Category Archives: Summer Reading

August 9, 2014 · 12:00 am

Review and Author Q&A: Small Blessings by Martha Woodroof

I am very excited about the book I am reviewing today, Small Blessings. It really is a fantastic novel and I highly recommend you pick up a copy when it comes out on 8/12. Read my full review and scroll down for a Q&A with the talented and gracious author, Martha Woodroof.

My Review:

If I were to make a list of my favorite books this year SMALL BLESSINGS by Martha Woodroof would be at the top. This is saying a lot for me because, according to Goodreads, I have read more than 90 books so far this year.

Tom has been muddling his way through life, without thinking and without feeling, just trying to get through one day at a time. He, along with his mother-in-law Agnes, is trying to take care of his mentally unstable wife. Marjory, who is paranoid and incapable of going outside of the house on her own, has been Tom’s responsibility for the past twenty years.

One day an encounter with a cheerful and optimistic new employee at the local college bookstore changes all of their lives. During the same week, Tom receives a letter from a past lover saying that he is the father of a 10 year-old boy named Henry who is being sent to live with him. How can this much change possibly happen to a person who was leading such a quiet and unassuming life?

This book is rich with well-rounded characters with whom you cannot help but admire. Although Tom is clearly caught in a loveless marriage, he has made the ultimate sacrifice by never abandoning his wife. Marjory’s mother Ages, who became a widow and a single mother at a very young age, has a resilience that many of us would envy. Henry is a 10 year-old boy that is sweet and kind and flourishes in a home where he is loved and wanted. Even the lesser characters, such as Russell and Iris who are also on the university faculty, have their own problems and struggles that enrich the storyline.

Sometimes a book begins slowly but has a strong ending. Sometimes a book beings strongly but the ending is weak. Sometimes a book has both a strong beginning and ending but the middle lags. That is absolutely not the case with SMALL BLESSINGS. There are twists and turns and unexpected surprises that one encounters throughout all of the wonderfully written prose. I loved every single page of this book, which is a very rare thing to say. Martha Woodroof has written a book that everyone needs to include SMALL BLESSINGS on their must read list.

*Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book.

Author Q&A:

1. I really enjoy books with university/academic settings. Did you have a particular experience at a university that made you use this setting?

My mother taught English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and used to regale me with stories of departmental meetings. As an adult, I’ve managed to live mostly in college towns, and I enjoy hanging out on campus and people-watching. To me, the campus of a small college functions as a societal bell jar in that it’s a closed community where people can’t escape each other’s company. Setting a novel on such a campus was the ideal way for me to examine all sorts of human relationships, from the petty and adversarial, to the loyal and loving.

About the bookstore in Small Blessings: My own life is pretty much divided into the years before and after I got sober. My first real job in sobriety was at the Sweet Briar College Book Shop, working for the wondrous Roscoe (Skipper) Fitts, who was, to quote a late member of the English Department, “a real book man.” My job was Rose’s job; I ran the Espresso machine and did event programming. It was while working there that I developed a wish to write about a college whose heart beat in its bookstore.

2. Tom’s wife seems to have symptoms that would suggest she is on the autism spectrum. Did you have a particular diagnosis in mind for her?

I did not, other than that she is irreparably damaged. And I wanted explore what happens in a relationship between two loyal, well-meaning people that can never, ever be a happy one.

3. Your first attempt, in my opinion, at novel writing is nothing short of amazing. What was the most exciting part in the entire process of having your first novel published?

Why thank-you so much, Melissa. Really, really, really!

The most exciting part is really that it’s happening. Period. I’m old enough and have done enough National Public Radio stories on publishing to be terribly, terribly grateful to my agent Kate Garrick and my editor at St. Martins, Hilary Teeman, for taking me on. And I’m completely tickled that they did. My only plan right now is to enjoy the adventure. I feel as though I’m up on a surfboard, riding a gigantic and exhilarating wave.

4. What is the best book, fiction or non-fiction that you have read so far this year?

I think in terms of can’t-put-it-down, cracking good story, probably The Son by Philipp Meyer. The characters in it are still with me, and I finished it a month ago.
5. Since Small Blessings has been such a success, do you have any plans for writing another novel?

First draft is done. Second draft is being cranky, but I’ll get there.

About The Author:

MARTHA WOODROOF was born in the South, went to boarding school and college in New England, ran away to Texas for a while, then fetched up in Virginia. She has written for NPR, npr.org, Marketplace and Weekend America, and for the Virginia Foundation for Humanities Radio Feature Bureau. Her print essays have appeared in such newspapers as the New York Times, The Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Small Blessings is her debut novel. She lives with her husband in the Shenandoah Valley. Their closest neighbors are cows.

Special thanks to Martha for being so kind and answering my questions.

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Filed under Author Interviews, Literature/Fiction, Summer Reading

Tagged as Author Interviews, Literature/Fiction, Summer Reading

July 23, 2014 · 12:08 pm

Review: The Curse of Van Gogh by Paul Hoppe

When I saw this book on NetGalley the title stood out to me. I will admit that, yes I do oftentimes judge a book by its cover. Although I usually don’t read very many thrillers, the chance to read about a high stakes art heist that involved Van Gogh’s paintings made me hit the “request” button and I am glad I did.

Tyler Sears had other plans for his life, but one thing led to another and now he is an art thief. Not only does it pay the bills, but it gives him an adrenaline rush and allows him to meet some “interesting” people. But when a heist goes bad in Madrid, he finds himself on the wrong side of a jail cell and he vows to get out of the thieving business once he is released.

As Tyler is trying to keep a low profile and get his life back on track after his 18 month stint in prison, he is approached by a wealthy Japanese business man who wants him to pull off the greatest art heist of all time, which of course, involves stealing the self-portrait of Van Gogh which famously has a curse attached to it. Although Tyler has sworn off the art heist business, Mr. Imasu will not take no for an answer and is threatening not just Tyler’s life, but also those of his family and friends. Imasu’s thugs are an entertaining part of the book and are your typical gun toting, trigger happy gangsters.

And in the midst of all of this we need an interesting love story, so Tyler meets and falls head-over-heals for Lucy, who is a marketing director for the Guggenheim. I liked her involvement in the plot and as the story evolves we are left wondering if she will embrace Tyler’s lifestyle or if their relationship is doomed from the start.

THE CURSE OF VAN GOGH is a fast-paced, high-octane read that is perfect when you want something entertaining to read on the beach. As we follow Tyler through shootouts, car chases, and encounters with Interpol agents we are left wondering if he will end up doing 20 to life or dead. Will he also become a victim of Van Gogh’s famous curse?

Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

I feel particularly lucky that Atria books has provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley.

I absolutely adored this book for so many reasons. I know that I cannot possibly do the brilliance of this novel justice in this brief review. But do read it, you will not regret it.

Ove is a man who tells us that he sees the world in black and white. He drives a Saab, he pays his taxes and his mortgage and never calls in sick to work. Sonja, his wife, is the color, the only color in his world. So when she dies and he is forced into an early retirement, he decides that he no longer wants to live.

Each time Ove tries to commit suicide, his well-meaning but annoying neighbors foil his plans. This book does have its sad moments but it also gave me a hearty laugh at many points. As much as Ove wants to just be left alone and keep the outside world at a distance, that world keeps encroaching on his peace. He even ends up living with a mangy alley cat even though he doesn’t like cats.

On the surface, Ove seems like a crabby old man who is mad at the world. But through a series of flashbacks to earlier times in his life we learn that fate has not been very kind to Ove. One of the themes of this book that will resonate with a wide range of readers is the fact that we should not judge a person’s exterior because behind every human face is a story.

This is one of those rare books in which I savored every word and will be thinking about it long after I finished the last page and wipe the tears from my eyes. Fredrik Backman is a master at character development. It is not easy to write an engaging novel with a single character as the focus. If you choose to read one book this summer, then it should be A Man Called Ove.

Review: A Triple Knot by Emma Campion

It’s been a while since I have read an historical novel, so I jumped at the chance to read and review A Triple Knot when it was offered by Blogging for Books. This site has a huge selection of titles in all different genres and they will give you a free book in exchange for an honest review. Check out their site if you are a blogger or want to start a blog and get some free books.

Now for my review of A Triple Knot:

Joan of Kent, like many medieval noble women, has very little choice about whom she marries. Since her cousin is King Edward III of England, he wants to marry her off to Arnaud Amanieu in order to form a political alliance for the crown. When Arnaud’s father turns out to be a scheming ladies’ man who makes inappropriate advances towards his future daughter-in-law, the betrothal is called off.

Joan does fall in love with one of the king’s knights, a man named Thomas Holland. She secretly marries Thomas but while he is away waging battles on behalf of the King, her family forces her to marry another nobleman named William Montagu. Despite the fact that she is compelled to marry someone else, the love and devotion that Joan has for Thomas never waivers. Much of the book deals with their struggles to be together as man and wife.

Throughout all of her trials and tribulations, Joan must also deal with the advances of her cousin Ned who is the Prince of Wales and next in line to succeed his father Edward III. Ned pledges his love for Joan at a very early age and vows to make her his queen. Ned is constantly a sinister presences who keeps insinuating himself into Joan’s already complicated life.

The first half of this book was difficult for me to get through. I found it predictable and some of the descriptions of court life rather lengthy and unnecessary. I have to admit that at one point I was actually tempted to abandon the book. But I pressed on with it and found that the second half of the book was more enjoyable. By that point the characters were better developed and I became more curious about their fates.

This historical fiction is not for everyone. If you have a deep interest in 14^th Century England and the story of Joan of Kent then I would recommend giving A TRIPLE KNOT a try.

Review: The Hundred Year House by Rebecca Makkai

I received an advanced copy of this book from the Viking through NetGalley

The acclaimed author of The Borrower returns with a dazzlingly original, mordantly witty novel about the secrets of an old-money family and their turn-of-the-century estate, Laurelfield.

The Devohr family mansion in the Midwest, which in 2000 is celebrating its 100^th birthday, has a rich and haunted history. The unique setup of this novel traces the history of Laurelfield Estate beginning in 1999 and working back to 1900. The first part of the book centers around Doug and his wife Zee who are living in the coach house of the Devohr mansion. I found this to be the most humorous part of the book as it approaches being an academic satire. Zee works as a professor at the local university and Doug is trying to write a manuscript about an obscure poet, Edward Parfitt, so that he too can get a job in academia. While Doug is trying to get a handle on his writing he develops a connection with Miriam, a quirky artist who is also sharing the coach house.

The second part of the book deals with Grace Devohr and her abusive, playboy husband George who come to live in the house after their marriage in 1954. At this point the tone of the story changes to one that is sad and tragic. Some of the mysteries of the house and its inhabitants that are brought up in part one are solved in this second part. It is very unique that an author can seamlessly combine such different tones as satire and tragedy such as Rebecca Makkai does in this novel.

The third part of the book describes the artist colony which the house is turned into during a 25 year period beginning in 1929. The artists are a mixture of interesting personalities who can be somewhat mischievous. When Gamby Devohr threatens to shut down the colony, the artists ban together and cleverly “convince” Gamby to keep the colony open for at least another 25 years. The author really displays her writing talent in this chapter as well when some of the narrative takes the form of letters and notes.

The final part of the book is the briefest and describes Augustus Devohr and his reasons for building the house for his wife Violet in the first place. It is Violet’s soul that is said to haunt the house. Although the initial construction of the house is not fortuitous, we know from the unique structure of the book that later generations will have a happy ending in the house.

The Hundred Year House in a unique combination of both literary fiction and historical fiction. This is one of those rare books that has something for everyone. If you like a little mystery, some romance or a touch of tragedy then I highly recommend The Hundred Year House.