The Help

Kathryn Stockett's very first novel, The Help, was on my library's recommended read list and after reading it I understand why.

Set in the 1960's in Jackson, Mississippi it is a look at the racial tension that still existed even though slavery had been abolished. Miss Skeeter is a white woman who is tired of seeing injustice take place all around her and in an effort to cause some change she gets several black maids to share their stories and compiles them into a book. Along the way she loses all of her friends and is alienated by the town, but it is nothing compared to the risk the maids faced by speaking out. It is very well written, and easy to fall into each of her characters. It was one I could not put down until I read the very last page.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

    - KathrynStockett.com
An excerpt from the book
"I come home that morning, after I been fired, and stood outside my house with my new work shoes on. The shoes my mama paid a month's worth a light bill for. I guess that's when I understood what shame was and the color of it too. Shame ain't black, like dirt, like I always thought it was. Shame be the color of a new white uniform your mother ironed all night to pay for, white without a smudge or a speck a work-dirt on it."



Aibileen looks up to see what I think. I stop typing. I'd expected the stories to be sweet, glossy. I realize I might be getting more than I'd bargained for. She reads on.

The Accidental Mother

But if what will we do then? If we can't stay here?

Six year old Bella looked at Sophie, her dry eyes burning.

There had to be a moment like this, Sophie thought, in everyone's life, when the very next thing you say might change you and the world as you knew it forever. She felt her stomach dip and churn as if she had just run headlong at a cliff edge and brought herself to stop at its very brink.

Then we'll work out what's best, she answered feeling like a coward.

This was the first of Coleman's books I had read, and what started out to be a light read quickly got deeper and much more touching. Sophie and Carrie are best friends all through school, but lose touch with each other. It had been three years since Sophie had heard from Carrie when a social worker comes to see her. Carrie had died in an accident and Sophie was left as the guardian for her 3 and 6 year old daughters. Sophie who had never wanted children learns an awful lot about life and love as the three of them struggle to figure out what is best.

Coleman's sequel to the Accidental Mother comes out September 29th 2009.

Harry Potter

Okay, so I know I am a little behind the times, but I am just finally reading all of the Harry Potter books. It was definitely my rebellious side that kept me from from joining the ranks of the Harry Potter craze that started a few years ago, but I am never one to let that interfere with a potentially great read. So a week or so ago I picked up the first book and I am now halfway through book 7. I have to admit J.K. Rowling can definitely write! I have had a difficult time putting these books down, and have even taking to having dreams about them. I don't think I will be rushing out to see the movies, but I am certainly glad I took the time to read the books!

A Missed Connection

I feel like one of those people who post a message on Craigslist that says something like, "I saw you at the intersection of main street and 1st on Saturday. You were wearing a red dress and had your hair up. If this is you write back I wanted to meet you." I have always thought these were ridiculous on so many levels, but now I slightly understand. Slightly. "I saw you sitting in the passenger side of a black Honda Accord. You were wearing red and black checkers..." Oh did I mention this is a book. This is what I get for snooping in someone else's car window, but they were parked next to me and I wouldn't have looked except the book caught my attention. The problem is I felt guilty looking in someone else's car so I only had time to get the name of the book. Which I have forgotten and am now obsessed with finding out. It probably is a terrible book, but I still continue searching. So... if you happen to know of a book that has a red and black checkerboard design on it and I believe the authors last name begins with an F, I would be so grateful.

A Must Read

After reading a string of disappointing books (not worth mentioning here) I finally struck upon one that satisfied my craving, for a few days at least. Kate Morton's book The Forgotten Garden, was a recommended read I got from my library's website. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first because it jumps from character to character and from the early 1900's to 2005, and back again. But it was everything I love in a book. It revolves around the mystery of how a four year old little girl came to be standing on a wharf in Australia in the mid 1900's with nothing but a white suitcase and no one to claim her. It wasn't until she was 18 years old did she learn that her mother and father were the ones to find her that day and she was not biologically theirs. She spends the next 50 years of her life searching for her family, and it is left to her granddaughter to finally uncover the truth. It has love, sorrow, friendship, a few fairy tales, and a little bit of magic woven throughout and I had a hard time putting it down once I got started. I am excited to read some more of her novels, as this is my first one! For more on Morton check out http://www.katemorton.com/

Books, Books, Books!

It has been awhile since I have really posted on here. I apologize! I just finished reading Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah, Jennifer Weiner's newest book Certain Girls, and a Sophie Kinsella as Madeleine Wickham in Sleeping Arrangements. I needed my dose of fun summer reads and definitely got it.



Firefly Lane by Krisitin Hannah was more of a drama and lass of a "light read" than I first though it would be, but it was still good. It is the life story of two girls who meet in middle school and remain close friends. It is of course wild child meets good girl, but it has its own twists and plots you don't see coming. It is a truer look at real friendship and relationships (mother-daughter, husband-wife) than I have seen in awhile.



