Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: Jan. 2002 by Berkley Trade (First published 1947), 320 pp.
Source: Library
Review: 5/5 stars

Brief Summary: (From Goodreads.com) A moving love story set in the Canadian wilderness, Mrs. Mike is a classic tale that has enchanted millions of readers worldwide. It brings the fierce, stunning landscape of the Great North to life-and tenderly evokes the love that blossoms between Sergeant Mike Flannigan and beautiful young Katherine Mary O'Fallon.


My Thoughts: The reason I posted a review of These Is My Words recently was because I wanted to be able to compare it to Mrs. Mike.  I loved this book.  I read it several years ago when I was pregnant with my first child.  I really liked it then but my taste in books has changed a little over the last few years so I wasn't sure if I would like it as much this time around.  It was just as good, if not better.  To me, Mrs. Mike and These Is My Words are very similar in the following ways:

• Both are told by a young female protagonist in first person
• Similar historic time period (one set in late 1800's, the other in early 1900's)
• Both protagonists absolutely adore their husbands
• Each of them endure severe trials
• Both married peace-keeping military men

Even though they are similar I much prefer Mrs. Mike.  She seemed so much more real to me than Sarah Prine did.  Maybe that's just because Katherine Flannigan was a real person but many fictional characters can seem very real.  Katherine had flaws and I enjoyed watching her overcome them.  Sarah was always just too perfect and too strong for every occasion.  I also preferred Katherine and Sergeant Mike's relationship over Sarah and Captain Elliot's relationship.

Mrs. Mike made me laugh out loud but also made me cry.  That's a great combination in my book.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to all those who loved, or didn't love, These Is My Words.  If you haven't read that book but you like a sweet romance and a historical book that will make you laugh and cry, then this is a great book for you.  The best part, it's a clean read.


Ratings:  1.3.2  There is a some violence dealing with the dangers of frontier life, and there's also some profanity but fairly mild if I remember right.


Thanks for reading!

These Is My Words by Nancy E Turner

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 1999 by ReganBooks,  384 pp.
Source: Library
Reason:  Book club
Review:  3/5 stars

Brief Summary:  Journal entries of Sarah Agnes Prine, a pioneer woman living the Arizona Territory from 1881-1901.

My Thoughts:  I had heard so many people just rave about this book so I was expecting to love it.  Unfortunately, I didn't love it.  It may have been that I read it at the wrong time.  I wasn't in the right state of mind for this particular novel.  I felt that Sarah and her Captain were just too perfect.  Lots of bad things happen to them and they sometimes get mad at each other but they always react perfectly.  Sarah, especially, seems to always do everything right.  I like a good, strong heroine but she was just too much so for me.  I think I read it at a time when I wasn't feeling particularly good about myself or my marriage (as that happens from time to time) and they just annoyed me.  Their relationship wasn't real to me--as real as a fictional relationship can be, I suppose.

Anyway, I know this is a much beloved book so I hope my bad attitude isn't offensive to anyone.  The book was interesting and I wasn't about to put it down.  I must say that I almost put it down at the very beginning because the grammar and spelling were terrible as this is supposed to be the journal of a young woman without much education.  Fortunately, she quickly learns and the "mistakes" are much fewer in number.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to most adults but there are a couple of parts that are a bit disturbing.  I have heard of some very selective readers being offended by these parts but most women I know who have read this book really liked it, despite these parts.  Many young adults may also enjoy this book.

See left side-bar for explanation

Ratings: 3.3.2  The 3's are because of the occurrences of rape and attempted rape.  There is some minor profanity as well.


Thanks for reading!

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published:  1996, Ballantine Books
Source: Personal library
Review:  4/5 stars


Brief Summary:  The legend of a woman named Joan who, disguised as a man, allegedly became Pope in the ninth century is brought to life in this novel by Donna Cross.  As a very intelligent young woman she decides to dress as a boy in order to pursue her dream of learning and education that was completely denied to women during that time.  Her superior intellect, drive, and compassion give her many opportunities and eventually lead her to the highest spiritual position on earth.


My Thoughts:  This really is a fascinating book.  I don't know for sure what to think about the truth of whether this woman existed but it is definitely a good story.  I really enjoyed learning more about this time period.  The utter brutality and injustice toward women that was described made me so mad, the corruption and politics discussed were very interesting, and the love story is heartfelt.


