It's Monday, What Are You Reading (186)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

It's been a quiet week now that my reading program is over at the library. I am now working on my next project which is weeding the fiction because we are going to be moving our genre fiction out of the fiction stacks and setting them apart so they are easier to browse. I like how easy it is to find fiction by genre in bookstores and I think our patrons will prefer it that way. It will take some time and we will probably still be working on it into the new year!

I had the weekend off and planned to get more reading done. I finished one book yesterday but my eyes decided they were tired today and became blurry so I've been listening to audio instead. 

Books reviewed:

Love by the Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan

Books read:

Night of a Thousand Stars by Deanna Raybourn

This is a companion novel to City of Jasmine and it acts as a bridge of sorts between the author's 1920s historical novels and her Lady Julia mysteries. I enjoyed the adventure but I think I liked City of Jasmine more. The ending kind of disappointed me but I am hoping the next book will wrap things up even if Poppy is not the focus.

Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran

This is the book we are reading for my evening book discussion group. It is about three sisters who escaped Iran and have come to Ireland to open a restaurant. Some of the villagers are welcoming while others are afraid of their "foreign ways". I liked the recipes and descriptions of food (it has drawn comparisons to Chocolat) and while I liked the main characters, I think the book could have used more character development.

Currently reading:

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (reread)

I am almost done with this audio book and should have it finished this week so I can get started on The Son of Neptune.

What I plan to read next:

The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh

This is my afternoon book group's selection. It is a historical fiction novel set in South Africa during the 1880s.

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan (reread)

Review: Love by the Morning Star

Love by the Morning Star

By Laura L. Sullivan

Published: June 3, 2014

Upstairs, downstairs, and in which lady’s chamber?  

On the brink of World War II, two girls are sent to  the grand English country estate of Starkers. Hannah, the half-Jewish daughter of a disgraced distant relative, has been living an artistic bohemian life in a cabaret in pre-war Germany and now is supposed to be welcomed into the family. Anna, the social-climbing daughter of working-class British fascists, is supposed to be hired as a maid so that she can spy for the Nazis. But there’s a mix-up, and nice Hannah is sent to the kitchen as a maid while arrogant Anna is welcomed as a relative.

And then both girls fall for the same man, the handsome heir of the estate . . . or do they? 

In this sparkling, saucy romance, nearly everything goes wrong for two girls who are sent to a grand English estate on the brink of World War II—until it goes so very, very right!

My review:

Hannah is hardworking and has a positive and cheerful outlook on life and she is also a dreamer. She is a terrible maid but she tries her best and her coworkers can't help but like her because of her charm and disposition. She believes that her relatives mean for her to be a maid in their home because they are disappointed in her mother's choice of husband. Her pride keeps her from confronting them about her treatment at their hands and she decides to make the best of her situation. 

Anna doesn't really feel as strongly about Fascism as her father does but she jumps at the chance to serve the National Fascist Front when it involves going to an English estate as a spy. Anna wants to set herself apart from her low upbringing and embrace the opportunities she has been presented when she is mistaken for Lord Liripip's niece. Her goal is to marry well and she sets her sights on the heir, Lord Winkfield, otherwise known as Teddy. 

Love by the Morning Star is a comedy of errors with one likable but naive protagonist (Hannah) and one not-so-likable but naive protagonist (Anna) who turns out to be not so bad in the end. The story is rather silly and over the top but I liked Hannah and wanted to see her get a happy ending. The romance didn't quite work for me because I thought that Teddy wasn't good enough for Hannah and I thought things wrapped up too neatly but this is not meant to be realistic historical fiction. Even though some serious topics are covered, the book maintains a humorous tone. I enjoyed it because I knew what to expect and it definitely made me laugh at times.

It is supposed to be teen fiction but I think the writing style and tone do not quite fit the genre. Normally teen historical fiction still has a somewhat modern feel to it at least in the dialogue even if the characters don't sound like 21st Century teens. With this book, it really did seem like something that my grandmother or mother could have read as a teen. Hannah's way of speaking and thinking (very similar to the way film heroines spoke in the 30's and 40's) may take some time to get used to. I think that might make it a hard sell for teens at my library. I think adult readers of historical romance might appreciate it more although the protagonists are young and the romance is relatively "clean" and fairy-tale like. Teen readers of historical fiction who can get past the unusual voice of the protagonists (mostly Hannah) might find themselves really enjoying the story. If you liked A Countess Below Stairs (The Secret Countess) and The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotson, Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl or The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons then you will probably enjoy Love by the Morning Star.  Pick it up if you are in the mood for something light and silly with a happy ending. 

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (185)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

After a crazy week of library programs, the weekend felt kind of dull now that summer reading program is over. My murder mystery dinner was a success and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun although once again no one guessed the killer (it is one of those games where the suspects don't even know who the killer is until the confession is read). I am now planning another smaller murder mystery program for Halloween and have some ideas for making sure the killer gets caught this time :)

Books reviewed:

City of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn

Books read:

I Work at a Public Library by Gina Sheridan

I really enjoyed this one but there is a creepy story (involving a perverted phone call from a "patron") in it that also happened to someone who works at my library.  The stories are so similar we couldn't help but wonder if the same person was pranking different libraries. Thankfully to counter the unpleasant/creepy stories, there are also positive and inspiring stories too.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (reread)

Currently reading:

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (reread)

I listened to this audio book last year and thought I would listen to the whole series on audio to get ready for the final book, The Blood of Olympus, this October. It will be sad when it is over. Not sure if Rick Riordan will revisit these characters again or just move on to his Norse mythology series.

Night of a Thousand Stars by Deanna Raybourn

This is a companion novel to City of Jasmine (see the link to my review of that one above). I like it so far and I think fans of City of Jasmine and the Lady Julia mysteries should definitely give this a try. There will be cameos of beloved characters...

Review: City of Jasmine

City of Jasmine

By Deanna Raybourn

Published: February 25, 2014

My review:

In the years since her husband's death, Evangeline Starke has become an aviatrix. While on tour she is stunned to receive a photo of her husband that was taken recently in Damascus. Evie decides to investigate and heads straight into adventure and danger.

This was a fun and romantic adventure story and I enjoyed it much more than its companion novel, A Spear of Summer Grass. The novel has humor, suspense, plenty of action, exotic settings and entertaining characters. It put me in mind of Indiana Jones or Brendan Fraser's The Mummy. 

Evie is a headstrong girl and resourceful girl but she sometimes irritated me when she charged into danger. Evie is determined to figure out the mystery even if she doesn't always use the best judgment. Gabriel is intelligent and mysterious and there is definitely more to him than what is on the surface (which was apparent to everyone but Evie). The relationship dynamics between Evie and Gabriel reminded me of that between Lady Julia and Brisbane from the author's Lady Julia Grey series.  They have great chemistry and it is fun to watch them work together. 

City of Jasmine would be a great book to take to the beach this summer. While I still prefer the author's Lady Julia Grey mysteries, this was an enjoyable book and I wouldn't mind reading more about Evie's adventures. I think this would appeal to readers who like historical fiction, adventure movies and romance.


Note: I received an e-ARC for review purposes courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (184)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

I just got back today from spending 4th of July weekend with my parents. It was a busy weekend and it made me realize that this summer is just flying by. 

This week will be crazy at work as we wrap up our summer reading programs. On Tuesday evening I have my final brewery tour and beer tasting program (thankfully I just have to show up for this one) and on Thursday is the long awaited masquerade murder mystery dinner. I am trying to be as organized as possible by making lists of stuff I need to do each day so I won't be as overwhelmed. 

Books reviewed:

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

Books read:

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan (reread)

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (reread)

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (reread)

Currently reading:

I Work at a Public Library: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks by Gina Sheridan

This is an entertaining collection of the unusual things that occur in public libraries. I am enjoying it so far and I can definitely relate.  The author shares more funny and strange tales of librarianship on tumblr: iworkatapubliclibrary.com

What I plan to read next:

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (reread)

Review: The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

By Nadia Hashimi

Published: May 6, 2014

Afghan-American Nadia Hashimi's literary debut novel, The Pearl that Broke Its Shell is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to control one's own fate that combines the cultural flavor and emotional resonance of the works of Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lisa See.

