Fast Friday Review: River Road: Snow, Snow, and More Snow

River Road
by Carol Goodman
Hardcover, 288 pages
Touchstone, January 19, 2016
3 stars

Nan Lewis is driving home from a faculty holiday party at the university in upstate New York where she works after learning she has been denied tenure. Upset and tired, she's startled when she hits a deer, but even more startled when, after exiting the car, she can't locate the animal. Nan eventually gives up, instead heading home, eager to avoid the ensuing snowstorm. The next morning she is woken with the news that one of her students was hit by a car and killed – in the same location as her accident with the deer. Nan, as a result of the damage to her car, is a suspect. Shunned by the school community and haunted by memories of her daughter's accident at the same spot six years earlier, Nan must investigate to clear her name. 

                                                                  ********************

I really enjoyed Goodman's Lake of Dead Languages so I was eager to dive into this one. It's a face-paced read, with twists and turns coming fast and hard almost from the start.  The writing was atmospheric and moody, though the constant descriptions of trudging through snow got repetitive after a while. My biggest struggle with this novel was entirely wrapped up in the plot. There are enough characters with secrets to entertain the idea the idea that any one of them could have been the murderer, but I figured out the "whodunit" fairly early on. Even worse, the murderer quite the melodramatic monologue explaining her dastardly plot.  There was a touch of a romantic story line that, surprisingly, didn't feel forced. Unfortunately, I didn't like Nan, as she was a bit of a snob, looking down on her fellow coworkers and being surprised that the police officer investigating her student's death was a reader. Ultimately this book was an okay read but wasn't my favorite by Goodman.

My recommended beverage of choice for this book is a hot toddy. There is *so much* talk of snow and cold weather that just reading it was making me cold. There are many ways to make a hot toddy, but I'm a fan of the traditional version. If it ain't broken, and all of that.


The Classic Hot Toddy

1 1/2 oz brown liquor (rum, whiskey, or brandy)

1 tbsp honey

1/2 oz lemon juice

1 cup hot water

lemon wedge and cinnamon stick for garnish (optional)

Combine the first four ingredients into a warmed mug. Add the garnishes if desired.

The Joys of Marking My Books

It is better to have read, loved and lost than to never have loved at all.  BUT - I hate losing books!  SO, I've learned from my genius friend Kim who embosses all her books.

I am guilty of accidentally keeping books that weren't meant as gifts.  I really mean to remember that the books don't belong to me.  I do.  But I have a book problem.  So...the best of intentions sometimes still become me keeping something that doesn't belong to me.

I ordered my embosser from Amazon last week, and the beauty arrived today.  


Do you have goosebumps at the crazy fun I'm about to have?  (or have been having for the past few hours?) Seriously, this is a game changer.

Click here to see where I got this fantastic new toy.

I am a fairly new little blogger.  I have no endorsements from this company, received no freebies and quite honestly, the nifty plastic case that the embosser came in was damaged in transit.  BUT - the item itself is fantastic, and REALLY reasonable.  So, if you have too many books and want to subtly mark your territory, check this one out.  I have to go now...I've only marked about 5% of my library in the past few hours.

(Sidenote - it's crazy fun to have an excuse to go through my books while marking them!)

The Children's Home

The Children's Home
by Charles Lambert
Hardcover, 210 pages
Scribner, January 5, 2016
2 stars

Morgan Fletcher, heir to a mysterious fortune, lives in seclusion on his family estate, hiding himself away to avoid showing the world his disfigured face, the result of an "accident" in his youth.  One day his housekeeper, Engel, brings him a baby left on their steps, and asks to keep her. This baby is quickly followed by a little boy, and then other children begin to appear. This odd family lives together alone until a doctor must be called. Dr. Crane, the town physician, arrives and soon becomes a beloved part of the household, eventually moving in to take advantage of the extensive medical library that Morgan's grandfather acquired on his travels. Before long, Morgan realizes how strangely the children act, how adult-like, how they all seem to know each other from before they arrived. Morgan is sometimes surprised that he can't hear the children, almost as though they're not there at all.

********************

"I was taken away and left somewhere safe. That's what they thought, anyway."

This is a book with a compelling premise  that just failed to do much for me. Described as "neo-gothic horror" and "perfect for fans of Roald Dahl and Shirley Jackson," it missed all of the creeping dread, the brilliant writing, and the clever plot twists that are the hallmarks of those talented authors. The writing was unremarkable other than to note that it was a bit scattered, jumping around in time and from topic to topic, serving only to confuse an already muddled story. The plot played out like a dark reverse Narnia, with mysterious children arriving in the real world, but even as a fairy tale it falls flat, leaving us no lesson or moral imperative to look to. In the end, the book took a dark turn toward a dystopian view of the world and then abandoned the reader in a confused conclusion. 

On the bright side, this book is closer to a novella than a novel, coming in at 210 pages. The problem this causes is there's just not enough room to explore the characters all that much. Morgan, the protagonist, is the only character the reader walks away feeling as though they really know, and it's only because, as the narrator, Morgan tells you everything that runs through his head, coherent or not. The rest of the characters are one-dimensional. They're creepy, certainly, but none are very compelling.  

This book was a good idea with poor execution. 

My recommended beverage-of-choice for this book would be a steaming mug of hot cocoa. Considering both the luxury cocoa was during WW2 and how easily you can slip a nip of something stronger into it should you share my opinion of this book, it's really the perfect choice. 

On the Shores of Darkness There is Light by Cordelia Strube

The story of Harriet and Irwin is told in two distinct parts - first from Harriet, the older sister whose parents have largely emotionally abandoned her.  For her mother Lynne, her affection is used up in the care for Irwin, Harry's younger brother whose hydrocephalus has made him a much needier and more compelling child.  Conversely, their father Trent abandons the family as he is unable to cope with a child who has special needs, and finds a new partner Uma, who wants a baby of their own.  

Harriet's plan is to escape, and the means is the cash that she earns from the "olders" in her building who pay her to run errands.  Harriet's life with her emotionally absent mother and openly hostile pseudo step father Gennedy is illustrated with a painful clarity.  Harriet is ferocious in her love, in her anger, in her fear and in her art.  

When the story turns to Irwin, we find a much more timid boy, whose life of surgeries, hospitalization and the overbearing love of his mother has left him ill prepared for the challenges life offers.  Through his friendship with the same oldsters that Harry ran errands for, he learns that he has to navigate his life himself, and that in all the ugly darkness of his world, there is also love, beauty and a redeeming light.

The characters of this novel are some of the most flawed I've read, but they are quite brilliantly penned and I was very drawn in by what is largely a very sad story.  The way in which Strube takes the writing between stark reality and alternate reality is unique, and the flow between the two works well.

I was given the opportunity to read this book via NetGalley for an unbiased review.  

The Restaurant Critic's Wife, by Elizabeth LaBran

The Restaurant Critic's Wife

by Elizabeth LaBan

Hardcover, 306 pages

Lake Union Publishing, January 5, 2016

4 stars

I devoured this book within 24 hours of starting.

Lila's life as The Restaurant Critic's Wife is perfect on paper. She's married to a man who brings his work home in the form of meals from the restaurants he's reviewing. When her mom is in town they take her to a lovely restaurant on the newspaper's tab. She and her husband have a beautiful little girl and a sweet baby boy. 

There is a lot more to life than what can be seen on the surface. This is what LaBan creates in her delicious novel about one woman's struggle to find her new path as a career woman turned stay at home mom. Lila has made the move from a crisis manager for a large hotel chain to a new life in a new town and while she tries find a way to establish herself in this new role, her husband Sam is trying so hard to live his dream of being the ultimate anonymous critic that he binds Lila to a lifestyle anyone would find confining. Lila has no friends, and is increasingly losing her husband to the demands of his job - which are both real and imagined. 

The difficulties of balancing motherhood, marriage and career are real. It's all to easy to lose the sense of true self when faced with the responsibilities of caring for small children, and LaBan successfully explores these feelings and the consequences of trying to ignore them.

(I received this book from Lake Union Publishing via Net Galley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.)

The beverage pairing for this book is the Caribbean Pineapple, a fruity, tropical drink that pairs well with both the mid-winter blues and a hot summer day on the front steps.  

Ingredients - Pineapple juice, Malibu Rum and Ice.  Measurements depend based on the level of provocation the day has provided.  

