Saturday, June 21, 2014

Anthony Doerr on All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See

Werner is a young boy growing up in a German orphanage,
with his beloved younger sister Jutta and only Frau Elena to care for them. They live in a small mining town that is grim and dark leaving children little room to hope and no place for dreams. Werna and Jutta obsess themselves in the world of radios and transmissions. Jutta listening to the world she cannot reach but intuitively understands and Werner with his innate ability to dismantle, fix and build electronics. Marie-Laure is a bright beautiful young lady in France, she is blind and attuned to all the smells and sounds the world has to offer. Her father, a locksmith at the National Museum in Paris and her Great Uncle Etienne, a brilliant man who suffers from agoraphobia, feed Marie-Laure's love of science, of stories and the world outside their small protective apartment. A boy and a girl. So different, yet the same, leading two very separate lives that ultimately join together through the pain and suffering of loneliness, wanting, and the evil destruction of everything beautiful when it comes to war. This magnificent set of characters takes the reader away to another time and another place. Deep within their hearts and minds Anthony Doerr weaves together a magical story of all the little pieces that makes us human. Reminding me of The Book Thief, this easy to read, somewhat lengthy novel will be with me for a long time. Highly recommend. DO NOT MISS this great summer read!!All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel

Thursday, June 12, 2014

A Single Breath

Eva and Jackson are a young married couple, madly in love
and living in London. But just when things could not be any better they take a tragic turn for the worse. While visiting Eva's mum, Jackson loses his life in a horrific fishing accident off the coast of Dorset. Eva is devastated. The pain of her loneliness is so intense she can barely function through her days. Her best friend Callie has taken a job opportunity in Melbourne and although a vacation is the last thing on Eva's mind, a trip to the nearby state of Tasmania, where Jackson grew up may answer some of the burning questions Eva has been carrying in her heart for the two years they had been together. Upon arriving Eva's discoveries surpass even her wildest dreams. Nothing makes sense, the pieces of this life and this love she and Jackson share in no way fit together. His brother Saul, father Dirk and long ago death of his mother haunt Eva's days and nights until she slowly begins to find the truth about Jackson and the truth about herself.

Author Lucy Clarke, mesmerizes us again (first novel, Swimming at Night - another MUST read) with descriptions of idyllic beaches and faraway islands. A little bit of mystery, romance and friendship all rolled into a wonderful story about heartache, passion and the meaning of true love. Highly recommend this perfect summer read while you lie on a hammock wiggling your own toes in the cool soft sand, hopefully with a delicious drink in hand! Happy Summer! Happy Reading! A Single Breath: A Novel

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

The Possibilities

Sarah St. John is trying to heal. The loss of her beloved son Cully,
taken at 22 years old, in an avalanche three months earlier has devastated her life. Sarah is a single mom living in the beautiful town of Breckenridge, Colorado. Surrounded by the magnificence of blue skies and soaring mountains, she is trying to make sense of this tragic episode while treasuring the memories of life with her son. Along with a quirky bunch of characters; her smart, funny dad, annoying and loving best friend Suzanne and well meaning ex, (Cully's dad), Sarah tries her very best to go back to work and back to living. But as nothing is ever so simple, in walks Kit. A witty young girl that was mysteriously a part of Cully's life and now a part of theirs. This novel perfectly named, is just about that. The ones that are anticipated and the ones unexpected.

As with the bestseller, The Descendants, author Kaui Hart Hemmings weaves her gentle magic again, around a family that the reader is immediately a part of, a serious subject lightened with amazing characters, wit and humor, and a life lesson slowly easing into our hearts. Excellent summer read, easy and enjoyable. With tears and a smile I could not put it down, this beautiful life with all its many possibilities. BUY TODAY!!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Casebook

Miles Adler-Rich, along with his best friend in the world, Hector,
begin to spy on Mile's recently divorced mother and her new boyfriend Eli Lee. At first Miles acts as an ordinary awkward self conscience teenager that cannot believe his mother could love, let alone have sex with a man other than his dad. But the plot thickens as the pieces of the puzzle are found, but most definitely do not fit together. The Mims, as they call his mom and his twin sisters (whom he refers) Boop One and Boop two live in a cozy suburb near LA. The kids all attend a progressive, community minded school, very California. As the details of Miles' discoveries become more serious he finds he can no longer keep these secrets that will change all of their lives forever. This novel narrated by this intelligent funny boy takes the reader straight back to adolescence, friends, hormones, futures at stake. Since reading Mona Simpson Anywhere But Here (which later became a movie) in 1986, I have LOVED her quirky stories filled with memorable characters and always a life lesson to be learned, a moment to be cherished. Again, her writing pulls the reader deeply into the heart of the mini stories spinning through the novel. This is an enjoyable read I could not put down. Having not expected to fall so hard at what initially felt YA and lighter, I remain days later thinking about this family. The themes both common and unique to each person that has lived them. Highly recommend Casebook. Excellent summer read!!  BUY TODAY!! Casebook: A novel