Olga, A Daughter's Tale

source

Olga, A Daughter's Tale by Marie-Therese Browne

This is a story of both England and Jamaica, the people and cultures of both countries and the racism that existed there during the early 1900s. Olga, the daughter of a White English woman and a Black Jamaican man, goes to London to study dance and ends up living in London as a colored single woman during WWII. She has some hardships due to her race and her social status but gets through them in the end.

I liked this book. It is written in journal entry form, both from the viewpoint of Olga, who is the main character, as well as her mother, Becky and her Aunt Lucy. It also has a few newspaper articles and letters from others thrown in. It flows easily and I did keep turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

It talks about the prejudices of color in Jamaica, even between blacks and coloreds, who were the lighter skinned blacks. It speaks of obeha, or voodoo, and how it was outlawed in Jamaica for a long time. It talks about the war and some of the stresses there were being in London at the time.

This book was thought provoking. I always like hearing a story in a voice that I can understand. Olga’s voice was just right.

I give this book at 4 out of 5.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the LibraryThing Members Giveaway in return for a review. All opinions in this post are my own. I am not entitled to give a favorable review.

Have you read any good books lately?  Have you ever been to Jamaica?

Book Review: Thalo Blue

The Author says: "I began writing my novel, THALO BLUE, after two seemingly random events in my life intersected: the attempted but unsuccessful break-in at my home one black winter night, and having my wisdom teeth surgically removed then nearly bleeding out on my bathroom floor while under the spell of heavy painkillers. Once recovered from both sets of circumstance, I wrote the first draft of the story over a fevered three month winter stretch."

I won this book at a giveaway at Reading, Writing and the World of Words. Thanks Genna! 

At first I had a really hard time getting into this book. It starts off with the main character getting attacked and the narrative goes from one person’s mind to the other. For the first couple of chapters it is like this, but with additional characters still, and frankly, I was a bit confused.

Then it starts to level out. It still switches back and forth, but it does it slower, and you have more time to process each section. After this happened, I started to like the book. The main character is an unhappy artist who has been bossed around by his father and is kind of still trying to find his place in the world. His mother left when he was young and he has issues with women and life in general.

Then this attacker comes into his life and everything changes. I will not tell you what happens, but the author has made it an interesting read, especially when he ends it. You do close the book (or turn off the Kindle) with a feeling of closure, which I find important.

The only thing I didn’t know was that it is a fantasy book to a certain degree. Not fantasy like dragons and elves, but Stephen King fantasy-like. I won’t tell you any more than that. I also had no idea that “thalo blue” is a type of blue. See, you do learn something new every day!

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

If you haven't already voted, vote for me (#35) HERE for Best in Travel at FTLOB! 

Cheap Reads

Wow, it's been a while since the last time I updated my 2011 Reading List! Here's what I have read since then. You can see the entire list at my Bookshelf page. Total Current Book Count: 28

Last Chance Saloon - Marian Keyes ***
This book was total girl fluff, but a great book to read at the beach or on a plane when you don't want to have to think too much about it.

Tarantula Woman - Donald O'Donovan (review here)

Sea of Glory - Nathaniel Philbrick ****
This book was about the exploring expedition of the United States, when they went out for four years and discovered land in Antarctica (before they didn't know if it was all ice or not). They also explore the Polynesian islands and the West Coast of the US, which belonged to Mexico and the British at the time. This book is historical, but not boring, like some of them can be.

Surviving the Extremes - Kenneth Kamler ****
This book was good! It is broken down into categories -- desert, jungle, high altitude -- and talks about what happens to your body in such extremes and how to combat the issues that you face. The author is a tad hung up on himself, but he is very knowledgeable and this was a very interesting read.

My Korean Deli - Ben Ryder Howe (review here)

Forrest Gump - Winston Groom **** (I won this at JC Martin - Fighter, Writer)
The book was very different than the movie, but I enjoyed it just as much! The only thing that sometimes bothered me was that it is written in 1st person and the grammar is (purposefully) horrible. Sometimes I have a hard time getting around that.

Beyond All Measures - Dorothy Love (review here)

Crossroads Road - Jeff Kay **
To be honest, this book was a little strange. It started off good. The premise is that this guy's overbearing mother in law wins the lottery and gives them a house and 2 million dollars, BUT they have to live in the same cul-de-sac as she does. They have funny in-law fights, but it gets a little ridiculous at a certain point.

Dirty Little Angels - Chris Tusa (review on it's way)

Just as a side note, I think I spent a total of 12 dollars on all these books, and most of that went towards Sea of Glory, which I bought at Borders at full price. The rest have been bought at Goodwill (.70 cents for paperbacks!) or were giveaways, either from LibraryThing, BookSneeze or other bloggers. I also frequently visit Amazon and get free classics for my Kindle. 

What books can you recommend to me for summer reading? What is your monthly book budget? Do you have any cheap reads tips? 

Don't forget, you can friend me on Goodreads if you haven't already! I want to see what you are reading!

Beyond All Measure

Beyond All Measures by Dorothy Love

Paperback: 320 Pages
ISBN-10: 1595549005

Just after the civil war, Bostonian Ada Wentworth goes to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee to take a job as a lady's maid.  Not only does she encounter a different life that she was used to financially, but she also encounters some of the prejudices of a post civil war era. Attempting to eventually start her own business, she runs into problems due to her gender and her background, as well as also running into love. But, will her love prevail, or will her past come back to bite her? You will have to read to find out.

This book was a very quick read, as many romance novels are. I won't spoil anything for future readers, but it pretty much follows the same plot as several other romance novels I have read. However, the author does bring history into it as well and it was definitely interesting to think about how hard it would be to live in such a tumultuous time, especially if you are a woman in a man's world, a northerner in a southerner's world, or a white among recently freed blacks, in a place where prejudices still run rampant.

I haven't read a romance novel in a long time, and the reason is they are usually too much silly romance and not enough hard evidence or a believable story. However, this one did keep my attention and I finished it in about a day and a half. The characters are likable, the setting is interesting and the story does keep you turning pages. I would recommend this book to anyone is into a bit of fluff interspersed with history. The author could have made it more Historical and less Romance but if you like it better the other way around, it may be just the thing for you. However, I would give it a 3 out of 5 for that reason alone.

You can find more information about this book HERE. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

My Korean Deli

My Korean Deli by Ben Ryder Howe

This is the story of a self proclaimed "tight bummed Puritain" from Boston who is married to a Korean woman. They live with her parents in Staten Island (in the basement). Their grand plan is to pay her parents back for their generosity by buying them a deli in Brooklyn and helping them run it.

There are all sorts of problems. The wife's family immigrated to the US from Korea and they still have some "old country" values that clash with Ben's Puritain ways. He ends up slacking on his real job in order to take care of the deli. He meets some suspicious characters in his days of working in the deli.

I liked this book. I liked it because the author doesn't lie about the fact that he has troubles with this. He and his wife have troubles with their relationship as well as the relationship with her parents. It is not easy. He doesn't try to hard to make it a funny book or a witty one. He just tells the story like it is.

In fact, sometimes I almost wished he would be a little more reactive. He seems so blase about some of the things that happen. As if he is a journalist reporting the story, and not someone who it actually happened to. For example, in the store, which they take over from a previous owner, there are several "regulars" who come in every night and drink beer in the store and just hang out getting drunk. Ben does not express very much fear or worry. He just seems to go with the flow, whereas I would be a bit stressed. Maybe he is but just doesn't portray it in the book.

It was also interesting to learn about some of the Korean traditions, which I had never heard of. Some of them are strange, but intruiging. I also love the description of the hard assed, hard working, take no nonsense, immigrant Mother-in-Law. She would be a great person to have on your side but a horrible one to have against you. I could totally see myself butting heads with her.

The wife is also interesting. A child of immigrant parents, she is torn between the Korean and American ways and values. It would be hard, I assume, to have to deal with her American husband and her Korean mother. She is often put in the middle, but luckily she is a strong character and comes out of everything just fine.

This book was a quick read and I enjoyed it very much. I had no problems turning the pages on this one.

I give it a 4 out of 5.

NOTE: I recieved this book for free from LibraryThing in return for a fair and honest review. The opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

Bookmark Break Update

After a few days on the beach and a couple of long bus rides, my book list is finally getting longer! At my last update we were at 13 books.

Add to that:

With No One as a Witness - Elizabeth George **** (great Mystery read if you are looking for a new author. She often uses the same characters)

Whirl of the Wheel - Catherine Condie ***(free ebook from Amazon. Kind of a kid‘s book, but it was cute enough and it was definitely short and sweet)

Compromising Positions - Jenna Bayley-Burke ** (totally chick romance beach book)

Meridon - Phillippa Gregory *** (I had heard she did great Historical Fiction, but this one was a little strange, and not that historic in my opinion, but it was still a fun read)

New Moon - Stephany Meyer *** (I am getting tired of the main character. She seems like a melodramatic pain in the butt. I will probably read the rest of the series though)

So now we are up to 18! I am still way behind many of the others, but ahead of the average, so I am not doing too bad!

What I am currently reading:

The Girl Who Played With Fire - Steig Larsson

For more book info and fun and to see the entire list, you can go to my Bookshelf page!

What book are you reading? Is it any good? If it is, let me know -- I will read just about anything! Also, if you want to join in on the Bookmark Challenge, it’s not too late. All you need is a list of whatever books you have read in 2011.

Note: This is day two of the A - Z blogfest. B is for Bookmark.

Click HERE to see A (A is for A Day).

An Update Regarding Books

source

I believed I told you that I joined the Bookmark Break Challenge, which is hosted by Aubrie Anne over at Who's Your Editor. Here is an update of my progress.

When I last posted, I had 9 books under my belt in 2011. Added to that are these, which brings the total up to 13:

Around Africa on My Bicycle - Riaan Manser (review here)
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austin (A Blogger Book Club read)
Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery **** (this was a re-read, but just as good the second time)
Congo Journey - Redmond O'Hanlon**

I am definitely not in the lead. At last check on March 1, the top reader had 28 books!!! I have a lot of reading to do to catch up to her!

Also, I joined the BBC (Blogger Book Club) where our book for March was Sense and Sensibility.  KT of KTs Refinishing School has our linky open for discussion for this!  If you have read the book or want to join, go over to her site for a look!

My current read is With No One as a Witness by Elizabeth George, which should go fast as it is a murder mystery and I eat those up like candy. Even though it is over 700 pages, I started it this morning and am already half way through. Sometimes you just can't put a book down!

Review: Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Published: 1811
Number of Pages: 409
ISBN: 9780141439662
First Line: "The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex."

See the Goodreads description HERE.

This is a story about a family, of a mother and three daughters, as well as their extended family of cousins, step brothers and sisters-in-law and their current love interests. There is selfishness and greed; there are parties and laughter; there is music and books and love; there is heartbreak and deceit. It seems a formula for success.

The eldest daughter, Elinor, is the only rational one. Her next sister, Marianne, is a silly, selfish flighty girl who cares nothing of anyone else’s problems and wants everyone to focus on her own. The third sister barely gets mentioned, as she is not old enough to fall madly in love with the wrong guy and then make a scene about it when he doesn’t love her back.

The brother and sister-in-law are greedy and care only about money, even though they have plenty and don’t share it with the rest of the family. The cousins are only focused on parties and gaiety and fun.

My impression of this book was that they spend the whole time having parties and looking for a husband. They fall in love with men who are unfaithful and they act quite silly about it upon realizing the man doesn‘t love them. The men are all fickle and quite rude about it, pretty much ignoring the girls once they have had enough of them and never communicating with anyone.  I almost didn’t like them until I recollected that this book was written roughly 200 years ago and times WERE different then. However, I find it hard to relate and also to distance these girls from our modern times. If they were here right now, they would be completely out of place. I would tell them to shut up or to stand up for themselves for God’s sakes!

This is an era where men and women still marry for money and class. An era where your mother can arrange your marriage to a “suitable” beau. An era where the women didn’t work and then men were landlords as an occupation. It is an era that I do like to read about and would like to understand, but that I have a hard time relating to. Maybe it’s Austen’s style of writing. Maybe it’s just the era.

However, for such an old book, it is sometimes amazing how much things really haven’t changed. I think this quote still holds true today.  “Shyness is only the effect of a sense of inferiority in some way or other. If I could persuade myself that my manners were perfectly easy and graceful, I should not be shy”.

This one just cracks me up. “Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition”.  So she didn’t argue with him. She was snubbing him by not giving him the satisfaction of an argument. I love it. What an insult!

But the best quote is this one at the end, which redeems Marianne. She finally turns around and realizes that she is not the only person in the world and the learns to respect and care about other people. She realizes that the man she loved when young was worthless and the one who has stood by and loved her for years is priceless.

“Marianne Dashwood was born to an extraordinary fate. She was born to discover the falsehood of her own opinions, and to counteract, by her conduct, her most favourite maxims. She was born to overcome an affection formed so late in life as at seventeen, and with no sentiment superior to strong esteem and lively friendship, voluntarily to give her hand to another!”

I cannot say I really liked this book as much as I thought I would. From hearing what other people have said, I thought it would be absolutely great. It was just okay. I have found that there are several classics that I feel about this way. Maybe the hype is just too much. My expectations are too high. Or maybe I am just not into this style of book. I will keep trying however.

I give it a 3 out of 5. I liked this book but I did not love it.

PS. I have not seen the movie, but saw the cover of the book. Does Hugh Grant play Willoughby? I hope he's not Brandon. He's definitely more of a rouge. Also, if Kate Winslet is Marrianne, I am not sure I agree with that one either. I guess I will have to watch it.

Have you read Sense and Sensibility? Do you want to be part of the discussion? Please join us over at KT's Refinishing School for a link up and discussion of this book. While there, you can also vote for our April BBC book club read.

