lit*chick

Trish Reviews Three: Tapestry of Love, Falling Home, The Book of Tomorrow

 

The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton, 352 pages. Available in paperback from Headline Book.

Catherine is a divorced, middle-aged woman with grown children who decides to make a fresh start in the French countryside. She sells her home in England and settles in a French village. As idyllic as this sounds, there are plenty of bumps along the way. She is not welcomed right away by the locals plus has issues with the French bureaucracy as she tries to establish her seamstress business. To further complicate matters, Catherine's sister Briony visits and begins to spend time with her intriguing neighbor Patrick.

I found Tapestry of Love to be an enjoyable read. I loved the descriptions of the homes, landscape, and characters. Having the courage to pick up and move to a new country and adopt a simpler way of life is something most of us envy. I always like reading books set in different countries and places I've never been. This book gets 4 stars out of 5.

 

 

Falling Home by Karen White, 464 pages. Available in paperback from NAL Trade.

Note: This is a 2010 revised edition originally published in 2002.

Authors note: "..the most obvious difference you'll notice is the addition of two more points of view. Whereas the original story was only told through Cassie's eyes, the new version is also told from Harriet's and Maddie's points of view to give the reader more insight into the characters and their motivations."

Karen White's novel, Falling Home, follows Cassie Madison as she returns to her hometown of Walton, Georgia. At the age of twenty, Cassie left her small southern town to begin life and a successful career in New York City. She hasn't spoken to her sister Harriet since she left due in part to Harriet's involvement with Cassie's fiancee. Upon her return, Cassie finds her father is dying and is leaving her the family home. This complicates her break from the south, her memories, and her relationships.

Having read all of Karen White's books, I was slightly disappointed with Falling Home. I found it an entetaining and easy read but I didn't connect with any of the characters. Sometimes after reading one author consistently the books start to seem formulated. I think that may have been my problem. Still,  I would give the book 3.5 stars out of 5.

 

 

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern, 320 pages. Available in hardcover from Harper Collins.

"What if we knew what tomorrow would bring? Would we fix it? Could we?"

Tamara Goodwin is a spoiled, rich, sixteen year old who suffers a cruel shock when her father commits suicide. For years he had been living under a mountain of debt which forces Tamara and her mom to move in with family living in the Irish countryside. Now isolated, without her computer or friends, Tamara is bored until she stumbles upon a locked leather book in a traveling library. She discovers the entries inside are in her own handwriting and detail the events of the following day. Family secrets come to light as she learns "sometimes it takes tomorrow to get us through today."

The Book of Tomorrow is a unique, magical and enjoyable coming of age story that deals with heavier themes of grief and loss. I loved this book. I found Tamara to be a very real and contemporary teenage girl, and the other characters were also well developed. If you are worried about the "fantasy" factor, it didn't seem over the top. I also think this book could be for a young adult reader. I give it a solid 4 stars out of 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trish's Review: Simply From Scratch by Alicia Bessette

Simply from Scratch: A Novel by Alicia Bessette, 313 pages. Available now in hardcover from Dutton Adult.

Zell Carmichael is a young widow grieving for her husband Nick, who was killed in post Katrina New Orleans.  She spends her days alone in her apartment wearing her husband’s camouflage apron and speaking “pirate-speak” to her Greyhound, Ahab.  When a minor baking incident forces Zell to evacuate her home she meets her nine-year old neighbor, Ingrid - a smart, lonely girl who believes that T.V. celebrity chef Polly Pinch is her mother. Ingrid's obsession spurs Zell to enter Polly Pinch's baking contest. More than just baking, Simply from Scratch deals with grief, healing and the unexpected relationships people form.

When Lit *Chick asked me to review this book I had high expectations. I was intrigued by the title, insert description and cover (I know, I know!).  For some reason I was expecting something similar to one of my favorite books, Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos. (Her endorsement may have been the culprit. - Mel) Unfortunately, Simply from Scratch fell short. I felt the reader was falsely led by the characters to believe there was some big secret surrounding Nick’s death. I was waiting for a big reveal that never came.  Also, as a foodie, I was slightly disappointed with the lack of baking and preparing for the competition. Lastly, I felt that one major character that “disappears” mid book was unnecessary and made the story change for me. (I won’t elaborate because this could be a spoiler.)  On the positive side, I enjoyed the growing relationship between Zell and Ingrid and how they were unexpectedly helping each other with their own sadness. I would give this book 3 stars.

