Book Review - A Week in Winterby Maeve Binchy

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

Book club read. After I finish the book, I do wish to visit Ireland and stay in the fictional Stone House for a vacation. However, this book reads more like short stories than a novel, as it talked about how the Stone House came about, and then it took turn to explain each guest's stories... I suppose this is like the equivalent of beach read in winter. It was an easy read, but just not really my kind of books.



Note - The book was borrowed from the library.



All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan

 The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan

Summary:
A Diamond is Forever. Is it?

Review:
There are 5 different stories going on in this novel, and it was easy to forget who-is-who. In the end, you can see how everyone is tied together. Learned some historical facts about where the De Beer's phrase "A Diamond is Forever" came from. An okay read - at least I wanted to find out what happened; but none of the characters really made me feel for them one way or another. This was a book club read, so not something I'd have chosen on my own.



Note - The book was borrowed from the library.



All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - The Wednesday Sisters (Wednesday #1) by Meg Waite Clayton

The Wednesday Sisters (Wednesday #1) by Meg Waite Clayton

This was a book club pick. Not my usual picking, but I did enjoy it - I probably enjoy it more now that I am a mum, and probably would have liked it less when I was childless - even though the main theme of the story was more about friendship than motherhood, but motherhood still played a big role.

It started off a little slow... and it covered many years. It was interesting to read what life was like for women back in 1967 in the US. Let's just say I am more suitable to live in the current time :) I did find the ending very touching, and am a bit envious of the friendship these 5 women shared. (Don't get me wrong, I do have some great, close friends, but it's not quite like so :) Maybe if we start doing what these women did every Wednesday? :) )

I just found out there is a sequel called the Wednesday Daughters that just came out - that talked about well, the daughters of the Wednesday Sisters :) Not sure if I'd read or not, but I'd at least want to google spoilers when more reviews come in hehe!

Somewhere between 3 to 3.5 Stars... settled on 3 Stars because it didn't quite draw me in like some other books I'd marked as 3.5 recently...

Note - The book was borrowed from the library.



All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - Megan's Way by Melissa Foster

Title: Megan's Way
Author: Melissa Foster 
Year: 2009
Page: 304
Genre: Fiction - Women

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
What would you give up for the people you love?

When Megan Taylor, a single mother and artist, receives the shocking news that her cancer has returned, she'll be faced with the most difficult decision she's ever had to make. She'll endure an emotional journey, questioning her own moral and ethical values, and the decisions she'd made long ago. The love she has for her daughter, Olivia, and her closest friends, will be stretched and frayed.

Meanwhile, fourteen-year-old Olivia's world is falling apart right before her eyes, and there's nothing she can do about it. She finds herself acting in ways she cannot even begin to understand. When her internal struggles turn to dangerous behavior, her life will hang in the balance.

Megan's closest friends are caught in a tangled web of deceit. Each must figure out how, and if, they can expose their secrets, or forever be haunted by their pasts.

First Sentence:
Megan and Holly ran, weaving their way through the crowds of the carnival and hollering to hear over the thick cheer that permeated the festive evening.

My Thoughts:

• Tea Time with Marce really enjoyed this book (see her review here) and I was in the mood for a sappy book so I picked up this one from the library.

• One review I read said that this book is like a sappy lifetime movie - I had to agree. It was not something I'd usually watch, unless I was really in the mood. This read a bit like a YA book. There were parts of this book I really like, but there were other parts I didn't quite like - even though I was in a sappy mood, but my usual non-sappy mind still came out while I read this. Let's talk about the part I did not like first - note, I'll include spoilers because it was too difficult to explain if I don't.

• The story included some diary entries and letters. I typically like that, but in this story, it got a bit repetitive since the messages were pretty much the same.

• I also could not connect to the characters - though there were parts of it still made me cry. Many of the characters in the book, female or male, cried a lot. I got that it was a sad story, but it got repetitive. The same for Megan's daughter, I got that she got angry sometimes, but that again got repetitive. Maybe if I read a bit slower or over a longer period of time, I wouldn't feel the repetitiveness as much. When you read a book in a short time, you tended to see the whole book instead just parts of it.

• The following were some questions I had about the book, that I wish would have been answered more - see, I told you my usual overly logical or practical mind came out... I liked closures in books, that's why I don't typically do well with ambiguity in books (I have no problem dealing with ambiguity at work, as that just comes with the territory and we don't have control over everything, but stories are different since the author had control to include or not include something)

• [SPOILER]  (1) if Holly knew or suspected that Megan was dying, why didn't Holly tell Jack to go to Megan's birthday ritual since she knew how much it meant for Megan to have all her friends there? (2) if Megan and Lawrence had such a strong attraction, why would Megan go away that weekend and did what she did? (3) Holly's secrets..  seemed a bit far fetched regarding what happened with Peter and the baby switch... (4) the strong connection between Megan and Olivia seemed a bit unrealistic - I guess you hear about that with twins though, so I suppose it could happen with mother/daughter... (5) I was not sure about the timing - when did Holly get pregnant? Megan came back from "Italy" after 3 months, and saw Holly and Jack being in love, it didn't mention Holly was pregnant. Then both Holly and Megan were pregnant at the same time, and gave birth around the same time , and the 2 girls looked so much alike - wouldn't one baby be at least 3 months older than the other unless of course Holly got pregnant straight away when she and Jack got together... but I didn't get that impression? I suppose Holly could have gotten pregnant a month or two after Megan, but then her baby would have been a premmie. (6) It also seemed like all the 4 friends had such a strong friendship and yet there were so many secrets among them - is it possible to have such a strong friendship still given all the guilt they have? [/SPOILER]

• I liked that the books had lots of twists, but some of them seemed a bit contrived and they way they were delivered were a bit anti-climatic as they were revealed "just like that" without a lot of built up. 

• What I did REALLY like about this book, was the strong bond between the mother/daughter, and the amazing friendship Megan had with her friends - that made me envy her. I guess I am always one who would rather have a few close friends than a big group of less close friends. 

• And the book really made me think  - if I had terminal cancer, would I choose to fight or spare the loved ones seeing me deteriorate when it's 99% inevitable?

Quote: 

Megan realized that there was a certain fear when one brought life into the world, and a completely different type of fear when one prepared to die (p120)

Overall Rating:

3 Stars. There were parts I really liked about this book (and made me get teary), but my mind was overly analytical about some other aspects of the story.


All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Title: What Alice Forgot
Author: Liane Moriarty 
Year: 2011
Page: 412
Genre: Fiction - Women

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
What would happen if you were visited by your younger self, and got a chance for a do-over?

Alice Love is twenty-nine years old, madly in love with her husband, and pregnant with their first child. So imagine her surprise when, after a fall, she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! she HATES the gym!) and discovers that she's actually thirty-nine, has three children, and is in the midst of an acrimonious divorce.

A knock on the head has misplaced ten years of her life, and Alice isn't sure she likes who she's become. It turns out, though, that forgetting might be the most memorable thing that has ever happened to Alice.

First Sentence:
She was floating, arms outspread, water lapping her body, breathing in a summary fragrance of salt and coconut.

My Thoughts:

• I read At Home With Books' review (see here). The premise sounded very interesting - I don't know what it is, but it seems like there are a lot of "memory loss" books out this year? E.g. Before I Go To Sleep, Forgotten (YA, I won a copy but haven't read yet). Well, I am definitely interested in memory loss books because the plot line can be so different for each story! A lot of room for creativity.

• I was hoping this was not going to be too chick-lit like. I read another review that said the first part was so-so, the second part was really good, and the last part was excellent. Nay. The general story line was not bad, but it was WAY TOO LONG. It would be a stronger story if it was shorter. The story was interesting enough that made you kept on reading to find out what happened, but the author deliberately made it longer, e.g. Alice might remember a fragment of someone or something, but nobody would tell her what it meant, they just told her she wouldn't want to know... it got old when it keeps happening.
  
