A brilliant, chilling début featuring a Charleston real estate agent who loves the histories inside old manors. Melanie Middleton hates to admit she can see ghosts. A man she recently met died, leaving his historic Tradd Street home; complete with a dog and family of ghosts anxious to tell their secrets. Jack Trenholm, a gorgeous writer obsessed with unsolved mysteries, has reason to believe diamonds from the Confederate Treasury are hidden. He turns the charm on with Melanie, to discover he's the smitten one.
In this bestselling and delightfully quirky debut novel from Sweden, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.
Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.
A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fryand Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Fredrik Backman's novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful and charming exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others.
From Me:
A book-club favorite! It was chosen at random by me, only because we had an empty month in November and I had seen it a bit on the internet.
We're so glad we read it!
It was just a feel good kinda book.
And also a feel melancholy kind of book in certain places.
I loved it---I can't think of anything else to add.
2 things.
*I do have to take issue that Ove was and 'old man' at 57.
I had to put that line out of my mind and make him older, because 57 is not old at all. But I guess one can be a curmudgeon at any age.
*I LOVED the description of a marriage--comparing it to an old house. How at first it's so exciting getting your own home, you love everything about it. Then as time settles in, you begin to see some flaws, but it's still your's. And if that time comes to sell your home, you are sad, because you LOVE all those old flaws.
(it says it better in the book---but you get the idea anyway)
In Evolving in Monkey Town, Rachel Held Evans recounts her experiences growing up in Dayton, Tennessee, a town that epitomized Christian fundamentalism during the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. With fearless honesty, Evans describes how her faith survived her doubts and challenges readers to re-imagine Christianity in a postmodern context, where knowing all the answers isn t as important as asking the questions."
This book is also available, with this same ISBN entitled "Faith Unraveled: How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask Questions"...with a published date of 2010 by Zondervan...it has the reddish cover, not this cover.
From Me:
3.5 stars!
A very interesting book about soul searching, questioning, challenging and processing a growing and changing Christianity, within the author's self.
The world's discrimination and violence against women and girls is the most serious, pervasive, and ignored violation of basic human rights: This is President Jimmy Carter's call to action.
President Carter was encouraged to write this book by a wide coalition of leaders of all faiths. His urgent report is current. It covers the plight of women and girls–strangled at birth, forced to suffer servitude, child marriage, genital cutting, deprived of equal opportunity in wealthier nations and "owned" by men in others. And the most vulnerable, along with their children, are trapped in war and violence.
He addresses the adverse impact of distorted religious texts on women, by Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and Muslims. Special verses are often omitted or quoted out of context to exalt the status of men and exclude women. In a remark that is certain to get attention, Carter points out that women are treated more equally in some countries that are atheistic or where governments are strictly separated from religion.
Carter describes his personal observations of the conditions and hardships of women around the world. He describes a trip in Africa with Bill Gates, Sr. and his wife, where they are appalled by visits to enormous brothels. He tells how he joined Nelson Mandela to plead for an end to South Africa's practice of outlawing treatments to protect babies from AIDS-infected mothers.
Throughout, Carter reports on observations of women activists and workers of The Carter Center. This is an informed and passionate charge about human rights abuses against half the world's population. It comes from one of the world's most renowned human rights advocates.
From Me:
3 stars
I love Jimmy Carter, but I only 'liked' this book. And I feel guilty for saying that.
It was very interesting, I learned a lot, but sometimes I felt like he was patting himself on the back.
I know that's not fair because he is a very humble man --- I think it's just the nature of writing a book like this one.
It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile!
I've fallen behind and now I need to post about 6 books before the end of the year.
When you last left me---It was Nonfiction November--at least in my book blogging world. And while I joined in all the challenges and posts (it was a great fun-filled month), I didn't get a chance to finish this book until last night ( I read half and set it down when we had company and picked it up again a few days ago):
From Goodreads:
In the bestselling tradition of Bill Bryson and Tony Horwitz, Rinker Buck's "The Oregon Trail" is a major work of participatory history: an epic account of traveling the 2,000-mile length of the Oregon Trail the old-fashioned way, in a covered wagon with a team of mules--which hasn't been done in a century--that also tells the rich history of the trail, the people who made the migration, and its significance to the country.
Spanning 2,000 miles and traversing six states from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean, the Oregon Trail is the route that made America. In the fifteen years before the Civil War, when 400,000 pioneers used it to emigrate West--historians still regard this as the largest land migration of all time--the trail united the coasts, doubled the size of the country, and laid the groundwork for the railroads. The trail years also solidified the American character: our plucky determination in the face of adversity, our impetuous cycle of financial bubbles and busts, the fractious clash of ethnic populations competing for the same jobs and space. Today, amazingly, the trail is all but forgotten. Rinker Buck is no stranger to grand adventures. "The New Yorker "described his first travel narrative, "Flight of Passage," as "a funny, cocky gem of a book," and with "The Oregon Trail "he seeks to bring the most important road in American history back to life. At once a majestic American journey, a significant work of history, and a personal saga reminiscent of bestsellers by Bill Bryson and Cheryl Strayed, the book tells the story of Buck's 2,000-mile expedition across the plains with tremendous humor and heart. He was accompanied by three cantankerous mules, his boisterous brother, Nick, and an "incurably filthy" Jack Russell terrier named Olive Oyl. Along the way, Buck dodges thunderstorms in Nebraska, chases his runaway mules across miles of Wyoming plains, scouts more than five hundred miles of nearly vanished trail on foot, crosses the Rockies, makes desperate fifty-mile forced marches for water, and repairs so many broken wheels and axels that he nearly reinvents the art of wagon travel itself. Apart from charting his own geographical and emotional adventure, Buck introduces readers to the evangelists, shysters, natives, trailblazers, and everyday dreamers who were among the first of the pioneers to make the journey west. With a rare narrative power, a refreshing candor about his own weakness and mistakes, and an extremely attractive obsession for history and travel, "The Oregon Trail" draws readers into the journey of a lifetime.
From Me:
I loved this book.
Can I steal from my friend JoAnn at Lakeside Musing and just say it was an entertaining combination of history and adventure?
That pretty much says it all.
I would recommend this book without any reservation at all.
To be frank, I got very sentimental at the end of the book--that author ended his route at a place in Oregon that we pass a few times each year, and I never knew I was so close to history! I guess I just never thought about it---we don't pay much attention to what is in our own backyards.
The original wagon ruts are still there, near Baker City, Oregon. On our next trip thru, we are stopping and standing on part of the original Oregon Trail!
There was so much about this book that was 'sentimental' for me. I live in the west and this book was all about--heading that way!
My great-grandparents came out on a covered wagon and homesteaded in north-east Oregon---not far from Baker City.
When we were newly married we lived in Walla Walla, Washington, the home of the Whitman Mission--Narcissa Whitman was mentioned more than once in the book.
And the kindness and the generosity and hospitality of the western people mentioned by the author was very gracious.
So, yes, I did get sentimental at the end of the book.
Oh...and I have a crush on mules now.
Thanks JoAnn for reading the book and bringing it to my attention.
From one of the greatest writers of our time: the most spellbinding, entertaining, wildly imaginative novel of his great career, which blends history and myth with tremendous philosophical depth. A masterful, mesmerizing modern tale about worlds dangerously colliding, the monsters that are unleashed when reason recedes, and a beautiful testament to the power of love and humanity in chaotic times. Inspired by 2,000 years of storytelling yet rooted in the concerns of our present moment, this is a spectacular achievement--enchanting, both very funny and terrifying. It is narrated by our descendants 1000 years hence, looking back on "The War of the Worlds" that began with "the time of the strangenesses": a simple gardener begins to levitate; a baby is born with the unnerving ability to detect corruption in people; the ghosts of two long-dead philosophers begin arguing once more; and storms pummel New York so hard that a crack appears in the universe, letting in the destructive djinns of myth (as well as some graphic superheroes). Nothing less than the survival of our world is at stake. Only one, a djinn princess who centuries before had learned to love humankind, resolves to help us: in the face of dynastic intrigue, she raises an army composed of her semi-magical great-great--etc.--grandchildren--a motley crew of endearing characters who come together to save the world in a battle waged for 1,001 nights--or, to be precise, two years, eight months and twenty-eight nights.
From Me:
This book was not the book for me.
1 star.
I might not have loved the book, but I do love the girls I discussed it with.
Adriana Trigiani, the New York Times bestselling author of the blockbuster epic The Shoemaker’s Wife, returns with her biggest and boldest novel yet—a hypnotic tale, based on a true story—that dazzles with the signature elements of her previous work—family ties, artistry, romance, adventure—and introduces an unforgettable new heroine: Loretta Young, an ambitious starlet struggling to survive in Hollywood’s dream factory
In this spectacular saga as radiant, thrilling, and beguiling as Hollywood itself, Adriana Trigiani takes us back to Tinsel Town’s golden age—an era as brutal as it was resplendent—and into the complex and glamorous world of a young actress hungry for fame and success. With meticulous, beautiful detail, Trigiani paints a rich, historical landscape of 1930s Los Angeles, where European and American artisans flocked to pursue the ultimate dream: to tell stories on the silver screen.
The movie business is booming in 1935 when twenty-one-year-old Loretta Young meets thirty-four-year-old Clark Gable on the set of The Call of the Wild. Though he’s already married, Gable falls for the stunning and vivacious young actress instantly.
Far from the glittering lights of Hollywood, Sister Alda Ducci has been forced to leave her convent and begin a new journey that leads her to Loretta. Becoming Miss Young’s assistant, the innocent and pious young Alda must navigate the wild terrain of Hollywood with fierce determination and a moral code that derives from her Italian roots. Over the course of decades, she and Loretta encounter scandal and adventure, choose love and passion, and forge an enduring bond of love and loyalty that will be put to the test when they eventually face the greatest obstacle of their lives.
Anchored by Trigiani’s masterful storytelling that takes you on a worldwide ride of adventure from Hollywood to the shores of southern Italy, this mesmerizing epic is, at its heart, a luminous tale of the most cherished ties that bind. Brimming with larger-than-life characters both real and fictional—including stars Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy, David Niven, Hattie McDaniel and more—it is it is the unforgettable story of one of cinema’s greatest love affairs during the golden age of American movie making
From Me:
LOVED IT!
That's all.
Okay, that's not all.
I love old movies, I love old Hollywood. I loved this book.
Having said that tho, I'm not sure this book is for everybody. I think it probably suits a certain age group (women of a certain age??? ACK! I can't believe I just said that) more than others, but who knows, I could be wrong.
4.5 stars.
I listened to the audio version and Blair Brown does an EXCELLENT job.
And on another note--- just for fun-- this video reminds me of this book!
In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?
Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.
From Me:
4 stars.
Yes, it is powerful.
Yes, it is eye opening.
Yes, it is thought provoking.
Yes, it is well written and well spoken.
Yes, I think everyone should read it.
While I might have disagreed with a couple of his observations, I choose not to, because I have never walked in his shoes.
I just hope that somehow he can also share a sense of joy about the world to his son.
In some way. Somehow.
The author narrated his own book and I think he did an outstanding job.
I chose to read this because I am participating in Nonfiction November and I've seen this on a blog or two and it got great reviews from the bloggers. I'm so glad that I've taken part in this event--it has opened my eyes to so many great reads that I was unaware of.
Today is the last day of the HoHoHo Read-a-Thon, and I think I've done a pretty good job.
I finished 2 novels
1 novella
and 2 short stories
Twitter party tonight!
(We'll see if I can do this. Twitter is not really in my comfort zone. I'm too old and by the time I finally get it---we'll have moved on to another form of social media. That's the one I'll master!)
My latest -- the novella --- is the book we are reading for our book club in December:
The Christmas Letters.
From Goodreads:
In The Christmas Letters, three generations of women reveal their stories of love and marriage in the letters they write to family and friends during the holidays. It's a down-home Christmas story about tradition, family, and the shared experiences of women. Here, in a letter of her own, Lee Smith explains how she was inspired to write this celebrated epistolary novel:
Dear Friends,
Like me, you probably get Christmas letters every year. I read every word and save every letter. Because every Christmas letter is the story of a life, and what story can be more interesting than the story of our lives? Often, it is the story of an entire family. But you also have to read between the lines with Christmas letters. Sometimes, what is not said is even more important than what is on the page.
In The Christmas Letters, I have used this familiar format to illumine the lives, hopes, dreams, and disappointments of three generations of American women. Much of the story of The Christmas Letters is also told through shared recipes. As Mary, my favorite character, says, "I feel as if I have written out my life story in recipes! The Cool Whip and mushroom soup years, the hibachi and fondue period, then the quiche and crepes phase, and now it's these salsa years."
