Her Book Self

I love cupcakes.  It's not that I'm overly trendy, I actually love just about any dessert, but there's something pretty and petite, simplistic and easy-to eat about cupcakes.  The picture at left is a Cookies and Cream Cupcake I made last year for some coworkers (using this recipe) and I figured talking a bit about my culinary passions would make a nice tie in to a book review of Meg Donohue's debut novel How to Eat a Cupcake! 

Annie and Julia were born into opposite stations in life - Annie to an Ecuadorian immigrant and Julia to a rich prep-school family - but as nanny to Julia, Annie's mother raised them both and as children they were practically sisters. High school antics drove them apart and after Annie's mother died, the two girls went their separate ways: Annie to pursue independent culinary dreams and Julia to business school.

As grown woman, the two cross paths again and though Annie is reluctant to place any trust in her old friend, Julia's wealth and business savvy hold the keys to making Annie's dream of owning her own cupcake shop a reality. Entering into a an uneasy partnership, the two find that their past of hurt, betrayals, and buried secrets soon surfaces. Annie and Julia must decide if they can overcome their differences amidst a new barrage of business challenges and threats to their shop and possibly even find their childhood friendship rekindled along the way.

Meg Donohue cooks up a winning recipe of friendship, and family, blended with puzzling mysteries in this heartwarming novel. The title How to Eat a Cupcake refers to the different styles each character has of consuming pastries perfectly and though Annie and Julia are as different as chocolate mocha and vanilla bean, each is a delightful heroine in the novel. Reminiscent of the works of Sarah Addison Allen, this was a book that brings descriptions to life in tastes and smells along with sights and sounds, and if there's anything bad I have to say about this novel it's that it will certainly leave readers hungry for a home-baked treat!

Are you a cupcake fan?  Is there a home-baked dessert you prefer?  (I'm thinking of trying out these tasty looking sweets for Valentine's Day!)  If you're not much of a culinary creator, do you like reading books about people who are?

An advance review copy of this book was provided by LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.  This review represents my honest and unbiased opinions about this work.  How To Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue will be released on March 13, 2012.

There are two types of readers that will approach Carol O'Connell's newest book The Chalk Girl: those who know Kathy Mallory and those who are meeting her for the first time.

As a part of the former category, I was thrilled to discover novel number ten in O'Connell's Mallory series featuring the brilliant, beautiful, sociopath who is the law but doesn't quite object to bending it. The mystery presented in The Chalk Girl finds Mallory placed in desk duty after her unexplained absence but pulled into active service with a case of a serial killer stringing up victims from trees in Central Park. The only witness to the crimes is a young girl named Coco starving for human contact. Coco instantly latches on to the cold-hearted Mallory causing many - especially psychologist Charles Butler - to wonder if Mallory has a soft spot for a kindred spirit or if she's just using the girl's trusting nature as a means to solve her case.

Complexly layered with a storyline spanning past and present, O'Connell once again keeps the reader guessing throughout the entire story. Though I was a longtime Mallory fan when I picked this book up, the beauty of this series is that each entry can be enjoyed as a solid novel on its own. Granted, the back stories and character development of Mallory, her partner Riker, Charles Butler, and the rest of the well-drawn cast are painted over time throughout the series so that constant fans will have the benefit of closer ties to the key players, but that is not to say that newcomers to the books will enjoy this one any less.

40 Love by Madeleine Wickham, who also writes under the name Sophie Kinsella, follows the story of Caroline and Patrick Chance who invite a group to their country home for a tennis party weekend. Arriving for the tournament are Patrick's ultra-competitive client Don and his daughter Valerie; wealthy and elegant Charles and Cressida; and the unassuming academics Stephen and Annie. Drama ensues both on and off the court when Patrick tries to convince a few of his guests to invest in some risky business deals and the unexpected arrival of free-spirited Ella, Charles' former lover, is sure to upset the tournament.

Wickham's main success in this novel is her characters and the way their strengths and weaknesses are gradually uncovered. At first few of the protagonists seem at all likeable, but as the story unfolds she reveals their humanity through their actions, faults and double faults alike. Though parts of the book are amusing it lacks the outright hilarity of some of Wickham's later novels and never quite reaches the charm of those written under her Kinsella pseudonym. Yet there remains a simple sincerity to the story that captures a snapshot of realism creating a delightful tale.

