Young Jane Young - Gabrielle Zevin

I adored Gabrielle Zevin's previous book, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry and was eager to read her just released novel, Young Jane Young.

We meet sixty four year old Rachel in the the opening chapters as she tries out online dating. I loved her sassy voice and dry sense of humour and found myself chuckling over her thoughts and comments. Her chapter then segues into the life of the next main character - her daughter Aviva. Aviva is working for a congressman - and crosses a line, having an affair with the married man.  Her life goes off the rails from the fallout of this decision, until she decides to start over with a new name - Jane. She relocates in another state - and daughter Ruby is born. Jane's chapter segues into Ruby's. And the inevitable fate that awaits all three. The last viewpoint is that of the congressman's wife Embeth.

What a rich and varied story this was! Young Jane Young was an unexpected, unpredictable and yet very satisfying read. This one event effects all four leads in so many ways and their various outlooks, reactions and responses are dependent on each individual's age, experience and life philosophy. I loved each voice and was hard pressed to have a favourite. But, if forced to pick, I would have to say that I enjoyed Ruby the most. Her letters to her penpal are the basis for a lot of what she is feeling and doing and a lot of it is heartbreaking. I loved the insertion of epistolary elements. Zevin employs this for Aviva/Jane as well. We are privy to her journal, written in a Choose Your Own Adventure style. Choices are given and we see how and why her life took the path it did.

"The rub of the Choose Your Own Adventure stories is that if you don't make a few bad choices, the story will be terribly boring. If you do everything right and you're always good, the story will be very short."

Mother, daughters, friends, the path taken and not taken. The echoes of a choice made, the denial and acceptance that we can't change what has been done - only move forward.

Zevin's writing is wry, witty and peppered with truths. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Young Jane Young.

You can connect with Gabrielle Zevin on her website, find her on Facebook and like her on Twitter.

Leave Me - Gayle Forman

I enjoy Gayle Forman's writing. Her newest book - Leave Me -  is a departure from young adult fiction and is geared towards adult readers.

Maribeth Klein leads a busy life - wife, mother to twins and magazine editor. There's always somewhere to be, something to do and not enough time to do it in. And so, when she feels chest pains, Maribeth ascribes it to stress or perhaps it's simply indigestion. But it's not - it's a heart attack - at forty-four years old.

No, Maribeth doesn't die. But, she comes close and everything changes for her. When she returns home though, nothing seems to have changed. Barely into recovery, her husband and children treat her as they did before the heart attack, expecting so much from her. Her mother is there to help, but she too adds to the workload. And Maribeth? She simply can't take it - and she leaves. Leaves her husband, her children, her mother and her job. Takes her half of the savings, hops on a bus, rents a furnished apartment and stops. Stops to take stock of her life, her health, her relationship with her husband, her role as a mother. And her role as a child. Maribeth is adopted, but does not know her birth mother. Where does she want her life to go from here?

I think you would be hard pressed to find a mother who has not felt stretched to the limit with her time, energy and physical and mental capabilities. Let alone having a major health crisis. I know I did when my kids were younger. I can absolutely empathize with Maribeth's decision to leave. Although, I was a little annoyed with her for not being able to say no - both before and after her heart attack. But without that inability, there would be no story.

I liked Maribeth, liked her a lot. I was definitely sitting in her cheering section as she worked her way through her past and into her present. Forman throws in challenges and different avenues that Maribeth could travel along the way. What will she choose? I had my druthers, but won't spill the beans. Suffice it to say, I had a hard time liking her husband Jason. I just couldn't get past his initial introduction and actions despite further developments as the book progresses.(And is it bad if I say, I really didn't like the four year old daughter either? Her behaviour and dialogue seem older than four. But really annoying) I adored the upstairs neighbours - their quirkiness and kindness made them the kind of friends I would love to have in my circle.

And yes there are further developments and resolutions. And deep down, I know it's the only way the story could go, but that little bit of me just wonders what if.........(and I'm only talking about Jason here, not the kids)  I did however find the ending a bit rushed considering the path to it.

Forman's writing flows so well and is very easy to read. I'll absolutely pick up her next book. Although Leave Me was a good read, it isn't my favourite from this author.

I think there will be Maribeth lovers and Maribeth detractors. Book clubs would have a field day with Leave Me - lots of fodder for discussion! The title is clever as leave me can apply to so many of the characters and their relationships. Read an excerpt of Leave Me.

Security - Gina Wohlsdorf

Security is the newly released debut novel from Gina Wohlsdorf.

Tessa and her team are scrambling the night before to put the final touches in place for the opening night of Manderly, an uber-luxurious hotel. In addition to the opulent touches, the security system is the ultimate in high tech.

"This place is something....supposed to be the safest hotel in the world, right?"

But is it enough to stop the two killers that are calmly strolling throughout the hotel, knocking off the employees one by one? The hotel is large, sprawling, and equipped with a hidden elevator - the employees have no idea that they are being hunted down - until it's too late.

