Women’s Lives

I meant to post this last night but was having some internet issues. Bad internet. Anyway, as I mentioned earlier I finished two really good books lately and so here are the reviews.

sleepwalking.jpgFirst up is the advance reading copy I received for Sleepwalking In Daylight by Elizabeth Flock. This engaging story is about a wife and mother who feels lost in her life. That there is no more life plan for her but catering to her children’s needs. But it’s not just about her story it’s also about her teen daughter who is going through a difficult time as well.

“A day after the nothingness of our marriage is finally acknowledged, on Sunday night, I find myself in a bathroom stall at the deep-dish pizza place with my head against the cold metal stall, crying. Back outside, across from our table, there is a young couple trying bites of each other’s pizza and laughing at each other’s jokes and listening intently to the other’s stories. Did we used to be them? Now we are nothing, Bob and I.”

Don’t you just feel for her? I loved how the writer really brought Sam’s character to life. Sometimes she was rambling about thoughts and feelings and that just seemed very real to me. I really enjoyed this book and here’s my full review. I’d not read anything by Elizabeth Flock before but I’ll definitely be look for some of her other books. You can also find out more at the author’s website.

somebodydaughter.jpg Next up is the advanced review copy I received of Somebody Else’s Daughter by Elizabeth Brundage. This novel centers on the lives of some women, the secrets they keep and the secrets that are kept from them. In particular, there is young Willa who was given up for adoption as an infant and is now finding out more about herself and her adoptive family.

“Nate Gallagher woke in his Brooklyn apartment, his bedsheets soaked with sweat. She had come to him again in a dream, cradling a swaddled infant in her arms. He went to work that morning in a fog, riding the subway with the detached preoccupation of a condemned man.”

As there are several characters who are key to the story, it does seem to take a while to fully get into the narrative but still each character is interesting and you can’t help but wonder how all the secrets are going to be divulged and how it’s all going to play out in the end. Making this quite a suspenseful read. Here’s my full review and you can also find out more at the author’s website.

Now, I’m getting quite into the life of another fascinating woman, Juana la loca, via the historical novel The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner.

How about you, read any good women’s fiction lately?

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Diversity In Reading

I’m borrowing this meme from Susan. I was just saying last month how I felt that my reading felt more inclusive but let’s see how well I’m doing with this meme first.

1. Name the last book by a female author that you’ve read. This is easy for me as I read a lot more books by women. Latest books I’ve finished are Sleepwalking in Daylight by Elizabeth Flock and Somebody Else’s Daughter by Elizabeth Brundage. Both were really good so stay tuned for a review.

2. Name the last book by an African or African-American author that you’ve read. It’s been a while but last Spring I read Half of a Yellow Sun by Nigerian Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

3. Name one from a Latino/a author. This year I’ve read Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende and am dipping here and there into The Captain’s Verses by Pabulo Neruda.

4. How about one from an Asian country or Asian-American? Started off the year with Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto which is one of my favorite reads so far this year.

5. What about a GLBT writer? Thanks to the Slaves of Golconda I read Jeanette Winterson’s Sexing the Cherry in January.

6. Why not name an Israeli/Arab/Turk/Persian writer, if you’re feeling lucky? Last month I read Honeymoon in Tehran by Azadeh Moaveni.

7. Any other “marginalized” authors you’ve read lately? I can’t really think of anyone that would fit this question.

So actually not too shabby right? Let’s hope the rest of the year I continue to add books from various genres and from all across the globe. How about you, how diverse is your reading?

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Breakfast at the Bookstore

Usually we have our regular bookstore outings on Friday or Saturday night but this weekend we decided to have breakfast at the bookstore. So armed with tons of magazines, books, cookies, a chocolate drink for my husband and coffee for me we found a table and hung out all morning at the bookstore. It was a wonderful way to start the weekend.

artjournaling.jpgI didn’t buy any books but I finally bought Art Journaling a publication of Stampington & Company. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve picked up this magazine, oohed & aahed over it, and finally my husband told me I needed to just get it. I think I need to listen to him more often. heh.

But, I am glad I got it. It’s just one of those magazines I am sure I’ll turn to time and again for when I need a bit of inspiration.

The rest of the weekend we spent going out with friends, finally watching Slumdog Millionaire and of course catching up on my reading. I’ve got reviews coming up on some good books so stay tuned. Now, how about you, did peek into a bookstore this weekend? What did you get?

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