Cheers!  Karli

Saturn Run by John Sandford & Ctein

Saturn Run
by John Sanford and Ctein
Hardcover, 486 pages
G.P. Putnam's Sons, October 6, 2015
3 stars

The year is 2066, and what is clearly a sign of intelligent alien life is spotted near Saturn. The Chinese are ready to colonize Mars. The President of the US is a woman with an ego that won't be beat. There are several people who are needed to create a ship to get to Saturn and get back home with the information the Aliens are willing to share. And, we must beat the Chinese. And, it must be done from scratch. Begin! This is the premise that starts the book and pushes the reader into the second 3/4 of story. The start has a lot of promise for an exciting Saturn Run. 

As a Sandford fan, I have a certain expectation for character development, a plot that plows forward supported by the narrative and sharp dialogue based on solid fact and an informed reader. Sandford is a great author for assuming his reader has at least a moderate understanding of science and current events. This book didn't deliver the character development that I expect from a John Sandford novel, and as it's about twice the length of his usual books, I found this harder to accept.

I enjoy sci-fi books. I have a fairly informed scientific mind, and I thought that the premise of the book was quite well founded. The pages and pages of detail to back up this science did not add to the book for me. I asked people who have more science based background than I have for their input and thoughts, but as an average reader, it was just too much science and not enough fiction. 

The story, the plot, the movement are good - but not great. It's more of a 3.5 in my mind - I need more from my characters when I'm spending 491 pages of reading time, I want more story and I want to feel invested in the characters.

The visual of this book is amazing - the dust cover and the beautiful book binding and cover art beneath are stunning. I loved how much effort went into the aesthetics of the hardcover of this book. I'm happy to own it and have it on my shelves, but I know I won't re-read it several times.

LOOK AT THIS!!!  Tell me the cover isn't just stunning.

Beverage pairing is a hot cup of tea - GOOD tea (not bags!) properly steeped.  

Cheers! Karli

The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay

The Bronte Plot
by Katherine Reay
Paperback, 334 pages
Thomas Nelson, November 3, 2015
4 stars

Book nerds LOVE books about other book nerds.  And a book about a book nerd who gets to go on a vacation to explore her favorite stories settings???  Seriously.  Let's read!

Lucy was abandoned by her father at the age of 8, and his only method of contacting her has been by sending her a book each year for her birthday. As a result of this abandonment, Lucy's interests are bookish, but her personality makes her embellish truth (aka, lie and commit some forgeries...but they are FUN lies and forgeries!) and ultimately causes a kind of self-destruction. 

Her road to redemption comes from a surprising person -Helen, the dying grandmother of her ex-boyfriend. Their trip to England to tour literary history and to right some wrongs is a fantastic journey.  The reader gets to see a good deal of emotional growth in Lucy, and I think any book lover will swoon at her furniture made from piles of books.

I enjoyed this book a lot - and moved right on to Wuthering Heights after finishing!

(I received this book from Thomas Nelson, publisher via Net Galley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.)

The drink pairing for this one is a nice, moody Merlot.  One of my favorites is Stag's Leap - but that's a pretty expensive bottle, so you're allowed to substitute something more affordable - as long as you enjoy more than one glass!

Cheers from Karli

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
by Katarina Bivald
Hardcover,
376 pages
Chatto and Windus, September 4, 2013
5 stars

Bookish people like books about bookish people.

We like books with sly and overt references to other books.  It makes us feel special when we recognize them and nod our heads to agree, or shake our heads to totally disagree.

I especially enjoyed the setting of this book.  I'm a small town girl, and Bivald captures the heart of a small town with all its sweet and sour notes.  There are certainly benefits to having people who have known you forever, and as Sara also learns, there is sometimes a beautiful freedom in reinventing yourself among strangers. 

I do like the comparisons of this book to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, as well as The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry . This sweet bookish book does a beautiful job portraying a town that appears to be dying - but with the infusion of a new visitor, book store and busy-bodies determined to mind everyone's business but their own - a new life is infused in the town and its residents.  Part of the beauty of this book is the very real portrayal of a young European woman in a conservative small town.  Things like overt homophobia are addressed in realistic ways, and I applaud how  Bivald deftly blends the concepts of expanding humanity and love with the expansion of literaracy.

This was a fantastic book, fun to read, and easy to love the characters. Loved it!

(I received an advanced copy from Sourcebooks via Net Galley in exchange for an unbiased review.)

Drink pairing is a shot (or 3?) of whiskey.  Because sometimes it's ok to stumble when you get off your stool.  

Cheers!  Karli

This book was just released in January here in the US, and the publisher has shared the following information!

READERS, RECOMMEND YOUR BOOKSTORE!

Sourcebooks Launches Reader Voting Campaign to Grant Money to Community Bookstores

NAPERVILLE IL (January 5, 2016) — Independent publisher Sourcebooks announces the “Readers, Recommend Your Bookstore” campaign, which will give grant money to three nominated bookstores. The “Readers, Recommend Your Bookstore Campaign” is inspired by the phenomenal support booksellers have given The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald, which was selected as the #1 Indie Next Great Read for January 2016. 

Katarina Bivald’s international bestselling debut novel, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, is a charming, big-hearted story about the joy of books and the transformative power of community bookstores. 

“Bookstores are the heart and soul of their community and have enormous impact on readers’ lives,” said Dominique Raccah, founder and CEO of Sourcebooks. “The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend inspired us to create a campaign that will not only give back to a few deserving bookstores, but hopefully highlight all the many wonderful bookstores that service communities across the country.”

Anyone can nominate their favorite bookstore at http://books.sourcebooks.com/readers-recommend-your-bookstore-sweepstakes/. Sourcebooks will award the winning bookstore with a $3,000 prize; two additional bookstores will each receive a $637 prize (the population of Bivald’s fictional Broken Wheel, Iowa). In addition to bookstores receiving prizes, weekly giveaways for those who nominate will be held throughout the campaign. Voting began January 4, and runs until February 19, when the winning bookstores will be announced.

The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin

The Swans of Fifth Avenue
by Melanie Benjamin
Hardcover, 368 pages
Delacorte Press, January 26, 2016
4 stars

Benjamin's latest novel, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, gives readers a peek into the glamorous life of the high society Manhattan "Swans" - socialites like Gloria Guinness, Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest, and Pamela Churchill - as well as detailing the relationship between rising author Truman Capote and darling of the social scene Babe Paley. Best known as the wife of CBS founder Bill Paley and for her spot in the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame, Paley was introduced to Capote and they became inseparable for years. Then, seemingly out of the blue, Capote published a gossip-rag short story in Esquire that was a thinly-veiled description of Paley's private life, detailing several embarrassing secrets, and changed their relationship forever.

                                                       ********************

"If he told the best stories, dished the most delicious gossip, dropped the grandest of names. Then, perhaps. Then. Would he truly belong?"

I was struck by how simultaneously over-confident and approval-seeking Capote was. Here he was - a talented writer, adored by the best of Manhattan society, and yet he was almost crippled with a fear that he didn't really fit in with the people with whom he socialized. Though, to be fair, with the exception of Babe, the Swans did often seem to treat him almost as a pet - something to be trotted out as party entertainment or to prove their literary and intellectual weight. Why, though, would he betray Babe the way he did? Theirs seemed like a genuine relationship - as much in love with each other (maybe more?) as they were with their partners. They led emotionally isolated lives and found solace in each other's company. Did he think people wouldn't know to whom he referred in his writing? Did he expect she'd forgive him as she'd forgiven his other missteps in their relationship? Was the whole relationship a way for him to gain entry into their lives just for writing fodder? I wonder if Capote even knew the answers to these questions, since he was so far under the influence of alcohol and drugs at that point in his life. Capote's emotional crash at the end of the book is almost physically painful to read.

As usual, regardless of whether I loved or hated the characters, Benjamin absolutely brought these women (and their men) to life in a big way. Their habits, their personality tics, the things you loved and hated about these women were entirely believable. Notable was how these wealthy women, removed from the reader by more than 50 years, are worried about the same things women today worry about - their marriages, their careers (or lack of), how good of a parent they have been, and how to age gracefully. Benjamin writes:


"Yet at night, they took off their diamonds and went to empty beds resigned to the fact that they were just women, after all. Women with a shelf life."

Unsurprisingly, Benjamin has crafted another amazing book, bringing another vibrant woman from history to life as a fully fleshed-out, complex character. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction or Truman Capote's writing.

My drink pairing for this book is a glass of champagne. It seemed as though the Swans were almost always celebrating something, and even when they weren't, who can't use a bit of something sweet and bubbly at the end of the day?

Cheers,
Tanya

(Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)