Jasmine Nights by Julia Gregson

Jasmine Nights by Julia Gregson

Copyright 2012

Touchstone Books - Historical Fiction/WWII/Romance

416 pp.

Saba Tarcan has been singing since she was a small girl. Now 23, Saba has decided to do her part in the war effort. While singing at a hospital, she meets a handsome fighter pilot, Dom Benson. Both are immediately smitten with each other, but Saba is determined leave Wales; her Turkish father objects to Saba singing in public. She joins Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) and is sent to join a troupe of entertainers in North Africa, just as she's getting to know Dom.

Recovered from burns received when his plane was shot down, Dom returns to flying and gets a friend to pull strings so that he can serve in the same area as Saba. Communication is complicated by war, yet Saba continues to invade Dom's thoughts. When they finally manage to meet up, Saba and Dom are determined to get together. But Saba has been recruited to do work for the British Secret Service and can't always explain her absences, sparking jealousy and bitter feelings of rejection in Dom.

Meanwhile, North Africa is heating up; soon, the Nazis are expected to invade Alexandria. Will the secrets they must keep from each other tear them apart or can Saba and Dom stay alive long enough to solidify their relationship?

What I loved about Jasmine Nights:

I'm a sucker for books that are set during WWII, so I particularly enjoyed the glimpses into the time period, learning about ENSA and finding that entertainers were, in fact, used as spies during WWII. I don't think I've ever read any other WWII stories told from the viewpoint of an entertainer.

The details of the sights, sounds, smells and the hardships of living in the desert were what I found most engaging about Jasmine Nights.

What I disliked about Jasmine Nights:

The f-word was dropped at least half a dozen times in Jasmine Nights. I felt like the book lost a bit of authenticity in that regard. Sure, soldiers swore. The acronyms FUBAR and SNAFU both originated during WWII. But, that particular vulgarity was not flung about so casually at the time. Saba's use of the word (and, I think in one case, Dom used the word in her presence) really threw me. Women were less likely to swear, back then, and men tended to water down their speech in the presence of women and children.

Otherwise, the only thing I really disliked about Jasmine Nights was that it leaned toward romance and I thought the hero was a bit of a sap. I can't say I ever really felt much for the heroine, either. Oh, and occasionally I had trouble figuring out what was happening. But, only a few scenes confused me.

Wait, I thought of something else! But, part of it is spoilery. The unspoilery bit: LOTS of sex and no mention of protection but no pregnancy (although the sex is not overly graphic). That's a big no-no in my book. There either needs to be some mention of protection or consequences . . . sex amongst the young and fertile isn't realistic otherwise, is it? The spoilery bit will be thrown in at the bottom of this post, after the asterisks. See below***

The bottom line:

Recommended particularly to those who like a slightly longer, more detailed and character-driven/romantic book. There's not a great deal of action. I expected a bit more danger/close calls with the spying. Jasmine Nights was slower-paced and more romance-focused than anticipated. I gave Jasmine Nights an above-average rating of 3.5/5 at Goodreads. I liked it but didn't love it and I'm not entirely certain I would have finished the book if it didn't happen to be a book I was sent for review. The author definitely needs to work on tightening up her writing, in my humble opinion.

Pic of the day (taken in Oxford, MS), a sunflower to match the yellow edging on the cover of Jasmine Nights:

I keep forgetting to add my cover thoughts . . . again:

I don't know why writing cover thoughts keeps slipping my mind, but I love the cover of Jasmine Nights. The only thing that looks a little off to me is the length of Saba's hair. The model's coloring is right and I love the blend of her colorful dress (although I can't say whether or not it's right for the decade) and the gorgeous city background. Definitely an eye-catching cover.

***SPOILER WARNING!***

There was a scene I found particularly confusing because it appears that Saba was raped -- but I wasn't entirely certain, possibly because the character was trying to convince herself that it didn't happen. Again, no consequences, but worse than the consensual sex because there didn't seem to be any big emotional ramifications. I know several women who have been raped. Two of them attempted suicide; one succeeded. The other has channeled her anger in a very positive way, thank goodness. Rape should never, ever be glossed over. It has heavy emotional repercussions.

©2012 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Voice of America by E. C. Osundu

Voice of America by E. C. Osundu

Copyright 2010

HarperCollins - Fiction/Short Stories

215 pages

I am sure you remember Obi's daughter. She went to Italy to work as a prostitute after you left for America. Just last year she came back with lots of goodies for her parents and has even married a boy from a responsible family. They had their wedding in the church and the priest said that though her sins were like scarlet she has been washed clean by the blood of Jesus (after she made a huge donation for the repair of the church roof). She has gone on to bear a son and now nobody remembers that she was once a prostitute in Italy.

--from "A Letter from Home" in the Advanced Reader's Copy of Voice of America, p. 46. Some changes may have been made to the final print version.

Voice of America is a book of short stories written by a man who was born in Nigeria but now lives and teaches in the United States and, as such, the stories come from both sides of the coin -- some set in Africa, some in the United States -- each one about Africans: their fears, hopes, trials and joys, and what it's like to be a refugee, an immigrant or just a survivor of everyday life on either side of the ocean.

What I liked about this book:

I liked peeking into this strange, unique world. Africa can be both a beautiful and harrowing place to live but to many of the characters in Voice of America (and possibly in the minds of many Africans), the U.S. is a mysterious place of hope that is often quite different from the reality. Being an American and knowing what it's like to live in the U.S. can make it difficult to even begin to imagine the misconceptions others may have about our lifestyle, for better or worse; and, the stories in Voice of America place readers firmly in the shoes of Africans, giving American readers a glimpse into how we're seen by others.

The tales in Voice of America are candid, sometimes graphically gritty, at times humorous and always surprising. I found that I never knew what was going to happen, so I read this book rabidly. Many of the stories are harsh, but there were a couple that I found deeply touching and one or two were even uplifting. It's just as fascinating reading about immigrants to the U.S. and how they bring their customs with them (or find that it's difficult trying to escape those customs, even after relocating to another country) as it is reading stories about refugees dreaming of a new life.

What I disliked about this book:

I think the gritty, graphic nature of Voice of America is necessary because you can't fully understand the setting without the honesty, but sometimes the blunt wording made me cringe a bit. Also, a glossary would have been helpful as the author peppers his stories with African words or phrases without translating. Otherwise, the only thing I dislike is the title, which is also the name of one of the stories and very fitting if you're familiar with the radio show, "Voice of America" but perhaps a bit confusing from a marketing standpoint. If I were attempting to sell the book, I'd suggest a change of title to reflect the content a bit better -- something that says, "This book is about Africans, both in their home country and in the U.S. and their dreams for a better life."

A side note:

My favorite story is probably "Miracle Baby," the story of an immigrant who is unable to get pregnant and travels to her home country to see a miracle-making prophet at her mother-in-law's request. What happens is both enchanting and heart-breaking. There is another story that's loosely connected to "Miracle Baby," and I loved the crossover between those two stories, as well.

The bottom line:

Sometimes funny, often heartbreaking, Voice of America provides readers a revealing look at life as an African, whether at home in Africa or living in the United States. I really enjoyed Voice of America and recommend it particularly to readers who like stepping into the shoes of people who live in a different culture or that of immigrants facing the challenges of living in a new environment. Short stories aren't for everyone, but I like them if they're done well and by "done well" I mean "tell a complete story that doesn't leave you feeling short-changed in either characterization or development" and I think E. C. Osondu does short stories well. There's a little repetition, thematically, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.

This book is rates at least PG-13 for occasional language, sexuality and violent images.

Cover thoughts:

I like the cover -- the colors, the simplicity -- but find that the obvious African theme combined with the title makes for a confusing clash that I think is likely to keep people from picking it up to flip through and/or purchase. If someone at Harper were to contact me for suggestions I'd say, "Change the title so it makes more sense and grabs people but don't alter the artwork."

My thanks to HarperCollins for the Advanced Reader's Copy, which will go into the next roving book box sent around by my little online book group.

©2010 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell

Copyright 2010

Sourcebooks Landmark - Historical Fiction

Pride and Prejudice spin-off

384 pages

Darcy relaxed a bit. "The old Thompson place?" She answered with a nod. "You're one of Tom Bennet's daughters? I was told he had a herd of them." Almost immediately he recognized how his choice of words could be considered an insult, but it was too late.

--from Pemberley Ranch, p. 23 of the Advanced Reader's Copy. Some changes may have been made to the final published version.

After the Civil War, former Confederate officer Will Darcy returns to his family's ranch in outside Rosings, Texas. Pemberley Ranch is one of the largest land holdings in the area, as is the B & R Ranch owned by Will's cousin, Cate DeBourgh. Nearby, the Bennet family, formerly of Meryton, Ohio, has purchased farmland. Will has spent some time as a prisoner of war after the Confederate loss and the lovely Beth Bennet had an elder brother who served in the Union.

Will and Beth are naturally at odds with each other, not only because of the war but because Will Darcy is a man of means and Beth is one member of a large family struggling to make ends meet, as well as an energetic and willful young woman who often wears dungarees rather than a dress. But, Rosings is a small town and they can't help but cross paths, especially after Beth's sister Jane marries Will's best friend.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . . okay, honestly, I just had to say that. You must forgive me. George Whitehead, carpetbagger and former Union bad boy, has also ended up in Rosings, where he has made fast friends with the Bennet family. But George has not mended his ways and is now working with Cate DeBourgh to buy up land, regardless of who ends up getting hurt in the process. Can Will and Beth set aside their differences and save the town before it's too late?

What I liked about Pemberley Ranch:

Pemberley Ranch is action-packed and a decent novel on its own merits. It does contain the basic framework taken from Pride & Prejudice, yet the book is unique enough to stand on its own. Pemberley Ranch is well plotted and the characters are not entirely lifted from the pages of Jane Austen's work but spun in slightly different directions, enough so that it's really a little difficult to reconcile the two works if you're trying to place all of the characters parallel in your mind. As I read the book it occurred to me that it's rather sad that the book probably wouldn't have had a decent shot at publication (because it's a western and they're simply not in vogue) if the characters' names and the locations had been changed to avoid the Austen references.

The book begins in Vicksburg (where I live) in 1863 and I thought the Civil War and post-siege scenes were done well. As far as I could tell, the historical references were meticulously researched. I had to get a little help from my husband to picture the location of the first scene, but then it quickly became apparent that the author knew what he was talking about.

What I disliked about Pemberley Ranch:

I think my dislikes should be taken with a grain of salt as I've just recently reached Austen Spin-off Burnout Point, but I found that Pemberley Ranch lacked the spark and wit I always long for in a book with characters based on Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. There was also very little true tension between Will and Beth. Even George Whitehead -- the character who plays the "nefarious" character fashioned after Willoughby -- has no intimate relationship with Beth, the Lizzie of this book. He's simply a friend of the Bennet family; and, Whitehead's friendship with the family has a weak foundation. Will and Beth also quickly move past their prejudices against those who served on the opposite side during the Civil War.

The bottom line:

I liked Pemberley Ranch, but I didn't love it. I think, though, that I was expecting a closer parallel to Pride and Prejudice and it was the lack of witty repartee and tension between Will and Beth that made this book just an average read for me, in spite of excellent plotting, plenty of exciting action and decent setting. The book also contains one or two rather erotic scenes (one of which is a dream sequence) and some unexpectedly modern bad language. I was really stunned when I read the f-word, not just because it was unnecessary and didn't fit the general tone, but also because I'm pretty sure it wasn't the way people spoke in that time period, although I could be wrong. Right for the time period or not, a little bit of generic "cowboy cussing" would have sufficed -- galldernit, dagnabbit, etc. For those two reasons, the book gets a family warning for language and sexual references.

Speaking of warnings:

I'm pondering alterations to my reviews for the coming year to make things like family warnings and other things I keep forgetting (like the FTC line) more consistent from one review to another. If there's anything specific you'd like me to work on, feel free to let me know. I used to put "cover thoughts" in all my reviews and I keep forgetting to add that, for example. Do you like to hear my thoughts about covers? Would you like me to regularly post links to other reviews? Are you tired of cat pictures, yet?

Speaking of cover thoughts . . . I love the cover of Pemberley Ranch. I think it reflects the time period and location very nicely and the hot-pink frame makes it bold and eye-catching.

And, speaking of the FTC . . . I was provided a copy of Pemberley Ranch for review. My thanks to Sourcebooks for the review copy, which I'll send on its merry way in the next ARC book box swap held by my little online book group.

©2010 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by Green & Levithan - Buddy review!!

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
Copyright 2010
Dutton Books - Fiction/YA
310 pages

Oh, boy! I got to do a buddy read with Kelly (aka "Kailana" of The Written World)!! I've been reading her buddy reviews with other people and enjoying them, and we were both excited about John Green's latest release. It's been loads of fun bouncing emails back and forth.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is the story of two teenagers with the same name who meet each other and then find their lives intersecting in various ways. The chapters alternate from one Will's viewpoint to the other. I've made a comment on the device used to distinguish the chapters, below.

The first Will Grayson's best friend is a boy named Tiny Cooper. Tiny is huge, expressive and very gay. Will isn't even sure he likes being friends with Tiny, but they've had an off-and-on friendship for years and his other friends drifted away when he wrote a letter defending Tiny's right to be on the football team, regardless of his sexual orientation. The other Will (#2) is gay and depressed. In general, everyone just wants to be loved and accepted and when the two Wills cross paths, they end up helping each other in unexpected ways.

Kelly and I each came up with three questions and answered both sets. You can read Kelly's answers at The Written World.

My answers to Kelly's questions:

1. How did you feel when you finished the book? Has your initial reaction stayed the same, or do you feel differently about the book?

I had mixed feelings when I closed the book. In some ways I liked it better than Paper Towns (my least favorite book by John Green) because everything seemed to be wrapped up a little better; I didn't feel like there were any loose ends or that the whole point of the book sort of went splat. But, I can't say it was a great book and now I think . . . actually, on reflection I like Paper Towns better. I just thought the storyline was really overwhelming. I liked the writing and I also thought the theme of acceptance of yourself and others was very clear. The overall reading experience was a little disappointing, though. I don't think I'd ever reread the book.

2. Which character in the book was your favourite? Least favourite?

I liked Jane, the straight Will Grayson's "love interest", if you can call her that. And, I liked Gideon, the gay Will Grayson's gay friend -- both of whom were secondary characters. I think it was at least in part because those two characters weren't obsessed with sex and seemed to have their acts together; and, maybe because they were just the kind of people who were there when they needed to be to support their friends. But, I also think the two Will Graysons were pretty odd and rather bland. One was gay, fatherless and depressed and the other so vague and colorless that I kept forgetting the circumstances of his home life. Tiny was just exhausting, although I did like his enthusiasm and I thought there was a deeper meaning to his energy level and good cheer, which was nicely described via dialogue with Will #1, toward the end of the book.

3. What did you think about the ending? (Without giving too much away.)

The ending was so bizarre. I don't think it's telling too much to say the ending involves a play written by Tiny Cooper. I thought the play itself was kind of creative, if weird. The entire book led up to that ending but I don't know exactly what I expected -- probably a little less of the play and more of the action around it. For some reason, the fact that it was going to end up being central totally escaped me. What happened in the audience and the ending comments about the two Will Graysons were, I thought, awfully far-fetched. I left the book with a bit of an "I don't buy that" sensation.

My answers to My own questions:

4. What other books have you read by John Green and/or David Levithan and how do you think Will Grayson compares?

I've read An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska. What I really loved about all three books is that they were immensely creative and the characters were, for the most part, extremely intelligent and very well-rounded. I didn't feel like I ever got to know the two Will Graysons as well as the protagonists in the other John Green books and I thought Will Grayson #1 was a little on the flat and lifeless side. He improved throughout the book, but he just wasn't as interesting as the typical John Green protagonist. I've never read anything by David Levithan, but it seems like he has a very similar voice to that of John Green and since I like John Green I'll likely read more by him.

5. There was one thing about the book that really, really annoyed me but which I eventually became accustomed to. Did anything about the book get on your nerves?

I found the lack of capitalization and lousy punctuation in Will Grayson #2's chapters extremely annoying. Here's an example:

i have no idea why anyone would want to become a teacher. i mean, you have to spend the day with a group of kids who either hate your guts or are kissing up to you to get a good grade. that has to get to you after a while, being surrounded by people who will never like you for any real reason. i'd feel bad for them if they weren't such sadists and losers.

Eventually, I did get used to it, but that doesn't mean it was comfortable to read. Assuming the point was to distinguish the two characters' chapters, I think italics would have done the trick a bit better. I also got really sick of Tiny waxing on about the loves of his life, primarily because of the sheer quantity -- if I remember right, he'd had 33 crushes and/or boyfriends by the end of his senior year in high school. That seemed kind of insane.

Kelly mentioned a scene in which Tiny got very drunk. It was pretty disgusting and I still don't think it did anything to forward the plot. It wasn't something that stuck with me, in the end, but I agree with her that it was a nasty scene and I personally think it could have been left out.

6. What did you consider the main theme of the book? Do you think the sheer quantity of gay characters diluted the theme or made it more powerful?

I thought the theme was that regardless of our preferences (for the opposite sex or music or whatever) we should be accepting of other people, that acceptance and presence -- being there for each other because friends care about each other, not only just to have a good time together but when needed to help our friends through a rough time -- is the basis of lasting friendship.

I thought Will Grayson #1 did a rather nice job of expressing the theme via his discovery that Tiny Cooper was and always had been his best friend, even though at times his best friend made him cringe. But, I did think the quantity of gay characters lessened the impact. I felt so completely overwhelmed that the book was hard to believe. There was never an absence of disbelief. I always felt like I was outside of this story, looking in. It was too unrealistic to believe in the characters and feel involved with them.

Kelly mentioned that the acceptance theme extends to accepting yourself as you are and I totally agree with that. After mulling the book for several days, I'd completely forgotten about the importance of friendship in the book and it was the idea of accepting each other and one's self that stuck with me. As you near the end of the book, most of the characters seem to have had some sort of epiphany that has made them become more comfortable with who they are.

Side note:

I love that cover. It's so pretty. I see it as an abstract representation of the color and excitement of the ending scenes (Tiny's play). Also, I loved the name of the band the characters are obsessed with: Neutral Milk Hotel. It's just odd enough to work.

And a warning:

There is some really nasty language in this book and I think it's deserving of a family warning. This is the second YA book I've read that has a certain word I consider X-rated and I would not hand the book to my son (meaning "recommend it to him"). He wouldn't read it, anyway. Kiddo prefers plot and Will Grayson is really more about relationships, acceptance, finding love and finding oneself. But, if my son liked this kind of book and desired to read it, I would tell him what I thought of the language before he walked off with it. My 18-year-old and I discuss books and if there's something I dislike or disagree with and I've already read a book, I'll tell him in advance. But, I don't censor his reading.

Thanks, Kelly! We need to do this again, sometime. :)

Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware

Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware

Copyright 2010

Orig. published 1989

Sourcebooks Landmark - Historical fiction

569 pages

In case you're wondering about the kitten's droopy eyes, Island of the Swans is far too entertaining to put anyone to sleep, although she did require a bit of help holding up the book.

Island of the Swans is the story of Lady Jane Maxwell of Edinburgh, who became the 4th Duchess of Gordon. Jane was known as a fashion icon, patroness to Robert Burns, close friend and advisor to King George, a politically savvy, passionate and beautiful woman. The story takes place between 1760-1797 and focuses on Jane's fiery spirit, her place in society, her family life and a love triangle. I found a very interesting page in which Jane is featured as the Tart of the Week at a blog site about Jane's rival, the Duchess of Devonshire, which is well worth reading for a little background if you're interested in reading this splendid book about her life.

Island of the Swans opens with a pig race between Jane and her sister, Eglantine, down the steep High Street in Edinburgh. Her best friend, Thomas Fraser serves as the judge and the scene is a delightful introduction to Jane, her family and Thomas. At the time the book opens, Jane, her mother and her sisters live in Edinburgh on the strict allowance doled out by her drunken, land-holding father who, in typical fashion, has chosen to banish his daughters but not his male heirs to a life of genteel poverty.

Thomas Fraser is an orphan whose family lost their land holdings after siding with Bonnie Prince Charlie in the dreadful Battle of Culloden. Although Thomas and Jane's friendship eventually turns to love, Thomas has no money or land and becomes a soldier to earn his keep. After he is presumed dead in an attack by Indians in the American Colonies, Jane marries Alexander, the 4th Duke of Gordon. But, Thomas is not dead. Jane's marriage is described as passionate but fraught with jealousy after the Duke realizes that Thomas will always hold Jane's heart.

Island of the Swans is a little heavy on fairly graphic love scenes and angst about Jane's never-ending affection for Thomas, but the historical setting is rendered in such stunning detail that I was never bored or annoyed by the love triangle. Jane's life was fascinating. While her marriage may have been essentially loveless, she didn't let her husband slow her down. In addition to her political activities and the social whirl, Jane gave birth to six children and was a devoted mother.

The book is not so graphic that it's yucky, but for those who prefer to keep their kids from reading anything overly erotic, I'd say it's at least PG-13, maybe R-rated. And, yet, the richly-described historical setting is so amazing that reading the book is definitely a learning experience.

4.5/5 - Meticulously researched and detailed; an engrossing read, highly recommended for history and historical-fiction afficianados. Apart from the fact that the book is romance-heavy (and I don't care for elaborate sex scenes), I was never, ever bored with this fairly densely word-packed chunkster and enjoyed learning about Jane Maxwell and the time period in which she lived. A family tree at the front of the book came in very handy.

My thanks to Danielle of Sourcebooks for the review copy!

Other reviews:

Booksie's Blog

Passages to the Past

In other news . . .

About that kitten - We adopted a 6-month-old tabby with white socks and bib on Thursday. Wahoo! It is wonderful having a fur baby in the house, again!! Sookie is her adoptive name, but we plan to rename her Fiona and are currently calling her Sookie Fiona, since she knows and responds to the name Sookie. She is playful and cuddly and we are besotted with her.

Reviews. Big sigh. No swearing allowed. I need to review the following:

Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa, M.D.

So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

We The Children by Andrew Clements

The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer

When will I get to them? Your guess is as good as mine. Obviously, blogging has not held priority in my life, so far this year. I'm fine with that, but I do intend to review everything I read -- if humanly possible. This might be a good time to take up drinking, if I could tolerate alcohol and didn't happen to hold the opinion that all alcohol has the smell and taste of paint remover.

What else is coming up, besides (hopefully) at least 6 reviews?

At least 2 more drawings. I won a pair of reading sunglasses in a drawing at Book-a-Rama Chris's blog and love them so much that I asked if I could hold a drawing, as well. And, I'm going to help promote a new read-along program that I think is all kinds of awesome (a book giveaway comes with the territory). The book hasn't arrived, but I've heard it read aloud and I know I like it.

Happy Sunday!

Beyond the Night by Joss Ware

Beyond the Night by Joss Ware
Copyright 2010
Avon - Romance/Paranormal
357 pages
Author's website

The cover blurb describes Beyond the Night as paranormal, but I would call it a futuristic/dystopian novel with some paranormal elements. I'm not sure if that's technically a correct description, but Beyond the Night is definitely set in the opposite of a utopian world.

Elliott Drake and several of his friends have awakened from a 50-year nap. They haven't aged; they just mysteriously bypassed 50 years. Elliott and his friends were exploring in a cave when disaster struck. After awakening, they emerged from the cave to find their world had been utterly destroyed. Now, they must survive in a world controlled by dangerous people who have discovered the secret to immortality and who use zombie-like creatures to do their dirty work.

Jade was captured by the immortals but managed to escape. Since her escape, she has changed her identity to protect herself and those she works with. Jade risks her life regularly as she and her cohorts seek to understand their insane new world and find a way to overcome their enemies. When she meets Dr. Drake, she initially distrusts him, but there's something that draws her to him and slowly he gains her confidence.

Elliott has developed a mysterious ability to cure illness or injury, but there's a catch. Not quite the miracle he originally thought it was, Elliott has to take care not to end up inadvertantly hurting people, as well.

Stuck in this new world together, Jade leads Elliott and friends to the town of Envy. Envy has such an interesting background that I don't think I'll share it; it was awfully fun reading the explanation for the name and the city's history. Once they get to Envy, things really start to happen. They've already had to defend themselves from the zombies or gangas. Now, in Envy, they happen across a secretive plot that could destroy what little the people sheltering in Envy have left. As they set out to find answers, they'll face new dangers and discover the secret that led to the world's destruction.

The secret is weird. I'm not sure how else to describe it and I don't want to give anything away. I enjoyed Beyond the Night because of the story's complexities and uniqueness. Joss Ware is a pen name for Colleen Gleason. In Beyond the Night, I recognized Colleen's hallmark - her ability to create a unique world in spite of the fact that she's entered highly-marketable (often "ditto") writing territory. That's what I loved about the book most, the uniqueness of her world.

What I didn't like was the bad language. There is much more truly nasty language than I expected; the author used a few words that I consider completely taboo, parental-advisory terms. I don't like reading them and I wouldn't hand a book that I know contains those words to my kid. The book is also definitely heavier on romance than what I became accustomed to in Colleen's Victoria Gardella vampire series, which might explain the pen name -- to distinguish the two distinctly different styles, one heavier on romance and the other heavier on action.

It's really totally unfair to compare the two series, but it's also difficult not to. I absolutely loved Colleen Gleason's vampire series and found I had to really work to shut off my expectations. In general, I liked Beyond the Night more the further I got into it. A lot happens, although I thought it was a little slow to crank up and there were times I thought the usual miraculous escape from danger was a little bit of a stretch, but I do like action scenes.

I'm not a typical romance reader in that I dislike graphic sex and bad language, so I'm not going to rate Beyond the Night. Instead, I'll say I enjoyed the fact that there was plenty of complexity to Joss Ware's futuristic world; but, since it's heavier on romance, I'd particularly recommend this book to the romance crowd. If you don't mind more emphasis on romance or are willing to overlook that and the bad language, go for it. Having said that, I do want to continue the series.

In other news: I am now so far behind myself that I'm not sure I'll ever catch up with me. Didn't I say I was going to write some mini reviews? I wonder what ever happened to those. Maybe they'll still appear. I make no promises. A few of the books I've read were sent by either a publisher or publicist and they have top priority. If I do write mini-reviews, it'll probably be a good thing, anyway. I've always thought my posts are way too long.

My eldest son helped divert my mind from the cat to other matters, this weekend. Note to son: I'll mail the Dave Ramsey book, tomorrow, and will be happy to generously offer you some excellent hints about how to stretch your grocery money. You can go a long way on a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut-butter, some raw veggies and fruit, for example. Skip the beer and drink tap water. Don't buy frozen or canned food. There. Don't say your mother never does anything for you.

Back to the rest of you . . . What was I saying? Oh, bookish stuff. A lot of us are trying to read more deliberately, this year. I haven't actually read all that much, but it sure seems like I'm enjoying my reading a bit more. Over the weekend, I read The Making of the African Queen by Katherine Hepburn. I love the movie, so I enjoyed reading about the experience. I also finished They Were Just People: Stories of Rescues in Poland During the Holocaust by Tammeus and Cukierkorn. I have a feeling I'll have a lot to say about that book. If you're a fan of WWII books, grab a copy of They Were Just People. It is excellent.

Gotta go. I haven't used that nifty new treadmill for a few days. Enough moping around. It just makes the butt bigger, you know.

Bookfool, who will be watching old Chuck episodes but has watched some of the new season on Hulu and thinks, "Yes! Chuck still rocks!"

Mass Casualties by Spc Michael Anthony

Mass Casualties: A Young Medic's True Story of Death, Deception and Dishonor in Iraq
by Spc. Michael Anthony
Copyright 2009
Adams Media - NF/Memoir
234 pages

Mass Casualties is the story of a young man who grew up in a military family and signed up to join the U. S. Army as soon as he graduated high school. Because he tested well, Anthony pretty much had his choice of what type of job he'd like to have. He trained to be a surgical assistant because of the above-average pay and signing bonus.

After training, he was shipped to Northern Iraq, where he began to get to know the people he would work with and to learn his job. He was quickly surprised to find that the man in charge of scheduling was a control freak who had no sense of how to create a schedule. During Anthony's first weeks in Iraq, he and several other people were switched from one shift to another on a daily basis. Soon, they were unable to sleep at all, their bodies confused as to when it was time to rest. That poor scheduling was just the beginning of a difficult deployment in Iraq in two different locations with the same wily but inept commander.

Mass Casualties wasn't quite what I expected it to be, but it's an interesting memoir. There's a lot less focus on the surgery Anthony was involved in and the patients than the full experience of being deployed. You do hear about quite a few of the cases he dealt with and how they had to balance the use of a minimal number of surgical space when there were mass casualties coming in. But, the real focus is on relationships, everyday frustrations and and problems with the Army.

What I loved best about the book was that you really get a sense of what it's like to live in a war zone and the immediacy of having to run for a bunker during bombings. The bombings were more frequent and closer -- with bombs actually hitting inside their compound -- than I expected. When bombs were falling, the reading was pretty intense.

I disliked the fact that the author shared graphic detail about the sexual escapades of people around him. Yes, it was part of his experience. But, it's something I avoid reading about and before accepting this book for review, I read some reviews at Amazon. I asked the tour host if the book was as graphic about sex as described in a particular review and she said it was not that bad. I disagree. Mass Casualties isn't a book that can be renamed "Army Sexcapades," but there is a lot about the sexual activity of those around Anthony and anyone who dislikes reading about such things should be forewarned.

In fact, Anthony described all this activity because it was something that upset him. It's against Army regulations for people to engage in sexual activity but it was rampant and a large number of those whom he knew to be having affairs had spouses back home. Anthony was appalled at this behavior and that's undoubtedly why he seems so focused on it, particularly later in the book.

3.5/5 - A solid memoir and exposé of life in the military that looks specifically at the frustrations and issues of life in the army. Points off for going into a little too much detail about the sexual escapades of those around him because some of it was just flat disgusting. Too Much Information. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book.

I received this book for review from Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Don't forget! Tomorrow is drawing day for two copies of How to Lower your Cholesterol with French Gourmet Food by Chef Alain Braux. Sign up here, if you haven't already.

Breaking the Bank by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Breaking the Bank by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Copyright 2009

Downtown Press - Fiction/General (with a touch of magic)

349 pages

Mia studied the address, somewhere out in Coney Island, a seedy neighborhood way out on Brooklyn's tip. She wrote down the address on the back of the shopping list and then got up to pay for her food. Suddenly, the day had a new shape and purpose to it. She knew, as surely as she knew anything, that what she was about to do was monumentally stupid. Stupid and dangerous. She could get herself killed, just like poor Weed, who, whatever he might have done, did not deserve a blindfold and a bullet in the brain.

But still. Something about her conversation with Patrick that night was haunting her, something that felt authentic, felt real. She was hungry for that feeling. Craving it. Plus, she knew that every single time she had given some of the miracle money away, she had felt so good, so light, so clean, as if her soul had been distilled and purified, refined to its most pellucid, least-contaminated essence. Use it well, right? Hadn't she been trying? She practically ran back to her apartment, moving so fast she actually broke a sweat. She took five hundreds from her shoe-box stash, then was off again, out in the street and down into the subway.

--excerpt from Breaking the Bank, p. 219

Mia Saul is having a rough time. Her husband ditched her for another woman, she lost her job and has only been able to find unfulfilling temporary work, her relationship with her older brother is distant and strained and her daughter, Eden, is having more than a little difficulty with the break-up. Struggling to make ends meet with an ex who sends child support when he feels like it, Mia's been forced to move to a smaller apartment in a shady neighborhood and now there are days she can barely afford food for Eden, who sometimes refuses to eat and can only be tempted by exotic foods.

Mia's nearly at her wit's end when a miracle occurs. The automatic teller machine at her bank begins to give her extra money -- but it isn't deducted from her account. Each time she uses the machine, it gives her a little bit more; and, a mysterious message appears with the magical gift: "Use it well." Mia does her best to use the windfall well, sharing the wealth and putting money away in the hope of moving her daughter to a nicer part of town.

But, her life is still nowhere near perfect. Worried family members think she's out of control and stage an intervention; the police become very curious about the origin of her sudden influx of funds and the beautiful antique necklace whose seller seems to have vanished; and, her love life has suddenly become extremely complicated.

Will Mia end up in prison, her child in the custody of her cheating ex? Or, will the miracle last long enough for her to clear her name and make a better life for herself and her daughter?

Whew! Complicated. Breaking the Bank is a fascinating story of hardship, love, sharing, magic, relationships and self-discovery. There is quite a bit going on in this book and I think that's what really kept me reading. I found it a little difficult to relate to Mia and to like her. She's understandably frustrated and sometimes her attitude is a little tiresome. Like a real human, she tries to do her best for her daughter but makes some truly appalling decisions and ends up digging herself deeper into trouble.

But, the really special thing about Mia is that no matter what's going wrong in her life, her love for her daughter is boundless and when she's handed a miracle in the form of a monetary gift doled out by an ATM machine, she truly does her best to share the wealth. It's her willingness to show generosity, the summoning of her inner strength and the determination to do what's right for her daughter that win out in the end. I can't tell you the ending without ruining it, of course, but I absolutely loved the ending of this book. It reads like a movie ending, with a kind of a tear-inducing beauty as the strands are drawn together and the magic is wrapped up with a nice, neat and very big bow. Some people might not like that kind of an ending, but I thought it was absolutely lovely.

The biggest problems I had with the book boiled down to Mia's character. She's basically a good person but she does some truly idiotic things. Because of language, explicit sex scenes and alcohol use (Mia tends to drink heavily when she's having a really bad day, although generally when her daughter is under someone else's care), I'd give the book an R rating -- it's definitely not family-friendly and I truly don't like it when a character sleeps around and drinks then justifies her actions the way Mia does. That's a personal thing, though, and I'm only going to deduct a point for discomfort with the protagonist.

4/5 - Very good. A complex tale, nicely woven with a touch of magic blended into a tale of harsh realism. Includes some violence, explicit sex and very bad language.

