Moloka'i - Book Review

Rachel is a happy seven year old living in Honolulu when she is diagnosed with leprosy (now known as Hansen's Disease) and sentenced to live the rest of her life in Kalaupapa, the leper colony on the island of Moloka'i. The historical novel Moloka'i, while spanning the years from the 1890's to 1970's, brings dignity and compassion to those who were quarantined to the island and separated from their families.

Moloka'i is an enchanting novel by Alan Brennert. It is the story of Rachel and her life on Moloka'i but ultimately it is a story of hope and faith. It is a heart wrenching story but the people on the island also experience laughter, love and joy.

The character development is well done. I especially appreciated the attention paid to Sister Catherine, a nun serving the people of Kalaupapa. The nuns are not the stock characters that inhabit most media, but thoughtful, tormented and realistic people with desires and dreams. The setting of the beautiful islands of Hawaii is described by one who loves it. Hawaii and its people are alive in this beautiful, stunning novel.

Because I became completely absorbed with the novel I was talking about it all the time with Utah Dad. He was reminded of a video clip that he had seen recently about a woman searching for information about her grandmother who had lived in Kalaupapa. He found it for me and I was touched by the tender and heart breaking emotions in the segment.

There is a longer, more in depth video about the Kalaupapa, Moloka'i that recently aired on BYUTV.

Winner of the Spring Cleaning Book Give-away

Wow! There are a lot of book hoarders/collectors/lovers out there. It's nice to know I'm in such good company.

Last summer during some bad weather, the kids and I created a data base inventory of the books in the house (with the exception of one shelf of children's books--the weather improved before we finished). This totally satisfies that hidden librarian inside me. I can now sort by genre, author, title and several other categories.

We have at least 1920 + books in our house.

Children's Books : 641 +
Fiction (including adolescent, YA and the classics) : 618
Memoirs/Biographies : 56
History : 120
Politics : 27
Religion : 156
Science : 23
Writing : 14
Geography/Travel : 63
Reference : 60 (yes, we still have a set of encyclopedias)
Other (cooking, music, philosophy, photography, etc . . .) : 141

But you don't really want to know that. So, on to the good part . . . the announcement of the winner of a box of my books. The winner is . . .

nette

Congratulations! Please send me an email with your information so that you can receive your new books!

Spring Cleaning Book Give-away

You already know I'm a "book hoarder". I like to find pre-read books at thrift stores and at library sales and online. Relatives and friends often give me books that they think I will like. And I often receive books from publishers to review. My book shelves are full! Utah Dad and I have plans to build more, but in the mean time it is essential that I give some away (can you believe it?).

To participate in the Spring Cleaning Give-away Hop, I have gone through my shelves and put together a box of books. One lucky winner will receive this box of literary goodies.

Rules :

1. Enter by leaving one comment on this post. Just for fun--share an estimate of how many books you have in your home. (This number will not be used to determine the winner. It's just for fun.)

2. The contest will be open to entries until Sunday, March 25th at 11:59 pm MST.

3. This contest is open to residents of the US only.

4. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Monday, March 26th.

5. Be sure to check out all the other blogs participating in the hop. This is your chance to win a lot of books!

Elegy for Eddie - Book Review

Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear is the latest installment in the Maisie Dobbs mystery series. I read Maisie Dobbs, the first one, earlier this year but have not read the other seven novels between. You can read my review of Maisie Dobbs *here*.

Elegy for Eddie is Maisie's quest to discover whether or not a childhood acquaintance, Eddie--a gentle horse trainer, was murdered. Police have written Eddie's death at a paper factory as an unfortunate accident. Maisie isn't so sure and once she begins investigating it becomes painfully obvious that there are more powerful people involved in Eddie's death.

Jacqueline Winspear writes an exciting and fun mystery that flows along at a pace appropriate for the historical period. In Elegy for Eddie, things are not so black and white and Maisie's own sense of right and wrong is questioned. Set in London during the 1930's, Maisie must accept that there are others, more powerful, with a greater understanding of the imminent danger and that national security must be protected.

The novel is well written and while it would probably help to have read all of the Maisie Dobbs novels in the series (I did appreciate the background I had of Maisie's past because of my reading of the first novel), Elegy for Eddie can stand alone.

My only real complaint with the novel is Maisie Dobbs herself. I appreciate her education and her brilliance at solving crimes, but I am not yet reconciled with her personality. I can't quite put my finger on just what bugs me about her--perhaps it's the same personality traits/flaws that are frequently pointed out to her by other characters in Elegy for Eddie. 

