BOOK REVIEW: The Song Remains the Same

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although it did stumble in a few places. I give the author credit for writing such a complicated situation, especially from the first person point-of-view.

This novel is primarily told from the view of Nell Slattery, a woman who awakes from a coma with no memory of any events or people from her life. She soon learns she survived a horrible plane crash, but the only details disclosed are those told to her by the one other survivor who credits her with saving his life (who just happens to be a B-list movie star).

As she awakens and moves through her recovery, her memory does not return and she is dependent on those around her to fill in the details of her life. These are primarily her mother, husband and sister. Gradually she learns the information is true in general terms but not so much specifically. For instance, while she was married at the time of the crash her marriage was in turmoil - a fact her husband keeps from her. Eventually other, greater, revelations occur prompting Nell to regain larger chunks of memory and force her to choose how she wants to live the rest of her life: complacency or active change.

The novel is advertised as asking: "Who are we without our memories? And how much of our current self is defined by our former self?" I believe this book made a strong effort to answer these questions, although it was awkward at times and relied too much on plot twists at other times. For example, Nell was recalling her husband's infidelity and her mother's lies, trying to determine how to deal with those in absence of full memory return.  This provided an excellent chance to thoroughly explore that through the character, forcing her and the audience to look deep inside for answers. However, before she could delve into this she took off to find a house from her memories (after she just happened to find the key) where she discovers a half-brother she never knew she had (although she had vague memories of him from childhood). This new plot twist took her character and the audience off into a new direction.

I see a novel like this as a wagon wheel. Nell and her memory loss are at the center, which the various spokes representing her primary memory centers (marriage, mother/sister, children, childhood, work, etc.). It would be tempting to follow each of these spokes, for they all depend on one another to make the wheel work as it should. However, there also has to be that outer circle that keeps these spokes reigned in and balanced. In this book, it appeared that outer circle was missing. Her career had a very short spoke compared to her childhood which has a very long, crooked spoke. It is easy to see how difficult it would be to control this type of book.

I would like to have seen the author concentrate on one area more specifically. It seems the emphasis was on her childhood experience with her father and how this shaped her entire life. If so, then all other aspects should have revolved around this issue asking the questions of why. Why did she pick a husband like Peter? Why did she pick her career? Why did she not stand up to her mother? Those questions were presented, but they were lost among sideline stories such as the actor, the paparazzi, the long lost brother, etc.

I can even understand the desire to make herself over. As a middle aged housewife and mother to five children, I can only imagine waking in a hospital with no memory and a picture of myself on the cover. I know that if I saw that picture, I would want to make myself over into Angelina Jolie - the cool, gorgeous, exciting mom. Without memories or any anchors, perhaps creating a new "you" would provide the security - something to anchor yourself with during a time of change.

Scotch knows how to keep up reader suspense which is not easy. I do wish she could find a way to put in the information presented in third person without using the third person italic chapters. For most of those, I didn't really need the information. In fact, I kind of regretted reading them thinking it added more to the suspense to always be in the same situation as Nell - not knowing what was going on in someone's head and dependent only on what we saw and heard.

All in all, I read this book very quickly. I was always anxious to find out what happened next, which is the mark of good writing. I give it four stars out of five: would recommend to a friend. 

 **I received an advanced reading copy of this book from Librarything.com as part of their Early Reviewers program. Please see my  disclosure policy for further information.**

BOOK REVIEW: The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, as well as the entire series. I thought it was a good, if somewhat predictable in some ways, ending to the series.  Please watch out below - SPOILERS APPEAR!! If you have not finished the series, then please proceed with caution.


Thank you.... remember, you have been warned....



Just one more SPOILER ALERT in case you have not finished the series and don't want it spoiled.....





Okay... keep scrolling, and it will be right here.....





I knew on some level that Katniss would see Coin for who she really was, as her character had already developed enough to catch onto that. I think she could have caught on more without so much input from Snow, but I give her character the benefit of the doubt in grieving her younger sister. That was an unexpected twist, although it made sense in the storyline. Since children had always been used as pawns by both sides, it should have been no surprise either one would have used the ultimate weapon - Prim.