Check out the author's website: http://www.aliciabessette.com - if you're interested the first chapter is available to read.

Melanie adds: I too thought this would be a fun, light, foodie read and was intrigued by the post-Katrina storyline.  There wasn't much baking (although a recipe is included) and I had a hard time connecting with Zell.  The mystery surrounding Nick's death was clunkyand as Trish mentioned the reaction to the "missing" character didn't ring true. I couldn't help but grin during the scene with the baby bouncing on grandpa's knee to the rhyme "Trot Trot to Boston" - we have done it with all our littles. I get a  soft spot for stories that contain a familiar element, especially one so special and specific.  The strength of Simply from Scratch is in exploring the idea of grief in community - how sorrow affects many, not just the person closest to it. Still an enjoyable read, and with adjusted expectations, worth a look.

Many thanks to Dutton Publicity for a review copy.

Tricia's Review: On Folly Beach by Karen White

On Folly Beach by Karen White, 416 pages. Available in paperback.

On Folly Beach is the story of Emmy Hamilton as she searches for a new beginning while uncovering another family's past. After her soldier husband is killed in Afghanistan, Emmy moves to the barrier island of Folly Beach, South Carolina. She purchases the local bookstore, Folly's Finds, with the agreement the previous owner's older sister Lulu will remain to sell her bottle trees.(Bottle trees were said to have been brought to the American south by African slaves, as part of a tradition to ward off evil.)

Not only does Emmy inherit Lulu, but also a mystery found in the margins of books stashed in the attic of the old shop. These secret messages from World War II compel Emmy to uncover more about the author's identity while dealing with her grief.

As with all Karen White's novels, I really enjoyed On Folly Beach. I loved that Emmy owned a bookstore, and the mystery element with the old books.  I am a big fan of southern fiction with the eccentric characters and gorgeous scenery and was not disappointed. Emmy came from Indiana and I appreciated the description the first time she saw the ocean.

"She'd seen oceans in movies, and in her mother's photographs, but now standing in front of the great Atlantic, she felt the pulsing of the waves, felt the power and breadth of the water as it bled out into the horizon, endless and liquid like the earth's lifeblood. It made her feel alive, unlike anything she'd felt under the broad flat skies of home.As she stared out at the dark vastness, her veins seemed to pump with the ancient rhythm of the waves, giving her kinship to every person who'd ever lived by the water, yet at the same time making her feel very, very insignificant." (pg.130-131)

Melanie adds:  I had never heard of bottle trees, and appreciated their history and significance in the story. Here is a  link to pictures and a store that sell these unique sculptures - Bottle Tree Store. If you are interested, I encourage you to search further...and if you buy one send me a picture!

the end.

Review: Promises to Keep by Jane Green

Promises to Keep by Jane Green, 352 pages. Available in hardcover June 15th.

from the publisher: In her twelfth novel, Jane Green is at her heartwarming best as she creates a tale of exceptional circumstances and the ties that bind. PROMISES TO KEEP is the most personal and moving of her books, written to help Jane through the traumatic loss of one of her best friends, Heidi, who lost her battle with breast cancer last year.  In Jane’s words, “Heidi didn’t just live life.  She sparkled. But she couldn’t survive the cancer that swept through her body like a wildfire over seven months. One day, leaving a chemotherapy session, she said to me, ‘I hope you’re going to write about this.’ And so I did.”Jane is donating 20% of her royalties to breast cancer research.

In Promises to Keep we meet three women, close friends who are very different each going through a personal struggle.

Callie is a successful photographer, wife, and mother of two. The family lives in an upscale neighborhood in Bedford, NY and appears to have it all. Callie, a breast cancer survivor, is unexpectedly diagnosed with a rare form of her earlier cancer and only has months to live.

Steffi is Callie's sister - a free spirit who lives in Manhattan. Her lifestyle consists of bouncing back and forth between jobs and reckless boyfriends.  Her desire for change leads her to the quiet village of Sleepy Hollow, NY.

Lila is Callie's best friend. She has recently found the man of her dreams and is ready to settle down. However, Ed has a young son and his uncooperative ex-wife makes it obvious that she is not thrilled with Lila.

I found Promises to Keep emotional yet not too heavy for a beach/pool read.  There were recipes at the end of each chapter - I made the Neiman Marcus cookies and they were incredible.  I enjoyed the characters' relationships and how Callie deals with her illness. She finds a way to bring her family closer and prepare them for her death.

reviewed by Trish

The End.