This book was recommended by a very good friend who happens to be Southern Elegance defined in her very nature. She recommended the book, claiming it to be one of the most divine and non-stop laughter pieces of writing she had read in a very long time.
I knew vaguely what the book was about from her synopsis as she told the highlights that she remembered through her laughter, but until I began reading, I did not realize it to be as socially inept as it was. As a matter of fact, I found it stunning that it was not only a book that didn't spark a social uprising of sorts, but that so many found it to be so entertaining.
The book centers around a wealthy, well-to-do young lady whose chosen profession is to be a writer. She decides to write a book from the perspective of "The Help" (thus the name), the African-American women who lived on their side of town, which might as well have been another planet.
She finds herself sneaking in and out of their homes to interview them about what life is like from their side of the tracks and tells the story through eyes. The ready becomes entwined in a story which was set in the 1960's and is told mainly first person by one of the black maids who tells the story with fascinating truth and feeling. She truly does make all - black, white, rich, poor - see the dreary and terrifying lives that black people lived in as recent as fifty years ago.
The story goes into great detail, including how the black people had their own restrooms (which seems to be a fascination of this writer - in one scene, an entire yard is littered with toilets in protest, meant to be symbolic of the fact that they were unable to use the same bathrooms which they cleaned, day after day), walked to and from their places of employment, and through a twist of fate, they begin to trust the writer who decides to speak on their behalf.
The book leaves the reader with much to consider, much to be grateful for and much to ponder when treating others, no matter who they are, what their lot in life or what their financial status. Describing old Southern homes right down to the shining of the brass candlesticks to the finely woven doilies, the reader closes the book but is tempted to open it again and read for a second time, to make certain that nothing important was missed.
Kathryn Stockett does an excellent job introducing herself to the literary community and, as a reader, I can't wait for her second book.
Five out of five:)
Monday, February 3, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Next Year I'll Be Perfect by Laura Kilmartin
This was a great book with a slow beginning, but the book gained momentum quickly and I was easily hooked. Laura Kilmartin identifies with all of us and our "to do" lists for life. It seems as though we, especially women, have a need to fulfill certain goals by milestone ages in our life...At twenty, they aren't so important. By thirty, the list begins to have more significance and by forty, we begin to measure our identity and even worth by how much of the "list" we have managed to accomplish.
Unfortunately, "to do" lists concerning life accomplishments are not as easily planned or accomplished as those we make on a Saturday morning. It's much easier to plan a Saturday morning's chores - buy groceries, clean the laundry room, send Aunt Edith her birthday card and watch a good movie than larger goals - be married and happy by thirty, be a partner in a law firm by thirty, have book published by thirty - and so on.
In this book, the main character is charming as she describes her 29th year month by month. She has a list that she has laminated that remains on her refrigerator as a reminder of the things that she needs to accomplish but hasn't by her 30th birthday. All I could do was think of my own list and the resolutions that I make, year after year, that go without being accomplished.
The beauty of this book is that, as she faces her own unaccomplished goals, she realizes that she has many other wonderful things that have happened in the meantime that she wasn't really paying attention to. Relating her experiences to my own, as I would hope most readers do, you begin to realize that while you are making plans, other wonderful things are happening that might replace those goals with even better accomplishments.
The book ends with her realization that her superficial goals of things like worrying about thinner thighs could wait while she actually enjoyed the things in her life, like her great boyfriend, her best friend, her job and the future prospects and the various other amazing things in her life. The greater message for me was that, while I face the inevitable 50 which has crept up so quickly, I have 50 great years of amazing things that have happened while I've measured my success in life on the things that I may not have accomplished. Don't get me wrong - my list still stays on the fridge, but I only glance at it occasionally. I smile, and then I lock the front door and begin my amazing day.
While the writing was at times hard to stay with, and there were scenes that were clearly "space fillers", the author shared a great message that I won't soon forget.