I wrote this little book for the same reason I write to my friends and relatives every holiday--Christmas letters give us a chance to remember and celebrate who we are.
With warmest greetings, Lee Smith
From Me:
This was a lovely little book. Told the story of a family thru the years and I do love that.
It wasn't very "Christmasy" tho, if that's what you are looking for.
The story wasn't about getting you in the Christmas spirit--it was about a family and how perhaps you really do need to read between the lines of those Christmas letters. Life is never as perfect as we make it seem.
Personally, I am a lover of the Christmas letter. I love to see what's been going on with old friends and family. I don't care if they do exaggerate! Still fun for me.
I think the author said it best when she said "Christmas letters give us a chance to remember and to celebrate who we are.
I've had a fun time this past week, reading two Holiday novels, 2 short stories and hopefully will finish a shorter novella by tomorrow!
I told you about the Christmas Joyride earlier ( a fun light-hearted novel) in this weekend's post, but yesterday I had the luxury of reading the most charming holiday book! It was perfect day-- Blustery and rainy and cold. I had a fire in the fireplace and something good smelling in the oven and I read all day long.
It was over 300 pages, but a finish-in-one-day kinda book.
From Me:
If you need to read a book to get into the holiday spirit---and I mean the true spirit--- of Christmas, this just might be the book for you.
I loved it.
Going back and forth from the Civil War era to present day, the author weaves a story of the true holiday--sometimes it's not what we imagine, but it still has the power to fill our hearts with wonder. As it should.
I thought the character development was great--- each 'present day' chapter was told in a different point of view from different characters.
4 stars!
PS- I did not know that Longfellow wrote this poem. So there was lots of historical things I learned while reading this novel. I have a new respect for Longfellow and want to find out more about him.
From Goodreads:
I heard the bells on Christmas Day/ Their old familiar carols play/ And wild and sweet/ The words repeat/Of peace on earth, good-will to men! In 1860, the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family celebrated Christmas at Craigie House, their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The publication of Longfellow’s classic Revolutionary War poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride,” was less than a month hence, and the country’s grave political unrest weighed heavily on his mind. Yet with his beloved wife, Fanny, and their five adored children at his side, the delights of the season prevailed.
In present-day Boston, a dedicated teacher in the Watertown public school system is stunned by somber holiday tidings. Sophia’s music program has been sacrificed to budget cuts, and she worries not only about her impending unemployment but also about the consequences to her underprivileged students. At the church where she volunteers as music director, Sophia tries to forget her cares as she leads the children’s choir in rehearsal for a Christmas Eve concert. Inspired to honor a local artist, Sophia has chosen a carol set to a poem by Longfellow, moved by the glorious words he penned one Christmas Day long ago, even as he suffered great loss.
Christmas Bells chronicles the events of 1863, when the peace and contentment of Longfellow’s family circle was suddenly, tragically broken, cutting even deeper than the privations of wartime. Through the pain of profound loss and hardship, Longfellow’s patriotism never failed, nor did the power of his language. “Christmas Bells,” the poem he wrote that holiday, lives on, spoken as verse and sung as a hymn.
Jennifer Chiaverini’s resonant and heartfelt novel for the season reminds us why we must continue to hear glad tidings, even as we are tested by strife. Reading Christmas Bells evokes the resplendent joy of a chorus of voices raised in reverent song
I'm having a good time this week, trying to get some holiday reading in--in between 3 book clubs that happen this week and some non-fiction (because, of course it's nonfiction November also) I do have to say that when I sit down with a Christmas book, I feel a lot more relaxed than when I'm trying to get the book club books in.
So having said that....what have I read that is Merry and Bright?
A fun, lighthearted book about spreading Christmas cheer. With a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure!
And even tho it didn't go into this much, it was the setting for the story-- they were joyriding on Route 66. I love that old historic Highway, so I was happy to be along for the ride.
Goodreads says:
Miranda did not put adventure on her Christmas list, but thanks to her eighty-five-year-old neighbor Joy, that's exactly what she's getting this year. When Joy tells Miranda that she plans to drive an old RV decked out in Christmas decorations from their Chicago neighborhood to her new retirement digs in Phoenix--in the dead of winter, no less--the much younger Miranda insists that Joy cannot make such a trip by herself. Besides, a crazy trip with Joy would be more interesting than another Christmas home alone. Unemployed and facing foreclosure, Miranda feels she has nothing to lose by packing a bag and heading off to Route 66. But Joy has a hidden agenda for their Christmas joyride--and a hidden problem that could derail the whole venture.
