REVIEW - Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

Title: Skipping a Beat

Author: Sarah Pekkanen

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "What would you do if your husband suddenly wanted to rewrite the rules of your relationship?"

Thoughts: I have a secret. I was not a fan of Ms. Pekkanen's first novel. It wasn't that it was a horrible novel; I just felt that it was lighter, simplistic chick lit that is perfectly fine and is acceptable but not my typical fare. Yet, when Jen from Devourer of Books insisted I would love her newest novel, that she cried for the last 25 pages, and that I would love it, I had to trust her judgment and give Skipping a Beat a chance.

It was with a huge amount of skepticism and doubt I approached the first few pages. Julia is a demanding character, as she is completely unsympathetic and extremely selfish in the beginning. This challenges the reader to understand her reactions. Yet, there is something about her struggles that is compelling. As she reminisces about her past with Michael, the reader begins to understand why Julia stresses so much about Michael's life-changing decision. As she grows, she becomes more sympathetic, and as she does, the story takes on new life. While the plot is somewhat predictable, there are many hints and foreshadowing that makes one consider the idea that the predictability is deliberate. Thankfully, this predictability does not detract from the overall plot. Instead, it builds a layer of foreboding among the hope that Julia's struggle creates.

Ms. Pekkanen's writing is simple but beautiful. She explores Michael's and Julia's past deftly, using each word efficiently and precisely to evoke the right amount emotion and mental stimulation. Her descriptions are concise but quite effective, evoking more than just a mental picture but also hinting at so much more. Without this exacting writing, this story could have quickly devolved into nothing but schmaltz. Instead, Ms. Pekkanen pulls it off with aplomb.

I will be the first one to admit that I was so very wrong - wrong to doubt Jen, wrong to doubt Ms. Pekkanen and wrong about my original skepticism. Skipping a Beat is an amazing novel. Yes, I cried. More importantly, I cried at the beach surrounded by friends. If I didn't have an audience who kept checking to see if I would break down, I might even have sobbed. It is an amazing story of love past, present and future and the challenges couples face in the ongoing work/life balance struggle and well worth the accolades it is already beginning to earn among book bloggers. It is definitely not one to be missed.


Thank you to Jen for letting me read her advanced reading copy!

The Sunday Salon - February 27, 2011

Greetings from the Gulf coast! This is the weekend Jen from Devourer of Books and I flew down to meet up with Michelle from my books. my life for a long, girls-only weekend. The weather is absolutely gorgeous and definitely beats the weather back home. We've been reading, we've sat by the pool, and we're heading to the beach later today. This is exactly what the doctor ordered!

This week was another crazy week at work. Training, meetings, running around trying to get caught up on work before I left - I'll admit the schedule is more than I can bear some times. I knew it was going to be a challenge, but it is proving to be more difficult than I feared. That's not to say I'm enjoying the challenge, but given the amount of hours I've had to spend at home working on projects and requests in order to compensate for my lack of ability to get it all done during the work day is getting extremely old.

Did you see that Connor is back? I was finally able to convince him that his audience was waiting for his posts. It isn't a review, but at least it's a start in the right direction. I hope you get a chance to welcome him back to the fold; he was sorely missed!

This week I also reviewed Still Missing by Chevy Stevens, The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanah and Gated Grief by Leila Levinson. I also gave my weekly Motivate Me post as well as opted to share my thoughts on a few blogging trends, starting with readathons. I plan to continue this series over the next few weeks and hope you will all share your thoughts about these recent trends.

I've been reading up a storm while on vacation, reading such interesting novels as The Gospel of Anarchy by Justin Taylor, Gone by Michael Grant, and Wither by Lauren Destefano. Expect those to be reviewed during the first few weeks in March.

Now, if you will excuse me, the beach and the sun are calling my name! Happy Sunday and happy reading.

Connor's Corner - I'm back!

I'm back! Yes, that's right. There are words sprawling across your screen where my reviews usually go. Don't freak.

Now, I'd like to start by saying I'm sorry. I realize that it's been a while since I've given you a review. So, I guess it's fair to call me lazy, or a slacker, or whatever else comes to mind. And that's fine. I've been a little tough on myself as well. Don't get me wrong. I love doing my reviews. It's just that I've been a little...distracted.

So, I've decided to give you my late (make that extremely late) New Year's resolutions: to get things done on time. Following that, I won't miss a day. I shouldn't have in the first place. Can you forgive me?

Thanks!

REVIEW - Gated Grief by Leila Levinson

Title: Gated Grief: The Daughter of a GI Concentration Camp Liberator Discovers a Legacy of Trauma

Author: Leila Levinson

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Leila Levinson's experience as the daughter of a WWII veteran speaks to a more universal experience--the trauma of war as it wreaks havoc over generations. It is a touching story of search, revelation, and recovery."

