BRAIN: THE MAN WHO WROTE THE BOOK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD by Dermot Davis

I received a copy of this book from the author.

Daniel takes writing very seriously and dreams of writing the next Great American Novel. His career starts out in a promising fashion but, after a couple of years, his agent tells him that she can't sell his latest novel and it is clear that she is thinking about dropping him altogether.  Daniel is down and out with a car that doesn't run, thousands owed in back rent and no money for groceries.  Out of desperation, he decides to poke fun at the current trend of self-help book success by writing one of his own. But his book will be a clever satirical look at what readers are falling for these days.  Daniel is surprised to find out that instead of the satirical masterpiece he hoped to write, instead he has given the world the next great self-help sensation.

Although I try hard not to judge a book by its cover, I have to say that the cover and title of this book do it a great disservice.  At first glance, this looks like a non-fiction book.  Instead, it is a fun, often snarky look at the publishing world and the readers who are lured in by promises of great life changes if they only buy a certain book. To be honest, it doesn't have very nice things to say about readers in general but, based on the bestseller lists these days, I think Davis is pretty spot-on.

Although I wish the book had been a bit longer and bit more fleshed out, I still enjoyed it.  I feel that Davis could have gone a bit further into his characters.  I only had a real sense about who Daniel was. The other characters weren't as developed. The ending of the book also seemed a bit extreme but I understand the point Davis was trying to make.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. This would make a great vacation read.  Very quick and entertaining.  It will have you rethinking your reading habits.

RULES FOR BECOMING A LEGEND by Timothy S. Lane

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

When I see a book with sports featuring highly in the story, my initial inclination is to avoid it. That all changed with Chad Harbach's ART OF FIELDING. Harbach's novel proved to so much more than a novel about baseball. So, I was interested to see how Lane would use basketball in his new novel. 

Jimmy Kirkus is a basketball star who just happens to be the son of a basketball star.  His father, Todd Kirkus was once known as "Freight Train" Kirkus and was destined for greatness in the NBA until blowing out his knee.  Now, Jimmy holds the weight of the family's hope and dreams for basketball greatness on his thin shoulders. It proves to be too much. The novel opens with Jimmy repeatedly running into a wall in his school's gym in an attempt to knock himself out or worse. In a nod to the fact that Jimmy is half-Japanese, he becomes known as "Kamikaze" Kirkus.  The novel is told in a before-and-after style where everything dates from and to the incident with the wall.  We see the Kirkus Curse slowly revealed through flashbacks and get an understanding of just what went wrong with this family. Basketball becomes a method for understanding this family's story as well as how they fit into the greater community where basketball is king.  Primarily, it is a tale of fathers and sons and how the sins of the past can sometimes be visited on the one's children.  Can Jimmy break the curse and make a future for himself and his family?

Although I do not believe that this book is as literary or well-written as ART OF FIELDING, it is still a great read. The characters are compelling and well-fleshed out.  I really liked how Lane told the story around the incident of Jimmy and the Wall. It wasn't hard to follow at all and it showed how that particular incident was the centerpiece of everything that happened.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended. A great read for those who love stories about complex family relationships.  I can see this one being made into a movie.

PERFECT by Rachel Joyce

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

I adored Rachel Joyce's previous novel, THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest book.  Joyce has a real gift in creating interesting and unusual characters.  She populates her books with individuals who aren't your average heroes but are heroes nonetheless.

PERFECT takes place in England in 1972.  Byron Hemmings and his friend James Lowe are 11 years old and are on the cusp of manhood. They are dealing with the pressures of preparing for their entrance examinations for college.  Byron and his sister Lucie live in a lovely Georgian home with their mother Diana who strives to be the perfect wife while her husband is away during the week in London.  Throughout the book, the reader begins to see just what a struggle it is for Diana to maintain that illusion of perfection.  One day, when they are running late for school, Diana and the children drive through an unsavory part of town in an attempt at a shortcut.  In the fog, the car spins out of control.  Diana rights it and they make it to school but Byron realizes she doesn't seem to know that she hit a little girl on a bicycle in the process. This begins a chain of events that will change the lives of all of the characters forever.

