Review: Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale

Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale by Lynda Rutledge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




As far as the townspeople are concerned, Faith Bass Darling has always had a perfect life. She lives in the largest mansion in town and comes from money, her hair always perfect, her outfits coordinated. However Faith knows that perfection on the outside might mean turmoil on the inside, her life has not been a fairy tale.

Faith Bass Darling, former Southern Belle, has lost her mind. She has determined that God has spoken to her and she must sell all of her family heirlooms in a garage sale today. Gawking locals are buying up her precious Tiffany lamps, for whatever they can afford to pay, often $20 a lamp.
Bobbie knows that Faith must be stopped before she can give all of her belongings away. Bobbie became an antiques dealer in the small town because as a child she dreamed of the Darling Mansion and longed for the precious contents therein. When she sees the antiques strewn across the lawn, her heart lurches and she knows that she must call Faith’s long lost daughter.

The long lost Claudia arrives home, having been gone for twenty years, to find that her mother has aged and that her inheritance is being given away in a yard sale. Claudia really only wants one item, an heirloom ring, she hopes that her mother hasn’t sold it yet. How can she close down this sale and who will assist her against her determined and still formidable mother?

The story follows Faith and the townspeople throughout the day of the garage sale, becoming more about the townspeople than Faith alone. I adored this sweet little novel, and loved Faith as a character. The novel states the question we as readers must ask ourselves, “do our possessions possess us?”

Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale will make a great light pick for your next book club.




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Review: Maine

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Modern, Vivid, Generational Drama

Maine is a modern story that follows a Grandmother, a daughter, a daughter-in-law and a Granddaughter. An incredibly well-written women’s saga with rich and vivid text, Maine would be a good pick for your next book club.

Grandmother Alice was once beautiful and had the world at her doorstep. Alice feels responsible for her sister’s death which occurred over sixty years ago. Alice was always the beautiful one; the only reason she married her husband was because she felt guilty about her sister’s death. Alice felt that she needed to live her sister’s life—to marry and to have children, despite the fact that she didn’t want either. Alice wanted to be an artist. Now in her eighties, still beautiful and defiant, the grumpy Alice decides to leave the family’s multi-million dollar beach house to the local church.

For me Mary Anne is the character one most has empathy with as she is a loving and kind woman, a good mother who has married into the family. Mary Anne feels that Alice is like a mother, and treats her as such, she feels that she treats Alice better than Alice’s own children do. Mary Anne cannot believe how Alice’s own children ignore her and spend no time with her. Having helped Alice improve the beach house and after paying for years of upkeep, Mary Anne fully expects that her family will inherit the beach house.

Kathleen hates her sister in law Mary Anne and since her father’s death has not returned home or spoken to her mother. Kathleen adored her father, who doted on her-- once he was gone, there was no reason for her to go home again. Stubborn Kathleen has dealt with alcoholism and divorce, she also married a man that she didn’t love. She loves her crazy life now, living with her boyfriend, owning a worm farm…an unconventional life far away from her crazy mother.

Maggie is a modern working woman who desperately wants her boyfriend to commit already. And, lucky her, he is going to kick his loser roommate out and let her move in. Maggie and Gabe laugh, they fight, they have fun, they fight. As charming as boyfriend is, how will he react when he learns of her unplanned pregnancy?

Have you read The Three Weismann’s of Westport? Maine very much reminded me of that story only with less empathetic characters. I’ll ask you to read both and decide which book you preferred.




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Historical Fiction, So HOT Right Now

I have been reading quite a bit lately and many popular books right now are Historical Fiction—you cannot escape it! Even author Stephen King has gotten into Historical Fiction bandwagon with his bestseller 11/23/63 about the JFK Assassination. My Book Club’s Historical Fiction Reads include: The Irresistible Henry House, The Glass Room, Loving Frank, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.  

