Cover Crush: Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself!  A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! 

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Flashlight Commentary, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. I've decided to join in this year and will link to their posts down below.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

I think this is just the coolest looking cover! Clearly there is something hidden under that water (it looks like it might be a face) that we, the reader, are supposed to want to discovery and the unfocused background with clear bubbles above it makes it deliciously undecipherable. I also love the way the writing is wavy, like water, and that the author's name is so prominent since I adored The Girl on the Train last year and, therefore, her name is a big draw for me right now. 

Haven't heard of this book yet? Here's the synopsis:

The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller and global phenomenon The Girl on the Train returns with Into the Water, her addictive new novel of psychological suspense. 

A single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.

Left behind is a lonely fifteen-year-old girl. Parentless and friendless, she now finds herself in the care of her mother’s sister, a fearful stranger who has been dragged back to the place she deliberately ran from—a place to which she vowed she’d never return.

With the same propulsive writing and acute understanding of human instincts that captivated millions of readers around the world in her explosive debut thriller, The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins delivers an urgent, twisting, deeply satisfying read that hinges on the deceptiveness of emotion and memory, as well as the devastating ways that the past can reach a long arm into the present.

Beware a calm surface—you never know what lies beneath.

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week:

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede

Erin at Flashlight Commentary

Heather at The Maiden's Court

Stephanie at Layered Pages

Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Created by Magdalena of A Bookaholic Swede

Papa Haydn Gets the Case: Guest Post by Nupur Tustin, Author of A Minor Deception + Tour-Wide Giveaway

I'm often asked why I chose the composer Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) as the protagonist of my historical mystery series. That question is frequently accompanied by another one: How does Haydn use his musical skills to solve mysteries? This last uttered with a great deal of skepticism as though the series must of necessity deal with the authentication of musical works or be a sort of eighteenth-century musical version of the television series White Collar to require a musician at all. 

But let me tell you a story. I think you'll see for yourself why Haydn was the perfect choice. 

Haydn worked for one of the most powerful families in the Habsburg Empire, the Esterházys, as a Kapellmeister—Director of Music. Now Prince Nikolaus Esterházy disliked Vienna intensely. He spent the winter there as was customary, but preferred to spend the bulk of his time in the quiet backwaters of a marsh-ridden village called Eszterháza. 

In fact, shortly after extensive renovations transformed the modest hunting lodge he owned there into a magnificent palace, the Prince made the decision to spend the long summer months in Eszterháza. So, for six months of the year, the members of the orchestra with the exception of Haydn were obliged to remain in the Hungarian village without their families. 

But when the Prince considered extending the customary six-month stay in Eszterháza by two whole months, the musicians, desperate to see their wives again, protested vehemently. Something had to be done about this decision, they informed the Kapellmeister. And Haydn, who, despite his own troubled relations with his wife, perfectly understood the situation, set himself to resolve the problem.

He first considered a petition to the Prince, but, realizing that the reason behind the musicians' unhappiness might only provoke amusement without solving the problem, dismissed the idea. A few other solutions were considered and rejected before the Kapellmeister hit upon the perfect idea. 

A few evenings later, the Prince was treated to the most wonderful sextet. But in the middle of the most passionate passage, one of the players closed his score, put out his candle, and left with his instrument. In this manner each musician, including Haydn himself, left the room. When the last musician put out his light and left, the Prince got the message.

He followed the musicians into the antechamber, and approaching his Kapellmeister said, "I understand, Haydn; tomorrow the men may all leave." 

I'm especially fond of this anecdote narrated by one of Haydn's early biographers, A.C. Dies, because it illustrates a number of key qualities that enabled Haydn to succeed in his position as Kapellmeister. And these same qualities serve him well as a fictional detective.

First, Haydn is nothing if not discreet. When his musicians approach him for help, he's careful to find a solution that won't trivialize their complaints. This concern for his musicians' sensibility and welfare earned him their lifelong respect and the affectionate nickname of Papa Haydn. His discretion would have been appreciated by his employer as well. 

Consider any detective in the annals of historical mysteries. How far do you suppose they would go were they not discreet? Anne Perry's Thomas Pitt would certainly never rise to become head of the Secret Service had he a propensity to gossip and meddle. And although Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher can be charmingly forthright, even she knows when to hold her tongue. 

In A Minor Deception, when his violinist's disappearance threatens to turn into a political problem, Haydn's discretion is needed to contain the potential ramifications of the incident.

The solution Haydn employs in the anecdote I've just recounted shows a great deal of resourcefulness. There are quite a few stories of his dealings with musicians that show Haydn to be both tactful and resourceful—excellent qualities for a detective. And, for his first case, Haydn needs every ounce of ingenuity he has. 

The protagonist of a historical mystery must typically weave a path among both high-ranking individuals and those of lesser birth. After all, crime, like death, knows no boundaries. That Haydn was able to do so, earning the trust and respect of all classes of people, is clearly revealed in the little anecdote I've shared. 

His solution, however ingenious, would have had no persuasive power for the Prince had His Serene Highness not been able to trust Haydn's judgment when it came to his men and his decisions about the best course of action to take. That trust would have transferred over to other matters as well. 

There's one other quality a good detective—at least one in a historical mystery—must possess. The ability to understand the sensibilities of both upper and lower classes. 

Anne Perry's Thomas Pitt marries above his station, giving him access to high-ranking members of society. Victoria Thompson's Sarah Brandt moves down in the world as a result of her decision to become a midwife. This gives her an insight in how the poor live, and how their circumstances affect their behavior and their values. Phryne Fisher has a motley crew of helpers available to provide her a glimpse into the seamier side of Australian society.

Haydn's own humble birth enabled him to understand those of his station. His immense talents and his hard work brought him into contact with the most powerful members of the Habsburg Empire, giving him a singular and intimate insight into the workings of their minds as well. 

In so many ways, then, Haydn is the perfect detective. How could I not assign him the case?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Publication Date: November 15, 2016

Foiled Plots Press

eBook & Trade Paperback; 254 Pages

Series: Joseph Haydn Mysteries

Genre: Historical Mystery

When his newly hired violinist disappears just weeks before the Empress’s visit, Haydn is forced to confront a disturbing truth. . .

Kapellmeister Joseph Haydn would like nothing better than to show his principal violinist, Bartó Daboczi, the door. But with the Empress Maria Theresa’s visit scheduled in three weeks, Haydn can ill-afford to lose his surly virtuoso.

But when Bartó disappears—along with all the music composed for the imperial visit—the Kapellmeister is forced to don the role of Kapell-detective, or risk losing his job.

Before long Haydn’s search uncovers pieces of a disturbing puzzle. Bartó, it appears, is more than just a petty thief—and more dangerous. And what seemed like a minor musical mishap could modulate into a major political catastrophe unless Haydn can find his missing virtuoso.

Praise for A Minor Deception

“A Minor Deception is a wonderful tour de force that pulls the reader into the intricate world of 18th century music, mystery and politics! Elegantly written and plotted, the reader will be hooked from page one.” -New York Times Bestselling Author Emily Brightwell


“. . . will enthrall music lovers and mystery lovers alike. With complex characters and vivid descriptions, the reader will be transported back to the eighteenth century to enjoy a fascinating tale of intrigue. . .” -Kate Kingsbury, Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries

“A wonderful read for any music lover! Vivid historical descriptions, intricate details, and a fascinating central character kept me turning the pages. Bravo!” –Amanda Carmack, award-winning author of The Elizabethan Mystery Series

Buy the Book

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | ITUNES | KOBO

About the Author

A former journalist, Nupur Tustin relies upon a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.A. in English to

orchestrate fictional mayhem. The Haydn mysteries are a result of her life-long passion for classical music and its history. Childhood piano lessons and a 1903 Weber Upright share equal blame for her original compositions, available on ntustin.musicaneo.com.

Her writing includes work for Reuters and CNBC, short stories and freelance articles, and research published in peer-reviewed academic journals. She lives in Southern California with her husband, three rambunctious children, and a pit bull.

