Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Amy   
Lynnie


historical fiction, contemporary fiction

Amy included Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline in her Best of 2014 list of books.  Generally not a fan of historical fiction, I was not overly interested in reading it, but I needed a book to read and it was right there on the Kindle, staring at me.  I'll repost Amy's review along with my own.

This is the story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.

Amy's Review

What a great book! I loved the story-telling from two different time periods. I found both stories engaging. The way the two time periods crossed wasn't forced and seemed perfectly managed. (Although, I thought that Molly's crime was a bit silly--would that really result in the punishment she received? I accepted it and moved on.) The length was ideal, the pacing was just right, and I enjoyed the two main characters who were cut from the same cloth. It was simply a wonderful read. I think this is the best book I've ever read for my book club!

Lynnie's Review

Frankly, I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed this book! I've made no secret of the fact that I do not enjoy historical fiction, in general, but Orphan Train held my attention from the first page to the last. I adored the two main characters and really appreciated their stories and how Kline was able to parallel the two stories over very different periods of time. Jumping back and forth between time periods- another pet peeve of mine- was managed so well in this book that I looked forward to the return of each and never thought the change felt unnatural or forced. There is simply a flow to this book that made it a pleasure to read.

Truly, I'm sad it's over and that I don't get to spend any more time with Molly and Vivian.

Have you read Orphan Train? Leave your comments below and tell us what you thought.

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Amy   
Lynnie

young adult, mystery, romance

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson is a contemporary young adult novel set in a California coastal town which centers around twin siblings Jude and Noah.  Told from both of their points of view, their personalities are unique, artsy, and unusual.  Their story is about some difficult situations that families often face.  However, their family seems to get hit with all of it in one tragic week.

Amy's review

I loved this book! I had no idea what to expect when I started reading it. Heck, I might have never read it except that my sister put it on the Kindle account we share and I wanted a Kindle book to read at the time. The characters were so vibrant and full of wonderful exaggerations about their feelings and views….bursting with teen drama! They were stunningly expressive, artistic, creative, and funny.

In a way, Jude and Noah sometimes seemed a little too “adult” for their ages—similar to the way I feel about John Green’s characters. But, I felt Jude and Noah’s personalities were more believable than the mature wit with which Green’s characters are infused. I often don’t feel that Green’s characters are really teenagers, but Jude and Noah were undoubtedly teens. They were so passionate and I couldn’t help but cheer for them. I’ve also never read a novel from the point of view of a gay teenager and found it to be really interesting. It felt realistic to me.

I also loved the way the author shocked me when the story changed timeframes—it changed between Noah’s POV when the twins were aged 13-14 and Jude’s POV when they were 16. In Jude’s passages, things had usually changed so markedly and unexpectedly. I found it really compelling. The ending was very satisfying—perhaps slightly too satisfying, but I’m not one to knock a happy ending.

Lynnie's review

Jude and Noah are twins- inextricably linked forever by a shared womb. They share narration duty in this book, but what makes it interesting is that they are narrating two different periods of time- Noah narrates their lives at 13-14, Jude narrates their lives at age 16. While normally this sort of back and forth play with timelines makes me nutty, it really works in this book as the events that unfold in the past, have repercussions that the twins have to deal with at age 16. I generally enjoyed Noah's chapters more, but in the end, I came to appreciate Jude's point of view as well.

The writing in this book was hilariously flowery at times. I understood what Jandy Nelson was trying to do- to show us how artistic, creative and observant the characters were but at some point, she crossed a "too-many-metaphors" line with me and I began to roll my eyes at some of the characters' descriptions of their world.

An interesting story over all though, and good use of different narrators really emphasizes the love, jealousy and connection between Noah and Jude.

Vacation Reading!

I was lucky enough to go on a VERY relaxing week-long vacation where I read 5 books and a handful of comic books.  It was just the boost I needed after this very long winter.  Rather than post a bunch of separate reviews, I'll put them in one post, though I'm leaving out one of them because Amy also read it, so we'll do a joint review in a day or so. 

Anyway, on with the reviews!

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes

Lynnie

Memoir, Humor

I really enjoyed this book, even more than I expected to. I am a big fan of both the movie and book versions of The Princess Bride & while I don't read a lot of memoirs, I had fun storming the castle- I mean reading this book. I really enjoyed learning that the people involved in this movie enjoyed making it, as much as I have always enjoyed watching it. Their fondness for each other and for this film comes through with every chapter. Not only Cary Elwes' memories of the film-making process, there are frequent quotes from other cast members which makes this even more entertaining.

This is a book for Princess Bride fans. If you loved the movie, this book will make you smile. (It will also make you want to rewatch the movie and/or read the book.)

Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle

Lynnie

Young Adult, Dystopian, Contemporary Fiction
 
This was an odd book, at times really engaging and at other times truly testing my patience as a reader. I originally wanted to read this book as I saw it on several "best of" lists and I believe it may have won a YA award or two. I don't think it lived up to all the hoopla.

It was an interesting premise- a cultish religion becomes mainstream in America and family members are forced to choose sides as the prophesied Rapture draws close. Vivian Apple's parents are fervent believers in this religion while Vivian, herself, is not. When her parents (along with perhaps thousands of others) appear to have been Raptured and disappear from the face of the Earth, America descends into chaos (predictably) and Vivian Apple needs to figure out what to do with her life.

Thus begins Vivian's adventure through the country and the Apocalypse, with her friends Harp and Peter by her side. Unfortunately that's where things start getting weird and thus, this is where the book started to lose me. The second half of the book is a jumble of plot leaps and plot holes that left me frustrated. Perhaps teens are more willing to take suspend their common sense more than I was.


 Croak by Gina Damico

 Lynnie

Young Adult, Fiction
 
 This was an interesting  & oddly enjoyable book. The premise reminded me a LOT of the old tv show Dead Like Me and there were times it was hard not to compare the two, but there's also a lot of creativity in this book.

I wasn't sure how Damico was going to get me to like the main character, Lex, a juvenile delinquent who can't seem to stay out of trouble. But the story quickly turns to the town of Croak where Lex, and others like her (yes a BUNCH of delinquents) make their home and work as GRIMS (clever acronyms abound in this book, but I won't spoil them for you here). And the story works! There's a mystery that helps us get to know the characters and what is in store for their future and while it was predictable, it was also fun to watch it all play out.

Overall, an easy read for fans of YA. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.


An Abundance of Katherines by John Green


Lynnie

Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction

Not my favorite John Green book, but still interesting & as always, I was captivated by Green's gift of words. The way I feel about John Green is the way I felt about John Hughes when I was a teenage- he understands teenagers and the way they work and speak and think. He never turns his characters into caricatures and that makes them more interesting to me.

This book is full of life. It's about math, love, friendship & finding your way when you feel most lost. The characters in this book are charming and interesting and even though Colin's tangents and theorems eventually wore thin with me, they were true to the character. The one thing in this book that really strained my patience was the idea that Colin could find 18 girls who would date him- before he graduated high school. Granted, some of those he considered girlfriends barely fit the definition, but he was so socially awkward that I found that one fact constantly distracting. Hassan stole the story though- he is the conscience of this book and was highly entertaining any time he was featured.

The Sound of Glass by Karen White

Amy 

women's fiction, mystery

I won an Advanced Reader Copy of The Sound of Glass from Goodreads. I have met Karen White twice --when she was present at other author signings I attended. But, I had not read any of her books until now. I must say that I really enjoyed this novel!

This was a fun story with fun characters in a fun setting. It's a story about a woman whose abusive husband dies and then she inherits her husband's historic SC estate when the husband's grandmother dies.  She decides to move down there and start her life over.  There, she meets a cast of interesting characters who end up warming her cold, frightened heart.  It all fits together a little too perfectly but I didn’t mind that because I let myself go with it and I liked how things turned out. The storyline kept me interested and the changing points of view were effective. The setting in historic SC was wonderful. And, of course, the old house with its mysteries added some magic. The characters were lovable, even though they were extreme—Merritt was too troubled and closed off; Loralee was too good at interpreting people and situations and overall too perky, full of too many quotes, and too confident; Gibbes was too perfect overall, too convenient, and unbelievably single. But, it all worked for me. This book would be a great beach read. I would be interested in reading another book by Karen White.

I would also like to mention that I've read several ARCs and this one had the fewest editing errors by far. Bravo to Karen White and her editors!!!

A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute

Amy 

historical fiction, classic

I had never heard of A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute (or the movie, which I've since learned exists) until a friend recommended it to me. I did not realize that it's a classic until I picked it up from the library....old-looking, tattered, front cover taped to the spine, printed in the 1950s, I think.

I enjoyed this charming story of a young woman's life during and after WWII. Her lawyer narrates the story in a sentimental way as he describes the circumstances by which they met and how their relationship formed and grew. He also describes her incredible life during the war and how her travels, adventures, and successes played out after they met. Jean was a very interesting person who improved the world around her with only the desire to make life easier and her natural business sense, as well as a generous inheritance.

The characters and places were very well-described and Jean's story held my interest throughout. Now, I'd like to see the movie.  

The Shell Collector by Hugh Howey

Amy    
Lynnie 


dystopian, fiction, romance

Amy & I are both fans of Hugh Howey's writing. In a setting very different than his previous work, The Shell Collector takes us into a future where the oceans have changed- coastlines have moved inland, flooding is common, and the water has warmed so much that the sea life is dying off, making shells one of the most popular (& profitable) collectibles on the planet. Maya Walsh is a reporter doing an expose on oil magnate and shell collector Ness Wilde when he invites her to to talk personally. 

