Bookfoolery

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Bloom by Kelle Hampton

Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected by Kelle Hampton

William Morrow - Nonfiction/Memoir

278 pages

Reason for reading: I saw the trailer and thought Bloom sounded inspiring. I love an upbeat memoir.

Side note about the trailer: I was going to include the trailer in this post but there's an advertisement before the trailer. Since a trailer is an advertisement itself, that gave me pause. An advertisement with an advertisement? That was just something I didn't feel right uploading to my blog, since I feel strongly about it being my personal space to blather on about books and not a money-making venture. However, if you're interested, just look up "Bloom trailer Kelle Hampton" on YouTube and it'll pop right up.

Brief summary:

Kelle and Brett Hampton and their 2-year-old daughter Lainey were excited about the coming addition to their family. Sonograms indicated that Nella would be a healthy baby girl and Kelle's pregnancy was uneventful. But, the moment Nella was placed in her mother's arms, Kelle knew something was wrong with her. Nella's flattened nose and almond-shaped eyes were obvious signs of Down's Syndrome. After Kelle's worst fears were confirmed, she grieved the loss of the perfect, healthy child she'd expected but decided she would not let Nella's condition defeat her positive attitude and set about finding joy and beauty in every day of both her children's lives.

Bloom is a memoir in which photographer/blogger/writer Kelle Hampton shares memories of her life, with emphasis on her family's first year with Nella and her determination to live life to the fullest.

I think I'm going to ditch the usual love/dislike format

My feelings about Bloom are more complicated than I expected (and irrelevant -- for some reason, this book seems to have brought a lot of emotional crap to the surface). Since much of what I originally typed up is not worth printing, I'm going straight to the bottom line.

Recommendation: A beautiful but overlong book with a positive message, recommended but not a personal favorite. A very emotional read; bring tissues. Bloom is not a book I will return to, even to flip through and look at the photos as it's much like peeking into a family photo album, although the photography is really lovely. Readers must bear in mind that Bloom is a memoir; it is the author's story and focused on her experiences and feelings; it is not a book for people who are looking for information about Down's Syndrome but a book to read for its inspiring message about choosing to love life, no matter what's thrown at you, and to embrace everyone regardless of differences.

And, here's a totally meaningless cloud photo, "Beautiful Puffy Clouds Reflected in Porsche":

©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.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Travel Tales of London, Part 4

On our third day in London, we went to Greenwich, partly because we wanted to go to the antiques market, which is much like Portobello Road but on a dramatically smaller scale. The market turned out to be a bit of a dud, I suppose because March isn't peak tourist season and, thus, there were only a handful of vendors. But we love Greenwich, so that was no big deal.

You know I'm going to tell you I went into that store. Of course I did. But, I only bought one book: A Fighting Spirit by Paul Burns!!! Just one!!! I will not tarnish my halo by telling you how I managed to limit myself to one book.

The first thing we did in Greenwich was trudge off to search for a pub Huzzybuns had read about, The Greenwich Union, and we found it easily but discovered it was too early for lunch, in spite of the fact that we got a late start (thanks to our first late evening at the theatre). So, we took a nice, long walk up through the park above the observatory, stopping to take the occasional picture of the clouds, a weather vane shaped like a ship, a church spire, the city.

It was also a good time and place to practice with the fisheye lens because there weren't many people around. I've never seen so few people at the observatory.

Although the observatory museum is interesting, we've been there and have photos of our feet in two different time zones (one of those obligatory tourist photos, haha) so we just walked around in the open areas.

I was looking at some daffodils through the viewfinder of my camera (while moving -- a very blonde thing to do) outside the observatory when I stepped a little off the path and pitched forward, toward the daffodils I was getting ready to photograph. Huzzybuns grabbed my coat and I put out a hand, so between the two of us we managed to keep Bookfool from flattening the flowers. Peripherally, I noticed that the security guard jumped just a bit and I wondered if he was going to rescue me or chew me out if I fell into the garden.

Sometimes it's very entertaining being a klutz.

We heard this little fellow singing in Greenwich (author Bob Tarte, who is an avid birder, kindly informed me that it's a robin) and I must admit that his portrait turned out to be one of my absolute favorite Greenwich photos.

After we'd walked around for an hour or so, we headed back to the pub. I had aubergine (eggplant) and mozzarella lasagna with a half pint of cider. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was the most cheesy, melty, wonderful thing. I drool just looking at the photo.

I even drank all my hard cider. Boy, was I stuffed. Definitely try The Greenwich Union if you're ever in the London area.

We roamed around town a good bit and then returned to the Sloane Square area to wander and pick up our supper. In the evening we saw Lang Lang, a Chinese pianist, play at the Royal Albert Hall. You're not supposed to take photos in the Royal Albert, but after the concert ended, everyone started snapping away.

