Reminder: Glen Ellyn Book Fest THIS Saturday!

Jun 162010
 

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Just in case you live in the Chicagoland area and I haven’t already badgered talked you into coming to the Glen Ellyn Bookfest this Saturday, I thought I’d post a little information about what will be going down in the Western Suburbs this weekend.

This Saturday, June 19th, marks the first (annual? I hope so!) Glen Ellyn Bookfest. “Why do you care what is happening in Glen Ellyn when you live 30 minutes away?” you may be asking. Well, Glen Ellyn is the site of my favorite independent bookstore, The Bookstore. They, together with the Glen Ellyn downtown alliance have been planning this event for months and months now, and it is going to be awesome. I mean, Elizabeth Berg is the keynote speaker!

A bunch of authors whose books I have reviewed (and loved) are going to be there as well:

Here’s the basic schedule:

Time Event
8:30 – 9:30 Social Networking for Writers
9:30 – 10:30 “Kids Love Art Books” with Bob Raczka
10:00 – 11:00 Presentation and Book Signing:
Underground Railroad with Glennette Tilley Turner
10:00 – 11:30 Bagels at The Bookstore with Pamela Ferdinand
11:00 – 12:00 Children’s Writing Workshop with Rose Calkins
(ages 10-12, limited seating)
10:00 – 1:00 Book signings (Click for detailed brochure)
11:30 – 1:00 The Next Good Book Luncheon with Rebecca Vnuk
11:30 – 1:00 Claude and Camille Luncheon with Stephanie Cowell
11:30 – 1:00 68 Rooms Family Author Lunch and Art Event
1:30 – 2:30 Risky Business:  Writing about Literary Icons
1:30 – 2:15 Chillers – Be bold, be bold… with Marie Ringenberg
2:30 – 3:30 Watch – Listen – Perform
Poetry & Performance Slam
2:30 – 3:15 Zoos, Kazoos & Hullabaloos with Marie Ringenberg
3:00 – 4:00 Presentation and Book Signing: Keynote Speaker Elizabeth Berg
5:00 – 7:00 “Get Lit” with Authors J.A. Konrath
and Charlene Baumbich
6:00 – 8:00 Baseball Dinner with Billy Lombardo at Bells & Whistles

I am definitely planning on being at the bolded events above: Social Networking for Writers at 8:30, which is sort of a Tweet-up (in fact, I’m the cohost!), then at the lunch with Stephanie Cowell at 11:30, followed by the panel with Kelly O’Connor McNees and Melanie Benjamin entitled Risky Business: Writing about Literary Icons at the library. During my time between the social networking event and the luncheon I will probably be at The Bookstore, but I am available to meet up with anyone who is coming into town for the event. I can also meet up directly after Kelly and Melanie’s panel, although I will have to head home pretty soon after it is over. If you do want to meet up and talk books, please let me know.

There are also going to be author signings at a multitude of downtown businesses:

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I hope you can make it out and join us!

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Broken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky – Book Review

Jun 162010
 

4673134357 69012b2d43 m pictureBroken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky, translated by Tim Mohr

Sascha’s life is…complicated.

She is a teenage Russian girl living in the slum Broken Glass Park in Germany with her little sister and brother and her ex-stepfather’s cousin. Saschas’s mother is no longer around because Sascha’s ex-stepfather brutally murdered her and her boyfriend.

Despite the fact that her family is now shunned by neighbors superstitious that Sascha’s family tragedy might rub off on them, Sascha has big plans for her life. She believes these plans make her unique in Broken Glass Park, where most people’s dreams are either shallow or non-existent.

The opening lines of “Broken Glass Park” both summed up Sascha’s character perfectly and sucked me immediately into the book:

Sometimes I think I’m the only one in our neighborhood with any worthwhile dreams. I have two, and there’s no reason to be ashamed of either one. I want to kill Vadim. And I want to write a book about my mother. I already have a title: The Story of an Idiotic Redheaded Woman Who Would Still Be Alive If Only She Had Listened to Her Smart Oldest Daughter.

I loved “Broken Glass Park.” Translations can be awkward at times, if the translator isn’t well versed in idioms and nuances of both languages. Happily, that was not the case here. “Broken Glass Park” was both beautifully written and beautifully translated. Sascha was a compelling character, her murderous dreams not withstanding. Although she and I have very different backgrounds (and I have no plans to murder anyone), Bronsky and Mohr made Sascha absolutely real to me, and I empathized with her completely.

Sascha’s world was a difficult one, which meant that this was not always an easy book to read in terms of subject matter, but I also wasn’t able to put it down. This is my first book from Europa Editions and if they are all nearly this good, I can’t wait to read more. Highly recommended.

Note: There is some sex, drug use, and domestic violence.

Buy this book from:
Powells.*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.*
Amazon.*

This review was done with a book received from Regal Literary.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.

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My Day as an Indie Bookseller

Jun 152010
 

Last Friday I had the opportunity to spend the day at my favorite independent bookstore, The Bookstore in Glen Ellyn as a bookseller-f0r-a-day. This is something that I’ve been wanting to do for awhile and, since The Bookstore also had an author event on Friday evening I wanted to attend, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

I chose Friday because it is the day that both Sue and Margie typically work – they call it Friday Funfest. Unfortunately, Margie wasn’t able to be there for much of the early part of the day after all, BUT it was really good that I was there to help Sue out, because the store was hopping, even though it was pouring outside.

The great thing about it being so busy, is that I had a great opportunity to handsell to quite a few people. Among other things, my customers left with:

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It was just like blogging, but one on one and in real time, very fun!

It definitely gave me a new appreciation for my favorite booksellers, though, you really have to think on your feet based on what you customer likes and is looking for and, speaking of feet, standing all day sure isn’t easy!

I had a fantastic time at The Bookstore, thanks to Sue and Margie for letting me come in and hang out with them! Bloggers who are forming relationships with indie bookstores, I definitely recommend taking a day as a bookseller if at all possible.

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Shilpi Gowda – Author Event at The Bookstore

Jun 142010
 

Shilpi Gowda was kind enough to stop by The Bookstore in Glen Ellyn last Friday night for happy hour to talk about her debut book, “Secret Daughter” (my review). After reading an absolutely gut-wrenching scene from the book, Shilpi talked a bit about her experiences leading up to writing the book, her writing process, and her time volunteering in an orphanage in India. She was absolutely lovely, and it was fascinating to see how her experiences influenced the book she wrote. Another thing that was very interesting is hearing how her book is doing in the US vs. Canada (in both places it is published by HarperCollins). In the US it is doing respectably and is on a second print run, but in Canada she’s on an 8th printing and has great placement in airport bookstores and in Costco. Even Shilpi didn’t exactly have an explanation for that, but it is interesting. My Canadian friends, have you been seeing “Secret Daughter” everywhere you turn?

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Left to right: Margie, Shilpi, me, Sue

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Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda – Book Review

Jun 142010
 

4666047307 60a99b6030 m pictureSecret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

In rural India, Kavita Merchant’s first child is born a girl, causing her husband Javu to take the baby from her and give it to his brother to dispose of. Javu rationalizes that they need a son to help in the fields, and they would have to pay a dowry to get any girl married off, a daughter would be nothing more than a burden. Kavita does not accept this reasoning so easily, however. When her second pregnancy comes to term, she first hides her labor from him, and then demands to be given one night with the baby she has named Usha. Instead of allowing her second daughter to be killed as well, this newly delivered mother walks from her rural village to Mumbai in order to place Usha in an orphanage where she might have hope of a better life.

Meanwhile, in California Somer and her husband Krishnan are struggling with infertility. Krishnan was born and raised in Mumbai, coming to America only for undergraduate and medical school, until he fell in love with and married Somer, also a physician. After Somer repeatedly fails to get pregnant, or to carry a pregnancy to term, Krishnan suggests that they might want to turn to adoption, and recommends that they use an orphanage his mother patronizes in Mumbai. Other than bringing home their precious Asha, however, their trip to India is somewhat of a disaster. Somer feels ignored and left out, that she doesn’t fit in, and this remnant of her time in India carries over into her life with her husband and child going forward, leads her to attempt to keep both of them away from India.