We read this for book club and everyone enjoyed it.  It was fun to debate about whether or not she did exist and I think we agreed that where there's this much smoke there is probably fire. If you've read the book and the pages by the author at the back talking about her research you would have seen the picture of the chair.  For most of us that was the most convincing piece of evidence that something happened to make them use that chair and declare the nominee a man.  It was also quite funny. :)


Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to most people I know.  On the back of my copy there was a review that said, "Pope Joan has all the elements one wants in a historical drama–love, sex, violence, duplicity, and long-buried secrets. Cross has written an engaging book."–Los Angeles Times Book Review.  That made me a little nervous about reading it but the sexual content ended up being fairly mild.  The violence was actually more offensive to me than the sexual content (but that's just my opinion).  


Ratings: 2.4.2  Includes sexual relations between an unmarried couple but is not explicit.  Violence includes child abuse, war type violence, sexual assault, and violent punishments.  Profanity was fairly minimal.


Thanks for reading!

The Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nielson

Genre: YA fiction, Fantasy

Published: 2010, 304 pgs.

Source: Personal library (I first read a borrowed copy but then bought my own)

Other info: Local author, book club selection

Review: 4.5/5 stars

I don't know if it stems from some personal fantasy of my own, but I'm a sucker for this kind of story. I'm talking about the stories where the plain, insignificant girl becomes a great heroine of a fantastic tale. The kind in which a girl who doesn't think much of herself comes to realize how wonderful and important she is. I love books like Jane Eyre and Precious Bane. All those Regency romances in which the little spinster snags the heart of the handsome rake are my guilty pleasures.

When one of the ladies from my book club suggested Forbidden Sea because she knew the author and thought that she would come to our discussion, I have to admit that I was skeptical. I really didn't think I would like a "mermaid" book. What I discovered as I started reading was that this was not a book about mermaids as much as it was a wonderful coming-of-age story of an interesting and lovable heroine. The book hits the ground running as fourteen-year-old Adrianne is out on a stormy beach searching for her missing younger sister when she encounters a beautiful but sinister mermaid trying to kidnap her sister. The story unfolds from there as she tries to figure out the mystery of the mermaid and why she wants her sister, Cecily, while at the same time trying to take care of her family which depends on her despite her young age. There's adventure, unrequited love, mystery, and all the makings of a great story.

Sheila Nielson did come to our book club and it was so fun. She is awesome and I'll tell you all about it in another post. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of YA fiction. After I came home so excited about our book club meeting my husband decided to read it and he really liked it, too.

Rating: 1.1.1 A perfectly clean read. The mermaids are even fully clothed! :)

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

Genre: Historical fiction
Published: 2007, 320 pgs.
Source: Personal library
Book club selection

Review: 4/5 stars

Ellis is a small fictional town in Colorado that has some big changes coming to it as Sandra Dallas begins her novel Tallgrass. It's 1942 and after the devastation at Pearl Harbor the United States government is rounding up all Japanese Americans living on the west coast and relocating them to internment camps situated more inland. It's a dark time in American history and we see the darkness in some of the characters of this novel as well as the goodness and enlightenment of others. The story is told in the voice of 13-year-old Rennie and she describes how she is affected by the Tallgrass internment camp that is built near her family's farm on the outskirts of Ellis.

We read this book for book club last month and everyone really liked it. The characters are wonderful; you feel like you know them and one book club member said that she missed them when the book was over. That is high praise indeed.

If you're looking for a book to learn more about conditions in the internment camps then this isn't the book you'd want. The camp is definitely a major part of the story but it's more about how it affects the people on the outside rather than the inside.

Rating: 2.2.2 Tallgrass includes some mature themes but I didn't find anything offensive. There is some violence and a little barnyard language (if I remember right). Sex is an issue but is not described.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Genre: Realistic fiction

Published: Published 1948, 320 pgs.

Book club

Review: 5/5 stars

I read this book in a very short time period because I procrastinated but I really wanted to finish it before book club. I wish I had had more time to savor it because it is a beautiful book. Cry, The Beloved Country tells the story of Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo as he travels to Johannesburg in search of his sister and son who have not been heard from in many months. The setting is South Africa in the 1940's, a time of change and great racial tensions. It is a beautiful tale of compassion and forgiveness as well as a heart-breaking story of hate and prejudice. The dialogue is so simple and straight-forward but I found it to be profound and conveyed such feeling and meaning. I think this book is wonderful for learning more about the struggles of South Africa but is also very pertinent to our lives today.

