Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen

 

     Ah, what a beautiful way to start 2015. In case you haven't notice based on recent blogs and my 2014/2015 book lists, I tend to look for the books that are fairly new and being discussed currently. Once in a while, I'll choose a book that is several years old, based on the recommendations of friends. For the first book of the year, however, I decided to make an exception, if for no other reason than the fact that it's a Jane Austen book. When it comes to Jane Austen, there's always room for an exception. As I've said before, I love Jane Austen. I love her books, her stories, and her writing style. Although I fell in love with reading at a VERY young age, it wasn't until I reached about 16 that I truly began to appreciate books. And between the ages of 16 and 20, I read all of Jane Austen's books. I loved them then, but had almost a kind of reverence for them, in that I enjoyed them so much on the first read that I was almost afraid to revisit them, for fear that I'd ruin the joy I felt after reading each one for the first time. I so guarded those feelings, that when the movie "Sense and Sensibility" came out in 1995, I had no desire to see it. I still have not seen the movie.

     My apprehension about re-reading the books has dissipated somewhat in recent years, so much so that I mentioned to my husband that I had plans of reading Austen's books again. I even pointed out that Barnes and Noble had the complete collection in one volume! Imagine my joy this Christmas when I unwrapped my own copy of Jane Austen: The Complete Novels. The collection has each of her books, in order. I decided that during 2015, I will re-read each of the books again, in order, in between reading other books on my list. During Christmas vacation, I decided to dive into the first novel, Sense and Sensibility

     As was the case when I first read the book, I was not disappointed. Sense and Sensibility, published in 1811, by "A Lady" (Austen did not take credit at first, due to the time and the belief it wouldn't be well-received), the two oldest sisters of a widowed woman. When Mrs. Dashwood lost her husband, her step-son inherited his father's estate, and although he had promised his father on his deathbed that he would provide for his step-mother and her three daughters, his wife convinced him otherwise. She later moved her three daughters to a small, modest, home, at the time her two oldest daughters, Elinor and Marianne, were of "courting age" and were hoping to find love. Austen followed the family, as well as other relatives and friends, as Elinor and Marianne experienced the "ups and downs" of dating in a time period where money, status, and mates pretty much defined women.

     Even though I had read the book 30 years ago, I found myself totally immersed in the story again. Because it had been so long since I had read it, I had forgotten some of the details of the story, so I kept turning pages to see how storylines would develop. As was always the case with Jane Austen's books, I found myself feeling the emotions of the characters and experiencing the highs and lows along with them. I have virtually nothing in common with this young, single women of Regency England; however, Austen developed them in such a way that I could relate to them, and to each of their thoughts and emotions. That's what makes her such a brilliant writer.

     If you haven't read Sense and Sensibility, you should read it. It's a classic everyone must read at least once. If you have read it, read it again. I bet you'll enjoy re-reading it as much as I did. And now I may even have to rent the movie, just because I want to go through the story again.


Bottom Line: A timeless classic, by one of the greatest writers of all time.

Rating: 99 *

*Preliminary rating. After reading all of Austen's books again, I will decide which one I believe is the best one. At that time, I will likely rate that book a 100.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year everyone!!  I am looking forward to new books, new reading goals, and new book discussions!  To start the blog for 2015, I thought I'd recap the great books I read in 2014, and talk about plans for 2015!  

2014 Statistics

According to Goodreads, I read 53 books in 2014 (3 more than my goal of 50), for a total of 17,656 pages!!  That was quite an improvement over 2013, when I read 38 books, consisting of 13,837 pages.  I did a lot of reading for a busy mother (tween taxicab) who works full time and also started a (VERY) part time Mary Kay business this year!

The books I read:

If you're dying to see the whole list, you can always check out my Goodreads stats here: https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/1324133  

I had a plan at the beginning of 2014 to not only read 50 books, but to read 20 particular books within those 50:

1) Me Before You 
2) The Storyteller
3) The Goldfinch
4) The Husband's Secret 
5) Orphan Train 
6) The House Girl
7) The Tenth of December
8) The Interestings
9) The Burgess Boys
10) The Silver Star
11) Cuckoo's Calling
12) Ocean at the End of the Lane 
13) Going Clear
14) Divergent 
15) Sycamore Row 
16) Truth-Stained Lies
17) The Living Room
18) When Jesus Wept
19) Don't Take Any Wooden Nickels
20) Brotherhood 

The underlined books are ones I completed.  So even though I was over my goal of 50 books, I only read 10 of the 20 MUST READS I planned to.  I'm fine with that, because it means that I found other books I wanted to read at the time, and there's always 2015!  

Favorite Book of 2014:

I started this blog about a year ago, with my favorite book of 2013.  As I have read and reviewed books through 2014, I never thought about which might be my favorite.  On New Year's Eve, however, my dear friend Amy Schwab conducted a Facebook poll, asking readers for their favorite books of 2014.  It made me stop to think about all of the books and narrow it down to one favorite....The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty (which I reviewed on this blog May 3, 2014).  Thanks for the challenge Amy, and for a great list of books I gathered from your poll of friends!

