All I Love and Know by Judith Frank

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Matt and Daniel were a happy couple, comfortable with their life in the liberal town of Northhampton, MA – that is, until they learn that Daniel’s twin brother and wife were killed in a terrorist bombing in Jerusalem.  Dazed by the knowledge that his brother wanted Daniel to raise his two young children should anything happen to him, Daniel and Matt immediately flew over to Jerusalem to confront the situation.  The emotional turmoil and upheaval of their lives that ensues take Daniel and Matt through challenges they never imagined they’d have to face.

There are many layers to this story – the relationship between Daniel and Matt, their relationship with the children they suddenly are responsible for, the political issues surrounding the death of Daniel’s brother, the conflicts between the religious family and their sexual orientation – just to name a few.  And the characters are also very complex – between Matt, who isn’t Jewish and who never imagined being a parent and is thrust into both worlds, Daniel who is grieving in his own complicated way, and Gal, the older of the children who is in kindergarten when her parents are killed.  Their story is told in a simple manner with tactile details that give the story a warm authenticity.  And while there is a lot of love among the characters, there is grief, loss, and fear that each is digesting and this strains the relationship among all of them.  When the end of the book comes, I felt that I’d really experienced this saga with actual people, they all felt so real.

While this is not necessarily a “must read,” it is a powerful story with very real characters that will become your family as you read them.

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman

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Elsa’s granny is certainly “different” –and Elsa knows how complicated, even burdensome, that can be.  But Elsa also knows that even while she can argue for hours, even days with her granny (mainly about the fairytale world they’ve constructed), she always knows that Granny has her back.  So what happens if something happens to Granny…?

Utilizing the world of fantasy, Elsa’s Granny helps Elsa escape a world in which she feels alienated and lonely because she is “different.” Unfortunately, because of how closely this is entwined with the actual storyline, there is vast description of this fantasy world, to which I personally felt disconnected.  These parts lost me a little.  On the other hand, the parts that were real pulled me back in.  And while I was not crazy about the fairytale parts, I do appreciate the brilliance of the author’s use of this as a vehicle to show Granny’s eccentric but steadfast show of love for Elsa.

What is most beautiful about this book are the characters.  They are real, imperfect, temperamental, sweet, and human.  And all are portrayed with such grace and subtlety in the course of the telling of the story.  The way the story is constructed, there seems to be a wall of characters built around Elsa, who function as a fortress to protect her and love her.  It is very moving and I have to confess that I did choke up at times.

All in all, it’s a beautiful story that slowly and very definitely works its way into your heart.

 

Seventh Heaven by Alice Hoffman

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On Hemlock Street, in a small town on Long Island in the year 1959, all the houses looked the same.  In fact, even those that lived inside those identical model homes had difficulty finding their own because the streets all looked the same.  The mothers were all homemakers and shared recipes and gossip, the fathers all worked and bonded in the hardware store, and the children all fell asleep to the sounds of the Southern State Highway.  So when Nora Silk, divorced and juggling multiple jobs with the care of her 2 young sons, moved onto the street, she could not have appeared more different from the others.  It was only after time, acts of tragedy and kindness, and the communal realization that no one has a perfect family, that Nora was able to work her way into the hearts of the families on the street.

The first thing I loved about this book was the capturing of an iconic generation and its details.  The description of suburban life in the late 1950’s/early 1960’s is perfect – from the clothes to the foods to the very way of thinking at the time.  It was a simpler time but still fraught with normal human experience, both sweet and sad.  I am dating myself by saying that I could relate.

The story, as it very subtly unwinds, though, is really about bullying in its many forms.  Whether it is adults who are unfriendly to someone who they judge to be different, or kids who pick on the awkward new boy, or teenage boys who treat a “loose” girl like she doesn’t matter, the story revolves around the evil that comes from judging others and acting mean.  Some learn their lessons while others just run away.  But ultimately, kindness rules.

This is a beautiful, real-life story that will very gradually and quietly warm your heart.

 

 

 

Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

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Wanting only to reconnect with his son, Ryan, Jake agreed to pick him up at the movies, when his wife, Pam suggested it.  Encouraged by the beginning of the first real conversation he’d had with Ryan in awhile, he hesitated only briefly when on the way home, Ryan asked to drive, even though it was slightly after the curfew for those with only drivers’ permits.  What happened after that changed their lives forever, bonding father and son together but binding them in a web of lies that almost tears them apart forever.

The writing in this book is not what keeps it a page-turner; rather it is entirely plot-driven.  But the plot is well-navigated and drives through twists and turns that keep the reader absolutely engaged.  The characters are also each very likable, so that you really care what happens and feel a warm sympathy toward them, in spite of their flaws and very bad decisions.

This is suspense novel that is extremely suspenseful – a fun, quick read.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

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For each of the 3 families attending the BBQ hosted by Tiffany and Vin, life was permanently altered.  Clementine and Sam were unsure if their marriage would survive, Tiffany and Vin were not sure what was going on with their daughter, Dakota, and Erika could not remember a slice of time during the BBQ and was obsessively trying to recover that memory.  Life seemed so simple before the BBQ.  Things were taken for granted…

The beauty of this book is in the skillful crafting of the narrative, which circles around the BBQ and only very gradually divulges exactly what happened and how.  By rotating around the characters’ perspectives and by weaving in and out of time frames, Moriarty builds up the suspense and enriches the impact of the crescendo of the story.  And on the way down, she continues to add smaller punches which ultimately tie in each of the pieces of the puzzle.

I also love the message in this book, which is, essentially, that issues that are difficult or painful should be talked through.  Keeping secrets and holding things inside only lead to repression and misperceptions, usually resulting in unfounded guilt or other sources of misery.  Especially with children.

I am a big fan of Liane Moriarty – and this is yet another engaging, well-spun tale by her!

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

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Violet, raised by her American single mom, the owner of an upscale courtesan house in Shanghai, is used to getting her way.  As she spies on everyone in the house, including her own mother, she learns that her mother manages to get her way, as well.  She watches as her mother navigates the business world, bringing Chinese and foreign businessmen together in order to create opportunities for these men.  In doing so, she also brings them into her business.  Life is good for Violet, until the day she learns of the existence of her father (who is Chinese, much to her shock) and a long-lost brother whom her mother feels she must go to America to see.  In a twist of circumstance brought about by a devious suitor, Violet and her mother are separated and Violet’s life is set upon a trajectory of hardship, of love, and of heartbreak.

The story is beautiful and tragic and heart-wrenching.  We follow Violet as well as her mother, Lucia, through their lives which are complicated and also made beautiful by love.  The issue of Chinese and American cultures clashing comes out frequently and creates a lot of the conflict in the story.  The other characters in the book are also quite beautiful and add greatly to the depth of this saga.

My only criticism of this book is the editing – I feel that parts of the story were drawn out almost to the point of boredom.  Violet is compelled to take a long journey that lasts a couple of weeks.  It is a very difficult journey, that is clear.  But the number of pages used to describe every obstacle – almost each stone that was in their way – was truly onerous to plod through.  There were a number of parts like this that could have/should have been abbreviated somewhat.

That said, it is still quite a stirring tale of ultimately 3 generations of very strong women who overcome their adverse circumstance, almost against all odds.  Although the reader must wade through excessive detail, it is ultimately a very inspiring and up-lifting.

The Teenage Brain by Frances E. Jensen, MD with Amy Ellis Nutt

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A stark departure from my usual posts, this non-fiction book is the product of a neuroscience researcher who also survived as a single mom raising her own 2 sons through their adolescent years.  It is written for parents – not just for those of us who work with adolescents – so while it is somewhat technical, it also is quite readable.  While the authors describe many studies about how the brain functions and how adolescent brains function uniquely, they also pepper the chapters with anecdotes about specific individuals who illustrate their points.  The stories are quite poignant and really keep the reader engaged.

What I like about this book is that it is not all negative and bad news.  Adolescents often get slammed when written about, with emphasis only on the risky behaviors and the poor decision-making that they are capable of.  While there is some of that here, there is also explanation for why they are vulnerable to unwise decisions – their still developing frontal cortices, primarily.  In addition, there is also very positive discussion about the plasticity of their brains, which enables them to learn much more easily and quickly than those of us who are older.  There is interesting discussion about why adolescents are more vulnerable to addiction, whether to smoking or drugs or gambling, etc., and there is also discussion of mental illness and legal issues.  Finally, there is also discussion of the emerging adult, or the post-adolescent, which is a newer area of investigation.