In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school, and can rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of bacha posh, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a boy until she is of marriageable age. As a son, she can attend school, go to the market, and chaperone her older sisters.

But Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-aunt, Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life the same way.

Crisscrossing in time, The Pearl the Broke Its Shell interweaves the tales of these two women separated by a century who share similar destinies. But what will happen once Rahima is of marriageable age? Will Shekiba always live as a man? And if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive?

My review:

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell is a fascinating book because of its depiction of bacha posh and some of the cultural practices in Afghanistan. I have read other fiction set in Afghanistan but I had never heard of bacha posh. Rahima's aunt (Khala) Shaima first suggests the idea to her mother since Rahima's opium addicted dad won't let the girls attend school and they can't even go to the store to get things they need. Rahima eagerly agrees and finds freedom in being able to go to school and run and play with the boys. Her dad also begins to see her as a person as his son "Rahim". Unfortunately this won't last forever and soon enough Rahima hits puberty and has to transform back into a sheltered girl and be married off. 

Interspersed with Rahima's journey is that of her great-aunt Shekiba. Shekiba means gift and as the character notes, a gift is something you give away. Shekiba experienced a lot of misfortune as a young girl. She was badly scarred in an accident when she was a child, then her mother and sister and brothers all died in a cholera epidemic. She helped her father, doing backbreaking labor on their farm but when he died, she was taken in by his family who treat her terribly and sell her off as a servant to pay their debts. Eventually Shekiba finds herself dressing as a man, working as a guard of the king's harem. 

Both Shekiba and Rahima's stories are filled with struggles and sorrow. It is sad that Rahima finds confidence and freedom only when she is dressed as a boy but that confidence gives her strength to face what lies ahead of her as a woman. Shekiba is physically strong but even though she is a little naive because of her upbringing, she also finds mental strength through her experiences.

This story focuses predominantly on women but what is sad is that even though the men in their lives tend to treat them terribly they can also be vicious to each other. The practice of multiple wives certainly makes for some tense family dynamics. There are some admirable women though such as the protagonists, Khala Shaima, and Rahima's friends at the training center.  While the story could be bleak, there was also hope and the ending definitely suggests that there are better things ahead for Rahima and other women like her. The book examines the idea of naseeb, or destiny, and the courage of the characters to try to change their destiny.

I think this book would appeal to fans of A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini as well as those interested in learning more about some of the struggles faced by women in Afghanistan. There are also two nonfiction books about bacha posh being released this fall (The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg and I am a Bacha Posh by Ukmina Manoori).

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (183)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

This week I was not as motivated in my reading. I finished Love by the Morning Star but after that I couldn't commit to just one book. I am making progress on the audio book I am listening to but I kept jumping from e-book to e-book and even read a little bit of a library book but nothing completely captures my attention. I hate when that happens.

I also have my masquerade murder mystery dinner library program coming up soon and I still have quite a bit of work to do so I spent some hours getting ideas and visiting local craft stores today when I otherwise might have read. The program is a lot of work but it is also kind of fun to put together. Next time however I think I will downsize it. I have 30 people attending which is amazing but kind of scary too.

Books reviewed:

Mambo in Chinatown by Jean Kwok

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Books read:

Love by the Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan

This book is kind of silly but also entertaining to read. There were times when the silliness just became annoying so I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

Currently listening to:

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan (reread)

What I plan to listen to next:

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan (reread)

Review: Since You've Been Gone

Since You've Been Gone

By Morgan Matson

Published: May 6, 2014

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just... disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try... unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough.Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait... what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um...

My review:

Emily's summer plans (and really her life) are upended when she realizes her best friend has disappeared. Sloane has always been the leader in their friendship and without her, Emily feels lost and devastated. Then she receives a list from Sloane in the mail. Sloane used to give her lists of tasks to try to do when Emily would go on trips but Emily usually ignored the lists or just managed to do one or two things. Now, this list may be the way that Emily finds Sloane again. As she sets out to cross the tasks off her list and searches for clues about Sloane, Emily steps out of her comfort zone and discovers her own strength.

