s characters are good, flawed, admirable, loathsome, confused, and certain; their situations may be unique but their emotions strike a chord in all of us.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Audio book performed by Arija Bareikis

Elizabeth Berg returns to the story of Katie Nash in this third installment (after Durable Goods and Joy School). It is 1961, and 13-year-old Katie, having started school early and skipped a year is now in high school. An Army brat,...”

“Audio book performed by Arija Bareikis

Elizabeth Berg returns to the story of Katie Nash in this third installment (after Durable Goods and Joy School). It is 1961, and 13-year-old Katie, having started school early and skipped a year is now in high school. An Army brat, she is used to moving from city to city, but her father and new stepmother seem somewhat settled in this St Louis suburb. While she still feels like an outsider, she does have a best friend, Cynthia, as well as a continuing relationship with Cherylanne, her friend and neighbor back in Killeen, Texas. She’s looking forward to a summer job working the popcorn concession stand at the pool (and hanging out with cute lifeguards), when her father announces he’s found her the perfect jobs – babysitting a trio of rambunctious boys alternating with “babysitting” an elderly woman who is bed-ridden. To further cement her reputation as a loser, she is roped into joining a Girl Scout troop. Not everything is bleak, however. Katie is also blossoming as a poet and writer. A trip back to Texas to visit Cherylanne and a chance to become part of the popular “in” group at a new school leave her questioning the meaning of friendship and struggling to find a way to branch out into new experiences and still remain true to herself.

This is Berg at her best. Katie is believable and real. Yes, she is extraordinarily bright and gifted as a writer and observer of life, but she’s also a young teen who makes mistakes in judging other people and suffers the consequences of her decisions. Her journey forces her to learn whom she can really trust, whom to listen to, and how to forgive. This quote describes the basic life lessons Katie learns:
It is never about how good your voice is; it is only about feeling the urge to sing, and then having the courage to do it with the voice you are given. It is about what people try to share with each other, even if so many of us are so off-key when we do it.

While this is the third book in a trilogy it easily stands alone; I do not think a reader will feel s/he is missing anything by not having reading the previous books.

Arija Bareikis does a wonderful job voicing the audio book. She really brings Katie and the other characters to life. I’ll admit there were a few scenes that had me near tears, but on the whole this is a coming-of-age story with a hopeful outcome.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Book on CD narrated by Nick Landrum

Dexter Morgan returns in thriller number 4 in this series featuring a psychopathic serial killer who ONLY goes after the “bad guys.”

I’m tired of the whole “dark passenger” thing flapping his bat wings and silently chucking or salivating...”

“Book on CD narrated by Nick Landrum

Dexter Morgan returns in thriller number 4 in this series featuring a psychopathic serial killer who ONLY goes after the “bad guys.”

I’m tired of the whole “dark passenger” thing flapping his bat wings and silently chucking or salivating with excitement in the background of Dexter’s brain. I really dislike the whole third person reference to himself as “Dexter.” I’m unable to suspend disbelief re his protégés – Amber and Cody, or his wife, Rita. It’s inconsistent that he would have “feelings” for the children. Rita is way too ditzy to be attractive to a man as supposedly intelligent as Dexter. The bad guy is way too efficient and successful, and yet Dexter easily finds him. I also really dislike the unnecessary use of vulgar language. I was a drill sergeant in the Army. I know how to swear and don’t have “delicate ears,” but Lindsay uses the F-bomb so frequently as to make it sound tedious and as if his characters haven’t any other vocabulary. Just irritating.

On the other hand, Lindsay does keep the action moving forward and the reader turning pages. It’s fast-paced and interesting (in a macabre sort of way). Nick Landrum does a good job of the narration on the audio book. He has enough voice over experience to clearly differentiate the various characters, and I like his pace and inflections. That earns the book 2 stars. But I’m done with this series.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“4.5****

Lucia Alvarez is at the beach with her little brother, Frankie, when she notices a loud rumble. She’s surprised to see a parade of large trucks, loaded with soldiers. Their small town of Puerto Mujares, Cuba has never seen such a military movement. But it is 1961 and the...”

