Review: A Slender Thread by Katharine Davis

On 08.03.10, In Authors, Book Reviews, By Natalie

Title: A Slender Thread

Author: Katharine Davis

Genre/Pages: Fiction/ 352

Publisher: NAL Trade; August 3, 2010

Rating: 3 Bookmarks

Source: Publisher

Nat’s One-Sentence Synopsis: A well-written novel that examines the impact that an illness has on a family.

With a single phone call or the results of a battery of medical testing, life can change in a moment.  But a grim diagnosis is just the pebble dropping into the lake; author Katharine Davis examines the effects of the dropped pebble’s ripples.

50-year-old Lacey George’s diagnosis of aphasia, a rare and progressive disease that will rob her of speech, communication, and eventually her life, is not the crux of this novel.  Instead, Davis uses the disease as a springboard to create a study of how a devastating illness changes the dynamic of a family.

Lacey’s husband, Alex, who has known Lacey and her younger sister, Margot, since their childhood days at Bow Lake,  is set adrift by his wife’s diagnosis.  Lacey has always been his anchor, mooring him to her and to their twin daughters with her strength and love of life.  He throws himself into his work and tries to seek refuge in his past.

Margot can’t fathom a world without her older sister, but her well-intentioned efforts to help create tension in her sister’s family and resentment from her artist boyfriend.

I didn’t love all of the characters in the novel–Margot’s boyfriend aggravated me with his selfish and petulant ways–and a sub-plot between Margot and Alex seemed a bit contrived, I did connect with Lacey and Margot.  Their speech, actions, and growth in the novel felt authentic, and I well know the bond that sisters can share.

I enjoyed reading A Slender Thread but it challenged me on a personal level, hitting very close to home.  This novel isn’t necessarily a light, summery read, but it has a message of hope and left me feeling that every family faces challenges, but the human spirit endures.

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Review: My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

On 05.14.10, In Authors, Book Reviews, Memoir, Non-Fiction, By Natalie

Title: My Fair Lazy

Author: Jen Lancaster

Genre/Pages: Humor Memoir/384

Publication: NAL Hardcover; May 4, 2010

Rating: 3 Bookmarks

Source: Review copy courtesy of NAL

In her latest installment, Jen Lancaster is on a journey of self-improvement–a JENaissance–but her sharp wit is a bit dull on this particular trip.

Jen Lancaster’s crusade to become more urbane and culturally enlightened tackles a few areas–performing arts, cuisine–and is an entertaining read, but it fell far short of my expectations.  Could it be that my expectations were too high, or was it just that some anecdotes felt a bit forced, shoe-horned into the book even though they didn’t relate to the theme?

Neophobe that I am, I was particularly interested in her forays into the underbelly of exotic cuisine.  Her experiences with Turkish and  Cuban food and molecular gastronomy (Moto, Chicago) were enough to send me reeling.  I actually traveled to Istanbul when I was 19 and subsisted on white rice and illicit trips to the McDonald’s in Taksim Square.  I can’t promise that I’d behave any differently if I woke up in Turkey tomorrow, so it was inspiring to see Lancaster taking one for the team, embracing the new foods.  I lived vicariously through her, if nothing else.

My Fair Lazy is Lancaster’s 5th memoir and I’m not sure how many more books she can churn out without some fresh experiences.  If I’d have to wager, I’d put my money on a lengthy trip abroad for Jen and her husband Fletch to give her material for her next book.

My Fair Lazy is a good read–fun for the beach or pool–but it didn’t have me laughing nearly as hard as a few of her other memoirs.

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Review: Miss Julia Renews Her Vows by Ann B. Ross

On 04.06.10, In Authors, Book Reviews, Fiction, Suspense/Mystery, By Natalie

Title: Miss Julia Renews Her Vows

Author: Ann B. Ross

Genre/Pages: Fiction, Mystery /352

Publication: Viking, April 6, 2010

Rating: 2  Bookmarks*

Source: Review copy courtesy of Viking Books

The 11th installment in this charming Southern mystery series, Miss Julia proves her mettle once again as an amateur sleuth, proper Southern lady, wife, and friend.

Miss Julia has her work cut out for her as she orchestrates a shotgun wedding, attempts to clear the name of a friend accused of assualt and burglary, and faces off with two antagonists from books past.  To complicate matters further, Julia’s second husband encourages her to accompany him to marriage classes, sparking insecurity that she isn’t living up to Sam’s expectations.

Jumping into an established series without reading at least the first book is  difficult because it’s hard to get a full sense of the characters and story.  I intended to read the first book of the Miss Julia series before reviewing this novel but didn’t have the chance.  Prior knowledge of the characters and back story would have greatly increased my enjoyment of this novel, hence my asterisked rating.

Some series authors, Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich come readily to mind, dedicate a few paragraphs at the start of each installment to back story.  Unfortunately, Ann B. Davis hit the ground running, and I had difficulty trying to piece together relationships, characters, and events from previous stories.

That said, the novel was enjoyable and well written, though the actual mystery and scandals were a bit watered down.  Davis writes great dialogue and her characters are dynamic and funny.  Characterization, especially physical description, was a bit scant but may have been given in earlier novels.  Compounding my inability to visualize the characters was the fact that this series seems to be geared to a more mature audience, if you will.

Miss Julia Renews Her Vows was a light and fun romp through a quick Southern mystery.  I’m sure fans of the series will be delighted, but new readers should start at the beginning to enhance their appreciation.

* Indicates that this book will be more well-received by fans of the series.

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Reading Out of My Comfort Zone: Harlequins

On 01.31.10, In Authors, Book Reviews, Fiction, By Natalie

On Saturday afternoon, my husband threw down the gauntlet and issued a reading challenge.  We were wandering the aisles at our local Target and came upon a wall of bodice-ripper romance novels.  We spent whole minutes admiring and comparing the covers, reading blurbs, and generally have a good laugh at the genre’s expense.  I fessed up to never having read a Harlequin and debate ensued about my book blogging credentials.

Anthony argued that being a book blogger who avoids an entire genre is akin to being a dermatologist who won’t lance boils because he or she finds that aspect of the job distasteful.  With that half-assed simile, he decided to pick a Harlequin (based on cover image and premise) for me to read and review on Book, Line, and Sinker.  I drew the line at covers featuring bare chests, heaving bosoms, or any type of undergarments.  This was our compromise:

Gotta love that title...

I zipped through the 192-page book in an hour or so and when it came to serving up cliches and insipid dialog, Kendrick didn’t disappoint.  Angie, the mousy secretary is transformed into a wanton hussy with the change of an outfit.  Her Italian boss is part playboy part chauvinistic pig, but the two manage to find some middle ground (her bed, his bed, his office floor, etc.).  Thankfully, the book wasn’t as graphic as I feared, and the sex scenes were positively tame compared to Jackie Collins and her ilk.

Can meek little Angie get Riccardo to change his fickle ways and finally settle down?  And can she also manage to repair her sister’s failing marriage and help Riccardo’s sister escape an arranged marriage and find true love?  You bet she can.

With that, The Italian Billionaire’s Secretary Mistress secures the dubious honor of being the first book to ever receive 1/2 of a bookmark on my rating system. (One bookmark is  ‘Not my cup of cocoa’, so you read into 1/2 of a bookmark however you see fit.)

Thanks to Anthony for suggesting this fun and adventurous challenge (and for footing the bill).

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