Book Review: The Storm at the Door by Stefan Merrill Block

Friday 24 June, 2011 By 6 Comments


Title: The Storm at the Door
Author: Stefan Merrill Block
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: June 21, 2011
Harcover: 368 pages
ISBN: 978-1400069453
Genre: Literary Fiction

From the Publisher: (to avoid any potential spoilers skip down to my review)

The past is not past for Katharine Merrill. Even after two decades of volatile marriage, Katharine still believes she can have the life that she felt promised to her by those first exhilarating days with her husband, Frederick. For two months, just before Frederick left to fight in World War II, Katharine received his total attentiveness, his limitless charms, his astonishing range of intellect and wit. Over the years, however, as Frederick’s behavior and moods have darkened, Katharine has covered for him, trying to rein in his great manic passions and bridge his deep wells of sadness: an unending project of keeping up appearances and hoping for the best. But the project is failing. Increasingly, Frederick’s erratic behavior, amplified by alcohol, distresses Katharine and their four daughters and gives his friends and family cause to worry for his sanity. When, in the summer of 1962, a cocktail party ends with her husband in handcuffs, Katharine makes a fateful decision: She commits Frederick to Mayflower Home, America’s most revered mental asylum.

There, on the grounds of the opulent hospital populated by great poets, intellectuals, and madmen, Frederick tries to transform his incarceration into a creative exercise, to take each meaningless passing moment and find the art within it. But as he lies on his room’s single mattress, Frederick wonders how he ever managed to be all that he once was: a father, a husband, a business executive. Under the faltering guidance of a self-obsessed psychiatrist, Frederick and his fellow patients must try to navigate their way through a gray zone of depression, addiction, and insanity.

Meanwhile, as she struggles to raise four young daughters, Katharine tries to find her way back to Frederick through her own ambiguities, delusions, and the damages done by her rose-colored belief in a life she no longer lives.

Inspired by elements of the lives of the author’s grandparents, this haunting love story shifts through time and reaches across generations. Along the way, Stefan Merrill Block stunningly illuminates an age-old truth: even if one’s daily life appears ordinary, one can still wage a silent, secret, extraordinary war.

My Review:

The prose in The Storm at the Door by Stefan Merrill Block immediately grabbed my attention and the story keep me enthralled to the very end.  Told in alternating voices of Frederick and Katharine Merrill, the reader learns all about the couple and how each came to the conclusions they did.  I know I am sounding vague, but it is intentional on my part. Block has masterfully created a very deep, moving, and at times heart-breaking story which I truly believe the reader must let unfold as Block intended.  I will say The Storm at the Door paints an extremely vivid picture for the reader, uses exquisite prose and caution this is a truly profound work of literature.  I was worried this would be merely a love story and not being a huge fan of romance was not looking forward to the book and I am very glad I was totally, utterly and completely wrong.  Appearances can be deceiving.  Block exceeded all my expectations, and while I read The Storm at the Door I felt as though I was experiencing what Frederick and Kathy were going through, so yes, Burke has created a heavy and emotional book and one I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a deep, poetic, and exquisitely written book about the power of love.  Where I believe The Storm at the Door will really shine is through book discussion groups as Burke offers up so much to be debated and discussed.  My only regret is not having anyone to talk to about what I was reading.

About the Author:

Stefan Merrill Block was born in 1982 and grew up in Plano, Texas. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2004. The Story of Forgetting is his first novel. He lives in Brooklyn.

To learn more about author Stefan Merrill Block or his books, please visit his website.

For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.

I received an arc of The Storm at the Door by Stefan Merrill Block from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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Book Review: Hotel No Tell by Daphne Uviller

Thursday 12 May, 2011 By 6 Comments


Title: Hotel No Tell
Author: Daphne Uviller
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: April 26, 2011
Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN: 978-0385342704
Genre: Fiction, Mystery

From the Publisher:

The smart and sassy detective Zephyr Zuckerman is now armed and undercover in a Greenwich Village hotel where mysteries—from garbage-grabbing guests to the reservation system—lurk around every corner.