• The story was mostly told in 3rd person about Alice, but it included Elizabeth's diary and Frannie's letters.The subplots about Alice's sister and grannie were also unnecessary - in fact, I don't even remember what happened to them now, a few months after I read this book.

•  One thing I did really like about the book - it made me evaluate my relationship with my husband - no, we don't hate each other and don't have any plans to separate at all, but we've definitely settled into the companion phase of the relationship, like an old married couple. Why couldn't we have sustained how we felt about each other when we first met, you know? We've become so comfortable with each other (not that it's a bad thing) that those "makes you heart races" moments become rare... I know it is normal for this type of relationship (learned enough from my college psych classes) but still, sometimes I miss the honeymoon phases.
  
• The story definitely did make me wonder what it'd be like if I were to lose 10 years of memories tomorrow...

• Another blogger review I read (see here) was wondering what some Australian slang mean, e.g. lollies, Freddo Frog. I am glad I haven't forgotten my Aussie slang :)

• Overall, the story was interesting, and the relationship about Nick and Alice seemed quite realistic. But it would be a much, much strong book had it been at least 100 pages shorter. And well, make it a bit less predictable. But that's the problem I have with most chick-lit or women's fiction.

Quote: 

It seemed truly frightening that it was only by sheer chance that she had met Nick. It could so easily not have happened, and then she would have had a shadowy, half-alive existence, like some sort of woodland creature who never sees sunlight. (p77)

I asked if you thought Sarah looked even more beautiful than usual that night, and you said, "Alice, I could never love anyone the way I love you,' and I laughed and said, "That wasn't the question,' but it was the question, because I was feeling insecure, and that's what you said. (p232)

But maybe every life looked wonderful if all you saw was the photo albums. (p291)

Overall Rating:

2.5 Stars. Would be a stronger book if it was shorter.


All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - Joy For Beginners: A Novel by Erica Bauermeister

Title:  Joy For Beginners: A Novel
Author: Erica Bauermeister 
Year: 2011
Page: 288
Genre: Fiction - Women

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
At an intimate, festive dinner party in Seattle, six women gather to celebrate their friend Kate's recovery from cancer. Wineglass in hand, Kate strikes a bargain with them. To celebrate her new lease on life, she'll do the one thing that's always terrified her: white-water rafting. But if she goes, all of them will also do something they always swore they'd never do-and Kate is going to choose their adventures.

Shimmering with warmth, wit, and insight, Joy for Beginners is a celebration of life: unexpected, lyrical, and deeply satisfying.

First Sentence: 
Life came back slowly, Kate realized.

My Thoughts:

• Rhapsody in Books highly recommend this book (see her review here). I really liked the premise of the story, so I decided to read this. Well, or tried to read it as I could not finish it.

• There were many positive reviews out there for this book, so I think it is really just me. I just can't seem to like Women Fiction. I don't know if that's because I don't connect with the characters or that I am not a girly-girl or what, but these books usually bore me. I read the first 92 pages and I had had enough. After the introductory chapter, each following chapter was about one of the 6 friends and what their dare was. I just got bored reading 40 pages about each of these women - e.g. [SPOILER] a woman who tried to find courage to box up her husband's stuff after he left for a younger woman, or another 40 pages about another woman who tried to learn to make bread [/SPOILER].  Their stories were just too predictable.

• So yeah, most female readers would probably like this book. It's just me being difficult :) 

Overall Rating:

0 Star. Did Not Finish. I was bored.


All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Title: Night Road
Author: Kristin Hannah 
Year: 2011
Page: 385
Genre: Fiction - Women

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads.com):
For a mother, life comes down to a series of choices.
To hold on…
To let go..
To forget…
To forgive…
Which road will you take?

For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children’s needs above her own, and it shows—her twins, Mia and Zach—are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable.

Jude does everything to keep her kids safe and on track for college. It has always been easy-- until senior year of high school. Suddenly she is at a loss. Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them.