For details on the Haydn series and monthly blog posts on the great composer, visit the official Haydn Mystery website. You can also find Nupur Tustin on Facebook and Goodreads.

It's Giveaway Time!!!

To win a paperback copy of A Minor Deception, please enter via the Gleam form HERE.

Rules

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 23rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Giveaway is open to residents in Europe & North America only.

Only one entry per household.

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Good Luck!!!

A Minor Deception Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 16

Review at Bibliotica

Tuesday, January 17

Interview at The Book Connection
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, January 18

Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Thursday, January 19

Guest Post at A Literary Vacation

Friday, January 20

Interview at Dianne Ascroft’s Blog

Sunday, January 22

Review at Laura’s Interests

Monday, January 23

Review at Luxury Reading

Review Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Publisher: Ballentine Books
Pub. Date: October 11th, 2016
Pages: 470

Synopsis

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.

What Did I Think About the Story?

I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and have been since first reading Nineteen Minutes. While I haven't loved each book I've read I have loved most of them and, regardless, she always presents a complex topic with a host of complicated and varied characters that keep me conflicted and engaged until the last page.  She does not shy away from picking themes that touch on the situations that make many readers uncomfortable or angry but writes the stories in such compelling and heart wrenching ways that you feel for the characters and their lives even if you don't always agree with whatever situations they are presenting. Small Great Things is no exception and Jodi Picoult is at her best once again with this complex and multilayered story of race, discrimination, and understanding as only she can write it.

The characters in this novel are amazing. The story is told through three perspectives: Ruth, a black nurse who loses her job and is charged with a crime due to a situation involving a baby; Kennedy, the white attorney who represents her; and Turk, the white supremacist father of the baby involved. Ruth is a remarkable woman and nurse and there were a few times that her descriptions of caring for the various babies and mothers as a Labor and Delivery nurse over the years really touched me. My son was born a preemie and remained in the hospital for the first month of his life, and it was the amazing nurses during that experience that kept me from completely losing it. Ruth is a true amalgamation of these nurses and the love she feels for her charges is palpable, which makes what she experiences all the harder to swallow. Kennedy is wonderful as well, often funny if misguided in her attempts to relate to and assist Ruth, and being a white woman myself her experiences trying to navigate and truly understand this complex and tangled world of race and privilege was very relatable. I found Turk and his wife to be just disgusting, close-minded, and hypocritical and while I could empathize with their abject grief at losing their son so suddenly, their misdirected blame and hate towards Ruth and, really, anyone who didn't look like them made it impossible to really feel anything for them. There are quite a few secondary characters that add perspective and spice to the story as well and I think each one presented a point of view and point of reference that covers many, if not all, of the possible viewpoints of this overarching theme.

Something else I quite enjoyed was learning the medical and law jargon and procedures that aren't always shown or known to those outside the fields.  It felt very realistic and authentic and helped ground the story with facts and methods inside what can otherwise be very emotional. Whether the case or not, I imagine the author must have done quite a bit of research to get these aspects correct and I appreciate, as a reader, the time and effort put in to make the story as accurate as possible.

There are no easy answers or real resolutions to the situations expressed in Small Great Things, and I think anyone looking for that is missing the point of what is being discussed. The black characters would still be forced to face the fact that they're black based on the way they are treated by others, whether in overt or covert ways, every single day of their lives while the white characters might not even have to think about the color of their skin on any given day. This, obviously, can be transferred to the real world as well. Per the story, it is only when people start understanding and acknowledging that fact that any change can possibly happen. There is so much to discuss with this sort of story and I imagine book clubs will eat this one up.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

You know, I'm not a big fan. I think it's kind of simplistic, and I don't really know how the polaroid pictures relate to the story other than possibly being symbolic of each polaroid representing a point in time that, when one falls out of place, it knocks the rest out of alignment. There are so many other things that could have better represented the cover and, if it wasn't for the fact that I love the author's books, it wouldn't have drawn me to read the story.