Now working as a junior detective with the New York City Special Investigations Commission, Zephyr’s gone incognito as a concierge to find out who laundered a hundred grand off the hotel books—and why. But the discovery of a prone, flush-faced guest gasping for air in room 502 only hints at the sinister goings-on inside this funky establishment. While the rapid response of the fire department leads to a sweaty date with a smooth-talking, rock-climbing rescue worker, Zephyr finds herself even more hot and bothered by an attempted murder on her watch. Could the smart-mouthed Japanese yenta across the hall know more than she’s telling? How are cryptic phone calls from a mysterious corporation linked to the victim in 502?

Under pressure and overwhelmed, Zephyr soon finds that a concierge cover is no protection in a place where crime, like the city itself, never sleeps.

Here, Home, Hope will surely appeal to readers of chick lit and other women’s fiction titles who are ready to transition into something new in their own life.

My Review:

Delightfully witty, charming and great fun, Hotel No Tell by Daphne Uviller is the second book to feature Zephyr Zuckerman, and while I did not read the first book, Super In the City, I was able pick up quickly on Zephyr’s life and her friends.  Hotel No Tell is clever and delightfully humorous, yet it is also a mystery.  I would definitely not classify the book as a cozy mystery due to the comedic value added by the characters as well as the romantic aspects of the storyline.  Zephyr is currently working as junior detective in the New York City Special Investigations Commission and is sent undercover as a concierge to try and uncover a money-laundering scheme and soon finds herself in for more than she bargained for.  Hotel No Tell has a delightful cast of characters, Uviller describes the West Village rather well, toss in some romance and a grand mystery and the book is complete.  Hotel No Tell was a lot of fun to read and a nice diversion from my day and I therefore will be watching out for future books by Daphne Uviller.  I would recommend Hotel No Tell to readers who are looking for a witty, romantic mystery.

To learn more about Daphne Uviller please visit her website.

I received a complimentary copy of Hotel No Tell by Daphne Uviller from BookSparks PR to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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Book Review: Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Tuesday 12 April, 2011 By 15 Comments


Title: Every Last One
Author: Anna Quindlen
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Publication Date: March 22, 2011
Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN: 978-0812976885
Genre: Fiction

From the Publisher:

Mary Beth Latham has built her life around her family, around caring for her three teenage children and preserving the rituals of their daily life. When one of her sons becomes depressed, Mary Beth focuses on him, only to be blindsided by a shocking act of violence. What happens afterward is a testament to the power of a woman’s love and determination, and to the invisible lines of hope and healing that connect one human being to another. Ultimately, as rendered in Anna Quindlen’s mesmerizing prose, Every Last One is a novel about facing every last one of the things we fear the most, about finding ways to navigate a road we never intended to travel.

My Review:

In what could only be described as a shockingly written story of family happiness, love, contentment and how truly unexpectedly tragedy may strike, Anna Quindlen hits a veritable grand slam in her novel Every Last One.   In the story, we are introduced to the Latham family, Mary Beth and Glen, parents to twins Max and Alex along with daughter Ruby.  Readers are taken through this quintessential happy family’s life including some of the usual problems that even the “perfect” family may realistically encounter including sibling issues, eating dysfunction or disorders, teenage relationships and break-ups.  The storyline through about the first half of the book creates a sense of normalcy, calm, expectedly uneventful life challenges experienced in one form or another by most people.  When readers are faced with the tragic event, so suddenly released as to shock most people with normal to even dulled sensitivities, Quindlen proves she can take readers into whatever dream world she wishes without a single hint of where she is headed.  I will not tell any hints of what happens at this point and I must warn that the synopsis above gives enough away that readers will have some preparedness for the author’s unleashed plot transformation. I believe that it was Quindlen’s intent to have readers dive into this one completely unaware, but one word of caution is that the book can be rather shocking for some readers. I personally believe this to be the strength of the book, but it may upset some readers.  With that mentioned, I highly recommend Every Last One to all adult readers and think it would make for an extremely interesting book discussion pick.