Amy's Review:

I was given the opportunity to read The Shell Collector prior to the release date of 12/14/14. I jumped at the chance because I loved Hugh Howey's Wool series.

The Shell Collector is entirely different from Wool. This is a romantic mystery adventure filled with lush oceanfront and underwater scenes that made me wish I was experiencing these locations firsthand. The adventure, made possible by the wealth of Ness Wilde, was spectacular. The mystery of Ness' motivations and actions kept me engaged in the story and the possibility of romance kept me interested. The eco-message was clear and well thought through.

The only complaint I had while reading was that both Ness and Maya seemed untrustworthy. I kept wanting to shake sense into our wishy-washy narrator, Maya. Her decisions were often rash and conflicting which confused me.

Overall, it's a fun read and I enjoyed it!

Lynnie's Review:

Once again, Hugh Howey has created a world that is so richly detailed and full of interesting places and characters that, even though you've never seen these things with your own eyes, it's easy to picture them in your mind.

The story was interesting- ecological intrigue, romance, and lush locations all blend together to present a future where oil drilling has ruined the Earth's environment and altered the oceans so much that species are dying out and shells have become a valuable commodity. I did think the ecological message was a little heavy handed at times, and the romance was a bit far-fetched but both was necessary to set the story and keep it in motion. Hughey seems to specialize in worlds that are created out of the hubris of humanity and The Shell Collector is no different in that regard. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable adventure to explore.

 

Unwind (Unwind Dystology #1) by Neal Shusterman

Amy    
Lynnie 

dystopian, young adult, sci fi, fantasy

Unwind by Neal Shusterman takes place in a future where there was a great, bloody civil war over the issue of abortion. And, the result was that it was illegal for human life to be ended from the moment of conception until a child reached age 13. But, between ages 13 and 18, a parent (or guardian) could choose to “unwind” their child through a process that “terminated” the child but found medical uses for all the child’s parts so that the child lived on through the recipients of their pieces. 

Lynnie read this one 1-1/2 years ago and Amy finally just got to it. 

Amy's review

This book was so entirely implausible from the first page that I could not enjoy it. I read lots of fantasy, lots of YA, lots of sci-fi, lots of dystopian fiction. I am VERY accepting of unrealistic, far-fetched, creatively built stories as long as it feels plausible on any level and the story is entertaining. But this one was so entirely unfounded in any possible sense of reality that I could not get past the premise. Unwind had been recommended several times. I finally got around to listening to it in audio-book format because I needed something to listen to while I was out walking and on a long car trip. If it hadn’t been fulfilling this specific need, I never would have finished it! 

Aside from the fact that this would never, ever happen, I plowed through. I did find some enjoyment in the main characters themselves—they had a lot of heart and integrity. And, there were interesting sections of the storyline. But, it was built on a flimsy house of cards that could not be stabilized in my brain. I think that teen readers are more willing than adults to accept the possibility that adults would actually decide to throw them away if they caused trouble. Perhaps it’s a deep, dark childhood fear and feeds their mistrust of adults. That’s the only reason I can figure that this book has had any measure of success and warranted 3 more sequels!! I had also posted my review on Amazon.com and someone responded with this suggestion:  "the setting is a tool to highlight a social theme to be debated. In this book it allows the reader re-evaluate his beliefs on pro-life/ pro-choice. Society as a whole today defends life after birth, but not before birth. By creating a setting that flip-flops societal values, the reader has to question the values of today's society. "If life is sacred after birth, why is it not sacred before birth?"  Okay, I'll buy that.  But, I still didn't like the premise.

Additionally, the narrator read most of the novel in a robot voice that was rigid and unexpressive. He had vocal acting talent which was obvious when he was voicing characters. But, as the narrator, he was painful to listen to. Also, what was with all the southern accents for characters in Ohio? This was my least favorite reader of any audio book I've heard.  And, it probably did add to my dislike of this novel.

Lynnie's review

I thought this was an interesting story. The characters & plot were engaging, but also at times, so far-fetched that I often became annoyed. If anything it was the characters that made me want to continue- they were well- drawn & interesting enough that I wanted to see what happened to them. I felt like the morality issues in the story were gimmicky, for what it's worth & that part of the story annoyed me more than anything. 

Since I read this book so long ago, I feel I should point out that I have yet to develop any desire to continue the series which is unusual for me- I rarely give up after the first book in a series, but I'm still not interested in continuing. That said, my teenage son would like me to point out that he LOVED the series & has read all four books. So, as Amy suspected- this book definitely resonates more with the younger crowd.