In this text, you’ll find reasoned parenting advice, strategies to help teens cope with difficulties, and resources, which any parent of a teen can benefit from.  This book is not for everyone, but if you are a parent of teens and have questions or issues, I would recommend this as a resource.  Also, if you work with teens in any capacity, this is a must-read.   Check it out!

 

 

Such a Pretty Face by Cathy Lamb

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In the past, Stevie has coped with her life stress by eating – and this brought her to being 170 lbs overweight and to having a heart attack at the age of 32.  She’s now had her stomach stapled and has lost the weight.  Unfortunately, she still has not confronted her demons and her nightmares continue as do her shyness and her fear of speaking her mind.  Fortunately, she has her cousins who love and support her, although they too are coping with shared trauma.  This story is the tale of how Stevie finally confronts her fears and begins to take back her life.

The theme of the story is interesting, and some of the scenes are very poignant.  There is stark portrayal of mental illness and how it affects everyone around them.  The scenes with Stevie’s mother are particularly heartbreaking, as she has raging auditory and visual hallucinations and severe paranoia.  This is the valuable part of the book.

On the other hand, the writing is so poor that it was hard to actually enjoy this book, and it seemed to deteriorate as the book progressed.  It was almost as if the author herself tired of the book and just didn’t care anymore about how it was written – just had to finish it already!  Things worked out too perfectly, characters were unidimensional and flat, dialogue was inane.  Even basic grammar was sort of thrown to the wind.  Sad, just sad.

So, all in all, it was actually a bit painful in many respects – not worth the time it took to read it.  A good idea, but not at all well-executed.

By the way, I found this book via Bookbub, a daily email notification of the books that are on sale on the Kindle.  I’ve found a few good books this way – I highly recommend this resource!  Unfortunately, this wasn’t the best find on the email…

 

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

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Where to begin on this sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird?  I guess, to begin with, it is a typical sequel, which is to say that it is not nearly as great as the original.  Few books can be, though.  On the other hand, it is a fascinating and horrifying commentary on the White, Southern perspective on segregation/integration and the resentment toward the Supreme Court’s decisions’ overriding of states’ decision-making.

Jean Louise, or Scout, as she was called in her youth, is visiting her home town for a 2-week vacation from her new home in New York City.  She is returning to her father, now riddled with arthritis, her aunt who has not lost her prudishness, and her dear friend, Henry, who is hankering to marry her.  She believes she will slip back into the familiar rhythm of her home, until she finds a repulsive pamphlet advertising a meeting in support of maintaining segregation.  Hiding in the back of the courtroom where the meeting was held, she is stunned to see her father and boyfriend sitting in the front row.  As her world is rocked, she is forced to reconcile her idea of who her father is with who her really is.

The themes in this story are all too relevant today.  Race is front and center in the news everyday and it appears we have made only baby steps in progress toward justice and equality.  Even in this story, where Scout is supposedly arguing to defend Blacks in the South, she still espouses such prejudice and the belief, for example, that Blacks could never be in positions of authority.  There is the assumption that there are inequalities that are inherent rather that imposed and I think this is really what underlies prejudice.

I would say this is an articulate piece of historical fiction – but unfortunately it is neither strictly historical nor fiction.

 

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

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Noah and Jude are twins whose mother, an art critic, has decided that they should apply to a high school for the arts.  Noah, who is very much his mother’s son, is ecstatic and dives into preparing his portfolio.  Jude, is less confident about her talent and expresses this by rebelling and turning away from her mother.  Unfortunately, as they each are grappling with their adolescent yearnings and unfolding sexuality, their lives are torn apart by a sudden family tragedy.  Will they be able to retrace their steps to find each other’s heart again?

This YA story is somewhat complicated and engaging, but a bit contrived.  There are a few clever plot twists that sneak up on the reader which definitely took me by surprise.  Unfortunately, there are also a few too many utter coincidences for it to be entirely believable.  It is real teenage struggle and angst tangled in a fairy tale plot.

On the other hand, what saves this book is the writing, which is full of striking imagery and gorgeous sentences.  The way the author ascribes colors and pictures to emotions is quite beautiful.  There is humor and sarcasm and a tenderness in all of the characters that keeps you caring so much about them through the whole book.

An enjoyable, light read with some great writing.