About the Author:

Anna Quindlen is the author of five previous bestselling novels (Rise and Shine, Blessings, Object Lessons, One True Thing, Black and Blue), and seven nonfiction books (A Short Guide to a Happy Life, Good Dog. Stay., Being Perfect, Loud & Clear, Living Out Loud, Thinking Out Loud, and How Reading Changed My Life). Her New York Times column “Public and Private” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992. From 2000-2009, She wrote the “Last Word” column for Newsweek.

For more information about the author or her books please visit her website and her Facebook page.

For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.

I received a hardcover copy of Every Last One by Anna Quindlen from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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Book Review: Snowdrops by A.D. Miller

Monday 28 March, 2011 By 8 Comments


Title: Snowdrops
Author: A.D. Miller
Publisher: Doubleday
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Hardcover: 272 pages
ISBN: 978-0385533447
Genre: Fiction

From the Publisher:

An intense psychological drama that echoes sophisticated entertainments like Gorky Park and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Nick Platt is a British lawyer working in Moscow in the early 2000s—a place where the cascade of oil money, the tightening grip of the government, the jostling of the oligarchs, and the loosening of Soviet social mores have led to a culture where corruption, decadence, violence, and betrayal define everyday life. Nick doesn’t ask too many questions about the shady deals he works on—he’s too busy enjoying the exotic, surreally sinful nightlife Moscow has to offer.

One day in the subway, he rescues two willowy sisters, Masha and Katya, from a would-be purse snatcher. Soon Nick, the seductive Masha, and long-limbed Katya are cruising the seamy glamour spots of the city. Nick begins to feel something for Masha that he is pleased to think is love. Then the sisters ask Nick to help their aged aunt, Tatiana, find a new apartment.

Of course, nothing is as it seems—including this extraordi­nary debut novel. The twists in the story take it far beyond its noirish frame—the sordid and vivid portrayal of Moscow serves as a backdrop for a book that examines the irresistible allure of sin, featuring characters whose hearts are as cold as the Russian winter.

My Review:

Some reviews are quite easy to write, almost as though they write themselves, while others are extremely difficult and this review falls into the latter category. Snowdrops by A.D. Miller has the potential to be a complex novel as it is filled with several story lines, exquisite detail, yet difficult to classify. According to the back of the book I should feel the decadence of the Russian society. This was one of my first problems, but I am getting ahead of myself. Snowdrops is about Nick Platt, a British Lawyer who in 2000 is living and working in Russia, everything is in flashback as the book is written as a letter to his fiancée in Britain, for he wants her to know everything about him, brave man or foolish fiancée, difficult call. Communism has recently fallen and Miller writes of the decadence, debauchery, and sins of Moscow. Greed and amorality rule the city, which I had an issue with, but again, this is a work of fiction so I kept reading. While Miller describes Russia beautifully, as he should for he has lived there, I found those descriptions of the real Moscow to be what I enjoyed about the book, not the seedy underbelly he is portraying in Snowdrops. The second problem I had was Miller’s sporadic use of Russian words or phrases. This threw off the rhythm, especially considering Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet and therefore any Russian used is a phonetic spelling, an example from page 13, “Da,” I said. “Eta pravda. (Yes, it’s true.)” This form of using the native language, periodically, made Snowdrops rather frustrating for me to read, it broke up the flow and keep in mind, Nick Platt is writing this as a missive for his fiancée in London. Next, enter Masha and Katya, gorgeous young women who speak excellent English and ask for his help, naturally he helps them, they are young and gorgeous and of course they are lying to him. I enjoyed Snowdrops immensely when Miller wrote in his atmospheric prose of the beauty of Russia. I found the plot to be lacking, maybe it was the form in which the author chose to tell the story or the thinly veiled plot, or the unlikeability of the protagonist or merely this was not the book for me, I still have not decided, but I do know it does not compare to Gorky Park. I personally was quite put off by the hedonistic manner of Miller’s version of Moscow in 2000, and while I realise the author has lived in the country, I wonder where he visited or it is quite possible his imagination is simply brilliant. There is no doubt Miller is a talented writer and while Snowdrops just did not work for me, I will indeed try another book written by A.D. Miller. I honestly do not know to whom I would recommend Snowdrops to as I felt it did not live up to an “intense psychological drama” as it is promoted.