Rating: 1.2.1 There are some references to prostitution, mild descriptions of violence, and some mild profanity (Biblical in nature).

Follow the River by James Alexander Thom

Genre: Historical, Based on a true story

Published: 1981, 406 pgs.

Bookclub

Review: 3/5 stars

Mary Ingles was kidnapped by Shawnee Indians from her home in a Virginia settlement in 1755. She was nine months pregnant at the time and would soon give birth along the trail as she and the other hostages were taken back to the Shawnees' village. I hope I'm not giving too much away to say that she eventually escapes and attempts to return to her husband.

This is definitely an inspiring story of a very courageous woman but I didn't really enjoy that much. It was interesting but there was too much graphic violence for my taste. That wasn't the main reason for my lack of enthusiasm though. I can't quite put my finger on it except that it was too long and drawn out. I started feeling like I just wanted it to end.

Rating: 2.5.2 Several sexual references, lots of violence including some inflicted on children and animals, mild profanity.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Genre: Mystery

Published: 1939, 173 pgs.

Review: 4.5/5

This was our book club's choice for October. In the past we've chosen books like Frankenstein and Rebecca for their spookiness value. And Then There Were None is pretty creepy too. The story unfolds as 10 very different individuals are brought together on an island. It's a little like the movie Clue but without the comedy aspect. We did something really fun for this meeting. We told everyone to read up through the epilogue but not to read the very last section, a letter to Scotland Yard. By doing this we could read the whole story but not find out "who dun it". Then at book club we read the last ten pages that tell what really happened. The idea was really fun but in actuality almost everyone, for some reason or other, had found out who the murderer was. Even though it didn't work out perfectly, I think it was a great idea.

The book club discussion was definitely not as uplifting as our meetings usually are. We talked about crazy people and murder and how a person can get to the point of committing pre-meditated murder.

If you like mysteries I really recommend Agatha Christie--unpredictable, sometimes humorous, and always clean.

Rating 1.2.1 Includes violence but not graphic.

The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis

The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis was a very interesting read. The story is set in Memphis, Tenessee where a community of Orthodox Jews has existed and even thrived for the last 100 years. It seems an unlikely place to find such a community but the people who live there are very proud of what they have built, a community that includes a shul, a school, a kosher grocery story and even a kosher restaurant. Underneath the seemingly idyllic circumstances there does exist some discontent, but for the most part everyone deals with the hand they've been dealt and they keep the peace. The story is told in the collective voice of the women of this Jewish community, the Ladies Auxiliary, and it begins with Batsheva moving into their midst. Batsheva is a convert to Judaism and after her husband died, she and her young daughter, Ayala, decide to move to the place where her husband had been raised. The Ladies Auxiliary is all about how the free-spirited Batsheva shakes things up.

I really enjoyed this book. I was very interested in learning more about the beliefs and traditions of Orthodox Jews. Since the story is told by the women of this community there is a lot about the food and the preparing for Shabbos and all of the many different Jewish holidays. I found it all so interesting but the best part was the portrayal of the different characters and the relationships in this tight-knit religious community. I also live in a religious community and the parallels and similarities are both funny and sad. Mirvis is a straight shooter and doesn't gloss over the shortcomings of this kind of community. This novel sheds both a positive and negative light on the community and I really appreciated that. It is funny and heartwarming in one sense and thought provoking and serious in another. I definitely recommend this book, especially to those who are religious in any way. It's an eye opener.

Review: 4/5 stars
Category: Literary fiction
Published: 1999, 311 pages
Rating: 2.1.2

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Content rating: 1.2.2

Category: Literary fiction, historical

Published: 2008

Review: 4.5/5

This story is told in the letters sent back and forth between several characters. Juliet is the spunky, witty journalist turned novelist who is the at center of all the letters. The year is 1946, right after WWII ended, and England is recovering from the war. Juliet comes in contact with a group of people from the island of Guernsey which is located in the English Channel and is part of Great Britain. The island had been occupied by Germans for most of the war and this group established the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a book club, to help them get through the occupation. I loved this book. It became a little predictable and formulaic towards the end but it is the kind of book that I just loved reading. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of reading and finishing this book. I can't say that about every book I read. I need to finish most books before I can say, "This is a great book!" I was recommending this book to others before I was even half way done with it because I had fallen in love with the characters and I wanted to introduce them to everyone I knew. I don't want to hype this book too much so you won't be disappointed with it. I just really liked it because it was a feel good book without being too sweet. The tragedy of the war is dealt with and you can feel the pain of it but it's in a way that is hopeful and makes you feel that good can come from trials. Highly recommended.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Rating: 1.3.1
Category: Classic, Sci-Fiction
Published: 1891
Audiobook

