A Distant Melody

I regret I wasn't born during the Roaring Twenties so I could experience the 1940s as a twenty-something. I love this era. As I continue to decorate my house - built in 1930 - I can't help but continue to add little vintage design nods to the 1940s. When I cook in my vintage-inspired kitchen, I usually have Pandora radio on to "The Andrews Sisters" channel I created - complete with an apron donned of course.

So, it should come at no surprise that I really enjoyed reading book one of the "Wings of Glory" series by Sarah Sundin. "Wings of Glory" is a series of three books about three brothers who serve during WWII. The first book, "A Distant Melody," was a very enjoyable read and I enjoyed it more than "A Memory Between Us" (book two of the series I read at the end of 2010). The third book "Blue Skies Tomorrow" came out in August so I have my request in at the library to get my hands on the final story of the series.

Book Summary: (from Goodreads)

Will a chance meeting in a time of war change her life forever?

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval - even marry a man she doesn't love. While Allie has nearly resigned herself to that fate, Lt. Walter Novak - fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women - takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas.

Walt and Allie meet and begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

I thought Sundin did a fantastic job of character development. At times you really like the two main characters and, like in real life, you want to kick them in the butt sometimes for their stupidity. I love how she allowed the characters to fall in love via coorespondence and for allowing them to be "real." If I have one dislike it was that there were a few too many "extra" characters in Walt's hometown so much so that I started to get confused who was married to who.

If you like WWII airplanes, you'll enjoy the level of detail Sarah uses during the combat scenes. It would be fun to see this series made into movies or a TV series.

To Recap:

Worth Reading? - Yes

Recommend to a Friend? - Yes

Worth Buying My Own Copy? No

Stars: 4 out of 5

 

The Miracle of Mercy Land

I had very high hopes for The Miracle of Mercy Land when I read the back of the book. However, I was sadly disappointed. One of the questions in the reader’s guide at the end asks “When you turn the last page…what is the strongest impression the novel leaves with you?” I’m left feeling confused.

I felt that the author, River Jordan, carried out suspenseful plots way too long and in some cases not really providing any answers. Like…was Cilla Satan? Why does Aunt Ida suddenly become a major character in the plot when I feel like I never really knew her? What the heck is the book?

I did think Jordan did a nice job of developing the characters of Mercy Land and Doc. I felt I really knew them and enjoyed the friendship and companionship they had despite the generational difference. This was a fresh character duo compared to most novels I read. I also felt that Jordan captured the essence of Bay City, Bittersweet and the South well.

I really wish I could recommend this novel to others, but it was too drawn out and I left it with more questions and confusion than I started. I received this copy from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogging for Books program.

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott

I apologize for the short review and relying on the recap from another Web site, but just don't have time lately to write thoughtful and poignant reviews. But since, I want a record of what I read...here we go!

Book Description from "Goodreads"

In the bestselling tradition of Loving Frank and March comes a novel for anyone who loves Little Women.

Millions of readers have fallen in love with Little Women. But how could Louisa May Alcott-who never had a romance-write so convincingly of love and heart-break without experiencing it herself?

Deftly mixing fact and fiction, Kelly O'Connor McNees imagines a love affair that would threaten Louisa's writing career-and inspire the story of Jo and Laurie in Little Women. Stuck in small-town New Hampshire in 1855, Louisa finds herself torn between a love that takes her by surprise and her dream of independence as a writer in Boston. The choice she must make comes with a steep price that she will pay for the rest of her life.

My take:

My first "acting" opportunity as a kid was playing Jo March in a radio play I did in 5th grade. I fell in love with Little Women and enjoy the character of Jo March (based on Louisa's own personality/past) so much. So I really enjoyed this glimpse and "what if" about Louisa May Alcott. It definitely had the feel of "Becoming Jane" to it, but it was a nice, relaxing read. The dialog was great and I loved all the historical details about the era. Blew through it in 4 days...that's good for me!

To recap:

Worth Reading? Yes

Recommend to a Friend? Yes

Worth Buying My Own Copy? No - Use your local library

Stars: 4 out of 5

All Clear

Yeah! I finally finished this book!

Okay...honestly...I can say after reading both Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis, that I did enjoy this story. The were both behemoth books, but they do provide rich detail and dialog that one can't help but feel transported back to WWII London during the Blitz. But, I am awfully exhausted after reading these books and ready to step back into 2011!

If you love WWII historical fiction, suspense and a bit of fantasy (i.e. time travel) you will really enjoy this story. Most reviews I've read also echo what I'm about to say. Both books could have used a strong editing session to trim 100 to 200 pages out of each of them. Obviously some of the detail is needed to weave the story completely together, but there were some sections where you felt like you were reading about despairing characters for 60 to 80 pages.

I also felt that both books were lacking in the romantic storyline. Connections and relationships were formed, but Willis never really took time to explore these fully. I think they would have made the characters feel more "real" and human.

Willis is a meticulous researcher and both of these books are a masterpiece in and of themselves in how she pulled the story together. There was a point three nights ago when I held my head and said "it hurt" because I was thinking so hard about how some of the events/plots were piecing together at the end.

I am looking forward to reading some of her other books, but glad I can move on to some other books that have piled up on my night stand.

To recap:

Worth reading? Yes

Recommend to a Friend? Maybe

Worth Buying My Own Copy? Maybe...especially if you take awhile to read books. I kind of wish I had a copy of "Blackout" to reference as I was reading.

Stars: 4 out of 5

A Memory Between Us

"A Memory Between Us" by Sarah Sundin is part of a trilogy (although I believe each book can stand on its own) of books about three brothers serving during WWII. Each book focuses on one of the three brothers and their quest for love and wrestling with God. I think I inadvertently read book two of the series, but felt I got a good grasp of the context of book one.

The book is about a WWII bomber pilot, Major Jack Novak, and a nurse, Lieutenant Ruth Doherty, he meets in the hospital as he is recovering from flak injuries. The rest of the story is fairly predictable, but not a complete bore to read. I read it pretty quick and it moved along at a fast pace. This is a good book to digest on the beach or on a plane.

To her credit, I believe Sundin did a marvelous job with historical details that painted a very vivid picture of hospital life and bomber runs over Germany. I think her nod to the story of Ruth and Boaz was also well done.

I find it hard to discover WWII historical/romance fiction books so I really appreciate authors that try to tackle this era. I think the story could have been 50 to 70 pages shorter, but enjoyed reading it nonetheless. It was a fast, non-stressful read which is something I sort of needed after reading several non-fiction books on social justice issues.

To recap:

Worth Reading? Sure

Recommend to a Friend? Maybe

Worth Buying My Own Copy? No

Stars: 3 out of 5

Water for Elephants

I have to say that Water for Elephants was a very enjoyable story to read. I've seen this book in plenty of airport gift shops for the past year, but had a friend say it was worth the read. So glad I gave it a chance.

Book Description: (from saragruen.com)

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie.

It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

It was such a treat to get swept into the gritty and colorful world of a traveling circus during the Great Depression. To me - and probably most readers - this is not a well-studied or talked about story in history so I found most of the story so engrossing and educational. I love learning about new things in history. You can definitely tell that Sara Gruen meticulously researched this era for this book.

My favorite parts were when Jacob interacted with Kinko or roustabouts (laborers). I was eye-opening to see how Jacob straddled the two worlds of "the haves" and "have nots" and had a knack for being authentic and equally comfortable in both worlds.

I know this has been categorized as a "romantic" story, but I didn't really feel that was a strong overtone. I really enjoy romantic story lines, but this was a compelling book without the love story. Gruen does a magnificent job with dialog and pacing throughout the novel. It does have a few crude, sexually-explicit scenes described, but given the culture the book is set in it was not all that shocking and honestly added to the grittiness of the story.