This book was originally published in 1995 under the title The Tennis Party and has been reissued with the name 40 Love and the added link to associate Madeleine Wickham with Sophie Kinsella of Shopaholic fame.  I'm curious what others think of the name change and/or the reissuing of the book with a new title.  I know I'm always confused when books by authors I follow are given new cover designs.  I've been known to pick up a book from the "New" shelf at the library and read the description with a feeling of deja vu.  As I question to myself, "Have I read this before?", it's always startling to flip to the copyright page and discover a date from decades earlier.  But on the other hand, I find 40 Love a much more charming and catching title than The Tennis Party. 

I have a weakness for fictionalized biographies.  Joining books I've loved in this unique genre next to What is the What, Romancing Miss Brontë, and The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott is Melanie Benjamin's latest novel, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb.  

Mrs. Tom Thumb whose name graces the title of this novel, was the better known moniker of Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump Stratton - a name whose size matches the personality, though not the stature, of an amazing yet diminutive woman. Born with a form of proportional dwarfism, "Vinnie" as she was called by friends and family, rose to fame under the wing of showman P.T. Barnum and married to Barnum's star, General Tom Thumb.

From humble beginnings as a school teacher, Vinnie wanted something more out of life and eventually seized the opportunity to travel the world with the circus as her ticket. Her fame and renown grew raising her to the social circles of New York's elite while she and her husband basked in the company of presidents and royalty throughout Europe.

Melanie Benjamin's story The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb takes a glance inside Vinnie's mind and world, and the story unveiled is engaging and fascinating. The historical details of circus life and the figures of P.T. Barnum, Tom Thumb, and Vinnie herself are drawn with a degree of realism that reflects Benjamin's meticulous research. The story is fully captivating from start to finish and headstrong Vinnie - with her sharp wit, gentle heart, and untamed dreams - is definitely a heroine to love.

What do you think of historical fiction biographies?  Do you prefer nonfiction or do you enjoy authors' reimaginings of historical figures and events?

An advance review copy of this book was provided by LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program.  This review represents my honest and unbiased opinions.  The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb is available now.

In 2009's bestselling book Shanghai Girls Lisa See told the story of two sisters - Pearl and May - and their journey from Shanghai, China in the 1930's to Hollywood, California in the 1950's. Following the dramatic and emotional not-quite-conclusion of that work, See picks up the story in another beautifully-written and phenomenal book, Dreams of Joy.

The title of this book has a bit of a dual meaning in that the characters from book one are desperately seeking a happy, joy-filled ending; and also, the central heroine of this story is Joy - the daughter from Shanghai Girls - who ventures out on the reverse trip of her mother and aunt, traveling from California back to China. Joy is seeking both her birth father, the artist Z.G. Li, and what she views as an idealist society in Chairman Mao's communist republic, but she soon learns that ideals and reality rarely line up. Pearl follows her daughter, seeking to bring Joy back home, and both women face questions of the true meanings of home and family.

As with many of her previous novels, Lisa See's signature style of emotionally charged character drama is alive in this book. The landscape and daily details are vividly described; and contrasting themes of love and loss intertwine with a story about the turbulent political climate of China in the late 1950's and early 60's. I really enjoyed how this book answered the questions I was left with after Shanghai Girls. At times I found Joy's rebellious spirit to be a frustrating character trait, but she definitely grew throughout the story. I appreciated that she was a unique individual with a perspective similar to Pearl's and May's, yet distinctly her own. Overall, See has created yet another magnificent and captivating work!

 An advance review copy of this work was provided by LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.  This review represents my honest and unbiased opinions.  Dreams of Joy by Lisa See is on sale tomorrow May 31, 2011.

Willa Jackson and former classmate Paxton Osgood have never been close friends despite the fact that their grandmothers were inseparable. With their stations reversed from past generations - the Jackson family meeting financial ruin and the Osgoods climbing to social elite - the two girls have never had much in common. However, when Paxton takes on the project of restoring the Blue Ridge Madam, a mansion built by Willa's ancestors, a skeleton buried under a peach tree thrusts Paxton and Willa together to uncover the secrets and half truths hidden in the distant - and not-so-distant - past.

In The Peach Keeper, Sarah Addison Allen has composed another gem of a novel. Set in Walls of Water, North Carolina the story is infused with the signature southern charm and touch of magic that distinguished Allen's previous works (The Sugar Queen, Garden Spells). The mystery is compelling and the characters are delightful. Willa and Paxton were equally enjoyable to read and as the masks that each hid behind were whittled away, I was torn between which heroine I preferred.

Though less dependent on fantasy elements than some of Allen's other novels, The Peach Keeper still had an air of magical realism to it. Allen fans will also enjoy a brief cameo appearance from a past heroine. I really enjoyed this book. The plot is fresh and unique, but the themes of love and friendship - across generations, past grudges, and hurdling stereotypes - are timeless.

