LIBRARY BOOKS READING CHALLENGE 2013

One of my New Year's resolutions is to use the library more. My bookshelves are overflowing with books, read and unread, and I keep telling myself I can't buy more until I read what I have. That doesn't work, so I'm trying to at least acquire fewer books. I did do a little bit better at using the library last year and am hoping to continue the trend this year.

To that end, I am adding one more challenge to my list. Gina at Book Dragon's Lair is hosting a Library Book Reading Challenge. (see the link for rules.) I'm going to try for the Middle Grade level- 18 books.

I'll list my my books read and post links to reviews back to this page when completed.


1. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
2. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
3. Gillespie and I by Jane Harris
4. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
5. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
6. Z. A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
7. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman
8. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
9. A Little Folly by Jude Morgan
10. Catherine the Great. Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
11. The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow
12. How to Create the Perfect Wife by Wendy Moore
13. Call Me Zelda by Erika Robuck
14. Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach
15. Colony by Anne Rivers Siddons
16. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
17. The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber
18. Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole







 

ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH: The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick

In the recent Historical Holiday Blog Hop, I was thrilled to win twice! I won a copy of Deborah Swift’s The Lady’s Slipper and Helen Hollick’s I am the Chosen King. They both sound wonderful and I can’t wait to read them. Thank you to both authors!

In the meantime, I settled in to read a book that has been on my Nook just waiting for me. The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick is exactly the type of book that I love to read. When I first read the blurb, I added it to my TBR list, and then it was a kindle/Nook deal for some ridiculously low price so I bought it. This was way back when my Nook was new. Unfortunately, books on my Nook tend to slip off my radar. So I was doubly thrilled to win the sequel, reminding me to read book one!

The Forever Queen is the story of Emma, Queen of England, the wife of Aethelred the Unready and then of King Cnut. This is pre-1066 Norman invasion of England, but it sets the stage for it. Steeped in medieval history, The Forever Queen follows the career of a strong-minded woman and her relationships. It’s a man’s world, but she makes her own place in it.

Emma is a strong, ambitious woman. Married against her will to the weak bully King Aethelred as a political convenience by her brother, the duke of Normandy, Emma learns quickly which things she can manipulate and who she can trust. She discovers that she is a far better queen than her husband is king. Believing this, she is determined to hang onto her crown—no matter what. Even when the raiding Viking Cnut comes to England’s shores bent on conquering the kingdom, Emma is able to turn disaster to her own advantage.

Emma’s political maneuvering concerning the fate of her children is more complicated than the decisions she makes for herself. If her choices are sometimes cold-hearted, they are understandable in the context of her situation.

This is a book rich in political scheming, medieval history, and daily life details. Read it and truly feel swept back into turn of the eleventh century England.

The Forever Queen is a long book, but it reads quickly. Emma lived a complex, full life and the author had a great deal of ground to cover. Although the account is necessarily fictional--there isn't a whole lot of historical documentation for Emma's life--this book is an emotionally satisfying and believable version. I’m looking forward to continuing the saga of England’s early days in I am the Chosen King.

This is my first historical novel of the year-- the first book read for the Historical Fiction Challenge hosted by Historical Tapestry.

BOOK REVIEW: Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard

I don’t read a whole lot of nonfiction unless it’s for research purposes. When I do, I don’t usually choose books focused on American presidents. However, I spotted a review of Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard over at Reading for Sanity and I was intrigued.

The book, subtitled: "A tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President," is the story of the assassination of President James Garfield. Elected in 1880, Garfield was only four months into his presidency when an assassin tried to take his life. The gunshot wounds were not immediately fatal. In fact, they very well might not have proved fatal at all but for the medical attention Garfield received–repeated non-sterile probing of the wound–that caused him to eventually die of infection, his body riddled with abscesses.

A few years ago, I read a short history of medicine in America book that included a short account of Garfield’s murder. Knowing as little as I did about Garfield, I found it interesting that his physicians had contributed so substantially to his death. I was curious to learn more.

Millard’s account goes beyond the details of the assassination to paint a fuller picture of Garfield the man and to place him in the context of his times. Brilliant, affable, and reasonable, Garfield had been nominated at the 1880 Republican convention against his own will and had no desire to become president. However, he was very well regarded and the consensus seems to be he would have been an exceptional president.

The assassin’s life story and motivation for murder was also explored. A loner who bounced from failure to failure—spending time in a religious commune, as a lawyer, as a traveling evangelist, even a short stint in prison—Charles Guiteau had grandiose visions of his own importance. His own family members were certain he was insane. Upon Garfield’s election, Guiteau became convinced that he would be given a high position in the government. He traveled to Washington and began haunting the White House, writing numerous letters to Garfield and to other prominent men explaining his expectations. Eventually his delusions took over completely, and he decided Garfield had to be "removed." He bought a gun, looked for the opportunity, and shot him.