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

I purchased a copy of Small Great Things for my own library and all opinions are my own. To find other reviews of the book as well as links to where you can purchase a copy check out Goodreads HERE. 

Spotlight on Illusions of Magic: Love and Intrigue in 1933 Chicago by J.B. Rivard + Tour-Wide Giveaway!

Publication Date: April 17, 2016
eBook; 233 Pages
ASIN: B01EGSC8N8

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery


READ AN EXCERPT

The withering of vaudeville was bad enough in 1933. Because of the Great Depression, bookings for stage magician Nick Zetner disappeared. With his marriage cracking under the strain, Nick reluctantly accepts a devious banker’s deal: He earns a generous reward if he retrieves photos stolen during a break-in at the bank. Along the way, a love he thought he’d forever lost reappears. Despite his skill in the arts of magic, penetrating the realm of the thieves grows increasingly perilous, especially when it endangers his newfound romance.

Illusions of Magic seamlessly merges this tale with the true-life assassination attempt on President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt resulting in Chicago’s mayor, Anton Cermak, being shot. His lingering death and a lack of legal means for his replacement causes great civic and social upheaval in the city.

In modern style, this novel propels the reader through emotional highs and subterranean lows with knife-edged dialogue, easy humor, page-turning action and authentic history.

Praise for Illusions of Magic

“Illusions of Magic, set in Chicago in early 1933, does a masterful job of telling the highly entertaining love story between an out-of-work magician and his old flame . . . Rivard creates a historically accurate background for his cast of fascinating characters, creating a moving novel . . .” —Dr. Willard Oliver, Professor at Sam Houston State University and co-author of Killing the President.


“Illusions of Magic, a story of political intrigue in 1930s Chicago, is written in an informative, yet entertaining style. Rivard weaves into his narrative the true story of Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak’s murder and he does it with accuracy and complete authenticity . . . Each chapter powers along, insisting you read ‘just one more’ part. The taut writing has a ‘made for the movies’ tension . . .” —Mel Ayton, author of The Forgotten Terrorist and Hunting the President.


“[The] attempted assassination of Franklin D. Roosevelt in…1933…is part of the dramatic backdrop of Rivard’s fast-paced and punchy novel….Nick Zetner’s adventures, part screwball comedy and part Dashiell Hammett, combine with the richly authentic atmosphere of the setting to create a quick and very enjoyable read that smoothly intermingles Nick’s love life with a challenging case he takes on for a corrupt banker. The book reads like a breath of fresh air – recommended.” -Joanna Urquhart, Historical Novel Society

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Almost everyone is familiar with the illustrations in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. However,

the number of illustrated novels published–for adult readers–declined steadily from the beginning to the middle of the 20th century, although not for lack of popularity. “Illusions of Magic” dares a return to the edgy, swirling arts of the illustrated story, with pen and ink illustrations by the novel’s author, Joseph B. “J. B.” Rivard, supplementing this exciting story.

As a young child, Rivard began drawing by copying newspaper comics. In his teens, he drew illustrations for his high school’s award-winning yearbook. He attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and his artworks have appeared in more than fifty juried exhibitions, earning many prizes and awards. He’s an artist-member of the Salmagundi Club of New York City.

Rivard’s writing draws on wide experience–he served in the U.S. Navy, graduated from the University of Florida, worked as a newspaper reporter, a magazine writer, and on the engineering staff of a U.S. National Laboratory where he wrote and co-authored many technical papers listed on Google Scholar. His broad background supports a wide array of significant publications, from short stories to song lyrics, from essays to novels. He calls Spokane, Washington home.

For more information, please visit the Illusions of Magic website.

It's Giveaway Time!!

To win a paperback copy of Illusions of Magic by J.B. Rivard, please enter via the Gleam form HERE. Three copies are up for grabs!

Rules

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Giveaway is open to residents in the US only.

Only one entry per household.

All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Good Luck!!

