Heartbreak Hotel by Deborah Moggach

Heartbreak Hotel is a recent work by Deborah Moggach, author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, set to release in paperback in January of 2016. Heartbreak Hotel was my first experience of Deborah Moggach. I listened to the audiobook while interstate travelling and enjoyed the fragile characters and warm setting.

The story focuses on Buffy, a retired actor, who inherits a B&B in Wales and moves there to escape the noise of London. To get it up and running, he goes through minimal preparation hoping the shabby but chic look will appeal to potential residents. He then talks with his daughter who expresses a desire to fix her own car following a break-up in which she was reliant on her partner. This sparks the idea of turning the B&B into a “destination workshop series” of sorts. Recently divorced or separated persons who might have relied too heavily on the talents of their former partners could come and learn to cook, clean, garden, repair their car, etc. and be self-sufficient. These classes couldn’t possibly all be taught by Buffy, but he gets some help along the way in leading them.

Basically, the residents then help Myrtle House look better through their work in the classes. For example, the jungle of a yard is tended to and made to look beautiful by the newly trained green thumbs. And by the end of the novel, Myrtle House has moved from divorcee retreat to become an executive retreat bringing money to the community. I found this ending transformation to be a bit of a stretch. Sure, executives might be searching for something a little less Marriott for their retreats, but they wouldn’t likely choose an isolated house with a few leaky, drafty bedrooms for their location. But then again, in these retreats they’re practicing hands-on skills and getting dirty – not polishing portfolios and sealing deals.

Author, Deborah Moggach

As far as the characters, I really appreciated Buffy’s struggles. He’s overwhelmed immediately upon moving into the B&B as any person his age (70’s) and jumping into an adventure like this would be. He also works to reconnect with his children and to possibly explore a relationship. But when this relationship begins to blossom, I find it a bit unbelievable. The characters involved, Monica (botox-injecting woman who can find a bed partner, but not a life partner) and Buffy, become too neat and tidy. Monica takes the slightest offense at the smallest unintended arrangement of words and is intimidated by Buffy’s younger days when he had multiple partners. Buffy wants desperately to alleviate her worries, but she runs away so, naturally, he abandons the B&B temporarily and chases after her. It all ends too tidily. I felt that the last third of the book was a rush to the finish. It tied up the loose ends, but I feel like the imperfect Buffy I met in the beginning became a polished character, dipped in gold, by the final chapter.

Perhaps one of the most interesting conflicts in the novel is the one between Voda and her ex-boyfriend Conner. She’s in love with Buffy’s daughter, India. He’s a drug-influenced and alcoholic mess of a jail fly. When Conner, quite possibly abusive, is in trouble Voda still cares. When he bursts into Myrtle House and discovers her new relationship, she doesn’t lose her mind. These two imperfect characters were the most interesting to me of the novel. Though Amy, a makeup artist for the stars, was interesting as well in watching her transform from childless and happy to longing for a relationship and child.

All in all the book is a pleasant read. Not too deep, but not too shallow either. A neutral read, you might say. And though I wasn’t particularly moved by Heartbreak Hotel, Moggach’s writing tone still kept me engaged. I will, in the future, seek another Moggach novel.

You can check for Heartbreak Hotel at a library near you or purchase it from Amazon.

Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

I first heard of Orange is the New Black when season one came to Netflix. I wasn’t aware it was based on a true story or that there was a book out there telling the tales. I had watched the first two seasons before finally discovering and beginning the book. And a week or so later I shut it with a new perspective.

If I could do over, I would read the book first to understand what inspired the show. I would have conjured images of these characters in my mind before seeing the casting choices and having that imagination robbed from me. This is the case with any book to film situation though.

Piper Kerman really did go to prison for her involvement with drug trade. And the relationship between Piper and her fiance was truly hard to maintain while in prison. And the characters she met were just as eccentric and unique as you’ll meet on Netflix. For the most part, we see what Piper experienced on the screen as well.

Author, Piper Kerman

However, as TV shows do, we see a bit more violence and complexities in the Netflix series. And the depth of the post-imprisonment relationship between Piper and Alex is mostly fictional though they do actually reunite in a prison for court purposes prior to Piper’s release.

My favorite thing about the book was that it was a raw truth. There was a wonderful, horrible, life-changing lesson that took place and through it all, Piper was able to maintain a good sense of self and humor. We learn with Piper and experience the shocking contrast of outside prison and inside prison. It prompts numerous thoughts such as the difficulty for some long-term prisoners to be released into a world they no longer recognize.

If you’re a fan of the show, you should read the book. Jump into orange and see the origin of Piper’s story by checking out the book from your local library or purchasing it on Amazon. Then head to Netflix to see the screen depiction which will not disappoint.

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

After their daughter Maribel suffers a near-fatal accident, the Riveras leave México and come to America. But upon settling at Redwood Apartments, a two-story cinderblock complex just off a highway in Delaware, they discover that Maribel’s recovery–the piece of the American Dream on which they’ve pinned all their hopes–will not be easy. Every task seems to confront them with language, racial, and cultural obstacles.

At Redwood also lives Mayor Toro, a high school sophomore whose family arrived from Panamà fifteen years ago. Mayor sees in Maribel something others do not: that beyond her lovely face, and beneath the damage she’s sustained, is a gentle, funny, and wise spirit. But as the two grow closer, violence casts a shadow over all their futures in America.

-Summary from GoodReads.com

The Book of Unknown Americans is a powerful, eye opening portrait of what it’s like to be a Latino immigrant in the United States. Henríquez tells the story of the Riveras and the Toros, alternating between Maribel’s mother Alma and Mayor. In between their chapters, short vignettes detail the experiences of a number of other Latino immigrants.

What I really liked about the book was how real the characters seemed to me. Alma is fiercely protective of Maribel, especially since she comes to blame herself for Maribel’s accident and condition. Her husband, Arturo, devotes himself to keeping a job and staying out of trouble so they can stay in the United States so their daughter can receive the help she needs. Mayor is a freshman in high school who lives under the shadow of an athletically gifted older brother and can’t quite live up to his father’s expectations.

A neighborhood troublemaker, Garrett, is at the center of the events that lead to the climax of the story. He begins to stalk and pursue Maribel, and it’s his interactions with both Mayor and Alma that lead the reader to fear for the girl’s safety. What also concerned me, though, was how quickly Mayor’s feelings for Maribel developed and how far he takes them. They talk a few times and suddenly he’s in love with her and feeling her up.

Overall, though, the story was moving and heartbreaking. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a clearer picture of how hard some immigrants do work to get into this country and how dedicated they are to doing the right thing.

This review is also posted on BeyondtheBookend.com

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Puberty, improv, breastfeeding, oh my!

Lately as I would traverse the town by foot, I would hurriedly put my headphones in and prepare myself for a few solid laughs before reaching my destination. No headphones, no problem. I’d put my phone to my ear on speaker held like a slice of toast. Sure, in the beginning I tried to limit the public laughter to avoid being seen as completely insane, but by the end I was laughing and smiling so much it hurt and didn’t care who watched. Tina Fey is to blame.

I would highly recommend listening to Tina read her book Bossypants via the audiobook format. There’s no other way to fully appreciate her intended accents here and there, the whispers, the tone of thoughts, etc. And who doesn’t love hearing fantastic stories told by their owner? And many of the stories are only fantastic because Tina has an excellent sense of humor about what some of us might consider bad luck or life hiccups.

Author, Producer, Actress and Comedian Tina Fey (without the hairy arms)

Did I mention Tina Fey is a mad fan of the gays? That makes it super easy for me to love her (and her audiobook) that much more. She doesn’t hold back and try to be delicate about gay people. Instead she treats us like regular yet extraordinary average Joes and Joannes. Her telling of adventures with the lesbians and gays in the book come from a place of honesty and fondness.

I don’t want to spoil any specifics of the stories as I encourage you to get a copy asap and listen to them yourself. But everything from improvisation group adventures to a honeymoon gone awry to the pre-college daze will have you giggling if you’re modest and guffawing if you’re obnoxious.

Fey has proved again that women can be funny. So she can shove that in her critics’ tailpipes. And Tina, if you need a co-writer for Bossypants: The Movie (Or Musical) you know where to find me.

You can check out Bossypants (the audiobook) or Bossypants (the novel) from your local library or purchase the novel on Amazon.

Follow You Home by Mark Edwards

Follow You Home was a surprising find for me. I borrowed this Mark Edwards novel from Amazon as my book of the month. You can do the same with an Amazon Prime membership, or if you have a KindleUnlimited membership this title is included for free as well.

Typically when borrowing a KindleUnlimited title, I’m disappointed. But I really enjoyed the pace and mystery of Follow You Home. It all starts eerily with a traveling couple getting abandoned near a forest in Romania. We don’t know exactly what happens in the forest, but upon exiting it they’re never the same. We watch their relationship strain and suffer, their well-being crumble and their futures become cloudy all because of whatever happened in the Romanian woods.

Author, Mark Edwards

It becomes clear however that the horror in the woods is not the only threat to Laura and Daniel. Suddenly, back home in London, it feels like something followed them home. Bad luck, strange sights and experiences, etc. Will they maintain a grasp on reality while protecting themselves and those around them from whatever they “brought home?”

Follow You Home will be revealing secrets clear through the last page of the epilogue. The story unfolds from multiple perspectives but holds together, engrossing the reader in every minute, every breath of the story. Edwards writes in his letter that the onset of the novel was inspired by a similar experience of his own. And, quite rightly, he mentions Stephen King as an influencing style. The combination of keeping the story grounded but embellishing to make it interesting and suspenseful resulted in what will certainly be one of my recommendations for suspense novels in the future. I say keep writing, Mark Edwards. Whatever you’re doing is working and I enjoyed every page.

You can borrow Follow You Home from your local library or purchase it from Amazon.

Finders Keepers by Stephen King

 After having read the prequel Mr. Mercedes, I had my doubts that a sequel could rival it. I was pleasantly surprised. Before reading any description, I assumed we’d pick up where we left Bill Hodges and Brady Hartsfield. Bill in quiet retirement, Brady bashed up and barely alive in the hospital. But instead we fall back decades to the murder of an iconic author by thugs interested mostly in his cash on hand. Morris Bellamy, the sharpest of the thugs and coincidentally a super-fan of Author John Rothstein, is interested in revenge though. He loved Rothstein’s Jimmy Gold novel series – but he was enraged with the last installment’s ending. After murdering Rothstein, he discovers additional manuscripts along with the cash in a safe. A series of events leads this discovery to a trunk hidden out of sight on a stream bank.

Author, Stephen King

We flash forward again to present day when a kid stumbles upon the cash and manuscripts Morris Bellamy stole and hid. Morris is in prison for rape (never found as murderer of Rothstein) but due to release soon and return to his treasure. The kid, Pete Saubers, will have to decide what to do with the manuscripts (he’s also a big Jimmy Gold fan) and the cash but regardless, Morris is bound to be upset. And he’s killed before but this time he’s desperately thirsty to finally read what happens to Jimmy Gold. A kid in his way would prove a small obstacle.

Things get complicated with a parole officer, Bill Hodge’s involvement in the case and Pete’s family. Find out who ends up with what, how the cards fall for Morris and check back in briefly with Brady of Mr. Mercedes. You can find Finders Keepers at your local library or purchase it on Amazon.

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

As a fan of Stephen King, I jumped right into Mr. Mercedes as soon as it was delivered to my doorstep. I wasn’t disappointed whatsoever. In fact, I struggled finding a stopping point because I would become so engrossed in the story.

Mr. Mercedes is an exciting read as we jump back and forth between protagonist (retired cop Bill Hodges) and antagonist (Brady Hartsfield, mentally unstable and living with mom). Due to a number of factors, Brady’s life was troubled from birth. His alcoholic mother offers no comfort, just additional stress. Brady’s had enough and crashes – he crashes through a crowd of people with a stolen Mercedes. The thrill is medicinal, but he’s seeking another.

Author, Stephen King

Here enters Bill Hodges, the retired cop who never found Brady (the Mercedes killer). Retirement is tough for him and he struggles with thoughts of suicide. Only when Brady starts playing with fire, teasing Bill anonymously, does he step up out of his gloom and into danger to solve the case once and for all.

My favorite part of Mr. Mercedes has to be the internal moments with Brady Hartsfield. I can’t recall a character I’ve read about in the past which struck me so significantly. Brady is sick – really sick. His thoughts are twisted, his actions are questionable, his health is wavering and no one is safe. King paints a picture so raw yet real of this danger through the thoughts of Brady.

I encourage you to check for Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King at your local library. You can also purchase Mr. Mercedes on Amazon.

Zoo by James Patterson

Zoo was my first novel by James Patterson. I began reading it with high expectations due to the sheer volume of books he cranks out so frequently. I have to admit, though, I was disappointed in Zoo.

Patterson’s Zoo has some really strong features. For those of us who sincerely appreciate easy stopping points, this book has 98 chapters and an epilogue. It’s absolutely great for fitting in five minutes of reading here and there. However, some chapter breaks seemed unnecessary. One might end with an event of some sort, but nothing too suspenseful. Some chapters might have been more effective blended together.

Author, James Patterson

The plot of Zoo could be summed up to say the world is experiencing an animal apocalypse. Due to humans’ lack of care with the environment and their stubborn nature of not wanting to believe warning signs, they’ve brought on a chemically/environmentally borne “smell” that affects all mammals. Suddenly dolphins, rats, squirrels, leopards, and hippos (oh my!) all have this wasp-like hatred of humans and, as hives, attack humans en masse.

This really could have been exciting. The plot blossomed from a great idea but wilted because of the characters. I felt the characters were dry and “regular” and I also didn’t find myself sympathizing with the human experience hardly at all. It seemed no relationships were developed fully enough to care if the protagonist’s wife and kids were eaten, for example. There wasn’t one character introduced that really struck a line of familiarity with me.

That being said, I’d still recommend this book for a quick read. You could finish it in a couple dedicated nights (one if you’re crazy). The fictional science and plot development is interesting. And it’ll have you wondering about your own behavior in the environmentally fragile world in which we live and breathe. Just don’t open the book expecting to have your heart shredded by an emotional tempest of suffering, courage and hope (like I did, clearly).

You can check Zoo out from your local library or purchase it on Amazon.

Time and Again by Jack Finney (Time Series, Book One)

Time and Again is the first of two books in Jack Finney’s Time Series. I added it to my “To Read” list after finishing Stephen King’s 11/22/63 and seeing his reference to this book as “THE great time-travel story.” I struggled with the pace, but appreciated the vivid imagery that brought 19th century New York to life.

Author Jack Finney (1911-1995) was a wealth of information on history due, in large part, to the decades he experienced first hand. Being a millenial, I appreciated not only his fictional account of New York but the fact confirmed in his epilogue that he and his associates researched extensively to verify and write about late 19th century New York exactly as it actually was in the 19th century. He admits there were some intentionally adjusted dates to suit the purpose of an entertaining story but for the most part, by reading Time and Again, you’re stepping back into 19th century New York as it very much were.

If you love New York and maybe even have a bumper sticker saying so on your car, you may really like Finney’s excessively descriptive nature. But (maybe because I’m a millenial?) I found the story to lose its grasp on my attention multiple times when descriptions got too lengthy. Finney writes in depth about nearly everything our protagonist encounters. But it’s also important to consider this book was published first in 1970 for a different era of reader and market.

Author, Jack Finney (1995)

That being said, the imagery from both the 20th and 19th centuries’ New York was wonderful and clear even if in excess. You would have no issue visualizing the scenes Simon Morley (or Si as he’s known by most) walks into. And it’s fun reading along knowing that the arm of the statue of liberty actually did set near Madison separated and awaiting construction at another site until a later date. In the book, Si is able to climb just the arm and sit near the torch.

The story’s action was intriguing. If I were to re-edit it for 2015, I would cut the majority of the first 50% of the book, leaving the bare essentials to describe the time travel method and project. I also wouldn’t bother with too much depth into Si’s career as he’s soon to abandon it for the remainder anyway. And as far as the “complicated love situation” mentioned in the description between two women it falls rather flat. Si is primarily interested in one (I won’t spoil which one, in case you’re interested to find out for yourself) and I feel the other could be cut completely without the story losing any of its value.

My opinion on edits aside, the last half of the book carries along nicely. Glazing through the occasional slump of adjectives and scenery, I found myself wondering “How is he going to get out of this?” or “What would I do if I found myself in his situation?” and most often “How is this going to affect the present?” And it’s interesting to consider all the ways 19th century civil workers (police, firemen, politicians, etc.) and citizens responded and reacted to crisis and crime. We certainly have better technology and resources today, but what about the character composition of our communities? Would we jump into danger to help a stranger (enjoyed the rhyme, did you?)? Or would we rely on diffusion of responsibility and perhaps even pretend we didn’t see anything, absolving ourselves of the need to act?

Time and Again is a book that’ll have you asking questions not only about yourself but about the world you live in today. It’s worth a read if you have the time – and if you don’t, crack the book open halfway in and fill the gaps in as best you can. We all need to experience a bit of time travelling and I can’t think of a better, more engaging way than through historically-near-accurate fiction.

Check out Time and Again from your local library or purchase it on Amazon.

The First Bad Man by Miranda July

The First Bad Man by Miranda July is an emotional storm detailing Cheryl Glickman’s experiences during a difficult and wonderful time in her life. Cheryl, never married and without children, is a baby-obsessed later-middle-aged woman and I absolutely loved her. Cheryl, in her forties, experiences internal lifetimes of love with Philip, a co-worker and board member at her workplace which aims to reduce domestic violence and teach women how to defend themselves. Cheryl harbors a fierce love of two things: babies (not any baby, but certain babies that seem to embody the soul of one in particular) and Phillip. But Phillip, in his sixties, harbors a fierce love not for Cheryl but for a teenage girl named Kirsten. This news shatters Cheryl, but she comes to believe Phillip is only texting her graphic tales of his endeavors as a sort of game – that, perhaps, Kirsten is imaginary.

Author, Miranda July

Phillip aside, Cheryl later meets Clee through an unexpected and unwelcome turn of events. Her bosses’ daughter Clee is a beautiful blonde girl that has seemingly has no respect for herself or anyone or anything. Clee, more or less, invites herself to live with Cheryl and arrives with garbage bags of belongings. Her pepsi-guzzling, cheeto-crunching character is only accentuated by her sexual promiscuity and violent, threatening behavior. But Cheryl, after summoning the courage to stand up to Clee, begins to thirst for the violence and they begin to regularly act out self-defense scenarios which satisfies them both immensely. And then they fall in love.

When Cheryl finds out Clee is pregnant (from an unknown partner), she gets involved and loves the idea of sharing a baby. And where Clee was once a revolting character, I found myself cheering her on at times and wishing the both of them every happiness. But life isn’t always so simple. And for this cast of characters it can be quite complex. Read the book and experience the birth of love and courage. Find out what happens to Cheryl and Phillip. But most of all, envelop yourself with the intricacies of the human spirit and mind.

This was the first book I experienced by Miranda July. Miranda writes with a unique voice and an important voice for youth and adults alike. If you’re looking for something different, but something intimate and raw look no further. The First Bad Man will keep you turning pages, wishing fiercely, celebrating, sympathizing, laughing and fighting tears as you unwrap this tale of losing, gaining and loving.

Be sure to check out The First Bad Man by Miranda July from your local library or purchase it on Amazon.