On a hot summer’s night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget…or the courage to forgive.

NIGHT ROAD is vivid, emotionally complex novel that raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love.

First Sentence:
She stands at the hairpin turn on Night Road.

My Thoughts:

• I haven't read Kristin Hannah before, but Tea Time with Marce convinced me to give this one as try as she gave it 5 stars (see her review here)!

• I don't know if it's because I am not a mum, but women's fiction, as well as chick lit, just don't really appeal to me :( I found the story too predictable. The prologue gave away too much.

• I also thought the characters were too stereotypical. At first I did like the mum Jude (even if she was a little over protective, but I think if I was a mum I would be too) but then she became unlikeable. I suppose if she was too likable then it became unrealistic too.

• The writing was easy enough to read, so that's a plus.

• This book did get lots of good reviews, so I think it's just me not liking family drama. This seems too much like a Hallmark/Lifetime movie. Though  I did get slightly teary eyed a little.

Quote: 

But i know that justice and revenge are two different things. (p204)

Overall Rating:

 

2 Stars. A bit too predictable for me.


All reviews and posts are copyrighted by Christa @ Mental Foodie. Please do not use or reprint them without written permission.

Book Review - A Vintage Affair: A Novel by Isabel Wolff

Title: A Vintage Affair: A Novel
Author: Isabel Wolff
Year: 2010
Page: 423
Genre: Fiction - Women

New to me author? Yes
Read this author again? Possibly
Tearjerker? No
Where did it take place? England
FTC Disclosure: Part of Crazy Books Tour - received a copy and then sent it to the next reviewer

Summary (from goodreads.com):
Do fairytale dresses bring fairytale endings? Every dress has a history, so does Phoebe! Phoebe always dreamt of opening her own vintage dress shop. She imagined every detail, from the Vivienne Westwood bustiers hanging next to satin gowns, to sequinned cupcake dresses adorning the walls. At the launch of Village Vintage, Phoebe feels the tingle of excitement as customers snap up the fairytale dresses. Her dream has come true, but a secret from her past is casting a shadow over her new venture. Then one day she meets Therese, an elderly Frenchwoman with a collection to sell, apart from one piece that she won't part with ! As Therese tells the story of the little blue coat, Phoebe feels a profound connection with her own life, one that will help her heal the pain of her past and allow her to love again.

First Sentence:
"...seven-teen, eight-teen... nine-teenn...twenty! Com-ing!" I yelled.  

Why did I pick this book?
When I saw this book up for review as part of Crazy Books Tour, I debated whether to get it. I usually don't like reading women fiction or chick lit, but some said it's more than the typical chick lit. On the other hand, while I am not a fashionista, I do appreciate vintage clothing. So I thought I'd give this one a try - if anything, I could learn a bit more about vintage clothing, which I don't know much about!

My thoughts:

• It's not bad. The plot is a bit predictable, which is why I generally don't like reading this genre. It is also quite long and I think it could've been shortened a bit.

• The characters are likable, and I wish I know a old lady like Therese. Though none of the characters or the plot really tuck at my heartstrings, despite the background involves a sad part of history... 

• The best part for me was, as predicted, the vintage clothes! I wish pictures were included! Clothes can definitely change how you feel about yourself - your self confidence, the impression you gave, and just make you feel better when the clothes fit nicely. Though on the flip side, clothes shopping can be so frustrating when nothing fits properly because you don't shape like a model... 

• I googled some of the designers mentioned, and particularly liked Cristobal Balenciaga and Madame Gres. Had never heard of them before. In fact, I don't know a lot of designers... I have to say though I love watching Project Runway even though I can't sew (my mum is a fantastic seamstress though!)

• You can read other reviews from the tour here. 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

 

Have you read this book? 
If you have, I would love to hear what you think! I'll link your review here if you wish!