This is just a point-and-shoot shot because we didn't take the nice D-SLR along, so it's heavily cropped and kind of sucky, but whatever. Lang Lang is standing by the piano, with flowers in his arms. I would have been perfectly happy if the orchestra had kept right on playing without him, but he's pretty impressive. The critics kind of hated him. He's a bit showy. I didn't mind that. I just closed my eyes and listened. We were too far away to see much, anyway.

Greenwich is always relaxing, so it was a low-key day. I took a lot more pictures of daffodils and one of those is the shot I used to make my little Easter egg photo at dumpr.

The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer

The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer

Cuento de Luz - Children's (ages 5 and up)

32 pages

Reason for reading: I was asked if I'd be willing to review some children's books by a rep for Cuento de Luz (their books are translations) and I love children's books, so I said "yes". The Word Collector is my favorite.

Publisher's description (because they said it better than I can):

Luna is passionate about words. She loves their light and becomes tickled with laughter from them. But one day she realizes that, little by little, the beautiful, gorgeous and fun words are disappearing from the world--so she decides it's time to act. A poetic tale about the magic of words, this delightful story invites readers of all ages to enjoy the power that positive words can have.

What I loved about The Word Collector:

The Word Collector is a book that lovers of words can relate to, regardless of age.

Luna collected words just like other people collected stamps:
funny words, that tickle your palate when you say them,
words so beautiful that they make you cry,
friendly words that embrace your soul.

The illustrations are wildly lovely:

The only thing I disliked about the book is not really a big deal. Sometimes the words are written in such a way that you have to turn your head or follow the words in waves to read them:

Notice that the word "put" is turned on its side in this spread (hope you can enlarge these photos). This one weakness is offset by the fact that the entire text is written on the final two pages, so if you're unsure which direction the words go, you can always check. The words on these two pages, according to the final two pages, are on pages 20 & 21 and say the following:

She put all of the words she had in a big suitcase, and set off with them on a journey.

There's little enough text that it'll eventually become second nature to read the words to a child, even if you find that you need to flip to the back to make sure you've got them right, at first; and, children are less bothered by uniquely-designed wording than adults, so I have a feeling that for little ones, the way the words are placed on the page will actually make the book more interesting rather than confusing.

Recommendation:

A very enjoyable story for lovers of words with beautiful illustrations and an uplifting theme. Recommended for any and all who love words. But, you'll especially want to share it with children. I even love the endpapers.

Monday, April 09, 2012

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

2012 Release by Sourcebooks Landmark - Fiction with historical and paranormal elements

364 pages

Reason for Reading: I've desired to read more by Susanna Kearsley since I read The Winter Sea.

Brief description:

Julia Beckett has believed that the old stone house in the West Country was destined to be her home since she first saw it through the car window as a small girl. Years later, she finds out the house is on the market, buys it and moves from her London home, where she works as an illustrator of children's books. But, strange things are happening in the ancient stone home. Julia keeps finding herself thrown back in time, experiencing history through the eyes of Mariana Farr, a young lady who lived in the house during the 16th century and fell in love with the local landowner, Richard deMornay.

What became of Mariana and Richard? Will Julia survive her jaunts back into the mind and heart of Mariana or does she risk becoming trapped in the past? In the present day, will Julia fall in love or is she locked in a dead-end relationship?

What I loved about Mariana:

Gosh. I loved everything about this book -- the setting, the characters, the plot, the dialogue, the denouement. You know how some books just grab you by the hair and don't let go until you reach their extremely satisfying conclusion? That was Mariana, for me. It has that element of "time travel" that I love (although it's not really time travel, but you'll have to read it to find out exactly what the deal is), a hint of romance without anything gushy, a nice dollop of history, and it's stunningly believable for a book with a premise in which a heroine keeps getting yanked back in time.

What I disliked about Mariana:

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Recommendation:

5/5 - Highly recommended. Smooth, believable transitions between the 16th century and present-day England, excellent dialogue, nicely rounded characters, a solid plot and satisfying denouement made this book a perfect escape for this reader.

I have two more Susanna Kearsley books to read - one on my shelves and the other in ebook format. It will be interesting to find out whether I feel the same about all of her books.

Cover thoughts:

I'm going to describe my thoughts about the cover image shown above, although I actually have two copies of Mariana, thanks to the fact that I put it on my wish list at Paperback Swap the moment I closed The Winter Sea and I completely forgot it was on my wish list when Sourcebooks offered it for review. I tried to halt the ARC when I found out a copy was coming from PBS, but it was too late. The two copies arrived almost simultaneously.

