The Immortalists

Author: Chloe Benjamin
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Publishing, 2018
Pages: 352
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?

It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children—four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness—sneak out to hear their fortunes.

The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in '80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality.

A sweeping novel of remarkable ambition and depth, The Immortalists probes the line between destiny and choice, reality and illusion, this world and the next. It is a deeply moving testament to the power of story, the nature of belief, and the unrelenting pull of familial bonds.

Review: The Immortalists isn't a novel I would choose on my own and I thought I was straying into something that would be compelling and fresh. I saw it on several must-read or to-read book lists of 2018. It's not deserving of all the hype. An interesting premise, perhaps, but a complete failure to deliver.

The characters were unlikable and Benjamin wasn't able to bring them to life. Each remained flat, self-absorbed, and unchanged. Each character's demise or conclusion was predictable and unimaginative. It's rare that I would call a book boring, but that's exactly what this was.

The Dress in the Window

Author: Sofia Grant
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 2017
Pages: 384
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: A perfect debut novel is like a perfect dress—it’s a “must have” and when you “try it on” it fits perfectly. In this richly patterned story of sisterhood, ambition, and reinvention Sofia Grant has created a story just right for fans of Vintage and The Dress Shop of Dreams.

World War II has ended and American women are shedding their old clothes for the gorgeous new styles. Voluminous layers of taffeta and tulle, wasp waists, and beautiful color—all so welcome after years of sensible styles and strict rationing.  

Jeanne Brink and her sister Peggy both had to weather every tragedy the war had to offer—Peggy now a widowed mother, Jeanne without the fiancé she’d counted on, both living with Peggy’s mother-in-law in a grim mill town.  But despite their grey pasts they long for a bright future—Jeanne by creating stunning dresses for her clients with the help of her sister Peggy’s brilliant sketches.

Together, they combine forces to create amazing fashions and a more prosperous life than they’d ever dreamed of before the war. But sisterly love can sometimes turn into sibling jealousy. Always playing second fiddle to her sister, Peggy yearns to make her own mark. But as they soon discover, the future is never without its surprises, ones that have the potential to make—or break—their dreams.

Review: My mom sewed a lot when I was growing up, so I was familiar with many of the types of fabric and terms used in this novel. It may not have been essential to the book's enjoyment, but it helped because, the first few chapters especially, were technically driven.

Generally I start thinking about my review before I'm finished with a book, but not so with this one. Ultimately, I liked the plot, but the ending was unsatisfying. All the loose ends were tied, but as conveniently as possible. Unsatisfying, that's the only way to describe it.

I Remember Laura

Author: Stephen W. Hines
Genre: Biography
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc., 1994
Pages: 274
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: A scrapbook collection by the editor of the Little House in the Ozarks features stories, letters, interviews, and recollections of Laura Ingalls Wilder in her youth and adult years, and includes rare photos and Ma's famous famous pickle recipe.

Review: I am Laura Ingalls Wilder obsessed, and have been all of my life. I've read every book she wrote, and many books about her. 

This was not my favorite. I wanted less commentary from the author and more stories and memories from the people who knew her, which is what the book had promised. 

I do, however, recommend Pioneer Girl reviewed here.

Books about Laura will sell, but at least this author seemed to have a genuine interest in her as a person.

Home Front

Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2012
Pages: 400
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: In this powerhouse of a novel, Kristin Hannah explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war.

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life—children, careers, bills, chores—even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. 

Then a deployment sends Jolene deep into harm's way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider, she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own—for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.

Review: This year I want to read books that have been stuck in my "To Be Read" pile for awhile, and Home Front is one of those. I checked it out from the library when it was new and never got around to it. That said, I can't believe it's 5 years old already. I hadn't realized that I shelved it for that long.

I loved it. I sobbed through the first few chapters, and went on the emotional roller coaster that Kristin Hannah writes so well, and by the end, couldn't let go.

From following Kristin Hannah on Facebook, I know she has liberal political leanings, but somehow she managed to write a war novel in such a way that you wouldn't know that. She didn't use this as a platform and just told a story as only she can.

Other Kristin Hannah Novels
Angel Falls
Summer Island
The Four Winds
The Great Alone
The Enchantment
The Nightingale
The Women
True Colors

Summer of Promise

Author: Amanda Cabot
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2012
Pages: 416
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont with her sweetheart, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong rings false, so Abigail heads West to Wyoming.

The endless prairie seems monotonous, but when her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.

When circumstances -- and perhaps a bit of matchmaking -- put Abigail and Ethan together, there's certainly attraction. But Abigail is planning to marry another man and return to life in Vermont as soon as she is finished attending to her sister. And Ethan loves his life in the Army and the wilds of Wyoming. When summer ends, will Abigail go back East. Or will she fall in love with this rugged land herself.

Book 1 of the new Westward Winds series, Summer of Promise is a tale of following your heat to unexpected places. Readers will enjoy Amanda Cabot's passionate characters and vibrant setting in the beautiful high prairie.

Review: After reading two emotionally exhausting, but wonderful books simultaneously, one audio and one hard back, I knew I needed something lighter.

This novel was not a random choice. We are vacationing this summer in what was once the Wild West, and Fort Laramie is one of our planned stops. I generally love this genre, and it's a great way to cleanse the palate, so to speak.

Abigail juggles her feelings regarding a beau back home, an unwanted "suitor" in Wyoming, and a lieutenant at Fort Laramie, whom she is clearly attracted to, and vice versa. This all well and good, and a hallmark of this genre. But, the subplots. Oh, the subplots.

There's a group of bandits/deserts/road agents attacking stage coaches with wealthy passengers. There are solders at the fort responsible for getting to the bottom of who the ringleader is and who's involved, but only as an afterthought.

A rambunctious puppy whose typical puppy antics take center stage at times, and for what purpose, I do not know.

Sister Charlotte is experiencing marital discord, something is "off" with her husband, and of course her pregnancy is a difficult one.

We meet a prostitute who works at a "hog ranch" near the fort, and whom Abigail befriends despite social mores, and despite suspecting her brother-in-law is a paying customer.

There are more, but you get the point.

Forget cleansing the palate, this was like being served meat when you've been a vegan for years, or finding out the wine bar only serves beer.

The Great Alone

Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2018
Pages: 448
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam War a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America's last true frontier. 

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska—a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

Review: Read this if you're looking for a book that will absorb you into its world.

I began this with some level of skepticism wondering if Kristin Hannah could write another book on par with The Nightingale. She did. There are only a handful of authors who pull me inside their novels as an unobserved observer/participant. 

I cared about these characters so much, and was sad to leave them behind. They'll stay in my thoughts for some time, I'm sure.

I was reading Kristin Hannah novels before I started keeping a reading journal, and she consistently writes wonderful novels. Make her one of your go-to authors too.

Other Kristin Hannah Novels
Angel Falls
Summer Island
The Four Winds
The Enchantment
The Nightingale
The Women
True Colors

Need to Know

Author: Karen Cleveland
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, 2018
Pages: 304 (9 hours audio)
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: In pursuit of a Russian sleeper cell on American soil, CIA analyst Vivian Miller uncovers a dangerous secret that will threaten her job, her family, and her life. 

On track for a much-needed promotion, she's developed a system of identifying Russian agents, seemingly normal people living in plain sight. 

After accessing the computer of a potential Russian operative, Vivian stumbles on a secret dossier of deep-cover agents within America's borders. A few clicks later, everything that matters to her - her job, her husband, even her four children - is threatened.

Vivian has vowed to defend her country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But now she's facing impossible choices. Torn between loyalty and betrayal, allegiance and treason, love and suspicion, who can she trust?

Review: I don't remember any other book confronting me with so many ethical questions so early on. What would I do in this same situation? Would I really?

This novel is gripping, especially within the first couple of chapters. I had to stop the CD, give myself a break, and get back into the real world several times. A few discs in, my anxiety over these situations and characters calmed, but the novel still moved full-steam ahead.

The ending, wow, the ending. The whole book was worth it for the last paragraph of the epilogue alone.

I'm sure the hard back book would be good, but listening to the audio brings another element into the story. It's one of the reasons I like listening to mysteries and thrillers so much.

I don't often watch movies based on books. Read, rarely, but this one could be very good. I'm pretty sure I'm going to watch it.

Other Books by Karen Cleveland:
Published 2019, Keep You Close