Review - The Unnamed - Joshua Ferris

From the front flap - "Tim Farmsworth is a handsome, healthy man, aging with the grace of a matinee idol. His wife, Jane, still loves him and for all its quiet trials, their marriage is still stronger than most. Despite long hours at the office, he remains passionate about his work, and his partnership at a prestigious Manhattan law firm means that the work he does is important. An even as his daughter, Becka, retreats being her guitar, her dreadlocks, and her puppy fat, he offers her every on of a father's honest lies about her being the most beautiful girl in the world. He loves his wife, his family, his work, his home. And then one day he stands up and walks out. And keeps walking."

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am still not sure how I feel about this book. At first, I was intrigued by the mysterious illness that affects Tim. Why does he keep walking? How has it gone undiagnosed for so long? I kept thinking that I would get answers but I didn't. The book was hard to read because seeing Tim and his family struggle was hard to read about. It was fascinating to see how each of the family members cope with this challenge and how it drastically affects all of their lives. That being said, the book left me feeling a little but unfulfilled. Like I said at the beginning, I am still not sure about this book.

Title: TheUnnamed
Author: Joshua Ferris
Publisher:Reagan Arthur Books
Source: Library
Rating: 3/5

Review - Unfinished Desires - Gail Godwin

From the inside flap:
It is the fall of 1951 at Mount St. Gabriel's, an all-girls school tucked away in the mountains of North Carolina. Tildy Stratton, the undisputed queen bee of her class, befriends Chloe Starnes, a new student recently orphaned by the untimely and mysterious death of her mother. Their friendship fills a void for both girls but also sets in motion a chain of events that will profoundly affect the course of many lives, including the girls' young teacher and the school's matriarch, Mother Suzanne Ravenel.

I enjoyed this book until it got to the 'chain of events' - really one night - that changed everything. I thought the the book lost a little something after that. There is a lot going on in the book - it jumps from the present back into the early fifties and has multiple narrators. I thought the most interesting character was Mother Ravenel and enjoyed the book the most when she was narrating. I was not as fond of the Tildy character - she seemed like a spoiled brat most of the time. It could be that that was the point.

Worth a read.

Title: Unfinished Desires
Author: Gail Godwin
Publisher: Random House
Rating: 3.5/5
Source of book: Library

Review - Treasures - Nora Roberts

It turns out that this book is actually two books - Secret Star and Treasures Lost, Treasures Found. I will review them separately.

Secret Star
From the back of the book:
He was standing face-to-face with a dead woman...and she was holding a gun. Lieutenant Seth Buchanan's homicide investigation was thrown into turmoil when Grace Fontaine turned up very much alive - an in possession of one of the huge blue diamonds known as the Stars of Mithra. Seth never let his feelings get in the way of his job...but it was becoming increasingly difficult with no mystery more compelling than that of Grace herself.

I'll admit I didn't have high hopes for this book initially. I chose to read it because I was taking cold medicine before bed and wanted something that was 'easy'. Even in my altered state, I knew that this book was ridiculous. Did it pass the time? Sure. Was it marginally entertaining? Um....kind of. Did it grow more and more ridiculous as the pages went by? Yep. If you are able to suspend all reality when you read a book - this one is for you. If not, I would not waste your time.

Treasures Lost, Treasures Found

From the back of the book:
Kate Hardesty had inherited a dream: a pile of mysterious charts and notebooks mapping the way to sunken treasure. Determined to complete her late father's explorations, she returned to the island where she grew up and hired deep-sea diver Ky Silver - the man she'd left behind four years ago. But working with Ky meant more than searching for gold...it meant finding a priceless treasure Kate hadn't been looking for.

After the last book, this one could only be better. I guess it could have been worse but thankfully, it wasn't. Since I currently live in North Carolina, I am really a sucker for a story that takes place in the state and especially on the Outer Banks. As I read this book, I kept thinking "I've read this before" - I couldn't find the book title on any of my book lists so it may just be that the story is familiar. This book won't change your life but it will provide an escape from your daily life...unless of course you are a university professor that is looking for a shipwreck and buried treasure on Ocracoke Island then this book is your life.

Title: Treasures
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Silhouette Books
Rating: 2.5/5 (Secret Star 2.0/ Treasures Lost, Treasures Found 3.0 so I took the average)
Source of book: Grandma Skip

Review - The Master Butchers Singing Club - Louise Erdrich

From the inside flap of the book:
Having survived the killing fields of World War I, Fidelis Waldvogel returns home to his quiet German village and marries the pregnant widow of his best friend who was killed in action. With a suitcase full of sausages and a master butcher's precious set of knives, Fidelis sets out for America, getting as far as Argus, North Dakota, where he settles. Over the years he works hard building a business, a home for his family - which now includes Eva and four sons - and a singing club consisting of the best voices in town...What happens when the Old World meetings the New - in the person of Delphine Watzka - turns out to be one of the great adventures of Fidelis's life. Delphine meeting Eva and is enchanted; she meets Fidelis, and the ground trembles.

I somehow missed this book when it came out in 2003. A few weeks ago, I was browsing at my local library and came across it. I have read many of Lousie Erdrich's other books and very much enjoy her style of writing. As soon as I started reading this book, I was reminded of why I enjoy reading her so much. I love the characters that she creates in each book. This book was no exception. Delphine Watzka is an interesting character - she starts as a wandering human table, finds her way back to Argus and in the process learns alot out about herself. If you missed this book too, I would definitely recommend that you pick up a copy and read it. Very enjoyable!


Title: The Master Butchers Singing Club
Author: Louise Erdrich
Publisher: HarperCollins
Rating: 4.5/5
Source of book: Library