CASUAL VACANCY by JK Rowling

I am late to the party with this review but I had to wait a long time to check out a copy of this book from my local library. Like so many, I am a huge fan of Rowling's HARRY POTTER series.  She is a gifted storyteller whose special talent lay in the wonderful and whimsical details that she added to make Potter's world come alive.  I wasn't sure what to expect from her first adult novel and it is truly a departure from everything that came before.

The story begins with the death of town councilman Barry Fairbrother from an aneurysm.  His sudden death leaves an empty spot on the town council or "a casual vacancy."  The small town of Pagford quickly moves from shock and grief over Fairbrother's death to scheming and speculating about filling his council vacancy.  Fairbrother's death brings out the worst in everyone.  The town has long been mired over a dispute over an adjoining community that is poverty-stricken and crime-ridden. Fairbrother's death leaves his enemies a chance to finally achieve their political goal of getting rid of the blight on their idyllic town.  A full-out political war breaks out in the small town as dirty secrets are revealed and everyone's worst side comes out.

Rowling is definitely a very good writer.  Her characters are all well-written and have great depth.  It is amazing that she was able to keep up with so many different characters.  That being said, this wasn't a particularly enjoyable book to read.  I didn't like a single one of the characters.  They were all a bunch of grasping, self-serving egomaniacs.  The whole book depressed me. But perhaps that was the point. It may be that Rowling just wanted us to recognize how certain things can bring out the worst in people and how we  are all guilty of terrible behavior at times.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended for certain readers. If you are coming to this book expecting a whimsical follow-up to HARRY POTTER, you will be disappointed. This is a very dark book filled with language and harsh situations that show the very worst in people.  It is well-written and interesting but not particularly enjoyable to read.

ABOVE ALL THINGS by Tanis Rideout

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I really love it when books can so capture your imagination that they make you want to head out to your local library to learn more. This is one of those books. I used to work at a natural history museum and, for a time, there was a big focus on Everest. This was when the Everest IMAX movie came out in conjunction with Krakauer's INTO THIN AIR.  Everest has become a symbol of hubris.  The fact that no climber can go up Everest without passing a trail of bodies is testament to this fact. One of the first men who caught the Everest bug was George Mallory.  In this book, Rideout imagines Mallory's last Everest bid and its effect on him, his fellow climbers and his family.  She alternates between Mallory's experiences on the mountain and those of his wife Ruth.  We so often focus on the adventures of these men that we seldom think about the effects that their actions have on their families.  Rideout does a wonderful job of capturing Ruth's reaction to Mallory's obsession with Everest.  While the ending of the story is already known, I think Rideout does an excellent job in how she interprets Mallory's last moments and Ruth's reaction to his death.  It is a wonderful story of a great love and a great obsession.

As soon as I finished this book, I immediately got busy trying to learn more about Mallory and his climbing partner "Sandy" Irvine. I wanted to learn more about that last fatal bid for the top as well as what happened to Ruth after Mallory's death.  One of the hardest parts of this story is that we will never really know what happened in Mallory's last moments. Did he make it to the top? Was it worth it? We may never know.  After reading this book, however, I am both glad my husband isn't a climber and more certain than ever that I have no desire to visit Everest.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. A wonderful tragic tale of hubris and love.  This book will make you want to learn more about Everest and the many tragic secrets that it holds.

Falling Behind

As I try and grapple with my feelings over the tragedy in Newtown, I hope to get caught up on reviews this week.

I owe you reviews for:

ABOVE ALL THINGS by Tanis Rideout
CASUAL VACANCY by JK Rowling
THE ROUND HOUSE by Louise Erdrich
A THOUSAND PARDONS by  Jonathan Dee
FINDING CAMLANN by Sean Pidgeon
THE OBITUARY WRITER by Ann Hood

Hopefully, I'll get them all done before the new year so that I will be on time with my BEST OF 2012 list. Hope you are all well....

LBC 2013 Parenting Book Challenge

I wish I had a trumpet sound effect to use right now.

I have decided to try something new for 2013.  I am going to read (and review) at least one parenting/education book each month in 2013.  This will be a slight departure for me as I do non-fiction only sparingly and then only the most current books.  I want to find the very best inspiration out there to improve my parenting skills.  I hope you will join me.  Feel free to grab the graphic above.  I am still working out the details of the challenge.  I'm thinking I'll post the latest title at the beginning of each month and then wrap up at the end of the month with a review and/or discussion.

JANUARY:
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL by Madeline Leving

FEBRUARY:
HOW CHILDREN SUCCEED by Paul Tough

MARCH:
BRINGING UP BEBE by Pamela Druckerman

APRIL:
LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS by Richard Louv

MAY: 
SIMPLICITY PARENTING by Kim John Payne and Lisa Ross

JUNE:
No selection

JULY: 
FREE TO LEARN by Peter Gray

AUGUST:
THE BIG DISCONNECT by Catherine Steiner-Adair and Teresa H. Barker

SEPTEMBER
HOW TO TALK SO YOUR KIDS WILL LISTEN & LISTEN SO KIDS WILL TALK
by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

OCTOBER
PLAYFUL LEARNING by Mariah Bruehl

NOVEMBER
RAISING SELF-RELIANT CHILDREN IN A SELF-INDULGENT WORLD by H. Stephen Glenn and Jane Nelson

DECEMBER
IT'S OK NOT TO SHARE by Heather Shumaker

Other potential titles:

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE by Jane Nelson
FREE RANGE KIDS by Lenore Skenazy
WRITE START by Jennifer Hallissy
RHYTHM OF FAMILY by Amanda Blake Soule
IMAGINE CHILDHOOD by Sarah Olmsted
NURTURESHOCK by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
A CHILD'S WORK by Vivian Gussin Paley
MIND IN THE MAKING by Ellen Galinksy

A little something about my parenting style.  I am the mother of a 4.5 yr old boy. We approach parenting with a hybrid style of both "crunchy" and conventional.  My son has attended Montessori preschools since he was 2 and we value a "whole child" approach to learning. I place a lot of emphasis on creativity, imagination and exploration at home.  We do not allow our son to use a computer/smartphone/tablet and we limit television to a maximum of 30 minutes per day. We eat mostly organic as a family and try very hard to focus on handmade and natural toys (and toys that don't require batteries).  We also practice positive discipline in our home. That being said, my son does have some conventional toys and he will be attending a traditional elementary school in the Fall.   I don't believe in standardized testing and will be watching my son's school experience closely to see how it goes.  I try to read a lot and gather as much information as I can and then take the best of what I find.

Find more of the reading challenge posts by clicking on the "parenting book challenge 2013" label under this post.

A FLOWER IN THE SNOW Blog Tour and Giveaway!!!!

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I am so thrilled to be a part of a blog tour for this lovely picture book!

In Tracey Corderoy's and Sophie Allsopp's sweet and whimsical story, Luna and her polar bear friend, Bear, discover a beautiful yellow flower growing out of the snow. Luna quickly dubs the flower her "sunshine flower" and vows to keep in forever. When the flower fades, Luna becomes depressed and Bear vows to find her another flower.  With Bear gone on his quest, Luna realizes what really matters to her.  And it isn't a flower.

The illustrations are just beautiful:

This one was Noodlebug's favorite:

This is such a beautiful book and I thought the story was so sweet. I loved the emphasis on the importance of friendship and relationships over material things.  As someone with an anthropology background, I also loved the fact that the human character wasn't your standard Anglo child.  It was such a great setting to have the story take place in a snowy, northern spot with an Inuit-like child.  It added a special dimension to the book.  While this isn't a holiday book, it would be a perfect winter read for any family. And it emphasizes important values that we can all appreciate.

I am giving away a copy of this lovely picture book.  It will make a perfect gift for some lucky child. This giveaway is open to residents of the United States and Canada.  

Leave a comment on why you'd like to win this book along with your contact information.

The giveaway ends on Friday, December 20 at 4:00pm PST.

BEING SANTA CLAUS by Sal Lizard

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

If your holiday spirit isn't up to par this year, I suggest you go pick up this book.  I was a little skeptical about this book at first.  I worried this it might be a little too gimmicky.  After reading the first chapter, however, I was completely charmed.

This sweet memoir tells the story of professional Santa Claus Sal Lizard.  Lizard recounts how he first got into the Santa Claus business and then tells many stories from his career about how he was able to change the lives of others and how they in turn changed his life.  The book is completely heart-warming.  I teared up several times reading some of Lizard's experiences.  I also appreciated how he seems to have come up with some really great answers to some of those tough questions kids ask about Santa Claus.  I'm going to use some them on my own child.

It's a short book and I don't want to give too much away.  The book can easily be read in one sitting. Especially by the fire with a cup of cocoa. This is a man who truly embodies the Spirit of Christmas and has one of the best jobs in the world.

BOTTOM  LINE:  Recommended. If you are looking for some reading to get you in the holiday spirit, this is your book. 

CITY OF DARK MAGIC by Magnus Flyte

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I have always loved to travel but I have never really had any interest in visiting Prague until I read this book. Music student Sarah Weston gets a job opportunity at a castle in Prague cataloging some Beethoven manuscripts. It seems like a dream job except for the fact that she was chosen after her mentor died in the same position.  Sarah takes off to Prague and becomes embroiled in the many secrets concealed by the Castle and the people who inhabit it. Sarah becomes suspicious about the circumstances arounde her mentor's apparent suicide and begins to investigate.  She discovers a time-warping drug that will change how she views not only her beloved Beethoven but also the history of the world around her. And she finds a little romance along with her adventure.

This was a really fun novel. It had some similarities to Harkness' DISCOVERY OF WITCHES in that there is a strong female scholar who becomes involved in extraordinary events. While the romance and sex scenes could sometimes be a bit far-fetched and over the top, the mystery and the time-warping drug were really great.  Prague itself becomes a character in the novel with all of its history and mystical properties.  I loved how the novel moved back and forth through time thanks to the mysterious drug.  The reader is able to see all the drama that unfolded within the walls of the Castle and Prague itself. While the writing can be a little messy and the story could have been developed a bit more, it was still a really entertaining book. It even left room for a sequel which I would definitely welcome.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended.  A fun vacation read with action, mystery and a little romance.  Fans of Harkness and Gabaldon will enjoy this one.

Thanksgiving Reading with Kids

Noodlebug and I have been going through our favorite Thanksgiving picture books to prepare for the big day. We thought we would share a few of our favorites with you.

1. BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY by Melissa Sweet

I absolutely love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The only reason I ever shop at Macy's is because I want to support the store that gives me such happiness every year.  This little picture book celebrates the man behind the wonderful balloons in the parade.  It is a little wordier than most picture books but my 4-yr-old loves the pictures.  The illustrations are sweet and very detailed and there are wonderful photos of actual documents and newspaper articles from the 1920's and 1930's.  This makes a charming read each year as we prepare for our parade viewing.

2. BEAR SAYS THANKS by Karma Wilson

We love all of Karma Wilson's "Bear" books and this one is really sweet and charming.  Bear's friends start showing up to share a feast and each one brings something special. But Bear doesn't have anything to offer.  As Bear struggles with feelings of inadequacy (wink), his friends let him know just how much he really IS contributing to the fun. Really sweet.

3. BERENSTAIN BEARS GIVE THANKS by Jan and Mike Berenstain

As a parent, I have been rediscovering the Berenstain Bears and I just love them. All of the stories are sweet and wholesome and have a wonderful message that I think we can all get behind. 

4. THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING by Natasha Wing

This one is just for fun. It's a Thanksgiving version of the "Night Before Christmas" that focuses on some of the more traditional aspects of American Thanksgiving such as the food, the games and other family activites.  At least there is no Black Friday in there!!!


I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. I'll be counting my blessings!!!

THE SECRET KEEPER by Kate Morton

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I dearly love Kate Morton and she just keeps getting better and better.  She is a master of the "family secret" genre. (one of my favorites!)  Morton returns to this familiar territory with THE SECRET KEEPER.

16-yr-old Laurel Nicolson is hiding in her childhood treehouse when she witnesses her mother involved in a shocking crime. When Laurel returns home years later to see her mother, Dorothy, on her deathbed, she decides that the time has finally come to solve this family mystery.  We follow Dorothy's story from WWII to the present.  We meet Dorothy's fiance' Jimmy and her best friend Vivien and learn how the three of them met.  As their paths cross in wartorn London, a series of events will be set into motion that will change their lives forever.

I think one of the things that makes this story so effective is the setting in 1940's London.  WWII is the perfect backdrop for the intersection of the lives of Dorothy, Vivien and Jimmy.  All of the characters are interesting and compelling and the reader is driven to find out the truth behind their relationships and the secret that Dorothy has been hiding for over fifty years.  Although the secret became clear to me fairly early on, I still didn't know HOW the events came to be.  Morton kept me guessing until the end.  I was completely engrossed by this story and couldn't put it down.

BOTTOM LINE:  Highly recommended. Another winner from Morton. Save this one for a vacation because you won't want to put it down until the secret is revealed.

MR.PENUMBRA'S 24 HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan

I had high hopes for this one.  So much so that I purchased a copy as soon as I heard it was coming out.  It seemed to have all the ingredients that I look for in a book.  Characters who love books and mysteries, an odd bookstore that may or may not hide a secret, eccentric characters....the list goes on.

After young Clay Jannon loses his job in the midst of the Recession, he takes a position in a very odd 24-hour bookstore.  Clay works the night shift and figures that his job will be pretty quiet with the exception of the goings-on at the strip club next door.  Clay quickly realizes, however, that there is more to Mr. Penumbra's bookstore than meets the eye.  A group of eccentric customers appear on a regular basis requesting books from the book of the store that Clay refers to as the "backlist."  When Clay finally brings himself to look at one of these books, he sees that they are written in some kind of code.  Why are these books here?  And, more importantly, what are the mysterious customers doing with them? As the days go by, Clay becomes more curious about the mystery and employs his girlfriend at Google as well as other technologically-inclined friends to help him break the code.  All of these individuals meet at the intersection of technology and books in order to solve a centuries-old mystery.

While the idea of this book is charming and interesting, it fell flat for me.  With the exception of Mr. Penumbra himself, I didn't find any of the characters particularly engaging.  I loved the fact that Sloan mixed up Luddites and technology buffs and created a mystery that could only be solved using both kinds of people. The mystery itself with its secret brotherhood and emphasis on books was quite charming.  I think, though, that the book was just too short.  If Sloan had fleshed out the story and characters a bit more, say 500-600 pages instead of 300, we could have had a really great story.  As it was, the whole thing felt rushed and the ending tidied everything up a little too much. Print-book readers definitely win with this one in that it has an absolutely charming cover.  It made me happy each evening to turn out the light and watch the cover glowing in the dark on my bedside table!

BOTTOM LINE:  Not recommended.  I think Sloan had some terrific ideas but the book just wasn't long or detailed enough to really have an impact.  I would have liked to know more about the story and characters instead of being rushed through it.