Just Like Us: the True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America by Helen Thorpe

Just Like Us: the True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America by Helen Thorpe was my Book Club's May selection. 

This book was an especially good choice for our group as we live in an area with a high Latino population that is struggling with how to handle immigration issues.  Additionally, Thorpe is a "local" author in the sense that she now lives in Colorado.  Her husband is Govener Hickenlooper, although at the time this book was written he was the Mayor of Denver and a successful businessman. 

This non-fiction work shadows four girls attending the same Denver area high school from the night of their Sr. Prom through the changes that follow their graduation.  All the girl's families came here from Mexico illegally.  Two girls have documents and two don't although they have all grown up here and want to stay.

Sometimes you forget that this is non-fiction.  For instance when a policeman is killed by an illegal immigrant who works at a resturaunt owned by Hickenlooper. 

This book has many themes, growing up, identity, poverty, immigration laws, and how relationships change as we leave school for a larger, more complex world.  It is an ideal candidate for a book club discussion and could be used very effectively in a high school classroom. 

As a side note, I attended a talk given by Thorpe a couple of years ago.  It was the most diverse audience I have ever been in for a book talk.  Ages ranged from young teens to elderly.  The majority of attendees were female but many men were in the audience as well.  The ethnic background seemed to be almost equally split between Latino and non-Latino. 

Although many of us consider summer a time for easy "beach reads" I know you will be glad you read Just Like Us this summer.

Sweet Tea Revenge

Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs just came out in early March.  Of course I had pre-ordered it to my Kindle since I read everything in that series; this is number fourteen. 

For those of you who are new to the Tea Shop mysteries a little background information will be helpful.  They are all set in Charleston, South Carolina.  The main character, Theodosia, has given up a stressful professional career to open a tea shop in the historic district of Charleston.  Two trusted friend/employees help her to run the shop.  Haley is a young woman with an amazing talent in the kitchen with many special and unique offerings.  Her soups, scones, sandwiches and candies are a mainstay of the shop as are Theodosia's gift baskets, teacup wreaths and tea beauty products.  Drayton, slightly older and "fatherly" is one part master tea blender, one part tea pot and tea cup collector, and one part greeter/educator for the shop's many programs and special guests.

From Theodosia's arrival in Charleston she becomes embroiled in murders.  Much to the dismay of gruff Detective Tidwell she snoops around and asks questions, usually at her own risk.  However Tidwell is known to drop in for meals or tea time and listens to Theodosia's ideas while warning her to stay out of his investigations. 

In Sweet Tea Revenge Delanie Dish, a local merchant and friend of Theo's is getting married to a wealthy local who owns, among other things, a Cigar Store.  When the groom fails to appear at the wedding Theo checks his room and finds him dead.  As bridesmaid she realizes it is her job to inform the bride and keep the guests milling about downstairs so the Tidwell can interview them upon his arrival.  Drayton and Haley continue to service their delightful teas and food then go on to help, reluctantly, to solve the murder.

From Theodosia's sleuthing to Drayton's tea and teapot selections to Haley's inspired food (recipes in the back) there is much to like about this series. While I like to read books in order each of these books is stand-alone and a wonderful treat with a cup of tea! Try any of them, but be sure to read Sweet Tea Revenge.

NEXT POST:  Just Like Us by Helen Thorpe

Lindsay Buroker Marathon

On a snow day from school I indulged in a marathon read to catch up (and re-read) some books by one of my favorite authors, Lindsay Buroker.  She is decidedly my favorite fantasy/sci-fi/steampunk author and a new book was due to come out soon.  What more incentive did I need?

Lindsay has two series The Emperor's Edge and Flash Gold.  Both are highly readable very entertaining and available on my Kindle. 

The Emperor's Edge saga is my favorite of the two for several reasons.  I really like the characters and find all their adventures engaging.  The setting also appeals to me, a world like ours in many ways although very different in others.  The inclusion of magic practiced by people from some of the countries and denied and/or feared by others draws me into the story.

The final installment of this series was due in late spring so I felt it was my snowy day calling to be prepared.  I read Beneath the Surface, Decrypted, Enigma, and Shadows Over Innocence all of which are quick reads, and prepared myself for reading the final volume as close to non-stop as possible.  When Forged in Blood I arrived on my Kindle imagine my relief that at least one more Emperor's Edge book was yet to come.  I am just not ready to end my relationship with these characters.

My one suggestion would be to not jump right in with Forged in Blood I.  Take your time to read them in order and savor every moment.  Although there are several titles in the series some are short stories or novellas and two of the books relate to The Emperor's Edge books and help to provide a background but and not specifically part of the series. 

You might want to schedule a marathon of your own over a long weekend or a couple of short ones.  The characters, amazing machines, magic and adventure will leave you wanting more.  Sicarius and Amaranthe are characters I could really feel like I know as people. 

Lindsay's books are available in digital formats from a variety of sources including Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and Barnes & Noble.  Currently the first book, The Emperor's Edge and Shadows Over Innoccence are free downloads through a Kindle or Kindle App.  One more reason to give Lindsay's books a try.

Books:
1) The Emperor's Edge
2) Dark Current
3) Deadly Games
4) Conspiracy
Enigma
Decrypted

Novellas & Shorts:
Shadows Over Innocence
Beneath the Surface
The Assassins Curse
The Ice Cracker II and Other Stories (three stories)


NEXT POST:  Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs

Catching Up...

This spring has been hectic in many areas which involves a lot of driving from my rural home.  The good thing is that I have had a lot of reading time thanks to my Kindle's reading mode.  I like that I can listen while driving then read to myself while my husband watches TV. 

In the next few days there will be many posts--I have set them on a schedule, one a day, so that you won't have such a long list that you miss some of the great books I have been enjoying. 

NEXT POST:  Several books by Lindsay Buroker.

The Name of the Rose, Book Club's March Pick

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco was my pick for our March discussion.  I knew ahead of time that I would like/love this book as I have read some of Eco's work before.  When I chose this title as one of my two picks for the year I knew that some people would not agree with my choice.  That is how book clubs work, at least ours does.  We tend to have a lot of differences in reading but always approach the book with an open mind.

This lengthy book is basically a murder mystery.  The depth and drama goes beyond a simple mystery because it is set in the13th century within the Catholic Church.  Eco's attention to detail is remarkable, making it seem as if we know these people, places, events, church liturgy, and even the creation and illustration of books during that time. 

William of Baskerville, the main character, reminded us of Sherlock Holmes.  He uses observation and logic to solve the mystery.  William's companion reminded us of Dr. Watson as well.

The villain in this story is a monk, but rather than being a bad person he is a man committed to truth.  It proves to be his downfall.  This led us to explore truth and occasions when we do the right thing for the wrong reasons, or the wrong thing for the right reasons. 

Several of our members said that while they did not love the book they were glad to have read it.  The large number of characters, minute historic detail and use of Latin made this book a heavy read for us all. 

Since we act as facilitator for the books we choose each year I did some research as prep for this role after finishing the book.  When it was published in 1980 having The Name of the Rose on your coffee table was the sign of an intellectual.  I was very put-off to think that the 80's were still so shallow, and so glad to be part of a group that doesn't worry about who reads what.  We just read. 

The Name of the Rose is not for casual reading.  But it would be ideal for a long winter week-end or a quiet get-away book.  You will be glad you read it, even if you don't end up loving it.  Eco's Prague Cemetery is still on my list but I will wait for a suitable time in the near future to begin.

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

I finished The Aviator's Wife last week and am just getting around to blogging about it.  This isn't due to a lack of things to say, or because I am not excited to share this book with my readers.  No, it was due to the lack of time to do this book justice.

I heard about this book thanks to Amazon.  You know--"if you liked ______ you may like_____."  I have learned to trust what Amazon knows about my reading habits and don't feel the least bit worried about that.  If the worst thing anyone ever knows about me is what I read I'm happy about that. The Aviator's Wife was reccomended because I had recently downloaded and read our February book club selection The Paris Wife.  Amazon's intuitive software recognized the connection. 

The Aviator's Wife is about Anne Morrow Lindberg, the wife in the shadows just as Hadley Hemingway lived in the shadows of her famous husband. There are also many other comparisons.  Anne lived a life guided by her husband, his interests and his image.  In the pages I read how wonderful and how horrible life with a famous, egotistical man can be.

Anne Morrow first met Lindberg when he appeared on the big screen as the hero of our country with his plane The Spirit of St. Louis.  Not long afterward she met him in person at the home of her parents in Mexico where her father was a U.S. Ambassador.

I first met Anne Morrow Lindberg years ago when I read her book Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead the story of their life together and the tragic kidnapping of their firstborn, Charles Lindberg Jr.  While the story of the "Lindberg Baby kidnapping" was part of my childhood the details were either never shared or long forgotten.

This historically based novel by Melanie Benjamin offered a new view of this once famous family.  Love and commitment are not always enough.  Ego and loneliness both damage a relationship.  Trust is difficult to repair. Political alliances can harm reputation and image.

Please read The Aviator's Wife.  The Lindbergs already seem to be fading into distant history for our generation so we may not have the images and biases our parents carried of this celebrity couple.  Visit their lives from a perspective so very different from the sense of "celebrity" we carry now.  You will be treated to a wonderful story with all the trials, tears, mistakes and blemishes of a real life.

The Paris Wife, February's Book Club Pick

The discussion was lively and diverse when we met Friday to discuss Paula McLain's book The Paris Wife.  Everyone in attendance had great things about the book.  McLain covered all the bases, it appears, in discovering and depicting this portion of Ernest Hemingway's life.  They are all there, his friends, acquaintances, and his first wife Hadley Richardson.  The people who loved him, the people who trusted him, the people who used him and the people he used all make their appearances.  The list reads like a guide to literature:  Ezra Pound, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Sherwood Anderson and many more.

As a young teenager the people included in this book were more real to me than the students who passed me in the hallways at school.  They returned as I read, each as amazing and flawed as I had remembered them.

While this is a novel it is a wonderful way to discover the feel and lifeblood of Jazz Age Paris.  Literature was growing,developing and re-inventing leaving a lasting stamp on what we believe and read today. 

If you love Hemingway--read this book.  If you know very little about the man Hemingway--read this book.  If you ever wondered what the art and literary explosion in Paris during this time was really like--read this book.  The popularity of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain is not a fluke. You might as well save yourself a trip to the library or book store and get a copy of Hemingway's A Movable Feast while you are at it.  You'll want to read that as well!