With the Maisie Dobbs series, Jacqueline Winspear offers readers a woman detective this historical period between the World Wars. Winspear expertly captures the emotion of the period and the people still healing from the first war and yet preparing (perhaps unknowingly) for the next. Elegy for Eddie is compelling and haunting.

**I received a complimentary copy of Elegy for Eddie in exchange for my honest review. **

My Baby Turns 3!!!

Molly shares her birthday with her very favorite baby sitter Jessica (she loves Jessica's sisters too). When Jessica comes to baby sit she brings boxes of Polly Pockets and Littlest Pet Shops. Last week when Jessica baby sat Molly they planned their birthday party.

After dinner, Molly and Jessica blew out candles on the cake made by Kathryn, Jessica's sister. It was such a darling cake and yummy too.

I can hardly believe that my baby is already three years old. She growing up much too fast but she's so much fun. We're constantly amused by her busy and fun personality.

Happy birthday to my Molly!

The Beginner's Goodbye - Book Review

I appreciate good food, especially when someone else is cooking. I love to savor the rich, subtle flavors in French cuisine and the taste bud thrilling bursts of spice and sweetness from Thai food. I enjoy the mysteriousness of tastes from other countries, but sometimes (especially if I'm cooking) I just want good old comfort food--cottage cheese and sliced tomatoes; stroganoff, goulash and butternut squash soup--warm and heavy and soothing.

It's the same with books. I love a good thriller or a mystery or history. I enjoy reading books about other cultures and peoples. I like the cerebral novel that makes me think. But sometimes I really just want good old comfort books. For this I regularly turn to Anne Tyler.

Anne Tyler's novels have a calming effect on me. Every word is soothing and compulsively readable. She writes stories about normal people, dealing with normal life events and provides amazing insights into their souls and very nature. Even in The Beginner's Goodbye, a ghost story, Tyler's story isn't melodramatic or ostentatious--She writes simply of a husband dealing with the grief and healing after the death of his wife, though his wife assists him and helps him realize that there is life after death. He can still have a life after her death.

When Utah Dad and I were first married we used to play a game when we were driving in town. When we saw someone, maybe a student crossing the street toward school or a young father holding hands with his son, we would make up a story about them. It seems that Anne Tyler does this very thing. Her characters could come right out of the grocery store or farmer's market, as the case may be. They are so real, so believable, so honest, so fallible and often so inspiring.

The Beginner's Goodbye is Anne Tyler's newest novel. It will be published in April of this year. Fans of Anne Tyler will be pleased. And those who have never wrapped up in a warm blanket, savored a cup of hot cocoa and enjoyed one of Anne Tyler's novel should experience the pleasure that is The Beginner's Goodbye.

** I received a complimentary copy of The Beginner's Goodbye in exchange for my honest opinion. **

Love, Fiercely - Book Review

I was excited to read Love, Fiercely : A Gilded Age Romance by Jean Zimmerman for several reasons. First, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton is one of my favorite books. I was entertained by the novel The American Heiress, to which Love, Fiercely is compared. I've long been simultaneously fascinated and repulsed by the excess of this era at the end of the nineteenth century. I enjoy narrative histories and biographies, so needless to say I looked forward to reading this book.

Love, Fiercely is the history of Newton Stokes and Edith Minturn, both born into extreme wealth in New York City. Eventually they would marry, travel the world, influence art and society, and play their hand at philanthropy.

Full of information and details about everything in the era, Love, Fiercely excels as a history of the excess of the very wealthy and privileged class. Each home and summer "cottage" is described in detail, including having a Tudor manor house built in 1597 in England dismantled and shipped across the ocean and rebuilt in Connecticut. The author gives full histories of the art of the time period and especially the portraits of Edith and the famous statue for which she posed. Their service to society and Newton's career are discussed at great length.

What Love, Fiercely is lacking is the feeling of passion between Edith and Newton. Described as "the greatest love story never told" in the prologue I was anxious to read of their romance. However, the characters still remain flat and lifeless. The author shows only brief glimpses into their relationship and spends most of the time with describing the world they inhabit.

There were many interesting details about the era but ultimately, I found the book dull and disappointing.

** I received a complimentary copy of Love, Fiercely in exchange for an honest review. **

The Winner of the Peeps Eyewear Give-away

The winner of the princess dress-up set from Peeps Eyewear is . . .

latanya

Congratulations! Please send me an email with your information so you can receive your prize.

Peeps Eyewear - Review and Give-away!

When I was contacted about doing a review and give-away for Peeps Eyewear, I explained that none of my children wear glasses yet--with my genes it's only a matter of time. They decided to let us try out their product anyway.