There are a lot of things going on in this story.  We encounter mental illness, class warfare, a coming-of-age tale, emotional abuse, blackmail, and much more.  There is so much here that Joyce some of the threads in the story have to be dropped in order to continue the narrative.  The characters are amazing and interesting, however. Joyce does a wonderful job creating flawed and complex characters.  The story moves back and forth between the Summer of 1972 and the present where we see where one of the boy ended up.  The plot twist at the end of the book doesn't prove especially effective because there are enough clues early on that a careful reader can figure out what is going to happen. However, that doesn't hinder the final outcome of the book.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. This is a heartbreaking coming-of-age story that also manages to be beautiful.  While the book is as flawed as its characters, it still manages to tell a compelling story that will leave you thinking about the characters and longing for answers for a long time to come.

WHILE BEAUTY SLEPT by Elizabeth Blackwell

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

I think it is always intriguing when authors take well-known stories and either reimagine them or flesh them out a bit more. In WHILE BEAUTY SLEPT, Blackwell offers us the "real" story behind Sleeping Beauty.

Elise Dalriss overhears her granddaughter telling the story of a beautiful princess in a tower awakened by a handsome prince.  The granddaughter tells her grandmother that she heard the tale from a minstrel.  The story brings Elise back to her youth spent as a servant at the castle. Elise tells the story of how she rose from a poor peasant to a lady-in-waiting at the court of King Rannolf and how she stood witness the true story behind the princess in the castle.

Overall, I think Blackwell's retelling of Sleeping Beauty was very clever and interesting.  I think fans of Geraldine Brooks' YEAR OF WONDERS will find much to like here.  Elise is a compelling character and storyteller.  I didn't want to put the book down because I had to know what happened.  I think I read the whole thing in two days. When the reader gets to the part of the book that deals with the famous story, it is at the very end and felt a little bit disappointing after all the buildup. Indeed, that is my one major complaint about the book. Almost every chapter ended up with heavy foreshadowing or a statement to the effect of "little did I know then" or "the worst was yet to come."  After awhile, it got a bit tiresome. That did not stop me from enjoying the book. I like the way it reminds us of how stories can change as they are passed on and how myths and legends develop.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended. This would be a great vacation or beach read. It goes at a quick pace and is very entertaining. The ending is a bit of a letdown but it doesn't detract from the book overall.

AN ASTRONAUT'S GUIDE TO LIFE ON EARTH by Col. Chris Hadfield

I am a sucker for books about space. Even though after watching "Gravity," I have decided I have no interest in going to space myself until it looks like "Star Trek."  After hearing Hadfield speak on NPR and other news outlets, I was really excited to read this book.

In his book, Hadfield talks about the long road he took to become an astronaut and all the hard work and sacrifices that the endeavor entailed.  He details the focus he had to have, the breadth of knowledge, the ongoing (and neverending) education and training, the tedium, the teamwork and all of the many other aspects of an astronaut's life.  He includes many interesting anecdotes about his time in space including a spacewalk that didn't go as planned.  The reader also sees the effects that such a career can have on an astronaut's family and friends. It is a massive undertaking and one that is not undertaken lightly.  Hadfield mixes in a self-help angle into this memoir by talking about character traits that make a person not only successful as an astronaut but successful in life in general.  He deftly translates how the character traits that made him a good astronaut help him to succeed on Earth as well. I think this is what would make this book such a good young adult read. Almost all of us see the life of an astronaut as glamorous and I think most teenagers would be impressed with Hadfield's anecdotes. However, they would also see exactly the kind of work and character traits required to succeed in such a job. 

Bottom Line:  RECOMMENDED. A great read that is part astronaut-memoir and part self-help book. It gave me a greater appreciation for just how hard astronauts work and the teamwork involved in every space mission. 

CHILDREN OF PARADISE by Fred D'Aguiar

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

I am a big fan of historical fiction because it always makes me want to go out and learn more about the subject represented in the book.  This particular book was a tough one as it dealt with Jonestown.  The story focuses on a mother and daughter who are part of Jones' commune.  Joyce joined the commune in the hope of a better life for herself and her daughter but, after witnessing some of the preacher's unstable behavior and practices, she is having doubts.  Her 10-yr-old daughter, Trina, has become one of the preacher's favorites and he uses her in her sermons while forcing her to participate in often dangerous demonstrations.  Tying them all together is the gorilla held captive at the commune.  Adam is a witness to everything that happens in the commune and he has a special affinity for the children in general and Trina in particular.  Following the months and days leading up to the tragedy, CHILDREN OF PARADISE offers readers a glimpse into a crumbling earthbound paradise and the people who inhabit it.