Thoughts: I love German history; it was one of the reasons it was my major in college. The country has had such a unique perspective on its place in the world, to put it mildly, that I have always been intrigued by the thought process behind their actions. I decided a long time ago that if I were to ever have obtained my PhD as an educator, I would have studied WWII and the impact of the concentration camps on the local populations. So, when Tolly at PR By the Book approached me about reading Gated Grief, I jumped at the chance.

Ms. Levinson's takes the reader on her very personal struggle to understand the trauma experienced by the liberators of the camps. Her desire to get to the bottom of their experiences and how they related to their interactions with family and friends is heartfelt. As the daughter of a liberator, much of her insight is through her own childhood with a father who never discussed what he saw. These personal observations guide her through interactions with other liberators, granting her empathy as each veteran delves into memories that still moves him or her to tears or rendered him speechless in fear.

The novel is divided into chapters, focusing on one particular veteran's memories, complete with photographs taken either by the veteran or by others at the camp being discussed. Each veteran has his or her own experiences but even sixty years later, the fear and horror each person felt is palpable. Some shut down; others break down into tears. The reader knows without a doubt that while sharing his or her experiences, each veteran is experiencing the visions, smells and sounds of the camps all over again.

Ms. Levinson's father once stated to her that we are all the Nazis' victims. Upon first glace, it is a sentiment that is easy to dismiss. Yet, as the reader shares the grief and guilt experienced by the veterans as they tell their stories, one begins to understand that the trauma of the camps did not stop there. In fact, the horrors discovered by the U.S. soldiers came back with them because what occurred in those camps was something that changed every single person who was witness to them. This change went down to their very psyche and had profound impacts on relationships with their spouses, their children and even their grand- and great-grandchildren.

Ms. Levinson's travels and discussions with veterans lead her to some very interesting conclusions about the legacy of trauma. While her focus is on liberators of the concentration camps, her conclusions can be extrapolated to anyone who experiences senseless killings, including soldiers in today's conflicts. Her insight into this idea of trauma completely changing a person, with the idea that the soldier comes back as half a person, is profound and forced me to consider my own relationship with my grandfather.

Be warned - Gated Grief is not for the faint of heart. There are images that were completely new to me and that left me profoundly affected. One photo in particular will haunt me forever. I had nightmares if I read the book too close to bedtime and often had to put down the book to get away from the feelings of profound despair and guilt I felt while reading it. Still, either in spite of or because of all that, I absolute loved Gated Grief for the fresh look it gave me on the camps and the U.S.'s handling of them and for what the soldiers experienced. It reminded me anew of the absolute horror that occurred across eastern Europe during World War II and how those horrors have completely changed society for better or for worse. If ever one needs a reminder to be vigilant and never forget what happened, Gated Grief is that reminder.

Thank you to Tolly Moseley at PR By the Book for my review copy!

Motivate Me - 2011 Update 8

I'm down another pound this week, just in time for some fun in the sun with Michelle (my books. my life) and Jen (Devourer of Books). It should be an interesting weekend, as Michelle wants to get me running again, and Jen has a readathon weekend planned. I know that at 70+ degrees, time outside is a definite must!

Inside Michelle's Brain - Trends in Book Blogging (Part 1)

While I haven't been that active in visiting other blogs and commenting on various posts and reviews in recent months, I have noticed certain trends that have me rolling my eyes, raising my eyebrows and in general wondering about the state of book blogging. I want to take some time to address each one and hopefully start a discussion about them. As I have a lot to say, this is going to be spread out over several weeks. Think of it as a modern-day expose on the world of book blogging. This week I tackle the idea of readathons.

It used to be that there was only one readathon, Dewey's, that occurred in the spring and again in the fall. This remains an event that draws hundreds of bloggers and readers alike, bringing together the community in a way that amazes most first-time participants. It has cheerleaders, an entire team of hosts, giveaways, mini-challenges and is so well-organized it can handle the hundreds, if not thousands, of participants each time. It remains one of the favorite annual blogging events for a reason. The support and genuine love for books that gets passed along through the event is something not to be missed.

These days however, there is literally a readathon a week. If there is some big event, there is a readathon. If there is not a big event, people create their own. Groundhog's Day, winter, MLK, President's Day, the Super Bowl - These are all weekends that had readathons. Don't get me wrong. I love what the readathon signifies, that people are willing to devote a large chunk of a day to reading. Given all the press regarding the demise of print or even of reading, it is something to celebrate. Still, do we need a huge event each weekend? Does it require signing up and giving away prizes? More importantly, do all of these events dilute Dewey's 24-hour readathon? Are people so tired of readathons that when it comes time for Dewey's, they won't want to participate? Does it even matter?

I can't help but think it does matter. Events are only special when they happen occasionally, and the fact that one is occurring almost every weekend does dilute the importance of them. They become less an event than an excuse to read, and really, do we need an excuse to read? I know I don't need one and usually try to eke out some hours out of each weekend to read no matter what is happening. I don't need to create an event to do so, and if I were, reading would become more of a chore than a pastime. As a huge reader, I do not understand the need to declare to the world that you plan to devote a day/weekend/week to reading in honor of "X", create a button for it and get people to participate with you.

