The Future of Us - Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

It

At SIBA this year, there was a session where each of the publishers were allowed one minute to stand up and promote the upcoming books they were excited about.  And Penguin talked about this one.  I couldn't help but get excited too, and snatched up a review copy.  Listen to the premise, and I bet you'll have the same reaction:


Synopsis:  Josh and Emma have been best friends and next-door neighbors for their entire lives.  That is, until six months ago, when Josh made his true, more romantic feelings known to Emma and scared her off.  Things do seem to be thawing a bit, and Josh decides to let Emma borrow an AOL download disc for her new computer.  It is 1996, and home computers and AOL are all the rage. 


Strangely, when they install it, there is a link to something called Facebook. The kids are stymied when they open it and see their lives, 15 years in the future.  At first it seems like a hoax, but they soon are convinced this is something bigger.  Emma is horrified by her "husband" and the life she seems to have.  Josh, however, is thrilled to see that he is married to the high school hottie.  They also find that when they make certain "tweaks", their future changes...break a vase, get in a fight, or just make up your mind you will or will not ever make a certain decision.  The two teenagers become obsessed with their future, and wonder if their lives will ever be the same (or sane) again.


My thoughts:  Penguin YA has cleverly partnered two of their hottest authors Jay Asher (Thirteen Reasons Why) and Carolyn Mackler (The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things) to create a very thought-provoking and sweet love story that is bound to hit a note with the Facebook generation.


I love that Asher and Mackler don't get caught up in the "why" of the story.  They are having a little magical fun that gives the reader some food for thought.  Do you really want to know what lies in your future, or would it just drive you crazy and make you second guess every move you make?  They also weave in some typical teen themes...crushes on unattainables, dealing with family issues, and friendship.  


The story was very predictable, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of it.  The prose makes for a quick, fun read.  I would offer a word of caution to parents of tween-aged kids...the book does make reference to teen pregnancy, use of condoms, and contained some scenes of heavy make-out sessions, so use your judgement for anyone under 13 or 14.


3.5 out of 5 stars

    

In the Garden of Beasts - Erik Larson (Audio)

Back before I started blogging, I experienced something that has only happened to me a handful of times in my reading life.  I was completely swept away - consumed, even - by a novel.  That novel was "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson.  It delved into the history of Chicago architecture, the 1893 World Fair, and a serial killer that was picking off young women who had come to the city to take advantage of job opportunities.  You couldn't have found a book more suited to my tastes, and will forever be in my top ten books ever.

On paper, "In the Garden of Beasts" should have had the same effect.  Erik Larson writing about an insider's view in 1933 Berlin, as Hitler was circling the wagons? I almost jumped out of my skin when I first read about it.  It made my "Wants and Needs" list.  I barged into line for the audio at my library.  It had my name aaaaaaaallll over it.

Synopsis: In 1933, a stodgy and humble professor from Chicago, William E. Dodd, was chosen to be the first US ambassador to Hitler's Germany.  The fact that he was far from the first choice because all previous candidates had declined the assignment should have been his first warning.  Nevertheless, armed with his shield of high morals, his wife, son and promiscuous daughter Martha, he sailed off to Germany determined to make a difference.

Almost immediately upon arriving, Dodd knew this was not the Germany he remembered from an earlier time.  Jews (and even a few Americans) were being attacked in the streets, Hitler was talking about building the "New Germany", and nobody paid attention to the earnest but bumbling ambassador.  He couldn't have been less equipped to manage the momentum building under his nose.

On the other hand, vivacious Martha was star-struck by the Nazi power, and slept her way through Berlin, the notches in her belt including a Gestapo commandant and a Soviet spy.  One of Hitler's men even tries to set her up with the Fuhrer himself. 

As the Dodds' time in Germany comes to a close, one of the most notorious signs of Hitler's rise in power occurs...the "Night of the Long Knives", when the Gestapo launches a massive preemptive strike against all of the Third Reich's enemies by invading their homes and executing their entire families.

My thoughts:  I find it amazing to actually see, from an American's point of view, what Berlin was like six long years before the invasion of Poland.  Hitler's master plan was one that did not happen overnight, but was strategically and methodically planned. The signs were there long before he set up the death camps.  Unfortunately, the people that could have made a difference either were afraid to say something or wrote him off as a goofball.

Nobody loves this stuff more than I do.  But I can't recommend this book.  And it breaks my heart. 

There are literally hundreds of names and facts, almost too broad in scope.  Too many to inspire any solid foundation upon which the reader may invest.  None of the characters are likable.  Dodd was weak and his daughter was a floozy.  US politicians turned their backs on Dodd's warnings, instead focusing on how much they disliked Dodd.  It all felt like a big ugly mess.  Does that make for good reading?  Perhaps, but the focus of the mess (how Hitler was allowed to grow into a monster, unchecked) strayed off-course, and more than once settled instead on Martha's sexcapades and Dodd's inadequacies.  It left me feeling irritated and confused.  And bored.

A word about the audio production:  It would be easy to blame the audio.  If you did, you would be half right, the audio did play a part in my unhappiness.  The narrator, Stephen Hoye, was not the right voice for the job.  He does a decent job at talking murder and mayhem in the Michael Harvey series, but he lacks the dynamics to hold your attention for 13 hours when historical fact is the main entree.  About halfway through, I began to do something I call "separating myself from the audio", and try to imagine reading the words.  I'm just not sure if reading this information would have made it any more palatable. 

When I look through the reviews on Amazon and other websites, I see that my opinion is not one that is shared by many people, and you need to know that.  Is it possible that the panache of Larson and WWII combined have clouded judgements?  I'm just asking...


2.5 out of 5 stars         

          

Not So Wordless Wednesday: Wroclaw #7

One of my favorite little treasures in Wroclaw is the Hala Stulecia (translated as Centennial Hall), formerly called Hala Ludowa. It was constructed in 1911, while under the German Empire, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many great speakers have taken the stage at this hall, and even just as recently as a few months ago, a European financial forum was held here.

Surrounding the hall is a gorgeous park, Japanese gardens, a big needle (pictured above...have no idea it's purpose), and a giant, 300-jet fountain that performs to music. We escaped to this area several times on our trip to have a drink or some ice cream and make use of the rare and valuable wireless Internet.

Joy For Beginners - Erica Bauermeister

In 2009, I accidentally stumbled upon Erica Bauermeister's "School of Essential Ingredients" on audio.  Nothing could have prepared me for the delight, THE JOY, of that book.  It left two distinct impressions with me when I finished it...the author knows food and the sensual art of cooking, and she knows the heart of a woman.

Now she is back again with more joy, both for beginners and her repeat customers.  I was resolute in my mission to wait for the audio.  But I saw this book at the Borders close-out sale, and I grabbed it.  I couldn't resist.  I needed some joy in my holiday season.

Synopsis:  Kate has just emerged from years of battling breast cancer, victorious and ready to embrace life again.  Her daughter has challenged her to take a white-water rafting tour in the Grand Canyon...something that is WAY outside Kate's comfort zone.  At an intimate dinner party with her five best girlfriends, Kate agrees to face her fear...IF the other five women agree to face their own fears by accepting a mission of Kate's choosing.

So we get to know each woman, and the struggles they have been through.  Motherhood, divorce, widowhood, alienation from family, as well as watching their friend fend off death.  They all have baggage, and Kate knows just the thing to help them heal.  Whether it be getting rid of an ex-husband's books, baking bread, or getting a tattoo, the women each go through a period of rediscovery and rebuilding.

My thoughts:  Well, that little statement I made about the food and the heart of a woman?  Ms. Bauermeister has done it again.  She is witty and warm; she makes my heart soar.  She gets it.    

When she talks about kneading and baking bread, I felt almost intoxicated:

Daria lay next to Henry in his bed, inhaling the smell of baking bread that filled the house, the man beside her.  Warm sugar, fields in the summer, the slight sharpness of wine.  She wondered if anyone had ever made a perfume that was the essence of bread, but even then, how could you get it to cover one person so evenly, to sink into hair, hands, the warm expanse of a chest?
Or what it feels like to be firmly implanted in middle age:

The cold reality of it had struck her, as if, perched on the crest of a roller coaster, the rest of the ride was suddenly, irreversibly clear.  On the way up, the vista had been infinite, the time to look about sometimes agonizingly long; now there was only the certain and dispassionate knowledge that there was one set of rails on which to travel, the ending immutable and about to begin.  It didn't matter that the rest of the trip might take twenty, even thirty years to complete; the angle of the ride had changed.
But probably the very best scene of the book is when Kate, after kicking those rapids to the curb, "leaned over, kissed Robin's cheek and leaped off the rock, a howl of joy flying in the air".  It makes me cry just typing it. 

If you are in the mood for a celebration of life, women and bread, you must give yourself the gift of sinking into this book.  Trust me, you will thank me.

5 out of 5 stars

A few bookish goals for 2012

 I'm always in awe of the bloggers that run their blog like a business.  They accomplish so much...features, interviews, giveaways.  They are always dreaming up something new, they work their social media, and are constantly improving their game.  


Me?  Not so much.  I'd love to have that kind of attitude, but I burned out years ago in the corporate world in the high-achieving category.  Therefore, I am the blog sloth.  (Haha!  I kind of like that term!)


But I do always think about what I am doing at the end of every year.  I am generally satisfied with my schedule throughout the week.  In my case, three book reviews (really not reviews though...maybe rambling would be a better term), something relating to movies on Monday, a picture on Wednesday, and my Sunday Salon.  I take Saturdays off.  


I will continue to heavily screen review copies, and join few challenges.  Fun = good.  Stress = bad.


As far as what I want to read though, here are some ideas:


1.  Read more free verse.  This was WAAAAY outside my comfort zone in 2011, but I have found that I love it.  For all of you that are scared, trust me and just try it ONCE.  Two titles that I have jotted down are "Perfect" by Ellen Hopkins, and "I Heart You, You Haunt Me" by Lisa Schroeder.


2.  Read more graphic novels.  Again, a genre that was off the path for me a couple of years ago.  Now I can't get enough.  Seriously.  My library seems to be lacking.  I'm going to put my miner's cap on and go digging one of these days.


3.  Immerse myself in the wonders of Simon Vance and Robin Sachs.  For those of you who don't recognize these names, they are the audiobook voices that will reduce you to a puddle of mush.  More digging at the library.


4.  Re-reads.  Something I very rarely do.  Specifically, I want to read "Smilla's Sense of Snow" by Peter Hoeg, "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy, and Stephen King's collection of short stories "Night Shift".  These are all books I remember fondly.  I want to see if they hold up.


5.  Author projects:

• Karen White - Tradd Street series, because I feel left out.
• John Green - I think I have them all, between my daughter and I.  
• Haruki Murakami - I will start with "Kafka on the Shore" and proceed further if I am moved.
• Sarah Pekkanen - If you follow her on Twitter, you will fall in love with her.  The fact that everyone loves her books, and that she wrote them in Chuck E. Cheese because she has three boys?  Can't resist.
• Kate Atkinson - I need more literary mysteries in my life, and I loved "Case Histories".
• Lisa See - Because she is coming to Orlando in March!

I am sure in 10 minutes I will read one of your posts and come up with more things I want to do, but these are ones that have been brewing for a couple of weeks.  Any other suggestions or comments?  

Sunday Salon: Sore muscles and a visitor from the north

 Good morning all!  How are we doing this morning?  Earlier this week, we had a blast of cold but now it is back to gorgeous weather in the mid-70's.  Winter schminter.  This is why people migrate down here.  


It seems when I am dieting, that is all I can focus on.  I love food, so when I am deprived of it, life takes on a different meaning.  It is literally ALL I CAN THINK OF!!!!  Not to mention my three-times-a-week with the uber-trainer Andre, who seems to desire only to make me feel pain.  I hope it pays off.  But this entire week, I've been walking like I've been riding a horse, and have floppy useless arms.


On Thursday, the kids went back to school, which was a very good thing.  They were getting bored and whiny, and on my last nerve.  I was able to fully clean my house in peace.  Then on Friday, my sister Kathie came to visit from Minnesota.  She brings with her fun, off-beat movies, and hardcore pot sticker-making skillz.  I'll be dragging her to Andre on Monday morning so someone else can feel my pain, and maybe even to my two book club meetings next week.  It is great to have her here.