At any rate, when Julia moves into her house, she's informed that there used to be a ghost that periodically showed up in the garden and she was known as the "Lady in Green". Although the ghost ceased to make appearances something on the order of 30 years before Julia's arrival, that ghost does become important to the plot, so it's very fitting that the cover shows a woman wrapped in a green shawl, although I can't say I'm in love with the bare shoulder. But, come to think of it, there is a moment when a woman in the book is wrapped in nothing but a shawl. There is also a man on a horse who becomes a key character, so the distant figure of the man on horseback is similarly apropos. I like the look and I think it fits the story well!

Some side remarks:

While this book is not strictly "historical", there are enough historical elements to satisfy fans of that genre. It also contains a paranormal element, but it is completely fitting and neither weird, otherworldly or forced. Mariana, it must be remembered, was published long before the paranormal craze.

Since we're talking about green, how about a lizard pic?

Nicely camouflaged, isn't he? This is a tiny fellow, maybe 2" long in the body. He's not used to me, yet. The anole lizards actually can become quite relaxed after being photographed multiple times, I've found. This one kept running away, but he's young.

Sunday, April 08, 2012

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to you and yours from Bookfool and family!

Saturday, April 07, 2012

Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans

I don't feel like being formal with the book info I normally type at the top of each post, today. Instead, I'll just tell you in text that Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans is a Sterling Children's publication that's 271 pages long, an April 2012 release and a middle reader. I got my ARC from Shelf Awareness and I am so, so glad I requested this book! I almost never request anything via Shelf Awareness, anymore, but I love children's books and the word "adventure" will grab me, every time.

Ten-year-old Stuart has wonderful, wacky parents -- a father who writes crossword puzzles and an absent-minded scientist mother. He loves his home and friends. So, when Stuart's family decides to move, he's dismayed . . . and then bored, till he finds a note challenging him to find Great-Uncle Tony's hidden workshop, where he created magic tricks using clever mechanisms. Great-Uncle Tony, aka "Teeny-Tiny Tony Horten" mysteriously disappeared in 1940, after his factory was destroyed by a firebomb.

Stuart sets out to uncover clues to the location of the lab while trying to avoid the pesky triplets who live next door, eventually finding that one of the triplets is not only quite helpful but also very fun to hang out with. Will Stuart find the missing laboratory or has too much time passed since his great uncle disappeared? What became of Great-Uncle Tony and the woman he loved?

I love a good "quest" book and Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms is one of the most delightful adventures I've read in quite some time. Stuart is a likable hero and his father is hilarious in that sly way that happens to be educational (by using big words, which are always nicely defined). There are a few slapstick scenes mixed in with the moments during which Stuart ponders clues, making for perfect pacing. A "madcap sequel" is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2012 and I absolutely cannot wait.

5/5 - Excellent writing, great characters, well thought-out quest with loads of humor and fantastic pacing make for an enchanting read.

I was looking for a link to Sterling Children's Books and found this review:

Slaven Says review of Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms

Also worth mentioning: Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms was longlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2011 in the UK (England is the setting), which is likely to send me on a quest to locate the titles of the winners.

I chose to highlight the title in red, even though there's no red on the cover, to make it stand out. But, the red reminded me that I have a photograph that makes me wonder . . . Do you think it's difficult for people who paint telephone boxes in Great Britain to get home without being stopped by a police officer? In absence of the paintbrush, I think I'd be convinced the man below committed some heinous crime.

Friday, April 06, 2012

Being Lara by Lola Jaye

Title: Being Lara by Lola Jaye

Copyright: 2012

Published By: WmMorrow - Fiction

Length: 303 pp.

Reason for Reading: I've been thinking I need to branch out and read more books by people of different ethnicities/colors and TLC Tours was looking for tour hosts for Being Lara, just as that thought popped into my head.

Brief summary:

Adopted at the age of 3, Lara has wonderful parents but has always felt out of place. With her dark, Nigerian skin and her British parents' fair skin in contrast, she has been teased and called an "alien". When her parents explain that she's adopted, she becomes eager to meet her birth mother, but a lie by her father convinces Lara that the woman who bore her gave her up because she was unwanted.

Now, at 30, she has a boyfriend she keeps at arms' length and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. When her birth mother unexpectedly arrives at her 30th birthday party, Lara is confused. But, in order to truly learn to accept herself and move forward in life and love, she must confront her Nigerian mother and learn about her past.

What I loved about Being Lara:

Once the author got beyond the initial introductions and early memories, the book began to pick up pace as it jumped back and forth between time and viewpoints -- from experiences Lara had over the years to her mother's days as a pop sensation and then a young mother, to the history of her birth mother in Nigeria. It was around page 60 that I began to take interest in the story. Had Being Lara not been a tour book, I would have given up on it at page 50, as I usually do, but I did hang on a little longer hoping the pace would pick up and I'm glad I finished the reading. I thought the scene changes were handled well and clearly defined; and, I found the storyline interesting once the author began to unfold the stories of Lara's birth and adoptive mothers. In the end, a little tear squeaked out. I was somewhat relieved that my emotions were eventually engaged.