But Tessa is a fighter, having survived a rough childhood with her foster brother Brian - who has stopped by the hotel to catch up. As the night progresses, they will have to draw on that toughness if they hope to see morning.

Wohlsdorf weaves a rich past and romance for Brian and Tessa amongst the carnage of the Manderly. These tender moments are juxtaposed by the calmness of the killer as they just go about their work. Romantic horror?

But - there's one more person at the Manderley - the one watching the security cameras. Who is he? The mastermind? Another hired assassin?

I loved the 'split screen' pages that echoed multiple camera views from someone watching in a security room. It was a unique idea and it really made the reader feel like they were in the room watching as well.

Wohlsdorf has a darkly wicked sense of humour. Which seems odd in what I've just described, but it really works.

Security really defies being slotted into a genre. I was kept completely off kilter. It's a nail biter and I can absolutely see it on the big screen. And, I might be a little paranoid the next time I check in at a hotel - "The most thorough safety is safety one's object of protection doesn't know about."  Read an excerpt of Security.

This is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison

I love mysteries and thrillers, but funnily enough, the books that stay with me long after the last page is turned don't fit into that genre. Instead, it is the books that embrace and celebrate human nature, frailty, spirit, joy and more that continue to resonate with me.

This is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison is one of those books.

Seventy-eight year old Harriet Chance's husband Bernard has been dead for two years when she receives a call from a travel agency about an Alaskan cruise. Bernard purchased it - and the deadline for using it is approaching. Against her children's wishes (they think she's losing her mind as she insists Bernard is still around and talking to her) she decides to go.

But Bernard is indeed showing up and talking to her. An unknown narrator leads the reader on a tour of Harriet's life, from early years, to the present and the years in between. Along with Harriet, we discover secrets kept from her over the years and secrets she has kept over those same years...

"This is your life, Harriet Chance, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part."

Oh I loved Harriet! I liked her determination, empathized with her sadness, urged her on in her hopes, saddened at her acceptances, was appalled at revelations and more. It was easy to believe that this was truly someone's life. I thought Evison did a great job of imagining a life lived. The author's notes at the end only confirmed this....

"...the women who have often settled for less, the women who've never quite gotten their fair share, who have soldiered on in the face of inequity, frustration and despair, who have forgiven beyond a reasonable measure, absorbed beyond reasonable expectation, and given, given, given with no promise of recompense. I wanted to thank them with this portrait of one woman, inspired by all of them..." Read an excerpt of This is Your Life, Harriet Chance!

Loved it. Well done Mr. Evison. You can connect with Jonathan Evison on Twitter and on his website.

Descent - Tim Johnston

Let's just start with wow.... Tim Johnston's new novel Descent is a gripping, gut-wrenching, stay up until your eyes burn read....one you absolutely have to get your hands on.

The Courtlands decide to take one last family vacation before their daughter Caitlin starts college in the fall. One morning Caitlin and her brother Ben go for a run/bike ride up the trails while parents Grant and Angela sleep in.

And that sleep in becomes Grant and Angela's what if.... because Caitlin is gone and Ben is badly injured...and the Courtlands are thrown into one of those stories you only read about on the front page. They are living the nightmare.

Descent is an exploration of the aftermath of that fateful day, told from the viewpoint of all the family members (including Caitlin) - the recriminations, the slow eroding of relationships and ties in the face of such tragedy. But it's also a story of faith, friendship, hope and fortitude. All slowly laid bare by Johnston's prose - raw and moving, yet elegant in their simplicity.

I had to put the book down and walk away a few times - some of the situations and emotions were overwhelming. Johnston is a powerful writer. And I admit to doing the unthinkable - peeking ahead a few pages just to calm myself down before continuing on. Descent again reaffirms why I love to read - to be moved and transported by the power of words is simply amazing.

The label literary thriller is on the cover blurb of Descent and I think it's totally spot on. Absolutely recommended. Read an excerpt of Descent. You can find Tim Johnston on Twitter .

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry - Gabrielle Zevin

I absolutely adored Gabrielle Zevin's latest novel, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry! Although murder and mayhem is my favourite genre to read, I need to read a feel good story every so often. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is a five star feel good!

A.J. is the curmudgeonly owner of Island Books. The sign above the door also includes: "No man is an island: every book is a world."

A.J. has made himself into an island though. His wife has died and so has a part of A.J. He doesn't like people and he drinks too much. A valuable book that was to have funded his retirement has been stolen - and it wasn't insured. What does life have left to offer A.J.? What does A.J. have left to offer to the world? Not much it seems, until the day a unusual 'package' is left in the bookstore.....And so begins a new chapter of life for A.J. Fikry....

Now, I have no desire to spoil this book for potential readers, so suffice to say, there is romance, heartbreak, heartwarming, drama, humour and much, much more contained within the pages of A.J.'s life. I was completely caught up in Zevin's wonderful story and spent most of one Sunday on Alice Island.

