July, 2016

“Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue         

Jende, A Cameroonian immigrant, lands a job with Clark, an executive at Lehman Brothers as his chauffeur. Jende’s wife works temporarily for Clark’s wife, Cindy when she vacations in the Hamptons. When Jende’s asylum case is denied, Lehman brothers collapses, and Cindy’s depression grow worse and worse, Jende considers leaving New York and returning to Cameroon.         

I thought the beginning of this book was pretty good. The characters were interesting and dynamic. However, about halfway through the book the author seemed to have gotten lost. The point of view seemed off. Especially the narrative passages where the pov wasn’t clear and the author was trying to show what Clark or Cindy were experiencing. I think the book needs a lot more polishing before I can recommend it. Despite these criticisms, I would be interested in reading more from the author.

“Harmony” by Carolyn Parkhurst         

The Hammond family leaves their home in DC to live in a small cabin and campground run by Scott Bean, a self-professed child behaviorist. Tilly, the oldest daughter, is a special needs child, one who has struggled to fit in and abide by societies rules. Iris, the younger daughter, is “normal.” Thirteen people come together to live and work at Camp Harmony, creating their own type of family.         

The book alternates between Iris’s point of view and Alexandra’s, the mother. While the book caught my attention, it felt really unfinished. I wish the author had stuck with Iris’s point of view or included some of the other people living at Camp Harmony. This may have helped the story line and sense of completion. Overall, an interesting book, but not one I would re-read.

“Remember the Ladies” by Gina L. Mulligan         

Amelia Cooke grew up in an orphanage. Determined to make something of herself, she finagles herself into the position of apprentice to a successful lobbyist. I really enjoyed this book, right up until the point where it switched to Edward’s point of view. It was a book about a strong-willed determined woman, and then it shift to focus on her romantic relationships. This was a big disappointment, and I found myself putting the book down about halfway through. Overall, a bust.

“All Is Not Forgotten” by Wendy Walker         

After being brutally raped, Jenny Kramer is given a treatment designed to make her forget the incident. With no real recall of the attack, Jenny struggles to come to terms with the emotional aspects and attempts suicide. She ends up working with a psychologist, Alan Forrester, a doctor with prior experience dealing with memory recovery.         

I have mixed thoughts about this book. It was a well crafted story. However, while the clinical aspect of the story was interesting, everything came across as detached. It could have been a much more powerful story if it had been told from multiple points of view. I also detested the foreshadowing that happened throughout. It took away from the suspense and story line and made what could have been a great book into a mediocre one.

“Wilde Times: Patricia Wilde, George Balachine, and the Rise of New York City Ballet” by Joel Lobenthal         

I was really excited to pick up and read this book. However, it kinda fell flat. The story aspect seemed to be missing, instead if just contained a collection of facts. It could have been written in a much more interesting way. Overall, a bust.

“First Offense” by Marti Green         

When Frankie is arrested for drug possession and sentenced to juvenile detention, everyone is shocked by the severity of the sentence. After being beaten, Frankie runs away from the detention center and is quickly hunted by the FBI. His attorney Dani tries to uncover why he was sentenced so severely, putting the pieces together one at a time to unravel the mystery.         

I thought this book was a bit unrealistic. The characters were a bit stereotypical and the plot seemed reused. The book moved at a fairly fast pace, which might appeal to pre-teens or teenagers. Overall, not a book for me.

“Strange History” Bathroom Readers’ Institute         

This book is an interesting collection of facts and stories. Although it was a bit much to read in one or two settings, I think it is an ideal “bathroom” book. Overall, well worth picking up.

“The Search for the Homestead Treasure” by Ann Treacy         

Martin and his family move back to the family homestead after the loss of Martin’s brother. Martin is intrigued by the idea of a hidden family treasure and finds clues in his late Aunt Cora’s diary. He befriends a gypsy boy, who would rather work the land than wander with his people.         

Overall this was a pretty good book. I think it is very appropriate for a younger age group. For me, it was a bit simplistic. The characters seemed a bit on-dimensional and the plot moved slowly. However, I doubt many pre-teens would notice.

“Victoria: The Queen” by Julia Baird

I'm not quite sure what to think about this book. The writing style was pretty good, but the flow was awful. The author jumped back and forth in time, giving the reader only a portion of the picture. Victoria was 2 then 15 then 5 then 10, etc...which was really off putting. After a while, I just put the book down.