Four out of five stars for me:)
Unfortunately, "to do" lists concerning life accomplishments are not as easily planned or accomplished as those we make on a Saturday morning. It's much easier to plan a Saturday morning's chores - buy groceries, clean the laundry room, send Aunt Edith her birthday card and watch a good movie than larger goals - be married and happy by thirty, be a partner in a law firm by thirty, have book published by thirty - and so on.
In this book, the main character is charming as she describes her 29th year month by month. She has a list that she has laminated that remains on her refrigerator as a reminder of the things that she needs to accomplish but hasn't by her 30th birthday. All I could do was think of my own list and the resolutions that I make, year after year, that go without being accomplished.
The beauty of this book is that, as she faces her own unaccomplished goals, she realizes that she has many other wonderful things that have happened in the meantime that she wasn't really paying attention to. Relating her experiences to my own, as I would hope most readers do, you begin to realize that while you are making plans, other wonderful things are happening that might replace those goals with even better accomplishments.
The book ends with her realization that her superficial goals of things like worrying about thinner thighs could wait while she actually enjoyed the things in her life, like her great boyfriend, her best friend, her job and the future prospects and the various other amazing things in her life. The greater message for me was that, while I face the inevitable 50 which has crept up so quickly, I have 50 great years of amazing things that have happened while I've measured my success in life on the things that I may not have accomplished. Don't get me wrong - my list still stays on the fridge, but I only glance at it occasionally. I smile, and then I lock the front door and begin my amazing day.
While the writing was at times hard to stay with, and there were scenes that were clearly "space fillers", the author shared a great message that I won't soon forget.
Four out of five stars for me:)
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
A long time fan of chick lit, I had no idea when I opened my first Sophie Kinsella book what a delightful time I was in for. Rebecca Bloomwood is uniquely charming in this first of many from the Shopaholic Series. She is the absolute essence of every woman who is honest about how shopping makes her feel!! At least she was for me. I felt like I had met my kindred spirit when I was finished with this book.
Sophie Kinsella weaves the story in such a way that not only does Rebecca stumble into the job of her dreams and the man of her dreams, but also has a way of always straightening out the messes that she creates of her life. Some of the most entertaining moments in the book are the letters to and from her creditors regarding absolutely ridiculous requests on her part, all in the name of shopping!
For anyone who is addicted to finding that perfect pair of shoes or who simply can't pass a sale because the prices are just too good, this book will have you laughing and crying at the same time. The guilt of owning the same T-shirt in every color will disappear as you turn each page and you'll realize quickly that you are not alone! The movie did NOT do the book justice....
Rebecca Bloomwood, you are my new best friend:)
A Five out of Five, without a Doubt
Sophie Kinsella weaves the story in such a way that not only does Rebecca stumble into the job of her dreams and the man of her dreams, but also has a way of always straightening out the messes that she creates of her life. Some of the most entertaining moments in the book are the letters to and from her creditors regarding absolutely ridiculous requests on her part, all in the name of shopping!
For anyone who is addicted to finding that perfect pair of shoes or who simply can't pass a sale because the prices are just too good, this book will have you laughing and crying at the same time. The guilt of owning the same T-shirt in every color will disappear as you turn each page and you'll realize quickly that you are not alone! The movie did NOT do the book justice....
Rebecca Bloomwood, you are my new best friend:)
A Five out of Five, without a Doubt
The Hunger Games
I picked this book up reluctantly as the entire trilogy because of all of the "hype", which I normally don't do. After reading "Bone Season", and finding it so utterly hard to follow that I didn't even finish it and with no regrets, I was afraid that I would find myself in the same predicament.
Pleasantly surprised, I have finished the first of the trilogy and am thrilled to say that I could actually see the characters, empathize with all of them, and dive head first into a surreal world where humanity has lost itself. The main character, Katniss, named after a root that she and her father had found foraging, becomes an absolute heroine. The book is ghastly much of the time, but defines human nature down to its bare reality - survival. And not just of the fittest - survival for the heroine and for those she loved.
