Kaseys Korner

China Rich Girlfriend

It's been almost a year since I read the first book in this series and the second book was a better "trip" than the first one!!! No way was I going to let another year go by before I got to the final book so I've already downloaded it & I'm finishing this trilogy STAT!

The world of the ultra rich is fantastical & sublime. If you want a reality escape, what are you waiting for ~ jump in! Page after page of sumptuous, opulent living, phenomenal food, haute couture, jet-setting on a whim, every delicious detail of that life is contained herein. A surreal existence to the ordinary people of the world but carry me away Kevin Kwan!!

I was happy to find all my favorite characters were back ~ Rachel & Nick (of course!), Astrid & Peik Lin plus there's some additional new ones (like this series needed even more characters to keep track of!!!) I really liked Carlton and Colette. Colette kinda bombed out a bit in the end but is she really finished??? I get the feeling NOT! and "Puh leese" let Astrid find her stride in 'Rich People Problems' because I like her so much but she's been doing nothing but self-sabotaging her potential. Trying to make less of herself in the first book just to keep Michael from being insecure and then in this book letting him run rough shod all over her. ugh. Be the Queen you are girl!!

There are at least three storylines in 'China Rich Girlfriend' and I thought Kitty Pongs might not have been necessary?? She played a much bigger role than she did in 'Crazy Rich Asians' so now I'm wondering if her character is evolving into an even more central player for book three?? You can bet I'm gonna find out!

btw, the movie based off the first book was great ~ I can't wait for the sequel to hit the big screen too. It's sure to be every bit as good as the first one!

House on Endless Waters

There's an extremely worthy story in this book that warrants telling. No doubt about it. It's a horribly sad one too ~ involving Jewish children that were hidden (given up voluntarily) by their parents to a Dutch underground network during WWII in an effort to save their lives. Tragically that well-intentioned effort resulted in many of those children being "lost" in the process with only a small fraction ever reunited with their biological parents once the War ended. It's quite a moving and important piece of Amsterdam history.

Unfortunately, the format the author chose to relate it, fell dismally short. At least in my opinion. It's so convoluted, the protagonist seems to be pulling his past out of thin air & relaying it as fact. I spent much of the time wondering "where did he get that?? "Did he just make that up??" There's some explanation toward the end of the book where his information was derived but by then I was teetering on the edge of disinterest (which is horrible considering the subject matter.) What Yoel learns about his boyhood explains much of his personality but I still had the hardest time liking him and getting into the story.

Not a book I'll be quick to recommend.

The Winter Ghosts

** spoiler alert ** Beautifully written but very melancholy.

Reading Kate Mosse is how I first became aware of the Cathars and how they were so despised and persecuted by the Catholic Church. This book another unveiling of that despicable behavior wrapped up in a mystery and uncovered by a grieving man.

It's a sad tale, be in the right frame of mind but this authors books are never a waste of time.

A Long Petal of the Sea

 

It's taken me almost a month to get back & review this book. If anyone out there was waiting on it, my apologies. It was not for lack of interest, I enjoyed the book immensely. The historical setting was very compelling (Spain pre & post Civil War) plus Allende gave us the additional bonus of learning something about the history of Chili as well.

Readers are also acquainted (or reacquainted, whatever the case may be) with the famous poet Pablo Neruda, whose work I now want to explore further. I had no idea he was responsible for arranging passage and bringing Spanish immigrants back to his home country. A very dynamic & progressive thinking man.

Well researched book with developed & fleshed out characters. There's a great message about immigrants and the hard work and skills they bring to their new home country. It was also interesting that once the opportunity occurred (death of Franco) for Victor & Roser to return to Spain ~ it was not the homecoming they had long awaited. I imagine they are not the only characters (fictional or real) to experience that feeling.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, I think this would be an enjoyable read.

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

** spoiler alert **
'Boo Daddy, Boo Daddy
In the woods
Grabbed a little boy
’Cause he taste so good

Boo Daddy, Boo Daddy
In the sheets
Sucking all your blood
’Cause it taste so sweet

Boo Daddy, Boo Daddy
One, two, three
Sneaking in my window
And sucking on me.'

I hardly ever insert passages from the book when I write reviews but this children's jump rope rhyme was just too good to skip plus it sums up everything you need to know about what transpires in the novel. A spoiler alert in itself!!

This read started out like a cream puff then morphed into a torpedo of sorts. It happened in that sweet syrupy way so typical of its southern setting too. 10% in, it felt like a totally innocuous read, fun for me as it was relatable in a lot of ways but nothing too gripping. Enter James Harris. The book flipped almost instantaneously & took on a dark undertone that never eased up and gave me more than a little anxiety at places.

I had to laugh out loud when we're introduced to our villian by Patricia thinking she needed to take him a casserole!! Casseroles to the rescue ~ could be a southern mantra! That saying, 'don't go looking for trouble & it won't find you' kept running thru my head regarding her ~ from the moment she pushed her way inside his house to chasing him down in the woods trying to find little Destiny, etc., etc., she epitomized the lengths Mothers go to for their children that's for sure.
One thing I did not like was Patricia's husband making her feel crazy for her opinions and experiences with James Harris. I don't know how she ever went along with the group for three whole years ~ there's no freaking way she could un-see what she saw going on in his van!

I really loved that the book club was a big component of the story. The bonds formed between the ladies became more "ride or die" as the evidence mounted & the situation became more dire. I seriously feel like this book could have a sequel. It's clear the ladies were only temporarily successful in ridding the world of James Harris. I shudder with thoughts of him coming back to life by some innocent or careless action? Crazy that he showed back up in the Mother in laws (Mary) life & got outed in the first place. What were the chances? If only the adults listened to the children ~ the 'Boo Daddy' rhyme showed they were fully knowledgeable while the adults preferred to be in denial.

Be warned that the book is a little graphic if you're squeamish about blood sucking or the like. Nothing more than what is typical in movies or on TV these days but nevertheless, there in places.

***Another book I've read in 2020 that was out of my usual comfort zone but I couldn't put down. Must be this crazy year causing a shift in my reading patterns!

 

 

Where the Forest Meets the Stars

** spoiler alert ** Maybe I was in the mood for something a little crazy but I was sort of hoping Ursa really was from a galaxy far, far away. I suspected at the outset that the behavior she was exhibiting was probably a psychological reaction but I think it would have been a really interesting concept to think of her as an alien assuming the human form of this unusual little girl. Alas, it was not to be. What Ursa turned out to be was an ultra intelligent young girl who experienced extreme trauma. Darn. No poofing up into space after witnessing her fifth miracle. I was kinda looking forward to that sensational exit.

Ah well. Super easy read and another book with a strong tie to nature and science. If you enjoy the natural world, Jo's study of checking on bird nests and the tidbits about various birds & bird behavior might be of interest. There were all sorts of social topics covered too tho including depression, adultery, the foster care system, etc. I'm not sure I agree with the way the author addressed each of those & I certainly enjoyed some aspects of the book more than others. In the end, it's just going down as an "okay" read for me. Not terrible nor especially memorable. I don't know if that's because I wanted something different from it or it just caught me on an "off" moment.

 

 

'Je t'Aime' Tulips

Especially gorgeous reveling in sunshine.

One might even say incandescent....

Definitely ordering more of these this Fall!!!

The Silver Music Box

This wasn't the best or the worst book I've read that takes place during the WWII period. It actually even touches on both wars as it starts at WWI. However the bulk of the story revolves around the WWII timeline and events that transpired during those years . No matter what book it is, stories about this war and the atrocities that occurred then, never fail to make me cry. What a devastating period in history. I get why there are so many books ~ there are just so many stories and each and every one relevant and poignant in their own right.

Not a very long book and very readable just not as powerful (to me) as some others.

The Scent Keeper

** spoiler alert ** The writing in this book is utterly lyrical. It took me less than two sentences to fall under its spell. It's a dream of mine to sit down and read, uninterrupted, all afternoon & evening with the exception of maybe having someone "at the ready" to refill my drink & keep the atmosphere comfortable. 'The Scent Keeper' is definitely a book that would fit neatly into that scenario. Settled into a comfy chair, the writing and story could easily swallow up the day.

I want to be that "weird" girl now ~ like Emmaline ~ who was so in tune with the smell of absolutely everything! Like it or not, I feel like I'm the same as most people in the world, going thru life completely incognizant of the effect of scents on my behaviors and reactions. I mean, I do know when something smells good or terrible, etc. but for the most part, I'm pretty sure I under-utilize this powerful sense. In our defense, unlike other animal species, it isn't necessary for us to use it or rely on it. I was trying to decide if Emmaline was born with superior olfactory glands or if they became extraordinary simply because she was taught to use them?? Her father definitely honed them, exceptional gift or not, starting at an early age. AND he was able to do so because he had her in an environment that was completely under his control and devoid of typical life distractions. Interesting to think about.

The few things I didn't like in the book, I'm willing to overlook or excuse. Like Emmaline constantly staging disappearing acts without telling anyone what she was doing or where she was going. I chalked those up to her youth and her unconventional upbringing although it was still annoying. But the whole bear killing Cleo incident and them being on an island so isolated and remote, without any way of protecting themselves ~ I did not like or get. I'm not a card carrying member of the NRA but if I was going to live somewhere like they did, I would definitely be packing something. Things happen (like the bear) people happen (Fisher's father) so it boggled my mind that they'd be so vulnerable and defenseless.

Very interesting concept to build a character and world around scents outside the more familiar notion of a perfumer. So many similarities (top notes, middle notes and base notes) but completely novel way of getting to them. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to my reading friends or as a book club choice.

 

 

Such a Fun Age

** spoiler alert ** I'm struggling to see what all the hype and excitement was about this book??? It *maybe* had potential in that it started off with an easy fun writing style and two main characters that could have evolved in interesting ways. Too bad that's where they topped out.

When we're first introduced to Alix Chamberlain, she seemed like a woman on top of her game. The further into the story we got, the more psychotic she became. I mean what's up with a married woman (a mother of two young children) stalking her babysitters phone, reading her texts & emails, wanting to be "friends" with her, drink wine & kiki with her, impress her, etc., etc.? It was so creepy and uncomfortable. Combine those things with her still being hung up on her high school boyfriend and harboring such venom toward him and you come full circle from thinking she's a "together" woman to learning she's an unstable, villainous mess. Did she even love her husband?? I came away thinking everything about her was contrived.

And Emira (the babysitter) ended the novel the same way she began ~ still finding her way in life. Yes, she had a bit better job but was it really what she wanted to do or what just happened to be convenient? I was left feeling like she was still drifting along, rudderless ~ a passenger in her own life. It was definitely relatable that she didn't know exactly what she wanted to do but she wasn't being proactive about figuring it out either. She certainly wasn't stupid or lacking talents so what held her back?? At times I felt her friends were more compelling characters than she was. I did like the relationship she had with Briar and that little girl was the one who lost out when her Mom ruined the employment situation. I didn't necessarily agree with Emiras' reasoning for dumping Kelley tho?? Anybody else think he could still have been a positive part of her life??

I picked this book up because it was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick but I think it might have been her first "miss??" It certainly was for me. I can't say I feel any smarter, happier, or better for having read it.