This was an incredibly moving book. I nearly cried for both Kavita and for Somer within the first 50 pages of the book: Kavita for the loss of her first daughter and the deep sadness of having to give up Usha; Somer for the pain of being able to have the child she wanted so dearly. Somer was a bit of a cold character for much of the middle of the book, which made her somewhat hard to connect to, but she felt very real to me, regardless. She was so afraid of losing what she had that she all but pushed it away for her.

I loved Gowda’s writing and got completely carried away with the story she was telling. Often Somer’s coldness would keep me from immersing myself fully into the book, but the emotional beginning to “Secret Daughter” pulled me in before I had a chance to get turned off by my lack of connection with one of the main characters. It let me see Somer as a real person whose motivations I could understand, even if i didn’t always agree with her behavior.

This was a fabulous story from a very talented debut author. Highly recommended.

Buy this book from:
Powells.*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.*
Amazon.*

This review was done with a book received from a friend.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.

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Hot Summer Reading

Jun 132010
 

Earlier this week, I highlighted my most anticipated books from BEA, but most of those unfortunately aren’t out until fall. Luckily, I also have a whole lot of books I’m excited about reading this summer!

Although I have a wide variety of genres I am looking forward to reading this summer, I am really looking forward to my ‘summer’ books. I’m not sure I could precisely describe a ‘summer’ book, but they are often fun, something that will keep you turning pages at the beach or keep your mind off of oppressive heat and humidity – books that lend themselves well to a glass of iced tea, a margarita, or chilled white wine.

Without further ado, my most anticipated ‘summer’ reads from among the books I’ll be reading in the next few months (in publication order):

4698108529 67927f268f m pictureDiamond Ruby by Joseph Wallace – Touchstone, May 4, 2010, paperback

About the book: In the 1920s, Ruby Thomas becomes responsible for her two young nieces and most find a way to care for them. Her fastball seems to be the answer to the conundrum, and she is eventually signed with the Brooklyn Typhoons. Her worries aren’t over, though.

Why I’m looking forward to it: “Diamond Ruby” has been getting great reviews, and Joe seems like an incredibly nice guy. Plus, I’ve heard it described as ‘fun girl power.’

4698755172 ef8c2c0077 m pictureBackseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson – Grand Central Publishing, June 8, 2010, hardcover

About the book: Rose Mae Lolly is a formerly-strong woman who has allowed herself to be subjugated by her husband, until she’s told that her husband will kill her unless she kills him first. Next thing she knows, Rose Mae is running for her life and uncovering long-hidden family secrets.

Why I’m looking forward to it: Although I haven’t read Joshilyn Jackson’s previous books, I have heard fantastic things about them. I’m looking forward to this story of a woman rediscovering her own strength.

4698108551 1b6083450f m picture29: A Novel by Adena Halpern – Touchstone, June 15, 2010, paperback

About the book: Seventy-five year-old Ellie Jerome feels that she has more in common with her twenty-nine year-old granddaughter than with her fifty-something daughter. She has always done her best to stay young so, when confronted with a cake full of birthday candles, she wishes she could be 29 again, with unexpected consequences.

Why I’m looking forward to it: I love this sort of concept, it tends to make for a really fun read, at least from time to time.

4698108563 cf760a70d9 m pictureThe Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst – Doubleday, June 15, 2010, hardcover

About the book: Octavia Frost is both a mother and a novelist, but has perhaps been more successful as a novelist. When her son Milo is arrested for murder, it is Octavia’s books that will provide the clues as to what went wrong.

Why I’m looking forward to it: I read Carolyn Parkhursts two previous books, The Dogs of Babel and Lost and Found back in the days before I started blogging about books, and really enjoyed them – particularly The Dogs of Babel. Parkhurst is an original, inventive author and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with this story.