The love triangle left me a bit conflicted. I personally love the fact that she ended up with Peeta. However, I am not as comfortable with his "rapid recovery" as it appeared in the book. It makes it sound like he was slowly recovering, then her kiss jump started the remainder which was then finalized by his fire experience. This left me with several questions. One, if Coin was using him to assassinate Katniss, then it would stand reason that she was not helping him recover but was instead reinforcing the idea Katniss was evil and needed to be destroyed. This would make it harder, and not easier, for Katniss to overcome the damage done. Unless we are to believe his love for her ran true and deep, to the point he was never thoroughly corrupted. Two, if Coin didn't feel she could actively do that (reinforce his attitudes towards Katniss), then I still find it difficult that he could overcome them that easily. The reader is led to believe the damage is deep and almost impossible to overcome. So how can they almost completely cure him in the short time span allowed in the book from when he joined the team? Three, what about her Commander? He left instructions for her to kill Peeta, abandon and not trust anyone on the team, and then kill Snow. So, what was that about? It appeared as they moved through the Capitol that she actually could trust the team. Again, I can understand if some of her actions led them to be more supportive of her role - it still isn't enough to completely turn them into an avid supporter and have them sacrifice their own lives for her agenda if they have been routinely trained for one mission and led to believe certain things about Katniss. Some of that just doesn't ring true.

I did find the development of Gale's character completely believable. Throughout the book he appeared to love Katniss more out of jealousy than an original love. It appears he was always spurred by some external event to realize his love. While that can happen to some people and be valid, many times it is not a true and lasting love. It is a reaction to an event, and once that event has passed they are left with at least some confusion. I do believe he loved her, but the romantic aspect was what was spurred by the external events. This is what made his character somewhat tragic, because it seemed he was not capable of fully giving himself to another person. You kind of realized he was not going to go on to another District and find love. It was Katniss or nothing, and quite honestly his love for her was not deep nor true enough (in my opinion) for her to settle just so he was not alone. He was a hunter, and hunters are often loners. While hunters can go together and certainly they can help one another as Katniss and Gale did, it is often much more lonely. Think of how silent you must be, or of the lone hunter sitting in a tree stand for hours on end. When they tracked, it was sometimes more like fellow soldiers than fellow hunters. I think this translated over time as they moved through missions, and it made perfect sense. Also, at crucial decision points in the story, Katniss chose Peeta even when she knew it would hurt Gale. While she obsessed over this like many teen girls do, and sometimes judged herself a bit too harshly, it was evident she was typically "picking" Peeta. It would have felt hollow and untrue had she chosen Gale as a life mate at the end of the series.

All in all, I liked the series and the book. I liked reading it from a literature standpoint, seeing the allegory and motifs. It was written far better than Twilight which was enjoyable as long as you channeled your inner 14-year-old. This book had more depth, which I enjoyed as a an adult reader. However, it was accessible when looked at through the eyes of my inner teenage girl.

I give this one four stars out of five, as I would have handled some of the last few chapters a bit differently. The entire series is a 4.5 out of 5, for keeping the tension, character development, and providing talking points with teenagers.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Shroud by Dallas Tanner

It was okay. I liked the general concept and the story line, as well as the characters. I do believe the characters needed more depth and for as well as I could "know" them, I sometimes found them acting against how they were developed.

Overall, I think this book could be very good if it had a good editor. It proves how essential that is, especially for an author that is published independent or by a smaller house. In this case, there were several large chunks of "info dump" which slowed the pace of the book considerably. This information could have been provided as an addendum at the end of the book, as several larger chunks of information were not essential to the storyline. Where the information was essential or quite helpful, I believe it could have been written as dialogue between characters or woven into more action-oriented scenes.

I also found at least once where the main female character had an entirely different name. It was confusing enough to see the author randomly switch between using her last name, her first name and her nickname. However, at one point he used a totally different name which makes me think an earlier draft (or perhaps a middle draft) changed her name entirely from the one in the final publication - only this one time it did not get caught. Those things are confusing and again interfere with the pace of the story.

While the story did follow a systematic flow through approximately the first two thirds of the book, the last third seemed to jump around and was very awkward. A few scenes were entirely unnecessary, to the point one made me cringe a bit in embarrassment for the author. By the end of the book, I found myself skipping large segments and scanning the pages for essential information. I just wanted to get it finished. While I was sometimes bored through those first two thirds, I was interested enough in the storyline to see how the author was going to solve the problems and explain some of the situations. I did find it fairly predictable in some ways (such as the identity of Boangeres), which was slightly disappointing.

I think the author has promise, but I found myself wishing I could edit this book and perhaps other future books of his. I think with good editing his writing can be tightened, his characters made more consistent which would add depth, and basic errors (such as consistency in names, and double checking timelines, etc.) would be immensely helpful. With that, I think he could find a home at a larger publishing house and get recognition for his unique storylines and story concepts.

If you are interested in reading it for yourself, please click here:

REVIEW: Alone by Lisa Gardner

Alone by Lisa Gardner


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I liked this book, especially after I read her afterword. I think it is neat that she named many characters after real-life friends and family.


Her plot was enjoyable with a variety of twists and turns. Some of these were more believable than others. The characters were well-developed, and I liked the way she drew out their background in small chunks here and there in believable ways. There were no long periods of introspection that seemed contrived or long chunks of "info dump" that can be either boring or distracting - or both.


All in all, I really enjoyed this and I will likely read her follow up books on D.D. Warren in the future.


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REVIEW: 365 Thank Yous by John Kralik

I really enjoyed this book. and I highly recommend reading it. It's not perfect by any means, but it has an authentic voice and a good message. The book is written in first person, and is a true-story based on the author's life over the span of approximately one year. It is nearing Christmas, and the author is enduring one of the worst periods of his life - financially, personally, and socially. He has lost sight of any good in his life, including his own children.

On a hike at the start of the new year, he hears a voice that basically tells him until he starts being grateful for what he has, he will have nothing else good in his life. Upon returning home, he chooses to write thank you notes to show his gratitude. It's very simplistic, and he gives a rational reason as well - using up old stationary. A few dramatic results take place - one thank you note to his own leads to that son repaying a loan (one our author had long-ago given up receiving). However, these are not the focus of the book. Even the author says he doesn't believe they are a direct result, but he does use these events to continue his mission. He also slowly begins to appreciate the things around him.

Somewhere through the middle of the book, his life is slowly improving. Some of the things make you wonder if they were really that dismal all along or was he just seeing them through the eyes of a depressed person? Suffering depression myself, I know that when I am feeling low my surrounding always seem more drab and unpleasant. I think it was that way with his apartment. When he first described it, I pictured a dour apartment in the "bad" part of town with water stains, torn carpet and all but caving in. Later, this same apartment seems to transform into a rather pleasant place to live, complete with flowers and favorable neighbors like his daughter's schoolteachers. Like most things, I think the actual truth falls somewhere in the middle. I believe it is the same with his law practice, divorce and financial matters.

Overall, this book reminds us of the importance of the simple things. A handwritten thank you note is something that appears less frequently in our society, which is so based on current technology. Emails replace handwritten letters, and text messages replace phone calls, reminding society that time is at a premium and in the rush people can forget all the things they are grateful for. The reminder of the simple art of writing a thank you note, something my mother instilled in me at a young age, is a blessing in and of itself.  In writing the thank you note, which takes time and effort, gratitude naturally flows. This book is a kind and gentle reminder of that.

For me, I plan to do my own variation of his plan. I already have an "attitude of gratitude" about most things, and most days, in my life. However, I have fallen behind on that simple thank you note. Often a phone call or email replaces the thank you note. I know that I could do better in setting aside the time and effort required. That will be one of my personal New Year's Resolutions, and one that would make my mother proud.

 **I received an advanced reading copy of this book from Librarything.com as part of their Early Reviewers program. Please see my  disclosure policy for further information.**

REVIEW: An Amish Christmas: A Novel - by Cynthia Keller**

The beginning of this book is gives us a family like many of our own: self-absorbed teenagers, their younger brother, and parents that have a solid but distant marriage. Like many couples, as they built a career and family their own relationship slowly withered away to where both are not entirely happy. Instead, they focus on achieving the perfection of "the American Dream" - the often sought but rarely achieved nexus in today's society. The husband is so desperate to provide the Dream for his family, he resorts to risking their entire savings (stealthily without his wife's knowledge) - which he ultimately loses. He can't face telling his wife right away, so he compounds his mistake by lying to her outright. The fact he destroys his teens' social status angers them, and the youngest child become more anxious than usual with all the drama unfolding around him.