Certain Girls is the sequel to one of Weiner's first hits Good in Bed. Now Candice is in her later thirties and is raising her daughter who is quickly approaching her teenage years. The book is written from the point of view of both Candace and her daughter. It is at times funny, and heart-warming. At other times it is downright scary. Teenagers can be so mean! For someone who thought that Good in Bed was one of her best books, you will agree that Certain Girls follows closely in its wake.



Sleeping Arrangements has two families meeting in a vacation Villa in Spain. The twist is neither of them knew the other would be there. To make matters worse two of them used to be an item before things ended badly and they hadn't seen or spoken to each other in years. It wasn't my favorite of Kinsella's and the plot was a little far fetched, but it was an easy read and didn't require too much brain power to be entertaining.

The Thirteenth Tale

This novel tells the tale of a famous writer and how she came to be. As you read you are taken from the present day into the past and back again so that at times you forget which is which, but you don't care. You instantly get caught up in the story of Vida Winter, the famous author, and as secrets are revealed and small mysteries are solved there is always another waiting for you in the next chapter. It was one of those books I couldn't put down and it left me wanting more even as I read the last page.

The Thirteenth Tale

I am currently reading 'The Thirteenth Tale' by Diane Setterfield. I am only a few chapters in and already hooked. It is good, it is one of those books that reminds you how much you love reading. It is one of those books that makes me itch to write my own. Instead, I will read hers! More to come, stay tuned...

A Good Chick Book

This novel follows the lives of four women as they face the challenges that come with being wives, mothers, daughters, and friends. They have been doing a book club since their kids were little and although they have known each other for years they find out there is still much to learn. It is a good look at how friendships give us strength, and good friends are priceless.

The Other Queen

While this book doesn't have the same level of intensity and scandal that was found in the Boleyn Inheritance and The Other Boleyn Girl it is still a wonderfully written account of the battle between Mary Queen of Scots and her cousin Queen Elizabeth. As the Queen of Scots flees her kingdom after a plot has left her a widow and her life is in danger she turns to her cousin the Queen of England who she believes will protect her. As power and wealth often do, Queen Elizabeth has turned into a hard women who thinks only of her own throne and protection and little of her kin. Queen Mary is a prisoner in the very country where she is the rightful heir to the throne. Gregory writes from three different perspectives in this novel. First, is the voice of Queen Mary, then her captor/ guard, The Earl of Shrewsbury, and finally his wife, Bess of Hardwick. Through each character you get a very different account of what really happened during the years that Mary was imprisoned under the care of the Earl and his wife. From each you get a varying look at Queen Elizabeth and what her rule over England was truly like.

Mary

Of course. The answer to this is simple. Bien sûr. No one must ever pity me. They can love me or hate me or fear me. But I shall never let anyone pity me. Of course, when they ask me, did Bothwell abuse you? I will answer nothing, not at all, never a word. A queen does not complain that she has been ill-treated. A queen denies that such a thing could happen. I cannot be robbed of myself, I cannot mislay my own divinity. I may be abused but I will always deny it. Whether I am seated on a throne or wearing rags, I am still a queen. I am no commoner who has to hope for the right to wear velvet or live out his life in homespun. I am above all degree of ordinary men and women. I am ordained, I am chosen by God. How can they be so dense as not to see it? I could be the worst woman in the world and I would still be queen. I could romp with a dozen Italian secretaries, a regiment of Bothwells, and write them all love poems, and I would still be queen. They can force me to sign a dozen abdications and lock me in prison forever but I will still be queen and anyone who sits on my throne will be a usurper. Je suis la reine. I am queen till death. It is not an office, it is not an occupation, it is an inheritance of blood. I am queen while the blood flows through my veins. So I know. So everyone knows. So even they know, in their faithless hearts, the fools.
If they want rid of me there is only one way, but they will never dare to take it. If they want rid of me they will have to sin against the order of heaven. They will have to defy the God-given chain of being. If they want rid of me they will have to behead me.

Think of that!

The only way I cease to be Dowager Queen of France, Queen of Scotland, and the only true heir to the throne of England is when I am dead. They will have to kill me if they want to deny me my throne. And I wager my title, my fortune, and my life that they will never dare to do that. To lay violent hands on me would be the same as throwing down an angel, a sin like crucifying the Christ again. For I am no ordinary woman, I am a sanctified queen, I am seated above every mortal; only the angels are my superiors. Mortals cannot kill such a being as I. I am anointed with holy oil, I am chosen by God. I am untouchable. They can fear me and they can hate me, they can even deny me. But they cannot kill me. Thank God, I am at least safe in this. I will always be safe in this.

Phillipa Gregory's books read like a story although they are infused with history. She is one of my favorite authors and continues to be. For those who enjoy historical fictions this is a must read. For those who have never read one of her books, you are missing out!

