July, 2014

"The Vault of Dreamers" by Caragh M. O'Brien         

Set up as a reality show, Forge is the most prestigious art school in the country.  Gracie has managed to survive the initial cuts and is studying film.  However, she senses that something is wrong.  Skipping her sleeping pills, she breaks the rules by leaving her bed and exploring the campus.        

I thought this was a very interesting book with a fascinating premise.  Gracie felt real and had layers and dimensions to her personality.  I did feel that the book ended abruptly, setting itself up for a sequel.  I would love to read more!

"The Last Queen of Sheba" by Jill Francis Hudson         

When Makeda is chosen to be the virgin Queen of Sheba, she instantly wants to help her people overcome poverty and their struggles.  When her father takes over, she leans on her Uncle Tamrin to help her regain power.  Once she has won over the council, she decides to travel to Israel, to study rulership under the great King Solomon.         

I really loved this book.  Let me say right off that I'm an atheist, and even though this book touched on biblical subjects, I did not find it to be preachy or heavy handed.  It portrayed an interesting bit of history, one that crosses religious views.  Highly recommended.

"The Farm" by Tom Rob Smith     

When Daniel receives a phone call from his father, he is shocked to learn that his mother has been put into a mental institution.  Within minutes, he receives a call from his mother, begging for his help.  When his mother arrives in London, she begins to unravel a tale of lies, deceit, sexual abuse and murder.  Through it all, Daniel must decide if his mother is crazy or his father is involved with criminals.

     This book was well written and well paced.  It was suspenseful and unraveled the story in a very dramatic fashion.  I thought the tension with Daniel and his partner was a bit unnecessary, it didn't add anything but took away from the suspense.  Without giving anything away, I can say that I wanted more from the ending.  Why are a lot of author's foregoing the epilogue?  Overall, well worth reading.

"The Romances of George Sand" by Anna Faktorovich         

This book details the life and affairs of George Sand, a female writer during the Napoleonic Wars and its aftermath.  Although I thought this was a well researched book, I thought the story telling fell flat.  It read more like a recitation of facts than a story about a passionate and somewhat eccentric woman.  Overall, not something I would re-read for pleasure.

"The Major's Daughter" by J. P. Francis         

In a small New Hampshire timber camp, Collie serves as translator for German prisoners of war.  I have to admit that this wasn't my favorite book.  I thought it was romantic claptrap and showed the girls making very stupid decisions.  I know that some will love this book and will enjoy the tension and drama between the characters.  It just wasn't what I was expecting or wanting.

"Lucky Us" by Amy Bloom         

When Eva's mother drops her off at her father's doorstep, she meets her half sister, Iris.  Immediately, Eva becomes Iris' sidekick and the two strike out to Hollywood.  Iris lands a few movie rolls before she is blacklisted for a romantic relationship with a female star.  Their father shows up in Hollywood, and together with a close male friend, the four move across the country to New York.         

I thought this book came across as very unrealistic.  The characters were more caricatures than real people.  AT times, it seemed as if the author didn't know how to move the story forward, so she would throw in a letter giving away most of the plot.  Overall, a bust.

"The Hatmaker's Heart" by Carla Stewart         

In 1920's New York, Nell is working at a hat makers.  When her creations gather the attention of important clients, she finds her work in high demand.  Oscar, her boss and the owner of the millinery, belittles her talent at the same time encouraging her to continue on.  A weird push-pull relationship develops between them, until Oscar is more abuser (emotionally) than boss.  When Nell's work gains more notoriety, Oscar's salon is invited to England, to make hats for the royal wedding.        

This was a fantastic book.  Nell was lovable and completely believable.  Her relationship with Oscar was extremely complex and I was cheering for her to break free and make her own hats, away from Oscar's overbearing presence.  I had a hard time putting this book down, it just caught my attention and imagination.  I would love to read more from this author, she knows how to write.

"The Pelican Bride" by Beth White         

Genevieve and her sister travel across the ocean to become brides for French settlers off the Louisiana coast.  When none of the men at the fort meet with her approval, she finds herself thinking more and more about Tristan, a man who lives outside of the settlement.          

I thought this book was alright.  It was a little bit slow at times and some of the characters seemed to simplistic.  I wanted more romance between Genevieve and Tristan, after all, they were ignoring each other one moment and married the next.   Somehow, this book just lacked realism.

"Neverhome" by Laird Hunt         

Ash has left her husband behind to volunteer as a soldier during the Civil War.  I thought this book was interesting, mainly because Ash was a fascinating character.  However, the book was a bit slow at times and some of the passages seemed to drag.  Also, sometimes Ash narrated the events as if they were happening in the present, while at others, Ash narrated as if she was older and recalling her life events.  This made the book seem poorly edited, as if the author or editor didn't catch these passages.  Overall, not bad, but not something I would re-read.