I was surprised to learn (thank goodness I had finished the book) that they are making Water for Elephants into a movie. It comes out next year and stars Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. Totally think Reese will be amazing in this film...having a hard time with the idea of Edward the vampire playing Jacob. I am so glad I didn't have his face in my mind as I was reading this story...would have totally given me a different experience. I kept picturing Ryan Gosling as I read the story! However, I hope I am pleasantly surprised and proved wrong when I go see this next year.

To recap:

Worth reading? Absolutely - a historical treat!

Worth buying my own copy? Undecided...if you like to pass along books to friends, then I would buy a copy

Recommend to friends? Yes, especially those who like historical fiction

Stars: 5 out of 5

It's Hereeeee....Catching Moondrops Released Today

While I had the treat of an ARC of "Catching Moondrops" in June (and it is AWESOME by the way) from Tyndall House Publishers, you will want to make sure and run out to your local bookstore and pick up a copy today! Today is the official release of Catching Moondrops - the 3rd and final book of Jennifer Erin Valent's fabulous Depression-era/coming of age series.

I'm on mission to get my copies of this book series back from the friends I've loaned it out to all summer...I want to reread all three books again! If you are looking for a series to get swept into, pick up these books. I've recommended them to three people and all three ABSOLUTELY LOVED the series. No one came away lackluster about it...you won't be disappointed!

Catching Moondrops

I must admit I was eagerly awaiting the October release of Jennifer Erin Valent’s conclusion to her trilogy of books about Jessilyn Lassiter. What a treat it was to receive my very first ARC (advance reader copy) in early June and find none other than the last book - Catching Moondrops - to this delightful story. I promptly posted on Twitter and Facebook to all my friends that I felt like someone important to have received an ARC. And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect – I was leaving for vacation in five days. A perfect book for pool time reading!

Book Summary: (from back cover)

Jessilyn Lassiter no longer has to convince people she’s not a child. Having just turned 19 in the summer of 1938, her love for Luke Talley has never been more real. And Luke is finally beginning to care for her in the way she’s always dreamed of. But their budding romance is interrupted when Tal Pritchett—a young, black doctor—comes to Calloway, stealing the heart of Jessilyn’s best friend, Gemma, and stirring up the racial prejudice that has been simmering just beneath the town’s surface. The tension starts to bubble over when Jessie’s elderly neighbor Miss Cleta becomes the first white townsperson to accept Tal’s treatment. And when a young black man is lynched, Calloway is brought to its knees once again as Jessilyn realizes that her anger can make her heart as full of hate as the klan members who have terrorized her town and her family.

I’ll confess one of my motivating factors for wanting to eagerly read the last book in this series. I was dying to find out what happened between Jessilyn and Luke Talley, a young man and family friend that Jessilyn has crushed on since he saved her from drowning as a thirteen-year-old girl. Would Luke finally tell Jessilyn his true feelings about her? Would the Klan hurt one of them and squash all their possibilities for happiness? Would they get married?

Now, I won’t dare spoil this review with the answers to these questions. However, I will tell you that my stomach hasn’t fluttered with that many nervous butterflies since the time I was dating nine years ago! The gift Luke gives Jessilyn on her 19^th birthday will take your breath away…it’s that clever and amazing! Quite simply, Valent has mastered writing about tender, young love in a way that is pure but ever more exciting than typical romantic novels. It really is an art! As women read Catching Moondrops, I think they will reflect on their own dating years and wistfully wish there had been a Luke Talley in their life and the sheer patience to wait for love to mature over time.

While Valent has a gift at writing romantic prose, she should also be applauded for writing Christian fiction in a way that doesn’t come off as trite, predicable and, well, “Christian.” While there is certainly a Christian point of view woven through her novels by design, I know that many non-believers will find the books immensely fulfilling and plant seeds for examining and challenging their own faith. The fact that Valent wrote about Jessilyn’s tailspin into hate, bitterness and unforgiveness is to be applauded. How many of us have felt the emotions that Jessilyn felt as we came to grips with our faith and humanity? Jessilyn’s faith journey is written in a raw and realistic manner that is so refreshing in Christian literature.

It was so sad to close the book on Jessilyn and Luke, but Valent tied up the loose ends well enough that I felt satisfied and absolutely ready to read the next book this new author writes! For those of you who are waiting patiently for this book to show up in bookstores…you won’t be disappointed. For those of you who have not read the first two books – Fireflies in December and Cottonwood Whispers – You have less than three months to get caught up and ready for the October release!

To recap:

Worth reading? Yes

Worth buying my own copy? Yes

Recommend to friends? Yes

Stars: 5 out of 5

What I Saw and How I Lied

Several months ago I was browsing at Barnes & Noble and came across “What I Saw and How I Lied” by Judy Blundell. After reading the description I thought it sounded interesting and sent myself an email home on my Blackberry so I’d remember the title and author. Fast forward several months and I found myself browsing a blog (it’s killing me I can’t find the blog where I saw this so I could link to the review!) that had a favorable review of this. So, I decided to put it on reserve at the library.

Inside Book Flap:

When Evie's father returned home from World War II, the family fell back into its normal life pretty quickly. But Joe Spooner brought more back with him than war stories. When movie-star handsome Peter Coleridge, a young ex-GI who served in Joe's company in postwar Austria, shows up, Evie is suddenly caught in a complicated web of lies that she only slowly recognizes. She finds herself falling for Peter, ignoring the secrets that surround him...until a tragedy occurs that shatters her family and breaks her life in two. As she begins to realize that almost everything she believed to be a truth was really a lie, Evie must get to the heart of the deceptions and choose between loyalty to her parents and feelings for a man she loves. Someone will have to betrayed. The question is...who?

It was interesting reading a novel about the timeframe just after WWII – I just don’t come in contact with much media that dwells on that time in history. I thought this book moved along very well and it certainly kept my interest. However, I had a hard time suspending belief that a 23-year-old soldier would shower affections on a nearly 16-year-old teenage girl. Granted this perception was from the 16-year-old’s point of view so it was a bit warped, but overall it was just sort of creepy and not believable for me.

Nonetheless, there were enough twists and turns in this YA book to have made it worth my while to read. That's probably why it was named a National Book Award winner in young people's literature. It was a fast, easy read that was a nice departure from some of the "heavy" books I’ve read lately.

To recap:
Worth reading? Yes, if you like YA
Worth buying my own copy? No
Recommend to friends? No (I don’t think most women my age would like it.)
Stars: 3 out of 5

Cottonwood Whispers

Earlier this year I stumbled across “Fireflies in December,” the debut novel of Jennifer Erin Valent. I had no idea at the time that Jennifer was working on a sequel until a few weeks ago. I thought Fireflies was a one and done book. Therefore I was delighted that my husband got me “Cottonwood Whispers” as a Christmas gift this year. I devoured it in four days – I could have read it in two days, but paced myself so I could savor the book longer. I have to say it was a delight to be back in Jessilyn Lassiter’s world and the only downside was it ended too soon.

Summary from the back of the book:

The summer of 1936 is one that seventeen-year-old Jessilyn Lassiter will never forget. She had hoped to spend it getting a job and – more importantly – finally catching the attention of Luke Talley, the young man she has loved from afar since she was thirteen. But tragedy strikes when a cherished neighbor girl is hit by a car. Jessilyn is torn to pieces, especially when her gentle, elderly friend is accused of the crime. Swept into a grown-up world she couldn’t wait to be a part of, Jessilyn searches for answers until the actions of one man show her the beauty of sacrifice and the power of faith.

“Cottonwood Whispers” is set four years after “Fireflies in December” takes place and we find Jessilyn celebrating her seventeenth birthday at the beginning of the story. The story that ties all the characters together is the theme of racial prejudice and justice that was explored in Valent’s first novel. We see how Jessilyn and Gemma’s (the black girl that the Lassiter’s adopt when her parents are killed) relationship as sisters is challenged by Gemma’s entry into the workforce and essentially womanhood. The vast amount of growing up a young lady does between seventeen and nineteen (Gemma’s age) is notable. We see how the bold and brave actions of a few to stand up for the weak can make a difference in the world as the Lassiters, Luke, Gemma and Miss Cleta rally to a friend’s aid when he is wrongly accused of a brutal crime. Lastly we get to see the relationship between Jessilyn and Luke goes from playful friends to a budding romance.

