Alice's Review: Gone Girl

Summary: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media — as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents — the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter — but is he really a killer?  As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet? ~ powells.com

Review:  My sister is an avid reader but she has this habit I never fully understood.  Before she dives into a novel, she reads the last chapter.  She likes to know the end result to see if the journey to get there is worth it.  I always believed this was ludicrous until now.

I started Gone Girl with high expectations.  It came highly recommended by not only Julie but several friends as well.  I tackled this novel until about a quarter of the way through when I started to get lost and lose interest.  So, what did I do?  I perused the last chapters, of course.  Totally unorthodox I know, but it sparked that curiosity again that carried me through the rest of the novel.  I saw the destination and knew the journey would be worth it.  And boy was it ever.

There are many wonderful things about Gone Girl.  I absolutely loved the characters, especially Nick, Amy and Margo.  My favorite thing about this novel is how my opinion of the characters changed as I got to know them.  Nothing was concrete, everything was shifting like a house built on sand.  I wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of emotions I felt through this journey:  hope, horror, repulsion, fear just to name a few.  I was so certain I knew the outcome when suddenly I was through for such a loop I had to put the book down and look around to make sure I was firmly on ground. 

I know I am always looking for magic in novels.  And the magic of Gone Girl is in Ms. Flynn storytelling.  It’s in the way she feeds us just enough information to make us do a double take on nearly every page.  It’s in her ability write characters with depth and layers.  She is masterful indeed.  What I was not expecting at all was the poetry in this novel, the words formed in such a way they gave me pause.  I love how Amy describes herself as a thorn bush and Nick as having stab wounds, her thorns fit perfectly into them.  It was poetic, beautiful. 

If you have not read this novel yet, I highly recommend it.  Be prepared for a journey into a dark place, it will knock it out.

Final Take:  4/5

Julie's Review

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Alice's Review: Wishes & Stitches

Summary:  It has always been Naomi Fontaine's dream to practice small-town medicine an ambition that brought her to Cypress Hollow, the charming, tight-knit community her late friend, knitting guru Eliza Carpenter, loved so well. But no matter how hard she tries, Naomi cant seem to fit in here. Then rugged Rig Keller moves in to take over half of Naomi's medical practice, and instantly charms everyone in town . . . including Naomi.  Rig saw what a broken relationship did to his brother, and has no interest whatsoever in getting serious. But the temptation to play doctor with his new partner is just too strong to resist. Any chance they might have of being truly knit together by love, however, depends entirely on what secrets they are willing to reveal . . . and on Rig's willingness to risk his heart and Naomi's desire to open hers completely.

Review:  I received this novel from William Morrow nearly two years ago and I am kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. There was something very sweet about Wishes & Stitches.  It transported me to a wonderful place by the seaside where everyone knows everyone else, where there is a great sense of community and family.  I really enjoyed it and wished more than once a place like that really exists and that one day I hope to live there.

One of the best things about Wishes & Stitches is how perfectly flawed Ms. Herron made the characters.  I just adored Naomi.  In her painfully shy way, she was so refreshing to read.  Finally, a romance lead grounded in realism and awkwardness.  And Rig, our fearless hero.  Once I got past his name (come on, Rig?  Insert eye roll.) I fell for him as hard as Naomi did.  No character should be perfect.  All characters require a bit of tarnish to make them believable.  Both Rig and Naomi had that and because of it, they gave us a romance that was authentic.

Another great thing about this novel is the care Ms. Herron took in creating a wonderful mix of supporting characters and back stories for them as well.  While Naomi and Rig were always on the forefront, I loved getting to know the other Keller men and Naomi’s sister Anna. 

I think this novel will appeal to both knitters and non-knitters alike.  It’s the perfect balance of humor, romance and hot steamy sex.   I am looking forward to reading the first two novels in the Cypress Hollow Yarn series, How to Knit a Love Song and How to Knit a Heart Back Home.

The only minor flaw I can find in Wishes & Stitches is at the very end of the novel.  Naomi was thrown for a loop that I didn’t quite understand.  Hopefully reading the other novels in the series will shed some light on this.  Overall, this was a wonderful novel and a perfect Saturday reading book.  It’s the kind of novel you will want to share with your friends because you know they will enjoy Naomi and Rig (Rig!) as much as you did.