Last week a lovely pink box arrived in the mail. Inside was a little girl's treasure--a pink silky cape; a pink crown, a book about a princess and finally a silky pink case with a pair of sparkly pink glasses. Lilly and Molly were beyond thrilled. Let's just say they had a little battle over who would be the first ones to try on the costume. When it was Molly's turn, she kept saying "I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful." Lilly loves the glasses so much that she insists on wearing them all the time.

For my girls it's just dress-up but many little girls need to wear glasses. Peeps Eyewear is a company that helps little girls feel beautiful even with glasses, reminding them with a dress-up outfit, a sweet book and sparkly pink glasses that even princesses wear glasses (we can get into a discussion about princesses and marketing to little girls later--my little girls have regular Legos, by the way).

All I know is that my little girls felt special. They loved the glasses and accompanying costume. If Lilly had to wear glasses, it certainly wouldn't be a problem to get her to wear the Peeps Eyewear glasses.

Peeps Eyewear are available online or from several eye doctors. In Utah, Peeps Eyewear can be purchased from Standard Optical in Salt Lake City.

Peeps Eyewear is also offering one cape and crown set as a give-away to one lucky reader of Utah Mom's Life. It's a fun set that would add to the magic of the little girl's dress-up box.

To enter leave a comment on this post. The contest will be open to entries until Friday, March 2nd at 11:59 MST. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Saturday, March 3rd. Good luck.

Cutting for Stone - Book Review

A year ago my niece Anna recommended strongly that I read Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. I ordered it immediately because I almost always likes the books she suggests. I was talking to her again a few weeks ago and she asked if I had ever gotten around to reading the book. I hadn't. It had sat on one of my to-read shelves taunting me this entire time. "Read it next," Anna demanded. And so I did.

Do you know the feeling of spending a significant portion of time reading a rather long novel and when you reach the conclusion you are actually sad to say goodbye to the complex and interesting characters that inhabit the story? I experience this phenomonon with the occasional book. This is exactly how I felt about Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.

Set in the exotic and unusual locale of Ethiopia, Cutting for Stone tells the story of Marion and Shiva Stone--twin brothers. Their mother, a nun, dies during childbirth and their father, a surgeon, flees abandoning them to the other doctors and staff of the Missing Hospital in Ethiopia.

As the boys learn and grow and develop their own talents in medicine, the novel builds on their relationship and what it means to be family and what it means to be an individual. The characters are at once real, sympathetic and admirable.

I'm coming late to the table with this novel and I can only echo the sentiments shared by many others. This book is fabulous, intelligent, thrilling and riveting. It is a rare gem of literary genius.

No One Is Here Except All Of Us - Book Review

Magical. Lyrical. Mesmerizing. Haunting. Heartbreaking. Tender. Hopeful. Healing. Life.

How can I describe the unique and unforgettable novel No One Is Here Except All Of Us by Ramona Ausubel? Part fable. Part poetry. Part fairy tale. Ausubel takes the stories that she has heard from her grandmother since childhood and weaves them into a breathtaking and heart wrenching novel with characters that are vivid and alive in their human desires, aches and triumphs.

A remote Jewish village in Romania decides to create a new world for themselves as the Nazis and war threatens eminent danger. Constructing a society that cares for everyone in the village, they cut themselves off from the outside world and choose instead to believe that the world has started over. They alone exist. Having a strong faith and a stranger that is determined to protect them, they successfully live peacefully in their new world for several years. But the other world continues and the war that has taken over Europe will not leave them unmolested. As their faith in their new world is shattered they turn to hope.

Hope = Life.

A novel like No One Is Here Except All Of Us is a rare gift and Ramona Ausubel is a rare talent.

** I received a free copy of No One Is Here Except All Of Us in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.

The Winner of LONG ROAD HOME

Wow! I almost forgot to pick a winner! Thanks for being patient.

The winner of the paperback copy of Long Road Home by Will Allison is . . .

MELANIE

Congratulations! Please send me an email with your information so we can ship the book to you.  Thanks.

All That I Am - Book Review

Yesterday morning, I told Utah Dad, "if you read one single book that I suggest to this year, read All That I Am."


All That I Am by Anna Funder is a novel based on the true story of small group of friends and political activists who must flee their native Germany as Hitler gains power in the 1930s but who continue to fight against the Reich from their exile in London. They would spend years in prison, give their lives or even their very souls during this harrowing and dangerous attempt to stop a madman by exposing his abuses to the naive world.

I was engrossed in this novel. It was terrifying to be reminded once again of the long and deadly reach of the Nazi Party as Hitler seizes power and reigns with terror. It was helpful to have recently read Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin (read my review **here**) so that I already had a familiarity with events such as the Night of the Long Knives or Röhm-Putsch--the night Hitler and the Nazis staged a crime to give them an excuse to murder hundreds of political opponents and critics. While All That I Am does an amazing job of bringing the very real human fear surrounding these events and others, I was grateful that I already had some background to place the story.

Anna Funder has an amazing ability to take her research regarding these very brave and real people and give them character on the pages. Her characters are strong, yet have very real human flaws. Toller's depression is intense and at the same time utterly and tragically believable. Though it plays only a small part in the theme of the story, Funder's details of Ruth's struggle with aging are ever so respectful and compassionate as she reminds the reader that the elderly have stories and value. I was very moved by Funder's work.

This novel is as gripping and intriguing as any spy novel but is so much more interesting because it is essentially true. Funder is an incredible writer and she successfully breathes life into a story that has waited too long to be told.

** I received a complimentary copy of All That I Am in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.

The Plague

My children have been sick with a nasty virus for the last week. Thomas was home from school for almost a week and Amberly is home again today. They're pretty miserable. The only good thing about this virus is that the sick kids spend about 22 hours a day sleeping.

And Molly was so cuddly. As she snuggled in my bed for some comfort the other night, I couldn't resist snapping a picture of her cute rosy cheeks. She rarely sits still lately so I totally took advantage of the sweet moments. She's feeling better but has lost her voice. It's really quite adorable.

But now I'm tired of all the sickness and I just want everyone to get better.

Long Drive Home - Book Give-away

To celebrate the release of Long Drive Home by Will Allison in paperback (read my review **here**), the publishers are offering a free copy as a give-away to one of my lucky readers.

In Long Drive Home, Glen gives in to his road rage. He only means to scare the reckless driver. His one quick action will cause a deadly reaction by the teenage driver and set in motion a series of events and decisions that will drastically change Glen and his family's lives.


I really enjoyed this powerful story about choices and consequences and I think you will too.

To enter to win a copy of Long Drive Home, leave a comment on this post. The contest will be open to entries until Friday, February 10th at 11:59 pm MST. The winner will be chosen randomly from the comments and will be announced on Saturday, February 11th.

The Golden Hour - Book Review

Reading the synopsis of The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele, I was immediately intrigued. Giovanna is a young woman living in Tuscany during World War II. Her village is occupied by the Germans as the Italians have now aligned themselves with the Allies. As the Italians wait for the Allied troops to liberate them, some, including Giovanna's brother, join the Resistance. Her brother asks Giovanna to help hide his Jewish friend Marco. And, of course, Giovanna will fall madly in love with Marco.

I actually found that I had to drudge my way through this novel. My first problem was the main character. In the beginning of the novel, Giovanna is flirting with a love affair with one of the occupying Nazi soldiers. That entire experience paints her as flighty, fickle and reckless. Later, when entrusted with the duty of supplying the Resistance, she has so much trouble keeping her secret. At the same time, the author describes her as very pious, devoted to her religion and the cause of the Italians. Obviously, she is just a girl and will grow up during the novel. I realize this, but the progression doesn't seem realistic. Then, she meets Marco and she is willing to sacrifice her family, the lives of others, and her religion for his love. I would buy it if the author had more successfully portrayed their romance. As told, it came across as very shallow. Marco was a very two-dimensional character, in spite of the inclusion of his journal entries.

Overall, I was disappointed by this novel. It had a beautiful setting and a promising plot but the writing was wordy and awkward. It lacked the passion that would make me want to root for the love affair.

The details of the war between the Italians and the Germans and the Allies as well as the racial tension throughout the country were interesting (though I question some facts and even the inconsistencies of Giovanna's earlier naivete about what was happening to Jews and then her sudden defense of them and the Black Allied soldiers), but hardly made the book worth the time.

** I received a complimentary copy of The Golden Hour in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received. The Golden Hour will be released next week. **

Unitards - Movie Review

I took my friend Jessica with me to the premier of the new movie Unitards on Wednesday night. She was skeptical but agreed to go because she really needed a night out (a night that included sushi before and ice cream after the movie). I must admit that I was a bit leery too, after all the movie was about dancing teenage boys.

We got our popcorn and settled into seats next to the give-away winner Shilo and her husband.

Louis, the main character, has just won an election as a student body officer. As the president of the men's association, the vice principal gives Louis a charge to find some way to bring school spirit back to the lackluster students of Skyline High. Louis finally decides to create an all-male dance ensemble.

Silly. Right?