Plans for 2015:

Just like I did last year, I've set a reading goal with Goodreads.  My reading goal for 2015 is 55 books.  It should be an easy goal to meet, since I read 53 in 2014, but it's the perfect reading plan for me for this year. I read a lot (a WHOLE lot for someone with a busy life), so I think that trying to read much more would inhibit my ability to get anything else done.  I also don't track in those statistics my daily Bible reading.  I enriched my life immensely during 2014 with the 53 books I read, and expect 55 more books to do the same.  I have come up with a new list of "20 Must Reads" for 2015, which includes some of those I neglected to read in 2014, and others:

1) Frog Music, by Emma Donaghue

2) The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt

3) The House Girl, by Tara Conklin

4) The Tenth of December, by George Saunders

5) The Interestings, by Meg Wolitzer

6) The Burgess Boys, by Elizabeth Strout

7) The Silver Star, by Jeannette Walls

8) Going Clear, by Lawrence Wright

9) Truth-Stained Lies, by Terri Blackstock

10) The Dancing Master, by Julie Klassen

11) When Jesus Wept, by Bodie Thoene

12) Don’t Take Any Wooden Nickels, by Mindy Starns Clark

13) Dear Daughter, by Elizabeth Little

14) Station Eleven, by Emily St John Mandel

15) Landline, by Rainbow Rowell

16) One Plus One, by JoJo Moyes

17) Leaving Time, by Jodi Picoult

18) I am Pilgram, by Terry Hayes

19) Mean Streak, by Sandra Brown

20) All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

STAY TUNED to this blog for reviews, updates, and more as I venture through another year of reading!   God Bless you all in 2015!

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand

...to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes, 

the oil of joy

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of despair.....Isaiah 61:3

     I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted to this blog.  I assure you I have continued to read, but the autumn months are busy for me, so I took a break from blogging.  I'm getting back into my reviews by beginning with the book I just finished, and after that, I will do reviews of other books I've read over the past few months.  I wanted to start with Unbroken, because it is fresh in my mind and on my heart.  But something tells me it will be on my heart for some time to come;  Unbroken is just one of those books that stays with you.

     I have to admit that I procrastinated in the reading of Unbroken, I downloaded it to my Nook months ago, intending to read it, but I kept moving other books ahead of it.  I had heard what a good book it was, but couldn't get in the "mood" for it.  Because I knew the story of Louie Zamperini and knew it would be intense, I needed to be prepared for the way this book would likely affect me. Because my neighborhood book club picked it for December, I couldn't wait any longer.  I am glad I read it, but never expected the incredible emotional journey this book would take me through. Hillenbrand does an AMAZING job of bringing the details of war to life, in a way that is both gripping and repulsive at the same time.  She gets to the heart of the human condition during wartime, and the effects of everyone during the war and in the years after it is over.  It's a story that is hard to tell, but Hillenbrand did as well as I could imagine anyone doing so.

     I must admit that at times, I felt it was too long and included too much detail.  In the end, however, I didn't believe that to be the case.  I realized that every detail was necessary to the story and to the life of a man that can be examined for generations to come.  It is hard to understand what a miraculous journey Zamperini experienced without every little thought and trial.  The only thing I felt it "missed" at times was Louie's voice.  The story was told in 3rd person, but clearly required Zamperini to tell his story in his way.  Especially at the end, I wanted to hear a few thoughts directly from him.  Otherwise, I have no criticism or complaints.   Do yourself a favor. Read Unbroken.  You'll be grateful you did.  

Bottom Line:  Narrative Nonfiction at its best.  A memoir for everyone.

Overall Rating:  95

The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls

     Whenever I asked around about good books, The Glass Castle is one title that came up often.  After acquiring a copy on bookmooch.com (worth checking out if you don't use it already), I decided it was time I read it.  I truly loved The Glass Castle, but I must admit I should not have read it so soon after reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Both books are non-fiction accounts of people who lived very hard lives, so both were very depressing and infuriating stories; they made my heart ache for children and my temper rage in anger toward the adults involved.  In my latest read, Jeanette Walls presents a memoir of her life growing up with an alcoholic father and a delusional (deranged?) mother.  They moved from town to town , typically pulling the "skedaddle" in the middle of the night, and lived in substandard conditions wherever they went.  Jeanette and her three siblings had to fend for themselves and learn how to survive despite parents who neglected them and subjected them to dangerous situations.

     This was a fantastic book, although it was depressing at times.  I found myself getting quite angry at the parents, and feeling sorry for the children throughout the book.  The author did a wonderful job of showing how the children just accepted their parents as who they were, and found strategies to get through life in spite of being "dealt a bad hand".  I would have like to see a little more depth in the ending, where she explained some of her feelings about her situation a little more, but she did leave the reader with a lot to think about, enabling me to come to my own conclusions about the effects of her upbringing.  I highly recommend this book, especially for those who enjoy memoirs.

