Review: Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson

'

*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!!!

Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes & Giveaway!

Until now, I had never read anything by Jojo Moyes, so when my book club chose THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND as our October selection I was very excited. The reviews I'd read about her books were really great so I had high expectations.

About the Book:
(No Spoilers)

This is the story of two women who are willing to do whatever it takes to fight for what is special to them. They are so similar yet separated by distance and time. The thing they have in common is a portrait painted in the early 1900's that, if possible, would tell an amazing story.

The book begins with Sophie, a French woman living in a German occupied village in 1916. Her husband Edouard, an artist, is on the front lines fighting in the war while Sophie tries to keep her family safe under harsh German rule.

The second part of the book takes place in 2006 and introduces Liv, a young English widow living in London still trying to come to terms with the loss of her husband even though its been four years since his death.

Like Sophie, Liv feels she is losing her grip on everything that is dear to her. She can barely afford the magnificent home her architect late husband built and she's facing the reality of having to sell it. The one thing that comforts her is the painting he bought for her ten years ago while on their honeymoon in Spain. The painting has become a living, breathing thing to Liv that she treasures more than anyone else possibly could. When she receives legal papers on behalf of the artist's family that the painting was part of stolen collection of art confiscated by the Germans during the war, Liv is determined to fight the suit. The more she learns of the painting and it's muse, the more determined Liv is to win at any cost.

My Thoughts:

This one was easy - I LOVED it! It was so beautifully told, especially Part 1 which was Sophie's story of enduring war-torn France and all the injustices to the French people.  I liked how Jojo Moyes dedicated the entire first part of the book to that character and time period. When I began the second part, it was such a contrast, I almost felt I was reading a different book except for the common denominator - the painting. That painting brought the two stories together seamlessly. What I noticed right away when reading Liv's story was the drastic change in the writing. They were both spot-on and true to the time periods and people they represented.  Moyes' storytelling talent is amazing. Even though you're pretty certain what's going to happen, its still a surprise when you read it.

I've discovered lately that I have a fondness for novels written about art and this book only made that more evident to me. I was taken in by the history of the painting and how it traveled over the years to finally end up with Liv in 1996. The painting became one of the main characters and I loved that about it.

The characters, both from the past and present, were so life-like and genuine. I even felt bad for the German Kommendant for the life he led in the German army. There really isn't much else for me to say. This is one of my favorite books this year and once again, I have She Reads Book Club to thank for introducing it to me. THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND is wonderful and I recommend it highly, especially if you enjoy historical fiction, art or just great literature.

GIVEAWAY!! The She Reads Book Club with the generosity of Pamela Dorman Books is giving away copies of 3 Jojo Moyes books to one lucky winner! For details and entry information, go to http://www.shereads.org/2013/10/october-book-club-selection-3/ Good luck to you!!

THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND
Author: Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books (Viking/Penguin)
Published: August 2013
Length; 384pp
Source: Publisher/She Reads Book Club

Review: The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

I am especially excited to talk about THE HUSBAND'S SECRET by Liane Moriarty because it was such a surprise to me. I didn't really know what to expect and I suppose I was prepared for your run-of-the-mill womens fiction. WELL!! That is not at all what it turned out to be and I couldn't be happier! But before I get more into what I thought about this new release, here's a bit about the book. (No Spoilers)

What would you do if you discovered your husband of many years had been keeping a secret? Not just a little secret but a life-altering, devastating secret that affected many people? That is exactly what happened when Cecelia Fitzpatrick found a letter addressed to her by her husband written some 12 years earlier with the instructions 'To Be Opened Only In The Event of My Death. With her husband on a business trip to the US and Cecelia at home with their three daughters in Australia, she promises him she won't open it. But when John-Paul cuts short his trip and returns home to Australia immediately after she told him that she found the letter, she is even more suspicious and worried about the contents. 

Tess is a happily married mother of one who has a fulfilling job in the ad agency she started with her husband and cousin. She is happy in both her personal and professional life and lives each day with not too much worry of what lies ahead. That all changed in an instant and leaves Tess asking herself how she could've not seen it coming. 

Rachel is an older woman who is still suffering the loss of her teenage daughter some twenty-eight years ago and has never really recovered.  Janie was seventeen when she became missing and was found dead in a park hours later. Though Rachel had another child, a son, she was never able to get over Janie's death or to show Rob the love he needed. 

These three women are connected in different ways and secrets play a big part in those connections. As the truths are revealed, new revelations are discovered that still have the power to change lives forever. Even the most innocent people are forever affected. 

My Thoughts:

I couldn't have been more delighted with this book. It turned out to be much more than I was expecting and it had me riveted. The characters are terrific, even though I didn't really like one of them. OK, it's Rachel. I thought she was a hard woman who didn't think much of people. Granted, its understandable considering what she's gone through in her life, but she was a bit prickly. That being said, I also believe that is what made her such a great character. Cecelia was seemingly so perfect that you didn't want to like her but you couldn't help it. And Tess, well, I felt sorry for Tess - for awhile anyway. 

Aside form the great characters, the story was written very well, laying the story out bit by bit.  I also liked the way the author introduced the connections of the characters in a slow manner, allowing all of the history between them to be revealed and absorbed in a natural way.  This made the story all the more realistic and natural.  Deep inside this story is a mystery that is so powerful and life-changing.  That's the part I wasn't expecting. It made this novel and stand-out for me. One of my favorite parts was actually the epilogue. It was very revealing and I enjoyed that very much. After reading it, I felt like I was the one who held the secrets. It was great!! 

I realized I was really into this book when I found myself thinking of these women throughout my day when I wasn't reading. I'd be making the bed and Cecelia would pop into my mind and I'd start trying to put myself into their situations and wonder what I would do. In my opinion, when a book stays in your mind even after you've finished it, that's a good book!

If you are in a book club this would make a terrific selection. There is definitely a lot to discuss and questions to be asked.  I have to thank my book club She Reads Book Club for choosing this thought-provoking book. I am looking forward to our discussion later in the month! 

Just one last note: My friend Kathy and my Aunt Nancy, who both live in Ohio but do not know each other, saw on my Facebook page that I was reading this book and they told me they were both reading it at the same time I was! I never discussed this book with them and that is what made it so random! They both loved it, in fact, Kathy told me the epilogue was also one of her favorite parts and the book is one of her favorites of the year! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who just plain loves a great story! 

THE HUSBAND'S SECRET

Author: Liane Moriarty

 Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam  

Published: July 30, 2013

Length: 416 pp

Source: Publisher

Review: The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

This month's book selection for the She Reads Book Club is probably not one that I would have picked up on my own, but it definitely piqued my curiosity.  THE FIREBIRD by Susanna Kearsley combines ruch historical fiction, romance and paranormal elements similar to mental telepathy or ESP. Here's a bit about the book taken from Goodreads:

Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes sees images; glimpses of those who have owned it before. It’s never been a gift she wants, and she keeps it a secret from most people, including her practical boss Sebastian, one of London’s premier dealers in Russian art.

But when a woman offers Sebastian a small wooden carving for sale, claiming it belonged to Russia’s first Empress Catherine, it’s a problem. There’s no proof. Sebastian believes that the plain carving — known as “The Firebird” — is worthless. But Nicola’s held it, and she knows the woman is telling the truth, and is in desperate need of the money the sale of the heirloom could bring.

Compelled to help, Nicola turns to a man she once left, and still loves: Rob McMorran, whose own psychic gifts are far greater than hers. With Rob to help her “see” the past, she follows a young girl named Anna from Scotland to Belgium and on into Russia. 

There, in St. Petersburg — the once-glittering capital of Peter the Great’s Russia — Nicola and Rob unearth a tale of love and sacrifice, of courage and redemption…an old story that seems personal and small, perhaps, against the greater backdrops of the Jacobite and Russian courts, but one that will forever change their lives.

My Thoughts:

I'll start with what I liked about his book. The historical fiction part of the book was fascinating to me, as was the setting. I don't read many books taking place in Russia and Scotland, so I really enjoyed that aspect. I also appreciated the author's note at the end of the book that clarified the true events of Russian history and what parts she embellished for the story. That said, it isn't hard to surmise that I enjoyed those parts of the story much more than I enjoyed Nicola's story in the present with her friend Rob. I found myself whizzing through the parts that didn't include Anna and the quest to find out how she came to possess the wooden Firebird statue. 

For me, the main reason for this was I never quite felt a connection to Nicola. In my opinion, there was little character developmen pertaining to Nicolat that explained to me how she first received her 'gift'.  The brief mention of the experimental trials that she participated in where she first met Rob, was very vague and also felt under-developed, aside from explaining her first session including Rob. Since finishing the book, I've noticed that Goodreads has this book listed at 'Slains #2', which, I'm assuming, is part of a series.  If that is the case, it might have changed my view had I read that first book. I did find WINTERS SEA, but it doesn't appear to have any connection to this book aside from the Russian/Scottish history.. That said, I can only go on what I read, so as a stand-alone, it was a bit hollow for me.  

Additionally, I was not completely sold on the ESP or psychometry angle of this book and that is probably, again, because I felt thrown into it without any development.  Lastly, the romance between Rob and Nicola was a bit lacking to me. It was bland and uneventful and I was underwhelmed by it completely.

Though I would not have chosen this book on my own, I can appreciate what I've learned of Russian history by reading it. That part I did find fascinating and I was fully engrossed in it, although at times I started to get overwhelmed by it. All in all, it was a pleasant read but not one of my favorites. 

THE FIREBIRD 
Author: Susanna Kearsley
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: June 4, 2013
Length: 545 pp
Source: Publisher

Review: The Silence of Bonaventure Arrrow by Rita Leganski

The March selection of the She Reads Book Club is a debut novel by Rita Leganski. THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW had such a unique description I could hardly wait to get started.

Typically, when writing a review, I compose my own synopsis, being ever so careful not to give anything away so as to not spoil the story for those who haven't yet read it. This book, however, has so many aspects to it, I didn't feel I could do it justice, therefore, I'm using the description from Harper Collins, which I find offers just the right amount of insight to this most intriguing novel.

Conceived in love and possibility, Bonaventure Arrow didn't make a peep when he was born and the doctor nearly took him for dead.  No one knows Bonaventure's silence  is filled with resonance - a miraculous gift of rarified hearing that encompasses the Universe of Every Single Sound.  Growing up in the big house on Christopher Street in Bayou Cymbaline, Bonaventure can hear flowers grow, a thousand shades of blue, and the miniature tempests that rage inside raindrops.  He can also hear the gentle voice of his father, William Arrow, shot dead before Bonaventure was born by a mysterious stranger known only as The Wanderer. 

Bonaventure's remarkable gift of listening promises salvation to the souls who love him: his beautiful, young mother, Dancy, haunted by the death of her husband; his Grand-mere Latice, plagued by grief and long-buried guilt she locks away in a chapel; and his father, William, whose roaming spirit must fix the wreckage of the past. With the help of Trinidad Prefontaine, a Creople housekeeper endowed with her own special gifts, Bonaventure will find the key to long-buried mysteries and soothe a chorus of family secrets clamoring to be healed. 

My Thoughts:

This book intrigued me right away. I've recently begun reading books that dabble with the mystery of hoodoo, charms and spells. I have a very open mind and I'm fascinated by these things. To me, its a sort of magical realism, which I've always enjoyed. Therefore, the allure of this story about a mute boy with special gifts had me from the get-go. I also loved the setting of this book. New Orleans is a fascinating place full of mystery and I loved that about this book.

 Bonaventure instantly captured my heart. He's a sweet child who knows only love and his innocence is heightened by his muteness. I won't call it a disability, because its part of his muteness that allows his incredible hearing to be such a  gift. But even the people closest to him - his mother, and Grand-mere Latice, are unaware of his special gift. But his father knows.  I love his relationship with William and Bonaventure's willingness to accept his extraordinary ability to communicate with the father who died before he was even born.  I had a real feel for the characters in this book. Many were flawed and one was despicable, but they were all woven into this story with a purpose.

For me, the star of this novel was not Bonaventure, as I had expected, but Rita Leganski's beautiful prose. The lyrical way in which she writes is really what kept guiding me through this book. As I said earlier, the premise of the story did have me from the get-go, but as it went on, I suppose I was sidetracked by how much time was spent in the past, developing the characters of the two grandmothers and Dancy, and even Trinidad. I realize character development is necessary, but I felt they took the story over. I don't mean that as harshly as it sounds. I'm only saying that I was prepared for Bonaventure to be the guiding light but in the end, I found him to be an accessory to their stories.  For me, while the magical realism elements were present, I felt they took a back seat to the other stories being told.  An though the ending was not a surprise for me, I was satisfied with the story's outcome.

With all that being said, I did enjoy the book and I loved Rita Leganski's writing. The direction of the story was different than what I originally expected but the writing kept me going.  As a debut, I felt Laganski did a great job and I will definitely be open to reading more of her work in the future.

THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW
Author: Rita Leganski
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Published: February 26, 2013
Length: 400 pp
Source: She Reads Book Club and Publisher

Its Monday! What Are You Reading?

Happy Monday Everyone! This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. Wediscuss the books we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Books I Read and Talked About Last Week -

I finished reading THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky last week. The book is made up of a series of letters written by 16-year old Charlie over the course of a year. One reason I wanted to read the book is that I wanted to watch the movie version starring Paul Rudd (who I have a crush on) but I wanted to have already read the book. 

I posted a review of ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE by Jess Riley last week. It's a humorous look at one family's dysfunction that also deals with some serious topics. I encourage you to check it out. 

If you follow me on Twitter, (@SouthrnGrlReads) you'll know that last week I talked alot about Julie Kibler's debut, CALLING ME HOME, last week. It is our February selection for She Reads Book Club and it was a fantastic choice. 

I started reading Sarah Jio's BLACKBERRY WINTER and I know I'm going to really like it. 

Books I'll Be Focusing On This Week -

My main focus is going to be on THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW by Rita Leganski. I started it last evening and right away the lovely lyrical prose is blowing me away! Not to mention the mystical locale of New Orleans and all that that entails. This will definitely be a real treat for my literary senses. 

I will also continue reading BLACKBERRY WINTER this week. I'm hooked on it! Now I know what all the fuss was about when it was making a loud splash on the blogs.

Reviews I'll be posting this week are THE RIVER WITCH by Kimberly Brock and THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky. 

I'm really looking forward to this week in books and I hope your week is full of great books as well! Thanks for stopping by today!

Teaser Tuesday: THE ART FORGER by B.A. Shapiro

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, where we share the books we're reading by giving a glimpse at what's inside. Here are the guidelines if you'd like to participate:

• Open your current book and let it fall open to a random page
• Choose two teaser sentences to share, being careful not to include any spoilers
• List the title, author's name and page number (or location) of the teasers you've chosen
• Go to Should Be Reading and share your link with the other participants

It's that easy and its a fun way to get a look inside of some new-to-you books.

The teasers I'm sharing today come from a fabulous new book by B.A. (Barbara) Shapiro called THE ART FORGER. It takes place in Boston and is the story of Claire Roth, a talented artist who has been snubbed by many people in the art world because of choices she made while still an art student. A few years later she still has obstacles to overcome but she finds herself in almost the same position as before, but with much more dire consequences. Here are my teasers . . .

Ambition, talent, antiestablishment vengeance, greed, and hubris run rampant through all fifty stories, and I see myself everywhere.  Plus, they all share the same outcome:  the ultimate exposure of the forger as the charlatan he is. ~ Location 3502-3506 Kindle edition

Once I began reading, I had a hard time putting this one down. I was so drawn into the story and really enjoyed the backdrop of the art world. I was completely sucked in! For more information on this great book, please stop by She Reads Facebook page.