Royal Holiday

I really looked forward to reading a holiday romance this Christmas.🎄

American Vivian and British Malcolm are grown set-in-their-ways adults, which was refreshing. Their time together at the royal cottage was charming, with notes being delivered to each other, and a kiss under the mistletoe 😘. When they were alone in London, it's like the holiday spell was broken, and reality set in. They each had their own troubling things on their minds, causing distraction - which is life, isn't it? I appreciated that realism made it's way into this romance.

There was a wee bit of steam 🍆, lots of scones 😁, and oddly, few details.I would have liked more description overall, for example on the Nigerian dinner they had. (I want to know exactly what they ate!)Royal Holiday was a sweet, relaxing beach read that took me to London for Christmas.

I received Royal Holiday in a Goodreads giveaway. 

Until next time,
Kara 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

How do you survive one of the most heinous events in human history? 
I asked myself this regularly while reading The Tattooist.     
Author Heather Morris told us what happened to prisoners in Auschwitz in a somewhat journalistic style, through her interviews with a ninety year old survivor. 
How can a story taking place in Auschwitz be a romance?
Well, it's because Lale speaks many languages that he's seen as an asset by the SS, and made the Tätowierer. He goes through his cruel task of branding other prisoners with their numbers. Most other prisoners understandably succumb mentally and physically to their starvation, the cold weather and torture. But because Lale is a romantic, he finds hope through his attraction to a woman he tattooed. Even in the deplorable death camp that was Auschwitz, astonishingly, he tracks her down, and they manage to begin a romance. 
Their story is astounding, because amidst all the atrocities, Lale and Gita find and cling to love, which ultimately helps them survive. They often talk of faith, which is something Lale said he lost, but Gita still had.  

It was necessary after all Lale and Gita had been through to read how their lives ended up. In the afterword by their son, I was pleased to hear how they continued to adore each other. The author's note told us how Morris came to meet Lale and interview him for 3 years, slowly getting his story. 

While certainly not a typical romance, it is a story of survival, love and faith, and an vital book to read. 

I received The Tattooist of Auschwitz in a giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara 

The Most Fun We Ever Had

I'm not sure I'd be enthusiastic reading 500 pages about this privileged family, but as an audio book, I was engaged and motivated to continue to hear how it would end.

Parents of 4 daughters Marilyn & David are that affectionate, loving couple we all envy. Nothing that's thrown their way can come between them, they remain crazy about each other throughout the years. Their thoughts & feelings did get repetitive towards the end though. We get it, they're madly in love!
Perfect daughter Violet had the biggest skeleton in her closet, making her imperfect and therefore interesting. She annoyed me to no end. I wanted someone to (figuratively) smack some sense into her over Jonah. Well done Claire Lombardo! Grace was just ridiculous, and Liza sad, both not as interesting as their older sisters Violet and Wendy.

The narration by Emily Rankin was wonderfully done, especially Wendy's character. She nailed the snooty, spoiled rich bitch voice I expected her to have.
It was the skilled narration and many moments of lovely prose that kept me going with this lengthy book, and made it awesome audio.
You know I've voted for this in the 2 categories it's nominated for in the Goodreads Choice Awards. 

Until next time,

Kara

Blood Sisters

This suspenseful tale about thee sisters has it all: a horrific accident, stalking, secrets, jealousy, threats, and revenge. 

In a what-could-go-wrong? opener, Alison takes a job teaching art in a prison. It's not a maximum security prison, but a supposedly low-risk, open one, with prisoners not locked up. This is an uncomfortable set up to say the least, with some creepy prisoners in close quarters to her. The not very plausible scenarios begin, with a work space in a locked hut and no guard, and Alison and her students have access to (sharp!) art supplies. Alison even spends the night to experience being in a cell overnight. 

Growing up, Alison was always on the outskirts looking in at the closeness her two sisters shared. 
Kitty has never recovered from what happened when they were children, and remains institutionalized. She can't communicate anymore, but we read her thoughts, which include a lot of swearing. 

Step sister Vanessa is rude, yet charming. She's spoiled, devious and too provocative for her young age.  

I enjoyed how the story was told in present day and then would go back to 15 years ago. I can't say I liked any of the sisters though, or felt any connection to them.  

Blood Sisters, as well as My Husband's Wife, is a great example of write about what you know. Author and journalist Jane Corry worked in a men's prison as a writer-in-residence. 

