Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore




Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
Publisher - Picador
Publish Date - September 2013
Genre - Fiction
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads














I received this book as a gift for Christmas from my brother. I love getting and finding books that were never on my radar. I had never heard of this one so I was excited to read it. He knows me well too, because I love reading pretty much any book that has to do with a bookstore or Paris. Don’t ask me why, it’s just how it is.

The premise of this book is interesting. It focuses around Clay who is desperately unemployed in San Francisco. He stumbles across this 24-hour bookstore who just so happens to be looking to hire a night-shift clerk. After a few days on the job, he starts noticing that some of the customers that come in to the store are a bit strange. There is an entire section of the bookstore that these customers do not buy from, but rather check out these very odd, large volumes that don’t seem to make any sense.

Clay gets some of his interesting friends involved to solve the mystery – including his girlfriend who works at Google and a wealthy college friend who tends to invest in bizarre things. It takes them on a wild journey to discover the secrets behind Mr. Penumbra’s bookstore.

I’ll be honest when I say that after reading the summary, the book ended up being nothing like what I expected. That’s not a bad thing – it was just surprising. I didn’t expect the book to delve as deeply into the world of coding as it did. But it made for a fun, modern day twist on a bookstore that seems to be based in a time centuries ago. Even though parts of the book were a bit wordy, this was a quick read, I finished it in one day. It was the perfect “break” book for me in between the Game of Thrones series that I’ve been reading lately.


If you are into mysteries, adventure or computers then check this one out. It’s a fun read!


Pair This With: Mad Duck Zinfandel Lodi


I happened across this wine one day when I was "label shopping" in Total Wine. This 90 point wine is everything you want a Zinfandel to be - rich flavors of black cherry, easy drinking but bold. You can't beat the price either!

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Game of Thrones Book Club - #2





I’ve really been trying to make more time lately to read as I am falling way behind. Taking on the Game of Thrones series has taken up more time than I had expected. The books are long and fairly wordy. It’s been a very long time since there was a book that I had a difficult time reading so this series has caught me a bit off guard. They are not easy reads, but totally worth the effort in my opinion.

I finally made it through the second book – A Clash of Kings. It’s been interesting because I’ve already watched the TV series which is incredibly backwards from how I normally do things. Even though I knew what was going to happen, it didn’t ruin anything for me. Probably because it’s been a long time since Season 2 was on TV.

A Clash of Kings takes you into the kingdom where chaos currently reigns. Joffrey is king in King’s Landing, Robb Stark calls himself King of the North, Stannis Baratheon makes his claim for the throne along with his brother Renley Baratheon. When there are this many kings, there’s bound to be trouble. 



Arya disguises herself as a boy and flees Kings Landing while Jon continues his journey north of the Wall as they learn more about the dead who rise. Bran remains lord over Winterfell while Theon plots his next moves to take his rightful place as the Ironborn King. All the while, Daenerys marches on building her army and watching her dragons grow. The action all comes to a head with the battle of Blackwater Bay where there can only be one King who remains standing.

Martin’s second book is full of suspense and action as all of these different plot lines grow. It’s in this book where you really come to know these characters deeply and begin to form theories on where the series may end up. It’s no secret that Martin doesn’t necessarily like to keep all of his main characters alive so be careful who you get attached to in the book. You never know how long they will be around!

Game of Thrones Book 2 - Pair this with





This is a fun red wine to sip on while reading A Clash of Kings. It has a crown on the label so that makes it perfect, right? Stella Red is semi-sweet with lots of berry flavor like raspberry and strawberry. The best part? It is even a little bit bubbly!!



Sunday, November 27, 2016

Book Review - Gone Girl



Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Publisher - Broadway Books
Publish Date - April 2014
Genre - Fiction/Suspense
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads













My Rating:





This is not usually my type of genre but this book had gotten such rave reviews that I figured I would give it a shot. I definitely don’t do horror type thrillers but figured I could handle a psychological thriller like this one. I also knew that I wouldn’t want to see the movie until I read the book. The book is ALWAYS better.