Because these events typically involve some form of prize, to me the event becomes more about the prizes and less about community building, which remains the purpose of Dewey's event. It is upsetting that so many newer bloggers are all about the prizes and bragging rights than networking and building up the blogging community. As a community, we can work wonders. If we appear to be in it for the prizes, then that dilutes our importance and influence in the publishing world.

Personally, I'd like to evolve away from the weekly readathons and get back to one or two unique, community-wide events that show our solidarity as a community and help build that network of bloggers and publishers that becomes important for any serious blogger. I'd like to get back to the focus on quality reviews and recommendations because, let's face it, readathons do not make for quality reviews later. I'd like to get back to making certain events special rather than ordinary, and the best way to do so is to limit how many occurs within a given year.

What are your thoughts? Is there such a thing as too many readathons? Are they damaging to the blogging community? Let me know what you think!

REVIEW - The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanah

Title: The Last Brother

Author: Nathacha Appanah

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "As 1944 comes to a close, nine-year-old Raj is unaware of the war devastating the rest of the world. He lives in Mauritius, a remote island in the Indian Ocean, where survival is a daily struggle for his family. When a brutal beating lands Raj in the hospital of the prison camp where his father is a guard, he meets a mysterious boy his own age. David is a refugee, one of a group of Jewish exiles whose harrowing journey took them from Nazi-occupied Europe to Palestine, where they were refused entry and sent on to indefinite detainment in Mauritius.

A massive storm on the island leads to a breach of security at the camp, and David escapes, with Raj's help. After a few days spent hiding from Raj's cruel father, the two young boys flee into the forest. Danger, hunger, and malaria turn what at first seems like an adventure to Raj into an increasingly desperate mission."

Thoughts:  At 164 pages, The Last Brother is an easy read, but the subject matter is not. There is a tremendous amount of tragedy compacted into this short novel, making it a compelling but painful experience for the reader. Raj's guilt hits the reader full-force with the opening sentence and does not ease as he takes the reader through his maze of memories.

Raj's childhood was by no means easy, and his fascination/friendship with David compounded the difficulties. Given everything that happened to Raj and his family at Mapou, his friendship with David becomes suspect. Does his desire to fill the void left by his missing brothers make his interest in David less genuine? If he had his brothers there, would he have spent his afternoons watching the compound? Would the resulting tragedy have ever occurred?

The what-ifs are what truly drive the novel. Remarkably, Raj does not spare himself from the what-ifs, hinting at these various questions but afraid to delve deeper because of his lingering guilt over David's fate. Given everything that Raj experienced as a child, the reader is more than willing to forgive Raj's inability to question his actions. By the age of ten, he had experienced more horrors than most people experience in a lifetime, and his lack of introspection is completely understandable. Rather, Ms. Appanah presents Raj's story in such a way that the reader is able to fill the gaps and raise the questions where Raj is not.

The happiness of his adult life makes a great contrast to his past. For a childhood perpetuated by traumatic events, Raj as an adult is modest, unassuming and remarkably content. His ability to overcome the horrors of his childhood speaks to a character formed at age ten, when he was willing to do whatever it took to save his friend from the internment camp. It is this drive, this ability to survive that makes Raj and The Last Brother special.

With abject poverty, horrid abuse, a complete lack of survival skills, and other obstacles, The Last Brother could have easily devolved into a recitation of woes. It is Ms. Appanah's skillful creation of Raj and brilliant handling of the tragedies that prevent it from doing so. Rather, she is able to weave the tragedy into Raj's strength, making him not only a character that readers will like and cheer but also a character that forces the reader to question what it means to be a brother and a friend.

Thank you to Nicole from Linus's Blanket and Greywolf Press for my copy!

REVIEW - Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Title: Still Missing

Author: Chevy Stevens

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "On the day she was abducted, Annie O'Sullivan, a thirty-two year old realtor, had three goals — sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape — her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor."

Thoughts: Some novels take their time in setting up the plot and in building the suspense. Still Missing is not one of those novels. Rather, from the very first paragraph, the reader knows that s/he is in for one emotional roller coaster of a novel, and what a ride it is. Tautly written, Ms. Stevens is able to create the right balance of tension and emotion into a story that leaves the reader on the very edge of one's seat through the very end.

Annie's voice is perfect. Her tough exterior, as demonstrated through her monologue to her psychiatrist, is not as thick as it initially appears, yet it is what causes the reader to sit up and take notice of this unique protagonist. The initial lack of emotion is the first clue to the horrors behind Annie's story. However, once cracks appear in that tough veneer, Still Missing takes on a life of its own. As Annie struggles with her emotions and trying to find some semblance of normalcy in a life that has been so awfully destroyed, the reader struggles right along with her. A connection forms between Annie and the reader to the point where it becomes all to easy to place oneself in Annie's shoes, to experience what she experienced, to feel her terror and her pain. It makes for one uncomfortable but unforgettable reading experience.

For those who have read Emma Donoghue's Room and wondered what the story would have been like if told from Ma's point of view, Still Missing could loosely be that novel. This is not to say that they are the same story. Each novel is fabulous on its own and deserve its own attention, but there are certain similarities between the two novels that cause the reader to immediately compare the two.

Still Missing is one of those novels that gives a female reader pause if reading it while sitting alone in a house. It causes chills, thrills, tears, laughter, and more. Uncomfortably stark in her story telling, Annie is a character that takes hold of the reader and does not let go until long after one finishes the novel. Still Missing is an amazing debut novel and a welcome addition to the thriller/suspense genre.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my review copy.

Motivate Me - 2011 Update 7

Hello, my lovely supporters! This past weekend was spent in the lovely New Orleans. While I took a break from the diet - hello Cafe Du Monde - I did make sure that we walked everywhere and that offset the wonderful beignets with eating only two meals a day. I did have a beer, or two or three, and one hurricane. In spite of that, I managed to keep the scale the same at 156 pounds this week. Better yet, the time spent in sunny, 60-degree weather got my blood flowing and made me look forward to running again.

Given the fact that my wonderful husband ran his first marathon while we were there and seeing how fun and encouraging everyone is towards the runners, it made me contemplate actually running a longer race. I'm not convinced that 26.2 miles is for me, especially after seeing how sore and tired Jim was for several days afterwards, but I can see 13.1 miles in my future. There's a Princess half-marathon at Walt Disney World next February. I'm not committing to it yet, but I am looking long and hard at it. Who would be there to cheer me at the finish line if I do commit?

TLC Book Tours presents The Invisible Line by Daniel J. Sharfstein

Title: The Invisible Line: Three American Families and the Secret Journey from Black to White

Author: Daniel J. Sharfstein

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "In America, race is a riddle. The stories we tell about our past have calcified into the fiction that we are neatly divided into black or white. It is only with the widespread availability of DNA testing and the boom in genealogical research that the frequency with which individuals and entire families crossed the color line has become clear.

In this sweeping history, Daniel J. Sharfstein unravels the stories of three families who represent the complexity of race in America and force us to rethink our basic assumptions about who we are. The Gibsons were wealthy landowners in the South Carolina backcountry who became white in the 1760s, ascending to the heights of the Southern elite and ultimately to the U.S. Senate. The Spencers were hardscrabble farmers in the hills of Eastern Kentucky, joining an isolated Appalachian community in the 1840s and for the better part of a century hovering on the line between white and black. The Walls were fixtures of the rising black middle class in post-Civil War Washington, D.C., only to give up everything they had fought for to become white at the dawn of the twentieth century. Together, their interwoven and intersecting stories uncover a forgotten America in which the rules of race were something to be believed but not necessarily obeyed.

Defining their identities first as people of color and later as whites, these families provide a lens for understanding how people thought about and experienced race and how these ideas and experiences evolved-how the very meaning of black and white changed-over time. Cutting through centuries of myth, amnesia, and poisonous racial politics, The Invisible Line will change the way we talk about race, racism, and civil rights."

Thoughts: The Invisible Line is a fascinating study in race relations about a topic that I personally always felt was slightly taboo. Following three different families, all with very different backgrounds and all at different moments of crossing the racial line, the reader becomes immersed in the murky details of race through one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. A history lesson in narrative form, The Invisible Line turns the idea of being black or white on its head.

Mr. Sharfstein's meticulous research shines in this narrative cum nonfiction novel. He presents the Gibsons, the Walls and the Spencers in such a way that they become more than one-dimensional characters on the page and leap back into life. The addition of pictures make the stories even more personal, and the reader soon questions what it means to be white.

The most surprising, and best, aspects of The Invisible Line is the crystal clear understanding of Reconstruction that is a result of each family's struggle to acclimate to life after the Civil War. Most history books tend to gloss over Reconstruction without detailing exactly what happened - how blacks gained political power and seats in state governments and in Washington, only to have it all taken away a little more than ten years after the war's end. These details added a fuller comprehension of the truly perilous times that existed during the post-Civil War era.

The Invisible Line is a wonderful commentary on how messed up this country is about race. The fact that the government actually created a legal definition of what it means to be black is indicative of an overarching issue with appearances over substance. It is ironic that this country would be willing to kill over something like the color of one's skin but conveniently ignore when one family opts to cross the race line and become white. This hypocrisy is sickening and shows that we have a long way to go before race becomes a non-issue. Well-researched and extremely well-written, The Invisible Line is one step in the process, as it shares the intricate steps families had to take in order to overcome prejudice and hatred.

Thank you to Trish from TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to review this novel!

REVIEW - The Bells by Richard Harvell

Title: The Bells

Author: Richard Harvell

Narrator: Paul Michael Garcia

Length of Audio: 15 hours, 50 minutes

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "The celebrated opera singer Lo Svizzero was born in a belfry high in the Swiss Alps where his mother served as the keeper of the loudest and most beautiful bells in the land. Shaped by the bells’ glorious music, as a boy he possessed an extraordinary gift for sound. But when his preternatural hearing was discovered—along with its power to expose the sins of the church—young Moses Froben was cast out of his village with only his ears to guide him in a world fraught with danger.

Rescued from certain death by two traveling monks, he finds refuge at the vast and powerful Abbey of St. Gall. There, his ears lead him through the ancient stone hallways and past the monks’ cells into the choir, where he aches to join the singers in their strange and enchanting song. Suddenly Moses knows his true gift, his purpose. Like his mother’s bells, he rings with sound and soon, he becomes the protégé of the Abbey’s brilliant yet repulsive choirmaster, Ulrich.

But it is this gift that will cause Moses’ greatest misfortune: determined to preserve his brilliant pupil’s voice, Ulrich has Moses castrated. Now a young man, he will forever sing with the exquisite voice of an angel—a musico—yet castration is an abomination in the Swiss Confederation, and so he must hide his shameful condition from his friends and even from the girl he has come to love. When his saviors are exiled and his beloved leaves St. Gall for an arranged marriage in Vienna, he decides he can deny the truth no longer and he follows her—to sumptuous Vienna, to the former monks who saved his life, to an apprenticeship at one of Europe’s greatest theaters, and to the premiere of one of history’s most beloved operas.

In this confessional letter to his son, Moses recounts how his gift for sound led him on an astonishing journey to Europe’s celebrated opera houses and reveals the secret that has long shadowed his fame: How did Moses Froben, world renowned musico, come to raise a son who by all rights he never could have sired?"

Thoughts: The Bells is one of those novels that starts out slowly, leaving the reader confused and uncertain about whether to continue, but soon builds to the point where the reader finds himself or herself obsessed with Moses' story. One quickly forgets that the narrator is really Moses' son reading a letter from Moses and becomes immersed in Moses' plight, from his heart-wrenching beginnings to a thrilling climactic rescue mission. It is enough to leave the reader breathless.

This is one novel where reading it does not do Mr. Harvell's words justice. So much of the novel revolves around music, that one truly needs to experience the songs mentioned to get the scope of Moses' story. Just how high is he talking about when he talks about singing as a soprano? What song moves Moses to tears? Paul Michael Garcia actually sings while narrating. While he is no musico, his voice does provide the reader with a better understanding of what is being discussed in the novel and greater insight into Moses. It becomes a truly auditory experience that enhances one's enjoyment of the story.

So much of The Bells is spent discussing Moses' castration. The castration scene itself ranks up there among one of the most horrifying and sad scenes in literature, but it is how others treat Moses once his secret becomes known that really piques the reader's interest. I became so interested in the Castrati that I ended up doing my own Google search to find out more of what their life was like. What I found left me cringing and slightly sick to my stomach. This article by Tony Perrottet not only explained some of the more mysterious, and hinted-at points of the novel and also provides an audio of one of the last Castrato. It is haunting, disturbing, and makes Moses that much more real and sympathetic.

The Bells is not for everyone. It moves slowly at times, as Moses meanders his way to his point. Mr. Harvell's portrayal of the Church highlights its hypocrisy, and his descriptions of a musico's life, however accurate, are so unusual that it does take a strong leap of faith by the reader to overcome all stereotypes and preconceptions. Yet, if the reader takes the time to sit back and let the words swirl around one, The Bells plays out like a beautiful symphony, perfectly timed and so expressive it moves one to tears. It transcends any particular label and forces the reader to reconsider the true meaning of love. In a word, The Bells is simply stunning and worth the effort required to get into this unusual novel.

REVIEW - Beneath the Sands of Egypt by Donald Ryan

Title: Beneath the Sands of Egypt: Adventures of an Unconventional Archaeologist

Author: Donald Ryan, PhD

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "From the known to the unknown . . .

With its spectacular temples, tombs, monuments, and mummies, as well as esoteric metaphysics, legendary historical characters, and connections to the Bible, ancient Egypt has enticed the human imagination for centuries. This search for understanding and drive to uncover a lost civilization has also been the life work of archaeologist Donald P. Ryan, Ph.D. In Beneath the Sands of Egypt, he offers an intriguing personal account of a career spent researching the remains of Egypt's past — including his headline-making rediscovery of a lost tomb in the Valley of the Kings containing the mummy of the famous female pharaoh Hatshepsut.

Since his early childhood, Ryan dreamed of exploration and adventure. Inspired by his plastic dinosaurs, his books — including Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki — and his father's National Geographic collection, Ryan was determined to become an archaeologist. It is a quest that has taken him from harsh desert digs to the modern comforts of Europe's finest museums to treacherous Alpine peaks — and into the lives of his archaeological predecessors, gathering insight from obscure documents and, literally, digging in their wake.

