Unbroken: A World War II Story, by Laura Hillenbrand

Lovers of history and stories of survival will love this true account of Olympic gold medal winner, Louis Zamperini, and his horrific experiences when he becomes a pilot and bombardier during World War II.

The beginning was slow for me, but I don't blame the author, who had so much information to cover, that it only made sense to summarize Louis's early life, since what happened during and after the war must be told in greater detail. But once Zamperini's plane goes down in the Pacific and he and two other men struggle against starvation, thirst, and the constant threat of sharks, the book takes hold of you to the very end.

Hillenbrand demonstrates a wealth of research as she recounts Zamperini's years as a POW in various Japanese camps, and the people involved come to life on the page. This book made me grateful for my life and the luxuries and conveniences I often take for granted.

Congrats Giveaway Winners

Thanks to all of you who entered one or more of my Goodreads Giveaways.

Congrats to the following winners of signed paperback copies of The Mystery Box:
Anastasia Berrer of Dover, Delaware
Joan Bohl of Vincent, Ohio
and Robin Weatherington of Sunnyvale, California

Congrats to these winners of signed paperback copies of The Gatekeeper's Sons:
Gabi Nygaard of Forest Grove, Oregon
Renea Sellers of Keystone Heights, Florida
and Kimberly Micciche of Saugus, California

The books have been shipped and should arrive within the week. I hope you enjoy!


 

Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn parallels us readers to her characters and indicts us along with them!

Amy, a native New Yorker and only child and the star of a children's book series called Amazing Amy, written by her parents, makes a point of mentioning in her diary that she is becoming the kind of person she used to mock: the domestic, unappreciated wife who'll do anything to keep her man happy. Her point of view alternates with that of her husband, Nick--a native midwesterner who lives his life trying not to be like his misogynistic father. Nick has been babied by a doting mother and fraternal twin sister and so has never been a take-charge kind of guy. This fact about him makes it believable that his life could go so wrong so quickly without him having the slightest clue until it is much, much too late.

When Amy goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary, we, like the ever vigilant press, sift through the clues to piece together what happened. Although we read from the points of view of both characters, neither are quick to reveal their cards. Like the cops and the press, we oscillate between theories. I never thought I would be the kind of person who would quickly jump to conclusions--just as Amy and Nick thought they'd never become certain kinds of people. They become those kinds of people; I become those kinds of people. And it happens again and again as the story takes on turn after turn.

I think, "I would never be a cheater," and then some new information makes me see why, in a certain situation, I, too might become one. I think, "I would never be a killer," and then I, too, can see myself wanting to kill someone. I think, "I would never stay with someone who treats people that way," and then, once again, I think, yes, for that reason, I would stay, too.

I'm trying to be vague so this review doesn't spoil the wonderful surprises awaiting you! You won't be disappointed!

The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein

I found this story to be an easy, engaging look into one man's attempt to negotiate family crises, but what makes it different from other domestic stories is its point of view: an old and loyal dog named Enzo, companion to the real protagonist, Denny. Enzo is the kind of narrator you can't help but love. He offers the best of both third person and first person narration. He can zoom in and out of Denny's story, contemplate it, and add his own hopes and struggles to the mix. I really enjoyed getting to know Enzo.

One other spin on what might otherwise be just another domestic crisis story is Stein's use of the racing metaphor. It's more than a metaphor, because professional car racing is Denny's lifelong dream, and it continually gets held off and challenged because of his wife's illness and his in-laws' overbearing need to have control over his daughter's life. But I loved how the racing plays double duty as this metaphor for navigating through life. The techniques for successfully racing in the rain also apply to making it through the hard knocks in life. You'll have to read the book to find out what those are.

Goodreads Giveaways

Two of my books are being offered in a Goodreads Giveaway ending Sept. 24th. If you're interested in my teen fantasy, The Gatekeeper's Sons, please go here: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/31833-the-gatekeeper-s-sons-gatekeeper-s-trilogy-book-one

If you're interested in my adult suspense, The Mystery Box, please go here:
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/31834-the-mystery-box

Good luck! I hope you win!
 

11/22/63, by Stephen King

If you're looking for a compelling read, 11/22/63 won't disappoint. I was hooked within the first five pages and, even though this was a long book, finished within a few days. Without giving away too much, our main character, Jake Epping, teaches high school English in a small Maine town, recently divorced, no kids, and satisfied with helping GED students on the side when the owner of his favorite hamburger joint asks him for a favor. It's the last wish of a dying man. His wish is simple: go through the rabbit hole in his pantry, which always takes you back to Semptember 9, 1958, hang out for five years, and save JFK's life.

It turns out to be not so simple.

Poor Jake. I can't begin to tell you all the shit he goes through trying to make this happen, not to mention the ethical dilemma of killing a man who has not yet committed a crime. To make matters worse, he falls in love, and--you guessed it--must choose between the love of his life and saving the president's life.

I won't tell you the ending, though I will say I was hoping for something different from the yellow card man. Read it yourself. You'll love it.

The Chaperone, by Laura Moriarty

When Cora Carlisle, an empty-nester in Witchita, Kansas in the 1920's, agrees to chaperone fifteen-year-old Louise Brooks to New York City for the summer, she's looking for change. Cora's life does change--dramatically--but not in the way she expects.

A product of the orphan trains that ran from New York to the Midwest in the late 1800's, Cora wants to accompany the improper, irreverent teen because she hopes to learn more about her history. Cora's respect for social norms and her feelings of obligation to morally instruct her clearly neglected charge cause constant tension between the two females while they travel and set up home in their small New York apartment.

Although Louise becomes the famous flapper star of silent and talking motion pictures and broadway stages, the real star of this novel is Cora. Her transformation from an unfulfilled but loyal housewife to an openminded, passionate woman was deliciously engaging. The novel does a wonderful job of celebrating the liberal social mores of today by going back in time and liberating a handful of characters whose lives would have been tragic had Cora not abandoned her stuffy, narrow views.