Illusions of Magic Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, January 9

Blog Tour Kick Off at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, January 10

Review at Books, Dreams, Life

Wednesday, January 11

Review at Book Nerd

Thursday, January 12

Review at 100 Pages a Day

Friday, January 13

Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Monday, January 16

Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Tuesday, January 17

Interview at The Maiden’s Court
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Wednesday, January 18

Review at Creating Herstory

Thursday, January 19

Review at Laura’s Interests

Friday, January 20

Review at Broken Teepee

Monday, January 23

Review at Beth’s Book Nook Blog

Tuesday, January 24

Spotlight at Susan Heim on Writing

Wednesday, January 25

Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Thursday, January 26

Spotlight at CelticLady’s Reviews
Spotlight at What Is That Book About

Friday, January 27

Review & Interview at Quitterstrip

Cover Crush: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself!  A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! 

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Flashlight Commentary, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. I've decided to join in this year and will link to their posts down below.

So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....

  

Seriously guys, just take a moment to look at this cover!! It's just so pretty!!! I'm always a sucker for a cottage house, and the misty, muted quality of the picture combined with the darker colors along the edges draws my eye right to the center. The golden framing around the top corners is beautiful as well. This book has shot to the top of my wish list due to this cover alone. 

Want to learn more about the book? Here's the synopsis:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home turns the clock back one hundred years to a time when two young girls from Cottingley, Yorkshire, convinced the world that they had done the impossible and photographed fairies in their garden. Now, in her newest novel, international bestseller Hazel Gaynor reimagines their story.

1917… It was inexplicable, impossible, but it had to be true—didn’t it? When two young cousins, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright from Cottingley, England, claim to have photographed fairies at the bottom of the garden, their parents are astonished. But when one of the great novelists of the time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, becomes convinced of the photographs’ authenticity, the girls become a national sensation, their discovery offering hope to those longing for something to believe in amid a world ravaged by war. Frances and Elsie will hide their secret for many decades. But Frances longs for the truth to be told.

One hundred years later… When Olivia Kavanagh finds an old manuscript in her late grandfather’s bookshop she becomes fascinated by the story it tells of two young girls who mystified the world. But it is the discovery of an old photograph that leads her to realize how the fairy girls’ lives intertwine with hers, connecting past to present, and blurring her understanding of what is real and what is imagined. As she begins to understand why a nation once believed in fairies, can Olivia find a way to believe in herself?

So, what do you think? Does this cover draw your eyes as much as it does mine?

Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week:

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede

Erin at Flashlight Commentary

Heather at The Maiden's Court

Stephanie at Layered Pages

Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Created by Magdalena of A Bookaholic Swede

Audiobook Review: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Publisher: Random House Audio
Release Date: January 27th, 2009
Length: 10 hours/51 minutes

Synopsis

In the opening pages of Jamie Ford's stunning debut, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle's Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.

This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry's world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American. While scholarshipping at the exclusive Rainier Elementary, where the white kids ignore him, Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a young Japanese American student. Amid the chaos of blackouts, curfews, and FBI raids, Henry and Keiko forge a bond of friendship and innocent love that transcends the long-standing prejudices of their Old World ancestors. And after Keiko and her family are swept up in the evacuations to the internment camps, she and Henry are left only with the hope that the war will end, and that their promise to each other will be kept.

Forty years later, Henry Lee is certain that the parasol belonged to Keiko. In the hotel's dark dusty basement he begins looking for signs of the Okabe family's belongings and for a long-lost object whose value he cannot begin to measure. Now a widower, Henry is still trying to find his voice, words that might explain the actions of his nationalistic father; words that might bridge the gap between him and his modern, Chinese American son; words that might help him confront the choices he made many years ago.

What Did I Think About the Story?

Being the huge fan of historical fiction that I am, I am always happily surprised when I can come across a time or place or situation from history that I've never read about before. Maybe strangely enough, before reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet I had never read a novel that dealt with Japanese internment camps in America during WWII or the rampant racism and discrimination against the Japanese - as well as against the Chinese and between the Chinese and Japanese - during this time.  This is such an important and horrific time in our history that I am now shocked that more stories aren't written about this. Regardless, the fact that author James Ford presented this situation as the backdrop for a coming-of-age story about young love and the sometimes difficult relationships between fathers and sons was brilliant.

The story is told through the eyes of Henry, a Chinese American man, both when he's growing up in Seattle and going to a mostly white school and when he's a middle-aged newly widowed man. Henry is a remarkable character, always finding the humor and positivity in what most would consider some pretty unmanageable situations. His parents (especially his dad) are firmly rooted in the old Chinese ways of their ancestors and do not speak English even as they refuse to let Henry speak anything else within their home. Outside his home he faces bullies and discrimination everywhere he goes, but also finds kindness and acceptance from unexpected places and from others who have experienced discrimination themselves, especially an aging African American Jazz musician. And then there's the sweet and sad budding romance between Henry and his Japanese friend, Keiko.

Keiko, like Henry, is such a unique character that somehow finds the positive in a life that would break so many people much weaker then them. On top of that, she does much to expand Henry's understanding of the world at large as well as much closer to home and gives him the confidence to challenge the life his family has raised him to pursue. It's through Keiko that the reader gets a glimpse at the Japanese internment camps in America and the conditions placed upon these people that have done nothing more than be born a certain race. I found these portions as well as the rampant racism hard to understand and stomach, and found the characters that much more admirable due to their grace and kindness in the face of it. It's amazing to me!

The narrator, Feodor Chin, did an exceptional job of distinguishing the voices of the various characters, especially the men, as well as expressing the emotion and tenderness that each of these characters experience. Given the subject matters, there's anger and happiness and sadness and more all rolling around together to create complex and multi-faceted characters, and the narrator did an excellent job of bringing all of that to life for the listener.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet has so much going on within it's pages that it's hard to pinpoint what aspects I appreciated the most.  It takes a close look at some very unpleasant aspects of life in America (racism among and against various races, difficult relationships between fathers and sons, the loss of love before its time) as well as some tender and sweet aspects that balance the bitter (sweet, shy first love, art and music and their importance in the lives of those living in suppression) and I think there is much that readers will be able to relate to today. The title is perfect given the story it represents, and by the last page I was left with an appreciation of what so many went through during WWII - not just those actually fighting the war - as well as a balmy satisfaction that, even given the horrible situations these characters experienced, things felt satisfactorily wrapped up by the end. This is an emotional look at a time and place in history not often discussed, and I now feel all the better for reading and learning about it.

What Did I Think About the Cover?

I think it's quite pretty. Given the wide range of topics it could have included any number of other aspects, however given the quest for Henry to discover where Keiko ended up, I think the woman with the Japanese parasol and the man behind is quite fitting.


My Rating: 4.5/5.0

I borrowed this audiobook from my library's Overdrive account. All opinions are my own. You can find more reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy of your own on Goodreads HERE.

Book vs. Film: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

One of my goals this year is to do more Book vs. Film reviews. I'm not sure about you, but anytime I see a new movie coming out that says it's based on a novel I buy the book right away and then plan on reading the book before seeing the movie. Sometimes that means I refuse to see the movie for a very long time since, you know, it takes me FOREVER to get through all the books I plan to read. So one of my 2017 reading resolutions...get to those books sooner so I can finally see the movies!

I read and reviewed Me Before You Back in March of 2016 but didn't get a chance to see the movie until the end of the year. See what I think about both below...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Book (originally posted March 2016)

Publication Date: July 30th, 2013 (Paperback Edition)
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 369

When I saw the trailer for the upcoming movie adaptation of Me Before You I knew I had to FINALLY find the time to read this book! I've had it sitting on my shelves for a while now and knew that just about everyone I've spoken to about the book has loved it, so I cleared my reading schedule and dove right in. And, while it definitely brings up quite a lot of difficult questions and feelings about love and sacrifice, I am so happy I did.