About the Author:

A. D. MILLER studied literature at Cambridge and Princeton, and worked as a television producer before joining the Economist. He has served as the magazine’s Moscow correspondent and is currently an editor in its London office. Snowdrops is his first novel.

I received a complimentary copy of Snowdrops by A.D.Miller from Doubleday to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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Book Review: Love You More by Lisa Gardner

Wednesday 23 March, 2011 By 20 Comments


Title: Love You More
Author: Lisa Gardner
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: March 8, 2011
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN: 978-0553807257
Genre: Fiction, Suspense

From the Publisher:

WHO DO YOU LOVE?

One question, a split-second decision, and Brian Darby lies dead on the kitchen floor. His wife, state police trooper Tessa Leoni, claims to have shot him in self-defense, and bears the bruises to back up her tale. For veteran detective D. D. Warren it should be an open-and-shut case. But where is their six-year-old daughter?

AND HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO . . .

As the homicide investigation ratchets into a frantic statewide search for a missing child, D. D. Warren must partner with former lover Bobby Dodge to break through the blue wall of police brotherhood, seeking to understand the inner workings of a trooper’s mind while also unearthing family secrets. Would a trained police officer truly shoot her own husband? And would a mother harm her own child?

. . . TO SAVE HER?

For Tessa Leoni, the worst has not yet happened. She is walking a tightrope, with nowhere to turn, no one to trust, as the clock ticks down to a terrifying deadline. She has one goal in sight, and she will use every ounce of her training, every trick at her disposal, to do what must be done. No sacrifice is too great, no action unthinkable. A mother knows who she loves. And all others will be made to pay.

Love you more . . .

My Review:

Love You More by Lisa Gardner is the fifth book in the D.D. Warren series yet can be read as a stand-alone novel, however once one reads Love You More one will want to read Gardner’s other books. Once again Gardner creates a masterfully woven and emotionally charged atmosphere in Love You More, which alternates between Tessa Leoni’s narrative and that of the investigation into Trooper Leoni’s life. Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren is paired up with Massachusetts State Police Detective Bobby Dodge in what appears to be a cut and dry case, Massachusetts State Trooper Tessa Leoni murdered her husband, 42-year-old merchant marine Brian Darby in self-defense and her 6-year-old daughter Sophie is missing. As Warren and Dodge probe deeper they unearth more secrets and puzzles. The use of alternating the story from the current investigation to Leoni’s point of view draws the reader even deeper into the web of half-truths, lies, and the proverbial “blue wall”. Gardner has masterfully crafted an intelligent, multi-layered game of cat and mouse which holds the reader’s attention through a twisting plot that only yields Gardner’s secrets at her novel’s stunning conclusion, once again leaving me waiting in anticipation for her next book. I highly recommend Love You More to anyone who enjoys an exceedingly well-written suspense-thriller.

About the Author:

Lisa Gardner is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels. Her Detective D. D. Warren novels include The Neighbor, Hide, and Alone. Her FBI Profiler novels include Say Goodbye, Gone, The Killing Hour, The Next Accident, and The Third Victim. She lives with her family in New England, where she is at work on her next D. D. Warren novel, Love You More, which Bantam will publish in 2011. She was recently awarded The International Thriller Writers award for Best Hardcover of the Year for her novel The Neighbor.

For more information about author Lisa Gardner or her books, please visit her website.


Lisa Gardner’s LOVE YOU MORE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR MARCH ’11 will officially begin on March 1 and end on March 23, 2011. Visit here during the month of March to find out more about this great book and talented author!

