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Friday, March 20, 2015
Overly Ambitious Southern Novel Just Okay
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When a freak bicycle accident takes her husband's life, Vidrine Bell snaps. Needing "time to think," she dumps her 11-year-old daughter in Louisiana, at the home of the girl's paternal grandmother. Liberty "Ibby" Bell has never seen anything like New Orleans, let alone the giant, crumbling mansion in which she's going to be living. Then, there's Frances "Fannie" Hadley Bell, Ibby's eccentric grandmother who's been in and out of the insane asylum for years. Queenie, the maid who "came with the house," warns Ibby never to bring up Fannie's past and never to ask questions if Fannie brings it up.
Intrigued by all the secrets swirling around the big old house, Ibby slowly learns about her family's history. Under the tutelage of Queenie and her outspoken daughter, Dollbaby, she also gets an education about how to get along in the 1960s South. As Ibby's friendship with Queenie's granddaughter grows, she gets a taste of the vicious racism of which some people are capable. Despite the friction, Ibby feels her new home and family growing on her. What once was foreign is now not just familiar, but also comforting. As her definition of family changes, Ibby wonders what will happen when—and if—her mother comes to take her away. Can she leave behind The Big Easy, with all its charms, secrets, and people she's grown to love?
Told in the alternating voices of Ibby, Dollbaby and Fannie, Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal oscillates between the past and the present. It tells a compelling story, made even more layered by the different voices through which it is filtered. The novel definitely rambles in a way that feels unfocused and over-reaching, like the author's trying to cover a little too much territory. Much of it feels cliché as well as predictable. While these things tarnished my enjoyment of the novel, overall, Dollbaby kept me reading. In the end, I didn't love it, didn't hate it, just found it okay.
(Readalikes: Reminded me a bit of The Help by Kathryn Stockett)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, depictions of illegal drug use, and sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Dollbaby from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Tale of Friendship Shows Slavery Isn't Just About the Color of One's Skin
10:15 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Life is unbearably cruel for a 12-year-old Virginian girl who's been little more than a servant to her pa and brothers since her mother died in childbirth. Abused daily by the males, she longs for escape. For freedom. When a runaway slave named Zenobia comes begging for help, the girl hides her, knowing she risks her own life to do so. Protecting Zenobia gives the girl an idea—maybe she can run for her freedom, too.
Hiding during the day, running at night, the girls flee toward a Quaker settlement called Watertown. As they dodge slave traders and other dangers, the two form a strong friendship. Zenobia gives the girl a name—Lark—and shows her that, despite Lark's pale skin, the girls are more alike than different. But will they accomplish their shared goal? Will they reach freedom? The girls would rather die than go back to their former lives—and that may be exactly what happens.
Running Out of Night, the debut novel of non-fiction writer Sharon Lovejoy, tells a tense, triumphant story about two brave girls fighting for the right to control their own destinies. Drawing on old family letters as well as Lovejoy's lifelong interest in nature, gardening, and ethnobotany, it offers a unique twist on a familiar story. I enjoyed it.
(Readalikes: Reminded me of Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
YA Military School Novel A Fast-Paced, Girl-Power Thrill Ride
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Sam McKenna's never been able to back down from a dare. Especially when it comes from her older brother, Amos. In the wake of his suicide, 17-year-old McKenna is more determined than ever to fulfill the last challenge Amos ever flung at her. Even if it's a crazy one. And trying to get into the prestigious, boys-only Denmark Military Academy is insane—especially when you're a girl. Still, Sam manages to break the barrier and become one of the school's first female cadets. That's when the real nightmare begins.
No one wants Sam to survive her first year at DMA. Not even her brother, Jonathon, who's a cadet colonel at the school. That becomes clear almost as soon as she steps onto campus. Not only is she forced to work harder than her male counterparts, but she's mocked and abused at every turn. Although she finds allies in surprising places, she soon begins to suspect that an archaic secret society is still at work on DMA's campus—and it wants her gone.
As Sam works to expose the school's dark side, she struggles to fit in, to outlast her tormentors, and to help the two other female cadets stay strong in the face of brutal intimidation tactics. Then, there's her strong, but embarrassing attraction to her drill sergeant. The longer Sam stays at DMA, the more dangerous her situation becomes. Can Sam survive her brother's dare? Does she even want to? Is it really worth it, when the society is so obviously out for her blood? Sam has never known when to quit. This time, her stubbornness could cost her her life ...
While the premise behind Rites of Passage, a debut novel by Joy N. Hensley, isn't very original, it still makes for an intense, action-packed read. With Hensley's insider's view of military academy life, the details of Sam's experience ring with authenticity. Sam, herself, is empathetic and admirable—an easy character with which to side. I definitely cared about what was happening to her. The thing that bugged me about her story, though, is that it's all about a tough, kick-A heroine who can take care of herself—and yet, Sam repeatedly gets rescued by all the guys around her. Solving all of these problems on her own, with only minimal help, would have made her a more inspiring character. All in all, though, I enjoyed Rites of Passage. It's fast-paced and compelling, a solid debut that makes me curious to see what the author will do next.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder invectives), violence, and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Rites of Passage from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at NetGalley. Thank you!
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Top Ten Tuesday: My Spring-Has-Sprung TBR List
9:36 AM
I've been so busy trying to catch up on reviews of books I read LAST year plus keeping up with those I'm scheduled to review THIS year that I haven't done Top Ten Tuesday in awhile. I miss it! This week's topic looks fun and easy, so I'm joining in. You should, too. All you have to do is click on over to The Broke and the Bookish, follow the directions, and you're in. Easy cheesy.
Without further ado, here are the Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR List (ten I'm really looking forward to reading, anyway):
1. Silence by Deborah Lytton—I'm hoping to get to this one really, really soon as I was supposed to have reviewed it a few days back. It's about a girl with a golden voice whose greatest dream is to sing on Broadway. Then, a tragic accident renders her deaf. Sounds compelling, no?
2. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng—After a long wait, I've finally got this family drama/murder mystery out from the library. I'm excited to see if it lives up to all the hype.
3. Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez—I'm intrigued by this YA novel about a girl trying to shed her old identity in a new country, only to have someone from her past show up to complicate things.
4. Descent by Tim Johnston—I'm on the waiting list at the library for this one, which looks fantastic. It's about a family vacationing in the Rocky Mountains when one of their children goes missing.
5. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty—I loved Big Little Lies and I've heard that Moriarty's other books are even better. Can't wait to read this one.
6. On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee—This dystopian sounds different, therefore I must check it out!
7. The Hollow Ground by Natalie S. Harnett—I'm actually in the middle of this family drama/murder mystery set in Pennsylvania's coal mining country. It's about a girl who finds a body in an abandoned monkey hole, a find that uncovers family secrets long buried. So far, it's excellent.
8. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen—I've only read a couple of Dessen's books. This one looks like a bit of a departure for her, so I'm interested to see what it's all about.
9. Dead Wake by Erik Larson—I don't read a lot of non-fiction (a problem I need to remedy), but this book about the Lusitania sounds fascinating.
10. Chestnut Street by Maeve Binchy—Several of my favorite authors, including Binchy, have died in the last few years, which makes me super sad. I love Binchy's novels about everyday families in Ireland. At the time of her death, she was working on a collection of stories about people living on an ordinary Dublin street. Although I'm not big on short stories, I'll read anything by Binchy.
So, there you have it. Kind of an eclectic list, but all ten are books I'm excited about. Hopefully, I'll get to them this Spring. How about you? What's on your list?
Happy St. Patrick's Day! And, as always, happy reading :)
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