The Things We Cherished
by Pam Jenoff
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Doubleday
Publish Date: July 12, 2011
Format: Hardcover | 304 pages
Rating: 3½ of 5
Charlotte Gold is happy as an attorney in the public defender’s office working with challenging juvenile cases. A very different job than the one she had as an associate at a large New York firm. She thought those days were behind her now but out of nowhere Brian, a man from the past who had broken her heart, shows up in her office to ask a favor. A wealthy client of Brian’s firm, Roger Dykmans, has been accused of WWII era crimes and he needs her to assist with the defense. Charlotte has a background in these types of cases and her expertise would be invaluable.
Charlotte agrees to help with the case for one week. She arrives in Germany only to find that the client will not cooperate in his own defense other than to say the proof of his innocence lies in an antique clock. To further complicate matters the attorney that Charlotte is assisting in Germany is Brian’s brother, whom with she finds herself becoming romantically involved.
In alternating chapters we go back to the turn of the century Bavaria to learn the history of the clock and it’s significance in Roger’s defense. I like the use of this technique to interweave a story from the past to the present. I found the story of the clock and it’s various owners to be more interesting than Charlotte’s story in the present.
It’s not believable that Charlotte would drop everything and run off to help someone that she had not spoken to in years and when she last encountered him he was telling her to get lost and that he had replaced her with a new girlfriend. Within a short period of time he married that new girlfriend. No, that is not someone I would dash off to another continent to help. I also had trouble believing that Charlotte would fall for the brother so quickly, after all she was there to work not on a holiday.
If you’re looking for a fast, light read and a fantasy romance this book would be a good choice. The tale of the clock added a mystery and there was an interesting twist with the story lines neatly tied up in the end. I don’t read a lot of romances; I picked this one up because of the historical and mystery angle. As far as the romance, if you like Danielle Steele novels you will probably love this book.
Two Copies to Giveaway
Thanks to Doubleday Books, I have two copies of The Things We Cherished to give away to my readers. There are still a few more days to enter. Fill out the form for a chance to win a copy. I will draw the winners using random.org when I turn on my computer Monday morning, August 22nd. US addresses only as the books are shipped by the publisher.
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Review copy provided by Doubleday Books.
Sometimes I spend hours trying to get a photo of a bird and other times a shot just happens.
A few weeks ago I was looking over my flower garden, camera in hand, ready to take some close-ups of whatever was in bloom that day. Out of nowhere a male goldfinch landed on one of the plants, looked up at me and paused for a few seconds. He froze just long enough for me to get a clear shot and then he moved on.
In the spring and summer the males are a beautiful bright yellow with a black cap. In contrast the females are a dull yellow. In the winter both male and female turn a dull grayish brown. They are the only finch that molts twice a year, once in late winter and again in late summer.
Click on the photo to the left for a larger view of a female.
For more bird photos check out my previous Weekend Birding posts.
I link up my bird photos on Saturday Snapshot hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
Almost Wordless: My Hibiscus returned this year and has beautiful big red flowers.
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More Wordless Wednesday.
The Language of Flowers
by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Genre: Literature
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publish Date: August 23, 2011
Format: Hardcover | 336 pages
Rating: 4½ of 5
Victoria Jones has spent most of her life in the foster care system. Today is her 18th birthday; she has aged out of the system and is now emancipated. Victoria wants nothing more than to leave the group home she is living in, never to return.
Through her social worker, Meridith, Victoria is given some money, a place to live and instructions to find a job. Instead of finding work, she spends her days in the park where she plants and cares for flowers. Flowers are what give her peace and she feels a special relationship with them. Within a few months she is kicked out of her new home for she has no job and no money with which to pay the bills.
Victoria is now living in the public park. Days turn into weeks and she is hungry and getting desperate. When she asks a local florist to give her a job she is surprised the woman is willing to take a chance on her and says yes. But Victoria has a gift, she understands the language of flowers which she learned in one of her foster homes, and the florist is impressed with her abilities. Things begin to go well for her, customers adore her and business is booming. But when Victoria encounters a mysterious stranger at the flower market, someone familiar, she knows she must face up to her past.
The book alternates between the present and a period about 10 years ago when Victoria was placed in a foster home under the care of Elizabeth, who wanted to adopt her. By all accounts Victoria seems happy. But the adoption never happened; something went wrong.
Victoria is a flawed and dysfunctional character but so very likable. Many of the things she does don’t make sense on the surface but when viewed through the prism of someone who feels unloved and unwanted, they become more understandable. That she has a painful secret in her past only made me want even more for her to succeed and to be happy. There was one point where she does something so outrageous and so irresponsible that I became disappointed in her. (No spoilers, but if you read the book, you will know). After what she did, the ending tied things up a little too neatly and that was the only thing that kept me from a 5-star rating because I truly loved this book.