With no job, home or income, the family packs up to move in with the wife's parents. It's right before Christmas, and they head north from North Carolina through Pennsylvania Dutch country. On the way, they -literally- run into an Amish farmer. With his Amish grace and acceptance, he invites the family to stay at his home until their car is repaired. Thrust into an unusual situation, each family member is confronted by the simplicity of the Amish - which makes them question their own life. Not every member arrives to peace in the same way or at the same time, but each one discovers that sometimes simple is best. And that a happy family and productive life is the real American Dream - not all the material things that replace love, hope and loyalty of family and friends.

The end of the book ends on a positive note, but I would not exactly call is "happily ever after". In this book, you know that the family will survive intact and they will ultimately succeed and be happy. However, you are also aware there will be bumps along the way. The book does not tidily push aside resentment or suddenly establish trust between two partners, all because of one "a-ha" moment. Instead, the characters clearly state that this is only a start and they will do their best from that point forward. I liked that honest assessment at the end.

I found this book to be very uplifting and an easy read. It gave me new hope, and I found it perfect for Christmas. At a time when our economy has so many families downsizing and not able to afford the excesses of past Christmases, this is a comforting book to read. For my library, it is definitely a keeper.

**I received an advanced reading copy of this book from Librarything.com as part of their Early Reviewers program. Please see my  disclosure policy for further information.**

BOOK REVIEW: Shadow of Power by Steve Martini

I enjoy a good legal thriller or suspense novel, and I am always looking for a new one to read. I had never, surprisingly enough, read any Steve Martini novels. The novel was okay but it did not make an overwhelming impression. If I had not read other reviews, I am not sure I would jump up to buy another novel by Mr. Martini.

The book started with some interesting scenes, just vague enough to leave you wondering what would happen. At the introduction of the "Jefferson Letter", I still held some hope this could be crafted in a credible way while also gaining momentum with the suspense. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I was disappointed in the premise that the language already existing in the Constitution would incite so many riots and public unrest. I just don't find this very plausible. I would have agreed that it might create much discussion as well as some interesting debates - just not to the level that the author created in the novel. As the book progressed, I realized that the "Jefferson Letter" bit would also stretch the limits of credibility. The book made a good point on this, since the characters spoke of it not being necessary for the letter to be authentic to be able to create the furor it seemed capable of generating. In this way, the letter (whether found to be fraud or not) would at least have to fit within my limits of credibility as a reader - and it failed.

I did like many of the characters in the book - even if I didn't like what they represented, I thought the author did a good job of fleshing them out and making them interesting. This is with one exception: Trisha Scott. I found her flat and uninteresting. Her character, along with the unreal plot twists at the end, made me sigh and want to throw up my hands in frustration a couple of times in the last chapter. Her character just was not believable to me. On the other hand, I loved Herman. I laughed out loud several times at his courtroom scenes, and I found myself mentally casting him with some Hollywood favorites. If a character "works" for me, that's something I end up doing.

I also liked the courtroom scenes in general. The descriptions were complete without being boring. The inner complexities of criminal litigation were explored without unduly boring the reader as well. The entire courtroom section of the book was extremely well crafted. Since that took up a large part of the book, it made the difference for me in a rating of "okay" versus "I didn't like it."

All in all, I enjoyed the book. For a reader wanting a light read, this could be an enjoyable diversion. For someone looking for an intense legal thriller, your better bet would be a different novel. For me - I am going to at least try another novel by Steve Martini and give the writer a second chance to impress.

My conclusion:  A solid "okay" in my book; grab it at the used bookstore or borrow a copy (library or a friend).

