Secret Daughter (Shilpi Somaya Gowda)

I've been putting off my review of this book because it's currently on loan to a family friend... (I like to have the book in hand as inspiration!)  Since we still haven't gotten it back yet, I decided to just go for it.  Get her done before the new year - plus this book just may be one of my top picks of 2011. 

My mom recommended Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda this past winter when I was looking for a "good" book to read (you know, a book you don't want to put down?) 

Kavita, who lives in an Indian village gives birth to a girl.  In their culture, boys are strongly favoured and Kavita is expected to end the life of her child.  Instead, she brings her daughter to an orphanage.  At the same time, Somer and her husband Krishnan, who live in America and have been unable to have a child, decide to adopt.  Asha, the daughter, becomes curious about her past and decides to search in Mumbai for more information about her history. 

I loved that this book dealt with so many different issues, such as adoption, interracial marriages, poverty and infertility, just to name a few.  I couldn't put the book down once I started it - you so badly want to know how Asha's story turns out. 

This was Shilpi Somaya Gowda's first novel and I am excited to see what else she publishes!  I definitely recommend this one!

baby proof (Emily Giffin)

I read baby proof by Emily Giffin last year after receiving it as a Birthday gift from a friend. 

Claudia doesn't want children.  She finally faces the fact that she probably won't find Mr. Right (a man who also wants to skip the children) until she meets Ben.  Things seems to be going perfectly until one of them changes their mind... Now what?!

"This is the witty, heartfelt story about what happens to the perfect couple when they suddenly want different things. It’s about feeling that your life is set and then realizing that nothing is as you thought it was--and that there is no possible compromise. It’s about deciding what is most important in life, and taking chances to get it. But most of all, it’s about the things we will do--and won’t do--for love."  (from Emily Giffin's website)

If you've read Something Borrowed and Something Blue, also written by Emily Giffin, then expect much of the same type of writing.  I enjoyed the storyline and I found that it was a nice, easy read that dealt with a serious enough subject.  I just kept thinking throughout the novel, "I don't know what I would do!" 

It was a decent read, so if you're looking for something a little lighter that has a lot of heart, give this one a try.

Once Upon a Day (Lisa Tucker)

I grabbed Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker at the last minute on my way to a last minute supply teaching day.  I wasn't sure if it was the next book I wanted to read, but once I was about two chapters in, I was really intrigued.  (I stumbled upon this book at a bookstore and, even though I hadn't read anything by Tucker or really heard much about her, I decided to buy it after reading the blurb on the back...)

Nineteen years ago, Charles Keenan disappeared from his life with his two children.  Dorothea and Jimmy live with their father, Charles, in a huge house in the middle of nowhere.  He's a very overprotective parent - he won't let his children do anything that he thinks could result in them getting hurt.  That is, no tire swings, no cooking, no painting (because paint is toxic, you know!) and no leaving their property.  They are homeschooled, everything is delivered to them, such as food, and their doctor makes house visits to see them.  Jimmy decided to leave in his 20s to find his mother's family.  When Dorothea is 23, her father becomes ill and she goes out in search of her brother.  She's put into a world she has never known and begins to search for the truth about what really happened in her father's past.

"Tragedy, loss, and especially guilt: these were the real truths of the world, and Lucy knew it.  God help the person who didn't understand this, she thought.  God help themif they have to find out the hard way that the life they're taking for granted is as fragile as a naked heart."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 71)

I loved this novel.  Like really loved it.  I want there to be a movie that follows this story exactly as it's written.  I finished it, wishing that it wasn't over, wanting to know more and more and more.

The novel is written a little differently.  Some chapters used a first person narrative, whereas others used the third person.  Tucker had to let the reader see everything that was going on in different locations and what different characters were thinking and feeling.  I loved the bit of back and forth and really felt that I got to know most of the characters so well.  Tucker did a great job of recounting past stories that were important to the outcome of the novel and characters within it. 

I loved the idea of the story.  It kept me interested after a little hook at the beginning, when Stephen and Dorothea's stories start to mesh a bit.  There were so many angles that I thought were covered well and they were all included at exactly the right time in the novel.  I couldn't put it down once I was a third of the way through - I just needed to know what happened next!