It took me awhile to get into the book but I found it captivating once I was about halfway through it. Knowing what happened at Jonestown made me want to discover the fate of Joyce and Trina even more. And it made the story that much more tragic.  I thought Adam was an interesting character to add into the mix as he serves not only as an observer but also a key player in most of the profound moments in the book. My one complaint is that D'Aguiar anthropomorphizes Adam a bit too much. It is meant to come off as magical realism but it doesn't.  It just comes off as unbelievable and over the top.  Especially at the end of the book.  Overall, it was an interesting and sad story and I would love for someone else to read it so we can discuss the very ending.  I'm still not sure what happens!

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. An interesting look into the last tragic days at Jonestown.  The characters are fascinating even though the narrative can be frustrating at times. 

Favorite Books of 2013

My reviews aren't done but I wanted to share with you my favorite reads of 2013. My goal is always to read 52 books per year.  In 2013, I read 65. I think it is only because I was sick so much!

Here they are in no particular order:

1. THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt
2. THE GOOD LUCK OF RIGHT NOW by Matthew Quick
3. THE ALL-GIRL FILLING STATION'S LAST REUNION by Fannie Flagg
4. LOST LAKE by Sarah Addison Allen
5. THE OTHER ROOM by Kim Triedman
6. GRAVITY OF BIRDS by Tracy Guzeman
7. SONGS OF WILLOW FROST by Jamie Ford
8. THE SILENT WIFE by A.S.A. Harrison
9. SEA CREATURES by Susanne Daniel
10. AMY FALLS DOWN by Jincy Willett
11. THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI by Helene Wecker

Honorable Mention goes to BELLMAN AND BLACK by Diane Setterfield.  I love Setterfield's writing style but this one was a bit frustrating in terms of the narrative.

Can't wait to see what reading THIS year brings!

A Gift for Little Readers

I work in a library and I sell Barefoot Books on the side but I am always a sucker for more books!  Several months ago, we decided to subscribe to BOBBLEDY BOOKS, a small press publisher of children's books. We are loving it!!!

The husband and wife team of Bobbledy Books create this wonderful, whimsical stories that are mailed directly to your child.  Each year-long membership gets three books, a music CD, an interactive book for your child to complete, a funky multi-sided crayon and a birthday card.  $60 seems like a lot for a membership but each book retails for $12, the CD retails for $10 and you have to factor in shipping.

The books are so clever and definitely have our whimsical sense of humor.  So far, we have gotten:

We also got a book called  THE SNOWMEN BELOW which gave you a few prompts but encouraged children to make their own story.  We mailed our finished copy of THE SNOWMEN BELOW back to Bobbledy Books and one child will have their book published! Fun!

We also enjoy reading their blog which offers lots of writing and drawing prompts for inspiration.

I highly recommend Bobbledy Book as a great subscription club for your little reader.  Who doesn't love receiving books in the mail?!

They are currently offering $5 off with coupon code HOLIDAY.

(All images borrowed from and owned by Bobbledy Books.  I received NO compensation in any form for this post.  I just love the service!)

December Read: IT'S OK NOT TO SHARE by Heather Shumaker

The last book for this year will be IT'S OK NOT TO SHARE by Heather Shumaker. This will also be the readalong for 2014 for one of my favorite blogs, NOT JUST CUTE.

I am still playing catchup with a few of the books but I hope to post a recap of our reading adventure in January!

LBC Wish List of Upcoming Titles

Here are some upcoming titles that are DEFINITELY on my radar for 2014:

1. CHAPLIN AND COMPANY by Mave Fellowes

 

2. FROG MUSIC by Emma Donoghue

3. PERFECT by Rachel Joyce

4. WHILE BEAUTY SLEPT by Elizabeth Blackwell

5. INVENTION OF WINGS by Sue Monk Kidd