“4.5****

Lucia Alvarez is at the beach with her little brother, Frankie, when she notices a loud rumble. She’s surprised to see a parade of large trucks, loaded with soldiers. Their small town of Puerto Mujares, Cuba has never seen such a military movement. But it is 1961 and the Revolution is changing everything in Cuba. Before long she’ll no longer be anticipating her quinceanera party, but wondering how her best friend could have turned on her, and worrying how she and her family will get through this. When her parents make the difficult decision to send Lucia and seven-year-old Frankie to the United States, Lucia must grow up quickly and take on the responsibility of keeping herself and her brother safe.

This children’s novel is a very good work of historical fiction. Lucia's narration shows her growth from an innocent young girl, to a responsible young lady. The reader sees how she chafes against what she sees as her parent’s unnecessary restrictions, and lets her own teen-aged desires begin to lead her away from them. The effects of peer pressure are all too evident, as are the dangers of misplaced trust and fascination with adventure. But Gonzalez gives us a heroine who is able to think and decide on her own what path to follow. Lucia is intelligent, sensitive, kind and courageous. While she embraces the new life in America, she continues to recall the life lessons imparted by her mother and father. Chiefly she remembers her mother’s large red umbrella, which becomes a symbol for strength of family.

There’s a fair amount of Spanish used, but context will explain almost all of those words and phrases, and the book includes a glossary with translations. I think some of the situations – parents held at gunpoint, a hanging – are pretty heavy, but would definitely recommend it for middle-school readers.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Bombeck, best known for her thrice weekly columns on all the trials and tribulations of being a suburban mother, wrote this very different book about children living with cancer. She was originally approached by the director of a camp for children with cancer and asked to help write a pamphlet...”

“Bombeck, best known for her thrice weekly columns on all the trials and tribulations of being a suburban mother, wrote this very different book about children living with cancer. She was originally approached by the director of a camp for children with cancer and asked to help write a pamphlet or booklet that would let the campers know they weren’t alone, something that would help the counselors and the children as they dealt with some very real issues.

After writing the first few chapters she asked a group of children to read and critique her work. The campers responded with , “You gotta make it funnier.” And they said she had to add a first chapter titled, “Am I Going To Die?” To her immense credit she DID find humor to relate in the thousands of letters she received from all across the United States and from as far away as New Zealand, from children and their families who were living with this disease, frequently beating the odds, always fighting with courage, grace, dignity and hope.

The book includes many personal stories from the children themselves, and, yes, there are even a few segments that had me chuckling. Like the four-year-old who judges her healthcare givers thus: “These people don’t know what they’re doing. They put blood in me one day, and they take it out another!”

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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“2.5**

Phryne Fisher was born in poverty, but is now a wealthy heiress. After she quickly and discretely solves a theft of diamonds at a party, she’s asked by another guest if she might be willing to try to find out what is ailing his daughter. Seems every time Lydia goes to her...”

“2.5**

Phryne Fisher was born in poverty, but is now a wealthy heiress. After she quickly and discretely solves a theft of diamonds at a party, she’s asked by another guest if she might be willing to try to find out what is ailing his daughter. Seems every time Lydia goes to her husband’s home in Australia she takes ill, but as soon as she returns to England she quickly recovers. Bored with the social life in and around her father’s country estate, and equally bored with the “charitable ladies” championing various causes in London, Phryne accepts the assignment and sets sail for Australia.

Set in 1920s Australia, this is a quick cozy mystery introducing a very different amateur sleuth. Phryne is wealthy, beautiful, always fashionably dressed, a connoisseur of good cocktails, and an enthusiastic bed partner. She’s also intelligent, resourceful, quick-thinking, and apparently fearless.