Gone Girl tells the story of Nick and Amy Dunne and her mysterious disappearance. It is the eve of their fifth wedding anniversary when Amy vanishes without a trace. Nick starts off as the husband everyone feels sorry for. When Amy’s diary is found, it is revealed that her perfectionist, dominating personality could have put anyone on edge. Throughout the entire investigation, as pressure mounts from the outside, Nick becomes evasive and produces a string of strange lies that only tarnish his public image. As the story progresses, the reader learns that there is more to their lives than meets the eye.


Flynn takes the reader on a rollercoaster of psychological plot twists that make you question everything you thought you knew. Trust is constantly put on the line and questioned throughout this novel and Flynn does a great job of taking readers into a dark world of Nick and Amy’s relationship. You’ll never cease to be surprised at what someone is willing to put up with for their interpretation of love. The style of narration caused me to need to flip back to previous chapters every so often to keep up with the varying points of view but, once you start reading, you won’t be able to put it down.

Pair This With: Apothic Dark



You need something dark and brooding to pair with this thriller. Apothic Dark is exactly that. It has dark flavors of blueberry and raspberry with hints of dark chocolate and coffee. This wine is the perfect pairing to get you through this emotional rollercoaster.


Friday, November 11, 2016

Book Review - The Lake House






The Lake House by Kate Morton
Publisher - Atria Books
Publish Date - October 2015
Genre - Fiction
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads











My Rating:







My review of this book has been a long time coming. Since Kate Morton is one of my favorite authors, I’m a bit disappointed in myself that I didn’t do this one sooner! I had waited with bated breath for The Lake House to be released. I’ve loved every book of hers and I knew this one was going to be good.

In true Kate Morton fashion, this novel takes you through time as you follow along story lines of impossibly intertwined destinies. The Lake House tells the story of Alice Edevane who lives on her family’s estate in Cornwall, England. Her story begins during her teenage years when one evening after a party, her baby brother Theo disappears. This even tears the family apart and leads Alice to learn secrets about her family that she never could have imagined.

The present story line picks up decades later with Alice living in London and introduces Sadie Sparrow, a young London detective. While on leave from the force, she is staying with her Grandfather in Cornwall. She stumbles upon the old Edevane estate and the detective in her must discover the secrets the estate is hiding. Sparrow sets off to solve the mystery of the Edevane estate which inevitably intertwines her story with Alice’s and they both learn the truth about events that happened long ago but most definitely shape their futures.

Like her other novels, The Lake House transports you away to another world and makes you feel as though you are right there with Alice and Sadie as their story unfolds. It’s full of suspense and plot twists that you’ll never see coming. Once I started reading, I truly couldn’t put it down. Just like Sadie Sparrow, I needed to know what the Edevane family secrets were. I’m not going to give the ending away, but I was a bit disappointed in how it all came together after such a suspenseful ride to the finish. It was all a bit too tidy in my opinion. Now, even though that was my feeling about how the story ended, I do not regret reading the book one bit. It was still an exciting, unexpected adventure!



You’ll want a wine that wraps you up in warmth, but doesn’t take too much thought to enjoy. This is one of my go-to wines and it’s a perfect pairing with this novel. With flavors of raspberry, caramel and little bit of oak, this wine will stand up to the suspense but keep you calm all the way through.















Friday, November 4, 2016

Game of Thrones Book Club - #1




I don’t know about you guys but, I am a HUGE fan of Game of Thrones. Now, since I am an avid reader (obviously) I almost always read the book before I watch the movie or TV show. This has been the one exception. I started to read the books back during Season 2. Then, my husband asked me to stop reading so that we could watch the show together and be surprised. He was so adamant that I just couldn’t say no. So, here we are like 5 years later and it’s now safe to pick up the series and start reading.

Since this is a really sad time of year when GOT isn’t on TV, I figured it would be the perfect time to get through the books. A couple friends of mine at work wanted to re-read them too so we decided to do a little Game of Thrones book club!



It’s nothing really super official, but it is just the excuse I needed to get reading. The books are long and not easy reads (think Tolkein-esque) so I wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to get through them. We are tackling one book each month then getting together for lunch once a week to discuss (or talk football…that happens a lot.)

It’s an interesting experience reading the books now that I already know what happens. I will admit that it’s made some of the “oh my god did they really just kill that character” moments a bit easier to handle. Also, knowing who the characters all are ahead of time and how they all line up with each other has really helped too. When I started reading the first book way back in the day, I was overwhelmed by the number of characters and trying to keep up with them was difficult.

I’m just about done with the first book and am so excited to be reading this series. I can’t wait to start book number 2! My goal is to share a bit with you about each book and of course, give you a good wine to pair with it. Happy reading friends!

Game of Thrones Book 1 – Pair This With:

Wolf Blass Shiraz/Cabernet




Since Book 1 is really all about the Starks and their sigil is the Direwolf, I figured this was the perfect wine to get you into the GOT spirits. Wolf Blass wines are really great, inexpensive wines from Australia. This blend of Shiraz and Cabernet is super smooth but balanced in flavor with bright berries and a slight spiciness. Sip on this and get in touch with your inner wolf!


Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Go Set a Watchman - Harper Lee






Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Publisher - Harper
Publish Date - July 2015
Genre - Fiction
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads











My Rating:







As an avid reader and lover of literature from a young age, I couldn’t help but get swept up in the excitement when it was announced that Harper Lee was publishing a new book. Not only a new book, but one that picks up with the iconic characters of To Kill a Mockingbird as adults. While this review may be coming a bit late, I did not waste any time snatching this book up to read once it was released.

Go Set a Watchman takes us back to Maycomb, Alabama with Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. She travels back to her hometown for 2 weeks each year to visit her father, Atticus. Upon her return to Maycomb, she is met by her childhood sweetheart, Hank who now works for her father. The novel takes place during a time in history when the creation of the NAACP and the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision are sources of controversy, especially in the small Alabama town.

After Jean Louise finds a controversial pamphlet among her father’s belongings, she follows him to a council meeting where he introduces a speaker that gives a racially charged speech to the audience. Upon seeing this, she is convinced that her father has lied to her about his beliefs all along and has abandoned everything she was raised to believe. The story spirals from there as Jean Louise tries to come to grips with the confusing political positions her father attempts to explain but she never backs down. The entire scandal rocks Jean Louise’s world and forces her to view things in a way that she never had to before.

As with her first book, there was a lot of criticism and scandal surrounding Go Set a Watchman because of the serious racist undertones suggested throughout the novel. I think what was lost during the publication of this novel was the fact that Lee actually wrote this novel BEFORE To Kill a Mockingbird. It is now most widely regarded as not a sequel to her famed novel but rather a first draft. If you view it from that perspective, it is really quite fascinating to see her “final product” as To Kill a Mockingbird.

This was not a newly written book from the perspective of a 21st century Harper Lee. So, while the tone and language in the book may be difficult for 21st century readers, you have to understand that this is a novel written about a time and during a time in American history where racial tensions ran extremely high. Lee sought to be realistic about the situation America faced in the 1950’s, she did not seek to sugar coat or stroke the Politically Correct ego that plagues our society today. Rather, she tried to emulate the difficulty of navigating that world and explain what the unfortunate circumstances could be should you (as a white person) stand up for the equal rights of your colored neighbors.





This is a great go-to, medium-bodied wine that is berry forward with a hint of spice. You'll want something to keep you composed during this novel and this Zin will do it.




















Monday, September 26, 2016

Book Rewind and Review




The other day, I went through my stacks of books and started sorting into the “Read it. Need to review it” pile and the “Need to read it” pile. It was then that I realized how many books I’ve read this year that I haven’t done reviews on yet. I won’t lie – it overwhelmed me.