Zevin has created such a wonderful cast of characters, each with a unique voice and their own story. A.J.'s wry comments and gruff attitude belie a gentle, caring soul. There is a wonderful cast of supporting characters as well. Best supporting goes to Police Chief Lambiese whose slow, easy manner hides an astute mind.  I would love to attend the Chief's Choice book club. (with a focus on crime writers)

The literary references, the bookseller and publisher rep comments and the descriptions of the bookstore will fill any booklover or bookseller with delight. I wanted to live in the little apartment above Island Books and hang out in the store below. Definitely a recommended read, guaranteed to warm the heart and soul. Read an excerpt of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry. 

I had a quick listen to the audiobook version as well. Scott Brick (one of my favourites) is the reader and I thought his interpretation was spot on. Listen to an excerpt of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry.

You can keep up with Gabrielle Zevin on Twitter and on Facebook.

The Art Forger - B. A. Shapiro

The Art Forger marks B.A. Shapiro's fiction debut.

Now I must admit, I have very little knowledge of the art world. So I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book or not.

What I found fascinating was that Shapiro wove her story around actual historical figures and events. In 1990 the Gardner Museum was robbed of a number of significant art works.  They have never been recovered. The works were collected by Isabelle Stewart Gardner - a woman who lived life on her own terms.

Shapiro's narrator and main character is painter Claire Roth. She survived a scandal personally, but the professional fallout has left her 'reproducing' famous art works for a living. When a well known gallery owner approaches her about reproducing a famous work in exchange for a show of her own work, she hesitates - but agrees. The work she'll be copying is one of Degas's - and one stolen from the Gardner. Or is it?

Shapiro's research has been carefully carried out. She describes the atmosphere, the smell, the process of painting with great detail and passion. I did actually learn quite a bit during my read, but at the end did find myself glossing over some of these passages as they seemed to cover ground already discussed. The same  process is covered multiple times.

Shapiro uses flashbacks very effectively. In bits and pieces we learn what happened to Claire three years ago and what led to her current situation.  As that story unfolds, it seems that history may be repeating itself. Has Claire made the same tragic mistakes yet again?

The third storyline is told in 1880's letters from Isabelle to her niece - her only confidant. The mystery of the current day missing paintings might be found in these missives. But, have they survived the years? I really enjoyed these letters.

But somehow, I never felt I connected with Claire on a personal level. I had a hard time buying her relationship with Aiden the gallery owner.  I found the art side of the story much more developed and richer than the characters themselves. They seemed rather wooden and somewhat cliched.

The Art Forger has been billed as a literary thriller, but I disagree. It's a good story, but isn't really a thriller at heart. The mystery aspect of the book is somewhat obvious and it was not a surprise when I was proven right. An enjoyable read, but not a standout for this reader. Read an excerpt of The Art Forger.

Heading Out to Wonderful - Robert Goolrick

I first discovered Robert Goolrick when I read  A Reliable Wife. I was captivated by his writing style and his storytelling. (my review) I was eager to read his latest novel - Heading Out to Wonderful.

Charlie Beale rolls into the small town of Brownsburg, Virginia in 1948. Brownsburg is off the beaten path and nothing much happens - life goes on in  day to day set rhythms. But the arrival of this stranger and his two suitcases brings change. Charlie has one suitcase full of money and the other full of his butcher's knives. After days spent silently wandering the town, he decides that this sleepy town will become the home he is looking for. He secures a job with the local butcher Charlie, allows Charlie's wife Alma to fuss over him and becomes friends with their five year old son Sam. And with the money, he begins to buy land and a house.

Heading Out to Wonderful is Sam's narrative - told many years later.

"This story actually happened, and it happened pretty much the way I'm going to tell it to you. It's a true story, as much as six decades of remembering and telling can allow it to be true. But I still ask myself sometimes late at night, about what happened, how it all turned out, about the life I've led, you know, everything. I ask myself the same questions they ask me, these people who've only heard about it, who weren't even around when it all took place. What happened and why did it have to happen in the way it did?"

What happened? Charlie Beale saw Sylvan Glass - the young wife of the town's richest man. And that,
my friends was the beginning.....

I love Goolrick's writing style. It is full of opposites, of push and pull. The story is stark, but the language is rich and full. The tale is full of tension, but the journey there is told in a leisurely fashion with eloquent prose that had me stopping, rereading, enjoying and only then moving on to the next page.

Charlie and Sylvan are magnets inextricably attracted and young Sam is witness to all. Goolrick takes his novel places I didn't see coming - the final chapters caught me unawares. Heading Out to Wonderful again explores love, attraction, friendship, betrayal and inevitability. Sam's accounting of things takes on an almost otherworldly, mystic feel, as though we've been allowed to see behind the curtain.

As Charlie says..... "Let me tell you something son. When you're young, and you head out to wonderful, everything is fresh and bright as a brand new penny, but before you get to wonderful, you're going to have to pass through all right. And when you get to all right, stop and take a good, long look, because that may be as far as you're ever going to go."

Pick up a copy of Goolrick's book - you'll pass straight by all right and directly on in to wonderful. Highly recommended. Read an excerpt of Heading Out to Wonderful. You can find Robert Goolrick on Twitter.