Review: Around Africa on my Bicycle

Around Africa on my Bike by Riaan Manser
705 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-86842-351-4
Published 2007 by Jonathon Ball Publishers

The back flap reads:

“In a world first, almost incredibly, Riaan Manser rode a bicycle right around the continent of Africa. It took him two years, two months and fifteen days. He rode 36,500 km (22,500 miles) through 34 different countries.

In [this book] Manser tells the story of this epic journey. It is a story of blood sweat, toil and tears. It is a story of triumph and occasional disaster. Of nights out under the stars, of searing heat and rain, of endless miles of Africa and of pressing on and never surrendering whatever the odds.

Mostly however it is the story of one man’s courage and determination to escape the mundane and see the continent he loves and feels so much of a part of. It is the story of the human warmth he encounters, and occasionally human wrath and hostility as he crosses troubled countries and borders.”

The man that wrote the forward for this book (John Robbie) really said it well. He said, “There’s always reason to put off the dream, isn’t there? Too busy, too poor, too lazy. For most people, me included, it’s really a case of being too scared. That’s why for the majority, these fantasies remain daydreams rather than fulfilled ambitions or even attempted ones. Then we get old and regret the fact that we never went for it”.

I read that and knew I would like this book. He is right. We all put off things that we want to do because we make excuses. Because of this, we tend to admire, and envy, people who do what we think is an exciting or adventurous thing. I knew I would admire and be a little bit jealous of Riaan and his round Africa journey. So, the premise was a go.

However, the book is written in a “my journal” format, where the author obviously was trying to write to remember details about things, people and places. However, I personally (as the reader) do not need to know about every single person he meets and the when and the where of it. I don’t need to know every detail of every single border crossing. The book is 705 pages; he could have consolidated it a little!

I would prefer more information and facts about the countries he visited as well as his thoughts and impressions of these countries. I would also have liked to hear more about his feelings. He does give a little information regarding this things, but I want to know more. How did it feel to be all alone in a country that you have never been in before? Were you tired? Were you lonely? How did this affect you mentally, physically and spiritually?

Another thing that bothers me is that he seems like a huge mooch. He gets sponsorships, free gear and money (many of it from nice people who really can‘t afford it). People give him free cell phones. He loses them a bunch of times and people keep giving him new ones! He stays with people all over the place, often getting free lodging. Maybe I am being hard on him, r maybe I am just jealous, but he seems selfish. I hope that after he finished this trip and wrote this book he gave something back to the community and the people that helped him along the way.

Even though I had those few peeves, I really did like the book. Any book that involves travel and a sense of adventure is exciting to me. I can also relate, as I recently went to Africa. He talks about how nice many of the people are and I found the same to be true. I am inspired. I want to bike around my country now!

I give this book a 4/5.

NOTE: If there was a 3.5, I would do that, as I am not sure it’s of the “I really liked it” category. It’s somewhere in between “I liked it” and “I really liked it”.

Books! (A list)

books!
Originally uploaded by kyria!

Note: if you have this in your reader twice, it's because for some reason blogger decided to post this before I was done. So, this one is the real one; the other one was just a draft! 

I wanted to keep a list of the books I have read this year. I may update this every few months. So, as of today, here are the books I have read so far. Like I have said before, when I am on the road, I pretty much read whatever I can get my hands on in English...so excuse me if they are a little strange! I put stars behind the ones I have not or probably will not review (based on 5 star system: 1 - bad, 2 - okay, 3 - good, 4 - very good, 5 - excellent)

January:
Blink - Malcolm Gladwell (review here)
The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown (review on its way)
Big Cherry Holler - Adriana Trigiani **
The Mummy - Anne Rice ***
Twilight - Stephanie Meyer *** (finally read it and surprisingly like it!)
Love Rosie - Cecilia Ahern *** (beach read - romance, fluff etc)
Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts (review to come)

February:
Stories We Could Tell - Tony Parsons **
The Essence of the Thing - Madeline St John **

As you can see, I have slowed down in February. The last two were pretty unexciting and then I tried to read a fantasy book and there were so many names and places and I had no idea what they were talking about. So finally, against my will, I quit in the middle and gave it to a used book store. Seriously. Gave it. They wouldn't even buy it back! It was that bad. And I almost never quit a book, no matter how bad it is.

What I am reading now:
Around Africa on My Bicycle - Riaan Manser
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (a FREE ebook from Amazon!)

Additional Note: AubrieAnne over at Who's Your Editor is doing a Bookmark Break Challenge 2011 where you list all the books you read this year. You can find the complete list over on my Pages. I will be updating it as much as I can. If I read more books than she does, I win a prize! Wish me luck!