First off, Lou might be my new favorite character. She is so funny and caring and complicated and I loved the time spent with her. The way she interacted with her family had me giggling more than once and the deep-seated love they had for each other, even while they bickered and threw verbal jabs at each other, felt very real and relatable. Beyond her family, the way that she was able to pierce through the wall of anger, disappointment and grief that Will had built up around himself and touch his heart was breathtaking, and the fact that she did it with what I think of as her trademark self-deprecating wit and unwavering kindness made me love her even more. Only someone like Lou would be able to put up with Will (in the beginning...he got nicer as the story went on) and his haughty family and come out the other side with everyone a little better for knowing her. But don't let this lead you to believe she was all bouncy sunshine. She had quite a bit of heartache in her own past and only Will was able to help her get over that hurt and realize she was worth so much more than she believed. They both brought out the best in each other, and I absolutely loved that.

Now to Will's "shocking plans of his own". While I'm pretty sure most people already know what those plans are and whether or not they come to fruition, I am going to try and step lightly just to try and make sure I don't give too much away for anyone who hasn't read it yet. What I will say is I can see how this would be absolutely devastating for anyone to experience, on both sides really, and I think the author did an exceptional job of letting the reader see into the hearts and minds of a variety of characters, giving a well rounded view of the situation. It was really easy to empathize with everyone involved and the myriad of emotions and actions they all went through. I also think it ended the only way it possibly could (or maybe that is just the talent of the author) and, while I did get a little misty, I will say that I feel such satisfaction in knowing the characters made the hard choices needed and the ones that I hope I'd be brave enough to make if it was me.

Me Before You is so much more than the unusual romance I was anticipating. Yes, it is about two unlikely people coming together and finding love in a most unusual circumstance, but it is also about two people being able to bring out the best in each other and support each other in making their own choices and being the best versions of themselves, even if that doesn't involve a happily ever after together. It begs you to ask yourself so many hard questions, namely who has a right to decide how someone else chooses to live, or die, and how much we should be willing to sacrifice for the ones we love. I'm now really excited to see where Jojo Moyes takes some of the characters in the sequel, After You!

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Movie

Release Date: June 3rd, 2016

Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Length: 110 minutes

I am a HUGE fan of Emilia Clarke's, so as soon as I saw that she was going to be playing Lou I knew she would be perfect for the part. It was a pleasant surprise to see that Sam Claflin was spot on as Will as well. Emilia is just magical and her face is so expressive, and Sam is superb at being a complete snob and completely charming, depending on the scene. Without these two playing their parts as wittily and emotionally as they did the movie could have really fallen flat. However, these two hit it out of the park and I found myself laughing and crying along with them even more than I did in the book.

On the downside, with the limited time given for a movie, the secondary characters weren't able to be as well developed as they were in the book, which was a little bit of a disappointment. The conflicts between the characters weren't as well developed either, especially when it came to the conflicts between Lou and her sister, the marriage problems between Will's parents, the real reason Lou is scared to go out into the world, and Lou's mother's strong convictions against what Will planned to do (I don't want to give anything away!). These conflicts seemed somewhat sugar-coated for the movie, however I do understand that, given the time constraints necessary for a movie, that some aspects needed to be cut. 

I feel a little silly saying this, but I was so convinced by the chemistry between Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin that I kind of hoped the ending was going to be different than the book.  I found myself getting angry at Will for hurting Lou and the pain expressed by Emilia was so palpable I cried - the ugly, snotty, puffy-faced kind of crying - as the ending unfolded. I was kind of shocked by this as I had read the book and knew what was going to happen and come to terms with that ending, but the movie hit an emotional nerve that the book, while wonderful and emotional, just didn't hit. I was so blown away by the movie that I instantly bought it and have re-watched it numerous times since then.

I'm not a huge romance reader/watcher but, as I mentioned in my book review, this isn't your typical romance. Both the book and the movie were wonderful, but the stellar acting by the main characters pushed the movie ahead of the book (which surprised me...I always prefer the book!). I recommend both the book and the movie to anyone looking for an unconventional romance and one that challenges the standards of what people do for the people they love.

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

So what do you think? Have you read the book or watched the movie? Which did you prefer?