Last night we all went out to one of our favorite restaurants these days called "Enzo's" to celebrate my husband's birthday.  Happy birthday honey!  I had to restrain myself from completely pigging out, but boy was it tasty.


As far as reading, I'm going to just lay it out.  I'm a loser.  I am the world's slowest reader, and I am getting frustrated.  If my life ever calms down (ha) then maybe I'll build up some momentum.  As it is, I have to be trapped on a plane to experience any productivity.  Anyway, I did finish "Unsaid" by Neil Abramson, and it was just a beautiful book.  I cried, but nobody is shocked by that one.  And I've just started "The History of History" by Ida Hattemer-Higgins, which has come highly recommended by Jackie. I'm three pages into it (loser, loser).   


I'm still working my way through the audio of Uncle Stevie's "11/22/63".  When the kids are home, I am very rarely plugged in, so this was my issue.  Now I should be able to finish it up by mid-next week.  I am on disc 24 of 30, and I think it is safe to say that this is going to be one of my top reads of the year.  Holy moly I love this book.  Stevie has my number.


Today we are scheduled for church, horseback riding lessons, a movie perhaps, and steaks on the grill.  It doesn't get any better!  Hope everyone has a wonderful day!


  

Before I Go To Sleep - S.J. Watson (Audio)

I've been eye-balling this book for some time now.  This whole mystery-slash-memory loss sub-genre has really taken over lately, and of course in my mind everything leads back to a favorite movie of mine "Memento".  (If you've not seen it, you must.  It is a serious brain-twister.  Don't drink while you watch it by the way, or you will be very cornfused.)

So then my friend Marianne recommended reading this for our January Books, Babes and Bordeaux book club.  She said is was wild and woolly and easy to read.  Which is a good thing if you are attempting to survive the holidays. 

Synopsis:  Christine wakes every day to a strange bed, a strange man lying beside her, and a strange woman in the mirror.  Her husband explains that she suffered traumatic head injuries in an accident that causes all of her short-term memory to be erased every time she goes to sleep.  Does she have friends?  Does she have children?  Does she have a job? 

Christine receives a call from a doctor that appears to be working with her to regain some of her memory.  He has encouraged her to keep a diary, so as she learns things about herself, she can write them down and use it to recall important details.  She begins to suspect something is wrong when she finds a note in her diary that says she should not trust her husband.  Christine must figure out whether she is delusional, or whether there is a reason to be scared for her life.

My thoughts: I guess when Lionel Shriver and Dennis Lehane blurb a book, and it is compared to "Memento", you expect it to be a book destined to be on your best of lists.  Unfortunately, while this book was entertaining, it was disappointing. 

The premise is creepy.  Every day you wake up remembering nothing?  Slowly, Christine starts to attempt to piece together her life and keep track of it in her journal.  Things don't add up.  There are twists, some expected, some not.  A couple of times, the rug was pulled out from under me.  There were some other twists that I saw coming a mile away.  Overall, though, it was a real mind-bender. 

From an author's perspective, this was a writing minefield.  There were literally thousands of facts that could trip you up.  All I wanted to do, subconsciously, is poke holes in it.  It was really hard for me to relax and enjoy the ride.

After awhile, I did get weary.  Losing her memory every night, waking up and discovering things written in the diary.  Does she love her husband?  Does she trust him?  It began to get repetitive in the middle of the book, before things ramped up at the end.  The ending also felt very tidy, where everything is 'splained, like a Scooby Doo mystery.  Jenners and I discussed this via e-mail, and she actually offered an alternate ending that would have knocked me right down on my hiney.  That Jenners is clever, she is.

Bottom line?  A good entertaining mystery, but not a great one.

A few words about the audio production:  Our narrator for this book was Orlagh Cassidy, who is a new voice for me.  She has a beautiful, lilting British accent and was pleasant to listen to.  She expressed genuine emotion and was a very believable victim.      

3 out of 5 stars