I received a complimentary copy of Love You More by Lisa Gardner from Pump Up Your Book Promotion as part of the tour. Receiving a copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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Book Review: Radio Shangri-La by Lisa Napoli

Thursday 17 March, 2011 By 10 Comments


Title: Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth
Author: Lisa Napoli
Publisher: Crown
Publication Date: February 8, 2011
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN: 978-0307453020
Genre: Non-Fiction, Travel, Memoir

From the Publisher:

Lisa Napoli was in the grip of a crisis, dissatisfied with her life and her work as a radio journalist. When a chance encounter with a handsome stranger presented her with an opportunity to move halfway around the world, Lisa left behind cosmopolitan Los Angeles for a new adventure in the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan—said to be one of the happiest places on earth.

Long isolated from industrialization and just beginning to open its doors to the modern world, Bhutan is a deeply spiritual place, devoted to environmental conservation and committed to the happiness of its people—in fact, Bhutan measures its success in Gross National Happiness rather than in GNP. In a country without a single traffic light, its citizens are believed to be among the most content in the world. To Lisa, it seemed to be a place that offered the opposite of her fast-paced life in the United States, where the noisy din of sound-bite news and cell phones dominate our days, and meaningful conversation is a rare commodity; where everyone is plugged in digitally, yet rarely connects with the people around them.

Thousands of miles away from everything and everyone she knows, Lisa creates a new community for herself. As she helps to start Bhutan’s first youth-oriented radio station, Kuzoo FM, she must come to terms with her conflicting feelings about the impact of the medium on a country that had been shielded from its effects. Immersing herself in Bhutan’s rapidly changing culture, Lisa realizes that her own perspective on life is changing as well—and that she is discovering the sense of purpose and joy that she has been yearning for.

In this smart, heartfelt, and beautifully written book, sure to please fans of transporting travel narratives and personal memoirs alike, Lisa Napoli discovers that the world is a beautiful and complicated place—and comes to appreciate her life for the adventure it is.

My Review:

Radio Shangri-La by Lisa Napoli is a memoir and a travelogue.  At forty years old, Napoli does not feel content, and while she lives a lovely life, she feels as though something is missing and is then given the chance to travel to Bhutan to start up the first ever-commercial radio station in Bhutan, Kuzoo F.M.  Through Napoli’s eyes and numerous trips to Bhutan, the reader learns about a country and culture, which is not often spoken about.  I am not exactly certain what I was expecting from Radio Shangri-La, but I was not expecting what I read.  However, I did enjoy learning how Napoli viewed Bhutan, the Bhutanese, the culture and her descriptions of how Bhutan was slowly progressing as a country.   For me, I studied foreign countries extensively and I did not learn a whole lot, yet it was a quick read, as though Napoli was sitting with me sharing her travel experiences.  For those who are unaware of Bhutan or know little about the country and culture, Radio Shangri-La is a gentle guide into a foreign country.  Memoirs are often tricky to review as they are clearly from the viewpoint of the author.  I do not know if Napoli’s mid-life crisis was averted or overcome from her experience, but I imagine she did grow and evolve from her experiences.   I was far more interested in reading how an insider would view the political changes of a rather isolated country, and I was left wanting, yet again, in all fairness to Napoli, she wrote a memoir, not a political science book, and Napoli does offer up a bibliography of reference books, of which I am quite interested in reading.   My main concern is that on my ARC copy and on the publisher’s site, this book is listed under travel.  Radio Shangri-La is a wonderful memoir, but lacks the qualities one would look for in a travel book, but this may be changed in the final printed copy.  While I am glad I read Radio Shangri-La, it is not a book I would read again.  Readers who enjoy memoirs and would like to know more about the Bhutanese people, their culture, and Bhutan may enjoy Radio Shangri-La, and for those who are looking for a travel book about Bhutan should look elsewhere.

About the Author:

LISA NAPOLI is a journalist whose last staff job was on the public radio show Marketplace. An early chronicler of the dawn of the World Wide Web as a columnist at the New York Times CyberTimes, she has also been the Internet correspondent at MSNBC. She began her career at CNN, worked in local news in North Carolina, and has directed several documentaries about Southern culture.

For more information please check out Lisa’s website, and follow her on her Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.

I received a complimentary copy of Radio Shangri-La by Lisa Napoli from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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Book Review: The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney

Saturday 12 March, 2011 By 9 Comments


Title: The Matchmaker of Kenmare: A Novel of Ireland
Author: Frank Delany
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: February 8, 2011
Hardcover: 416 pages
ISBN: 978-1400067848
Genre: Fiction, Literature

From the Publisher:

“And there’s a legend—she had only vague details—that all couples who are meant to marry are connected by an invisible silver cord which is wrapped around their ankles at birth, and in time the matchmaking gods pull those cords tighter and tighter and draw the couple slowly toward one another until they meet.” So says Miss Kate Begley, Matchmaker of Kenmare, the enigmatic woman Ben MacCarthy meets in the summer of 1943.

As World War II rages on, Ben remains haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his wife, the actress Venetia Kelly. Searching for purpose by collecting stories for the Irish Folklore Commission, he travels to a remote seaside cottage to profile the aforementioned Matchmaker of Kenmare.

Ben is immediately captivated by the forthright Miss Begley, who is remarkably self-assured in her instincts but provincial in her experience. Miss Begley is determined to see that Ben moves through his grief—and a powerful friendship is forged along the way.

But when Charles Miller, a striking American military intelligence officer, arrives on the scene, Miss Begley develops an intense infatuation and looks to make a match for herself. Miller needs a favor, but it will be dangerous. Under the cover of their neutrality as Irish citizens, Miss Begley and Ben travel to London and effectively operate as spies. As they are drawn more deeply and painfully into the conflict, both discover the perils of neutrality—in both love and war.

Steeped in colorful history, The Matchmaker of Kenmare is a stirring story of friendship and sacrifice. New York Times bestselling author Frank Delaney has written a lush and surprising novel, rich as myth, tense as a thriller, and like all grand tales—harrowing, sometimes hilarious, and heartbreaking.

My Review:

The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney is an exquisite story of the life of Ben MacCarthy, an aficionado of Irish folklore, as seen through his eyes as narrator.   During the time of World War II, Ben meets Kate Begley, 4 years his junior and known as the Matchmaker of Kenmare.  As might be expected, the relationship between these two develops throughout the novel, but feelings for his missing wife, Venetia Kelly, weigh heavily on Ben.  Likewise, Kate has her own emotional baggage in her feelings for her missing husband, intelligence agent Charles Miller, someone with whom she feels a very strong emotional bond.  Readers are drawn into this developing relationship between Ben and Kate as the two become involved in aiding the Americans in the war effort in Europe.  The storyline is masterfully planned out to begin at a slower movement, which gradually picks up as the two go through some rather upsetting experiences in Europe.  Grace, sacrifice, and love themes emanate from this story so well written that one is almost transported to wartime Ireland through the expertly crafted prose.  I adored Delaney’s previous novel, Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show and highly recommend readers choose to read that book as well.  I highly recommend The Matchmaker of Kenmare to all readers and strongly urge book discussion groups to select this book, as there are many themes to discuss.

About the Author:

Frank Delaney is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Ireland, as well as Tipperary, Shannon, and Simple Courage: A True Story of Peril on the Sea. A former judge for the Man Booker Prize, Delaney enjoyed a prominent career in BBC broadcasting before becoming a full-time writer. Born in Tipperary, Ireland, he now lives in New York City and Connecticut.

For further information please visit the author’s website.

I received a complimentary ARC of The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney from Random House to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

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Book Review: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Wednesday 9 March, 2011 By 21 Comments


Title: The Paris Wife
Author: Paula McLain
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN: 978-0345521309
Genre: Historical Fiction

From the Publisher:

A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises. Hadley, meanwhile, strives to hold on to her sense of self as the demands of life with Ernest grow costly and her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Despite their extraordinary bond, they eventually find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.

My Review:

Being a fan of the works of Ernest Hemingway I could not pass up the chance to read a fictionalised account of his first wife, Hadley Richardson, and I was not disappointed.  The Paris Wife by Paula McLain gives the reader a look into Hadley Richardson’s life, and while fictional, McLain relies on biographical accounts to make her story as historically accurate as possible while still maintaining her creative license to bring forth the many larger than life characters who lived in the 1920s.  Told through the voice of Hadley the reader will learn about her childhood, Hemmingway’s, and how they appear on the surface to be a perfect match for each other.  Hadley supported his endeavours, encouraged Hemingway and moved with him to Paris where they lived an emotionally charged life together.  There is so much more I would like to share, but then what would be the point of reading the book, and it should be read.  McLain brings to life the 1920s and the up and coming expatriates living in Paris, their lifestyles, and habits. At times it seems as though life is one big party, which is not really a surprise considering Fitzgerald’s work, The Great Gatsby, so much rings true for those living this life in Paris.  For those unfamiliar with Hemingway’s works, I strongly encourage they be read, beginning with The Sun Also Rises, as it is one he works on while with Hadley.   McLain quickly draws the reader into this story and its cast of characters and their nicknames, into a world, which would be difficult to fathom, if not for McLain’s use of vivid imagery and eloquent prose.  After reading The Paris Wife, I realised this book would make for a lively discussion group choice.  I found myself torn between Hemingway and Hadley, no I did not agree with his behaviour but I realised I was allowing him more freedom than I would a fictional character.  Maybe I was the only Hemingway fan to feel this way, I may never know.  What I do know for certain is that I would without doubt recommend The Paris Wife to all readers and book discussion groups.

About the Author:

PAULA MCLAIN was born in Fresno, CA in 1965. After being abandoned by both parents, she and her two sisters became wards of the California Court System, moving in and out of foster homes for the next 14 years. Eventually, she discovered she could — and wanted to — write. She received her MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan in 1996, and since then has been a resident at Yaddo and the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. She is the author of two collections of poetry, a much-praised memoir called Like Family (Little Brown, 2003), and one previous and well-received novel, A Ticket to Ride. Paula McLain lives in Cleveland, OH with her family.

For more information please visit Kath Russell at her website or blog.


Paula McLain’s THE PARIS WIFE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘11 officially began on March 1st and will end on March 25th. Visit here during the month of March to find out more about this great book and talented author!

I received a complimentary copy of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain from Pump Up Your Book Promotion as part of the tour. Receiving a copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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Book Tour: Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

Wednesday 23 February, 2011 By 14 Comments


Title: Beatrice and Virgil
Author: Yann Martel
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau; Reprint edition
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Paperback: 240 pages
ISBN: 7978-0812981544
Genre: Fiction

From the Publisher:

When Henry receives a letter from an elderly taxidermist, it poses a puzzle that he cannot resist. As he is pulled further into the world of this strange and calculating man, Henry becomes increasingly involved with the lives of a donkey and a howler monkey—named Beatrice and Virgil—and the epic journey they undertake together.

With all the spirit and originality that made Life of Pi so beloved, this brilliant new novel takes the reader on a haunting odyssey. On the way Martel asks profound questions about life and art, truth and deception, responsibility and complicity.

My Review:

This is neither a review nor a criticism of a book I did not enjoy, as one may have already noticed I did not rate this book, but rather some random thoughts about the book.  I agreed to take part in the tour for Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel and while his book was not for me, it does not mean others will not enjoy this book. Hindsight is 20/20 and looking back, my fist clue should have been my reaction to Life of Pi. I am well aware that Life of Pi was the 2002 Man Booker Prize winner and it was very well received, but not by me. It just was not a style I enjoyed. So when I was asked to review Beatrice and Virgil I thought, why not? I tried to keep an open mind while I read the book, and even when I wanted to stop, I kept reading, looking for something to cling to.

While I understand that Martel is trying to tell the readers about the atrocity of the Holocaust through a play with a howler monkey and a donkey, the point was almost lost on me in its absurdity. Was Martel trying to show the cruelty reserved only for humans by telling the story through animals? If so, Mark Twain summed it up nicely in a quote from his book The Damned Human Race, “Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one that inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it. It is a trait that is not known to the higher animals.” That quote alone would have saved me the time of reading the play within the story. In the beginning of the book Henry receives a work by Gustave Flaubert, an author whose works I admire, yet even his work appears to get lost amidst the play.

I have already spent more time then I indeed to and I apologise for the length. I did not care for Beatrice and Virgil, which in the grand scheme of life means precious little. You dear readers may discover it to be a work of pure genius. For me, I shall stick with Flaubert and Alighieri (two authors mentioned in this book) to read about life and the countless non-fiction books regarding the Holocaust that do not involve fictional, allegorical plays with animals. Yes, I realise Martel was being artistic; unfortunately it did not work for me.

I encourage everyone to check out the tour link and read what other reviewers have to say regarding Beatrice and Virgil, my opinion is merely that, my opinion.

About the Author:

The award-winning author of four previous books, the most recent of which is What Is Stephen Harper Reading?, Yann Martel was born in Spain in 1963. He studied philosophy at Trent University, worked at odd jobs – tree planter, dishwasher, security guard – and travelled widely before turning to writing. He was awarded the Journey Prize for the title story in The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios. His second novel, Life of Pi, won the 2002 Man Booker, among other prizes.

Yann Martel lives in Saskatoon with the writer Alice Kuipers and their son.

Connect with Yann Martel on Facebook.

For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.

I received a complimentary copy of Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

Filed Under: Book Review, Book Tour Tagged With: ,

Book Review and Tour: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Wednesday 2 February, 2011 By 9 Comments


Title: Shadowfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: January 18, 2011
Hardcover: 608 pages
ISBN: 978-0385341677
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

From the Publisher:

“Evil is a completely different creature, Mac. Evil is bad that believes it’s good.”

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.
Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it.

My Review:

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning is the fifth and final book in her McKayla Lane series and my struggle is to write a review which gives nothing away for those new to the series.  For those who have followed my blog, I have reviewed the previous four books and enjoyed them immensely which surprised me, as this series is not a genre I typically enjoy.  Moning writes with fluidity and continuity, which I appreciate, and while I will not broaden myself in this particular genre, Moning has proven to me that it can indeed be exciting.  Shadowfever is a very dense book with quite a lot happening at a very fast pace which helps to keep the reader engaged and turning the pages.  Up until now each book has left me with more questions than answers and Shadowfever answers all the questions I carried over from the previous books.  Moning’s character development is brilliant, her imagery is spot on, and she delivers numerous well-placed plot twists throughout the book to continually keep the reader on their toes.  Shadowfever is probably my favourite of the five books in the series and not simply because my questions were cleared up, but rather I felt the characters, especially Mac had finally matured.  Finishing Shadowfever was bittersweet, I received the answers I was searching for and yet, unlike every other review for this series, I know there is not another book to be read, it is indeed over.  To those who have read the other books in the series, do read Shadowfever, and for those who have never read any books in Moning’s series, give it a go, especially those, like myself who think this is not a genre you will enjoy, Moning just may surprise you, I certainly know I was.

About the Author:

Karen Marie Moning graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Society & Law. Her novels have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists and have won numerous awards, including the prestigious RITA Award.

Visit Karen Marie Moning’s website.
Follow Karen Marie Moning on Twitter.
Karen Marie Moning’s Facebook.

For more reviews of the book, please follow the book tour.

I received a complimentary copy of Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.

Filed Under: Book Review, Book Tour Tagged With: , ,
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