The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

I'm really glad I re-read this book. I bought it years ago. Long enough ago that I wasn't yet married. Long enough ago that I didn't really 'get it'. I knew it was well-written back then, but I never went on to read any more of Shreve's writing, because I don't think I was quite ready for it. I was just a bit too young.
Now, is a completely different story. The entire time I was reading it I was wondering why haven't I read more of her? She is a fabulous writer. She has a great sense of description for setting, character and emotion. I genuinely cared about these people and their lives. Although I'd read it before I still wanted to know what was happening next. What would she find out?
If you haven't yet read The Pilot's Wife, the premise is this: a pilot's wife is woken one night by the airline representitive to face her worst fear, her husband's plane has gone down. As the story progresses you experience her stages of grief as well as discover that perhaps her marriage wasn't exactly what she thought it was. It looks at the question: 'How well can we really know another person'.
Shreve does an excellent job weaving past and present scenes so that you are never lost, but rather getting valuable insight into this relationship.
I really enjoyed this book (much better than the first time around) and look forward to reading more of her books.

Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa

This book was a departure from my usual fare. The premise sounded good. A teenage girl from a rougher part of New Orleans is living a depressing home life. She and her brother get mixed up with a 'religious' fellow that turns into a dangerous situation. Sounds interesting, sounds current, sure I'll bite, I'll read it.
What Tusa does well with this story is describe. You forget that this story was written by a man, you really see what life is like for this teenage girl. Unfortunately, I just kept waiting for the story to happen. I wanted to find a reason to like this girl, I didn't. Haley's life is pretty miserable and she doesn't help her situation. Something that caught my attention was the need Haley had to blame God for everything. This is a common misnomer of who God is. People will tell God, 'My life sucks, do something' - as if God is some wish granting genie in a bottle. He's not. He really and truly loves you and has a plan for your life, but you need to take some steps towards him (we have free will) and begin to line your life up with His will. I don't see Haley having any give this way. She keeps telling God to do something, but then continues to make poor choices and wonder in bewilderment why her.
I think Tusa has an interesting idea here, I just wanted to see it in fruition. The novel is short (more of a novella really) and has 3 distinct parts to it. I would love to see what would happen if he developed the story more in these 3 parts, or, took one of these parts and widened it out to make an arc.
Overall, I would say this story was dark, well described but I really didn't care about the characters to make it work, I would have loved to see some growth and development on Haley's part to make it worth reading.

It's Monday

The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve (re-read)

My first 'Weekly Geeks' contribution - All about animals

The Weekly Geeks are a new to me discovery of book lovers. They pick different themes related to books and share on their blogs. This is my first go at joining in.

This week you are asked to share books (fiction or nonfiction) and/or movies which center around an animal or animals.
Which are your favorites?
Which touched your heart the most?
Which have found their way onto your wish lists or TBR stacks?
Is there a childhood favorite?
Have you ever named a pet after an animal from a book or movie?

- Charlotte's Web by E.B. White is the first that comes to mind. I absolutely adore this book (and have since I was about 8 years old). A classic for kids and adults alike

- The Life of Pi by Yann Martel is the next book that I think of when I think of animals. It was recommended to me by my brother and is unlike anything else that I'd ever read. I must have read it at least 5 years ago now and I still wonder about the ending
- I very much enjoyed the role of Judge, Campbell Alexander's dog in Jodi Picoult's My Sister's keeper
-I've never named an pet after a book animal, but I have recently discovered Rosemary Well's McDuff books about a West Highland Terrier, coincidentally my childhood dog was a Scottish Terrier named McDuff so the books give me an opening to tell my sons about my McDuff

-Curious George by the Rey's is right up there (now enjoyed by my sons as well as myself)
-my favorite fairy tale Snow White and Rose Red has a very loveable bear character in it
-I loved Jack the little Bulldog in the Little House books
- I think the animal that I love the most in books is Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia, although he is so much more than an animal (which is what happens when you read fantasy)
I'm sure after I hit 'publish post' I'll think of so many more animal characters that I love, funny how many of these books are children's classics

*added the next day - I knew I'd think of at least one more I wanted on here - Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, another children's book I know, but one I didn't discover until I was teaching

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

I feel so inadequate to review this book. It has done what few books do which is put me in my place. Not in a bad way, in a very good reminder way. C.S. Lewis was one of the foremost Christian Apologists of the 20th Century. He was not always a Christian, converting to Christianity in his early 30's. He was a gifted writer and noted intellect. He is widely known for the Chronicles of Narnia (which I confess is the only books of his I have read prior to this).
The premise of The Screwtape Letters is this: A senior demon writes letters advising his nephew (a junior demon in the ranks) as to how to avert his human (called the Patient) away from his new found faith in Christ. Of course being written in the reverse takes a little getting used to, but reading through the lines are valuable lessons for myself in my own walk with Christ. I can see the ways in which I falter, the sins which I am succeptable to. I know the only way back is to focus on my Creator. I am so glad I picked this book up (it was on a whim as I glanced through the church library last Sunday). It is one that I should buy and add to my collection. I can see myself re-reading this in part and in whole as time goes on. I would like to read more of his writing. I'm pretty sure that Lewis' Mere Christianity is somewhere in my husband's collection so maybe that will be my next Lewis destination.

Mother's Day Give Away

5 Minutes for Books is offering a wonderful prize package for book lovers. Check it out!

Mercy by Jodi Picoult

I waited a while for this novel to come in to the library. Jodi Picoult has quite a following right now and I admit that I'm one of those working my way through her books. I find her books quite easy and quick to read, but the stories are good and interesting. Most of her books touch on a hot issue. The one focuses on euthenasia. It's a side of euthenasia that I hadn't thought about before. What would it be like to be living in such a state of pain and agony, knowing that you are deteriorating every day and may not live many more of them. Would you choose to die? Would you ask someone to kill you? Or would you wait it out? Is it our choice to make? I had previously read Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers that addresses this issue and I really enjoyed her perspective. I like that Picoult takes this issue and parallels it with a dying marriage. Do you kill the marriage? Do you kill the cancer patient? Do you give up? Do you live on? Do you work it out? I'm for marriage. I'm for life. I don't think any of these questions are easy. But add another voice into the arguement. It would be interesting for a book club to read both books and discuss them to see what they come up with.