The "Games", which are an annual reminder of the Capitol to all inhabitants of this land that no uprising will be tolerated and that they, without emotion or respect for human life, are at all times in control. She is able to outwit the "Gamekeepers" at the end, which quickly led me to begin the second in the series. I am already captivated and will keep reading.
The author was incredibly creative and wrote the story in a way that it was believable, yet surreal at the same time. The scenes are uniquely and creatively written, from the elaborate costumes of the contenders to the gutteral sounds that dying people are making. You find yourself actually wondering what you would do and how.
Not a huge fan of futuristic, horrific pictures of what is to come, I still found this book to be a
definite page turner.
Five out of Five for me:)
Pleasantly surprised, I have finished the first of the trilogy and am thrilled to say that I could actually see the characters, empathize with all of them, and dive head first into a surreal world where humanity has lost itself. The main character, Katniss, named after a root that she and her father had found foraging, becomes an absolute heroine. The book is ghastly much of the time, but defines human nature down to its bare reality - survival. And not just of the fittest - survival for the heroine and for those she loved.
The "Games", which are an annual reminder of the Capitol to all inhabitants of this land that no uprising will be tolerated and that they, without emotion or respect for human life, are at all times in control. She is able to outwit the "Gamekeepers" at the end, which quickly led me to begin the second in the series. I am already captivated and will keep reading.
The author was incredibly creative and wrote the story in a way that it was believable, yet surreal at the same time. The scenes are uniquely and creatively written, from the elaborate costumes of the contenders to the gutteral sounds that dying people are making. You find yourself actually wondering what you would do and how.
Not a huge fan of futuristic, horrific pictures of what is to come, I still found this book to be a
definite page turner.
Five out of Five for me:)
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
I may just be biased towards Sophie Kinsella, but with her usual wit and style, she has again written a delightful novel that takes the rider on a roller coaster of turning pages from the first to the last.
In this novel, the reader opens the book expecting to read about something Rebecca Bloomwood has done again, only on her wedding night. I was a bit perplexed, knowing that in one of her previous books, she had already been on her wedding night and honeymoon, so it was no surprise that there were all new characters and the story line is ridiculously fun from the beginning.
The entire novel is spent with two characters - the bride's newly broken-up relationship - and the bride's sister - finding out that the main character has decided to marry an old sweetheart from years ago on a whim.
They decide that they must stop the marriage night from happening - if the marriage is not consummated, then it isn't a real marriage, right??
Without spoiling any of the fun, suffice it to say that the author has yet again used her charming and unique wit and talent to weave a light-hearted, fun read that I was disappointed to be finished with. I can't wait for her next one, yet again!
Four out of Five Stars for Me!!
In this novel, the reader opens the book expecting to read about something Rebecca Bloomwood has done again, only on her wedding night. I was a bit perplexed, knowing that in one of her previous books, she had already been on her wedding night and honeymoon, so it was no surprise that there were all new characters and the story line is ridiculously fun from the beginning.
The entire novel is spent with two characters - the bride's newly broken-up relationship - and the bride's sister - finding out that the main character has decided to marry an old sweetheart from years ago on a whim.
They decide that they must stop the marriage night from happening - if the marriage is not consummated, then it isn't a real marriage, right??
Without spoiling any of the fun, suffice it to say that the author has yet again used her charming and unique wit and talent to weave a light-hearted, fun read that I was disappointed to be finished with. I can't wait for her next one, yet again!
Four out of Five Stars for Me!!
Blogger Girl by Meredith Schorr
Blogger girl was a very fun read. I could not stop turning the pages and fell asleep every night with my Kindle in my hand. Meredith Schorr has successfully developed several characters in this novel, but the main character is not only likable, but very easy to identify with - she shares characteristics with every woman that I know, including myself.
Kim (better known as Kimmie by those who know her well enough to be allowed to call her that) spends most of the story as a legal secretary who successfully manages all of the lawyers around her. She finds herself in love with one and the two of them play cat and mouse through most of the book. Being a legal secretary pays the bills, but her love is writing and she has a successful "chick lit" blog page, where she posts honest reviews. Her blog is so successful that authors and publishers alike are clamoring for her opinions about manuscripts before they even go into publication.