"This is the charming coincidence.  When things in the world that are unconnected suddenly connect, and a pattern emerges."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 55)

At first, I thought the novel would be a bit like Room by Emma Donoghue.  Although it's similar in that there is a child who is basically restricted to where he/she is living, it's really quite different.  Dorothea, in this novel, does have a family who loves her and her father would have let her leave when she was ready (as he let her brother leave...).  Jack, in Room, has a mother who loves her, but he really is locked in a prison with his mom. 

Lisa Tucker has written a few other books, and I am anxious to read another one of her novels since I was so impressed with this one.

"[...] life is as much about what you believe as what seems to be reality."  (Once Upon a Day, Lisa Tucker, p. 153)

Wonderstruck (Brian Selznick)

I just finished Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick.  I first heard about this book from this blog, written by a librarian who reads many young adult books.  Often, I just skim what she's read, but when I saw her review about Wonderstruck, I immediately looked for it in the library database.  Since there were quite a few copies available throughout the area, I decided to wait for a bit before checking it out (since I saw that it was a GIANT book and didn't think I had time to read it quite yet).  Walking through Chapters last week, I noticed that Brian Selznick's Wonderstruck has now made it right to the front and center.  I picked up the book and skimmed through it, noticing that a good portion of the book is made up of beautiful art.  After being home for two minutes, I searched for it again and noticed that now, 5 of the 7 copies were currently checked out of the various libraries in town.  I thought I'd better get on it before 30 people put the book on hold before me!  I had a copy transferred to my nearest library and picked it up two days later.  Wow, what a story...

The concept of Wonderstruck:  It's composed of two different and separate stories.  Ben's story is told entirely through words and Rose's story is told through pictures.  Ben is searching for a father that he has never known and Rose is in search of an actress who she reads about in the papers.  Their stories are set 50 years apart - oh, and did I mention that both Rose and Ben have hearing impairments?

I read this book very quickly - partly because it was very good and partly because of the beautiful artwork that fills up many of the pages in the book (and allows you to flip the pages quicker than if they were filled with words).  As you're reading both stories, you can see some similarities.  Both stories are well told and, as a reader, you wonder how Selznick is going to finish (and perhaps mesh together) these separate stories.

Also, let's take a moment here to again say how beautiful the artwork in the book is.  I was unsure when I was starting this book - how I was going to understand a storyline when there are no words to help?  The images do such a good job of telling a solid story.  (Yes, a picture can be worth a thousand words.)

Because of its size and weight, it's not a book I would recommend when you're heading on vacation, but it was a great, quick, young adult read that makes you smile at the end.

Room (Emma Donoghue)

The book needed a border!

I was reminded of this book during a brunch conversation yesterday morning.  I read it this past winter and thought it was deserving of a post! 

Room by Emma Donoghue is told from the perspective of Jack, a 5-year-old boy.  He has been living in a simple room for his entire life.  This is reality to him and he doesn't understand that there is a world outside of the room where he could have a much brighter life.  His mother, on the other hand, who has been in this prison since she was nineteen knows that she needs to do whatever she can to get her and her son out of the room alive. 

I enjoyed this novel.  It was interesting, being told from the point of view of a small child.  It's hard to imagine what it would be like to be stuck in one room for years at a time.  It would also be difficult to think what this would mean to a young child - this really is his reality and he doesn't know any better.  It would be hard to imagine that trees exist if you only see them on a television and have never seen one in real life.  It would also be a challenge for Jack's mother - how do you explain the world to your child who has been in the same small room his whole life?  And how do you keep things positive when all you really want to do is save yourself and your son?

I would recommend this novel.  It was interesting and kept you guessing.  Another book this makes me feel grateful for the life that I have!

A Soft Place to Land (Susan Rebeccca White)

I found this novel at a used bookstore in town.  I didn't really know what I was looking for when I went there...  I was checking out some authors that have been recommended to me and browsing some of the award winning books.  This novel was in with the fiction books and I initially pulled it out because the spine of the book looked like it was in perfect condition.  Then, I saw the cover and, of course, judged it.  I liked the look of it and, after reading the back, decided that it looked like an interesting story. 