Lara's adoptive mother is an excellent baker and there are a few recipes at the end of the book.

What I disliked about Being Lara:

Those first 60 pages were truly a grind. I found the writing style awkward and the early chapters in desperate need of tightening. There were quite a few scenes that I felt were either unnecessary or over-long. However, as the story picked up speed, I gradually put my feelings about the writing style on the back burner and grew to enjoy seeing how things unfolded.

There were also some odd annoyances that made no sense to me. For example, when Lara's Nigerian mother and grandmother use the word "daughter," it's spelled "dotter". That perplexed me, since "daughter" sounds like "dotter". I don't understand the use of misspellings in Being Lara. If they were meant to reflect dialect, it's possible that they simply didn't work from an American viewpoint because the pronunciation of one is no different than the other. But "dotter" wasn't the only misspelling. At one point, a character says, "Oh. Mi. Gosh." Again, what was the purpose of the misspelling of "my"? Being Lara definitely was in need of some stronger editing.

Update: Apparently, the difference between "daughter" and "dotter" is not just an American dialect issue. At least two of my American commenters have already informed me that they hear a difference that I do not. The "au" sound is just a "short O" sound, in my head. Thanks to those of you who have shared your thoughts with me!

Recommendation:

3/5 - Average writing, decent characterization. Not as believable or revealing as I'd hoped. A tremendously weak beginning is eventually aided by an engaging storyline, but Being Lara needed tightening, throughout. I was disappointed; however, I would not have finished the book if the story hadn't eventually pulled me in, so I do recommend the book if the storyline interests you. I'd say check this one out from your library if you can and be patient with the beginning.

It's Friday!

Since this is a tour post, I'll toss in a couple Fiona Friday pics in the same post rather than keeping the kitty pics separate.

Isabel does not try to escape when we go outside, but she really does hate it when I go outdoors. Here, she was trying to figure out how to get to me through the screen door as I returned from snapping photos of flowers.

If I touch a finger to the door, she'll reach up and try to touch it with her paw. I love that.

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Operation Hearbreak by Duff Cooper

I figure you guys already know what a Persephone Book looks like, so I decided to share my personal favorite shot, Operation Heartbreak with cats! The kitties thought the book smelled excellent, in case you're interested. Here's a closer image of the bookmark (which is, of course, the same as the endpapers):

I snagged that image from dovegreyreader scribbles' review of Operation Heartbreak, a review that contains the spoilers I've avoided putting in my own. It's such an excellent review that any excuse to link up to it is a good one. The spoilery bit is carefully set apart, so no worries if you'd like to read a second opinion but avoid finding out about the ending to Operation Heartbreak.

Title: Operation Heartbreak by Duff Cooper

Copyright: 2004/Reprinted 2010; originally published in 1950

Published By: Persephone Books - Fiction

Length: 160 pp.

Reason for Reading: I love Persephone Books! And, this one touches on WWII, although it is not strictly a "WWII book".

A quote I thought was interesting and which seemed very much "of the time period":

He thought it a pity that girls should own cars and should drive them. Especially at night. What were taxis for, anyway? He said good night almost crossly when she left him at his flat.

Brief summary:

Willie Maryngton is orphaned, but his deceased parents have left him an income and, thus, a future. His guardian, the widow of his father's fellow soldier, kindly cares for Willie in spite of her circumstances. As a youngster, Willie desires to be a soldier and anxiously awaits his turn to go to the front, during WWI. But, within days of his deployment, the war ends. He remains a career soldier, oddly hoping that war will break out again so that he may have his turn in battle, but by the time WWII breaks out, he is deemed too old.

So it goes with Willie in love and war. Whatever he truly desires is always just out of reach. A popular fellow when young, he becomes jaded and sad with the passing years as love eludes him, he misses out once again on battle during the Second World War and his beloved horse guard is mechanized, leading him to eventually resign from the service. But, Willie's final chapter becomes a turning point beyond his imagination.

What I liked about Operation Heartbreak:

I liked the book but I loved the ending, a perfect wrap-up to Willie's story. He is a hapless character, unlucky in love and life, a friendly guy but an underachiever. In perusing favorite blogs, I discovered that what happens in the end actually occurred in WWII, but I can't say a thing about it without spoiling that perfect ending.

What I disliked about Operation Heartbreak:

It's such a sad story, since Willie's adulthood boils down to a lengthy run of bad luck. Occasionally, it seems like things might be looking up, but Willie's just not sharp enough to catch on when he needs to make a change and that leads to one heartbreak after another.

Recommendation:

4/5 - Clear writing in a compact story that is particularly redeemed by its terrific ending and excellent characterization. I'm glad I read it, if only for the ending. I think Persephone's books are distinguished by their clarity and charm. Although Willie's life is heartbreaking, hence the title, his story is interesting and I particularly love the dialogue between Willie and the young men he grew up with, who were as good as brothers to him. Willie doesn't know their younger sister as well, although she becomes important later in the book. Two of the key female characters were both unreliable and (in one case) a bit flighty; I did love the strength and caring of the woman who took Willie in.

Jenclair's blog, A Garden Carried in the Pocket, has a recent post through which I hopped via link to her review of a book about an operation in WWII that is obviously the basis for the ending of this book. I want to find out more about the real-life event that was fictionalized in Operation Heartbreak, so I'll definitely be adding that book to my wish list. If you're curious, here's Jenclair's review, but be advised that it's a complete spoiler, especially if you like a nice surprise in your reading.

When I went to Google Images to search for a cover image, I found this:

I thought that was a pretty awesome cover.

I've been roaming the yard, taking pictures of blooming things, today, so there should be a flower post coming up in the near future. But, I do need to knock out a few reviews, first, so I'll leave you with just one. We had such a mild winter that the lavender didn't freeze, this year, and it's blooming like crazy.

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Travel Tales of London, Part 3

On our second full day in London, we began with a visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum, which was just about a 10-minute walk from the flat. But, first . . . breakfast:

Here, you see that milk from only Jersey & Guernsey cows, the gluten-free meusli I ate almost every day (we timed it just right -- one box lasted a week) and apricot yogurt! I love the un-sweet European type of meusli that makes you feel like you're eating bird seed (very pure food). There was some dried fruit in this brand, so it was naturally sweetened but not sickly sweet. Yogurt and meusli is my standard breakfast in England, often with one of those little boiled eggs in a cup. On to the V & A. The Victoria & Albert Museum is so huge that you can return numerous times without repeating the view. It was new to husband, though, so we did cover a little of the same territory I saw last year, like the casting rooms.

One of the areas that was new to me, though, was the Theatre & Performance Collection, which included a First Folio of Shakespeare's plays.

(No flash was used; don't worry.) I didn't photograph the sign, but I'm pretty sure it said this First Folio was disintegrating and carefully salvaged. Looks like it. Restored or not, I thought seeing pages from the original Shakespeare work was awfully exciting. There were also costumes from various theatre productions, models of sets and descriptions of how they were created, along with a continually-running film of clips from various London plays. We walked through the ironwork gallery, admired medieval woodwork salvaged from homes, twisted our way through a maze of statues. Then, we grabbed some sandwich wraps and drinks and ate lunch in the courtyard. I could gush about our perfect weather, but I think the sky makes a statement all its own.

After our visit to the V & A, we went to Persephone Books. You already know how that turned out! I'll be reviewing my first read from that stack, soon: Operation Heartbreak by Duff Cooper. I'll photograph the Persephone Book and bookmark, since I couldn't find an image online. Love the exit signs in the tube. "Way out," makes me think in Hippie. "Far out, man."

After Bloomsbury, we dashed over to Piccadilly to fetch our tickets for "One Man, Two Guvnors", then on to Green Park to buy tea (because our host had yucky tea) at Fortnum & Mason, a jar of jelly babies for Kiddo (a Dr. Who fan -- Tom Baker used to always hold out a handful of candy and say, "Jelly baby?") and our favorite sandlewood soap at Taylor of Old Bond Street.

We headed home for dinner and then went to see "One Man, Two Guvnors," which was delightful. The woman next to me said, "Oy, oy, oy, oy!" during the funniest portions. I got a kick out of that. There was an article in the Guardian about keeping the play "full English" on Broadway and I must say, I agree with all my heart that the script should not be messed with. There were words I didn't catch because it takes time to get used to the Queen's English (as opposed to our American versions) but "One Man, Two Guvnors" is a very British play and I hope that it will not be watered down on Broadway. It's Englishness is a major part of the fun.

After the play, we trudged down to Trafalgar Square to make some attempts at taking night photos of double-decker buses, lights, police cars in action, etc. Suffice it to say, I still have some learning to do with my new camera, but I did get a few shots I liked, including this one of two police cars and a cyclist rushing past Trafalgar Square. I don't even feel safe cycling in my own neighborhood in the daylight! It's quite amazing to watch people pedaling in London traffic, day and night.

This was Monday night. I finished up Kitty Cornered and read a bit of Fever before falling asleep. From this point on, I had a bit less reading time because our evenings were taken up with theatre and a concert, but I still did manage to squeeze a little reading time into each day. That is always a big thrill when it happens. Usually, I don't read much at all on vacations and I credit the quiet and comfort of the flat for making reading possible. I'll share more about our vacation in a few days. Storms have shut me down a few times, so I have a little catch-up book reviewing to do. May your Wednesday be full of wahoos!

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Fever by Lauren DeStefano (#2 in the Chemical Garden Trilogy)

Published By: Harper Voyager

Length: 341 pp.