 Book Club Recommendations:

The Irresistible Henry House

In the 1950’s there were college home economic programs that utilized “practice babies”. These were real babies, who had been given up for adoption and then taken to the school so that college women could learn to “mother” by changing diapers, feeding and caring for a baby. The author supposes what would happen, what could have happened to such a baby as he grew up. With such an interesting premise, this book will make for a most interesting book club discussion.

Loving Frank

A well-researched novel told from the perspective of Frank Lloyd Wright’s mistress, Mamah Borthwick. The author researched the novel for 7 years and even found copies of letters that Mamah wrote, which the author used to create a more authentic voice for Mamah.

The Paris Wife

This story follows Hadley Richardson as she meets and then quickly marries Ernest Hemingway. Soon the newlyweds embark for Paris, meeting and partying with Gertrude Stein and Ella and F Scott Fitzgerald in the Jazz Age Paris. As of today, this popular book ranks #4 for Book Club selections and is near the top of my “to Read” shelf.

Lastly, World War II Historical Fiction is UBER HOT right now (stories set in WWII, not necessarily focusing on the war). Here are some top Historical Fiction choices set in the time period of WWII:

Sarah’s Key, The Postmistress, The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society, The Glass Room, The Piano Teacher, The Zookeeper’s Wife, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, The Book Thief

*My focus in this article was 20th Century Historical Fiction

A Slice of Summer in The Peach Keeper

I have eagerly awaited Sarah Addison Allen’s latest novel, The Peach Keeper, as Addison Allen typically writes lighter novels that feature female protagonists, friendship and a little magic—a perfect summer book blend.

The premise of The Peach Keeper is that everyone has a past, most likely one they want to forget. And yet that past follows you and is with you as you attempt to move forward in life. Can you ever really go home again?

Willa’s great great grandfather built the Blue Ridge Madam, a long neglected historical house with an ancient peach tree in the front yard. Willa has never been in the house, but Willa’s Grandmother lived in the house as a young lady. In present times, during the manor’s elaborate restorations, the peach tree is removed and a body is unearthed. No one knows who the dead person is, but Willa suspects that her Grandmother Georgie may have once known the answer, sadly Georgie now has dementia.

At age 30, the fiercely independent Willa has moved back to her small hometown and decided to settle into a quiet life as a respectable shopkeeper. Willa is still trying to live down her high school reputation where she was known as a troublemaker. Meanwhile, Paxton is the Southern Momma’s Girl, looking picture perfect and making all the right choices while inwardly cringing in that she is single and still lives at home under her Mother’s thumb. Willa and Paxton would never have associated in high school; however, they must work together now to learn the story behind the body found under the peach tree.

Love, friendship and a sprinkle of mystery hold the easy pace of The Peach Keeper and will keep the reader intrigued to the very end.

JUST FOR FUN: Author Sarah Addison Allen has a lovely interactive website and there she has a great coffee personality guide--be sure to check your coffee persona by selecting the following link and then select the Not Just Fiction link.

http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/the_...

Summer Reading Lists

The sun is shining, the sky is powder blue and we are getting ready to leave on our vacation; it is time to gather up those beach read books!

Below is a list of some of my favorite reads from this year, books that I feel will make great beach reads. Of course, I want to hear your suggestions as well. What books will you take on your vacation this summer?

In order my summer reading suggestions include:

1. The Night Circus, this ranks first because this is my new favorite book! I loved this enchanting novel!
2.   How to Eat a Cupcake, a light novel that will cause cupcake cravings, a perfectly delicious beach read.
3. The Language of Trees, interesting and well written, a nice off the beaten path novel.
4. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, a Southern coming of age delight,
5.  The Housekeeper and the Professor, for the serious literary fan, a smart and fascinating take on the “what ifs” of short term memory.

My to-read beach  list (I’ve been saving these in a special vacation pile):

The Peachkeeper, The Language of Flowers, A Discovery of Witches. I’ve also chosen two mysteries--  Kill Me if you Can by James Patterson and 9 Dragons by Michael Connelly.

Ahhh, for me there is nothing better than sand sun and a great beach read….yeah summer!