The record continues with the disastrous medical care Garfield received. It also includes a discussion of Alexander Graham Bell and the attempts Bell made to hurriedly invent a device to locate the bullet lodged somewhere in Garfield’s body. For more than two months, the doctors (particularly the arrogant and painfully wrongheaded Dr. Willard Bliss) hovered about, making things worse, while Garfield died a slow, painful death without ever losing his dignity or gentlemanly demeanor.

In this straight-forward, well-organized narrative, Millard blends politics, history of medicine, and a touching love story to show that Garfield’s story was a fascinating one even if his presidency was tragically short-lived.

ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH:Circles of Time by Phillip Rock

When I finished The Passing Bells by Phillip Rock, a WWI saga, I knew I had to read the sequel. I fell in love with the Greville family and their friends and was pleased to learn that the author had continued the tale into the years between the wars.

Blandest cover ever

Circles of Time begins in 1921. (I thought this was an interesting coincidence, having just finished Crossing on the Paris by Dana Gynther, also set in 1921.) One of the protagonists, Martin Rilke, an American cousin, who had risen to prominence as a war correspondent, now returns to England to act as bureau chief for an international news corporation.

Martin meets up with his old friends. These include Fenton Wood-Lacy, a young colonel who had not been afraid to speak the truth about the war and is now being punished for it, and Charles Greville, heir to the earl of Stanmore, an honorable soldier and commander that the war has left shell-shocked, unaware even of his own identity. The beautiful Greville daughter, Alexandra, has also returned, now a widow with a young son. The characters so familiar from The Passing Bells have all grown and changed since the war, yet they are still fundamentally the same. Circles of Time shows how they pick up the pieces and move on with their lives.

Times have changed. Morals have definitely loosened from pre-war behaviors. New music and new drinks have swept across the Atlantic from the U.S.. There are also bitter and divisive politics to contend with both in England and in Germany. In fact, Martin’s role as a journalist and Fenton’s posting to Iraq demonstrate how fragile a peace the war has left them.

Life goes on. In Phillip Rock’s inter-generational saga, it is easy to get caught up in multiple interwoven lives that do keep marching forward through the fascinating events of the history of the times. Although this book seems to skim a little bit more lightly over the surface than did The Passing Bells, it still had an emotional impact. I’m not sure though, that I would have cared about the people in this book so much if I hadn’t met them previously in book one. I’d recommend reading that one first. The characters remain compelling and the history lessons are varied and fascinating. I'm going to have to seek out the third book in the series because I'm still curious about the future of this fictional family.

ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH: Crossing on the Paris by Dana Gynther

In 1921, the massive luxury liner, the SS Paris, departs from the French port Le Havre for New York on its maiden voyage. There are thousands aboard and no doubt each has his own unique story to tell, an interesting reason for making the voyage, but Crossing on the Paris by Dana Gynther focuses on three women. For these three, the crossing is more than just a physical journey. It’s a time of self-examination and self-discovery.

First Class passenger Vera Sinclair is a wealthy, elderly American ex-patriot returning to New York after a lifetime in Paris. Despite a short-lived marriage, numerous love affairs, and many friendships, she is returning home to die alone. She has been diagnosed with breast cancer and her slow deterioration has frightened away the man she considered her closest friend. On the journey home, re-reading her journals, she’s left to wonder if the accumulated wisdom of old age is any wisdom at all. And what use is it to anyone?

Second Class passenger Constance Stone is a beautiful mother of three. A young woman, married to a man much her senior, she is also the daughter of a distant mother who has drifted into madness. Her father has sent her to Paris to bring home her Bohemian younger sister in hopes that the sister’s return will help restore her mother. While deep down Constance knows the hope is futile, a part of her is tired of being the responsible older sister, stuck dealing with the family woes. Seeing the romance of her sister’s life brings home for her the lack of romance in her own marriage. Her husband is admittedly dull. While on board the ship, she can invent a pretend life for herself. But how far is she willing to pretend?

Down in steerage, Julie Vernet in an employee not a passenger. She is a maid working with the lower class passengers emigrating to New York. A petite, shy girl, Julie’s life has been one of quiet despair since her four brothers were all killed in the Great War. She needs a new start. Julie’s shipboard experiences are eye-opening and ultimately appalling as she learns how to navigate the world beyond Le Havre.

The three women’s paths cross and cross again as the trans-Atlantic journey progresses. These are lovely character sketches. I found myself sympathizing with all three women and pulling for them to make the right choices. The descriptions of the luxury liner as well as the detours into the lives of the women off the boat were all beautifully detailed. When N.Y. harbor comes into sight, the book draws to a satisfying conclusion. This was a perfect pre-Holiday read.

BACK TO THE CLASSICS CHALLENGE- 2013

Sarah at Sarah Reads too Much is once again hosting the Back-to-the-Classics Challenge.

