Anne Rivers Siddons - Islands

90. Islands by Anne Rivers Siddons (2004)
Length: 374 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 21 October 2012
Finished: 23 October 2012
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Anny Butler has always been a caretaker, a nurturer, first for her own brothers and sisters, and then as the director of an agency devoted to the welfare of children. What she has never had is a family of her own to care for. That all changes when she meets and marries Lewis Aiken, an exuberant surgeon fifteen years Anny's senior.

When they marry, Anny finds her family - not a traditional one, but a group of childhood friends from Charleston who are inseparable; who are one another's surrogate family. They call themselves The Scrubs, and they all, in some way, are connected by the cord of family. Instantly upon meeting them at the old beach house on Sullivan's Island, which they co-own, Anny knows that she has ultimately found home and family. They vow that, when the time comes, they will find a place by the sea where they can live together.

Bad things begin to happen - a hurricane, a fire, deaths - but still the remaining Scrubs cling together. They are watched over and bolstered by Camilla Curry, the heart and core of the group, always the healer. For the first time in her life, Anny allows Camilla to enfold her and to care for her with a kind of love and support that Anny has never experienced.

I loved this book; it was one of those books that you can get lost in the storytelling of it. I'm really beginning to enjoy Anne Rivers Siddons as an author and look forward avidly to the next book of hers that I read. I have added three more books by Anne Rivers Siddons on to my Wish List and give Islands by Anne Rivers Siddons an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Felicity Cochrane - Margaret Trudeau: The Prime Minister's Runaway Wife

89. Margaret Trudeau: The Prime Minister's Runaway Wife by Felicity Cochrane (1978)
Length: 173 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 19 October 2012
Finished: 20 October 2012
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 19 October 2012
Why do I have it? I like biographies and autobiographies and Felicity Cochrane is a new author for me.

The whole world watched in spellbound fascination as beautiful, young Margaret Trudeau - wife of Canada's powerful Prime Minister, struck up an open friendship with the rock group, The Rolling Stones. Shortly afterward, the six-year long marriage between the handsome, debonair and elegant politician in his mid-fifties and the gorgeous twenty-something rebel was officially on the rocks. But this was only the latest chapter in the story of the fairy tale marriage between Pierre and Margaret Trudeau. 

The 'Rolling Stones' incident was only the latest one of many scandals that Margaret Trudeau was somehow linked with during her tumultuous marriage to Pierre Trudeau. From Margaret's own early involvement with radical politics to Pierre's ties to other women - including Barbra Streisand - this biography reveals all!

I did enjoy reading this book and started it immediately on the day that it arrived in the mail all the way from Israel. However, I found that I didn't really learn much more about Margaret Trudeau's life and marriage that I didn't already know from reading Margaret Trudeau's own autobiography, Beyond Reason, which I had read in September of 2012. I give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jane Smiley - At Paradise Gate

88. At Paradise Gate by Jane Smiley (1981)
Length: 224 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 17 October 2012
Finished: 19 October 2012
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 15 October 2012
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Jane Smiley as an author. I have also read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

While seventy-seven year old Ike Robison is dying in his bedroom upstairs, his wife Anna defends the citadel of their marriage from the ill-considered, albeit loving invasion, of their three middle-aged daughters and twenty-three year old granddaughter. Helen, Claire and Susanna claim they have come to help their mother, Anna, and to cheer their father towards recuperation. Although, it appears to their mother that her daughters have arrived only to raid her refrigerator and to gripe and snipe at each other about their recollections of old rivalries. 

Bright, fresh-faced Christine arrives and presents the family with a new set of problems - her impending pregnancy and forthcoming divorce. Anna, herself, is reflecting on her life. Her life has been difficult for Anna, her marriage to Ike harshly violent, uprooting and cold. Unburdened by sentiment, Anna acknowledges to herself that she is angry at her husband for abandoning her and that her daughters remain so dependent, even into their adulthood.

Despite the simmering anger and resentment which is directed at her husband, Anna has grown used to Ike and truly can't imagine her life without him. She is confronted by her own frailties, and the imminence of Ike's death has left her in a devastating conundrum about what she should do next. Anna ultimately achieves a quiet certainty about her right to what's left of her world.

I thought this was a very good book. It was an easy read for me, and even though nothing earth-shattering happened in the plot, At Paradise Gate by Jane Smiley was still a very pleasant read. This book was filled with moments of quiet introspection, rather than huge cliffhanger plot twists. The writing was beautiful and I give this book an A+! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes contemporary fiction.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard - Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever

87. Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (2011)
The Killing Series Book 1
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 13 October 2012
Finished: 16 October 2012
Where did it come from? From Amazon
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 6 December 2011
Why do I have it? Mareena bought this book as an early Christmas present for me last year, along with eight other ebooks which she downloaded on to her Kindle for me to read.

The American Civil War was an incredibly bloody four year long conflict, that mercifully came to an end in the spring of 1865. Amid the tremendous toll suffered by both sides, President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill President Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation. The former Confederates were allowed to reintegrate into American society with no ostensible repercussions to be visited upon them by the populace.

Simmering hatred and resentment still bubbled among a few members of society, even as America began the slow process of reconstruction and healing from her battle wounds. John Wilkes Booth - a popular stage actor, charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist - gathers around himself a similar group of four angry and resentful men who simply could not tolerate the outcome of the Civil War and the fact that Abraham Lincoln was President of the United States. A plot to kidnap President Lincoln, as well as several members of his cabinet, changed to an assassination plot on the night of April 14, 1865.

On a night of what was meant to be joyous celebration, Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary Todd Lincoln and a group of their closest friends and acquaintances went to Ford's Theater to watch a performance of the play, Our American Cousin. At precisely 10 o'clock that night, one gunshot changed America's future irrevocably. A furious eleven-day manhunt ensued, as John Wilkes Booth became America's number one most wanted fugitive.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very engrossing for me, and was a book that I have wanted to read ever since it came out last year. I have always thought that I should increase my knowledge of American history, as I have been a naturalized American citizen since 1989. As I read this book, I found myself - a definitely staunch supporter of the Union - sympathizing with the Confederacy, because of the immense hardships that the soldiers of the South faced and struggled through during the Civil War. If I may say, as General William Tecumseh Sherman did in an address to the graduating class of the Michigan Military Academy on June 19, 1879 - War is Hell! - for both the victors of any war, as well as for those who are defeated.

I would give Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard an A+! This book might not have been as interesting to me as my favorite book from September, Henry and Clara by Thomas Mallon was, but both books were so close together in terms of my rating system, that the difference between them was barely noticeable to me. I give this book five shiny gold stars! :)

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jason F. Wright - The Wednesday Letters

86. The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright (2007)
The Letters Series Book 1
Length: 280 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 8 October 2012
Finished: 9 October 2012
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Jason F. Wright is a new author for me.

Jack and Laurel Cooper's story begins with one letter on their wedding night, a letter from the groom, promising to write his bride every week - for as long as they both shall live. Thirty-nine years later, with his wife cradled in his arms, and before Jack takes his last breath, he scribbles his last "Wednesday Letter" to his wife. That night, Jack and Laurel die in each other's arms.

When their adult children return to the family bed and breakfast in order to arrange their parents funerals, they discover the boxes and boxes full of love letters that their father wrote to their mother every Wednesday. As they begin to open and read each letter, the children discover the shocking truth about the past that ultimately forces them to face a life-changing moment.

As each letter reveals the joys and sorrows of their parents marriage, the children must face and deal with their own present-day challenges. Matthew, Jack and Laurel's eldest son, is struggling in a troubled marriage; Samantha, Jack and Laurel's only daughter, is a single mother, and Malcolm is the black sheep of the family, returning after a two year absence.

I liked this book and give it an A+! It was perhaps not my favorite book, but it was an easy read and interesting enough to keep me involved until the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books about families and will say that this particular book could possibly be read in one day - I read fifty pages before I went to bed last night and finished up the book today.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jane Smiley - Duplicate Keys

85. Duplicate Keys by Jane Smiley (1984)
Length: 306 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 4 October 2012
Finished: 7 October 2012
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 10 October 2007
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and I have read and enjoyed two books by this author in the past.

Alice Ellis is a refugee from the Midwest living in Manhattan. Still recovering from a painful divorce, Alice depends on the companionship and camaraderie of a circle of tightly knit friends. At the center of this circle is a struggling rock band trying to navigate New York City's erratic music scene, and an apartment/practice space with approximately fifty key-holders. One day, Alice enters the apartment and finds two of the band members shot dead.

As the double murder sends shock waves throughout all their lives, this group of friends begins to unravel, and dangerous secrets begin to be revealed one by one. When Alice begins to notice things amiss in her own apartment, she realizes that she's not the only person with a key, and that she might not get a chance to change the locks before something happens to her.

I enjoyed this book and was hooked in to trying to discover who the murderer was. I found that although the plot was slightly dated for being written in 1984, it was still a great story that showed off what a talent Jane Smiley is an author. I give this book an A! and have placed several more books by Jane Smiley on my Wish List.

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Most Frequently Challenged Authors of the 21st Century

I'll admit that being born in Derry, Northern Ireland and being raised in Manchester, England from age three to adulthood, has led me to not know that many authors on this list. I think that many of these authors are American, aren't they?  

2001: J. K. Rowling, Robert Cormier, John Steinbeck, Judy Blume, Maya Angelou, Robie Harris, Gary Paulsen, Walter Dean Myers, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Bette Greene.

2002: J.K. Rowling, Judy Blume, Robert Cormier, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Stephen King, Lois Duncan, S.E. Hinton, Alvin Schwartz, Maya Angelou, Roald Dahl, and Toni Morrison.

2003: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, J. K. Rowling, Robert Cormier, Judy Blume, Katherine Paterson, John Steinbeck, Walter Dean Myers, Robie Harris, Stephen King, and Louise Rennison.

2004: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Robert Cormier, Judy Blume, Toni Morrison, Chris Lynch, Barbara Park, Gary Paulsen, Dav Pilkey, Maurice Sendak, and Sonya Sones.

2005: Judy Blume, Robert Cormier, Chris Crutcher, Robie Harris, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Toni Morrison, J. D. Salinger, Lois Lowry, Marilyn Reynolds, and Sonya Sones.  

2006: Chris Crutcher, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, Toni Morrison, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Cecily von Ziegesar, Carolyn Mackler, Alvin Schwartz, Stephen Chbosky, Alex Sanchez, Judy Blume.

2007: Robert Cormier, Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, Mark Twain, Toni Morrison, Philip Pullman, Kevin Henkes, Lois Lowry, Chris Crutcher, Lauren Myracle, Joann Sfar.

2008: Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, Philip Pullman, Lauren Myracle, Jim Pipe, Alvin Schwartz, Chris Crutcher, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Rudolfo Anaya, Stephen Chbosky, Cecily Von Ziegesar.

2009: Lauren Myracle, Alex Sanchez, P.C. Cast, Robert Cormier, Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, Stephen Chbosky, Chris Crutcher, Ellen Hopkins, Richelle Mead, John Steinbeck.

2010: Ellen Hopkins, Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, Sonya Sones, Judy Blume, Ann Brasheres, Suzanne Collins, Aldous Huxley, Sherman Alexie, Laurie Halse Anderson, Natasha Friend.  

2011: Lauren Myracle, Kim Dong Hwa, Chris Crutcher, Carolyn Mackler, Robert Greene, Sonya Sones, Dori Hillestead Butler, Sherman Alexie, Suzanne Collins, Aldous Huxley, Harper Lee, Eric Jerome Dickey, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Dav Pilkey, Cecily von Ziegesar.

2012: Dav Pilkey, Sherman Alexie, Jay Asher, E.L. James, Ellen Hopkins, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Patricia Polacco, John Green, Luis Alberto Urrea, Alvin Schwartz, Dagberto Glib.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight