books 2012 #14-21

Oral History by Lee Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this up at Costco blindly. It's the story of a multi-generational family in Appalachia. The speech patterns took a little getting used to, but ultimately really gave the book its authentic flavor. (I should say authentic-seeming, what do I really now about Appalachians?)

I liked the first half of the book better than the last and probably would have given it 4 stars, but the more recent history of the family lost some of its charm for me.



Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tough subject matter to tackle, but I was fully engaged the whole way through. The way Quindlen wrote about motherhood, relationships, and grief just felt so real, so believable. It resonated with me.




Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I remembered some things, of course, but having a bad memory for book details comes in handy when you re-read! Eva loved it. We watched the second movie and immediately moved on to the next book.




Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the quirky characters, but I could have done without a couple of sex scenes.






Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would probably give this something between 3 and 4 stars. I enjoy Sandra Dallas and have read all of her novels. I was hoping there would be more about the Japanese internment camp, but I did enjoy the characters that were developed.





True Colors by Kristin Hannah

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wasn't expecting much from this book. It looked like chick lit, which I don't normally read, but I thought it would be a long, relaxing vacation read, and I was not disappointed.

I was really intrigued with Dallas Raintree, and his son Noah as well. Fun beach read.



The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I struggled at first with all of the Japanese and Dutch names, and the large cast of characters, but I was quickly drawn into the story of Jacob de Zoet. The characters are remarkably well-developed, considering how many there are of them, and both the characters and the plot are complex.

Corruption, integrity, loyalty, betrayal, honor, love, vengeance, and a nunnery where strange things are afoot. What more could you want?


The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Garden Spells by the same author more than this one. I think it may have been better if it were a little longer, as there were several themes that were interesting, but didn't seem fully fleshed-out.

A light, quick read that was fun but not really substantial.


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