So, I decided that I needed to do a quick little rewind and review on some of the books that I’ve read that don’t necessarily need their own entire post. Enjoy and go find a new book to read!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Books 1 & 2) – Ransom Riggs    


                   

This series had been on my to read list for a while but when I saw that my niece was reading it, I knew I needed to catch up! Riggs sets forth an interesting concept in which there are peculiar children (with interesting characteristics such as invisibility, weightlessness, creating fire, etc.) live in a type of time portal from the outside world. This world is threatened by Hallowgasts and Jacob joins the crew of peculiars to save their way of life. Paired with real-life photographs the author found on his journies, this is a magical, fantastical tale that will transport you right into Miss Peregrine’s peculiar world. Technically a YA novel but will keep you entertained start to finish! I still have yet to read the third novel so stay tuned.

Rating: 







Stella Bain – Anita Shreve



I’ve mentioned before how much I love the bargain table at B&N and I found this book there. It must have really intrigued me because I actually ended up buying it twice by accident! Oops. This novel is historical fiction that takes place in London during WWI. An American Nurse (Stella) suffers from shell shock and is taken in by a surgeon and his wife. The surgeon’s interest in Stella develops and he becomes determined to cure her from her suffering. Stella also has amnesia and can’t remember anything prior to her being wounded in an attack in France. The story bounces back and forth between America and London on Stella’s journey to regain her sense of identity. I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. It was a quick read but full of emotion that left you attached to the characters involved.

Rating: 




Wine Pairing: Contadino Pinot Grigio



The Beautiful American – Jeanne Mackin



Lately, I seem to be on this historical fiction kick and most of the ones I’ve found have not disappointed me. This novel takes place in London and France during the aftermath of WWII. American Nora Tours travels to London in search of her sixteen year old daughter who went missing. She runs into an old acquaintance there, Lee Miller, a famous model and photographer. Most of the novel is a flashback to their days in 1920’s Paris where everyone enjoyed the freewheeling days and nights of that time. The two women in this novel are completely unconventional as is their relationship and it’s a wonderful story about time, healing and desire.

Rating: 







The Rebel Pirate – Donna Thorland



Keeping with my historical fiction theme and let’s face it, my love of pirates, made this one practically jump into my hands. This novel takes you all the way back to the American Revolution and follows James Sparhawk who is a Commander in the British Navy. He is taken hostage by a young, female Rebel privateer, Sarah Ward. After a series of events that tarnished her reputation and threatened her family’s future, she finds herself in the middle of a war. She will do whatever it takes to protect her family even if it means giving up Sparhawk who is the one man who was ever able to tame her. Another surprising good read filled with action and plot twists that I never saw coming. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat and romanticizing the life of a pirate in no time.

Rating: 







The Other Story – Tatiana de Rosnay



This was another bargain table find which caught my attention because of the cover. I’m a sucker for anything that’s about books or authors or books writing about authors. This novel follows the tale of Nicolas Duhamel, an author who gained tremendous success with his debut novel, somewhat unexpectedly. Now constantly in the spotlight, Nicolas thinks he has his whole life figured out but quickly realizes that the past has a way of catching up with you. This is an interesting journey in self reflection and how decisions made many years ago can shape your future.

Rating: 





Wine Pairing: Alamos Red Blend

Monday, May 23, 2016

Tumbleweeds




Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham
Publisher - Grand Central Publishing
Publish Date - February 2013
Genre - Southern Fiction
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads















My Rating:





If you read my previous post on Roses, then I think you know what you are in for with this novel. I LOVE Southern Fiction. There is something about the grand, family dramas and the very specific world that Southern novels generate that just transports you through time and space and makes you feel happy. Good Southern novels should make your couch feel like a front porch swing with the sun on your face, wildflowers in the distance, crickets chirping and a cold glass of sweet tea on the table next to you. Feels good, right!?

It’s hard to create this feeling through writing and only the best of the best can do it. *cough* Margaret Mitchell *cough*.

Tumbleweeds is another epic Southern family tale that transports you through time. It tells the tale of Cathy Benson who is orphaned at the age of 11 and forced to uproot her California lifestyle to go live with her grandmother in a small town in the Texas Panhandle. Cathy’s grandmother, Emma, was not close with her son and his wife and is hesitant to take on the role of Cathy’s guardian. Their relationship starts off rocky but they eventually find common ground in their grief.

 Like most towns in Texas, football is life. Cathy meets John and Trey Don who are also both orphans and (after some initial coaxing) they take her under their wing. Of course, this all results in a complicated love triangle with tons of twists and turns that determine the fate of all three of them. The story takes you through their years growing up in Kersey, graduation, and into their adult lives until their eventual reunion at the age of forty back in Kersey, Texas.

Let me start off by saying that I did not love Tumbleweeds as much as I loved Roses. While the characters in Tumbleweeds were dynamic and interesting, the plot was not so much. It started off captivating much like Roses but lost some of its gusto as the story went on. Many of the twists and turns, while unexpected, were a bit too unbelievable. The way that the story all wrapped up in the end was too neat and perfect for my taste. Certain points in the story that should have been truly dramatic turning points were glossed over and some that didn’t seem so important dragged out for too long.


I think that if I had read this novel before Roses, I would not have been as disappointed. But, since Roses captivated me in a way that a book hadn’t in a long time, my expectations were high. Unfortunately, Tumbleweeds fell short of meeting that bar.


Pair This With: Hunt's Vineyard Rose




This is one of my favorite local VA wines and it pairs perfectly with this novel. It's light, crisp and easy to drink but not too sweet. A perfect hot summer day sipping wine!

Monday, May 16, 2016

Royal Flush




Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen
Publisher - Berkley
Publish Date - September 2010
Genre - Mystery
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

















My Rating:







I think part of what keeps reading exciting for me is the fact that my literary preferences seriously span the entire spectrum of genres. There really are only a few exceptions that I tend to shy away from (horror, true trashy romances and I don’t read much non-fiction).

Most of the time, I enjoy books that challenge me, make me think and truly draw me in to a world unlike the one I live in every day. Sometimes though, I really want a light, breezy read that doesn’t require much thinking. This series by Rhys Bowen – Her Royal Spyness – has been the perfect find to fill that hole on my bookshelf. Check out my review on the first book in the series too!

Royal Flush is the 3rd of 10 books and I’m still hooked on the quirky, hapless character that is Lady Georgianna. It’s British humor at its dry, glorious best and I can’t get enough of it. In this latest edition, we find that Georgie has been sent back home to Scotland after the latest scandal threatens to tarnish the great royal name. Her housecleaning business has slowed for the season so she decides to hire herself out as a theater and dinner companion. Her ad puts forth quite the wrong impression so in order to lay low and avoid further embarrassment, back to Scotland she goes.

Georgie’s mission while home is two-fold. First, is to keep a promise to Her Majesty and prevent a loose divorcee houseguest from seducing her son, the Prince of Wales. Second, is to keep an eye on a shooting party for Scotland Yard to prevent someone from shooting the Prince. With Georgie’s naïve, clumsy ways, she gets herself into pickle after pickle and her top secret mission is threatened to be revealed.


The entire cast of motley characters I’ve grown to love in the first two books make their appearance in this novel as well which really rounds out the entire fiasco that is Georgie’s life. The plot is fresh and the writing style remains light and fun and witty. It will keep you laughing and rooting for Georgie the whole way through – but it also keeps you guessing as only a true whodunit can. You’ll finish this one in no time!


Pair This With: Roscato Sparkling Sweet Red


I wanted an easy, breezy wine to pair with this fun book and the Roscato Red is perfect. This red is served cold, it's slightly sweet and just a bit fizzy. Who doesn't love bubbles!? Just be careful with this one - you could put down the entire bottle without even knowing it (until you stand up).