Category Archives: Readin’

Fiction: “The Used World” by Haven Kimmel

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Just as insightful and heartbreaking and tender and comic and genius as you should expect from a Haven Kimmel book. A story of three woman, connected and disconnected in ways only known to one of them. Spirituality, and friendship, and family, and love. And pain, and guilt, and when can one forgive, and when is forgiveness off the table. Small-town America, with all its aches and pains. And particularly the pangs of those more worldly who live in it.

Quite, quite lovely. Kimmel is an automatic “buy in hardback” for me at this point.

Fiction: Love Walked In, by Marisa de los Santos

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At first it appears to be telling two different stories: Cornelia, 30-something, single, waiting for romance; and Clare, 11 and in danger of abandonment… Eventually of course, they coincide and it becomes not just a story of Cornelia looking for love and Clare trying to survive her mother, but a story of Cornelia and Clare coming together and how we connect and what makes a family and how does love come and when do you stay and fight and when do you have to walk away…

I really enjoyed this, more than I expected. But it was hard to think of Clare as 11 — she felt more like a 15 year old at least 90% of the time. I’m not often bothered by the “is this person older than they’re supposed to be feel in novels” (or not as much as my friend GirlDetective who I kept thinking of whenever I thought that here [note to GD, I really did!!]), but in this case it kept nagging at me.

And you know, Cornelia can be a bit twee at times. Apparently Sarah Jessica Parker will play her in the movie. Unlike many books, this one is concise enough, I don’t see there being the need to cut much of the plot.

Nonfiction: “Under the Banner of Heaven” by Jon Krakauer

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subtitle: “A Story of Violent Faith”. KC gave me this for Christmas and it’s probably something I would not have bought on my own. But daaaammmmmn is it good. Following several crimes committed by Mormon “Fundamentalists” (those who have broken away from the “mainstream” LDS Mormon church), it goes through the history of Mormonism itself, the philosophy of many of the breakaway sects, interviews with current members of regular Mormonism, fundamental Mormonism, as well as “apostates” (excommunicated members), and members who ran away from it all (Run! RUN FAR!!!!!).

It is incredibly researched and extremely well written and I could barely put it down long enough to go to sleep at night. Completely compelling reading about crazy, scary people. Extra kudos to Krakauer for including the rebuttal from the LDS Mormons (who aren’t really the FOCUS of the book anyway) and going through it point by point to either acknowledge errors or alternately say “Nope, I am right on that.”

Extremism in any area of life (religion, adventure, etc.) is not necessarily something I’m interested in, but it’s so well written, it was well worth reading.

Fiction: “Don’t Make a Scene” by Valerie Block

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Diane Kurasik, 40 years old, single, manager of the Beford Street cinema, finds herself in a summer of unexpected change. Evicted as her building is bought, romantically uninvolved but searching, searching, searching, expanding her theater… She continually compares her life to the movies and finds it lacking (who doesn’t, right?). And then the last third of the book unexpectedly (to me) turns into a May-September story (is that what you call it? a younger/ older romance?).

I really enjoyed this but I wasn’t very interested in the character of Vladimir and found it hard to believe Diane was either. Javier, on the other hand, I could understand.

Loved the movie references and the bits of history (wow, I will never look at Cary Grant the same way ever again). It’s referential the way the “Special Topics in Calamity Physics” was…except this is both better written and better edited. (Completely different type of plot, however.)

Memoir: “A Three Dog Life” by Abigail Thomas

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This would be a tear-jerker on a good day so maybe not the best choice when you’re super tired and feeling lonely anyway.

Author’s husband suffered traumatic brain injury; basically becomes a different person. This is her story of coming to live with that. It’s very sad in some places. But it’s also hopeful. She always chooses the route of hope. Quite touching.

Loved her writing style. Conversational, easy tone, concise yet not lacking in details (something I used to get compliments on in grad school — although you don’t see much evidence of it, here do you?!?! — so I tend to like that in others as well).

Fiction: “Day” by A.L. Kennedy

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A war veteran finds himself acting as an extra in a film about the war…and finally finds himself back in a place he understands. A place where he can finally come to terms with his war experiences, his regrets, his hopes…

What an amazing book. Just as Kennedy’s last novel “Paradise” took me so much into the mind of the alcoholic main character that I could practically taste the alcohol on my tongue, this book brings you into a completely different world, yet just as fully. Alfred’s experiences in the war (WWII, by the way), and the bonds he formed then, and the emptiness he’s felt since…

I found it extremely powerful and moving. It’s the third Kennedy I’ve read, the third I’ve loved. To think that the same author could write so movingly on such different themes…truly awe-inspiring. She ranks right up there with Pat Barker and Ann Patchett for me — three of the greatest living authors of our time.

Mystery: “Indemnity Only” by Sara Paretsky

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Wow you really feel the “age” of a detective novel when there aren’t any cell phones in it so everytime she needs to call someone she either needs to go to her home, office or a payphone. Crazy! How did we live!?! (Hahahahaha.)

Set in Chicago, and I (like my dad, and probably the reason he recommended it) really enjoyed tracking the plot through my neighborhood and near my office and around lots of places I’ve been. Fun.

Mystery: “Rain Fall” by Barry Eisler

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A half-American, half-Japanese Vietnam vet working as an assassin in Tokyo, falls in love with the daughter of his latest victim…

This was quite entertaining. Not your standard detective novel; reminded me a little of “Bangkok 8” although it’s not as quirky as that.

And according to a note in the back, all the Tokyo stuff in it is real except two things. So there are a few places I might have to do add to my Tokyo notes (Japan is a possibility for next spring)….

Fantasy: “Witchery: A Ghosts of Albion novel” by Amber Benson & Christopher Golden

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The sequel to Accursed. Things continue to get harder for Tamara and William; the more magic in their lives, the harder all their relationships, even with each other, become. Some really neat stuff. I knew Sophia was asking for trouble, but DAMN I had no idea THAT would happen…. Yay. Can’t wait for another.

And p.s. there is one super super sexy scene that really took my breath away. So you know, there’s that. As well.