Review: Among the Mad

Summary: Christmas Eve, 1931. On the way to see a client, Maisie Dobbs witnesses a man commit suicide on a busy London street. The following day, the Prime Minister’s office receives a letter threatening a massive loss of life if certain demands are not met--and the writer mentions Maisie by name. Tapped by Scotland Yard’s elite Special Branch to be a special adviser on the case, Maisie is soon involved in a race against time to find a man who proves he has the knowledge and will to inflict destruction on thousands of innocent people. 

In Among the Mad, Jacqueline Winspear combines a heart-stopping story with a rich evocation of a fascinating period to create her most compelling and satisfying novel yet. -- Picador

AMONG THE MAD by Jacqueline Winspear is the sixth book in the Maisie Dobbs series. If you recall, I am participating in Book Club Girl's Mad for Maisie readalong where I am attempting to read all eight of the Maisie Dobbs books in a little over two months. While I definitely love the books in this series and recommend them to fans of both historical fiction and mysteries, I admit that I kind of wish I had spaced reading these books out over a longer period of time. Not so much because I haven't enjoyed all of the books, but rather because it's getting so darn hard to write these reviews!

AMONG THE MAD was actually a little different from the other books that I've read in the Maisie Dobbs series. I don't want to make it sound like all of these books are the same or that the stories even run together, because that's not the case. However, AMONG THE MAD had a different feel to it... and it was exactly what I needed to happen at this point in this series. AMONG THE MAD still had the terrific mystery aspect as well as the characters I've come to know and love, but the pace of this book was much faster. Maisie, working as a special advisor to Scotland Yard, was attempting to find the identity of a crazed man who was threatening to inflict damage on innocent people. The clock was ticking and the sense of urgency was apparent throughout the novel.

As is the case in all of the Maisie Dobbs books, I appreciated that the author continued to keep the theme of war (and the effects on its victims) as a major part of this story. I don't want to give anything away because I truly thought the mystery in this story was very intriguing, but Maisie ended up discovering an extremely scary (and very believable) scenario that was primarily the result of the war effort on a few troubled individuals. I actually thought the crime, the motivations for the crime as well as the crime's resolution might have been the most interesting of any Maisie Dobb case yet.

In addition to the mystery surrounding the "mad" man behind the crimes and threats, I also appreciated how this book explored depression and mental illness. I did find this book to be rather dark and many of the characters actions were disturbing to me, but I thought they all seemed to be realistic. In addition, I loved how the author showed two very different (and equally serious) ways to grieve. Ms. Winspear did a great job of juxtaposing how one character didn't have the ability to stop looking back and living in the past while another character couldn't handle moving forward. Both charaters were almost paralyzed because of their grief and fears.

Another thing I liked about this book is that it touched upon so many topics that are relevant today. Even though this book took place in London in 1931, I was surprised to see how many of the political and economical issues mentioned in the novel are still occurring today. For example, political activism, terrorism, and a struggling economy are incredibly timely in today's world; and I definitely can see how desperate times call for desperate measures.

While much of AMONG THE MAD did deal with some very sobering issues, I enjoyed seeing how Maisie's character continues to change. There is no doubt that she is still dealing with the effects of the war on her life; however, I sense that Maisie can finally release some things from her past and move on with her life. I was happy to see that Inspector Stratton had a larger role in this novel, and I also liked seeing Maisie's personal interactions with her friends, co-workers, and even some potential suitors!

AMONG THE MAD would make for a very interesting discussion book club discussion. There is a great reading guide which brings to light many of the fascinating issues addressed in this novel. I have to warn you, though, that the discussion questions do include some spoilers. Some of the topics you might want to talk about include depression/mental illness, activism, the effects of war, friendships, dependency, and terrorism.

I sure hope by now that I've convinced some of you to give the Maisie Dobbs series a try! These books really are highly entertaining and thought provoking!

Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book.

Mystery Mondays is a "somewhat" regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: Learning to Swim

Summary: When she witnesses a small child tumbling from a ferry into Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. Harrowing moments later, she bobs to the surface, pulling a terrified little boy with her. As the ferry disappears into the distance, she begins a bone-chilling swim nearly a mile to shore with a tiny passenger on her back.

Surprisingly, he speaks only French. He’ll acknowledge that his name is Paul; otherwise, he’s resolutely mute.