I found it easy to relate to Emily because she reminded me of myself as a teen. She is a cautious introvert and she relied on her friendship with Sloane to give her a place to belong. Being forced to live outside Sloane's shadow makes her realize just how much her own identity was wrapped up in Sloane and people didn't even get the chance to know her because she hid behind Sloane so much. Emily's journey starts out with the purpose of finding Sloane but instead she finds confidence and makes new friends.

It is interesting that Sloane starts to disappear from the book a little as Emily finds her own life more fulfilling. The reader gets to observe Sloane and Emily's friendship through flashbacks. I admit that I was angry at Sloane for basically deserting Emily without even a proper goodbye. It is a hard thing as a teen to lose friendships and though it is explained in the end, I did not feel kindly toward Sloane for most of the book. I did love how the book examined different kinds of friendships and how the friendship with Sloane was resolved.

The romance with Frank developed nicely. I liked that it was gradual and grew out of their friendship. Frank was a good friend to Emily. I also enjoyed the secondary characters in this book and I thought they added to the story. Emily's friendship with her younger brother is really sweet. While I did feel like this is another teen book with "absent parent syndrome" I think Emily's parents seemed like caring people when they weren't absorbed in writing plays.

Overall I thought this was a nice story about friendship and growing up. It wasn't as emotionally heavy hitting as the author's other books but it would make a great entertaining beach read. I think fans of Sarah Dessen and contemporary teen romance would really enjoy Since You've Been Gone.

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of Amazon Vine

Review: Mambo in Chinatown

Mambo in Chinatown

By Jean Kwok

Published: June 24, 2014

From the bestselling author of Girl in Translation, a novel about a young woman torn between her family duties in Chinatown and her escape into the world of ballroom dancing.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Wong grew up in New York’s Chinatown, the older daughter of a Beijing ballerina and a noodle maker. Though an ABC (America-born Chinese), Charlie’s entire world has been limited to this small area. Now grown, she lives in the same tiny apartment with her widower father and her eleven-year-old sister, and works—miserably—as a dishwasher.

But when she lands a job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio, Charlie gains access to a world she hardly knew existed, and everything she once took to be certain turns upside down. Gradually, at the dance studio, awkward Charlie’s natural talents begin to emerge. With them, her perspective, expectations, and sense of self are transformed—something she must take great pains to hide from her father and his suspicion of all things Western. As Charlie blossoms, though, her sister becomes chronically ill. As Pa insists on treating his ailing child exclusively with Eastern practices to no avail, Charlie is forced to try to reconcile her two selves and her two worlds—Eastern and Western, old world and new—to rescue her little sister without sacrificing her newfound confidence and identity.

My review:

I loved Girl in Translation so when I found out that the author had written a new book, I knew I had to read it. Reading Mambo in Chinatown proved to be a different kind of reading experience. With the first book I felt so emotionally invested in Kimberly and her difficult circumstances and while I felt bad for Charlie and frustrated by her family I did not connect with her as much. 

Charlie is a hardworking and devoted daughter who has had to step in and take care of her sister and dad after their mother died. Charlie is not known for her grades like her little sister but she can help her family by working as a dishwasher (even though she is terrible at it). The one thing Charlie is good at is Tai Chi. When she goes to class she becomes this graceful and confident person so different from how she is in other areas of her life. 

When Charlie finds a job as a secretary at a dance studio, it changes her life. She has to keep her job a secret (her dad doesn't want her to have anything to do with dance). Charlie turns out to be a terrible secretary but she has a natural talent for dance which she discovers when the school needs a substitute teacher to fill in for their beginning dance class. It is a little far fetched to believe that Charlie could be trained in a short time to teach a beginner's dance class but her Tai Chi practice (and talent she inherited from her mom) stand her in good stead. Charlie finds joy in dancing and even a forbidden romance with Ryan, one of her students, but she has to keep everything a secret. Her double life becomes even more complicated when her little sister becomes ill.

Charlie and her sister are close and while their dad can be difficult, he also loves them. It is hard for Charlie to see her sister going through a hard time but she really goes to bat for her to get her into a better school and to figure out what is wrong. She also (mostly) respects her dad even when she disagrees with his beliefs (aside from the whole hiding her job thing). I think that positive family message was there even when the characters didn't get along. Charlie's uncle kind of comes across as a controlling villain at times but he has some redeeming qualities in the end.