While the novel was built on the storyline of justice, it was a treat to read the parts where Jessilyn and Luke start realizing that their feelings for one another have moved beyond friendship. So often I find romantic relationships in Christian books clichéd and predictable. What was a delight to see in Cottonwood Whispers is that Valent doesn’t rush the two lovebirds into each other’s arms. Rather, the pacing of the relationship is normal and proper for the time that this book takes place. As I read the book I couldn’t help but smile and reflect back on how LONG young romantic relationships once took to form. The process of courting and getting to know someone took time and could be so much fun. The 4^th of July dance scene was awesome to read …can’t tell you more without spoiling it, but you will feel like you are back in high school again and have the same butterflies in your tummy that Jessilyn does.

My only “criticism” (and it was a hard one to come by) was that the relationship between Gemma and Jessilyn wasn’t explored more fully. There’s a lot going on with Gemma and it would have been interesting to find out some of her motivations and feelings in the book. I do acknowledge it might have been hard to do this without slowing down the book.

So that you don’t get alarmed when you finish the book (trust me, you’ll be dying to find out what happens with Jessilyn and Luke when the book ends,) Valent has a third and final book of the series coming out in fall 2010: “Catching Moondrops.” It’s set in summer of 1939 – three years after “Cottonwood Whispers” leaves off. I am going to have so much reading to do in fall 2010 with the arrival of “Catching Moondrops”, the last book of The Hunger Games trilogy and hopefully the sequel to Graceling. Can’t wait!!! I love Valent's books and wish her a long and fulfilling writing career.

To recap:

Worth reading? Absolutely

Worth buying my own copy? Yes

Recommend to friends? Absolutely

Stars: 5 out of 5

The Day the Falls Stood Still

Amazon.com Overview:Set against the backdrop of WWI and Niagara Falls, this debut tells the story of young Bess Heath and her struggle to navigate a quickly modernizing world. A child of privilege, Bess sees her fortunes change when her father loses his job. Cast into poverty, her family disgraced, Bess tries to hold things together while her sister slips into depression, her father drinks and her mother withdraws. After another tragedy strikes, Bess finds comfort in the love of Tom Cole, a river man with a mysterious connection to the falls. Overcoming the deep privation of the war and their own limited means, the two begin building a life together and renew their commitment to each other and their family.

I was browsing in Barnes & Noble and came across this book on a table of "New Fiction" books. (Yes...I'm a cheapskate...I don't buy books. I just use the store to get ideas for my reading list.)

The cover is absolutely breathtaking so I definitely feel I judged a book by its cover in this case. I remember reading the front inside cover flap and thinking "this sounds like a sweeping, romantic book. I'll read it." I put a request in at my local library and within a week or two the book came and I was ready to read it.

About a week in my husband asked me what the book was about. I read the inside flap of the cover to him and was embarrassed at how contrived the description sounded when one actually reads it out loud. It sounded so predictable and lame.

Unfortunately, after the first 150 pages, that's how this book seemed to me. Predictable and lame. It did start out good with the star-crossed lovers theme between the main characters of Bess and Tom, but it got really slow once Tom returned from WWI.

The author did a great job describing the beauty of Niagara Falls and the resiliency of the main character of Bess - especially her pre-wed years. However, I think her portrayal of the riverman, Tom Cole, was inconsistent. A man of his raw strength would just not slip in and out of the moodiness that she described throughout the book.

To recap:

Worth reading? No

Worth buying my own copy? Obviously no

Recommend to friends? Nope

Stars: 2 out of 5

A "trailer" for the book...not that great, but thought I'd share.