I've participated the past two years and was excited to hear the announcement of the categories for this year. I've spent a little while pondering my choices. In this wonderful challenge, readers have the opportunity to prod themselves to tackle great works of literature. These may be classics that they have been intending to read for quite some time but just haven't managed to get to yet. (I find myself combining a couple of these books with the TBR-pile challenges.) Or, sometimes the categories may inspire a choice of classic that would not otherwise have ever made it onto the TBR list. Either way, it's a challenge I have to undertake!

So, here are the rules for 2013:

All books must be read in 2013. Books started prior to January 1, 2013 are not eligible. Reviews must be linked by December 31, 2013.

E-books and audio books are eligible! Books can count for other challenges you may be working on.

If you do not have a blog, you may link your review from Goodreads or other publicly accessible online format.

Please sign up for the challenge using the linky here BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2013. Please link to your sign-up announcement post (if possible/applicable)

You do not have to list your books prior to starting the challenge, but it is more fun that way :) You can always change your list at any time. You can read the books in any order (including mixing in the optional categories at any time)

You can decide to attempt the optional categories at any point (you can also bow out of the optional categories at any point as well).

Please identify the categories you've read in your wrap up post so that Sarah  may easily add up your entries for the prize drawing! (Check Sarah's post for an explanation of the prizes.)

 

And here are the categories with my choices. I'll be linking my reviews back to this page.

The Required Categories:

1. A 19th Century Classic : Middlemarch by George Elliot
2. A 20th Century Classic : The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
3. A Pre-18th or 18th Century Classic : The Odyssey by Homer
4. A Classic that relates to the African-American Experience :  Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
5. A Classic Adventure : The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff 
6. A Classic that prominently features an Animal : The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Optional Categories:

A. Re-read a Classic :  Vanity Fair by William Thackeray 

B. A Russian Classic : Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky

C. A Classic Non-Fiction title : A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft

D. A Classic Children's/Young Adult title: My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

E. Classic Short Stories : The Collected Stories of Nikolai Gogol

ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH: The Divine Sacrifice by Tony Hays

I don’t read a whole lot of mystery, but I do love Arthuriana. Two years ago, (I can’t believe it was that long ago!) I read Tony Hays’ The Killing Way, a political murder mystery set at King Arthur’s court. The "court" was not the typical court of Arthurian legend. It was a grittier, more brutal setting and the story was awash in political intrigue as well as the murder mystery. The hero of the story was Malgwyn, the keenly intelligent, one-armed counselor of the king who was damaged in more ways than one. I thoroughly enjoyed The Killing Way, so much so that I rushed out to buy book two in the series: The Divine Sacrifice. For no reason I can explain, that book has languished on my TBR pile.

Thanks once again to the Mount TBR challenge, I’ve rescued a must-read from that pile, which is really more of a bottomless pit.

In The Divine Sacrifice, we meet up with Malgwyn again, shortly after the goings-on of book one. Arthur has another task for his trusted counselor. He is making a trip to Glastonbury Abbey which is in the vicinity of a castle held by Lord Lauhiir. Arthur has some arguing (over taxes and church construction) to do with the abbot and he has even more unpleasant business with Lauhiir. The young lord is supposed to be strengthening the castle as an outpost for Arthur, but everyone knows that Lauhiir is not truly a supporter of Arthur’s kingship. So, Malgwyn is supposed to help check up on things.

While they are on their short journey, Malgwyn learns two unpleasant facts. One: Saint Patrick will be arriving at the abbey at the same time. This highly esteemed man of the church has come to root out a heresy that has supposedly infected the abbey and its surroundings. Two: an elderly monk has been murdered.

Malgwyn shifts to detective mode as he is asked to solve the mystery of the monk’s death. Naturally, there is more to it than a simple murder. Malgwyn finds layer upon layer of deceit, involving not only the abbot, but also Saint Patrick and another newly-arrived elderly monk in Glastonbury. How are all the lies related? And there are worse things afoot than the murdering of monks. Lauhiir has been up to something. He was involved somehow with the dead man. What is being hidden? And how will it affect the kingdom of the lord King Arthur?

Once again, Tony Hays has woven a tale of political intrigue around a murder mystery. This book also brings in religious debate and a dash of romance (a tiny dash- Malgwyn is still working his way around to that.) As in The Killing Way, familiar Arthurian names ground the story, but this is not a tale of King Arthur. The king stays well in the background. This is Malgwyn’s story all the way. If you enjoy a good detective story with twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout, Tony Hays’ series will keep you entertained. (You can probably read The Divine Sacrifice without having read The Killing Way, but I recommend you start with book one.)

And now, I’ve completed the Mount TBR challenge hosted by My Reader's Block, which means I’ve made it through all my 2012 challenges. Hooray!