It's historical fiction time again!  I realize that the past few reviews I've posted have all been historical fiction, but especially in the doldrums of winter, it's a genre I love.  There's something wonderful about allowing a book to spirit me away - not only to distant lands, but to long ago times as well! - when I am most in need of a vacation.  My most recent bookish trip was to London in the summer of 1553 in which I explored the pageantry of the English court!

C.W. Gortner's The Tudor Secret is the first novel in the new Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles. The book tells the story of Brendan Prescott, a young man who was raised in the Dudley household after being abandoned as a baby. Prescott is brought as a squire to the court of the ailing King Edward VI. Immediately caught up in the intrigue and drama surrounding the nobles who seek the throne for themselves and others, Prescott is drawn to the charismatic and commanding Princess Elizabeth and soon finds himself working as a double agent for her and the Dudley family.

This book was really interesting and well constructed. The fictional hero fit in seamlessly with the setting and players of the Tudor court and the novel provided an imaginative look at the final days of Edward VI. Where as many historical fiction works focus on King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn or on the reign of Queen Elizabeth I; this book was unique for portraying a younger Elizabeth and the turmoil in London surrounding the task of crowning a rightful heir. The Tudor Secret was a fast and entertaining read. I enjoyed Gortner's writing and am excited to see further drama and mystery unfold in future books in the series.

 Do you enjoy "traveling" via historical fiction?  What place or time period have you visited lately?

Set in a strange dystopia where lovesickness is much more associated with sickness than with love, Delirium by Lauren Oliver introduces readers to Lena, a young teen who dreams of her eighteenth birthday when she will receive "the cure" - a procedure designed to vaccinate against love. Of course as the date of her long awaited step into adulthood approaches, Lena begins to question the world around her: Is the cure all it is promised to be? Is love as dangerous and deadly as she has been taught? Is there something missing in what she has been told about her family's strange history? Amidst these tumultuous questions, Lena then does the unthinkable and dares to fall in love.

I was impressed with the creative premise of Delirium and enjoyed Lauren Oliver's writing, which drew me fully into the world and characters she created. What started out as a somewhat predictable setup took several unexpected twists and turns, and I was pleased to see Oliver take the story on a more intriguing path than what I expected. Many young adult writers seem content to deliver a simple, entertaining narrative but Delirium is a book to challenge readers and inspire thought outside the tale it tells. This book works as a standalone novel, but with the complex setting and protagonist, I would be plenty pleased to see a sequel to this captivating work.

I received an Advance Review copy of this work from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.  This review represents my honest and unbiased opinions.  Delirium is on sale Tuesday, February1st.

I was first impressed with the clear storytelling voice of Deborah Rodriguez when I read her memoir Kabul Beauty School. Though that book was nonfiction, she proved her expertise with descriptive techniques and relating day to day occurrences in a fluid and interesting style. Knowing the quality of her writing ability, I was pleased to see Rodriguez try her hand at fiction in A Cup of Friendship, a novel that is equally as good as her debut work.

The story centers around Sunny, an American living and running a coffee shop in Afghanistan - a profession that Rodriguez also held while living there. Sunny meets and takes in a young woman named Yazmina, who is a pregnant widow, a condition seen as shameful in a culture where husbands rule the households. Also entering the story is Halajan, a mother with a rebellious streak and a hidden love of her own; Isabel, a journalist from England; and Candace the wealthy American divorcee. In the setting of a country where women have little voice, the stories of these characters merge together and artfully intertwine.

A Cup of Friendship is a wonderful story about making a difference in the lives of others and how every person has influence and gifts to better the world around them. It is a book about love, family, independence, tradition, and of course, friendship. Rodriguez proves that fiction or non, she knows how to capture the spirit of Afghanistan on paper, and in either genre, she draws from her life experiences to compose a compelling and powerful book.

An advance review copy of this work was provided by LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.  This review represents my honest and unbiased opinions.  A Cup of Friendship is on sale January 25, 2011.

Corrag, the titular character of Susan Fletcher's work, has been haunted by the word "witch" her entire life. The moniker has often been accompanied by scowling glances and thrown stones. It is the word that took her mother from her and sent Corrag fleeing to Scotland from the English town where she was born. Small but hardy, young Corrag survived and made a life for herself among the MacDonald clan but when politics, oaths, and kingship debates bring a bloody massacre to Glencoe, the word witch places Corrag behind bars sentenced to death.