This book contains a reading guide with questions for group discussion and an interview with the author. Actually, I think it would probably make a great book for discussion because of the complexity and a variety of moral dilemmas. What, for example, would you do if an ATM machine suddenly began to dole out extra money without deducting it from your account? Would it make a difference if it didn't appear to be magical, but simply a banking error? Does the fact that Mia really needed financial help make her choice more acceptable than if she really didn't need the money? Lots to talk about.

Many thanks to Sarah Reidy of Pocket Books for my review copy!

I'm touring a second book for Pocket, this week and you guys are going to laugh at me because it's so, so not a typical Bookfool book. Actually, that seems to be a recent theme in Bookfoolery: Time to Shake Up the Reading. The book is Day By Day Armageddon - a zombie book, of all things. I've read one other book with zombies, but it was written by a friend who politely pointed it out as one of her tamer novels, knowing I'm not a fan of gore and violence. We'll see whether Bookfool gets totally creeped out by this one. The "impending zombie invasion" and how to survive it, what to stockpile and where to go, etc., is a frequent topic of conversation between the teens on the way to the pool, which at least partially accounts for my unexpected interest in the title.

I posted a lot, this weekend, so I'll shush for now and wish everyone a Happy Monday!

The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion
by Elizabeth Chadwick
Copyright 2009
Sourcebooks Casablanca - Historical Fiction
529 pages
Author's website

I've mentioned that I refer to myself as History Stupid several times on this blog. It's because I'm so shy on knowledge of history that I particularly appreciate an author who is known for her historical accuracy. There will always be assumptions made and gaps filled out in fictional stories about historical events or characters, but it's great knowing when you're actually learning about real people and events in a manner that brings reality to color and life without sending you down the garden path.

That's a round-about way of saying I think I've found a new author (new to me, that is) with whom I am completely besotted. I'm already plotting to locate every bit of historical fiction Elizabeth Chadwick has ever written. Pray my library loves me enough to carry her books because we're still in overload, here, in spite of several months of purging.

The Greatest Knight tells the story of William Marshal, a knight who became a favorite of Eleanor of Aquitaine and served under several kings during the years when England and Normandy were closely aligned. Frequent skirmishes over land holdings, castles and power took place in both England and France during this time period.

When the book opens, William is trying to sleep on a pallet in a drafty part of a dining hall with the rest of the knights. He's brand knew to knighthood and shows himself to be a courageous, albeit slightly reckless, knight during his first battle. From these crude beginnings, he shapes into one of the greatest knights of the Middle Ages.

I'm going to copy the description from Paperback Swap because I'm not certain I can describe it as well:

Based on fact, this is the story of William Marshal, the greatest knight of the Middle Ages, unsurpassed in the tourneys, adeptly manoeuvring through the colourful, dangerous world of Angevin politics to become one of the most powerful magnates of the realm and eventually regent of England. From minor beginnings and a narrow escape from death in childhood, William Marshal steadily rises through the ranks to become tutor in arms to the son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. A champion on the tourney field, William must face the danger and petty jealousy targeting a royal favourite. Dogged by scandal, banished from court, his services are nevertheless sought throughout Europe and when William's honour is vindicated, he returns to court and wins greater acclaim and power than before. A crusader and the only knight ever to unhorse the legendary Richard Coeur de Lion, William's courage and steadfastness are rewarded by the hand in marriage of Anglo-Irish heiress Isobel de Clare, 19 years old, the grandaughter of kings and his equal in every way.

I loved the detail and the senses in this book. When William Marshal was filthy from rough conditions at battle or tournaments, there was always this sensation that you could smell the dirt and sweat, hear the clanking of metal, feel the cold and damp. The Greatest Knight is absolutely packed with the senses. Chadwick also is skilled at writing just the perfect amount of description and interspersing it with dialogue. The characterization is magnificent, as well, although there were times that I wondered if William was just a little bit too perfect.

5/5 - LOVED this book. This is apparently the second in a series of 4 books and I will definitely want to read them all. There's a slight bit of graphic sex, so it comes with a family warning. I don't think it's anything that will corrupt the kiddies for life if they get hold of it, though.

There's some interesting info about William Marshal at Brits at Their Best.

My posts are a bit brief, lately, at least partly because of swim season. I spend a lot of time taking photos at the pool and even more time deleting, cropping and uploading the best photos to a completely separate blog (with a different password, so I can't approve messages or work on book reviews while I'm loading photos . . . kind of a pain, but I thought the whole Bookfool persona would confuse the other swim parents). I'm sure I'll be back to my normal chatty self in about a month or so. Swim season is very short, this year.

One hour till pick-up time. I'm off to take a 20-minute nap. Happy reading!

Sleepy old Bookfool

Darling Jim by Christian Moerk

Darling Jim by Christian Moerk
Copyright 2009
Henry Holt - Fiction/Crime/Ireland
288 pages
Christian Moerk's website
Great article about the author at Macmillan's website

"Fine, then," said the man, and took a bite out of what from a distance looked like an extremely ambitious-sized tea cake while following a rugby game on TV.

Niall nodded and continued over to his bicycle, which still waited patiently by the tobacconist's, even if he'd forgot to lock it again. He strapped the bag across his chest and swung his long leg across the iron bar, where the paint was peeling like autumn leaves. As he pedaled up Dublin Road, he could see the faint white glimmer of a jetliner's anti-collision lights as it navigated a landing approach to town right above the professionally cute storefronts. It was nearly midnight.

Niall didn't feel any impatient spirits gliding past on the road next to him as he biked the long trip home, nor did he even sense the faintest whisper of anger from two girls who refused to be forgotten.

But if Stash Brown himself had been the accidental carrier of Fiona Walsh's black book, he would have brought along his very biggest laser gun and never taken his eyes off the handlebars. Because two impatient ghosts were sitting backward right in front of Niall's face on the chromed steel, itching for him to open the damn thing and begin to read.