Into the story, her nemesis, "Hannah", writes a novel that turns out to be an excellent read. Kim posts a review at first focusing on Hannah as a person rather than the book but after a conversation with her that happens unexpectedly and in perfect timing, Kim rewrites the review and proclaims Hannah to be a fine writer and the book a great read.
Because of the insight of the main squeeze in her life that she is jealous of Hannah among other things, she becomes enraged, takes a week off and goes home where she writes her own novel, long overdue from several unfinished projects from her younger years. The maturity and life experience that she has gained gives her the necessary tools to write her first great book. And, to regain the love from the man of interest who she successfully alienates, she imagines what the heroine in one of the novels that she reads would do to win back the man of her dreams and devises a plan to attempt to do so.
The only thing that I was a little bit surprised by in this novel was a lot of sexual references that go beyond the normal banter in most chick lit novels. It is most definitely not Sophie Kinsella-style naivety or innocence, but in its own way, the illicit references make it real and easy for many thirty-somethings to relate to. Not quite "Sex and the City" illicit, but on a scale of 1-10, 1 being one of the Shopaholic series and "Sex and the City" being a 10, this book falls at about a 5, regarding sexual inuendo.
A very fun read, I was sad to see the last page. I will miss Kimmie, but learned from her tenacity and will long remember this well-written, fun read.
A definite Four out of Five for me:)
Kim (better known as Kimmie by those who know her well enough to be allowed to call her that) spends most of the story as a legal secretary who successfully manages all of the lawyers around her. She finds herself in love with one and the two of them play cat and mouse through most of the book. Being a legal secretary pays the bills, but her love is writing and she has a successful "chick lit" blog page, where she posts honest reviews. Her blog is so successful that authors and publishers alike are clamoring for her opinions about manuscripts before they even go into publication.
Into the story, her nemesis, "Hannah", writes a novel that turns out to be an excellent read. Kim posts a review at first focusing on Hannah as a person rather than the book but after a conversation with her that happens unexpectedly and in perfect timing, Kim rewrites the review and proclaims Hannah to be a fine writer and the book a great read.
Because of the insight of the main squeeze in her life that she is jealous of Hannah among other things, she becomes enraged, takes a week off and goes home where she writes her own novel, long overdue from several unfinished projects from her younger years. The maturity and life experience that she has gained gives her the necessary tools to write her first great book. And, to regain the love from the man of interest who she successfully alienates, she imagines what the heroine in one of the novels that she reads would do to win back the man of her dreams and devises a plan to attempt to do so.
The only thing that I was a little bit surprised by in this novel was a lot of sexual references that go beyond the normal banter in most chick lit novels. It is most definitely not Sophie Kinsella-style naivety or innocence, but in its own way, the illicit references make it real and easy for many thirty-somethings to relate to. Not quite "Sex and the City" illicit, but on a scale of 1-10, 1 being one of the Shopaholic series and "Sex and the City" being a 10, this book falls at about a 5, regarding sexual inuendo.
A very fun read, I was sad to see the last page. I will miss Kimmie, but learned from her tenacity and will long remember this well-written, fun read.
A definite Four out of Five for me:)
Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
I read in a review in a paper that the"Bone Season" series would be the next "Harry Potter Series", and having been a huge fan of J.K.Rowling, never able to put down one of her books, I downloaded "The Bone Season" onto my Kindle that day. The author is a 21 year old who exhibited quite a bit of creative writing ability so I couldn't wait to read the book. Settling into my favorite reading place, my couch, covered in a quilt with my Kindle, I began reading.
Upon beginning the book that evening, I spent the next two weeks suffering through an almost interminable book that droned on forever with the efforts of an author who clearly wanted to create a "new futuristic world", which in itself, makes it blase', but it was one of the first books in a very long time that I actually stopped reading in the middle because I really don't have any desire to know how it ends.