Fourteen-year-old Billy Harriman knew his life would be turned upside down when his father died, but what Billy didn't know was that there was more to his dad's life than anyone really knew. Everyone called his father a hero for working as a presidential adviser, but soon Billy finds out just how appropriate the moniker is - and that superhero is an even more accurate description. Eventually Billy discovers that he's inherited his dad's special talents, but alongside that birthright comes a host of enemies too.

Hero was a fantastic book. Mike Lupica does a great job of creating believable young adult characters - filling their vocabulary with sports analogies and pop culture references and populating their lives with schoolwork, bullies, concerned parents, and caring friends. Though Billy turns out to be far from ordinary, he and his friend Kate are everyday teenagers and young readers will instantly connect with and invest in them.

Filled with excitement, action, and suspense Hero is a novel that is as much about growing up as it is about saving the world. Lupica invaluably fills a niche market in literature writing books geared towards young boys. Though adolescent males interested in sports will happily devour his earlier works (such as Heat and Travel Team) Hero will likely draw new fans to Lupica, perhaps from fantasy or graphic novel markets. Yet, regardless of age, gender, and typical genre preference, Hero is an enjoyable work. The book tells a complete story but readers may be left with crossed fingers - or gripping a lucky coin - in hopes that Lupica has more adventures in store for Billy Harriman, the new fourteen-year-old superhero.

"Debut novel" is always an interesting descriptor for a work. Previously, I was very neutral on the words.  If anything the label was only an assurance that I wasn't being introduced to an author mid-series.  In the past year though, I've found myself very impressed with debut works and have become a fan of several new writers as their careers have just begun to blossom.  One such author is Michelle Hoover and her first novel The Quickening is an elegantly written historical fiction that reveals the pen of a masterful writer.

Enidina (Eddie) Current and Mary Morrow are the neighboring women and alternating narrators of Michelle Hoover's debut novel The Quickening. Drawn together in the sparse farmlands of the Midwest in the early 1900's, Eddie and Mary have a relationship based more on mutual dependency rather than on their similarities. As the years pass, the reader sees both women grow and change through the seasons - spring innocence, the growth of summer, decay of fall, the harsh unforgiving winter - and the story is about the land as well as those who call it home.

The novel was told in a unique manner, and Michelle Hoover plays freely with the time-line. Through snapshots of their lives, the tale jumps in and out of the memories of the dual narrators, and events are hinted at long before they are revealed which keeps the pace of the book rolling smoothly. The setting was remarkably vivid and reveals Hoover's expertise at historical research. Poignant and intriguing, The Quickening was a unique novel that perfectly captures the complexity and richness of the Midwest in the early twentieth century.

I'm curious what others think about seeing a book labeled "debut novel".  Does it act as a persuader or a deterrent to new readers?  Do you see "debut" and think of the work as a fresh new voice to hear or do you consider that perhaps you don't want to take a chance on a new author?

And stay tuned this week for my blog interview with Michelle Hoover!

I have to admit that I'm a stickler for an intriguing cover.  Something eye-catching will almost always persuade me to read a description of a book with a title I might otherwise overlook.  So it was with A Vintage Affair - a novel I requested from Library Thing's Early Reviewers program earlier this year.  The title alone was one I may have easily dismissed but the cover caught my eye and the description definitely drew me in.  This was the first work I had read by author Isabel Wolff but it was a wonderful introduction to her writing.

Phoebe Swift, reeling after the loss of her childhood friend, leaves her prestigious job at Sotheby's auction house to open her own vintage dress shop. With a keen eye for fashion and an open ear for her customers, Phoebe has a talent for matching people with their ideal dress or accessories. While buying a collection of dresses from an elderly woman, Phoebe comes across a child's antique blue coat in pristine condition and the story behind the garment draws Phoebe into its owner's life. Phoebe soon discovers that only by revisiting the past can she hope to really move forward with her life.

A Vintage Affair was a wonderful book. Multiple story lines are woven together in tale that is as artistic and charming as the garments that provide an anchor to tie them together. The book is a clever mix of family drama, historical fiction, friendship, romance, and fashion. The characters are well-drawn and entirely believable and the supporting cast is equally as interesting as the heroine. Isabel Wolff has taken a couturier's eye in crafting every detail of this beautiful novel.

The author I was most reminded of while reading this work was Katherine Center, and if I had to choose a read-alike title to compare it to I would pick The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  Isabel Wolff's A Vintage Affair is on sale next week, June 22, 2010.  Oddly enough, the Amazon page for this book shows a much different cover for this work (perhaps one is the UK cover and the other is the US edition?) and I much prefer the darker one.  How much do book covers influence your decision to read a book?  Can a great cover pull you to check out an average title?  How about vice versa?

This past March I was fortunate enough to receive an advance review copy of a mystery novel by an author that I predict has a successful career in front of her.  Here's my review of Maid of Murder by Amanda Flower, on sale June 16th:

Mystery lovers, meet India Hayes: artist, librarian, friend, sister, daughter, bridesmaid, and soon to be amateur detective. After agreeing to serve as a bridesmaid (ugly dress and all) for her childhood friend Olivia, India is torn between family and friendship loyalties, as India's brother Mark still carries a torch for his ex-girlfriend Olivia. When the wedding is canceled and a funeral scheduled instead, the cops cry murder and Mark is the prime suspect. It's up to India to come to her brother's defense when the whole town turns against him...and her.

Author Amanda Flower does a wonderful job of bringing to life the town of Stripling, Ohio. The supporting cast - India's activist parents, the Irish landlady, Olivia's rebellious teen sister, a pair of ill-tempered cats, and many others - creates extensive realism to the backdrop of the novel. Instead of just hearing a story the reader feels introduced to the town's life with hopes that this will be the first of future adventures involving India Hayes. The mystery in the story was well-layered and Flower kept the pacing right to build intrigue throughout the book.

Maid of Murder is a charming and well-written book with a fresh plot and unique characters. It was great to encounter a novel centered around a woman that did not involve her quest for a man, and Amanda Flower has created a winner in the witty, smart heroine India Hayes.

Of course, the book also got me thinking about my own varied wedding experiences.  I've been a bridesmaid four times and though I haven't had any occasions to re-wear the gowns I purchased, I was very thankful that they were all in good taste - if not entirely comfortable.  Does anyone have any India-type wedding-craziness to share?


And coming soon, my blog interview with author Amanda Flower!

Like many other 8th grade students in the USA, I read Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes when I was twelve years old. It's the story of a young boy living during colonial times and it developed my interest in early US history and historical fiction set in that time period. Sally Gunning rekindled my love of this setting - taking an in depth and mature perspective on colonial life - with her new novel The Rebellion of Jane Clarke.

Jane Clarke is a young woman from a small town whose father sends her to Boston to care for her feeble aunt. Thrust into the building conflicts between the rowdy Sons of Liberty and the hated British soldiers, Jane's eyes reveal the human aspects of both groups. Famous historical figures enter her life and she sees John Adams as a fair minded lawyer and family man; and Henry Knox, to her, is a bookshop clerk and potential suitor. The action in the novel leads to a climax in which Jane is a witness to the Boston Massacre, and the account told from a personal perspective takes on a much different flair than what history books typically describe.

I really enjoyed The Rebellion of Jane Clarke. Sally Gunning took the events of the USA's history and added a human perspective - effectively bridging a two hundred and forty year gap to make distant occurrences interesting and relevant. At times, Jane came across as a little too modern for her time period, but I appreciated that she was a headstrong and engaging protagonist. Fans of historical fiction, especially those who enjoy a colonial American setting, will definitely want to read this book.

(An advance review copy of this book was provided through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.  The Rebellion of Jane Clarke is on sale Tuesday, June 1, 2010.)  

So now for a question, for those who enjoy historical fiction - does a love of history cause you to enjoy historical fiction or is it historical fiction that gives you a better appreciation for history?  Or conversely, if you don't like historical fiction does it stem from a dislike of history?

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell transports the reader to New York's Golden Age of the late 1800's. The story follows young and timid Clara Carter as she is thrust into the world of high fashion and elegance with her debut into society. While Clara would prefer to keep to herself and her books she feels duty bound to her father and aunt and submits herself to their rigorous tutelage and their hopes that she will secure a wealthy husband.

Though parts of the story in this book were predictable, I did find it to be an enjoyable read. The historic setting and details were well painted and it was an interesting look at the celebrity status that debutantes experienced at the time. Also, I felt that the Christian message was appropriate and fit into the story smoothly. Many readers complain about Christian fiction as being "preachy" and I don't think this book was. The theme was one of God loving people personally, just as they are, and it fit in well with Clara's struggles of maintaining a perfect appearance and always looking to please others.

Overall I think this book was a unique and engaging story. There was a subplot involving the contrast between the upper and lower classes in New York that I wish had been developed and expanded. However, the focus of the story was solidly on Clara and she was a charming heroine - modern enough to appeal to contemporary readers without seeming out of place in her setting. She Walks in Beauty is a solid entry into the genres of historical fiction and Christian fiction and Siri Mitchell shows herself to be an accomplished writer of both.

I'm curious where other readers fall in their opinions of Christian fiction; do you like books to have a strong Gospel message or do you prefer Christian themes to be woven in subtly?