The Lion in the Lei Shop, by Kaye Starbird

Disclosure: I received a free copy of The Lion in the Lei Shop by Kaye Starbird from Amazon Publishing via GoodReads First Reads.

 

The Lion in the Lei Shop tells the moving story of a military family whose lives are transformed by the air raids on Pearl Harbor and the events that follow. Of the two viewpoints used to tell the story, the young daughter, Marty, is the more compelling narrator, while her mother April's parts of the tale come across cold and matter-of-fact at times. It is perhaps unnecessary for the mother to repeatedly discredit her daughter's memories of certain events, since the separate narratives of the same incidents clearly establish already that each character remembers things rather differently. Because the two tellings overlap more so than intertwine, the plot does not move along as smoothly as it might, and the second telling does not always add much in terms of perspective. The tiny details, from food to clothes to personal relationships with the loveably quirky cast of minor characters, help make this novel as vividly real as a memoir.

 

Fans of The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet will also enjoy The Lion in the Lei Shop.

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The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic, by Emily Croy Barker

Disclosure: I received an ARC of The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker courtesy of Viking Press via GoodReads First Reads.

 

Although the main character Nora may be a "thinking woman" (by virtue of her advanced studies in literature, at least; not by any deep thoughts she herself expresses), she is certainly not an acting woman. Nora is a passive protagonist who tends to mainly observe and describe the events taking place around her, rather than taking action or becoming overly involved in anything. She waits for her male wizard mentor to rescue her on multiple occasions, even though she constantly complains about women not being treated as equals in the magical realm to which she has been transported. She does little to attempt to find her way back to her own world, and finds trivial ways to pass her time until an opportunity materializes for her to go home. Much of this novel could be edited out, and the story would be the better off without the tedious pauses in the action.

 

Readers who like the combination of fantasy and romance would enjoy Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches. Those fascinated by the idea of a character transported to a magical world should try the Magic Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks.

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Children of the Jacaranda Tree, by Sahar Delijani

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Children of the Jacaranda Tree by Sahar Delijani from Atria Books Galley Alley.

 

Delijani's prose has a lyrical quality that makes it tempting to reread the descriptions and comparisons in each chapter. She brings the sights, sounds, and smells of Iran off the page and into the reader's senses.

 

Intertwined stories focusing on different protagonists at different points in time don't always work well, but Delijani is successful in weaving her narratives together to compliment each other. The characters each have their own goals, dreams, fears and true losses, but they are all connected by how the Iranian revolution and its aftermath have affected them. This is a novel filled with individual and shared tragedies, yet resounding with hope underscored by the power of strong familial bonds.

 

Children of the Jacaranda Tree is a gateway into a culture and to conversations about issues global and universal, certain to become a book group favorite. A must-read for anyone who enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns.

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Masks, by E.C. Blake

Disclosure: I received a free uncorrected proof of Masks by E.C. Blake courtesy of DAW Books via GoodReads First Reads.

 

The premise of this novel and the details about the uses and dangers of magic that the author provides give this fantasy tale a unique bent. Aygrima, the fantasy world in which Masks is set, is carefully crafted with backstory and geographical descriptions that gives the land a life of its own. These features almost beg for fan fiction to be written in the setting of Aygrima.

 

The main character Mara shows true growth from a sheltered and naive girl to a brave and decisive young lady. She is a believably teenage girl, who is admirable in her values and determination. All of the minor characters, even those with the smallest parts to play, have their own unique history and attributes to make them stand out.

 

Masks is a great step up for older teen readers moving into reading adult fantasy. This book has a bit of a dystopian feel without the cliches that seem to be becoming common in YA dystopian fiction. Adult readers who have enjoyed series such as Terry Brooks' Shannara novels should be sure to read Masks.

 

E.C. Blake has set the stage well for a coming sequel to Masks, which readers will await with great anticipation.

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The Weight of a Human Heart, by Ryan O'Neill

Disclosure: I received a free copy of The Weight of A Human Heart by Ryan O'Neill courtesy of St. Martin's Press, via GoodReads First Reads.

 

The short stories in O'Neill's collection The Weight of a Human Heart are for the most part overly focused on stylistic literary experimentation rather than on narrative or character development. This feels more like a self-assigned exercise in composition than any sort of enjoyable experience for the reader. A select few of the stories, notably "Africa was Children Crying" and "A Speeding Bullet," stand in isolation as less forced and more telling of the human experience.

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Zealot, by Reza Aslan

Disclosure: I received a free advance uncorrected proof of Zealot by Reza Aslan courtesy of Random House, via GoodReads First Reads.

 

Zealot is not so much as biographical account of "The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth", as it is billed in the subtitle, as it is an in-depth historical exploration of the political and cultural climate during which Jesus' ministry took place. As Aslan admits, there are few sources that reveal much factual certainty about the historical Jesus. Much of the biographical detail, such as whether Jesus' mother was unmarried when he was born, is purely speculative from minute historical or Biblical clues. Nevertheless, Aslan does an admirable job of illuminating the background of Jesus' ministry, his possible sources of inspiration, and why people may have responded to him in the ways that they did in that historical context. Aslan also clears up a number of common misinterpretations of Gospel passages, such as the probable original meaning of references to Jesus as the Son of God that were later reread to establish the basis for Jesus' divinity. The final chapters of Zealot are concerned with the early church in the decades following Jesus' death, and although they are interesting in their own right and shed some further light on how Jesus' mission was either carried on or distorted by his followers, these sections probably belong in a separate work about early Christianity, as they do not adhere strictly to the topic of Jesus or his lifetime.

 

Not strictly a layman's text, Zealot requires a basic understanding of academic scripture study, ancient history, and theological terminology, as it might otherwise be a slightly difficult read. Readers who are interested in a more introductory work on the search for the historical Jesus would be best advised to start elsewhere, as this is more a scholarly than a popular work.

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The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown

Disclosure: I received a free advance uncorrected copy of The Boys in the Boat via GoodReads First Reads, courtesy of Viking.

The Boys in the Boat is an engaging Cinderella story of a young team of rowers who came from very humble origins to win Olympic glory, despite the overwhelming odds against them. This compelling human interest story is very accessible even for those who have little or no previous knowledge of the sport of rowing.

Highly recommended for sports fans and anyone who enjoyed Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. One side note: as this book is focused mainly on a single team, readers interested in Olympic history might prefer a more general work on the Berlin Games; at times, the backdrop of the games themselves is slightly wanting here.

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