Final Take: 4/5
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Alice's Review: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

 Summary: Connie Goodwin should be spending her summer doing research for her Ph.D. dissertation in American History. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she's compelled to help. It's not long before the time she's set aside for research is instead spent sorting through her grandmother's ancient possessions, discovering a woman she barely knew. One day, while exploring the dusty bookshelves in the study, Connie discovers a key hidden within an old bible. And within the key is a brittle slip of paper with two words written on it: Deliverance Dane. Along with a handsome steeplejack named Sam, Connie begins to dig into the town's records, looking for references to Deliverance Dane. But even as the pieces begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of the witch trials so long ago, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem's dark past than she could have ever imagined. Written by an author completing a Ph.D. in New England Studies, and whose ancestors were accused witches in Salem, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane travels seamlessly between the trials in the 1690s and a modern woman's story of mystery and discovery. ~powells.com

Review:  The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane centers around Connie, a Harvard graduate student.  After a timely request from her mother to close her grandmother’s house, Connie moves to a town outside Salem, MA.  The house is no prize, in fact it was downright scary:   no electricity, overgrown yard, located off the main road.  I wouldn’t walk onto the house in the daylight, let alone at night.  After finding a key with a name in it in a bible, Connie begins a quest to find who is Deliverance Dane.  I loved the journey to the past.  I found the foundation story of Deliverance and Mercy Dane wonderful.  I thought it was brilliant for Ms. Howe to pen it in old English.  It was challenging for me to read, but really enjoyable.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane is beautifully written, but there wasn’t a connection there for me to the modern day story.  I guess it’s acceptable for witches to roam the 17^th Century but they have no place in the 21st.  Small-minded, I know.  This comes mostly from the fear that witches do exist.  Then again, I’m not a fan of the occult in literature.  That is probably my biggest issue with this novel.  In spite of it, I found myself continuously drawn to the characters and events in the story.  I wanted to know what happened next.  My personal beliefs on the subject aside, I believe the novel is wonderful for someone interested in the Salem trials and a modern day girl’s connection to them.  Kudos to Ms. Howe for writing a twisted and interesting plot.  This novel was a page-turner. 

I feel as if I’m being unfair with this review.  It’s not that the novel is terrible, because it isn’t.  Ms. Howe is a gifted writer, a natural storyteller who captured her reader and doesn’t let them go until the very end.  It’s not that I didn’t like it because I did.  There was simply something missing for me.  It’s probably the subject matter and the disconnect I felt with the main character.  I understood why Connie was so structured and slightly pretentious, but that doesn’t mean I have to like her.  My favorite character in the novel was Grace, Connie’s earthy and holistic mom.  I just adore characters like that, mostly because I don’t take them seriously even though I know deep inside they seriously believe in the power of aura and crystals and all that other nonsense.  Grace provided me with some genuine laughter and this novel sorely needed it.

Had I know the story would involve modern day sorcery, I know I wouldn’t have read it. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t know because I enjoyed this novel and am thankful Julie included in our challenge. I still wish I had checked it out of the library instead of paying for it.

Final Take:  3/5

Julie's Review
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Julie's Review: Off the Menu

Summary: As the executive culinary assistant to celebrity Chicago chef Patrick Conlon, Alana Ostermann works behind the scenes—and that’s just the way she likes it. But with developing recipes for Patrick’s cookbooks, training his sous chefs, picking out the perfect birthday gifts for his ex-mother-in-law, and dealing with the fallout from his romantic escapades, she barely has a personal life, much less time to spend with her combo platter of a mutt, Dumpling. Then a fluke online connection brings her RJ, a transplant from Tennessee, who adds some Southern spice to her life. Suddenly Alana’s priorities shift, and Patrick—and Dumpling—find themselves facing a rival for her time and affection. With RJ in the mix, and some serious decisions to make about her personal and professional future, Alana must discover the perfect balance of work and play, money and meaning, to bring it all to the table—one delicious dish at a time…~amazon.com

Review:  Don't read this book when you are even the slightest bit hungry. Ok, even if you aren't hungry you will be while reading this novel. Seriously when I read food lit, it makes me salivate. Off the Menu is a cute book about being comfortable with yourself and where you are in your life, knowing that the rest will come when the time is right.