I received Blood Sisters in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara 

Bob's Red Mill muesli

In my ongoing quest to consume more natural foods and eat breakfast (I'm not a brekkie eater 😌), I was happy to discover Bob's Red Mill.🌾🌻

This European style muesli is definitely wholesome. I've been enjoying it with yogurt, Swiss style, with yogurt and a grated apple & kept in the fridge overnight, and hot. I appreciate that there's no added sugar, so you can control the sweetness if you add honey. Dates, sunflower seeds, raisins, almonds, flax seeds, & walnuts are some ingredients. This muesli has me eating breakfast! 😁

A Stranger on the Beach

Wealthy city chick Caroline spots townie Aidan staring up at her new luxury beach house one night. They meet again when Caroline goes into a local dive bar to drown her sorrows over her troubled marriage where Aidan's a bartender. So begins their fling. 

A Stranger on the Beach gives us the common theme of when well-to-do meets working class. Is it just a cliché? Can such a relationship ever work out? 

I enjoyed hearing the story told from both their points of view. It's a case of her truth, his truth, and something in between. There were times Caroline really annoyed me, just as much as Aidan did. Then I began to feel for Caroline. Well done Michelle Campbell.

Just when you thought their story was headed in a certain direction, it switched, which makes for an intriguing thriller. You wait for the twist, and Campbell delivered on that. It was an easy, fast read that kept me intrigued. 

I received A Stranger on the Beach in a giveaway. 
Until next time,

Kara 

Summer of '69

Not many times in our recent history are as iconic as the summer of 1969, and I simply had to read about the summer of my birth.
It's told from the point of view of four siblings from a middle class family who summers in Nantucket. Even though we get to read some of brother Tiger's letters sent from Vietnam, Summer of '69 is a female centered book. 

The differences with the generations, grandmother, mother and (in particular) teenage daughter were captured well.
Grandmother Exalta was a curious character who you just knew had more underneath. Mother Kate and eldest daughter Blair's blandness annoyed me. Middle sister Kirby and the youngest Jessie were the most alike, both going through this summer learning about themselves, and growing up.   

Something that happened in this book reminded me of watching the final episode in season 1 of Big Little Lies with my mom, who referred to Jane's rape as a bad night with Perry, and I said um, she was raped. My mom's generation didn’t call it rape, it was "what women went through". They were hesitant to give such acts a criminal name. My generation, coming up in the 1970's, began calling assault what it is, and wasn't afraid to go against men, hold them accountable.  

Thirteen year old Jessie discovered her pervy tennis instructor humping her is unfortunately typical of what teens start to go through. I cringed at Helen's mother's poor, un-supportive reaction when Helen was groped by him.  Passing it off as she did is a girl’s worst fear! That your mother won't understand what happened, or support & defend you is gut wrenching. I cheered though when Jessie told Suze and got her help.  

Towards the end of the summer, Jessie has a few mature realizations. When she see's her grandmother kissing the caretaker and then thinks of her as a real person, not just the grandmother she never warmed to. She also thinks twice before telling her father everything about her summer. Children tell their parents everything, but grown ups keep some things to them selves, she thinks.  

This was my first Elin Hilderbrand novel, but won't be my last.

I received Summer of '69 in a giveaway. 

Until next time,
Kara 

Daisy Jones and the Six

Daisy Jones and the Six - I don't know if you've heard of this book...?😜

There was a lot that was unappealing for me. It wasn't the interview format, which was fine. I looked forward to experiencing a different style. The first problem for me was that the characters all sounded detached. There were no feelings here.

Like when Daisy described her first time, I thought, where was the emotion? I would have expected more descriptive words to be chosen, particularly from a song writer. But it felt lacking.

As well, the band members all sounded the same at the beginning. I kept searching for, and hoping someone would have a different voice.

It also was turning out to be quite predictable. I really enjoy an alt gritty lifestyle story, that's what makes reading so enjoyable, being able to escape into another life. But I was finding this had... no soul.

But then things fortunately changed when the dynamic between Daisy and Billy got interesting.

Some may like Daisy's confidence, some may be turned off by it. I had a hard time understanding her. Rock stars are full of themselves though, and this story improved when author Taylor Jenkins Reid allowed Daisy to go deeper into her insecurities. We finally got to learn that her big ego and self importance came from a sense of having no self worth. 

The dialogue improved when Daisy & Billy began working together, they started to develop and show feeling, and utter something other than cliches and typical defensive responses.

The Six became interesting then too, especially Karen & Graham's relationship.

I suppose that could be the point TJR had, to start off with characters that want to appear aloof, like they are just old rock n rollers, reminiscing about their party years,and then eventually, get to the real deal.  