The characters are unbelievable, the plot is almost impossible to follow. The main character, Paige, is very well developed in the story and her greatest attribute is that she is strong-willed and not afraid, even if it means her own death, to do what she wants rather than what she is told to do. Other than that, the story is simply a series of events that are horrific, that occur in a dirty, terrifying futuristic story that isn't even scary - it's simply depressing. The author tries to weakly delve into the occult, but with very little detail or obvious knowledge about much, if any, of it. Every time I read more, I continued to ask myself why I was wasting one more night on it. Now, upon looking back and comparing, this author was trying to recreate a story similar to the Hunger Games, in my opinion (which is just an opinion), but with no plot to follow.
The author is clearly talented and has a great imagination. She creates scenes that are not difficult to visualize, including the characters. You can actually see them in the story as you read. But, rather than trying to come up with something new and hopeful, the author delves weakly into mind-reading, the ability to dislocate ones' self in order to inhabit the physical body of another, several other manifestations of occult practice, etc., and each of the "talents" labels that person with a name that isn't even creatively unique - just unreal words. The names given to the persons with those talents are very bland and even halfway through the book I was unclear about what the title had to do with the book!
The heroine of the book is not believable in her behaviors and the peripheral characters are not likable. Example: this is one of those books where the main character actually befriends and begins to care for the man who holds her captive and sucks her blood to stay young. As with other stories that become series like the Harry Potter series, the reader was left waiting impatiently for the next one. Any reader who actually makes it through this book will be relieved to close the cover of the book and be through with it. The second one in the series, if there is a series, would stay on the shelf, at least for this reader.
Good luck to this bright, articulate new author in her endeavors. Perhaps her next book will be a true product of what she is clearly capable of doing. As I have always been told, "write about what you know". With her talents and her young age, surely she has much to write about that she is familiar with that she could turn into a page-turner. Good luck to her in her endeavors:)
Two out of Five STARS **
Upon beginning the book that evening, I spent the next two weeks suffering through an almost interminable book that droned on forever with the efforts of an author who clearly wanted to create a "new futuristic world", which in itself, makes it blase', but it was one of the first books in a very long time that I actually stopped reading in the middle because I really don't have any desire to know how it ends.
The characters are unbelievable, the plot is almost impossible to follow. The main character, Paige, is very well developed in the story and her greatest attribute is that she is strong-willed and not afraid, even if it means her own death, to do what she wants rather than what she is told to do. Other than that, the story is simply a series of events that are horrific, that occur in a dirty, terrifying futuristic story that isn't even scary - it's simply depressing. The author tries to weakly delve into the occult, but with very little detail or obvious knowledge about much, if any, of it. Every time I read more, I continued to ask myself why I was wasting one more night on it. Now, upon looking back and comparing, this author was trying to recreate a story similar to the Hunger Games, in my opinion (which is just an opinion), but with no plot to follow.
The author is clearly talented and has a great imagination. She creates scenes that are not difficult to visualize, including the characters. You can actually see them in the story as you read. But, rather than trying to come up with something new and hopeful, the author delves weakly into mind-reading, the ability to dislocate ones' self in order to inhabit the physical body of another, several other manifestations of occult practice, etc., and each of the "talents" labels that person with a name that isn't even creatively unique - just unreal words. The names given to the persons with those talents are very bland and even halfway through the book I was unclear about what the title had to do with the book!
The heroine of the book is not believable in her behaviors and the peripheral characters are not likable. Example: this is one of those books where the main character actually befriends and begins to care for the man who holds her captive and sucks her blood to stay young. As with other stories that become series like the Harry Potter series, the reader was left waiting impatiently for the next one. Any reader who actually makes it through this book will be relieved to close the cover of the book and be through with it. The second one in the series, if there is a series, would stay on the shelf, at least for this reader.
Good luck to this bright, articulate new author in her endeavors. Perhaps her next book will be a true product of what she is clearly capable of doing. As I have always been told, "write about what you know". With her talents and her young age, surely she has much to write about that she is familiar with that she could turn into a page-turner. Good luck to her in her endeavors:)
Two out of Five STARS **
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