"Just know that whatever feelings you shove down are going to have to come up again sometime. And some people think it's better to control when it comes up than to have it just one day boil over and take you by surprise." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 104-105)

A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White is the story of two half sisters, Ruthie and Julia, who have to deal with the devastating news that their parents were killed in a plane crash while they were on vacation.  Ruthie and Julia are surprised when they hear what is in the will.  Julia, 16, who still has one living parent (her biological father), will be moving in with him and his new wife (we'll call her the evil stepmom).  Ruthie, 13, who has now lost both of her biological parents, is now moving in with an aunt and uncle.  On top of losing their parents, these girls are now, in a sense, losing each other.  The novel, told mostly through Ruthie's story, spans across a few decades and shows the hard times and complicated-ness that is involved in this sister-sister relationship. 

"Her mother.  Her mother who was so alive and then - so quickly, so finally - was simply gone.  From matter to memory.  Like that."  (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 241)

When I first picked up the book, I noticed what Kathryn Stockett, the author of The Help, had said about this book: "A beautiful complicated love between two sisters.  Book clubs: This is your next pick.  I loved this book."  Considering how much I loved The Help, I thought that I would also enjoy this one. 

I completely agree with Stockett - it was most definitely a nice story about "the complicated love between two sisters."  You never know what kind of effect tragic news, such as the sudden death of two young parents, will have on you.  Especially being right at the center of everything, these girls would have had a lot to go through.  It was nice to see the good and the bad of their relationship after the death of their parents.  Also, not only did it show you what events happened right after the girls hear the news, but the author provides you with chunks of information from different points in their lives.

"I've never felt more grateful for my life than I do today, but I think it's fair to say the gods have put me through some shit." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 327)

I would recommend this novel if you're looking for something real.  It can be a hard topic to think about, write about, or read about, but Susan Rebecca White gives you an honest look at the relationship between Ruthie and Julia.  There were some parts of the story that I found more interesting than others, and some parts that I found to be a bit slow, but it was a good read.

"Knowing that everyone has a story," Naomi would say, "I find it very hard to judge." (A Soft Place to Land, Susan Rebecca White, p. 262)

Rescue (Anita Shreve)

I just finished reading my first Anita Shreve book.  My mom had read Rescue recently and when I was searching for my next book through our baskets and bookcases full of novels, she suggested that I read it.

Peter Webster is a paramedic.  On one of his first shifts, he first encounters Sheila, who had been in a DUI accident.  He is particularly curious about her and so he makes a point of visiting her in the hospital.  The medic/patient relationship eventually turns into a bit more.  Eighteen years later, Webster is a single father raising his daughter, Rowan.  When things with his daughter start to go off track, he thinks that maybe he can't be everything that his daughter needs.  With the possibility of Sheila back in the picture, Webster tries to decide if this really is the best thing for his daughter. 

I motored through the novel in a few days because it was an easy read.  The novel is told from the point of view of Webster.  One half of the novel was a bit of a love story that allowed you to see into the relationship between Sheila and Webster.  It contained enough details about Webster's job as a paramedic that would keep some readers interested in the novel if they aren't as interested the relationship story.  The other half of the book was less about the love story and more about the father/daughter relationship in the Webster household. 

"Do you love her?" his mother asked.
Finally, an easy question.  "I do," he said.  "Very much."  But even as he said it, and as sure as he was that he did, he wondered if he really knew what love, in these circumstances, meant.
(Rescue, Anita Shreve, p. 67)

I liked the story.  It was a little bit predictable, but there were still some aspects that came as a surprise to the reader.  I found that it was a fairly realistic story...  Many households are just like the Webster home, with single parents, broken families, and secrets.  I thought it was neat that Webster was telling stories from his medic calls, although many of these calls had little to do with the storyline itself. 

If you're looking for a light and easy read, Rescue may be the one for you!  I think a few more Anita Shreve books may be on my reading list in the future.

Go slowly and be careful.  (Rescue, Anita Shreve, p. 282)

P.S. I am a person who often does judge a book based on its cover (although this isn't the only way I choose my books!).  I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this cover, but I liked the look of it.  Somehow, though, I didn't think the story really matched the cover.  Sure, there's a mother and a daughter, but things aren't quite like this in the novel...