Troy assumes that Paul’s frantic parents will be in touch with the police or the press. But what follows is a shocking and deafening silence. And Troy, a freelance writer, finds herself as fiercely determined to protect Paul as she is to find out what happened to him. What she uncovers will take her into a world of wealth and privilege and heedless self-indulgence—a world in which the murder of a child is not unthinkable. She’ll need skill and courage to survive and protect her charge and herself.

Sara J. Henry’s powerful and compelling Learning to Swim will move and disturb readers right up to its shattering conclusion. -- Crown

How could I not want to read LEARNING TO SWIM by Sara J. Henry after a description like that? The entire premise for the book sounded so good, and those last few words ("move and disturb readers right up to its shattering conclusion") absolutely put me over the edge. This book sounded like one that I couldn't afford to miss.

I have to say that I really enjoyed LEARNING TO SWIM and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. It was an action-packed mystery that kept me guessing all the way to the end. In fact when I realized that there weren't many pages left in the story and I had no idea how it was going to end, I began questioning how the author was going to wrap up the story so quickly. Needless to say, she did while also managing to pack a pretty powerful punch! And when that "shattering conclusion" finally occurred, I admit that I was kind of blown away -- my jaw might have even dropped and I quite possible let out a little gasp! Maybe some readers are more astute than I am, but I didn't see this coming one little bit!

I found LEARNING TO SWIM to be a terrific mystery. It was full of action, suspense, and surprises -- really, everything I look for in a good mystery book. However, I also thought this book had some additional strong qualities. For example, I really liked the character of Troy and thought she was developed fairly well for a character in this genre. Troy was extremely likable, but she was also rather complex and multi-dimensional (and maybe even a bit of a mess.) She has commitment/relationship problems with men and she was kind of estranged from most of her family; however, she immediately bonded with Paul, the little boy that she rescued, and felt almost a maternal instinct towards him.

This might sound strange, but I was actually surprised by how much LEARNING TO SWIM kept me guessing. In some mystery books (namely cozies), I don't spend much time trying to solve the crime. I just sit back and enjoy the story. Well in the case of LEARNING TO SWIM, I definitely enjoyed the story, but I didn't find myself sitting back too often. Rather, I was more on the edge of my seat and took a much more active approach to figuring out the crime. There were characters that I really wasn't sure whether Troy should trust, and I found myself both wanting to restrain her as well as hit her upside the head. For whatever reason (and it probably is a credit to the author), I felt as if I were part of this story.

While I certainly enjoyed the ride that LEARNING TO SWIM took me on, I have to mention that there were a few parts of the story where I felt as if I had to suspend reality. For example, right off the bat, I had some issues with why Troy kept the child rather than turning him over to the authorities. Of course, if she had done that, there wouldn't have been a story, but it seemed a little odd that she just took the little boy home with her. I guess I understand that Troy was worried about what would happen to him if she let him go, but it was still a little leap for me. To give the author credit, she did address Troy's thought process and behavior in the next chapter, and she convinced me enough that I didn't dwell on it longer than a minute or two.

LEARNING TO SWIM is Sara J. Henry's debut novel, and I think it's a fabulous start. I couldn't put this book down because it was just so intense -- from the crime, to the characters, to the mystery, to the twists! I actually can't wait for another one of her books, and I'm even hoping to see the character of Troy again. At the end of LEARNING TO SWIM, the situation with Troy's personal life was left open-ended enough that it's entirely possible for her to return to solve another mystery!

I highly recommend LEARNING TO SWIM to fans of mysteries/thrillers as well as fans of women's fiction.

Mystery Mondays is a "somewhat" regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: The Paris Wife

Summary:  A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises. Hadley, meanwhile, strives to hold on to her sense of self as the demands of life with Ernest grow costly and her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Despite their extraordinary bond, they eventually find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley. -- Ballantine

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've probably seen some of the fantastic reviews for THE PARIS WIFE by Paula McLain. Let me tell you....this is going to be another one! I absolutely adored this novel, and I've been recommending it to anyone (and everyone) who will listen!

When I saw it referenced that THE PARIS WIFE had some similarities to LOVING FRANK, a fictional account of Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah Borthwick Cheney, I pretty much knew I had to read it. (In fact, Ms. Horan's blurb appears on the front cover!) I thought LOVING FRANK was an interesting story of two very interesting people, and I greatly appreciated how well Ms. Horan brought them to life. And I have to say that parts of THE PARIS WIFE did remind me of LOVING FRANK, but THE PARIS WIFE definitely stands on its own as a quality piece of fiction.

I should probably tell you that while I loved this book and I found it extremely interesting to see how Ernest Hemingway and Hadley were portrayed, I basically knew very little about either one of them. I've never read anything by Hemingway (although I think I'm going to read THE SUN ALSO RISES after "meeting" so many of the characters in THE PARIS WIFE.) After I finished reading this novel, I decided to look into Hemingway's life (just a little), and I was extremely impressed with how Ms. McLain seemed to incorporate so many of  the facts into her fictional account. There is no doubt that the author knew her subject inside and out and did a marvelous job of making these characters seem so real.

There are so many wonderful things about this novel, but the one thing that really struck me was the character of Hadley. Yes... Hemingway is indeed a larger than life personality and incredibly interesting because of his unpredictability, but I appreciated seeing how his wife Hadley was portrayed. The book was written in Hadley's words and I positively loved how the author captured her voice. Hadley was so authentic to me and I found myself understanding her motivations and actions. And because the author did such a great job with her childhood and relationship with her family, I could even "get" the reasons why she was attracted to Hemingway and why she was willing to tolerate so much from him. While I didn't always agree with Hadley and her lifestyle, I found myself liking her and wanting a better life for her. In fact, my heart just broke for her in the scene where she discovered not only Hemingway's betrayal, but also the betrayal of one of her best friends.

There is a terrific website devoted to the novel that certainly enhanced my reading experience. There is more information about the book and the author as well as ideas for book clubs. In addition, there is a timeline of the major events in Hemingway's life along with a photo gallery. However, I think my favorite part was the section titled Fact vs. Fiction where the author outlines what was based on fact in this novel. There is also a section with some Hemingway trivia that I found interesting. As someone who gets most of my "history lessons" from historical fiction, I appreciated seeing what was real versus embellished.

I highly recommend THE PARIS WIFE for book club discussions, and I have a feeling that it is going to be a very popular choice over the next few years. There is a reading guide available with twenty thought-provoking questions. And to make your book club meeting extra-special, there are also recipe ideas and Hemingway inspired cocktails. Some of the topics you might want to explore include marriage, monogamy, values, art, literature, friendship, trust, parenthood, mother/child relationships, love, adultery, divorce, and fame.

I absolutely cannot rave enough about THE PARIS WIFE. Truly, each and every page of this novel was a treat to me! I know my review didn't do it justice, but please trust me and just read this book!

Thanks to Entertainment Marketing Group for sending me a copy of this novel.

Review: Perfect One-Dish Dinners

Summary: In Perfect One-Dish Dinners, the New York Times best-selling author Pam Anderson shares her secret for having people over without breaking stride: Make just one dish. Instead of a parade of offerings, she focuses attention on a single main course—a rustic tart, paella, grilled platter, or homey stew. Perfect One-Dish Dinners showcases about forty such meals, perfect for every season and occasion, all designed to wow guests, calm the cook, and relieve the dishwasher at the end of the night.

Stews for All Seasons

Worldly Casseroles

Roasting Pan Complete

Big Summer Salads and Grilled Platters

But that’s not all. If the cook wants to make something extra, Pam provides a compatible appetizer, salad, and dessert for every one dish. And as a special bonus, she throws in “nearly instant” alternatives for each—more than 200 mixable, matchable recipes. Whether for a book group, church get together, birthday party, or family supper, Perfect One-Dish Dinners makes easy, shareable meals perfectly doable. -- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

I do love looking at cookbooks, and I'm even starting to enjoy trying out new recipes. So when Swapna reviewed PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS: ALL YOU NEED FOR EASY GET-TOGETHERS on her blog a few days ago, I knew I needed to get my hands on this book. Her review made it sound like this cookbook might have some recipes that my family might enjoy.

A huge thanks to Swapna because I really liked PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS! I found quite a few recipes that I thought sounded interesting as well as new twists on some classic recipes. What really stood out to me about this cookbook (beside the gorgeous photos!) was the format of the recipes. The book is divided into the following chapters -- Stews for All Seasons, Worldly Casseroles, Roasting Pan Complete, and Big Summer Salads and Grilled Platters. Within each chapter, there were main dish recipes (just like I was expecting) but there were also recipes for appetizers, sides and desserts that complemented the main course.

