Circling the Sun my Paula McLain (audio)

★★★★★

"There are things we find only at our lowest depths.  The idea of wings and then wings themselves.  An ocean worth crossing one dark mile at a time.  The whole of the sky.  And whatever suffering has come is the necessary cost of such wonders, as Karen once said, the beautiful thrashing we do when we live."

I loved Paula McLain novel The Paris Wife so I had very high expectations with her new novel that came out in July.  Circling the Sun tells the story of Beryl Markham - the first women to make the record breaking voyage across the Atlantic in 1936.  I was expecting the story to focus mostly of Beryl's journey of becoming a pilot, but it instead told of her childhood and earlier life as a horse trainer.  And what an interesting life it was!  

Raised in Kenya with her father after her mother moved back to England as a young child, Beryl's unique upbringing allows her to become a strong women in a world primarily dominated by men.  It also leads her to make some very unhealthy choices as far as relationships are concerned.  Baryl drove me crazy throughout most of the novel.  Even though we have next to nothing in common, I grew to love her characters and respect - at least most of - the tough decisions that she was forced to make.  I sometimes forgot how young Beryl actually was during the majority of the novel and was at awe at how much she was able to accomplish as a young women during her lifetime.  

A wonderful novel by and extraordinary writer telling the unique story of a women almost forgot by the past.  The author's note was also extremely interesting to read and learn on the truth of Baryl's story and what happened to her after the novel ended.  This one was  worth the wait!

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Andersen

★★★★ 1/2

"And then they imprisoned me in darkness; and though there was no color there, I was still black and they were still white."

This historical novel tells the story of a young boy named Octavian during the years before the Revolutionary War.  He is raised by his mother, an African princess, along with a group of philosophers and scientists, and given an education in the classics and music.  Octavian later learns that he is a slave owned by Mr. Gitney, the manager of the institution, and that he is being studied as part of an experiment to question whether his race is equal to that of Europeans.  Octavian has everything provided for him as a child, but both his education and livelihood quickly change when Mr. Sharpe takes over the society.  When Octavian’s mother dies of exposure to the pox, he runs away to join up with the Colonial Army and befriends a man named Private Ev  Goring.  He is eventually captured and taken back to Mr. Sharpe where he soon escapes with his former teacher to freedom.

I really enjoyed this book.  I read M. T. Anderson’s Feed a few years ago and was excited to see that another book by this author was on the reading list.  Even though the two books were very different, they illustrated Anderson’s ability to completely involve readers in the time period.  The very observant language was a little hard to get though, but I thought the author did an excellent job of describing Octavian’s unique situation through his reflections.  I was very interested in learning about the types of experiments that were performed on Octavian and how they affected him as he grew up.  The author also showed a different perspective of slavery that I was not very familiar with, making the book both entertaining and informative to read.  I would highly recommend this novel to both young adults and adults, especially if they are interested in learning more about the time period.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

★★★ 1/2 

"It was time to take the pumpkin out of the pot and eat it.  In the final analysis, that was what solved these big problems of life.  You could think and think and get nowhere, but you still had to eat your pumpkin.  That brought you down to earth.  That gave you a reason for going on. Pumpkin."

I normally don't read too many mysteries, but this one has been sitting on my shelf for awhile.  This one was entertaining, but didn't have that "wow" factor for me.  I did enjoyed the character of Mma Ramotswe and her "small town" lifestyle in Africa though.  There were a lot of funny moments and interesting secondary characters as well.  It was a good audio book to listen to - not too much plot line to keep track of!  I also really enjoyed the authors book La's Orchestra Saves the World that I read a few years ago.

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

★★★

"I wonder if our names determine our destiny, or if destiny leads us to choose certain names."

Set in Ancient Eqypt, this novel tells the story of Nefertiti and her marriage to the Pharaoh Akhenaten from the perspective of her younger sister, Mutnodjmet.  Unlike her over ambitious sister, Mutnodjmet has no desire for the royal life that she has been born into and wants nothing more then to be a wife and mother - much like Mary Boleyn in Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl.  As Nefertiti's power begins to rise, Mutnodjmet struggles between loyalty to her family and the quiet life she wants.

I have always been fascinated by ancient Egypt and have been excited to read this book for awhile.  I wish I could say I enjoyed it as much as I thought I would, but I didn't.  A couple of years ago, I might have given the book four stars - or maybe even five - but I've read a lot of books since then and have come to expect a lot more.  I enjoyed reading it, but there wasn't that WOW factor that I've come to appreciate in great novels.  

While the background of the story was interesting enough, I guess I was expecting a lot more.  I didn't care enough about the characters and there seemed to be some inaccuracies with the research.  I understand that not a lot is known about Ancient times, but I felt that author could have done a better job of portraying that characters and the time period.

Shadows on the Nile by Kate Furnivall (audio)

★★ 1/2

Eh, I was not a huge fan of this book.  I read Kate Furnivall's novel The Red Scarf and loved it!  Over five years later, it remains one of my favorite books.  I guess I was just expecting something similar.  Or maybe the book just wasn't for me.  I'm usually not into mysteries and adventure stories unless they have a lot substance to them.  I also noticed that lately I've listened to a few English mysteries, and just can't seem to get into them.  Maybe it's the narrators? 

Twenty years after, her younger brother, Georgie has been taken and replaced with an adopted brother, Timothy, Jessie sets out to find Timothy who has mysteriously disappeared.  She travels to Egypt with her new romantic interest to search for him.  Interwoven with Jessie's adventure, is the story of Timothy's visits to Georgie.

This audio book arrived at the library I work at and I was excited to see both that it was by Kate Furnivall and because I currently reading another historical fiction novel, Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (much better, thank goodness!).  After reading the summary, I was hoping there would be more historical information about Egypt - there was some, but not much.   Some parts were good, but there just wasn't enough there to keep me interested.  One of the major problems I had was with Jessie's character.  She just didn't fit a young women from the 1930s and I kept having to remind myself that the book was set in that time period instead of today.  I was also disturbed by Georgie's situation - even though it was explained, I felt that the characters didn't deal with what happened to the family when the children were young.  

I currently have another of Furnivall's novels, The White Pearl, sitting on my bookshelf at home.  We'll see if this one is any better!

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom (audio)

★★★★★

"What the color is, who the daddy be, who the mama is don't mean nothin.'  We a family, carin' for each other.  Family makes us strong in times of trouble.  We all stick together, help each other out.  That the real meanin' of family.  When you grow up, you take that family feelin' with you."

I've read so many wonderful books lately and this one was no exception!  This novel is set in the late 1700s and is told from two very different point of views: Lavinia, a young orphan from Ireland and Belle, the illegitimate daughter of the owner of the plantation.  After her parents die on a ship heading to America, she is taken in to live and work on a tobacco plantation.  Lavinia is eventually welcomed into the family of these working at the Big House.  As Lavinia grows up, she is torn between her adopted African-American family and her expected role as a young white women in society.  When she is forced to make a choice between the two worlds, everything she knows is put into question.

I really liked how this book incorporated the lives two very different women.  It showed not only the tragedy of slavery at the time, but of women as well.  Both Belle and Lavinia are left with very little choice on what would happen to them.  Even though the story was very sad, I felt it was very realistic and a wonderfully moving story of plantation life in the south.

This book was #4 on my top ten list of 2013.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave (audio)

★★★★

"Truly, there is no flag for us floating people.  We are millions, but we are not a nation.  We cannot stay together.  Maybe we get together in ones and twos, for a day or a month or even a year, but then the wind changes and carries the hope away.  Death came and I left in fear.  Now all I have is my shame and the memory of bright colors and the echo of Yevette's laugh.  Sometimes I feel as lonely as the Queen of England."

"It was beautiful, and that is a word I would not have to explain to the girls back home, and I do not need to explain to you, because now we are all speaking the same language.  The waves still smashed against the beach, furious and irresistible.  But me, I watched all of those children smiling and dancing and splashing one another in salt water and bright sunlight, and I laughed and laughed and laughed until the sound of the sea was drowned."

I had no idea what to expect when I first picked up this book.  The back cover was very vague...it talked a lot about not wanting to tell the reader "what happens" and not wanting to "spoil the ending." I'm still not entirely sure what how I felt about the ending, but I think I would have enjoyed the story more with out all the hype on the back.  It was an interesting approach, but not very effective for me.  I think I was expecting too much...and I've found that the best books usually just speak for themselves.

The book tells the story of two women: Little Bee - a young refugee from Nigeria and Sarah: a women living in London who is trying to be a good mother to her 4-year-old son in the mist of a struggling marriage.  The women meet one day on a beach in Nigeria on a day that will change both of their lives forever.  Two years later, Little Bee finds Sarah and the help one another to put their lives back together.

This book was very unique.  There are strong themes of globalization, cultural differences, and and where you fit in with the human race.  It brought up a lot of thought about refugees that can be applied to the United States as well.  Little Bee has a very distinctive personality that shines through as she moves form one world to another in the mist of tragedy.  The story was very sad and moving. And humorous at rare times  - like when Sarah's son Charlie refuses to take of his Batman suit and saves the "goodys" from the "battys" and Little Bee's fascination with the Queen of England as well as how she would explain what is happening her to "the girls back home."  I'm glad that the author was able to add in some comic relief - otherwise I don't know if I would have been able to make it through!

A Respectable Trade by Philippa Gregory

★★★★

"This is our last time together, Frances.  I will not ask, and you need not refuse.  Let us just be together for this afternoon.  At least we have these hours and the sun is warm, and you are well, and I am going to be free."

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

★★★

"Honeybees depend not only on physical contact with the colony, but also require it's social companionship and suppose.  Isolate a honeybee from her sisters and she will soon die."

Caucasia by Denzy Senna

★★★★★

" 'He says theres no such thing as race.'  She shrugged.  'He's right, you know.  About it all being constrcted: But'-she turned to me, looking at me intently-'that doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

★★★★★

"Wasn't that the point of the book?  For women to realize.  We are just two people.  Not that much separates us.  Not nearly as much as I thought."

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

★★★★★

"Everything you're sure is right can be wrong in another place."

The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo

★★★

Dolphin Song by Lauren St. John

★★★