Review: Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

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*No Spoilers!

'Do you believe in miracles'? Sounds like a simple question, but William Ashe had no idea how important his answer would be to Shandi. It would change her life. And his. Forever.

Driving to Atlanta from the small country town where she lived with her mother and her brilliant three year old son, Natty, Shandi was preparing to head to college and the next phase of her life. Her best friend Walcott was helping her move, just like he'd helped her since they were little kids growing up next door to each other. When they stopped at a jiffy store for cold drinks, there was no way Shandi could have known how much it would change her life. The moment she laid eyes on William, she felt an instant connection and knew she wanted to love him and have him love her back. The fact that he saved her and Natty's lives just made it more obvious, to Shandi anyway, that they were destined to be together. But William Ashe isn't your normal, average guy. He's exceptional and though he is oblivious to Shandi's wishes, he still has the power to make a profound difference in her life.

My Thoughts:

Plain and simple, this is my favorite Jackson novel yet.  I initially was thrown by the title of this book, but after reading it, it is absolutely perfect and I get it. That is always the icing on the cake for me when the title means more than you think it does. I thought it was ingenious. In this case, in order to tell Shandi's story, Jackson had to tell someone else's. How creative and refreshing! OK, I'll stop gushing about that and get to the meat of this review.

 I enjoyed all of the characters, even Shandi's step-mother and I felt Ms. Jackson did a great job of creating characters of various backgrounds and lifestyles. Our world is a hodge-podge of diversity and I appreciate how she brought that into the story so naturally.

The storyline of what happened to Shandi was original but one that affects many young girls in one of the most vulnerable times of their lives - being out in the world without the immediate shelter of their parents' protection while away at college. As I mentioned earlier, William's story is an impressive one and so unlikely in most love stories you run across. The unexpected connection between Natty and William was heartwarming and beautifully written. I'm having a hard time saying all I want to say without include any spoilers. All I can say is, this is not just a love story. It is so much more. I loved this book and I think it's Joshilyn Jackson's best work to date.

Though the book doesn't actually release until November 19th, visit She Reads Blog THIS WEEK for a chance to win your very own copy. I promise you won't want to miss this book! Thank you to She Reads Book Club for a fantastic November selection!

SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY
Author: Joshilyn Jackson
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: November 19, 2014
Length: 320 pp
Source: Publisher/She Reads Book Club
Recommend? Absolutely!!!

Audio Review: The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

Oslo in November. The first snow of the season has fallen. A boy named Jonas wakes in the night to find his mother gone. Out his window, in the cold moonlight, he sees the snowman that inexplicably appeared in the yard earlier in the day. Around its neck is his mother’s pink scarf.

Hole suspects a link between a menacing letter he’s received and the disappearance of Jonas’s mother - and of perhaps a dozen other women, all of whom went missing on the day of a first snowfall. As his investigation deepens, something else emerges: he is becoming a pawn in an increasingly terrifying game whose rules are devised - and constantly revised - by the killer.

(Summary taken from publisher)

My Thoughts: (No Spoilers)

Though THE SNOWMAN is the seventh book in the Inspector Harry Hole series, it is my first but in my opinion, it didn't take away anything for me not reading the first six books. This thriller stood on its own very well and there was no confusion regarding previous characters or storyline. One of the reasons I wanted to read this book now is that I heard Martin Scorsese is directing the film version and I always like to read books first when they're made into movies. I chose the audio version because, frankly, it was purely a time issue and also I was intrigued by the narrator's voice. Robin Sachs did an impressive job with all the characters and he sounded very believable in his interpretations. In my opinion, not just anyone could tell this story.

Since I am new to Nesbo's work, I can't compare it to previous books, but I thought it was very good. The mystery of the killer is told in an intelligent, clever way that makes you stop and follow Hole's train of thought. Hole, himself, is a no-nonsense, focused man who obviously has demons of his own but he is likable just the same. He's gruff and says what he means. I'm sure there are many layers to this character that I would have learned in the previous installments, but I do feel like I got a good understanding of this flawed man.

The storyline was very thrilling albeit a bit disturbing and I found myself turning off my iPod after dark! I tend to dream about books or TV shows that I read or watch right before bedtime. It's like my brain doesn't know when to shut down. I enjoyed the story and following Inspector Harry Hole as he followed clues and even when he made his mistakes. I don't read a lot of serial killer themed books, but if I get the craving again, I will definitely reach for another Jo Nesbo book. I'll probably start at the beginning of this series and eventually catch up. I loved the setting being in Oslo, Norway. It kind of reminded me of Stieg Larsson's trilogy that I absolutely loved! As a side note, this was the perfect time for me to read this book because of the time frame. In both the story and in real life, it's early November and the snow has begun to fall in Oslo.  .

THE SNOWMAN (UNABRIDGED AUDIO VERSION)
Author: Jo Nesbo
Publisher: Random House Audio
Published: May 10, 2011
Length: 15 Hrs 38 Min
Recommend? Yes!

JICYMI: October

Hello November! Today I'm trying something new here on Southern Girl Reads blog. I had such a fantastic book month in October and I just want to do a quick rundown of the books and audios that I spent time with Just In Case You Missed It. 

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I started off the month with a new-to-me series from Louise Penny. Its the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Series, or you may know it as the Three Pines Series. I read the first two books in this Agatha Christie-esque series this month and got hooked immediately. I love the characters in these books and the Canadian setting only adds to its allure. There is no doubt I will be reading all of the books in the near future. Louise Penny is a terrific mystery writer and I'm just glad I discovered her when I did. JICYMI, here are links for my reviews of the first two books:

• STILL LIFE (Book 1)
• A FATAL GRACE (Book 2)

This next review was by far the most visited post for the month. It was the October Book Club pick for She Reads Book Club. THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND by Jojo Moyes. I got close to 400 views on this post, which, for my lil' ole blog was fantastic! This was my first Moyes book and I LOVED it!! JICYMI, here is the link for that post:

• THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND by Jojo Moyes

I also listened to a couple fantastic audio books this month. I've really come to enjoy my audios and both of the narrators in these books were simply AMAZING! I highly recommend them both. 

• THE LAST ORIGINAL WIFE by Dorothea Benton Frank
• THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

I participated in one of Beth Fish's Weekend Cooking posts and I was completely overwhelmed by the number of visitors I received and the lovely comments, especially since I'm not a regular poster for that weekly event. I posted a simple recipe for a apple/cranberry topping for oatmeal and apparently it was  a big hit! JICYMI, you can find that recipe here:

• WEEKEND COOKING: Don't Settle for Boring Oatmeal

I finished up the month with a review of a book that one of our fellow blogger friends wrote. SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY is Karen Harrington's follow-up to her first book, JANEOLOGY. I was so happy to receive an advance copy from Karen and I am thrilled to say this book was terrific! I love books told from a child's perspective and Karen hit it out of the park with this one! JICYMI, please check out my review here:

• SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY by Karen Harrington

Well, that was my month and I couldn't be happier with the response and comments I received. November is shaping up to be just as good so I'm excited about whats to come. There are so many books that I can't wait to get my hands on and to share them here on SGR. I'd love to know what you think of my JICYMI idea. 

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Reading!! 

Review: Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington

I read Karen Harrington's first novel, JANEOLOGY a few years ago and really liked it and SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY is the follow-up to that book.  However, it is a great stand alone novel.  Its now ten years after Jane Nelson's mental collapse when she drowned her two-year old son, Simon and nearly drowned his twin sister, Sarah. Its now ten years later and Sarah lives with her father, Tom, in Garland, Texas and her mother is in a mental institution.

Life hasn't been easy for the Nelson's with all of the publicity surrounding not only Jane's trial but also Tom's trial.for not doing enough to protect his children, even though he was at work when it happened.  Though Tom is a loving parent, he still struggles with what his wife did and his way of dealing with it is to bury it, never talk about it and try to drink it away. Every once in a while, people find out who they are and all the publicity starts all over again, so they move to a place where no one knows them. All their moving around has been hard on young Sarah and it takes a toll on her relationship with her father. His refusal to talk about it and Sarah's need to get answers drives a wedge between them and makes Sarah feel like she has no one in her life she can talk to. So when her teacher offers a voluntary summer assignment to write letters to a favorite fictional character, Sarah turns to her favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Atticus Finch. Through her letters to Atticus, she divulges her secret thoughts, wishes and plans not to mention her fear of being crazy like her mother.

Aside from her letters to Atticus Finch, Sarah is dreading the summer because her dad always makes her go to Houston to stay with her grandparents. But she has big plans and she's sure they won't happen in Houston.  If only she could convince her dad she's old enough to stay with him in Garland she could have the summer of her life. She may even be able to show him she's old enough to know more about the mother she barely remembers.

My Thoughts:

SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY has a young protagonist that reaches in and grabs your heart. Sarah Nelson is also the narrator and Harrington does a fantastic job of writing this story from her twelve-year old perspective. In my opinion, she nailed it. She may be young and unsure of herself, but Sarah is bright, articulate and she loves words, which makes her even more endearing to me.

As a young adult novel, this is a home run but Sarah's story is appealing to mature readers as well. Her family has suffered a tragedy and since Sarah feels like she can't talk to anybody about it, she writes letters to someone she trusts, even if that person isn't real. Her conversations with Atticus have a child's honesty in them. I loved reading those letters.

Another part of the story I loved was Sarah's friendship with elderly next door neighbor, Mrs. Dupree. That was an unexpected nugget and it even reminded me of a relationship I shared with an older neighbor after moving to Florida and not knowing anyone. That was one of my favorite parts of the book. I also loved another neighbor, Finn. What a great character! Even though he is nineteen and obviously much older than Sarah, he took the time to realize that she was a very intelligent girl. He was kind and he made time for her.

There is so much about this book that I loved. It was engaging, had great characters and the story was believable. The issues Sarah deals with are so current: peer pressure, single parenthood, alcoholism - all dealt with very well in this book. Sarah also has a great sense of humor and the way she explained things made me laugh sometimes.  I think this is a great book for young readers.  In fact, I'm giving a copy to my friend's 13-yr old daughter, who also enjoys reading, with the hope that she will share it with her friends.

It doesn't even matter if you haven't read JANEOLOGY, although I highly recommend it! This is a great second novel for Karen Harrington. It proves to me that there is a definite place for her in the literary world and I'm excited to see what's next from her.  I'd like to thank Karen for sending me an advance copy of this terrific book. I enjoyed it immensely.

By the way, you can read my review of JANEOLOGY here and check out Karen's website at www.karenharringtonbooks.com.

SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY 
Author: Karen Harrington
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published:: August 20, 2013
Genre: YA
Length: 304 pp
Source: Author, Karen Harrington
Recommend? Absolutely Yes!!

Review: A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

A FATAL GRACE is the second book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Series that is set in Canada.  Again, the brilliant, thoughtful inspector is called to the tiny village of Three Pines, south of Montreal to investigate a murder. He is not new to the community since he had another investigation there about a year and a half earlier. He took an instant liking to the close-knit and friendly village as well as the townspeople.

In this case, he is investigating the death of a woman who had recently moved to Three Pines but was not well-liked by the villagers. She was a brash, ambitious, rude woman in search of her fortune by way of writing books and selling products to promote her self-proclaimed philosophy of life, which was to not show any emotion. In her mind, keeping your feelings hidden was the secret to success and fortune. Chief Inspector Gamache sets out to learn about her life and to figure out who would profit from her death. Since CC was not a nice person,  there are several prospective suspects to choose from: her unlikely  match of a husband, her lover who really can't stand her, or it could even be a fellow villager since it is obvious no one seems to be mourning the loss of CC de Poitiers.

My Thoughts:

I was so excited to get further into this series because Chief Inspector Gamache is such a wonderful character. His kind, observing eyes and quiet demeanor are attributes for his job of finding murderers. All of the characters of  Three Pines are so interesting and their quirky relationships with each other are genuine and even funny.

In A FATAL GRACE, there are actually two deaths being investigated and though I thought I had the mystery solved halfway though, I still kept questioning if I was right. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey through the story and that is because of the likable characters and well thought out plot. The stories in the series are slow paced and thoughtful, filled with smart characters who know their way around books and art and so much more. They are interesting people and they make for interesting stories.

What I also like about this series is that as we get to know the people, we realize there are many layers to them and even though the book has ended, not all of the revelations have been made. There is always something left to carry on into the next installment.  More layers to peel away, you could say. There is also the underlying notion that someone is out to get Gamache. Maybe even someone from his own team. It wasn't so clear in the first book, but it is undeniable in A FATAL GRACE.

The bottom line is, if you're looking for a  fast, edge of your seat thriller, you won't find it here in this series. What you will find is a carefully revealed mystery woven around many twists and turns so that in the end, the true killer is still a surprise.  I've enjoyed the first two books very much and, in fact, since they take place around Thanksgiving and Christmas, respectively, now is the perfect time to get started with the series. They have helped get me into the holiday spirit that is upon us.

A FATAL GRACE
Author: Louise Penny
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: May 2007
Length: 332 pp
Source: Borrowed from public library

Weekend Cooking: Don't Settle for Boring Oatmeal

In today's cooking post I'd like to share an easy, quick way to spruce up your average oatmeal that will turn it into a real treat. Now that the Fall season has arrived (even here in Florida!), I'm turning to warm cereals for breakfast that leaves me satisfied and warms me up from the inside out.

Oatmeal is one of those cereals that is like a blank canvas. Left by itself, its not much to get excited about but by adding a few simple ingredients, it can be a masterpiece. I took a recipe from Bobby Flay's show, Brunch @ Bobby's and changed it just a little to make it work for me. He called it Apple Pie Oatmeal, but I just call is Yummy! Here's what you do:

In a medium saucepan add:

• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries
• 1/2 c. water
• a dab of butter

Bring to a boil, then simmer until sugar is dissolved. While that is cooking down, peel, core and dice 1 Granny Smith apple. Add to mixture and continue simmering until apples are soft but not mushy. While the apples are cooking down, prepare your oatmeal.  I like to add a tablespoon or so of brown sugar to my oatmeal when it is almost done cooking for an added sweetness. When apple mixture is cooked, transfer to glass dish so the mixture will stop cooking so the apples retain their shape and don't get mushy.

Serve oatmeal and top it with apple mixture with a touch of heavy cream or just plain whole milk on top. It's like having dessert for breakfast!

The great thing about this recipe is not only how quick and easy it us, but if you have left over topping, it keeps very well overnight in the fridge and can be heated up quickly the next morning while you make your oatmeal.

I know this is just a simple idea, but I've enjoyed it so much this week, I had to share it with y'all today. Please let me know if you tried it and what you thought..I promise, you'll never look at oatmeal the same again!  Have a wonderful Saturday and thanks for stopping by today!

For more Weekend Cooking posts, stop over at Beth Fish Reads, who hosts this fun weekly event. I'm sure you'll come away with some great foodie ideas.

Audio Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I don't know why I put off reading this book for as long as I did, but thank goodness I finally got the good sense to read it. Even though I've had the book in print version for several years, I decided to go with the audio after sampling it on Audible.com. And it proved to be a great decision.

About the Book (Taken from Goodreads):

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. 

 My Thoughts:

Simply put, this book was outstanding.  I've read many books about WWII but not from the prospective that Markus Zusak painted for us with these wonderfully human characters.  My heart was stolen by Liesel from the very start and also with her foster father, Pappa. But singling them out isn't fair to all of the other people in her life like Rudy, her best friend, and Max, the Jew secretly living in their basement. Each one of the amazing characters had such a special purpose in this story and Mr. Zusak did a brilliant job bringing them to life. 

The story takes place in such a bleak time in our world's history and Zusak shows us how it was for the German people under Hilter's rule living in this small town. He shows that not all German's agreed with what was happening and the reader is shown the fear they lived in even from their own neighbors.  Liesel's foster parents showed so much courage by hiding Max in their basement, but they were terrified each and every day that someone would find out. 

The thing that intrigued me the most was that the narrator of this story was Death. In my opinion, that decision took this book to a whole other level. Not only did Death tell the story but also gave insight and even put feelings to the job he had to do.  And that takes me once again, to the writing. I was blown away by the phrasing - taking a simple act or thought and putting it in a way that just made me stop for a moment and think about what I'd just heard. The writing in this book is without a doubt at the very top of my list of all the books I've ever read in my life. That's a huge statement, I know, but I absolutely stand behind it.  

Now I get to the audio review. Allan Corduner did an amazing job. His deep, penetrating tone was spot on for the character that he portrayed.  I've read some audio reviews that said it was too much, but I strongly disagree. For this book and that character, he was perfect. Death is scary and even daunting to some and his voice brought that and much more. If you haven't yet read this book, try a sample of it on Audible.com and see for yourself. Personally, I'm so glad I chose to listen to this modern classic. This book moved me to the point of hot tears and has stayed with me. It is a wonderful book. 

With the release of the movie version coming soon, now I am expecially excited to see these characters come to life. You can watch teh movie trailer here. 

THE BOOK THIEF

Author: Markus Zusak

Publisher: Listening Library

Published: September 2006

Length: 13 Hrs 56 Min

Recommend? YES, YES, YES, YES YES!!!!!