Review: 4/5

I listened to this book about 5 or 6 months ago and I never wrote a review because I wasn't sure how many stars to give it. I've decided on 4 out of 5 now and I'll tell you why. While I listened to it, I did enjoy it but found my mind wandering as Oscar Wilde went off on philosophical tangents that I just didn't care very much about. So at the time I thought that though I liked the premise and story of the book, I didn't like all the philosophy that the author goes on about. However, six months later as I think about the book, it is the philosophical questions that are raised by the story that I still think about. If you're not familiar with the premise of this book, it is the story of Dorian Gray and how a thoughtless plea changes his life. He was a very handsome young man who when he saw the portrait that a friend had painted of him, and realizing that his beauty would fade as he aged and experienced life, wished that the portrait would age and change instead of himself. He thoughtlessly bargained that he would give his soul if he could forever remain beautiful as he then was. The influences of Sir Henry and the painter Basil are so interesting as is the basic story. I recognize that this is truly a classic that is brilliant on many levels so it deserves 5 star rating but because I didn't personally enjoy it as much, I've finally decided on 4 stars.


I saw this comic strip the other day and decided that I had to include it with my review. It's a Mother Goose and Grimm comic and you'll get it if you know the story.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Content rating: 2.1.2

Category: Classic, coming-of-age

Review: 5/5

We read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for book club. It was an excellent choice. This is a character driven novel, not plot driven, and the characters are rich and deep. The relationships between these wonderful characters are what make this book so powerful. Betty Smith describes these people living in Brooklyn during the 1910's so well that they feel real. Some of the topics we discussed at book club were poverty, pride, family, marriage, love, money, and more. Our book club often meets for about 3 hours because we just love to sit and talk together. Most of the time we discuss the book for about an hour to 90 minutes and then we start talking about other things. With this book, although there were a few tangents, we stuck to the book most of the time. There was that much to talk about. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Rating: 1.3.2

Recommended audience: 10 years and up

Category: Historical fiction, juvenile, YA

Review: 5/5

Sometimes I think I rate all of my books too high but I can't help it that I love so many of them! This is another that I really enjoyed. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis won a Newbery Honor Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award and it is well deserving of both awards. I listened to this one on cd's and it was a delight. The reader was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In this story, Elijah is 11 years old and was the first free-born child born in the settlement of Buxton in Canada. The book first starts out introducing us to this interesting, funny, and insightful boy as he talks about his life in Buxton. We get to know his family, friends, and community through the first part of the book and then in the second part, the story takes off. I laughed and I cried while listening to this wonderful book. It is written in just the way a boy of 11 living in Buxton in 1857 would talk. There are lots of "ain'ts" and other examples of poor grammar and just a different dialect. It takes a little getting used to but I think it adds to the charm of the book. This is another one that I highly recommend.

My Antonia by Willa Cather

Rating: 1.1.1

Recommended audience: Mature teen to adult

Category: Historical, classic, romance

Review: 4.5/5

My book club really enjoyed My Antonia at last month's discussion. It is beautifully written and Willa Cather really brought the Nebraska of the late 1800's to life. The story is told in a memoir-like style by Jim Burden and focuses on how Antonia, a Bohemian immigrant (now the Czech Republic), influenced his life. Antonia is a strong, enduring character and one that our book club really enjoyed talking about. There were also many themes in this book that led to great discussions about immigration, women, family relationships, friendship, marriage, love, and women's rights. I would definitely recommend this book for any book club. I have to admit that when I read this book in my 11th grade American Literature class, I didn't like it at all. I thought it was boring and there wasn't really a plot which was very necessary for my reading enjoyment at the time. The romantic side of it wasn't quite what I expected from a "good read" either (if a book didn't have a good romantic plot to it, it wasn't worth my time back then). I was glad to see when I read this for a second time that I have matured as a reader. :)

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt

Rating: 1.1.2

Recommended audience: 10 to adult

Category: YA or juvenile fiction, historical

Review:

I am falling in love with this author. After reading The Wednesday Wars I knew I had to read some more by Gary Schmidt. The cover of this book did not entice me very much and even though it had won a Newbery Honor (as had The Wednesday Wars) it did take me a long time to finally dig in and read it. I was richly rewarded for my efforts. This book is based on true events which took place in Maine in 1911. The small island of Malaga was home to about 50 people, mostly black, who lived in very poor conditions. The people of Phippsburg felt that the little homes and shacks on the island were an eyesore and were hurting Phippsburg's prospects for a thriving tourism business. They wanted the people of Malaga Island evicted. This book tells that story through the eyes of Lizzie Bright and Turner Buckminster (fictional characters), a black girl and white boy who become friends. Both funny and heartbreaking, I think this book could be a good book club selection because of its many themes including racism, religion, friendship, and family relationships.

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Rating: 1.1.1
Recommended audience: Women of all ages
Category: Inspirational, self-help


I haven't been able to read very much lately but I still want to post something so I am going to review some books that we've read for book club in the past. This is a beautiful book with lyrical prose and a heartfelt message. I think it is a must read for all women. Lindbergh wrote this little book as she was vacationing on a beach. As she found different shells along the shore, she compared each one to a different aspect of a woman's life. While I didn't agree with everything she said, I thought she had some wonderful insights and perspectives on women. This is a great book club book as it can generate many different topics of conversation.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Rating: 1.1.1
Recommended audience: Mature teen to adult
Category: Religious, fiction



This was a hard book for me to read but I'm so glad I did. C.S. Lewis really is just brilliant. He wrote this book as a collection of letters written by one of Satan's leading devils, Screwtape, to his nephew, Wormwood, who is a young tempter working on his first "patient". It took me a while to get into the feel of the book because it is coming from the viewpoint of God as the "Enemy". You have to switch your mind around a little to understand "Father" as Satan and "the Enemy" as God. That might sound like it's a bad thing but the insights into the human mind that come from this devil are really amazing. Such topics as selfishness, prayer, pride, gluttony, undulation (one of my favorites that you have to read the book to understand), and time are discussed as ways to lure the "patient" to their side. There is also great insight into God's love coming from this different perspective that is really wonderful and, I believe, so true. I would definitely recommend this as a "must read" but I do have to warn you that it is not light reading. It requires concentration and it helps to be free from all distractions. It's not long but it did take me a while because I had to find quiet time to read it. This is a great book club selection and brought out many great discussions for our group.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Rating: 3.3.3

Recommended audience: Adult

Category: Historical, romance

This was an incredible book. Set in Afghanistan, beginning in 1969 and ending sometime in the last few years, this book tells the story of two women of two different generations and how they come together. I won't give anymore information away. It is not free of sexual content, violence, or profanity as you can see from my rating but none of it is overly graphic or gratuitous in my opinion. I think some may be bothered by the content but if you can handle a 3 rating I would definitely recommend this book. It is very sad but I feel that the story ends with hope for a better future in Afghanistan. Hosseini writes so well and I'm anxious to read Kite Runner and I look forward to his future books.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Rating: 3.2.2

Recommended audience: Adult

Category: Mystery, Gothic

Loved this book! It's beautifully written, has an engrossing story and is a little twisted but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It starts out in modern day England but has a story woven into it beginning about 100 years ago. It reminded me of classic gothic novels like Jane Eyre or a Dickens book. It's a little creepy, a ghost story really, and has many interesting (and in some cases, very strange) characters that you feel like you come to know. There is some sex but it is mostly just implied and not described. The two main characters, Margaret Lea and Vida Winter, are both book lovers and books are often discussed and have a part in the story, another thing I loved about it. If you like Jane Eyre, I definitely recommend this book. If you think Jane Eyre is boring then you probably wouldn't like this either. Sit down with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Rating: 2.2.3

Recommended audience: Adult, mature teen

Category: Historical, some romance

I've put off doing this review because I'm not sure what to say about it. I don't want to give anything away. The main character is a 14 year old girl who has to deal with the death of her mother and surprising circumstances surrounding that. The book is set in the South during the summer of 1964 when racial tensions were very high. When I read it I liked it but I didn't love it. After discussing it with our book group I came to appreciate it even more. I would not recommend it to anyone who is offended by unorthodox religion. There is also a lot of profanity and though I didn't find it very offensive, I believe some people would find it to be so. I definitely recommend this book because it is beautiful in many ways but it may not be for everyone.