Challenges:
100+ Reading

Book Review - The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship (A Novel) by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel

Title: The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship (A Novel)
Author: Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel
Year: 2009
Page: 368
Genre: Fiction: Chick-lit / Women

New to me author? Yes
Read this author again? No
Tearjerker? No
Where did it take place? New York, Boston
FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

Summary (from amazon.com):
Loyalty, loss, and the ties that bind. These are the ingredients of The Recipe Club, a "novel cookbook" that combines an authentic story of friendship with more than 80 delicious recipes.

Lilly and Val are lifelong friends, united as much by their differences as by their similarities. Lilly, dramatic and confident, lives in the shadow of her beautiful, wayward mother and craves the attention of her distant, disapproving father. Val, shy and idealistic—and surprisingly ambitious— struggles with her desire to break free from her demanding housebound mother and a father whose dreams never seem to come true.

In childhood, "LillyPad" and "ValPal" form an exclusive two-person club, writing intimate letters in which they share hopes, fears, deepest secrets—and recipes, from Lilly's "Lovelorn Lasagna" to Valerie's "Forgiveness Tapenade." Readers can cook along as the friends travel through time facing the challenges of independence, the joys and heartbreaks of first love, and the emotional complexities of family relationships, identity, mortality, and goals deferred.

The Recipe Club sustains Lilly and Val's bond through the decades, regardless of what different paths they take or what misunderstandings threaten to break them apart . . . until the fateful day when an act of kindness becomes an unforgivable betrayal.

Now, years later, while trying to recapture the trust they've lost, Lilly and Val reunite once more—only to uncover a shocking secret. Will it destroy their friendship, or bring them ever closer?

First Sentence:
Dear Lilly, I have started a letter just like this about a thousand times.

Why did I pick this book?
I first saw it under New Books in my library online catalog - I love the title (I love food remember? Even though I can't really cook but am learning how to) and there were some good reviews online. Even though it's not a genre I'd normally pick, I thought I'd give it a try.

My thoughts:

• I love the cover - if you remove the text, I'd hang the picture on my wall at home - serenity, was the first word that came to mind
  
  
• I love the format of the book - emails and letters (and recipes!) between two close friends. They also include some drawing and colors on the recipes page which made it look fun
  
  
• Unfortunately, that's about the only things I like about the book :( I could not relate to the 2 main characters (Val and Lilly) or their families. Granted, Val and Lilly are older than I am, so we are at a different stage of life... but their big argument is so... trivial... I mean, really? You were such close friends that you broke up your friendship over that (at college age - not even high school)? And even after 26 years of not talking to each year, you still couldn't get over it?
  
  
• I also think the two voices aren't distinctive enough - I couldn't tell who wrote the letters without seeing who signed it. Also, I don't think the characters matured over the years...
  
  
• The letters / emails dialog seemed kinda forced... do people really talk like that? Maybe I am the weird one because my friends and I don't... "Look, I know I'm high-strung and a bit of a diva, but there's something I need to get off my 36DD chest -- the one you've always wished you had." (p37)
  
  
• Some other reviews said you will laugh and cry with the girls... I got bored instead. It was an easy read that I did finish it, and kept hoping that the big secret would make the book better... but it was predictable
  
  
• I think the content of the book also does not go with the cover art - I was expecting a book that explores friendship in a deeper manner (the cover art makes the book looks serious, while the content is more "fun")
  
  
• I have to say though, I don't read chick-lit much. I tried... but I usually got bored and know how the ending will turn out. I wanted to understand why they are so popular but I just don't relate to the characters. I tried reading some that has a bit of mystery/murder elements in them since I prefer those books - so I read One for the Money by Janet Evanovich and The Spellman Files by Liz Lutz. The latter was just okay to me, while the Stephanie Plum book was... really not my cup of tea - I guess not enough twists and turns. So with that in mind - that's why I gave this book a low rating. However, if you generally like chick-lit, I think you will enjoy it.

Rating:

Have you read this book? 
If you have, I would love to hear what you think!
I'll link your review here if you wish!

Challenges:
100+ Reading