BOOK REVIEW: The Book of Love by Kathleen McGowan**

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, but I preferred her first book The Expected One much more. I think all of the information was a fresh, and she had interesting twists on Dan Brown's theories in Da Vinci Code. I also enjoyed getting to know all the characters in that book, and I missed Maureen interacting as much with her group of friends. However, I think that is one of the aspects the author was trying to convey - that with that great knowledge and responsibility a person can be very lonely. I did like some of the layers of meaning in this book.

I also loved the story of Matilda. I understand that much of historical fiction is heavy on the fiction. While we may know facts here or there, we weren't actually there - so much of what is written is very good guesswork. In that respect, the story of Matilda was extremely entertaining within the loose framework of known history. I look forward to her exploration of other historical figures in upcoming books.

I LOVED her treatment of the Lord's Prayer. While I use a different translation, the concept of six petals and how to pray using those was very helpful. What I enjoy about books like this is that you take what you want and leave the rest. Whether you agree with the theology of this (or even Brown's book) or not, there is still that desire to look into things for yourself - to research a passage of Scripture, to check a historical fact, or to just use a piece of the book in your own life (as I am using her method of the Lord's Prayer).

All in all, it was a VERY enjoyable read and spurred my interest in many things both spiritual and historical. I recommend it highly to anyone who enjoyed Brown's Da Vinci code. I also recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I am looking forward to the next book, The Poet Prince.

** This review was originally written on April 24, 2009, and it appeared on my other blog, The Fearless Stepmom. I have moved it here permanently as I reorganize both websites to their true purpose.

BOOK REVIEW: The Killing Room by John Manning

This review is for The Killing Room by John Manning. I bought the Kindle version, as the title and premise sounded very interesting and it was on sale at the time. **Please note: This book is not the basis for the 2009 movie named The Killing Room, starring Nick Cannon and Timothy Hutton.**


I enjoyed this book, up until about 3/4 of the way through. The last quarter of the book really frustrated me. I felt the author took cheap and easy plot turns, bringing in paranormal elements that were not necessary although recently popular (i.e., zombies).

The characters were fairly well-developed, and I appreciated the way their backstory was woven into the plotline. There was not too much information dump, but when it was given in large chunks it worked as part of the storyline.

I believe the author's greatest gift is in building suspense and giving an edge of psychological suspense - at times I wondered, is this real or is it the character's imagination?  There were a couple of times near the start of the book that I looked over my shoulder when reading it at night. That, to me, is significant in the telling of a good ghost story. When overdone, you are laughing at the attempt and when underdone you are just not scared. This author managed to find the perfect balance, without going into scaring you so much you stop reading! Excellent storytelling.

If this had continued, I would have rated this book higher than three stars. However, the main characters took too long to realize the impact of the Young family on the ghost. There was also some inconsistencies in characterization. For example, the old uncle consistently withheld information - but although the main characters realized this, they never questioned (until the end) why he would do this. Also, with a background from the FBI, it seems our heroine would have cast an early suspicion on the Young family also being involved - and this should have grown with the increasing realization the family was keeping secrets. I was frustrated, and it seemed this was only serving as a plot device - I don't mind plot devices, but they must stay consistent with characterization already established.

Finally - the turning of David into a zombie at the end. There was no reason for him to return, and again I felt frustrated this was only a plot device. Once they realized he was a zombie, I felt it was almost a satire. However, there was no satire up to this point - so again I was left frustrated.

The strong beginning of this book, and the ability of the author to tell a good ghost story, kept this book at a solid three stars. It would have been five stars, if the above issues were resolved to this reader's satisfaction.

My review: Save your money for the paperback, and minus the zombie, hope for a movie version.

Books: The good, the bad, and the so awful you can’t finish it

I've loved reading for as long as I can remember. In fact, the first gift I ever remember getting was the number three in the Nancy Drew series. After that, I was hooked. On reading, on mysteries, on detectives (which would arise again in my infatuation with all things Law and Order, especially one Benjamin Bratt over whom I became hopelessly hooked but I digress), and on stories told well and beautifully.