Bottom Line:  Intense memoir, that caused me to think about the effects of one's beginnings.
Overall Rating:  88

The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galraith (aka J.K. Rowling)

     I have to admit I only picked this book when I found out that J.K. Rowling was the real author.  I loved the Harry Potter books, although I did not read the last two in the series.  I had already seen the movies and I never like to read a book after seeing the movie.  I do enjoy her writing and understood that her adult novels would be very different but I anticipated good writing from her in anything she does.  I was not disappointed; I did enjoy the book, though it was much different from what I expected.

     The book begins with the death of a supermodel, Lula Landry, which was ruled a suicide.  Her brother, John,  hires a washed-up private detective (Comoran Strike) to prove her death was a homicide.  The writing is not akin to that of fast-paced mystery novels with multiple twists and turns that is is so popular today.  Instead, Galbraith/Rowling writes in an older style reminiscent of Sir Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie.  I often found myself having to stop and think about the meaning of certain terms that, although English, are not commonly used in the United States.  It slowed the pace of the reading, but the high interest level kept me moving.  The mystery did have many different angles and complications, but the ending reminded me of something out of a "Columbo" episode, where everything gets wrapped up completely and many details are saved for the conclusion.  

     What I liked most about this book was the style of character development.  Instead of developing the characters through the first part of the book, as many mystery writers tend to do, Galbraith/Rowling kept adding layers to each character throughout the book.  They began as one-dimensional characters, sort of "pegged" into their roles and stereotypes, but each character began more deep and complex throughout the novel.  As a result, I became more attached to the main characters, especially "Strike" and even the deceased "Lula" and her family, as the novel progressed.  I look forward to getting to know Comoran Strike even better in the next book.

Bottom Line:  A great British mystery novel by a masterful writer.

Overall Rating:  88

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot

     I had been hearing about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for at least two years.  It seemed to be on every "must read" list and was reviewed everywhere I turned.  When I read the synopsis, it sounded good enough, but it never got to the top of the list of books I wanted to read.  When I was perusing the public library a few weeks ago, I saw it on display shelf of "recommended books", so I decided it was time to check it out.  I am so happy finally took the time to read this book!  The previous reviews, though glowing, never conveyed (at least to me) just how good this book would be.  Although completely non-fiction, Skloot writes in a way that had me hooked from the beginning, and captivated me until the end.  When I read the last chapter, I said "What?  It's done? But I want to keep reading....."  This true account wove science, family, poverty, race, and history into one book that left me not only better educated, but full of new perspective on many different issues.  I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that the subject of the book, Henrietta Lacks herself, was from Clover, a small community in Halifax County, Virginia, where I was born and still have a lot of family.  I had heard about her before, but because she lived in Maryland at the time of her death, it wasn't widely known about her Virginia connection!

     This masterpiece tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a young woman whole died of cervical cancer in 1951, leaving behind cells that were taken from her body at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Her cells, which came to be known as "HeLa" cells, were the first of its kind, and instantly started multiplying in a laboratory.  Such cell growth was unprecedented and had been attempted for many years; however, HeLa cells surpassed all expectations and continued to multliply to the present day.  They have been sold to hospitals and laboratories all over the world, and have been used for thousands of research projects, including finding the cure for polio and isolating the case of the HPV virus and its link to cervical cancer.  At the same time she presents the story of the cells and their greatness, Skloot also intersperses the story of who Henrietta Lacks was, where she came from, and what came of her family.  In doing so, she provides primary accounts of medical, social, and legislative history in the United States.

Bottom Line:  And extremely well-written treasure of science, history, and humanity.

Overall Rating:  95

Top Secret Twenty-One, Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum Series)

     I have read every book in the Stephanie Plum Series, so I was looking forward to #21.  I am happy to say that I was not disappointed in this latest book by Janet Evanovich.  As with every "Plum" book, I have actually laughed out loud...very loudly.  A few times while reading, I started laughing so hard I had to place the bookmark at my page in case I dropped the book.  As usual, I finished the book in approximately 24 hours, because once I started reading, I couldn't stop.  I will admit that this wasn't the very best of the series, but it definitely provided me with a good story and enough laughs to make it worth the money.

     The usual characters are present in this novel, including Stephanie, Lula, Morelli, Ranger, Grandma, and Stephanie's parents; however, the special "treat" in this one is that Randy Briggs is back!  Stephanie's "little" nemesis is absolutely hilarious, and comes running to Stephanie because her latest FTA (failure to appear),  is trying to kill him.  Ranger is also being hunted as well, and he must find out who has targeted him and his company.  This book has the typical craziness of an Evanovich novel, in the form of rabid chihuahuas, funeral home shenanigans, Russian vodka dealers, and a "bucket list" for Grandma.Although I loved the novel, Evanovich didn't wrap it up as nicely as she usually does.  The ending seemed a little rushed; I felt as if she said "okay, I'm done writing now" and added a resolution.  Despite the weak ending, I was satisfied and will look forward to the 22nd book in the series.

Bottom Line:  Gut-busting laughs in classic Evanovich style.

Overall Rating:  85