Alana Ostermann is a executive culinary assistant to one of the most popular restaurateurs and celebrity chefs around, Patrick Colon. It pretty much means she's at his beck and call, his "Girl Tuesday". She's made a comfortable life of her own and enjoys her job, her friends and her family. Of course when you aren't looking for it, you fall in love. This is what happens with Alana when she meets the sweet and charming, RJ.

What Ms. Ballis does wonderfully is that Alana doesn't change who she is. It's either take her or leave her. She's turning 40 and wants a partner that she can accept/love and who does the same of her. RJ full-fills this for her. One thing that I wanted a little more of was tension or an obstacle for them to overcome. Everything just went so smoothly for them. I'm not saying a plot device but relationships have bumps, so maybe a more realistic view. All RJ and Alana had was a brief hiccup. At times it was a bit too saccharine for my taste but I dealt with it.

I loved Alana's crazy big family, her friends and Patrick. I can only imagine how demanding it is to be an assistant to one of those tv chefs. Patrick for all of his faults, there are many, does have a heart of gold.

I have Good Enough to Eat on my shelves and I look forward to reading it since the character from that is in Off the Menu. For those who love food-lit, this one will make you want to become a die-hard foodie.

Final Take: 3.75/5



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Julie's Review: More Like Her

Summary: What really goes on behind those perfect white picket fences? In Frances' mind, beautiful, successful, ecstatically married Emma Dunham is the height of female perfection. Frances, recently dumped with spectacular drama by her boyfriend, aspires to be just like Emma. So do her close friends and fellow teachers, Lisa and Jill. But Lisa's too career-focused to find time for a family. And Jill's recent unexpected pregnancy could have devastating consequences for her less-than-perfect marriage. Yet sometimes the golden dream you fervently wish for turns out to be not at all what it seems;like Emma's enviable suburban postcard life, which is about to be brutally cut short by a perfect husband turned killer. And in the shocking aftermath, three devastated friends are going to have to come to terms with their own secrets . . . and somehow learn to move forward after their dream is exposed as a lie. ~powells.com  

Review: What looks like a book about friendship turns out to be be much more in Liza Palmer's More Like Her. What it shows is that appearances are just that and sometimes we don't really know what goes on behind closed doors.

The book opens up with a 911 call about a shooting at a school. Immediately your preconceived notions are thrown out the window. We are then taken to the days leading up to that call and shooting. We meet Frannie, Jill, Lisa and Emma. Emma is the new headmistress of Markham School that services well to do families in the Pasadena area. Emma's husband is a Professor at nearby UCLA. The story is told from Frannie's point of view and because she doesn't like Jamie, as a reader you don't like him. While Emma might come off snooty, once you dig into her layers you realize there is much more to her.

While we get to know each of the girls through Frannie's eyes and then through some revelations, you realize that some people hold things close to their chest. They don't open up until something extreme happens. You realize that no one is perfect and everyone has their own demons to work through.

Ms. Palmer does a great job of moving the story along and making you wonder what's going to happen. I wish we actually did learn a little more about Emma and Jamie. What was the trigger? Was it her standing up for herself for the first time in her life? What it something else? All of the characters are well thought out and have a specific way of moving the story forward. I would be remiss if I didn't talk about how dreamy and delicious Sam was in the novel. Yet, no matter his heartthrob factor he has some serious issues to work through before he could offer Frannie what she needed as well.

Even though the ending was a little too neat, I was still happy with it. If you haven't read More Like Her, I definitely recommend it.

Final Take: 4.25/5

Alice's Review






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Julie's Review: The First Husband

Summary: Annie Adams is days away from her thirty-second birthday and thinks she has finally found some happiness. She visits the world's most interesting places for her syndicated travel column and she's happily cohabiting with her movie director boyfriend Nick in Los Angeles. But when Nick comes home from a meeting with his therapist (aka "futures counselor") and announces that he's taking a break from their relationship so he can pursue a woman from his past, the place Annie had come to call home is shattered. Reeling, Annie stumbles into her neighborhood bar and finds Griffin-a grounded, charming chef who seems to be everything Annie didn't know she was looking for. Within three months, Griffin is Annie's husband and Annie finds herself trying to restart her life in rural Massachusetts.A wry observer of modern love, Laura Dave "steers clear of easy answers to explore the romantic choices we make" (USA Today). Her third novel is packed with humor, empathy, and psychological insight about the power of love and home.~powells.com

Review: The First Husband is the consummate summer read. I read it in less than 24 hours total. It is witty, sentimental and touching. Having said that, Annie is someone like I would have told very bluntly to get her shit together. She's always running from something: bad childhood, relationships, etc. When Nick ends their 5 year relationship, she happens to meet Griffin. Theirs is an easy courtship followed by a not so easy beginning to their marriage.

Annie deals with the problems like she always has, she runs. This time she runs to a "ready made life". Who wants a ready made life? Wouldn't you rather live your own? Annie discovers that somethings are worth running towards and not from them.

If you are looking for a vacation, pool or beach read, then pick up the The First Husband.

Final Take: 3.75/5




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Julie's Review: Losing Clementine

Summary:  In thirty days Clementine Pritchard will be finished with her last painting and her life. World-renowned artist and sharp-tongued wit Clementine Pritchard has decided that she's done. After flushing away a medicine cabinet full of prescriptions, she gives herself thirty days to tie up loose ends—finish one last painting, make nice with her ex-husband, and find a home for her cat. Clementine plans to spend the month she has left in a swirl of art-world parties, manic work sessions, and outrageous acts—but what she doesn't expect is to uncover secrets surrounding the tragedy that befell her mother and sister. In an ending no one sees coming, will we lose Clementine or will we find her? A bold debut from an exciting new voice, Losing Clementine is a wonderfully entertaining and poignant novel about unanticipated self-discovery that features one of the most irresistible, if deeply flawed, characters to grace contemporary fiction in years. ~amazon.com

Review:  Losing Clementine is an unique novel. It is not comparable to any book I've read. It is fresh, it is honest. It makes you look at someone who is suffering from mental illness in a new light. It also shows the long lasting effects of having a history of mental illness in a family.

Clementine is an interesting character. She is definitely not without faults but within those faults is a deep honesty to herself. She's not so honest with the people in her life. She lies to them about what is going to happen and what it is exactly she's preparing for. As we follow her through the last 30 days of her life, her life is pieced together as a canvas that she herself might paint.

She works through and I'd say resolves most of her issues in her life, including tracking down her father and beating the crap out of him towards the end. As you read through the novel, you keep wondering "will she, won't she?". I liked that we were kept in the loop on her decision making and how we got a view into her head. I won't say I agree with her but I can understand why she felt there was only one option.

Ms. Ream has written a distinct debut novel. She had a true understanding of Clementine and her mental illness. She wrote with passion and compassion for her character. I also liked how each chapter was a countdown in her 30 day quest.
As usual, Alice has picked a novel for me that I might not have otherwise have picked up and I thank her for that.

Losing Clementine is a novel really not to be missed for it's unique perspective. I look forward to reading whatever else Ms. Ream writes.

Final Take: 4.25/5

Alice's Review

Alice's Review: The Song Remains the Same

Summary: She’s a wife, a sister, a daughter…but she remembers nothing. Now she must ask herself who she is and choose which stories—and storytellers—to trust. One of only two survivors of a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes up in the hospital with no memory of it, or who she is, or was. Now she must piece together both body and mind with the help of family and friends who have their own agendas. Although Nell can’t remember all that came before, something just doesn’t sit right with the versions of her history given by her mother, her sister, and her husband.  Desperate for a key to unlock her past, she filters through photos, art, music, and stories, hoping that something will jog her memory, and soon, in tiny bits and pieces, Nell starts remembering. . . .From the New York Times bestselling author of Time of My Life comes a novel that asks: Who are we without our memories? How much of our future is defined by our past? ~amazon.com

Review:  When I began reading The Song Remains the Same, it reminded me of the movie The Vow.  Married woman gets amnesia, husband tries to woo her, she puts her life back together.  Similar right?  Actually no.  As Julie reminded me, the similarities end with amnesia.  In the beginning, I kept looking for those nonexistent similarities so much that it blurred my perceptive.  It didn’t help that I didn’t feel any love towards Peter (Nell’s husband), Nell’s mother and sister, or Anderson, the movie star and other plane crash survivor.  Nell, on the other hand, I adored.

With the help of a reporter and her therapist, and with no help from her family, Nell begins to piece her life back together one song at a time.  I love the playlist attached to this novel.  I love music and I thought it was great how Ms. Winn Scotch tied in song titles and lyrics with the each chapter.  It was clever and interesting. 

About halfway through the novel everything changed for me, the feeling of the novel changed.  The change was refreshing and unexpected.  I especially enjoyed the twist at the end.  It was surprising, again unexpected.  Perfect.  I really enjoyed this story.  I liked how during the process of getting her memory back, she learned that as much as she needed help from others, she really relied on herself to figure out who she was and who she could become. 

Unfortunately, there wasn’t any love gained with the supporting characters save for her mother.  Ms. Winn Scotch did her justice explaining why she did what she did.  Although I don’t agree with her actions, I understood the why.  Besides Nell, her mother was my favorite character. 

Something else I hadn’t expected was the emotional connection I felt towards The Song Remains the Same.  This novel was very introspective.  It snuck up on me and made me ask myself questions I’ve been avoiding.  More than once, I asked myself if I were to wake up to the life I was living now, what would I think of it?  What would I want to change?  What would I want to remain the same?  What would I want to remember?  What would I want to permanently forget?  Questions I’m sure I’ll ponder for some time to come.

Overall, this is an excellent novel.  Funny, endearing, startling.  I look forward to reading Allison Winn Scotch in the future.  She has made a fan out of me.

Final Take: 4/5

 Girls Just Reading: Julie's Review: The Song Remains the Same
 Girls Just Reading: Author Interview: Allison Winn Scotch

Julie's Reviews: The Hunger Games

Summary: Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Review: To be fair, I saw the movie before I even considered reading the books, so that being said it heavily influenced my enjoyment of the novel. Which is to say, that I did enjoy the novel but since I remembered most of the movie, I just wanted it to fill in the details that were missed.

I remember hearing a lot of rumbling that they didn't emphasize Katniss and Rue's bond but I felt it came across on film as one of the more powerful moments. Again if I had read the books first, I probably would have cried but I pretty much knew the writing was on the wall with that alliance.

I felt that Katniss' complex feelings for both Gale and Peeta. She doesn't understand where her longing for Gale is coming from when they've been nothing more than friends and partners. I can understand her complex feelings for Peeta because they are mixed in with the complexity of the games. They have to play a role, which is a role for her but a real thing for him. Did she exploit his feelings for her? Probably to some degree but Katniss is a survivor. It's all she knows. She doesn't understand emotion because she's doesn't have the luxury of thinking about other things other than basics.

Peeta still drives me nuts. I'm not sure what it is about him that bothers me but there is something. I don't think he's a wimp, I think he's a little wussy. Maybe I'll change my mind in future books or maybe my thoughts will be confirmed.

My favorite character besides Katniss is Cinna. Can I have my own Cinna, please?! He just seems real and true among all the fakes in the Capitol.

I will be reading Catching Fire and Mockingjay as a part of my YA Challenge. I'm actually looking forward to reading the books when I don't have a movie influencing me.

Final Take: 3.75/5

Alice and Jenn's Review

Alice & Julie's 2013 List Swap Challenge

In 2011 and 2012, we borrowed (or stole) this one from Jen at Devourer of Books, so we're going to continue to borrow it for 2013. Alice and I have decided again to do the List Swap Challenge. Woo hoo!!

What I liked about this challenge is that it got both of us out of our comfort zone in terms of what we normally read. For example, I don't do a lot of romance and Alice doesn't do a lot of thrillers/mysteries. It also allows your partner to pick some of their favorite reads and have you read them.

Basically, you choose five books for yourself to read and five books for your challenge partner to read, then one book to read together.

Our Book Together:
 









Alice's Picks for Julie:



Julie's Picks for Alice:



Alice's Picks:


Julie's Picks:



What do you think of our choices and our picks for each other? I'm intrigued by Alice's choices for me. She has quite the mix!

I think she'll like what I've picked for her, if she's in the mood for some historical fiction...