#csreadathon and 2018 Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge

 As you can see I am signing up for both the Christmas Spirit Readathon and Reading Challenge at the same time. 

For the readathon, I am going to read A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny and Washington Black by Esi Eugyan and the new Christmas book by Debbi MacComber.

For the reading challenge I am to attempt the Christmas Tree level and Fa La La La Films

You can find more information at the Christmas Spirit blog.

Thankfully Reading 2018 #thankfullyreading

I realize that this is late, but I am joining the Thankfully Reading Weekend.

China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan

Title: China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians #2)
Author: Kevin Kwan
Published: 2015
Pages: 400
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description:
On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over-the-moon. She has a flawless Asscher cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiancée willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won't be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel in to a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore's It Girl Astrid Leong is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly-minted Tech Billionaire husband. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts: While I enjoyed this book, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I did the first one in the series.  It took me longer to get into the book and I really didn't get the point of it.  I really didn't like the focus on Kitty but when the book focused more on Rachel and Nick, I felt that the book was better.

Bottom line:  I felt it was a decent sequel to the first book Crazy Rich Asians, but it suffered from what most second books do in that it was flat in areas.  Sure there were areas that were funny, but it didn't have the introduction that Crazy Rich Asians had and it didn't really wrap any of the lingering story lines that the third book will likely have.  And yes, I will be reading the final book in the series.

Rating: 3.5/5

Bellevue Square - Michael Redhill

Title: Bellevue Square
Author: Michael Redhill
Pages: 262
Published: 2017
Awards: Scotiabank Giller Prize (2017)
Genre: Fiction
Edition: e-book
Source: Personal Library

Description: From award-winning and bestselling author Michael Redhill comes a darkly comic literary thriller about a woman who fears for her sanity--and then her life--when she learns that her doppelganger has appeared in a local park.

Jean Mason has a doppelganger. At least, that's what people tell her. Apparently it hangs out in Kensington Market, where it sometimes buys churros and shops for hats. Jean doesn't rattle easy, not like she used to. She's a grown woman with a husband and two kids, as well as a thriving business, and Toronto is a fresh start for the whole family. She certainly doesn't want to get involved in anything dubious, but still . . . why would two different strangers swear up and down they'd just seen her--with shorter hair furthermore?

Jean's curiosity quickly gets the better of her, and she visits the market, but sees no one who looks like her. The next day, she goes back to look again. And the day after that. Before she knows it, she's spending an hour here, an afternoon there, watching, taking notes, obsessing and getting scared. With the aid of a small army of locals who hang around in the market's only park, she expands her surveillance, making it known she'll pay for information or sightings. A peculiar collection of drug addicts, scam artists, philanthropists, philosophers and vagrants--the regulars of Bellevue Square--are eager to contribute to Jean's investigation. But when some of them start disappearing, it becomes apparent that her alleged double has a sinister agenda. Unless Jean stops her, she and everyone she cares about will face a fate stranger than death. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I had purchased this book back in late 2017 after it had won the Giller Prize last fall.  I bought it because it had won a literary award, not because I was interested in the book, and because it was something I had kept returning to the library unread.  So fast forward to July of this year when my library book club picked this book as the book to read for our August meeting and I thought great; I can get one off my TBR pile

Well, I really didn't like it.  The writing was very good and very descriptive, but quite honestly I couldn't quite get the story that the author was trying to tell.  It felt convoluted, but I guess when you have a brain tumor, you do get convoluted and since this is to be part of a trilogy, maybe the answers will eventually come.  I just had a hard time understanding what the premise of the story was and therefore didn't really enjoy it.

Bottom line: While the writing is good, I just didn't understand the story.  The book really needs a reread at some point, but with books that I probably will enjoy more on my TBR list, I don't see myself getting back to this book, unless I am on a trip somewhere where I am desperate for a book. 

If you enjoy books where the protangist is a bit loopy and trying to discern what is and isn't real, then I would recommend it.

Rating: 2.75/5

Bout of Books 23

Well it is that time again and I am planning on doing this this time around, as I haven't done the last few for whatever reason.

If you have forgotten what it is, here is an explanation:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 20th and runs through Sunday, August 26th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 23 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

If you can join me, that will be great and you will need to sign up over at their site.

As for the books that I will be working on then, I don't really know, but I should have a list up the weekend before the read-a-thon starts.

If you wish to follow me during the readathon, I will be tweeting reading updates on my main twitter account, @melissawiebe.

Happy reading!

Heart Berries: A Memoir - Terese Marie Mailhot

Title: Heart Berries: A Memoir
Author: Terese Marie Mailhot*
Pages: 160
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography, Memoir
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library:

Description:
Heart Berries is a powerful, poetic memoir of a woman's coming of age on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in British Columbia. Having survived a profoundly dysfunctional upbringing only to find herself hospitalized and facing a dual diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Bipolar II, Terese Mailhot is given a notebook and begins to write her way out of trauma. The triumphant result is Heart Berries, a memorial for Mailhot's mother, a social worker and activist who had a thing for prisoners; a story of reconciliation with her father--an abusive drunk and a brilliant artist--who was murdered under mysterious circumstances; and an elegy on how difficult it is to love someone while dragging the long shadows of shame.

Mailhot "trusts the reader to understand that memory isn't exact, but melded to imagination, pain and what we can bring ourselves to accept." Her unique and at times unsettling voice graphically illustrates her mental state. As she writes, she discovers her own true voice, seizes control of her story and, in so doing, reestablishes her connection to her family, to her people and to her place in the world. (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this straightforward memoir of Ms. Mailhot's life up until this point.  While the book isn't presented in a straightforward manner, it is straightforward in that you know what she is talking about in each chapter, as each chapter has a certain focus.

I also liked that she didn't sugarcoat her life in British Columbia (she grew up on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation not far from where I grew up and live; it is probably about an hour drive from my place) and that she acknowledges her dysfunctional as a cause for her depression.

Bottom line: It is very short (under 200 pages) and very poignant.  Warnings for description of suicide among other things.  Highly recommended.

Rating: 4.25/5

* the copy I had didn't include the introduction nor the afterword

Providence - Caroline Kepnes

Title: Providence
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Pages: 384
Published: 2018
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Library

Description:
Growing up as best friends in small-town New Hampshire, Jon and Chloe are the only ones who truly understand each other, though they can never find the words to tell one another the depth of their feelings. When Jon is finally ready to confess his feelings, he's suddenly kidnapped by his substitute teacher who is obsessed with H.P. Lovecraft and has a plot to save humanity.

Mourning the disappearance of Jon and facing the reality he may never return, Chloe tries to navigate the rites of entering young adulthood and "fit in" with the popular crowd, but thoughts of Jon are never far away.

When Jon finally escapes, he discovers he now has an uncontrollable power that endangers anyone he has intense feelings for. He runs away to protect Chloe and find the answers to his new identity--but he's soon being tracked by a detective who is fascinated by a series of vigilante killings that appear connected.  (via Goodreads)

Thoughts:  I had high hopes for this book.  Had heard from a podcast that this was one to read this summer and I honestly I wasn't really impressed.  Honestly I felt very confused with the plot of the book and even by the end of the book, I couldn't really figure out what the big mystery was or even what the book was about.  It could have been that I left the book for a couple of weeks before I finished it, but still I could never seem to figure it out what Jon's power was.

Bottom Line: Didn't really understand the plot of the book.  Maybe it was that the main characters were at least 15 years younger than me or maybe it was the genre.  I really don't know.  If you like urban fantasy/thrillers, you might enjoy it.

Rating: 2.75/5

Update on blog reviews

I hope you can understand my reasoning.

Waking Isabella - Melissa Muldoon

Book Title:  Waking Isabella: Because beauty can't sleep forever by Melissa Muldoon
Category:  Adult Fiction,  250  pages
Genre: General Fiction
Publisher:  Matta Press
Release date:  December 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (The story begins with violent rape and murder scene, touches on themes of miscarriage, murder, Nazi violence during war, adultery)
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description: Waking Isabella is a story about uncovering hidden beauty that, over time, has been lost, erased, or suppressed. It also weaves together several love stories as well as a few mysteries. Nora, an assistant researcher, is a catalyst for resolving the puzzle of a painting that has been missing for decades. Set in Arezzo, a small Tuscan town, the plot unfolds against the backdrop of the city’s antique trade and the fanfare and pageantry of its medieval jousting festival. While filming a documentary about Isabella de’ Medici—the Renaissance princess who was murdered by her husband—Nora begins to connect with the lives of two remarkable women from the past. Unraveling the stories of Isabella, the daughter of a fifteenth-century Tuscan duke, and Margherita, a young girl trying to survive the war in Nazi-occupied Italy, Nora begins to question the choices that have shaped her own life up to this point. As she does, hidden beauty is awakened deep inside of her, and she discovers the keys to her creativity and happiness. It is a story of love and deceit, forgeries and masterpieces—all held together by the allure and intrigue of a beautiful Tuscan ghost.

 Thoughts: 

Having read Ms. Muldoon’s previous book Dreaming Sophia, I was really excited when I saw a tour for a book by her again and was really intrigued with what this book was going to be about.

While the book started a little slow, the book definitely picked up steam as the book made its way through the storyline.  I particularly liked the parts about hiding the art work, as I had really enjoyed the movie The Monuments Men when it came out a number of years ago.  I also consider myself to be a bit of a fan girl when it comes to art and anything to do with the de Medici’s.  So this book was right in my wheelhouse. 

I particularly liked how the relationship between Nora and Luca develops and that it wasn’t too hasty and that it seemed to be at a pace that seemed to be fairly realistic.  Some will say that it was maybe a little too fast, but sometimes when the right person comes along, a relationship develops a little quicker.

I am looking forward to Ms. Muldoon’s next offering.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed the book, despite the slowness of the start.  If you enjoy stories about Italy or the Renaissance or about art work, you will likely enjoy this book.  Highly recommended.  

Rating: 4.5/5

Meet the Author:

Melissa Muldoon is the Studentessa Matta—the crazy linguist! In Italian, “matta” means “crazy” or “impassioned.” Melissa has a B.A. in fine arts, art history and European history from Knox College, a liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in art history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She has also studied painting and art history in Florence.

Melissa promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog, Studentessa Matta (studentessamatta.com). Melissa began the Matta blog to improve her command of the language and to connect with other language learners. It has since grown to include a podcast, “Tutti Matti per l’Italiano,” and the Studentessa Matta YouTube channel. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Tours, which she co-leads with Italian partners in Italy.

Waking Isabella is Melissa’s second novel and follows Dreaming Sophia, published in 2016. In this new novel about Italy, the reader is taken on another art history adventure, inspired by Melissa’s experiences living and traveling in Italy, specifically Arezzo, as well as her familiarity with the language and art. For more information about Waking Isabella and links to Melissa’s blogs and social media sites, visit www.MelissaMuldoon.com.

As a student, Melissa lived in Florence with an Italian family. She studied art history and painting and took beginner Italian classes. When she returned home, she threw away her Italian dictionary, assuming she’d never need it again, but after launching a successful design career and starting a family, she realized something was missing in her life. That “thing” was the connection she had made with Italy and the friends who live there. Living in Florence was indeed a life-changing event. Wanting to reconnect with Italy, she decided to start learning the language again from scratch. As if indeed possessed by an Italian muse, she bought a new Italian dictionary and began her journey to fluency—a path that has led her back to Italy many times and enriched her life in countless ways. Now, many dictionaries and grammar books later, she dedicates her time to promoting Italian language studies, further travels in Italy, and sharing her stories and insights about Italy with others. When Melissa is not traveling in Italy, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Waking Isabella and Dreaming Sophia. She also curates the Dreaming Sophia blog and Pinterest site: The Art of Loving Italy. Please visit the Pinterest page for pictures of Arezzo, the Giostra del Saracino, and all the places we go in Italy in both books. Visit MelissaMuldoon.com for more information about immersion trips to learn the language with Melissa in Italy, as well as the Studentessa Matta blog for practice and tips to learn the Italian language.

Connect with Melissa:Website ~ Twitter ~  Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Youtube

The Company Files: 1. The Good Man - Gabriel Valjan

Book Title: The Company Files: 1. The Good Man by Gabriel Valjan

Category: Adult Fiction, 251 pages

Genre: Thriller, Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, Espionage

Publisher: Winter Goose Publishing

Release date: December 2017

Tour dates: Feb 12 to March 2, 2018

Content Rating: PG + M (No bad language but there is an attempted rape scene, and some violence.)

Description: In 1948, Vienna was divided among four powers: France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Jack Marshall had served with Walker during the war, and now, working together for The Company, they are tasked to do the inconceivable. Could former Nazis really be recruited to assist the U.S. in the atomic race? As their team moves forward, they quickly discover they are not the only ones looking for these men. And the others in the search may just have the objective of murder.

In this tale of historical noir, of corruption and deceit, no one is who they say they are. Who is The Good Man in a world where an enemy may be a friend, an ally may be the enemy, and governments deny everything?  

Thoughts:

To simply put it, I found this book to be a bit of a slog.  It had nothing at all to do with the writing by the author, but mainly had to do with the content of the book.  While I do enjoy a thriller or mystery from time to time, I found it difficult to get any sort of rhythm with the book.  And while it was an intriguing book and the end of the book was easier to get through, as there was more action going on in the book, I found that I was slogging through the book and not really enjoying the book.  I felt that the author spent a little too much time in the quiet moments and that there wasn’t enough action.  Maybe because I am used to similar movies to be a little more action oriented and that maybe was why I didn’t really connect with the book.

On the plus side, it is clear that the author has worked on this book, as I didn’t find any really major errors in terms of grammar or keeping the story line going or creating well-crafted characters.  It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Bottom line: I found it to be a well-done book, but it just wasn't to my own personal liking.

Rating:  3/5 

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest