A Man Called Ove

5 stars

How absolutely wonderful! This will definitely be a reread very soon. I'm always hesitant to start popular books with so much hype for fear of being let down. And it took me a while to get to this one -what a regret! 
The writing, the characters, the setting, the plot- everything came together very nicely. 
This is a new favorite of mine.

I received an advance readers copy of A Man Called Ove through netgalley 

Photographs from the Edge by Art Wolfe with Rob Sheppard

5 STARS

Once I opened this book...I could not close it back up. The photographs are mesmerizing and I loved the fact that each photo came with its own fantastic story. The photographs included in the book were an outline of Art Wolfe's life, as they were outlined in the order in which they were taken - timeline style. And the descriptions, stories, and tips made the book engaging, and stimulating, yet comprehensible for amateur photographers - or anyone who just would like to look at the pretty pictures. The design of the book illuminated the facts and concepts to show Art's expertise and enthusiasm in photography.

I Wish My Teacher Knew by Kyle Schwartz

5 STARS

The title of this book should actually be changed to "The Things All Teachers Should Know". I really think that everything Kyle Schwartz put in this book is absolutely essential to every single teacher, classroom, and administrator...no matter what teaching philosophy you have, or how many years you've taught. If anything, this book would be a great refresher to read every year to get ready for the next. I wish I would have read it in college - it would be a great introduction to teaching textbook for preservice teachers as well. 

Here are a few specific things I absolutely loved about the book:

0 Her undying emphasis on relationships, community, and team building
0 Her amount of research that she shares with her readers (even though sometimes the stats were depressing)
0 The tips and tricks she's found that have worked in her classroom
0 Things that have worked in both her classroom and school, on her own and with colleagues 
0 The specific stories that were included 
0 She included stories from other teachers as well
0 Focus on making things equitable, not equal
0 I love how she starts off with her personal childhood views about school (she didn't really love school as a kid)
0 We should not be our kids' friend - but we should ALWAYS make a point to be their allies. 
0 I love the fact that there was an entire chapter dedicated to student character development
...And...
0 The focus on growth

And I know I'm not technically supposed to quote from the book until publication (which will July 12th, 2016) but...

"In an age of teacher and school accountability, we are missing the something if we don't teach our students that they are the ones who need to take ownership of their own learning." 

**I received an Advanced Electronic Copy of I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything for Our Kids for free through NetGalley**
**This review is based on an uncorrected proof, the novel is subject to change until publication**

Luck, Love & Lemon Pie

4.5 STARS

I loved this book! And far more than I expected I would. I was hooked immediately by the cover and title from the very first time, but by the description I wasn't sure if I would have an appreciation for the plot. Simply because poker bores me, I don't like it...which might have to do with the fact that I can't play worth my life. And there was quite a bit of poker in this book. But I am soooooo glad I read it.
Amy Reichert is such a talented author. (I was actually interested in the poker) I was completely swept away in the story. The characters were so flawed, real, and lovable, and relatable at the same time. There were so many instances where I would be so angered by a character's choices, but they were also so relatable to me at the same time. 
Flawlessly written, this book had just the right amount of romance, family, jealously, and love. 

**I received an Advanced Electronic Copy of Luck, Love & Lemon Pie for free through NetGalley**

When We Meet Again by Kristen Harmel

5 STARS



If I could give this book more stars, I would in a heartbeat. This is now one of my favorite books, and is definitely the best book I have read so far this summer. The plot is unparalleled, the characters are dynamic and real. The family disfunction matches that of, well, real-life family matters. The story is heartfelt, complicated, and entirely engrossing. There are not many authors that are daring enough to include a nazi soldier as, not only human and endearing, but also as the main love interest of the main character. Each love story in this book is completely tragic and wonderful, each character endearing, and the overall book is impossible not to fall in love with. 
This is my first of Kristin Harmel's novels, but after reading, and loving, this heartfelt story I am looking forward to reading {all} of her previous novels as well. 

**I received an Advanced Electronic Copy of When We Meet Again for free through NetGalley**
**This review is based on an uncorrected proof, the novel is subject to change until publication**

We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas

"Born in 1941, Eileen Tumulty is raised by her Irish immigrant parents in Woodside, Queens, in an apartment where the mood swings between heartbreak and hilarity, depending on whether guests are over and how much alcohol has been consumed.

When Eileen meets Ed Leary, a scientist whose bearing is nothing like those of the men she grew up with, she thinks she’s found the perfect partner to deliver her to the cosmopolitan world she longs to inhabit. They marry, and Eileen quickly discovers Ed doesn’t aspire to the same, ever bigger, stakes in the American Dream.

Eileen encourages her husband to want more: a better job, better friends, a better house, but as years pass it becomes clear that his growing reluctance is part of a deeper psychological shift. An inescapable darkness enters their lives, and Eileen and Ed and their son Connell try desperately to hold together a semblance of the reality they have known, and to preserve, against long odds, an idea they have cherished of the future.

Through the Learys, novelist Matthew Thomas charts the story of the American Century, particularly the promise of domestic bliss and economic prosperity that captured hearts and minds after WWII. The result is a riveting and affecting work of art; one that reminds us that life is more than a tally of victories and defeats, that we live to love and be loved, and that we should tell each other so before the moment slips away. 

Epic in scope, heroic in character, masterful in prose, We Are Not Ourselves heralds the arrival of a major new talent in contemporary fiction."

RATING 3.5 STARS

A very long, but relaxing and cozy read. I enjoyed myself far more at the beginning of the book than I did through to the end - I felt like there was a running start for about the first 30 chapters or so and then the story dropped off a bit and was just moving through the motions until the very last chapter and epilogue where it picked up again for the ending. 

Given the plot of the book {which is up and down and around with drama} I was pleasantly surprised - and pleased - with the ending. 
The characters were likable - but not necessarily lovable throughout the book. Each had their own personalities and voices but each person in the story was also all sorts frustrating here and there. 

This book, however, was beautifully written. The narration was magnificent, and the overall plot was enticing from the very beginning. 
This is also one rare book that has pretty all topics covered. Alcoholism, abuse, politics, youth, adolescence, love, marriage gone awry, racism, death, work, immigration, and, well, life in general. The whole of the book is very real, and down to earth, with something for everyone. 

Also reviewed at http://www.goodreads.com
http://www.netgalley.com

**I received an Advanced Electronic Copy of We Are Not Ourselves for free through NetGalley**
**This review is based on an uncorrected proof, the novel is now published and available for purchase.**

A Coney Island Reader: Through Dizzy Gates of Illusion

"Featuring a stunning gallery of portraits by the world's finest poets, essayists, and fiction writers -- including Walt Whitman, Stephen Crane, Jos Mart, Maxim Gorky, Federico Garcia Lorca, Isaac Bashevis Singer, E. E. Cummings, Djuna Barnes, Colson Whitehead, Robert Olen Butler, and Katie Roiphe -- this anthology is the first to focus on the unique history and transporting experience of a beloved fixture of the New York City landscape.
Moody, mystical, and enchanting, Coney Island has thrilled newcomers and soothed native New Yorkers for decades. With its fantasy entertainments, renowned beach foods, world-class boardwalk, and expansive beach, it provides a welcome respite from the city's dense neighborhoods, unrelenting traffic, and somber grid. Coney Island has long offered a kaleidoscopic panorama of people, places, and events, creating, as Lawrence Ferlinghetti once wrote, "a Coney Island of the mind." This anthology captures the highs and lows of that sensation, with works that imagine Coney Island as a restful resort, a playground for the masses, and a symbol of America's democratic spirit, as well as a Sodom by the sea, a garish display of capitalist excess, and a paradigm of urban decay. As complex as the city of which it is a part, Coney Island engenders limitless perspectives, a composite inspiring everyone who encounters it to sing its electric song."

Expected publication: December 16th 2014



RATING 5 STARS

When downloading this book I expected a thorough history on Coney Island.

What I received was much better. 

This unique compilation of poems, short stories, memoirs, and personal accounts from years past was an easy, light-hearted, and still informational read. The text in itself reads like a story, because, well, it is a story - told from multiple perspectives and multiple time periods. Arranged in chronological order, the book has a great flow between pieces and a very poetic feel overall making the entire reader whimsical, which I found as a fabulous tribute to Coney Island. 

Coney Island in all of its time, has been magical, whimsical, complex, historical, and full of memories of past prosperity - all of which were included in the book through different authors, points of view, and separate writing styles - ultimately showing the diversity of the Island. Shown throughout the reader {as promised by the title, and probably the most enticing part of reading this wonderful book} were multiple visuals, maps, diagrams, illustrations, photographs, and other historical artwork and artifacts - giving life to the varied stories and poems on the pages. 

Overall, this was a fabulous read. I was swept away into the pages and into the fantastic history of Coney Island as we know it. This unique reader gave new meaning to the history of Coney Island as told by many historical authors and natives of the island.



Also reviewed at http://www.goodreads.com
http://www.netgalley.com

**I received an Advanced Electronic Copy of A Coney Island Reader for free through NetGalley**
**This review is based on an uncorrected proof, the novel is subject to change until publication**