The novel takes a look at the culture of ballroom dancing and Eastern medical practices. I love shows like Dancing With the Stars so I really liked the descriptions of ballroom dance.  I thought the dancers were kind of fascinating though their lives were less glamorous and more difficult than one might imagine with the pressure, backstabbing, and drug use. I did like how the dancers kind of take Charlie in and help her out though I don't think she really fits in that world. I also found the medical practices to be interesting and frustrating at the same time. I appreciated the way the author handled that aspect of the book, allowing Charlie to be respectful to her heritage while also embracing Western ideas. 

While I think Girl in Translation is a better book, I did enjoy Mambo in Chinatown and found myself cheering for Charlie as she grew more confident. I also liked the cameo appearance of Kimberly and getting to find out how her story ends. Fans of the first book and readers who are interested in novels about the Chinese American experience should check out Mambo in Chinatown. You don't need to read Girl in Translation first but you may want to anyway.

Note: I received an e-ARC for review purposes courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (182)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

My week has had its ups and downs (Surprise root canals! Oh wait, I only need 1 root canal and one is just a bad cavity. Yippee!) but I did get to read some really good books during my down time (and it was a good excuse to eat Jello pudding, a favorite childhood snack, and watch movies all weekend). I also had a productive morning and wrote several book reviews and hopefully I can keep that momentum going because I have a tremendous backlog of unwritten reviews :)

Books read:

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler

This was our June book discussion selection for my evening book group. I really liked it and I am looking forward to hearing what the others in my book group thought. The story is about a forbidden interracial relationship in the segregated South and the way things have changed or not changed enough since.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (reread)

This is the second book I've listened to that is narrated by Jesse Bernstein and while I still don't like his narration, I was able to get lost in the story so it didn't bother me as much. Or maybe it is just growing on me. I did like the voice he used for the gruff bully Clarice.

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

This was a fascinating story and a heartbreaking one. I think fans of A Thousand Splendid Suns would love it. I hadn't heard of bacha posh before (the practice in Afghanistan of a little girl living as a son until puberty in families without sons) but now there are three books being published this year about it (this novel, a memoir, and a nonfiction book).

Currently reading:

Love by the Morning Star by Laura L. Sullivan

I am finding this book to be really charming so far. I'd heard of comparisons to Eva Ibbotson and I definitely agree. I also think it is similar to The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons. Hannah Morganstern is a Jewish distant relation of an English aristocratic family who is sent to them for safety. Unfortunately when she arrives she is thought to be the new maid and the "maid" Anna who is really a Nazi spy of sorts (she is really more concerned with landing a rich husband) is thought to be the long lost cousin.

What I plan to read next:

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan (reread)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading (181)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Happy Father's Day! I just got back from spending the weekend with my parents. Friday was my mom's birthday and on Saturday we went to my sister's house for a birthday/Father's Day cookout. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and perfect for traveling.

Books reviewed:

Twelfth Night by Deanna Raybourn

Books read:

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

This was an interesting historical suspense novel featuring a young German teen growing up under the power of Hitler and her journey to break away and discover the truth.

Vintage by Susan Gloss

Vintage is the story of a group of women who meet at a vintage clothing store and help each other through difficult times.

Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon

I think this has more of a steampunk historical feel than a science fiction novel but it also has some dystopian elements to it.  The book's description doesn't quite do it justice so I was really taken by surprise by how much more there is to the story. 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (reread)

I listened to this on audio and I have to say that I prefer the narrator for the spin-off series, The Heroes of Olympus. That narrator does a better job of giving the various characters unique voices. Jesse Bernstein is kind of terrible with accents and at times Annabeth sounded like Percy. Still the story was entertaining enough to keep me going.

The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh

This is the June book discussion selection for my afternoon book group. I thought it was creepy and atmospheric and suspenseful. I am not sure if the other book group members will like it as much as I did. It is a pretty dark story and only a few of the characters are likable. 

Currently reading:

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (reread)

What I plan to read next:

Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler

This is the June book selection for my evening book group and I believe that the story is inspired by the author's own family history.