In addition to the many recipes in this cookbook, there were "Instant Alternative" tips that made the recipe ideas even more versatile. I also liked that there were drink suggestions for each meal; i.e. types of wine and/or beer. I think PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS is ideal for people who entertain on a regular basis, but I also liked that many of the recipes were easy enough to make for a regular family dinner.

There are quite a few recipes that I plan on trying, but I decided to go with something really simple first -- Shells and Cheese for Everyone. Since I made this on a night with play practice and karate, I didn't even attempt any of the sides. It was the easiest homemade mac and cheese recipe that I've ever made, and it was also probably the richest. Despite substituting 1% cottage cheese and low-fat sour cream, it was still very creamy and I thought it was delicious. I also substituted panko for the regular bread crumbs because isn't panko always better?

Shells and Cheese for Everyone
serves 8 to12

Salt
1 pound medium-size pasta shells
1 pound grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 container (16 ounces) cottage cheese
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 container (16 ounces) light or regular sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with vegetable-oil cooking spray.

Bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large soup kettle over high heat. Using package directions as a guide and stirring frequently at first to keep it from sticking, boil pasta, partially covered, until just tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, mix cheese and sour cream in a large bowl. Add hot pasta and toss to coat. Adjust seasonings, including salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to baking dish.

Mix bread crumbs, parsley, and butter in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over shells and cheese. Bake until casserole is bubbly and crumbs are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve.

If you are looking for a cookbook that's very user-friendly, but also has over 200 mix and match recipes, then look no further than PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS.
 
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2011 Challenges

I have no idea what I'm thinking! I am probably one of the worst people ever at completing challenges. But it's that time of year when I'm incredibly optimistic about next year's reading! So here's my list (for now) of the challenges that I'm going to do during 2011!

The Reagan Arthur Books Challenge is an ongoing challenge that Kathy/Bermudaonion and I are hosting. I'm really embarrassed about how little of the books I've read for this challenge, especially since 1) I'm co-hosting it, and 2) the books are amazing! I just want to extend the invitation for everyone to join this stress-free challenge. We have lots of giveaways and fun ideas for the new year!

The Amy Einhorn Books Perpetual Challenge is another ongoing challenge that I've been participating in. I'm not doing so well with this one either, but I do have a lot of the books in my TBR pile. I am certain that I will do better this year!

The Okra Picks Challenge is being hosted by Kathy/Bermudaonion, and it goes through March, 2011. I'm actually not doing awful on this one -- I've already read four of the books!

The Middle Grade Book Challenge is now hosted by Cindy's Love of Books and runs through August 2011. Between reading with my daughter and our Mother/Daughter Book Club, this one shouldn't be too difficult for me to complete.

The What's in a Name 4 Challenge is so much fun. I completed the What's in a Name 3 Challenge last year, so I'm ready to go on this one! Here's how it works:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories:

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why

2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception

3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee

4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife

5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely

6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child

I'm Mad for Maisie isn't exactly a challenge, rather it's a read along. I'm not certain if I can keep up with all of the books that Book Club Girl has scheduled, but I'm going to do my best. I read the first Maisie book for my book club many years ago and I loved it!

The South Asian Challenge 2011 is hosted by my friend S. Krishna. I signed up for this one last year and thought I'd have no problems completing it; however, I failed miserably! It's so ironic because I love books that take place in other cultures. I firmly intend to do better this time around, and I'm signing up for 3 books.

This is my first year to participate in the War Through The Generations Reading Challenge 2011 hosted by Anna and Serena. I've wanted to do this challenge for the past few years, but the Civil War theme finally pushed me over the edge. I love books that take place during this time period, and I'm extremely excited about this challenge! I'm signing up for 3 books.

This one is just too tempting...a food challenge! Joyfully Retired is hosting the Foodie's Reading Challenge! I'm going to sign up for the Glutton Level -- more than 12 books. What more can I really say?

Oh yeah! And I'm toying with the idea of running The Shelf Discovery Challenge II during 2011. I absolutely loved this challenge, and so many of the books I read brought back such amazing memories. I'm curious if anyone else is interested? I worry about challenge overload! Or are you like me, and just join them for the fun and not worry about whether or not I complete all of them?