No one captures the heartwarming fun of the Christmas season quite like Melody Carlson. Fasten your seat belt, because it's going to be an exciting ride!
Yesterday, while having my coffee at 6am I read these two:
Short, but sweet (48 or 50 pages each), but Mitford has a special place in my heart, and these were both lovely little reads. If you are familiar with Mitford and it's quirky characters, I suggest reading these --- they'll help you get in the Christmas spirit!
Goodreads says of Esther's Gift:
In Esther's Gift, Esther Bolick is filled with the holiday spirit as she prepares to bake the annual batch of her famous-and utterly scrumptious-orange marmalade cakes. Right after Christmas Eve service at Lord's Chapel, she and Gene will deliver a two-layer marmalade to each of seven friends and neighbors, all of them favorite Mitford characters. Then Gene calculates what it costs to bake this legendary cake, and Esther is stunned. Is it worth it to spend so much money on people who haven't always measured up to her expectations? The answer is clear. She'll cut her list back-way back.
This decision makes perfect sense until the lyrics of a Christmas carol steal into her heart, and help remind her what a gift really means.
Goodreads says of the Mitford Snowmen:
It's Christmastime in Mitford, and everyone's favorite characters are filled with holiday spirit. In The Mitford Snowmen, a swirling snowfall brings them to Main Street for a snowman-building contest complete with doughnuts, hot chocolate, and contagious good cheer. A charming small trim size and enchanting four-color illustrations make this the perfect way to visit Mitford—and gather a heart full of Christmas joy.
Today I have NOTHING to do, so plan on settling down with a good book or two, I have 2 more Christmas novel that I'd like to get done by Tuesday.
On the eve of her daughter’s wedding, June Reid’s life is completely devastated when a shocking disaster takes the lives of her daughter, her daughter’s fiancé, her ex-husband, and her boyfriend, Luke—her entire family, all gone in a moment. And June is the only survivor.
Alone and directionless, June drives across the country, away from her small Connecticut town. In her wake, a community emerges, weaving a beautiful and surprising web of connections through shared heartbreak.
From the couple running a motel on the Pacific Ocean where June eventually settles into a quiet half-life, to the wedding’s caterer whose bill has been forgotten, to Luke’s mother, the shattered outcast of the town—everyone touched by the tragedy is changed as truths about their near and far histories finally come to light.
From Me:
What a great read! Although tragic and melancholy it's the kind of book you can't put down. You must see how the characters connect (how life connects) and how help and hope can come from people, places and things we least expect.
One of my favorite passages (and I know this sound depressing, but to me, it was so touching and moving. I guess you'll just have to read the book to find out.... )
And the stories will change and the canoe will become a headboard and the family will be mermaids and the rooms will be mansions. And no one will remember us, who we were or what happened here. Sand will blow across Pacific Avenue and against the windows of the Moonstone and new people will arrive and will walk down the beach to the great ocean.
Ack! It doesn't make much sense when you read it alone! But when you read it in the context of the story---you will be moved. Trust me.
When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter—starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.
From Me:
For me, this book had a funky structure until I got used to it and then about halfway thru the book it dawned on me that it was a series of connected vignettes. Once I had that down I sat back and enjoyed all the "Midwestedness" of it.
I loved the narration, (Narrated ByAmy Ryan, Michael Stuhlbarg ) especially Michael Stuhlbarg. He gave a great cadence to that Midwest accent.
This book has really good reviews and I did enjoy it --- all the talk about regional food was wonderful, because I love regional cooking, but it was more than that. It was a book about self-discovery.
My favorite chapter had to be the one about 'bars'! All my Midwest friends say 'bars' (I'm gonna make some bars today) Who doesn't love bars?
A tour bus crashes in a savage snowstorm and lands Jack Reacher in the middle of a deadly confrontation. In nearby Bolton, South Dakota, one brave woman is standing up for justice in a small town threatened by sinister forces. If she’s going to live long enough to testify, she’ll need help. Because a killer is coming to Bolton, a coldly proficient assassin who never misses.
Reacher’s original plan was to keep on moving. But the next 61 hours will change everything. The secrets are deadlier and his enemies are stronger than he could have guessed—but so is the woman whose life he’ll risk his own to save.
From Me:
While I do love Lee Child's Jack Reacher books, I tend to put them on the back burner for other books. I put them on the back burner for months at a time, and now I'm thinking-- Why?
Full of suspense and mystery and an intriguing main character who always comes out on top.
When Ibby Bell’s father dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1964, her mother unceremoniously deposits Ibby with her eccentric grandmother Fannie and throws in her father’s urn for good measure. Fannie’s New Orleans house is like no place Ibby has ever been — and Fannie, who has a tendency to end up in the local asylum — is like no one she has ever met. Fortunately, Fannie’s black cook, Queenie, and her smart-mouthed daughter, Dollbaby, take it upon themselves to initiate Ibby into the ways of the South, both its grand traditions and its darkest secret.
For Fannie’s own family history is fraught with tragedy, hidden behind the closed rooms in her ornate Uptown mansion. It will take Ibby’s arrival to begin to unlock the mysteries there. And it will take Queenie and Dollbaby’s hard-won wisdom to show Ibby that family can sometimes be found in the least expected places.
From Me:
Everyone knows I just read this book on a long car trip--thanks Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!
(I do like to post pics on car trips---isn't everyone interested in what I'm reading, drinking, and driving by?)
I liked it!
The title was a bit confusing to me while I was reading it, but the ending brought it all together for me. (oops--that could be a mini-spoiler)
I wish it had gone into a bit more of Dollbaby and her civil rights involvement (or protests).
The novel touched on a lot of issues of the 1960's -- just touched, didn't dig deep-- but then the story was more a coming of age story about Ibby and her grandmother and their relationships with Queenie and Dollbaby.
I loved all the food references.
3 stars from me. (3.5 if they offered it)
It was good and I enjoyed it. I think you will too.
I've finished the book---and now my read-a-long time is done.
I'm taking my vampire teeth and moving on.
(Thanks for the vampire teeth Melissa --- they sat beside my computer every day while I listened to the audio version of the book. )
I know I'm a few days earlier in writing my post, but I am headed off to a little mini-vacation tomorrow.
This is the 2nd Stephen King Read-a-long I've participated in and it's been so much fun.
Besides making a few new friends, I've discovered many blogs that I was unfamiliar with. There are so many amazing book lovers out there.
So, besides a good, fun read, thanks for exposing me to new people, new blogs, new friends Melissa, Care and Trish
(the co-hosts of this read-a-long)
My thoughts on Salem's Lot?
It was a GREAT October read!
It was my first time reading it and I was once again caught up in the characters in King's book.
I know he is the king (King is a king?) of setting up apprehension and fear, but he is also the king of character development---and I LOVE that.
You know his characters and then he slowly starts to set up the scene so that you are drawn in and before you know it--you really do want to put your book in the freezer!!
He can scare the poop out of you by his words!
He can also set the scene. Makes you understand where you are in a story....
""The town knew about darkness." "The town has its secrets, and keeps them well."
Maybe he doesn't so much as set a scene but he makes you think of the place/scene as a whole separate character? Perhaps.
One of the secrets is, of course, a vampire.
Not your teeny-bobber vampire (sorry Twilight) or your cheesy Barnabus Collins-type vampire ( YES, I am really THAT old. Dark Shadows was my favorite after-school fright when I was 11), but this was a creepy, evil BAD vampire!
I have not read Dracula, but understand there a lot of comparisons.
I think one of our hosts is going to do a comparison post (Trish?), and I'm excited to hear what she has to say.
I didn't realize how much I loved a good scary read until this month.
When's the next Read-a-Long?
From Goodreads:
'Salem's Lot is a small New England town with white clapboard houses, tree-lined streets, and solid church steeples. That summer in 'Salem's Lot was a summer of home-coming and return; spring burned out and the land lying dry, crackling underfoot. Late that summer, Ben Mears returned to 'Salem's Lot hoping to cast out his own devils... and found instead a new unspeakable horror.
A stranger had also come to the Lot, a stranger with a secret as old as evil, a secret that would wreak irreparable harm on those he touched and in turn on those they loved.
All would be changed forever—Susan, whose love for Ben could not protect her; Father Callahan, the bad priest who put his eroded faith to one last test; and Mark, a young boy who sees his fantasy world become reality and ironically proves the best equipped to handle the relentless nightmare of 'Salem's Lot.