But dang, if it wasn't funny. I couldn't help but chuckle. The characters were so likable and young (Louis sports the exact same haircut as my 10 year old). Even though no one is going to win an Oscar for best actor, the guys were completely believable. In fact, the kids in the movie reminded me A LOT of my brother Nick and his friends from high school who learned to tap dance for the school musical. And even though they were pretty dorky, they were always surrounded by cute girls. Imagine that.

I thought it was interesting that much of the laughter in the theater came from the older "grown-up" crowd. Perhaps the subtle humor was lost on the teenagers who are still taking themselves too seriously.

Jessica and I were both won over by this "feel good" movie based on a true story. She plans to take her pre-teen daughters back to see the movie. Best of all, she won't have to worry about letting her kids see it. It is completely clean of vulgar language and sexual innuendo and all the other garbage that regularly fills movies these days.

Unitards opens at theaters all over Utah tonight. Go check it out with your family.

** I did receive free tickets to the movie in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.

Parent Teacher Conferences

This week was Parent Teacher Conferences, or rather SEP Conferences. I always go into them with a bit of trepidation.  My kids are pretty good (generally) and I shouldn't worry so much, but I do. I might get blindsided with information about my kid that makes me look like a bad parent.

We heard plenty of really glowingly good things about the kids and a few things that can be improved upon--like Neal has not turned in his homework for the last six weeks. (He's always been so responsible about completing his homework by himself, so we were a bit surprised. Needless to say, he is grounded from the Wii and we will be checking his homework for awhile.) Amberly is a bit too chatty in class--not a surprise (Amberly has a brand new teacher who has known her for exactly two weeks but clearly knows our social, little daughter already).

Our last appointment was with Thomas's kindergarten teacher. Utah Dad and I enjoyed hearing all the great progress reports on our little son. Then his teacher pulled out a story he had written. His spelling was remarkable. His handwriting, though giant, was more legible than his father's. The accompanying artwork was cute. The teacher read it aloud to us:

I was hungree so I went down stairs but there was no food.

We chuckled. Then Thomas turned to me and accusingly asked, "remember that day?" And there it was. That embarrassing moment in front of the teacher. Apparently, I don't feed my children. Did I detect a glimmer of reproach in the eyes of the young teacher? Certainly, she doesn't actually believe all the stories she must hear from the thirty (yes, thirty) kindergartners in her morning class? Right?

I hope so.

Mom's Cooking Crisis

Back in November (man, that seems so long ago) Amberly, The Mom Nerd and I drove up to Logan to be judges for an episode of the new Web TV show Mom's Cooking Crisis. We had so much fun and the show was a riot. The first season of this new show will begin airing on January 31st.

To gain support for their show, they are currently having a fun contest. Be sure to check out Mom's Cooking Crisis web page to enter.

And check out the promo video.

Maisie Dobbs - Book Review

I've been wanting to read a Maisie Dobbs mystery since my niece Anna recommended them over a year ago. I finally got a chance this week. It was a relatively short book and I expected to have it finished in a day or two. Life has been busy this week and frankly, I've used much of my available reading time to study The Book of Mormon (we're right in the middle of the Bishop's weekly challenge) and to read President Monson's biography with Utah Dad. I finally hid away last night while Utah Dad watched a movie with Amberly, and finished Maisie Dobbs.

Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear is a sharp, unconventional approach to the detective novel. I don't read them often and I won't pretend to be an expert. I especially enjoyed the intelligent and thoughtful way that Maisie Dobbs investigates. As a psychologist and investigator, Maisie is as concerned with the people she helps as she is with solving the case. Skilled at understanding and even manipulating the human mind, Maisie takes a sometimes subtle and careful way in getting to the truth.

Maisie Dobbs, opening her own detective agency a decade after the first World War, is hired by a man to find out if his wife is having an affair. This seemingly simple case will lead Maisie into a more dangerous investigation.

The novel did lag a bit during Maisie's back story. However, it was interesting to see where she came from and how she became a detective and what has shaped her own life. I understand that since this is the first novel in a series of Maisie Dobbs mysteries that there would probably be more of Maisie's story in this first novel. It definitely gets moving again, once Maisie gets back on the probing quest for the truth regarding The Retreat, a home for wounded veterans.

Maisie is also portrayed as squeaky, clean and sometimes dull. She loves everyone. Everyone loves her. While this is refreshing, the very ending is at a sharp contradiction with her character. It is, frankly, hard to believe that she would actually do that.

The case wasn't terribly mysterious and I had guessed at the truth early in the novel. It was fun to see how Maisie figured it out and employed her knowledge of human nature to save those in the harrowing situation.

Maisie Dobbs was an enjoyable read and I will definitely be picking up more books from the series in the future.