Reason for Reading: I enjoyed the first book in the Chemical Garden Trilogy: Wither.

Just a quick note: I purchased my copy of Fever in the UK primarily because it was released in paperback across the pond and I'm a paperback kind of gal.

Warning: Even my brief summary will certainly spoil the ending of Wither. If you have not read Wither yet, please skip this review.

Brief summary: After running away from the home in which she's been imprisoned in a forced, polygamous marriage and he was a servant, Rhine and Gabriel end up falling straight into a totally different kind of trap. In an old amusement park, a woman runs a heavily-guarded brothel. Once again, Rhine's beauty is both her savior and a curse.

Determined to break free and locate her twin brother Rowan in Manhattan, Rhine finds herself increasingly challenged by new dangers and quickly growing more and more ill with a fever that simply will not break. As Rhine and Gabriel seek freedom and Rhine grows ever weaker, her evil father-in-law tracks her down, determined to return her to the mansion. Will Rhine break free, once again, and find her twin? Will Gabriel survive the sinister Madame's dangerous drugs? What is making Rhine so deathly ill?

What I loved about Fever:

Like Wither, Fever is a page-turner. Rhine is beautiful, which is often annoying in fiction because it's so much more common for a character to be beautiful than ordinary. But, in Rhine's case, beauty leads to plot. It's because she's beautiful that she was kidnapped and turned into a "sister wife," in the first place and because of her beauty that . . . well, things happen the way they do in Fever. I don't want to give anything away, so I'm going to be deliberately vague. There's plenty of action in this book, so it's not just a place-holder. And, boy, Lauren DeStefano sure does know how to put her characters through the ringer. I like that.

What I disliked about Fever:

Rhine and Gabriel are thrown into the fire, so to speak, from the get-go. I would have enjoyed just a little more freedom on the part of those two characters before their second entrapment and I was frustrated, at first. After reading Wither, I wanted to follow them on the road for a bit. But, that's more about expectation than execution. I had this mental image of what I thought might happen and instead we got Madame. Oh, that woman is nasty.

I did have a little trouble remembering some of what took place in Wither, so I regretted not rereading Wither before launching into the reading of Fever (which would have meant hanging on to Fever till we returned from the UK instead of reading it immediately -- like that was going to happen). I intend to reread the first two installments when the third is released, to avoid a recurrence of that issue.

Recommendation:

4/5 - Excellent writing, tense plot and plenty more challenges make Fever a solid read. Like many books that are second in a trilogy, you know the heroine is not going to make it to her ending and it leaves you with a vague feeling of having been dangled with permission, but I like this series and don't regret the purchase or feel like it was a whole lot of nothing written for the sake of leading up to the final installment, unlike some series books. I'm looking forward to seeing where DeStefano takes Rhine in the third book and how she wraps up the end of the Chemical Garden Trilogy.

Update: The comments have reminded me that I may have waited a bit too long to write this review. If I'd written it as I closed the book, I think it would have been harsher. It's only in retrospect that I like the complete story. There were a lot of things that frustrated me about Fever (besides the fact that Rhine & Gabriel walked straight into another trap), but some of them are spoilers. Suffice it to say, I still think it was a good read but I gave it a 4/5 because it wasn't as perfect and gripping as Wither and it's possible 3.5/5 is more accurate to how I felt closing the book.

Fever is pretty terrifying but there is not quite as much sexuality as there was in Wither, in spite of where Rhine ends up. It seemed about PG level to me, apart from the fact that the author is really good at ratcheting up the tension. Update on that: There is a bit of torture, actually . . . probably should have mentioned that.

Cover thoughts:

I'm impressed. In the first book, Rhine was pampered and looked suitably fluffy and primped, on its cover. In Fever, she constantly fights exhaustion, then illness, and the change in her hairstyle and pose reflects the alterations in the character. The props are also perfectly fitting.

Which reminds me . . .

I keep forgetting to mention my cover thoughts. I also absolutely loved the cover of Kitty Cornered by Bob Tarte. It's a nice, bright grabber of a cover and, of course, you can't help but love that kitty photo if you're a fan of felines. I liked the cover of The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen, as well (and found it equally fitting to the story), but I can't say I loved it -- probably because it's yellow. I'm not a big fan of yellow.

It's National Poetry Month!

Excitement! I have two slim volumes of poetry that I hope to review, this month. One has been giving me fits: The Auroras by David St. John. I'm determined not to let that book defeat me. The other, Light on the Concrete by Lucas Hunt, was sent by the author and I accepted it because I read his first book and wanted to read more. However, because I was having so much trouble figuring out what the heck St. John was trying to say in The Auroras, I accepted Light on the Concrete conditionally. The author has agreed to let me pepper him with questions if need be. I never took any literature courses in which imagery was discussed -- seriously, none. What I really need is some kind of Poetry for Dummies type of book, but in the meantime, a mentor will do.

