Bel Canto

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
Awards: Orange Prize for Fiction (2002), Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Paperback (2003), PEN/Faulkner Award (2002)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So one of my goals this year is to either read or get rid of books that have been languishing on my bookshelves for years. I figure that if a book has been on my Goodreads to-read list for over 4 years, it's time to read up or ship out. My mother-in-law recommended this book to me years (and years!) ago. I was really impressed with this author when I read State of Wonder last year, so my expectations were high.

This book is based on the Japanese embassy hostage crisis that took place in Peru on December 17, 1996 and lasted 126 days. I was in college then and I'm afraid to admit, I don't remember anything about it. The book opens right as the opera singer finishes her last aria and the terrorists seize control of the home of the Vice-President. It turns out that these terrorists are a pretty sorry lot of terrorists because they didn't even realize the President was not there, and he was their main target. Eventually they release all but 50-some odd hostages, leaving a group of men and one female--the lovely opera singer.

It's a slow-moving story, with a lot of background information. There really isn't much in the way of action and the author tells the reader how everything is going to end up right from the start. I did appreciate that since I started to feel somewhat benevolent towards the young terrorists. The book is interestingly written and uses both formal and informal tones. The ending seems to generate quite a bit of discussion and I will just say that I thought the epilogue was just...weird. Overall I would say I'm glad I read it, but it's not going to be a favorite.

Also reviewed by: My Friend Amy ~ Bibliophile By the Sea ~ 1morechapter.com ~ Linus's Blanket ~ It's All About Books
Source: BookMooch

The Winter Sea

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

On the library stacks: Adult Fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carrie McClelland is a Canadian author of historical fiction. She moves to a cottage on the Scottish coast for the winter so she can do research and write her new novel.  On a whim, she decides to base her main character on one of her Scottish ancestors that was alive during the Jacobite uprisings, in the early 1700s.

Everyone in the town where Carrie is writing is very friendly. Her landlord (who is written in a Scottish dialect called Doric) has two sons who seem to take a particular interest in Carrie. What seems weird to Carrie though, is how her life and her art seem to intersect. She finds herself writing things not only similar to what is happening in her own life, but she also realizes that she has an uncanny ability to accurately portray the history of her ancestors without any actual knowledge of the details until after she has written it down.

This is just really solid historical fiction. The author does not mess around very much with the historical figures. Her research is impeccable and I found myself delving even more into the facts after I finished reading. I liked the perspective shift between past and present and felt it kept the story moving along nicely. I read this on my Kindle and I was surprised to find out how many pages it is in print. I finished it in about two days. I also just found out Susanna is writing is "sort-of-sequel" to this book right now. I will definitely be checking that out when the time comes. 

Also reviewed by: Fuzzy Cricket ~ Tribute Books ~ Books, Belles, & Beaux ~ Your link here?
Source: Library Download

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

AR Reading Level: 4.8
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Awards: Publishers Weekly Best Book; SLJ Best Book
Series: Book 1 of 3 (Divergent)
Appropriate for: Ages 14+

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite this being a much-talked about book last year, I managed to avoid knowing too much about the plot before I read it. So if you haven't read this one yet, let me keep it brief:

1. It's YA.
2. It's dystopian Chicago.
3. It's a little sci-fi.
4. It's the best book in its genre I've read since The Hunger Games.
5. It's awesome and well worth staying up into the wee hours for.

Also reviewed by: I Am A Reader, Not a Writer ~  Book Addiction ~ Book Nut ~ Tribute Books ~ KIKA.LA ~ Ticket to Anywhere ~ A Bookworm's World ~ Ms. Yingling Reads ~ It's All About Books ~ At Home With Books ~ Royal Reviews ~ Emily's Reading Room ~ Fuzzy Cricket ~ Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Not Enough Bookshelves ~ Bart's Bookshelf ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ Book Lover Stop ~ Your link here?
Source: Borrowed

The Ditchdigger's Daughters

The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A Black Family's Astonishing Success Story by Yvonne S. Thornton

AR Reading Level: 6.4
On the library stacks: Adult Non-fiction
Award: Society of School Libr. International Best/Honor
Appropriate for: High School +

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My book club was choosing our books for the new year and my husband chimed in that we ought to read this book. He had read it in college and thought we would like it. I think he was right!

Yvonne Thornton is one of 5 African-American daughters born into poverty in Long Branch, New Jersey. Her parents were determined that the girls would rise above the preconceptions of others based on their gender and race. Yvonne's father told the girls that they were all going to be doctors. The methods Donald Thornton used to encourage his girls may be up for debate. But the results are not.

While all the girls do not ultimately become doctors, they are all successful women. Yvonne is one of the premier OB/GYN specialists in this country. This book is fascinating and inspiring and very well-written. It was published in 1995 and I was happy find out that Yvonne published a sequel more specifically about her journey as a doctor in 2010.

Source: My husband brought this one into the marriage. That's almost 14 years in my TBR pile!

Across the Universe

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

AR Reading Level: 4.7
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Series: Across the Universe #1
Recommended for: Age 16+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this YA dystopian sci-fi novel, Amy decides to be cyrogenically frozen with her parents. They will travel 300 years into the future to a new earth. When they arrive, Amy's parents will use their unique skills on the new world. Amy is a "non-essential" but she decides to go with her parents because she cannot imagine her life without them.

Unfortunately, Amy is woken up 50 years too early. Someone appears to be prematurely waking and drowning bodies before their time. Amy is afraid for her parents. But she is also very wary of the life she finds on the ship.

The ship has its own system of government. There is an Eldest who rules and an Elder who will take his place one day. Reproduction is scripted and the inhabitants are monoethnic and just seem apathetic. The only seemingly normal people live in the hospital. 

I thought this book was kind of like Ender's Game meets The Knife of Never Letting Go meets The Adoration of Jenna Fox. It was a cool mixing of some space-agey ideas and there was also a good mystery element to this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series which actually came out today!

Also reviewed by: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer ~ Tribute Books ~ Tales of Whimsy ~ Girls Gone Reading ~ The Book Nest ~ Your link here?
Source: Purchased

2011 Stats & Faves

Total Books Read: 82 (That's 31 less than last year. Wow. Time and a season. Time and a season.)
My top 10 favorite were:

1. The Penderwicks
2. The Grand Sophy
3. Okay for Now
4. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
5. Unbroken
6. Russian Winter
7. Jane Eyre
8. The Disappearing Spoon
9. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
10. Moon Over Manifest

Books Read for In-Person Book Club: 12
Books Read for Online Book Club: 7 (last year I only did 5, so I'm happy about this)

Ratings
5 star: 11
4 star: 48
3 star: 16
2 star: 6
Unrated: 1 (just couldn't rate Beowulf)

Of the books I read:
Books I purchased: 28
Free downloads: 3
Books from publishers/publicists: 16
Books that were gifts: 9
Books from the library: 8 (one of my goals was to read more of what I had on my shelf)
Books from BookMooch: 13
Books I borrowed: 5

Books I read electronically: 12
Audiobooks: 3
Nonfiction: 15

Adult books: 40
YA books: 28
Middle grade/Childrens: 12

Links to all 2011 reviews:

• 82. The Preacher's Bride
• 81. A Season of Gifts
• 80. The Penderwicks *
• 79. Gospel Principles *
• 78. Refuge
• 77. The Cricket on the Hearth
• 76. The Queen of Attolia
• 75. Wonderstruck
• 74. Cutting for Stone
• 73. A Spy in the House
• 72. Caleb's Crossing
• 71. Flying Without Fear
• 70. The Strangers on Montagu Street
• 69. The Book of Mormon **
• 68. Davita's Harp
• 67. The Conference of the Birds
• 66. Wisdom's Kiss
• 65. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
• 64. Scrambled Eggs at Midnight
• 63. Under the Tuscan Sun
• 62. Before I Go to Sleep
• 61. The Diary of Anne Frank
• 60. The Grand Sophy *
• 59. Henrietta's War
• 58. Socks
• 57. Walk Two Moons
• 56. I Am the Messenger
• 55. Venetia
• 54. Monsoon Summer
• 53. Academy 7
• 52. Keeping the Moon
• 51. Quest for a Maid
• 50. Paradise Valley
• 49. Okay for Now *
• 48. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party *
• 47. Beowulf
• 46. What the Dog Saw
• 45. Something, Maybe
• 44. Unbroken *
• 43. The Death of Ivan Ilyich
• 42. City of Fallen Angels
• 41. City of Glass
• 40. State of Wonder
• 39. The Princess Bride
• 38. Hereafter
• 37. Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)
• 36. City of Ashes
• 35. The Beach Trees
• 34. City of Bones
• 33. The China Garden
• 32. The Tennis Partner
• 31. Summers at Castle Auburn
• 30. Secret Daughter
• 29. The Goddess Test
• 28. Charlotte's Rose
• 27. When Everything Changed
• 26. Russian Winter
• 25. The Last Little Blue Envelope
• 24. Dangerous to Know
• 23. The Millionth Circle
• 22. Hatchet
• 21. Paper Towns
• 20. Jane Eyre *
• 19. Matched
• 18. Inconceivable
• 17. The Westing Game
• 16. Countdown
• 15. The Name of the Wind
• 14. Triumph of the City
• 13. The Disappearing Spoon *
• 12. A Room With a View
• 11. The Dreamer
• 10. Delirium
• 9. This Book is Overdue!
• 8. Bamboo People
• 7. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon *
• 6. Moon Over Manifest *
• 5. Savvy
• 4. Guests of the Sheik
• 3. Anna and the French Kiss
• 2. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
• 1. Chains

The Preacher's Bride

The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

On the library stacks: Adult Fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

John Costin is a tinker in Puritan England. His wife has died shortly after childbirth, leaving 4 children behind, including his oldest daughter who is blind. John needs help because not only does he have a family to support, he has been called by God to preach His word to surrounding villages.

Elizabeth Whitbread answers the call to help John. She becomes his housekeeper, delaying her marriage to cooper Samuel Muddle. Eventually, John and Elizabeth fall in love and get married, causing all sorts of issues. But Elizabeth finds herself having a tough time ingratiating herself into John's life more fully than just as his housekeeper. In addition, John is in serious trouble with the law for preaching without a license.

Something the author doesn't tell the reader until the end is that this book is based on the life of John Bunyon, the author of Pilgrim's Progress. But I think knowing that makes the novel even more interesting.  Elizabeth Bunyon was a woman who sacrificed so much to support to husband. I found quite a bit in this novel that I could relate to and I really enjoyed the author's overall message. While I didn't love the way the language of the time period was written (including the overuse of the word 'twas), I did love the sweet romance. This is an author I will definitely read more from.

Also reviewed by: My Own Little Corner of the World ~ 2 Kids and Tired Books ~ My Friend Amy ~ Your link here?
Source: Gift

A Season of Gifts

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

AR Reading Level: 4.6
On the library stacks: Children's Fiction
Awards: Smithsonian's Notable Book; Publishers Weekly Best Book
Series: Book 3 of 3 (Grandma Dowdel)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is the summer of 1958 and Bob Barnhart has just moved with his family to a rural town in Illinois. Twelve-year old Bob is immediately bullied by the gang in town, resulting in him meeting his eccentric neighbor, Grandma Dowdel, who is an ornery 90-something.

Once school starts, Grandma Dowdel becomes a part of Bob's life, either helping him and his family out of scrapes, or getting them into them. Through her cunning, Bob's dad is able to attract a congregation, she gets Bob's older sister away from the town bad boy, and secure some large beautiful (and free!) Christmas trees.

This book was somewhat reminiscent of the funnier works of Gary Paulsen. I think this book is geared more towards boys than the companion novels, as evidenced by the humor. But I did love how the book wrapped up with the Christmas season, including some heartwarming life lessons.

Also reviewed by: Book Nut ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ BermudaOnion's Weblog ~ Your link here?
Source: Library Audiobook

The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

AR Reading Level: 4.7
On the library stacks: Children's Fiction
Awards: Kirkus Editors Choice; SLJ Best Book; Book Sense Book of the Year Award/Honorees; ALA Notable/Best Books; State Award; National Book Award; Booklist Editors' Choice
Series: Book 1 of 3 
Recommended for: Ages 8+

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have owned this book for a long time, meaning to read it with my children. But we had a long car trip this winter break, so I decided to check it out from the library and listen to the audiobook instead. I'm so glad I did! This book is a delightful read/listen for the whole family.

The Penderwicks are made up of four sisters--Rosalind, Sky, Jane and Batty--their dad, and their dog named Hound.  For a few weeks in the summer, they decide to rent a little cottage in the mountains of Massachusetts. What they don't realize is that the cottage is part of a larger estate. And this is where the two rabbits and the very interesting boy come in. The girls get up to all kinds of mischief, mostly from their good intentions gone awry.

I was worried that my boys might not like a story about four sisters, but they loved it just as much (if not more!) than the girls. Susan Denaker did a wonderful job as the narrator. I do wonder if I would have loved it just as much if I had read it myself or read it aloud instead of listened, but this was a five-star experience for sure. It's rare to find a book that all four of my kids (ages 5 to 11) and myself love equally. We can't wait to read the next one!

Also reviewed by: Book Nut ~ The Book Nest ~ Your link here?
Source: Library Audiobook

Refuge

Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place by Terry Tempest Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a naturalist, Terry Tempest Williams takes a special interest in the birds that live and migrate seasonally in the area of The Great Salt Lake. In 1983, she learns that her mother, already a breast cancer survivor, was dying from colon cancer. It is during this same season that the birds' refuge becomes threatened by rising water levels. Terry beautifully weaves these two events into a memoir that is richly descriptive and quite emotional.

I loved how each chapter focuses on a specific type of bird. Either Terry describes that bird and it's habitat or characteristics, or she relates it to something specific happening in her life. I went to college in Utah, so I enjoyed reading this book set in an area familiar to me. And yet the way this book was written, I also felt I was able to see it through new eyes.

The way Williams chooses to live and express her feelings about the Mormon faith made me a little uncomfortable. But I was so intrigued by this author that I even did some further reading online to get a sense of what she has done since this book was published in 1994. Williams definitely has a great passion for those she loves and for her life's work.

Source: BookMooch