Oh, boy, where to start? First, Darling Jim is a very creepy, unusual book. The story begins with the discovery of three bodies in a small village in Ireland. An older woman and two of her nieces have all died in the same house, the nieces apparently held in captivity for many months. What could have led an aunt to torture and starve the two young women?

A postal clerk, rustling around in the dead-letter bin, finds an envelope that contains a diary written by one of the dead Walsh girls. Her journal tells part of the story, about a handsome storyteller whose countenance hid the truth of an evil string of crimes. "Darling Jim", they call him. The women follow him from one town to another, eager to hear the continuation of his story, which always ends with a cliffhanger.

After reading Fiona Walsh's diary, Niall (the postal clerk) goes in search of a second journal kept by sister Roisin, which Fiona mentioned in her own diary. When he tracks down the diary, there are still unanswered questions and Niall goes on a road trip to find answers. There were three Walsh sisters. What has become of Aiofe? What led the three sisters to commit a crime and their aunt to imprison them? Why are the villagers, including a friend of the Walsh sisters who works on the police force, angered by his curiosity?

Darling Jim shifts from one voice to another as the two Walsh sisters tell their story, Jim spins his tale, and Niall goes in search of answers. At times, I felt a little distracted and impatient by Jim's storytelling, but the book is skillfully rendered. There is no part of Darling Jim that isn't relevant to the unfolding mystery. And, it's a humdinger of a story. I don't think I could have ever set the book aside without knowing how it ended and finding out all the answers to the many questions posed throughout the book. It is, however, very dark and I'm not a big fan of truly dark, criminal tales, so I can't recommend it as enthusiastically as some might.

Just erased my rating. I can't fathom rating this book because I think it's well-written, solid storytelling -- it's simply not my favorite kind of story, a dark literary tale of deception, passion, and murder. I'd recommend Darling Jim to those who enjoy a darker story. I absolutely loved the Irish setting and although I'm no expert, it certainly seemed like Moerk captured the mode of speech. The sense of place was right on, in my humble opinion. There are some graphic descriptions of violence/crime scenes and sex.

What does the word "Ireland" make you think of? For me . . . the color green. I've never been to Ireland, but the photos I've seen have always been full of the color green. I looked up images of Ireland on Google and my favorite is a shot of Ireland by NASA:

Yep. Looks pretty darned green, doesn't it? [image source]

I think my copy of Darling Jim came from the publisher, via Twitter. Thank you!

Also finished, this week: Secret Society by Tom Dolby, Godmother by Carolyn Turgeon, The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang (a graphic novel), and Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman.

I should be back to blog-hopping, soon, but we have someone coming to look at our floorless den, tomorrow, to give us an estimate. I cringe at the thought of how much this repair is going to cost. Wish us a low estimate, please!

Bookfool, slowly getting back into the blogging thing

The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell - Review and *GIVEAWAY*

Drawing has been held! This post is now closed and winners will be notified.

The Imposter's Daughter by Laurie Sandell
Copyright 2009
Little Brown - Memoir in the form of a graphic novel
247 pages

I have to be really quick about this review because we're about to get socked by another thunderstorm (the forecast for this entire week is storms, storms, storms, so you might not hear much from me).

The Imposter's Daughter is the memoir of a Laurie Sandell, a woman whose father told some whopper stories when she was young and continued to stand behind his lies as she grew up and began to question him. During the years after Laurie Sandell left home, she began to investigate his past, eventually hiring a private detective. She wanted to find out the truth about her father, his angry outbursts and inability to relate to his family. The rest of the family -- her mother and two sisters -- had no interest in digging up the truth.

When Laurie wrote and published an article about her father, she hoped it would lay her discomfort to rest. Instead, she ended up estranged from her father and even more determined to find out the whole truth. Had he attended college at all? How did he become so well-educated if he didn't? Why did he have such a burning hatred for his half sister in Argentina?

As she investigated her father and began to unearth the reality of his past, she also carried on a long-distance affair with a man she met on the Internet, became an Ambien addict, and grew a fascinating career interviewing celebrities.

I'm not going to tell you what Laurie discovered or what became of her affair and her addiction because the book is really pretty fascinating and I'd hate to give anything away. I will tell you, however, that if the illustrations were photographs, the book would be "R" rated. It's not a pleasant story and there are lots of naked cartoon characters having sex (gasp!!!). Basically, it's just not a book you hand to the kids, although I did show my son my favorite part, which is toward the end of the book and has to do with Jesus. It's hilarious.

3.5/5 - Interesting story, love the graphic format as it makes for a nice break from everyday reading. The story is told well through the combination of words and pictures. Points off for sharing info about her sex life because, honestly . . . I so don't care about anyone's sex life. Some things really ought to be kept private. I absolutely loved the ending/resolution.

Because the story sounded a little . . . well, graphic . . . I asked Anna at Hatchette Books if it was okay to read the book and approve it before offering it in a giveaway and she was fine with that. Now that I've read the book, I can tell you that it's not one I'd hand to the kids, but I still think it's a great story and I'd love to share the fun.

So, giveaway time! This time around, I'm going to base the number of books given away on the number of entries.

Up to 20 entries - 1 winner
20 to 40 entries - 2 winners
40 and up - 5 winners

It's to your advantage to pass the word on. I don't give extra entries for tweeting or blogging, however, because it gets just a wee bit too complex, in my humble opinion, adding extra entries for some people and not others.

Here are the rules:

1. Leave a valid email address. No email address, no entry, period. If I can't get in touch with you, your name will be crossed off the list. I've had some people ask me, "Isn't my email address visible at your end?" No, it's not. I think that's a Wordpress thing; you have to leave your address, here -- use spaces or brackets to protect yourself from spammers.

2. If you've read any graphic novels, share your favorite title with me.

3. Drawing will be held Wednesday, August 12.

This drawing is open to U.S. and Canada residents only - no P.O. Boxes. Books will be shipped directly by the publisher.

That's it! Best of luck!