What are the Independent Book Blog Awards?

The Independent Book Blogger Awards (IBBAs) are new book blog awards created by Goodreads.com and The Association of American Publishers. There are four blog categories: Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Children’s/Young Adult and Publishing Industry. In the future, I see a fifth category for those who write for Bookstores/Libraries as many of the Adult Fiction blogs were written by librarians.  My blog falls squarely into the Adult Fiction category, be sure to vote for A Wife of Book Club Blog by clicking the Voting Button on the sidebar!

For me and my fellow book bloggers, the IBBAs are a symbol of hope for the little people. We are the individuals who write book blogs simply because books inspire and motivate us. The IBBAs are such a wonderful and welcome idea. I applaud the IBBA creators and send a heartfelt Thank you!

I highly encourage you to review and click on the numerous IBBA entries as there are some wonderful and interesting blogs out there! I was especially impressed with Ann R. Allen’s Blog in the Publishing Industry category.  I voted for Anne, here is her link…

http://annerallen.blogspot.com/

 I strongly believe that the IBBAs will be a success and will continue in future years simply based on the fact that there are almost 400 entrants in the Adult Fiction category! WOW, go book bloggers!


*UPDATE: Voting closed on 23 April. Thanks for your votes!

After Reads--Genre Author Recommendations

I love to share and recommend books, often saving paperbacks in order to give them to friends and family. My Dad gets all of the good mysteries (Michael Connelly, Daniel Silva) while my sister gets the book club novels (Them Bones, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt). Here are some of my favorite After Reads which are my author recommendations for when you’ve finished your favorite series and need a new author in a similar genre.

JK Rowling Author Matches to Rick Riordin and Jonathan Stroud

The Lightening Thief features Percy Jackson, a difficult child, one with ADHD who’s been kicked out of every school he’s attended. Now that he is eleven he starts seeing and dreaming odd things. With the gods speaking to Percy in dreams, Percy is soon immersed in another world, one that he never knew existed, that of the Greek gods. Percy will soon learn that he is a half-blood—the son of a God and a human. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades are infighting and since Percy is a magnet for trouble, he is soon accused of stealing Zeus’ Lightning Bolt. This book was written and is classified for young adults, but if you like Harry Potter or know a bit about Greek mythology, you need to read the Percy Jackson series written by Rick Riordin.

In The Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel is a young apprentice magician with a grumpy Master who doesn’t recognize his student’s intelligence. Nathaniel knows much more than his Master would believe, even having learned how to summon a demon named Bartimaeus. The boy has soon charged Bartimaeus to retrieve the Amulet of Samarkand. Bartimaeus is a demon who must obey the boy, a defiant demon, and a dangerous demon, one whose mind constantly works to determine a way to kill the boy. Even as a demon, Bartimaeus is determined to survive, he wants to live, to be released from his service to the boy. Soon the demon and young magician unwillingly join forces to defend themselves against a greater evil. Before you think that this is too reminiscent of Harry Potter. No it is not! Magic is the only common denominator. The Amulet of Samarkand was written by Jonathan Stroud.

Elizabeth George compares to Louise Penny

Louise Penny outshines all contemporary mystery novelists, I simply adore her style! Penny’s mysteries are the greatest reads that you’ve been missing, there is a reason the she’s the winner of the New Blood Dagger Award. I find that Penny’s novels are reminiscent of Elizabeth George’s descriptive and deep British mysteries. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is one of my favorite characters; I highly encourage you to get to know this warm and intelligent homicide Inspector. Still Life is Penny’s first Gamache novel set in the town of Three Pines, a sleepy town which is deeply disturbed when one of their own has been ruthlessly murdered. Jane Neal was an artist and her work is either horrific or genius depending on the viewer, there is no obvious reason for her death. Immerse yourself in this Three Pines mystery, the townspeople are so complex and real they will become your friends and neighbors.

When you are looking for that next great read, take a look at my After Read Selections and find your next author!