Beneath the Sands of Egypt interweaves Ryan's captivating tales from the field with reflections into the arcane world of Egyptology, from the writings of Herodotus to the tools of the trade, the intricacies of obtaining a digging permit to the thrall of popular myths. In addition, Ryan introduces a diverse cast of eccentric colleagues, helpful locals, wily entrepreneurs, and enlightened benefactors who have touched his life, including the legendary Thor Heyerdahl, Ryan's childhood hero who eventually became his friend, mentor, and boss. Throughout, Ryan adds his unique touch, reminding us how an artifact as seemingly insignificant as a piece of rope can unlock invaluable insights and offer its own wonderful tale.

Infused with the irrepressible curiosity that has fueled Ryan's journey, Beneath the Sands of Egypt is the extraordinary story of a man who has spent a lifetime embracing adventure whenever — and wherever — he finds it."

Thoughts: Beneath the Sands of Egypt is more than a memoir. It touches on Egyptian and archaeological history, highlighting pioneers in the industry and important finds already uncovered. Dr. Ryan also presents a cautionary tale about the field, the risks required to be successful, and the demanding physical and scholarly work required. Rather than becoming a lecture, Dr. Ryan presents his story with flair, highlighting the pros and cons of his chosen profession with an ardor that does not exist in most people about their own career paths. His engagement and passion for the field creates a memoir that is enjoyable for anyone interested in science, in history and in taking risks.

Dr. Ryan admits that archaeology is a tough field in which to find success. He admits that it sometimes requires more luck than skill, requires working in harsh, almost punishing conditions, while balancing the local government's beauracratic requirements for permission to dig. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work for sometimes little reward. This does not include the time spent wining and dining prospective benefactors, the time spent researching and cataloging finds, and the time required writing papers and journal articles. Yet, in spite of all the negative aspects of the field, the reader cannot help but being attracted to it. One cannot help but imagine working alongside Dr. Ryan in the Valley of the Kings, sifting through dirt and ruble excavated from a recently re-opened tomb. While Dr. Ryan works hard to share the work behind a successful dig, his love of his profession also creates a child-like sense of wonder in the reader.

Memoirs are highly dependent on whether the reader relates to the author. Dr. Ryan is immensely likable. While he loves his profession, he is also in awe of the history he is excavating and those giants of the field in whose footsteps he is following. He remains humble at his good fortune and knows how lucky he is to have been able to accomplish everything he has done. Dr. Ryan's main goal is to share the love he has for archaeology, and he accomplishes this goal extremely well.

I have a secret. My secret childhood dream, and one that does continue to fill me with longing to this day, is to become an archaeologist. I have always wanted to experience the profound joy of uncovering pieces of history. When I was approached about reviewing Dr. Ryan's Beneath the Sands of Egypt, I knew that it was a novel I had to read, if only to glean better insight into the field of which I have always wanted to be a part. After finishing it, I remain convinced that archaeology is an amazing field. While Dr. Ryan's cautions have convinced me that it is not necessarily the profession of choice for me, I am more eager than ever to find a way to get involved as a volunteer, perhaps by finding a local dig with which to get some experience. If anything, Dr. Ryan has inspired me to take more risks about those things for which I am truly passionate.
 
Beneath the Sands of Egypt is a fun, inside look at the world of archaeology. Dr. Ryan does much to debunk the mystique caused by the Indiana Jones series while still keeping the subject matter interesting, and to this reader, appealing. His stories are fascinating and give the reader a greater appreciation for the artifacts already discovered. He does not shy away from describing the tedious, hard work required to be a successful archaeologist, and yet his enthusiasm for his chosen career path flows through the pages. Dr. Ryan loves what he does, and his memoir showcases this perfectly.

Thank you to Megan Traynor from HarperCollings Publishing for my review copy!

REVIEW - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Title: The Forgotten Garden

Author: Kate Morton

Narrator: Caroline Lee


Audiobook Length: 20 hours, 38 minutes

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "A lost child...
On the eve of the first world war, a little girl is found abandoned on a ship to Australia. A mysterious woman called the Authoress had promised to look after her — but the Authoress has disappeared without a trace.

A terrible secret...
On the night of her twenty-first birthday, Nell O'Connor learns a secret that will change her life forever. Decades later, she embarks upon a search for the truth that leads her to the windswept Cornish coast and the strange and beautiful Blackhurst Manor, once owned by the aristocratic Mountrachet family.

A mysterious inheritance...
On Nell's death, her grand-daughter, Cassandra, comes into an unexpected inheritance. Cliff Cottage and its forgotten garden are notorious amongst the Cornish locals for the secrets they hold - secrets about the doomed Mountrachet family and their ward Eliza Makepeace, a writer of dark Victorian fairytales. It is here that Cassandra will finally uncover the truth about the family, and solve the century-old mystery of a little girl lost."

Thoughts: In The Forgotten Garden, Ms. Morton weaves a tapestry of characters, mystery and gothic elements to create a modern-day fairy tale that casts its spell on the reader. Its purpose is not to instruct or educate but to create a sense of enjoyment in the reader, as the reader revels in a tale that is part gothic, part mystery, and part historical fiction.

Fairy tales, and the idea of story telling, is such a key element in the novel that the reader does not understand that The Forgotten Garden is a fairy tale until the very end. Flitting between different time periods and following the story of three very different women, all connected through some mysterious connection, the key characteristics of a fairy tale seem to be missing but on further reflection become apparent. There is an evil witch, a damsel in distress, an arduous journey that is necessary for happiness. Which character fulfills which role is not what one would expect, and yet this realization only enhances the mastery with which Ms. Morton spun her tale.

In any good fairy tale, the characters make the story, and the same is true with The Forgotten Garden. Enigmatic Eliza, lost Nell, lonely Cassandra - the reader yearns, rejoices, and despairs with each of them as they battle for the happiness each deserves. Each character stands on her own merits, and her story is a story unto itself. The Forgotten Garden truly is three stories combined into one. The character connections and similar motifs mesh the three together in a seamless fashion, so that the reader can switch from character to character without getting confused or losing interest. Enhancing the characters are lush descriptions of the Blackhurst manor, engaging secondary characters that prove to be excellent foils and comic relief for those scenes that become too intense emotionally, and an overwhelming sense of care and love Ms. Morton instills into each line of her novel, for there is no doubt that for Ms. Morton, The Forgotten Garden was a labor of love.

As the narrator, Caroline Lee does a masterful job distinguishing the many female characters that play key roles in the novel. Through the use of different dialects, pronunciations, stresses, and inflections, the listener is able to determine which character is speaking with little to no trouble. Unfortunately, The Forgotten Garden is not a novel that is best suited for the audio format. There are so many clues and hints left along the way that I wanted to review as I got further into the story but could not without listening to the entire novel again. This inability to flip through previous chapters to find the scenes I wanted to review was a momentary distraction at the time but a niggling concern nonetheless.

The Forgotten Garden came highly recommended to me by others, and I found that those recommendations have definitive merit. It has been a long time since I have enjoyed a novel solely for its story without attempting to glean a lesson from its pages, and The Forgotten Garden was an excellent reminder to enjoy reading purely for its entertainment value. There is something so simple and yet so mesmerizing about the individual stories that one cannot help but sit back and let them wash over you with delight. Enchanting and all together charming, Rose, Eliza, Nell and most importantly, Cassandra, found their way under my skin, and I yearned to keep listening to discover their secrets and their fate. I was loathe for the stories to end and cannot wait to discover Ms. Morton's other works. My hope is that they are as special as The Forgotten Garden.

REVIEW - The Doomsday Key by James Rollins

Title: The Doomsday Key

Author: James Rollins

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "At Princeton University, a famed geneticist dies inside a biohazard lab. In Rome, a Vatican archaeologist is found dead in St. Peter's Basilica. In Africa, a U.S. senator's son is slain outside a Red Cross camp. The three murders on three continents bear a horrifying connection: all the victims are marked by a Druidic pagan cross burned into their fl esh.

The bizarre murders thrust Commander Gray Pierce and Sigma Force into a race against time to solve a riddle going back centuries, to a ghastly crime against humanity hidden within a cryptic medieval codex. The fi rst clue is discovered inside a mummified corpse buried in an English peat bog--a gruesome secret that threatens America and the world.

Aided by two women from his past--one his ex-lover, the other his new partner--Gray must piece together the horrifying truth. But the revelations come at a high cost, and to save the future, Gray will have to sacrifice one of the women at his side. That alone might not be enough, as the true path to salvation is revealed in a dark prophecy of doom.

Sigma Force confronts humankind's greatest threat in an adventure that races from the Roman Coliseum to the icy peaks of Norway, from the ruins of medieval abbeys to the lost tombs of Celtic kings. The ultimate nightmare is locked within a talisman buried by a dead saint--an ancient artifact known as the Doomsday Key."

Thoughts: The Doomsday Key is a down-and-dirty thriller. Part religious mystery, part end-of-mankind warning, it utilizes an uber-secret military agency and modern issues to attract readers across multiple genres. It is similar to a Dan Brown/Tom Clancy mash-up, and it works very well.

Like most modern thrillers, The Doomsday Key isn't award-winning literature. However, this does not stop the reader from frantically turning pages, anxious to find out what happens next. At the same time, Mr. Rollins creates a forum by which he can present the very real possibility of food shortages due to a burgeoning global population and the power plays that have already started as a result of such shortages. He presents these modern issues in a way that is thrilling, fun, and yet fairly realistic.

What adds to the story the most is the fact that Mr. Rollins takes the time to delineate the truth and the fiction in his novel. The fact that there really was a Domesday book with mysterious underpinnings and a Doomsday vault heightens the tension. More importantly, Mr. Rollins highlights the religious mysteries, what is real and what is speculation. Mr. Rollins' research, and his sharing of this research makes the entire story that much more credible and subsequently more thrilling.

As the sixth book of the Sigma Force series, I am definitely interested in reading more of the series, although for those who have not yet started the series will be happy to know that reading the previous novels is not necessary to enjoy this one. The Doomsday Key is fun, escapist literature that will be sure to please thriller lovers everywhere.