And, I have some other poetry I'd like to read, but I'm not sure how much I'll manage to squeeze in. I'm still (ack, gasp!) mixing some March review books in with the April books I've just started.

Next up will be another vacation post. Since I'll have to limit the number of vacation photos I foist upon you, here's a shot of some flowers spotted in Greenwich:

Friday, March 30, 2012

Fiona Friday - Fiona Recommends

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Travel Tales of London, Part 2

I've decided to go with a day of travel chatter between each book review, since I only have a few book reviews to catch up on (and those might end up being minis -- we shall see).

In Tuesday's post about book purchases, I mentioned that our flights to London had to be altered and our luggage didn't arrive with us. All three flights were exceptionally smooth, though, and we carry extra outfits and necessities to ensure that a luggage delay is not a total disaster. The man we talked to about retrieving our luggage was extremely courteous and competent -- and not having our wheeled bags meant not having to drag them through the tube! Wahoo! We arrived at our borrowed flat in Knightsbridge, bathed and rested before taking a walk around the neighborhood and through Harrod's, where a woman was singing opera in a formal gown on one of the balconies next to the Egyptian escalators. In the evening, I finished reading The Land of Decoration.

I must tell you about our funny moment when we arrived at the building. We knew the flat was a 3rd-floor walk-up (no lift) but there were no names on either the buzzer or the doors and when we arrived, we realized neither of us had bothered to inquire whether our host was referring to "3rd floor" in the British or American sense. What Americans refer to as the 1st floor is, of course, the "ground floor" in the UK. I guessed our host meant 3rd floor, British style, but Huzzybuns was uncertain and tried the key in the door of the 3rd floor flat, American style, very quietly. Nope. It was the next flat up (we were in a narrow building with only one flat per level). I counted 65 steps to the flat. Hopefully, we burned plenty of calories, last week.

On Sunday morning, the 18th, we had planned to head to Windsor Castle. But, since we weren't staying at a hotel and there was no doorman to accept our luggage from the courier, it was necessary to stick pretty close to "home" so we could dash back to the flat if we got a text saying our luggage was on its way. So, instead, we headed for Trafalgar Square and walked through the National Gallery for a bit. Most of Trafalgar Square was roped off for a St. Patrick's Day concert so I wasn't able to get a wide-angle view of Trafalgar, as I'd hoped -- just some side views, as above. That just means we have to return, right? I bought my copy of Fever by Lauren DeStefano in the Waterstone's at Trafalgar Square and husband bought Tea at Fortnum & Mason.

After eating lunch in the National Gallery (museum food is excellent in London), we walked past Charing Cross down to the Thames and across the bridge. We sauntered along the embankment, past the London Eye and enjoyed watching street performers. There was a very happy, celebratory crowd along the embankment, as Sunday was apparently the official day to celebrate St. Patrick's. Like typical tourists, we took a dozen shots of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament as we crossed back over the Thames.

From the embankment, we headed back on the tube to Knightsbridge and went to the Saatchi Gallery, which was recommended to me by a Twitter friend when I asked for recommendations to keep us occupied in the Knightsbridge area. We are officially in love with the Saatchi Gallery. It's a bright, cheerful, funky place. I hope you can enlarge this photo to see the look on the face of the man in the green shirt:

We walked through Partridge's of Sloane Square (a very pretty little grocery store) and sat in the Duke of York Square, watching small children on scooters and enjoying the atmosphere before heading back to the flat for a rest.

In the evening, we took a walk to the Royal Albert Hall to orient ourselves, since we were going to a concert at the Royal Albert, later on. It's a beautiful building, all lit up at night, isn't it?

We discovered we'd taken a longer route than necessary and returned to the flat a different way. Either way, the Royal Albert was just a 15- to 20-minute walk. Not bad at all. On the way back to the flat, we stopped to pick up dinner at a local grocery store.

We've seen the pre-made, easy-cook dinners they carry in English grocery stores, in the past, but haven't stayed in a place with an oven. So, it was really a treat to choose our evening meals, each day. On the first night, we had a lamb pie with squash casserole and salad. The second night, we chose this "Salmon and Brie en Croute," which we paired with a mushroom risotto that was out of this world.

Oh, my goodness that was heavenly. Why don't we have meals that taste home-cooked like this in our grocery stores? It was amazing. For breakfast each day, we had gluten-free meusli with milk from "only pure Jersey or Guernsey cows" and apricot yogurt, most days, which also had me wondering what on earth we do to our American cows. The difference in milk products between here and the UK is astounding.

By the time we'd eaten dinner, we were pretty much wiped out, although it was still fairly early. I read a bit of Kitty Cornered before caving in. I found that I was able to relax and read in the flat in a way that I'm seldom able to do in a hotel room, which was obviously a big bonus! More about our travels in a couple days.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Kitty Cornered by Bob Tarte

Title: Kitty Cornered: How Frannie and Five Other Incorrigible Cats Seized Control of Our House and Made It Their Home by Bob Tarte

Published By: Algonquin Books

Length: 285 pp.