I could relate to the flowers providing peace and happiness for Victoria. As an avid gardener I spend many hours with my flowers. In fact, I’m sitting in the garden surrounded by beautiful flower as I write this. Daisies, begonia, hibiscus, petunia, verbena, cone flower, rudbeckia, and too many more to name bloom around me. The Dictionary of Flowers included in the back of the book was a delight. I never knew flowers had a meaning and now I’m looking them up before I give them to anyone.
This is a wonderful book, at times painful and heartbreaking and at others redemptive and joyful. It shines a light on the foster care system and the toll it can take on the children living within it and the people who try to help them. The flowers bring bursts of happiness as Victoria is able to help others and bring joy to their lives. Highly recommended.
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Source: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
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Cross-posted on my gardening blog, LadyMin’s Garden.
Mailbox Monday was created by The Printed Page. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their home last week.
Mailbox Monday is currently on tour, hosted by a different blog each month. The August host is Staci at Life in the Thumb.
This was an eclectic week for me with a variety of books …
Two audiobooks for review from the publisher:
Domestic Violets
by Matthew Norman
Tom Violet always thought that by the time he turned thirty-five, he’d have everything going for him. Fame. Fortune. A beautiful wife. A satisfying career as a successful novelist. A happy dog to greet him at the end of the day.
The reality, though, is far different. He’s got a wife, but their problems are bigger than he can even imagine. Tom’s life is crushing his soul, but he’s decided to do something about it. (Really.) Domestic Violets is the brilliant and beguiling story of a man finally taking control of his own happiness—even if it means making a complete idiot of himself along the way.
The Lantern
by Deborah Lawrenson
A modern gothic novel of love, secrets, and murder – set against thelush backdrop of Provence. When Eve falls for the secretive, charming Dom in Switzerland, their whirlwind relationship leads them to Les GenÉvriers, an abandoned house set among the fragrant lavender fields of the South of France. Each enchanting day delivers happy discoveries: hidden chambers, secret vaults, a beautiful wrought-iron lantern. Deeply in love and surrounded by music, books, and the heady summer scents of the French countryside, Eve has never felt more alive.
A win from Holly at 2 Kids and Tired Books:
Ellis Island
by Kate Kerrigan
Rural Irish girl Ellie loves living in New York, working as a lady’s maid for a wealthy socialite. She tries to persuade her husband, John, to join her but he is embroiled in his affairs in Ireland, and caught up in the civil war. Nevertheless Ellie is extremely happy and fully embraces her sophisticated new life. When her father dies she must return home, but she intends to sort her affairs quickly and then return to her beloved America. But once home her sense of duty kicks in and she decides, painfully, that she must stay to look after her mother and resume her marriage.
A win from Kathy at Bermudaonion’s Weblog:
Grammar Girl’s 101 Words Every High School Graduate Needs to Know
by Mignon Fogarty
Millions of people around the world communicate better thanks to Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, whose top-rated weekly grammar podcast has been downloaded more than 30 million times. Now she’s turning her attention to improving our vocabulary—one word at a time.
Full of clear, straightforward definitions and fun quotations from luminaries such as J.D. Salinger and Susan B. Anthony, to characters such as Marge and Homer Simpson, this highly-useable guidebook gives you the confidence to succeed and sets you up for a lifetime of success.
A new bird book that I purchased on my farewell visit to Borders:
The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds
by Richard Crossley
This stunningly illustrated book from acclaimed birder and photographer Richard Crossley revolutionizes birding by providing the first real-life approach to identification. Whether you are a beginner, expert, or anywhere in between, The Crossley ID Guide will vastly improve your ability to identify birds.
The Blue Jay is a medium-sized, brightly colored bird that’s familiar to people in the Eastern and Central US and Canada. They tend to live around the forest edges but they don’t mind people and can often be found in backyards and at feeders.
Last weekend I received a visit from a juvenile Blue Jay. The youngsters look similar to their parents with the same bright blue coloring. They are slightly smaller and much scruffier. This little guy’s feathers are still downy and fluffy and the gape at the base of his beak is still visible, all indications that this bird is young (click photos for a larger view). He turned around for a nice view of his pretty blue wing and tail feathers.
I usually hear the Blue Jays before I see them. They can be very noisy and have a variety of calls, usually a harsh scream, and they often mimic other birds. This bird made a lot of noise. I don’t know if he was calling his family or just announcing his presence at the feeder.
The crest of feathers on the top of the head is a form of communication or body language. A high crest indicates aggression. When a Blue Jay squawks the crest is almost always held up.
After he finished eating the suet he flew off into the apple tree. The crest went back down and he was looking much more content.
For more bird photos check out my previous Weekend Birding posts.
I link up my bird photos on Saturday Snapshot hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
Almost Wordless: Pink Spider Flower growing in my backyard garden.
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More Wordless Wednesday.
Under My Apple Tree 