4698120031 3fc4735f83 m pictureThe Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais – Scribner, July 6, 2010, hardcover

About the book: When tragedy strikes the Haji family, they are forced to leave their restaurant in Mumbai and eat their way around the world, finally landing in the small village of Lumiere, France. When the family opens a small, inexpensive Indian restaurant, they inadvertently begin a culinary war with their famous gourmand neighbor.

Why I’m looking forward to it: This promises to be a literary romp through plates and plates of delicious-sounding food. This book may be hazardous to fitting into your swimsuit, but it sounds DELICIOUS.

4698120053 47d980363c m pictureStill Missing by Chevy Stevens – St. Martin’s Press, July 6, 2010, hardcover

About the book: Annie O’Sullivan was simply trying to sell a house when she was abducted. “Still Missing” intertwines the story of of Annie’s captivity with that of her escape and the police’s search for her abductor.

Why I’m looking forward to it: I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about this book, pages and pages of buzz! Plus, a good, literary thriller is always a fun summer read. By the way, I’ll have a giveaway for THREE copies the book in a couple of weeks.

4698129967 784762cc4f m pictureFinny by Justin Kramon – Random House Trade Paperbacks, July 13, 2010, paperback

About the book: Finny Short is a 14 year-old misfit being sent off to boarding school by her ultra-conservative parents. It is there she will meet Judith, an heiress and one of the main influences in her young life.

Why I’m looking forward to it: Well, for one thing, I received a personal recommendation for this book, which always goes a long way. Other than that, it sounds quirky and fun, a great summer read.

4698129987 5dffd1f83c m pictureThe Stuff That Never Happened by Maddie Dawson – Shaye Areheart Books, August 3, 2010, hardcover

About the book: Although Annabelle McKay is happily married and has been for twenty-six years, she still fantasizes about another man every day. When circumstances throw that man back into her path, she must decide which man possess her heart: her husband or her fantasy.

Why I’m looking forward to it: I think that everyone at some time wonders ‘what if,’ even if they don’t go so far as to have a consistent fantasy about someone who is not their spouse. The universality of this feeling often makes for a good novel, and I’m hearing very promising early buzz about this one.

4698130015 0bdd9802f5 m pictureThe Life You’ve Imagined by Kristina Riggle – Avon A, August 17, 2010, paperback

About the book: Four women find themselves thrown together back in their hometown of Haven facing death, abandonment, addiction of a family member, and memories of the people they once were and are forced to ask whether they are living the life they imagined they would.

Why I’m looking forward to it: I loved Kristina Riggle’s debut book, Real Life and Liars. Loved, loved, loved it. It even made my ‘Best of 2009′ list, so I have high hopes for this, her sophomore attempt. Plus, if done correctly (as I suspect it is!), this story has the potential to be one that refuses to be put down. If I were only able to read ONE book from this list this summer, this would be it.

What hot summer reads are on YOUR list?

(Some or all of these books may have been provided to me for review)

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 Reading Life, recommendations  18 Responses »  

TSS: Bloggiesta Update and Week in Review

Jun 132010
 

For the last day and a half I’ve been Bloggiesta-ing. I’ve got a lot of little things done,finalized some stuff for Audiobook Week, and gotten some posts written. Of course I haven’t written nearly as much as I was hoping, but that’s always how it goes, especially with a little cutie like Daniel around to play with.

I had a busy week last week, including playing bookseller for a day and attending an awesome author event, both of which I’ll talk about here in the next couple of days. Even so, I managed to get a good amount of reading in this week:

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On the blog this week I posted about my most anticipated books from BEA, and posted four reviews:4675919518 572400ffea m picture 4682773160 d73eb9f98d m picture 4668419313 6f2a86622f m picture 4689155179 71227e8dfb m picture

I have a LOT of exciting stuff coming up here in the next two two weeks, so stay tuned!

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Bloggiesta, Take 3!

Jun 112010
 

4692452682 f98ec5e7cf m pictureWoo! It is June, and you know what that means: Bloggiesta!

In case you don’t know what Bloggiesta is all about, it is basically a blogging marathon organized by Natasha at Maw Books Blog.

I have a LOT to get done around here in preparation for Audiobook Week, so this is good timing for me!

Other than some email I need to respond to, the main things I am planning are to write as many posts as possible for the next two weeks and finish up some Audiobook Week planning (which I’ll HAVE to do if I’m going to write posts for it!). When I need a break from writing I’ll be working on my overhaul of my categories and tags.

I do have some design elements I want to improve upon, but I think I need to finish my Audiobook Week stuff before I can even think about that, since we also have some big family stuff coming up soon (my parents are coming out for the summer, Daniel’s first birthday).

I may also check in on the mini challenges this time around, but they are not going to be my priority.

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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith – Book Review

Jun 112010
 

4689155179 71227e8dfb m pictureA Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Okay, who is that neglected to tell me I should read this book years and years ago? Whoever you are, you are TOTALLY fired.

“A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” is the story of Francie Nolan and her family in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The Nolans don’t have much money, scrimping and saving to even get by, but they do have determination. Francie’s mother, Katie, is determined to do what it takes to keep her family together and keep them from feeling too much deprivation. Francie is determined to get as much education as possible and frequently loses herself in the world of books.

I remember this being one of the books in the Readers Digest Condensed Books series we had when I was growing up. I know that abridgments are mildly evil, but the books were beautiful and I loved to pick them up. I know I read many of the works out of those books, but I always avoided “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” because I thought the title sounded totally boring.

I really, really wish I hadn’t prejudged this book, but I’m also really, really thankful to Heather for picking this for our Classic Reads Book Club. I loved it. L.O.V.E.D. it. First of all, Betty Smith’s writing is gorgeous and completely evocative of time and place. Besides that, Francie is a girl after my own heart, working her way alphabetically through her local library, getting so excited about schooling.

If you have reached adulthood without reading “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, ” please do yourself a favor and read it as soon as possible. I think it might join “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck in the group of books that I reread regularly.

Buy this book from:
 Powells.*
 A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.*
Amazon.*

This review was done with a book I purchased myself.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.

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 Classics  27 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , , ,

The Whole World by Emily Winslow – Book Review

Jun 102010
 

4668419313 6f2a86622f m pictureThe Whole World by Emily Winslow

As Americans studying abroad at Oxford, Polly and Liv drifted naturally together. Shared experiences will do that to you, after all. Even so, they are quite different. Polly is often overly serious, Liv has a tendency to read things she shouldn’t on her employers computer. One thing they do have in common is Nick, a handsome grad student. When Nick disappears, though, everything the girls have begins to fall apart, and painful secrets from Polly’s past are brought to light.

I must say, I think that Emily Winslow is a highly talented debut novelist. She takes things that would come off as overly dramatic and eye-roll-inducing in most books – like Polly’s past – and makes them real and tragic instead of ridiculous.

The most interesting thing about “The Whole World” was the somewhat ambitious narrative style. Four separate characters from a range of ages and cultural backgrounds each were allowed to narrate one section. Their stories didn’t follow exactly from one another, but did fall roughly in line so that there remained a good narrative flow. What was impressive about this was not only the way that the story was plotted to make sure that each character got an interesting piece of their own story, but also Winslow’s ability to give each character a distinct and authentic voice.

Although “The Whole World” is a mystery or suspense novel, I wasn’t racing through it to find out the solution to the mystery. Instead, I was savoring the lovely language, the story Winslow created for me, and the competing ideas of just what exactly constitutes ‘the whole world.’ Highly recommended.

Buy this book from:
Powells.*
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.*
Amazon.*

This review was done with a book received from Random House, at the request of the author.
* These links are all affiliate links. If you buy your book here I’ll make a very small amount of money that goes towards hosting, giveaways, etc.

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 Mystery  11 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , ,
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