I have always kept a list of favorite books, for they are the ones I generally keep and go back to read several times over. These are the ones that I will ultimately have on both my Kindle (oh, what a beautiful device) and in paper copy, to make the joy of reading them easy and instant. I have also started to keep a list of least favorite books. These are the ones that started out as just a mild case of avoiding, and then gradually evolved into "read at your own risk" warnings to friends. I avoided all things where death was a predominant theme, especially if an animal central to the story died. I always recall the Friends episode where Phoebe talks about the "happy endings" to all these tragic movies she saw as a child – Ole Yeller never died, etc. etc. This was true until the Harry Potter series and I still have not forgiven J. K. Rowling for sucking me in and then killing off Sirius. The series as a whole still makes my favorites list, but I always have a twinge of regret when I think about that one installment.

I have also always loved movies, and I found it amusing to compare the written story to the scripted one. It was always interesting to see what was removed or found unnecessary, as well as what was embellished or added. This reached a whole new level once I saw The Bridges of Madison County. What a beautiful love story, and it was one I resonated with at the time in a very deep and emotionally raw way. I could not wait to get my hands on the book, to see the whole story. The big red flag should have been the novel was the size of a short story. Short stories make fabulous full length movies with little change or editing – their length is ideal as witnessed by Stephen King's "The Body" which became the movie Stand by Me (beyond description good).

So, let's get back to Bridges. I ended up getting the book anyway, despite the fact that a quick peek at the first chapter didn't start out at all like the movie (red flag again!). By the time I slogged through the entire book, I had a whole new respect for Clint Eastwood who had managed to turn this trash into one of the best movies I had seen in a long time. He pretty much re-wrote the whole book into something much better, and I had a new top entry into my least favorite books list. At that point, I had not started The English Patient which made me nod off into naptime every time I started the first chapter. I finally gave up and just watched the movie. It wasn't the best (despite a gracious plenty of Colin Firth), but at least I stayed awake through it til the end.

So, here are my lists, good and bad, and including those that are so awful you just can't finish it. I've included a couple of links to my favorite books that you might not recognize. Oh, and the lists are in no particular order except the way they popped into my head for one reason or another. And if you disagree? In the words of Rhett Butler, "My dear, I don't give a damn." (That is the quote from the book, not the movie, which added "Frankly" to the beginning of the sentence.)

Favorite Books:

• Little Women
  
• Anything and everything by Mark Twain, but especially The Prince and the Pauper
  
• Gone With the Wind (read it as a child, and I have such fond memories surrounding the book itself)
• The entire Harry Potter series
• Stephen King's book of novellas Different Seasons (if you've seen Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me, you'll love this book)
• Pride and Prejudice (I just had to include the photo from the movie version) 
• The Shack (excellent telling of a new concept)
  
• The Right Stuff (fantastic movie based on a spectacular book – it doesn't get better)
  
• Sister Carrie (by Theodore Dreiser in the 1800s. No, you probably have never heard of it.)
• The Outsiders ("Stay golden Pony-Boy." Cry-ing)
• The entire Little House on the Prairie series
• The entire Nancy Drew series (I grew up on these at an early age. Number three in the series was the first gift I ever remember getting.)
• The Little Prince (I love the original French version, since I like my own translation the best.)
• Rebecca (the first real mystery I ever read)
• Watership Down
  
• Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (I love, love, love Fannie Flagg!)
• The Princess Bride (as well as the movie, one of my all-time favorites)
• Saints at the River (by Ron Rash, and if you haven't read him yet, he's awesome and you are totally missing out) 

Least Favorite Books:

• Ole Yeller (the dog dies, the kid cries, it was horrible)
• Where The Red Fern Grows (see Ole Yeller)
• Marley and Me (the dog dies… but this is based on a true story so….)
• The Bridges of Madison County (LOVED the movie – Eastwood did an awesome job)
• The English Patient (I couldn't even finish it – B.O.R.I.N.G.)
• The Giving Tree (Hello – co-dependent nightmare anyone? Gives until it dies? No thank you.)
• The Catcher in the Rye (I loathed this book – it makes my eye twitchy)
• The DaVinci Code (I've actually read better versions on the same theme.)
• Under the Tuscan Sun (actually a decent book, but another example of movie way better than book)
• The Second Lives of Second Wives (not bad as a read, but terribly off the mark as far as "second wife life")
• Bridget Jones' Diary (I discovered here that I don't like the diary entry type of reading experience)