Reading this did make me think a lot about my favourite band, Fleetwood Mac, and wonder about what Stevie Nicks and Lyndsey Buckingham and Christine and John McVie went through. 

I liked Daisy's voice comparison with Billy: "I sounded like a cool new pair of jeans and Billy sounded like a pair you've had for years." 

Her observation when Hank became aggressive, she thought of all the decisions she made that brought her there would flash before your eyes. "Something tells me men don't do that same thing. When they are standing there, threatening a woman, I doubt they count every wrong step they made to become the asshole they are. But they should."

Her explanation about getting high: "It's funny. At first, I think you start getting high to dull your emotions, to escape from them. But after a while you realize that the drugs are what are making your life untenable, they are actually what are heightening every emotion you have. It's making your heartbreak harder, your good times higher. So coming down really does start to feel like rediscovering sanity. And when you discover your sanity, it's only a matter of time before you start to get an inkling of why you wanted to escape it in the first place."

I received Daisy Jones and the Six in a giveaway. 

Until next time,
Kara 

The Kiss Quotient

Right off the bat, I must say, I just didn't buy Michael as the hooker with a heart of gold. Professional, sex worker, gigolo, escort, prostitute, ho - whatever label is given to Michael, he still has sex for money.
Even when we learn why he does what he does, it that supposed to make it alright, excuse his choice in a job? I understand that this story teaches us to get past judgement, and be accepting of how people earn their money, once we know their back story. But I wonder if the roles were reversed, if "Michelle" was the pro and "Stuart" the client, would people feel the same? Perhaps because Hoang created a male prostitute turned hero, this is equal opportunity?


A nephew of mine has Asperger's, so I was most curious to see how Stella's Asperger's would be handled. I was pleased to discover Helen Hoang's description of Asperger's is done with sensitivity and accuracy. 

Michael is leery of clients becoming obsessive, and that's Stella's weakness, a trait of Asperger's, she obsesses with things. Something she discovered the very first night with him.
I wondered how it will work, how will she rein in her desire for him?
It was well written, I thought, Michael's reaction to her lessons, and how he explained to her that they don't need to get around her problems, but through them. He creates intimacy with her which is necessary to be a good lover. Intimacy, after all, doesn't start in the bedroom.
These Asperger's traits that Michael observed were right on: Stella had trouble with eye contact, rarely spoke unless asked a direct question, and gave short, direct answers. She listened intently, and frowned with concentration. 

Kudos to Hoang for writing contemporary dialogue. It's a fast, effortless, fun read.
The Kiss Quotient is the type of fairytale that many go ga-go for. In a world of so much harsh reality, it is nice to have fairy tales.

I received The Kiss Quotient in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara 

Disappointment River

Part historical narrative, part travel memoir, Disappointment River depicts both Alexander Mackenzie's and author adventurer Brian Castner Arctic voyages.

The first eight chapters detail Mackenzie's young life, and then his journey with indigenous guides to find the Northwest Passage in 1789. 
For me, the book picked up and became interesting at Chapter 9. The descriptions of the horrendous winter weather and river conditions and drama amongst the crew brought you right there. 

Because his journey would take several weeks, Castner found four paddle mates who met him at different points along the way. 
In preparing for his trip, Castner explains his choice in a Tilley hat. He reread a book where the writer took his time choosing a Herbert Johnson trilby Indiana Jones style hat. "But, I thought, didn't Harrison Ford have to staple that fedora to his head to keepit from flying off? Iwas much more practical and chose a Tilley hat. Polyester, not felt. Breathable. Keeps the sun and rain off, a strap to secure it on one's head. I tried it on at the store and looked in the mirror, and I realized I had reached an age when wearing such a hat was n longer ironic. I was not playing dress up, impersonating my father. I am a father, a middle-aged man in a brimmed hat." 

He describes the bugs in Manitoba as attacking him, engulfing his truck and banging themselves into the windows. "They were as big as the main digit of my thumb, and when I pushed on them to kill them, their bodies cracked and the meat split under my fingers, as if I had smeared a fat green grape across the kitchen table."
On the desolate, unvaried environment: "Except to pump gas, I saw no one for days. My windshield was a murder wall, the stuff of nightmares for giant flies. I was driving 140 kilometres an hour but felt hemmed in. No view, no perspective, all day an identical sight: only the slightest ripple in the flat spruce monoculture, days upon days unchanging." 

Castner explains how he bought in Hay River $45 loose tobacco to give to the river so it wouldn't take from them. Overpriced pop and bootleg beer for $100 a case were beverage choices in Fort Smith.
As they slept in a tent near their canoe docked at a boat launch, much of their supplies were stolen in Fort Providence. Castner was annoyed that he didn't trust his instincts, chose to be trusting instead. "Why would poor and desperate in the Arctic really behave differently than anywhere else?" 

Castner made realizations about poverty, that it's impossible to ignore in the small towns he went through. "...When humans live in wilderness, true wilderness far off the highways, almost by definition it must be in material want, because population density is required for the consumption most Americans consider normal." He wondered what kind of work they can find, as most opportunities are taken away by white outsiders (police, teacher, government jobs). Most young indigenous people don't live traditionally off the land, so inactivity and hopelessness overtakes them, "the unintended consequence of globalization for those so marooned. They can see the culture on satellite television but cannot touch it, except to purchase the veneer on Amazon - yoga pants and smart phones and straight-brimmed New Era baseball caps with the gold foil sticker." 

This  adventure not only brought Castner and his canoe companions to the rarely explored Arctic, but gave them the opportunity to learn about the fascinating people they met along the way.
                              

I received Disappointment River: Finding and Losing The Northwest Passage in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara 

End of the Rope - Mountains, Marriage and Motherhood

There's a lot to learn about, cheer for, and feel sadness over in Jan Redford's memoir End of the Rope.

Jan begins sharing with us the start of her feminism. She was stronger and better at building than her uncles. She wanted her father's life, not her mother's: She wanted to be an adventurer, not marry one. She didn't want to help her mom, but be with her dad. Jan shares many anecdotes from her youth, like going down the boys slide, and how she flexed like a muscle man after rock climbing when her siblings found her. Even her backpack named Beast was a he. Her need throughout is to lead a climb, not follow.

Jan felt she was a perfect example of "the 'Cinderella complex', the absolute worst feminist walking the earth." She wanted the men she was with to look out for her on their outdoor adventures.

The struggle of wanting men to save you, I get. It's the fantasy of wanting them (men) to want to save you.

She mentions the Harlequin romance bodice ripping image, the "bad boys" she was drawn to. Again, something I'm sure many of us women can relate to.

I learned so much about the mind of outdoor adventurers, aka adrenaline junkies, risk takers and thrill seekers. A big takeaway was many have a life wish, not a death wish. Her boyfriend Dan who died tragically at least lived doing what he loved. When I think of my climber cousin Matt Westlake who also lives in Alberta, that makes sense to me, as he's such a positive life loving person.

The most difficult chapter was Pink Wedding Dress. Reading about the red flags with Grant left me with a sinking sadness for her. You can visualize the conversation when Jan many years later told her sister it (the problems between them) was the house, and her sister responded softly it's not the house. 

She told herself many things but the truth, like maybe she didn't need a degree, but to be more committed to the marriage.

It was refreshing to read her realistic feelings about motherhood & her failing marriage. She wasn't all ga-ga about being pregnant again, she even made a pros & cons list about having another baby. She's very brave to write those truths. Her envy about her husband's climbs was loud and clear. She often mentioned his physique & resented her mom bod.

Jan had complicated feelings towards her dad, which is a shared experience for many of us. Love filled hate she called it. Great insight into her feelings about her dad. She even says she married her dad. And I can't believe her father apologized to her!

Jan Redford got down to the gritty truth in her memoir, and wasn't interested in painting a perfect pretty picture. Life is full of highs and lows, and End of the Rope represents that. 

I'll be watching this movie for sure (because it's definitely movie material).  

I received End of the Rope in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara  

Anti cancer Living

"It is not fair for those of us who don't yet have cancer not to realize that our lifestyle choices influence our quality of life today and our risk of disease in the future." 
This for me was a perfect reason to read this book and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Prevention is within our ability. 

To tell the truth, much of Anti cancer Living felt like doom & gloom. With the exception of the cancer survivor stories, I didn't want to read so much (almost 400 pages!) negativity. But it's important to be informed, not stand back & think you can't do anything for your future. There is a lot of useful information and healthy lifestyle suggestions that we all should be putting into practice.

The married co authors Dr. Lorenzo Cohen and Alison Jefferies give us results of very in depth analysis and research into cancer and living healthily with the disease, in Anti cancer Living.  The "Mix of Six" is a prescriptive plan to prevent cancer, and thrive after a cancer diagnosis. 
Social support, stress, sleep, exercise, diet, and the environment are the six factors that play a major role in developing cancer, and improving your life with cancer.

We all have known for decades that smoking causes cancer, but it's news to many I'm sure the role sleep and social support plays in preventing this disease.  I know a few people who've recently gone through chemo and surgery. I was surprised, as they were, to learn they had cancer, because diet and exercise (obesity) and alcohol & smoking (carcinogens) weren't the causes. But then you realize the stress in their lives has taken its ugly toll.  

For those who don't exercise regularly, Cohen tells us how he gets a lot of activity by incorporating regular movement into his day. Things like parking further away from stores, taking the stairs, walking after dinner, using a standing desk, a recumbent bike, and even having walking meetings. All this disguised exercise adds up.

I now understand the importance of organic. I used to believe the organic industry was just hyped up overpriced foods and products. You know, hipsters posting on social media about the latest & greatest (expensive!) food trend at Whole Foods. But after reading this book, I understand that everything should be organic. 
Troubling things: 
Reading about almonds was a shocker. For 10 years, most almonds sold in the US are said to be treated with propylene oxide gas, a known carcinogen.  
Also, cash register receipts have bisphenol A or BPA, an endocrine disruptor. 

Honestly, I did feel hopelessness reading the food and chemicals in products chapters. Fortunately, there are still foods we can eat. Broccoli is still safe, whew! I've introduced turmeric into my meals, and am glad to hear kimchi and miso are on the Anti cancer diet.  Even coffee, through research, is said to have strong antioxidant effects, and studies have shown it promoted the death of cancer cells. 

In the past, I couldn't get into traditional meditation - being completely still and not thinking for 20 minutes never worked for me. But I've been practicing the examples of mindfulness and compassion/loving kindness meditation, which are right up my alley.  

It is overwhelming to think of all we have to do to eliminate these threats, and rid our lifestyles and homes of toxins. So the section guide to detoxify your household environment is useful in helping us tackle it room by room. Besides diet, it outlines how to have a chemical free home, filter your water, and reduce the toxins you put on your body. 

When I finished Anti cancer Living, I did feel some of that hysteria they wrote about, as in, there's too much to eliminate! But after some time, that sense of sickening urgency mostly left, and I like knowing there is a lot I can to to prevent this, and other diseases. My conclusion is I like having some control over my own health, and ultimately, future. 

I received Anti cancer Living  in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,


Kara  

Beneath a Ruthless Sun

Beneath a Ruthless Sun by 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner author Gilbert King is a crime thriller that grabbed me from the get-go. 

You've got a racist sheriff and deputies; a mentally impaired teenager who is sent to a state hospital for the insane; and a female investigative journalist who just wouldn't quit trying to uncover the true story. 

In 1957 Lake County Florida, in a small town of citrus groves, Blanche Knowles, the wife of a powerful citrus grower is raped by a negro, she said. Deputies raced to the shacks where all the black men lived who worked on an orange grove, and brought them in for questioning. Why a white nineteen year old spends 14 years in the notorious Chatthoochee for this crime is an incredible atrocity in this story. 

With an IQ  between 25-55, Jesse Daniels was diagnosed as an "imbecile" by the Florida Farm Colony for Epileptic and Feeble-Minded Persons in Gainesville in 1956. King depicts how sheriff Willis McCall goes after him and coerces him to confess to a rape he didn't commit.  

Beneath a Ruthless Sun reveals the ugly, shameful racist and legal injustice history of central Florida. This true story made me question whether these injustices are really that far back in past? This is the stuff of movies. 

I received Beneath a Ruthless Sun in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,


Kara 

The Bad Daughter

I love it when a book keeps me interested from the start, and The Bad Daughter luckily was one of those. It was hard to put down. 
This was really my type of story: it had drama, crime and family issues. 

Robin reluctantly returns to her tiny hometown at the disturbing news of a violent home invasion her father & his new young family went through. 
Two siblings got out of Dodge, and one remained. There's a quiet teenager who sneaks off in the night, a creepy friend, and even a lurking sheriff. 
Like most therapists, Robin needs one herself. Her estrangement from her father and former best friend is a curiosity. 
Melanie presents as a defensive, reactionary, bitter and proud. I couldn't help but wonder when Robin would grow a pair, and what will crack Melanie's hard shell. 

Something that stood out for me was the interesting observation Robin made about her sister Melanie: "having a son with autism only increased (her) anger. At the world in general."  
When Robin's man Blake first called her and didn't say he wants to come & be with her, Robin thought "stop asking what I want and figure out what I need." Rather passive aggressive, am I right ladies? 

Like any novel that has so much tension between the characters, I did feel uncomfortable and hoped for things to become settled in a happy ending. 
Joy Fielding's writing style is easy breezy. I'd be curious to read some of her other novels. 

I received The Bad Daughter in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara