Kaseys Korner

The Art of Plant & Garden Photography

Clive Nichols is my virtual photography mentor. His photos are the "Chef's Kiss" of the flower loving world. He uses light in the garden in a masterful way ~ I dream of capturing my garden in a similar manner.

So of course, any book with a compilation of his photographs is a "want-to-read" for me or should I say "want-to-ogle?!" I wish I'd noticed the publication date of this book tho before I ordered ~ it's 2007. As is true with any professional, Mr. Nichols has honed his craft in the subsequent years and the photos he produces today are far superior to the ones featured in this book. At least in my opinion.

I did not buy as a "how to" or for photography tips and don't expect to find those within these pages. There are some lovely photos but I'd personally recommend searching out a more current collection of his work. That's what I intend to do.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

I must have been reading a different version of this book than everyone else?? It's been so wildly popular, I started questioning my own feelings & wondered what I was missing that everyone else was raving about. Where is my copy of that riveting, enthralling page turner with all the 5 stars????!!!

In all fairness, I've never been a fan of autobiographies. I'm not sure why reading about other peoples perceptions of their lives doesn't thrill/interest me?? Turns out I feel the same about fictional autobiographies too...
Note to self: refrain from picking up anymore!

TJR definitely takes inspiration from real life celebrities (thinking about Daisy Jones & the Six) and now this one which I could actually believe was based on Elizabeth Taylors life.

There are things to admire and find realistic and truthful about Eve and how she craftily & calculatedly rose to fame. I also agree if she were a man, no one would think twice about most of her actions. I've never understood why the "gilded age of Hollywood" was/is still revered as such tho?? Wasn't it only gilded for the studios & executives in charge of them? The studios "owned" the actors & actresses and dictated everything about their lives. Looking back, there's a question about what was real and what was not about any of the stars from that time period. This book just added another layer of concrete (in my mind) about how faux the personas were that the studio heads created and what they actually had to do to achieve that fame. Mostly I feel sympathy for the real stars (like Marilyn Monroe, Rock Hudson, etc.) who were insanely famous and beloved but unhappy in their personal lives. That's how I ended up feeling about the fictitious Eve too.

Monique (the "ordinary" person & dual storyline in the book) wasn't very compelling for me either. I wanted to connect with her (there was plenty to work with there ~ child of divorce, mixed race parentage, left fatherless, etc.) but call me cold, the only thing I could eek out was apathy.

I got within 80 pages of the ending, put it down and then took 3 days to come back and finish. Never a good sign! To anyone reading this, please don't let my opinion be off-putting. It's obviously a best seller and my thoughts are definitely in the minority... I just can't muster any enthusiasm for it.

A Piece of the World

This has been on my wtr list for awhile. I had the thought (off and on while reading) that maybe it should have stayed there??

Not that it's a bad book, I just found it utterly sad. If you're feeling sorry for yourself, maybe pick this up and see (but for the hands of fate) what your life could be. It's an "in-your-face" accounting of the ways ordinary people are forced to cope with the "cards" life dealt them. How they rise to the challenge, how it requires selfless sacrifice from others to make it possible & how it can be a thankless task.

Anna Christina Olson, the woman in the famous painting, thru no fault of her own, was born with a debilitating genetic disease. She's an unlikeable protagonist despite the compassion she elicits because of her condition. One is simultaneously awed by her determination to live her life (crawling around the property using her forearms is the very definition of fortitude) and yet angry at the hateful way she treated those who tried to help her. I felt the most sympathy for her brother who sacrificed his entire life to make sure she could live hers.

***You know I googled how their story ended ~ turns out Alvaro died in 1967 then Christina followed him to the grave a month later. Her life could not exist without his. Is that fair?? Is it love that compelled him to devote his existence to hers?? or a sense of duty?? Her other siblings went on to life "normal" lives, but he made a choice, or felt an obligation, to stay behind. There is a story there too.

As far as the painting, I'm not a student of art. I know if something appeals to me & hands down this painting would never hang in my home. I feel bleakness and despair when I view it. I guess that's why art is subjective?? I can't help but feel life is full of tragedy, why would one voluntarily hang more of it on their walls...

This woman Christina, of very limited mobility, thru art (& now literature) has transcended the boundaries of the property she was born and died on. The perfect demonstration of the power of art. There are many such stories around the world without an Andrew Wyeth to memorialize them tho. Maybe that's another takeaway from the book.

3.5 stars

Sea of Tranquility

Soooo, it turns out that Emily St. John Mandel has the capacity to scare the sh*t out of me.

Does she have an overactive imagination, a crystal ball that lets her look into the future or is she just generally pessimistic about the future of the human race?? I honestly could believe any or all three of the above!

If you have a phenomenal memory, you might recall I read 'Station Eleven' right before the Covid 19 pandemic erupted. That in itself twisted my brain into an undulating, anxious knot that I still haven't quite unraveled. 'Sea of Tranquility' spans a couple of timelines (past, present and future) but the future one (mentioning all the additional subsequent pandemics) has me reeling. Not to mention the whole idea that everything about our existence could really just be a simulation, or so the theory goes... How crazy would that be????

Those inexplicable moments ~ a glitch in programming??? Whatever your thoughts about the book, it can't be said it won't make you think. About the future (near & distant), colonization in space, pandemics, effects of climate change, life on the whole, etc., etc.

The book also reacquaints us with some of the characters we met in 'The Glass Hotel' but for the life of me, I'm not sure why?? There's enough material to contemplate between these covers, I can't spare the mental energy for them or the importance of their presence in two books. Am I overlooking something??

There's also the title. I have a strange compulsion to want to correlate book titles with stories. It takes me a hot second to do that here because at first it seems it might be alluding to a peacefulness or state of mind but the cover should have tipped me off (& I don't generally see those reading from a kindle, definite downside!) I finally got that it's a reference to the crater on the moon near to where the first astronauts landed and subsequently where Mandel has located the first moon colony. Ah ha.

There sure is a LOT packed into this smallish size novel...

It just occurred to me that Ms St John Mandel could possibly be one of those time travelers from the Time Institute ~ writing books and going rogue to warn us of our future??? If so, it's not particularly rosy and we're in for a tumultuous time. 

I feel my brain twisting back up into a knot....

The Diamond Eye

Kate Quinn slays again.

What an emotional read and remarkable coincidence that the setting for Ms. Quinns latest book is the Ukraine (albeit during WWII) which made comparisons to the modern day (2022) invasion inevitable. It's so eerie to read historical fiction that can be transposed to current events. Everywhere the word "German" was written, could be replaced with 'Russian" and suddenly it's the story of the war we're currently witnessing. The uncanny part was that Ukraine was part of Russia during WWII, so our heroine considers herself decidedly Russian and definitely not Ukrainian. A complete about-face of how we've learned Ukrainians view themselves today.

Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a compelling figure in life and on the page. It was an absorbing read, learning about her contribution to the Allies victory and her role as a deadly female sniper. As is often the case, I was inspired to google and surprised by the number of photos of her available online. Many from the tour she made of America but others from the front lines. I love that she had a very real relationship with Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. For every story in history we read about, I never stop feeling there were hundreds more that won't ever be uncovered. I will read every single one Kate Quinn wants to write tho.

"WWII will be won by British Intelligence, American Steel and Russian Blood." ~ Joseph Stalin, 1943

Ms Quinn is bringing that quote to life ~ 'The Rose Code' conveyed the accuracy of the British Intelligence and now 'The Diamond Eye' addresses the Russian losses and their need for a second front against the German Army. Is there an 'American Steel' equivalent in the future??

I'm not sure why I'm only 4 starring this?? It made me cry, it gave me hope and completely captivated me. Maybe I just couldn't disassociate it with Russias actions today?? Definitely don't let that dissuade you tho.  It's a terrific read, I just can't help wondering how it would be received if it were published at a different time?? 

The Mists of Avalon

It's been a long, long time since I've read a book in such a disjointed manner.

It wasn't the length that deterred me, although it was a hefty 1000+ pages, I just vacillated between interest and blatant disinterest. At times I would read voraciously only to set it down and not pick it back up for days. Very strange as I thought I would really be into it. I've had a fascination with King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table from my teenage years. Always hoping his Camelot wasn't entirely mythical but at least containing some kernels of truth or evidence of existence.

After plowing my way thru tho, I'm not sure the author elevated him/his reign (if he did indeed exist) but rather diminished my thoughts about it. She's welcome to her interpretation and this view from the feminine perspective was definitely a different angle than I've been exposed to before. Maybe in battle King Arthur's Knights were formidable but on the home front, his court was caught up in all the usual machinations that plague Royalty ~ pious Priests, betrayal of sacred oaths, petty people & jockeying for power. King Arthurs greatest asset was portrayed as his amiability and not his prowess on the battlefield with his legendary Excalibur sword. Do I like that idea???

One of the worst people in his court was his Queen. Gwenhwyfar was a jealous, hypocritical, shallow woman. None of the characteristics that are seemly for a Kings Consort. If you accept Ms Bradley's proposition that Arthur encouraged Gwenhwyfar into a relationship with Lancelet and she accepted, she certainly was quick to condemn others for engaging in those same activities. bleck

Morgaine was another character I had a strong reaction to ~ she was raised as a Priestess on Avalon, schooled in magic & other mystical arts but yet she turned her back on everything and chose to waste her life living as an ordinary woman. Hard to swallow.

Avalon was a compelling part of the book. An island of Priestesses, devoted to serving the Goddess and completely dependent on people maintaining the old beliefs to stay accessible. Intriguing. Me, who would like to believe in concurrent realms, had a hard time accepting some of the decisions originating from there. Even the Merlins who I had thought of as very powerful in this time period were much diminished and influenced by the Christian faction far more easily than I thought possible.

There's so much more I didn't like but I can't find the will to keep going. Let's just say I felt sad when I finished the book.

***After I was done, I learned about the child abuse and pedophilia accusations against the author. They're pretty awful. I'm not one who usually believes in "cancel culture" but I wonder if I'd bothered reading had I known that??? It sure puts a taint on her work.

The Viscount Who Loved Me

April 2021:

I couldn't stop myself ~ I had to know what was coming next on Season 2 of the Bridgerton's!!!
Now I can't wait!!! It's going to be amazing.

Edited 4/12/22
I HAD to come back and update now that Season 2 has dropped. It WAS amazing! And confession time, I'm officially having. trouble. getting. back. to. my. life. 

sigh, sigh, sigh

Admitting to being totally OBSESSED!!!! What does that say about me?? or my life? haha
The scene in the series (episode 7) with this exchange:

Anthony "I will Stop"
Kate "Do not Stop"
Anthony "I will Stop"
Kate "Do NOT stop"

If you've watched, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It was soooo worth the whole slow build of tension to get there!!! The series was great for bringing all the smoldering nonverbal looks, actions, etc., to life ~maybe because the actors were perfectly cast. Jonathan Bailey ~ you certainly know your way around a woman ~ not sure how that happened but hopefully men around the world are taking note! I have to say it was slightly disconcerting to go back to envisioning Edwina as blonde & blue eyed when the series was so diverse.

There were also lot of other storylines more fully developed in the series than in the book. That was a bit of a down side to me as I would have preferred a harder edit of those in favor of getting more Kate & Anthony. I do appreciate the differences tho & am just trying to lean into them for what they each bring.

The biggest thing that bothered me about the series (and I'm sure it was done for the drama aspect) was the way the producers pitched Edwina and Kate against each other. The book dealt with that tangled triangle much, much better.

I hope the success of Bridgerton's will shine a spotlight on the genre of Historical Romance and based on it's popularity, maybe, just maybe, more HR authors will see their work brought to life on screen. It's certainly just as deserving of being there as all the other genres.

There's only one thing left to say ~ where is my Viscount??!!!

 

The Room in the Attic

This is exactly the kind of darkly atmospheric gothic style novel that gets me all atwitter. Sooo good. The All Hallows school/ex-asylum = the perfect creepy setting. The kind of place I would probably turn & run from even if that meant being stranded on those lonely moors of Dartmoor.

It had me captivated from the get go. Easy to get sucked into both the timelines and I wasn't ever bothered when they switched back & forth. There were actually three timelines but I viewed the current day one as a kind of foreward & an addendum to the book. The older timelines were the stories that kept me riveted & I liked them both with equal fervor.

4.5 Stars. I would give the book a 5 star rating but the ending was a bit of a stretch for me. I want to fall for it, I truly do, I just can't quite give myself over to it (at least not yet!) Totally worth the read tho!!!

The Forest of Vanishing Stars

Difficult time to read another book about the genocide of the Jewish people in WWII when a different genocide is currently going on in the World (Ukraine.)
I almost put the book down a couple times but the writing was compelling and so is the story.

In reality, pretty incredible that any Jews at all were actually able to escape Nazi persecution let alone survive in the forests of Eastern Europe. The research (detailed in the authors notes at the end of the book) made the reading about how they eked out an existence very authentic. To think of the lives they had prior to German invasion and fast forward to the unfathomable position they found themselves in during this horrific period in time was depressing and dreadful. Yet, also really demonstrated the will of the human spirit to survive. The evil actions of humanity never fail to give me pause tho ~ will we ever evolve to a higher plane of existence??

The main character, Yona, had a very unusual story but it was central to the survival of so many. She certainly wasn't insulated from heartbreaking experiences either. I enjoyed the beginning of the book which had a magical "fairytale-ish" feeling to it (and felt less threatening then the middle & ending) and was also fascinated by Jerusza. Too bad there weren't more pages devoted to her.
As hard as this was to read (in light of current events) I liked it much better than the previous book I'd read by this author ('The Book of Lost Names.')

 

 

An Impossible Impostor

Veronica & Stoker 4-ever!
I want to carve that on a tree or spray paint it on a wall!

I'm seriously so in love with this series. It's just good, clean fun and the banter between the two main characters is always witty, intelligent and entertaining. I really think the Earl of Rosemorran needs to hire back up to these two tho ~ they never seem to make much progress cataloguing his collections! They barely return from one adventure when they're ensnared in another. It's a diverting ride.

I thought 'An Impossible Impostor' was the last book in the series but I'm thrilled to learn the author is contracted for 9 books (I hope that's an "at least!!")

This one started out a little slower than some of the others but by the end of the book, it was back on pace. If you're a fan, of course you can't miss it!!!