Thank you to Megan Traynor from Harper Publishers for my review copy!

Motivate Me - 2011 Update 6

I've got nothing this week. The scale stayed the same, which isn't necessarily what I wanted to see, but it is better than gaining weight. I do know I wasn't very careful with what I ate this week, so I'll take the lack of movement as a win and know to be extra careful this week. Of course, tonight Jim and I are heading down to New Orleans with friends. I suspect that NOLA isn't a very diet-friendly city, so I'm hoping that sight-seeing and walking around the town will offset anything I eat. We shall see.

REVIEW - Y by Bonnie Rozanski

Title: Y

Author: Bonnie Rozanski

Synopsis (Courtesy of Amazon): "The year is 2011, the place, New York City. A mysterious microbe has begun to infect women of child-bearing age. Though the medical establishment writes it off as a simple flu, and the epidemic appears to be dying out, a young New York obstetrician confronts a conundrum. In the past year, the ratio of boys to girls born in her practice has declined precipitously. Dr. Deborah Kruger suspects the truth: that infected women are no longer able to give birth to male children.

With the help of her husband Larry, a computer analyst, Deborah tracks the epicenter to New York City, from which the infection is already bursting forth. And, as years pass, despite hundreds of laboratories at work on it, the microbe continues to overrun borders and envelop the Earth. With Science unable to stop it, and the contagion rippling worldwide in an AIDS-like pandemic, how will society cope in an increasingly female world?

Unquestionably, some changes are inevitable. Companies hire more women; who assume more leadership positions, replacing the male hierarchy with their own female style of management, to great success. Among the younger generation, monogamy is increasingly replaced by polygamy. Wars decrease. Crime falls. Football attendance is down. Ballet is up.

Y follows three New York City families for an entire generation, each with its own story. The blue-collar husband proves unable to deal with a wife who has become the major bread-winner. The yuppie husband does well in his career but cannot resist the temptations of a workplace with limitless young women. His wife, turned off from men entirely, will leave him and become a force to reckon with in her own right. And, along the way, the children of all three families struggle to find mates and to secure their own places in this new, topsy-turvy world.

At once a fast-paced thriller of a gripping race for a cure, a speculative tale about a futuristic society, and a comic battle between the sexes, Y is, above all, the story of real people caught up in a society they no longer recognize."

Thoughts: Y is one of those novels that has a great premise but suffers through its execution. Unlike similar novels that are redeemed through the writing or its character development, Y has none of those. It is unfortunate because the plot is interesting, and Ms. Rozanski's writing shows promise.

The problem centers around the fact that Y never settles into one particular genre and one particular main topic. It tries too hard to be a dystopian, political, sociological, feminist, morality tale cum science fiction. This leaves the reader questioning the main purpose behind the story. What is Ms. Rozanski's ultimate point she is trying to make? Is it that women can run the world just as well as men? Is it that the more things change, the more things stay the same? Without being able to grasp this main detail, the entire novel remains a jumble of ideas and of characters. The plot bounces from one serious discussion to another without affording the reader the opportunity to dwell on the topics and come to his or her own conclusions.

Speaking of characters, there are so many characters that character development is severely lacking. The reader never gets to understand more than the very superficial level of reasoning behind a character's actions. As a result, the reader has no vested interest in any of the characters, leaving the reader an impassive witness to their actions and behaviors. This lack of an emotional connection drives one's reactions to the rest of the novel and removes the urgency, despair, and horror behind the events.

I have to address the "gender differences" that make up the novel. They are seriously some of the most stereotypically offensive lines I have ever read. I am not certain if this was Ms. Rozanski's point, that she was trying to highlight these so-called physiological and psychological differences as legitimate or as bogus, but I struggled reading a novel that pontificated about the idea that men are more spatial and more logical, while women are ingrained to nurture and support. That being feminine means being emotional and irrational, while being masculine means seeking power through any means necessary. That men and women run businesses very differently, and a women's way will fail in the long run. That there is a man's world and a woman's world and that when forced to reverse roles, nature will find a way to restore the balance back to that natural state as quickly as possible. Even if these ideas were meant to be tongue-in-cheek, there is an earnestness throughout the novel that gives weight to the message, making the stereotypes almost impossible to ignore.

Y has such potential that I remain disappointed I could not like it. Who hasn't dreamed up a world where women break through the glass ceiling and take a greater part in society? Isn't that why we continue to fight for equal rights? Yet, I truly did not like this novel. It was predictable and trite, never stopping to seriously address such moral issues as cloning, and, to me, offensive. There is a chance I completely missed the point. Perhaps I was so hung up on the gender differences that I missed what Ms. Rozanski was trying to say. This is a distinct possibility and one that has been whirling around in my brain since I started reading the novel. Unfortunately, based on my interpretation of the novel, Y remains a huge disappointment.

Have you read Y? What are your thoughts? Am I off the mark? Did I miss something? Let's discuss!

Thank you to Ms. Rozanski for my review copy.