Meet Delores Price

"Mine is a story of craving; an unreliable account of lusts and troubles that began, somehow, in 1956 on the day our free television was delivered."

One of the best aspects of Lamb's writing is his ability to get his readers so intertwined with the characters that you begin to feel that you are a part of them. Delores Price is a sad, miserable person at times but you love her anyway and although I would have to say that this book brought me down so far at times that I really wanted to stop reading, I couldn't because I was so invested in the characters and their lives. Thankfully with all the bad that happens to D Lamb throws some beautiful, touching moments in there that let you know the world really isn't the cruelest place, and if you hang on through the end you will be rewarded.

"I uncap the Bic, meaning to rail about negatives: unfairness, infertility. But something different comes out, something I hadn't planned. I write: Love is like breathing. You take it in and let it out."

Here is a link to a discussion guide for this book. It would be a great one for a book club.

http://www.litlovers.com/guide_shesundone.html

Mother's Day

Since Mother's Day is tomorrow I thought I would post some great books chick books!

• 'The Heart of a Woman' by Maya Angelou
• 'Cane River' by Lalita Tademy
• 'Black and Blue' by Anna Quindlen
• 'The Time Traveler's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger
• 'The Secret Life of Bees' by Sue Monk Kidd
• 'Midwives' by Chris Bohjalian
• 'Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel' by Rebecca Wells
• 'The Mermaid Chair' by Sue Monk Kidd
• 'The Boleyn Inheritance' by Phillipa Gregory

Wally Lamb

This was the first book of his that I have read although he has been recommended to me several times. He is an excellent writer and one that I will definitely read again. I thought I would share a bit I read about the book from Oprah's website.

About the Book"It's not just a book, it's a life experience," trumpeted Oprah about her selection, I Know This Much Is True. Faithful readers familiar with her phenomenally successful book club read Wally Lamb's stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, back in February, 1997.

Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.

"When you're the sane brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your hands — the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper — if you've promised your dying mother — then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the indifference of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin — the guy who beat the biochemical rap."

Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins Dominick and Thomas Birdsey are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas.From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness — and ultimately self-protection — in a house of fear dominated by Ray, their adoptive father, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man who abuses his power over his stepsons whose biological father is a mystery.

Natasha wrote this about the latest book she is reading:

Well I wanted to let you know that I started a new book series. It’s another silly science fiction series (think Twilight or Trueblood aka Sookie Stackhouse series) called the Rachel Morgan series. I am only about half way through the first book Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison but so far I am in love with it. The book is about a witch bounty hunter who helps capture witches, werewolves, vampires, and leprechauns who break the law. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Posts

I was hoping the blog could be someplace where we all shared what we were reading and our favoriite books. If you were to recommend your three favorite books to read what would they be, and why?

Historical Fiction

I am a big fan of historical fiction and if you are looking for some new books to read in that genre I would recommend both The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End by Ken Follett. Pillars is the first book in this series and it is set during a time of civil war, famine, and religious strife in Medieval England. The book follows several characters and revolves around the building of a stunning cathedral in the small town of Kingsbridge. Follett does a very good job getting the reader involved with each character and really setting the stage for what times were like in this era. World follows the next generations of the characters from the first book and introduces new disasters for the town to battle such as the Plague and sinister leaders.

Step On A Crack

I just finished reading James Patterson's Step on a Crack. It is a newer series of his that revolves around Detective Mike Bennett who is a father of ten along with being a NYC homicide detective. In his first book of the series Bennett is faced with many issues at home while also being the lead negotiator in a high profile kidnapping that includes several of the cities rich and famous. I do like Bennett's character and look forward to reading more about him. While it wasn't my favorite Patterson book it was a good read and if you enjoy suspense and mystery it definitely had plenty of that.

Flying Changes is one of the last really good books I have read. It is mainly about the relationship between a mother, daughter and grandmother, but it revolves around the riding school that all three women run. Even if you don't own horses (which I don't) it is easy to get swept up into this book and the drama that surrounds these women.

Sara Gruen also wrote Water For Elephants which I would highly recommend.

For more of her books visit http://www.saragruen.com/home.html

My youngest brother recommended The Shack and I read it in one sitting it was so captivating. The beginning of the book is a little tough to get through because it is pretty sad, but once you get through that the rest of the book is an interesting look at God and Spirituality wrapped into an engaging story line. It is definitely worth reading just for the different point of view!

Here is another review on it that I felt gets the point across.
Finally! A guy-meets-god novel that has literary integrity and spiritual daring. The Shack cuts through the clichés of both religion and bad writing to reveal something compelling and beautiful about life’s integral dance with the divine. This story reads like a prayer—like the best kinds of prayer, filled with sweat and wonder and transparency and surprise. When I read it, I felt like I was fellowshipping with God. If you read one work of fiction this year, let this be it. -Mike Morrell, Zoecarnate.com