So what’s not to like? The plot is thin and very slow, and I didn’t particularly like Phryne at the outset. Greenwood could have spent a little more time on the characters and how they are connected; I especially wanted more info on Dr MacMillan. She could also have spent a little less time describing Phryne’s undergarments (or lack thereof). And a number of clues / issues were just ignored – neither explained nor resolved.

The action finally picked up in the second half of the book and by the end I was interested in Phryne and how she would solve the case. I also liked several of her associates – Dr MacMillan, Dot (her maid), Bert and Cec (cab drivers) – and would hope that they would make continued appearances in the rest of the series. I’m sure I’ll try at least one more in the series, and who knows, I may find Phryne as addicting as cocaine.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Audio book narrated by Keith Nobbs

Y’Tin is the best elephant handler in his village, a skill that takes courage, patience and intelligence. Still, his mother would rather that he spend more time on schoolwork than on the elephants. He is, after all, only thirteen years old and there...”

“Audio book narrated by Keith Nobbs

Y’Tin is the best elephant handler in his village, a skill that takes courage, patience and intelligence. Still, his mother would rather that he spend more time on schoolwork than on the elephants. He is, after all, only thirteen years old and there will be plenty of time to decide his life’s work. Perhaps he will be like his father, who works with the American soldiers in the war against the North Vietnamese forces. But after the Americans pull out, Y’Tin, his family, and the other Dega in their village will have to fend for themselves.

Kadohata weaves an interesting and harrowing tale of bravery, friendship and loyalty. Set from 1973 to 1975 in the highlands of Vietnam, the author takes the reader into an environment few of us have experienced, and none of us has lived as intensely as the villagers depicted in this story. Forced by circumstances to flee into the jungle, Y’Tin struggles to remember the life lessons his father imparted over the years. There are no happy endings when war is involved, but this ending is hopeful.

Keith Nobbs does a wonderful job narrating the audio book. He has good pacing and is believable as the voice of a 13-year-old, albeit one wise beyond his years due to the situations he encounters. The book is suitable for readers 9+ years old, although there are some horrible scenes of war atrocities which may be frightening for the younger and/or more sensitive reader.
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Book Concierge reviewed a book.

“Audio book read by the author

When Rose Edelstein takes a bite of the lemon cake with chocolate frosting (her favorite) that her mother made for her ninth birthday she is suddenly overwhelmed with a taste of “hollowness.” This so distresses her that she simply cannot eat it. But very...”

“Audio book read by the author

When Rose Edelstein takes a bite of the lemon cake with chocolate frosting (her favorite) that her mother made for her ninth birthday she is suddenly overwhelmed with a taste of “hollowness.” This so distresses her that she simply cannot eat it. But very quickly Rose discovers that she can taste the emotions of the person preparing any item of food. Unable to articulate this strange gift, and unsure what to do she limits herself to vending machine snacks or pours catsup over her evening meals at home.

The novel spans the time from Rose’s 9th birthday until she is a young woman of 22. Her unusual ability remains with her throughout, giving her insight into what is happening in her family … or at least with her mother (who does all the cooking). This is how she learns that her mother is having an affair, because she can taste the excitement and giddiness and guilt. Rose’s brother Joseph, a genius who is clearly Mom’s favorite child, is increasingly withdrawn as he grows to adulthood, and begins to disappear without explanation. Rose also observes that her father is increasingly detached.

There are elements of magical realism in this book, a style of writing that I typically like. However, Bender does not do a very good job of using this device. Magical realism usually transports me into a story in such a way that I am easily able to suspend disbelief. Here I felt detached and held at arm’s length. I felt that I was being told to believe, but given no reason to believe. Things happen but there seem to be no consequences. Everyone just goes along as usual … living their separate lives though living under the same roof.

Bender read the audio book herself, with a flat affect and little variation in tone. Her pace is irritatingly slow, and everyone sounds sort of slightly bemused and/or bored. And to my dismay, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat lemon cake again … because it would remind me of this book, and I just want to forget it.
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