Reason for Reading: I am a cat fanatic and loved the author's first book.

Brief Summary: In the third memoir about his pets, Bob Tarte focuses on the cats that have invaded his home and heart. The Tartes have 6 cats, all of whom were rescued in some way. The author begins by describing a cat who charmed him more than most and then goes back to describe how each of the cats entered his family. Although they have many other pets, the birds take a backseat in this book. But, if you've read either of his other books, you'll appreciate the occasional references to them.

A side note: The author wrote to me and asked if I'd be willing to review this book. I generally try to avoid accepting books directly from authors, but I absolutely loved Enslaved by Ducks and the fact that the book is about cats would have probably been enough to sway me.

What I loved about Kitty Cornered:

I found myself relating to the author's joys and frustrations with cat ownership. The six cats are named Agnes, Frannie, Lucy, Maynard, Moobie and Tina. He talks about their individual personalities, how they interact with each other and how each cat became a part of the family plus loads of anecdotes about how the Tartes have had to alter their lives to fit cats into the equation. In the front of the book, the author has nicely provided a schematic of the main floor of his home that includes labels showing such things as the location of an inconveniently-placed litterbox, the chair that has been commandeered by one of the cats, the stairs where another routinely trips the author, etc.

There is also a "Cats of Characters" list. Haha. There's an example of the author's sense of humor, for you. Since there are so many cats and the house is almost a character in and of itself, both the floor plan and descriptions of the cats are very helpful. I routinely flipped back to remind myself which cat was which, although eventually you do get to know them as individuals and the cast reference is no longer necessary.

Kitty Cornered is heartwarming and lively. The author acknowledges the intelligence of cats and beautifully describes their individual personalities with affection and humor. Although he sometimes longs for them to behave just a little different, he respects their personalities. The story does jump backward in time after describing Frannie's arrival, but it's handled well. By the time you've gotten to know Frannie, you'll be eager to hear how Bob and his wife Linda ended up with so many cats in the first place.

Cat-owner notes:

Our cats have all been rescues. Miss Spooky came from the Humane Society; Sunshine, aka "Shiny", was a stray who was foisted on us by my eldest son's teacher; Fiona was fostered and displayed at a Petsmart (where we like to say she found and adopted us); and, Isabel was dumped outside our veterinary clinic and held for me by one of the vet techs, who knew I wanted a companion for Fiona.

Bob Tarte's cats came to him in similar fashion. One of them was rejected by his owner's boyfriend, which is exactly what happened to Fiona. She was found by a highway, fostered, adopted, unadopted because of a boyfriend, fostered again, and then adopted us. So, it's only natural that I found myself relating to Bob's stories and appreciating his deep compassion for the cats in his life.

What I disliked about Kitty Cornered:

I mentioned in my review of Enslaved by Ducks that the author's sense of humor occasionally got on my nerves. He's a pretty silly guy and writes very much like I used to write (my own sense of humor actually irritates me -- weird, but true). This time, I didn't ever feel like I needed to set the book aside to take a break from it, but I still did find his sense of humor a little overwhelming. That is a very minor complaint, though. The cat stories are too enjoyable to let such a little thing turn me off.

Another frustration -- something that has only become a frustration in recent years -- is the fact that the author's cats are indoor/outdoor pets. Spooky and Sunshine were both allowed outdoors because I was raised with cats that spent a great deal of their time outside. However, Shiny eventually decided the outdoor world was too frightening, while Miss Spooky insisted on outdoor time to the end of her days and was, in fact, injured several times. Spooky's injuries were enough to convince me that cats belong indoors. It didn't occur to me, as a younger pet owner, that cats can be perfectly happy indoors. Now, I'm rather opinionated about the need to keep cats indoors and dogs behind fences for the safety of both.

Update: The author has noted the fact that his cats are now kept indoors, in a comment to this post. Wahoo! I'm very excited about that. Having fallen a little bit in love with his kitties, I'm thrilled to know that they're in a safer place and have adjusted nicely. Thanks for the update, Bob!

Recommendation:

4/5 - Recommended especially to cat lovers, people who enjoy reading true tales about animals (pets or otherwise) and folks who like memoirs with a very light, entertaining writing style. Kitty Cornered will be released April 10, 2012.

I missed out on a great cat shot, today. Isabel and Fiona were curled up next to each other on my bed with Izzy's nose tucked under Fi's chin. Unfortunately, if the camera isn't handy there's no way I can capture them in any pose. The moment I rise they're awake and following me. Darn. Fiona at least satisfied my urge to snap by exploring the printer shelf. Good kitty.