The Plague of Doves – Louise Erdrich

In the early 1900’s a murder takes place near a small town on the outskirts of a native reservation in North Dakota.

The place seperated by white / native families have been devastated by not only the murders that have taken place, but also of the lynching of native people.

During the later generations and history of the town, the descendants inter marry, but the past always haunts to people living there.

Told by different perspectives on both sides gives you the portrait of the prejudices, problems, the weight of the injustices that happen.

Inexplicably complex and at times wrenching as the characters tell their stories, this book was one that I will not forget for a long time.  It had me engrossed into the historical aspect as it did the intricate personal backgrounds as it all intertwined and came apart once again.

I was patiently waiting for the end of the book, waiting for all to be revealed – the genealogical aspects of the town, who married whom, as well as a few surprises that I did not imagine happen.  I felt as surprised as I was because the author wrote with such informality as how the characters are related to one another whether by blood or incidents happening in the small town.

Intriguingly so…

This is the first book I have read for the IMPAC Reading Challenge by HarperCollins Canada

HarperCollins

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Good To A Fault – Marina Endicott

Clara Purdy has just existed for the last 20 years.  After her parents died, she has been happy to just go to work as an insurance broker, doing as she pleases, until a car accident turns her life upside down.

The young family in the car that she hits – three children, a mother in law, the parents of the children who have lived in their car, trying for a better life.  Lorraine, the mother is taken to the hospital.  As they wait for testing to come back, Clara makes a decision that will not only change her life, but the lives of the family.

It is a true testament of the human heart, wanting to do the right thing.  The questions that beg to be answered are not only in her life, but in all of our lives? Are we ready to go out of our comfort zones to do the right thing.  Were Clara’s actions too much, or has she really gone overboard?

As you read more about the failings of Clara and the young family with the back stories I came to think of this – what will become of Clara and the young family?  Will Clara be taken advantage of, even though it is clear that she already is?  When is enough enough?

I thought this author captivated not only the essence of the situation, but the efforts draws you into the families and Clara’s world.  I was waiting for the moment that the family was once again all together, waited for what the Gage’s would do, I was not disappointed.

After reading this book, Thinking of the tough questions that would come to one in this situation.  Would you go as far as Clara did and do exactly as she did?  Is there compassion and love in all of our hearts to be able to do something like this?  There are so many valid questions and answers that would relate to not only to the topic.

Will the jealousies and past events between these people haunt them or heal them?

This is the 2nd book I have read for Canada Reads 2010.

Freehand Books

Canada Reads 2010 pick

Read an excerpt

Fall on Your Knees – Ann Marie MacDonald

It is the early 1900’s near Cape Breton Nova Scotia where a families bond with all its secrets will want you to Fall on Your Knees.

The secrets that start with James who marries his 13 yr old girlfriend Materna, outcast from her strict Lebanese family to a house near the sea and far away from civilization where there isn’t much work only in mining.  James has promised his mother before her death that he wouldn’t go down into the earth.

They get by with James tuning pianos, also with anything else he can do.  More children are had, World War I starts, James is off to war, and Materna feels like her old self.  Happy, Free of her husband since he is in the war, fighting and at any minute could be killed.

Through the eyes of their three daughters – Kathleen, Frances, and Mercedes and later Lily open up to the past and present – shocking, scornful and most of all blasphemous through the decades from the megar beginnings to WWI, to the growing of the town, to New York City, the emerging jazz scene where Kathleen is enamoured with them returns home without her dream of becoming a famous singer travelling the world away from the small town confines of Nova Scotia.

This book will have you right in the thick of things as the laughter, tears, and later actions and feelings of the daughters tell the story through their eyes, then the real story of things happen.  The bonds that sisters have, develop over time, the secrets they keep to not hurt one another.  The lengths they take to make sure that each other survives and lives their lives on the small island, or anywhere else.

It did take my breath away at how strong and committed these women were in hard times.  What lengths they would go ro and the real reasons behind it all.

This is the first book I have read for Canada Reads 2010

Here is all about the book here

Random House

Read an excerpt here

Houseworks – How to Live Clean, Green, and Organizied – Cynthia Townley Ewer

Haven’t we all done this, I know I have – vowed to become more uncluttered in our own home lives, work lives and everywhere else?  Even beginning to start making chores for your children ( I can hear the screaming in agony as I type the word chore)

Like these examples

• spending 10 minutes or more trying to find your keys when you need them
• Blowing the budget with take out food two or more times a week
• Getting frustrated with your recycling when it overflows and you are constantly wanting a better solution?

Sound familiar? I know it does for me.

After looking and reading this book that has some really great tips that we already knew about, and so many more like using dividers in your sock and underwear drawer to adding some healthy alternatives to the mix.

There is everything in this updated edition and more for the person that really wants to tackle the house from top to bottom, to the person that is needing new ideas to what they already do, or to just revamp their entire routine to make it fresh and more streamlined.

Here are some other photographs from inside the book –

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I know for me, I have found some brand new things I want to join into my routine.  What about you ?

This is Cynthia’s Website, where you can get even more Ideas for your home.

DK Books

Q and A with Author Becca Fitzpatrick

You may have read my review of Hush, Hush that I had written a while ago.  During that time I had contacted Becca with doing one of my Q and A’s with her, but since her schedule was so busy this was the only time she was able to do it.  So, a huge thank you to Becca for doing this during such a busy time.  I hope you enjoy her answers, I did.

• What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Beauty.

• Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Okay, this is really funny. Just a little while ago, my editor mentioned to me that I use the word “window” a bajillion times in HUSH, HUSH. Who would have thought? Apparently I really like windows. My editor thought there was some deeper meaning to all the windows, but I swear, I’m not that philosophical or deep!

• What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? I was about to say loneliness, but changed my mind to feeling despised. I’m not sure how my quality of life would be if I felt the world hated me, but I’m guessing pretty darn low.

• What is it that you most dislike? This is a tough question. My answer is always going to depend on my mood. My biggest pet peeve is when I walk into a large, empty public restroom, say at the library, and the person who walks in behind me takes the stall directly next to mine. GARAH! I mean, there are ten other available stalls, and they have to plunk down right beside me? It’s just…weird.

• 
• Which talent would you most like to have besides writing? Dancing. I love the show So You Think You Can Dance. Man, it would be awesome to move like that, to express myself that way.

• When writing your current novel, what was it that you wanted to convey most about the story, characters? In HUSH, HUSH, I really wanted to convey the power of physical attraction, but I wonder if I did a very good job. I say that, because I get a lot of people asking why I never went deeper with Patch and Nora, writing about their “undying love” for each other. Honestly, I don’t think they’re to that point. HUSH, HUSH was more of an “I see you, I like what I see, but I’m not sure I should” type of story. Whether they develop a deeper love is yet to be seen…

• What was it about writing that made you want to pursue it full time and not work in the health care field as you wrote? Easy. I loved writing! Please don’t tell my mom I said this, but the only reason I graduated in Health was because it was blissfully, wonderfully low in credits. I bounced around a lot in college, trying to decide what to major in, but nothing stuck. By my junior year, I knew I was getting dangerously down to the wire. So I did a search for majors with low credit requirements. Health happened to be one. Probably, English was too, but it never occurred to me to major in English.

• If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? A really good book!

• Who are your favourite writers? Laurie Halse Anderson, Diana Gabaldon, Sandra Brown, L.M. Montgomery, Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, Sue Grafton, Laurie R. King, Richelle Mead.

• What is your one principle defect? Oh, wow, I have a lot of defects and even more flaws. If I’m being completely honest with myself, my biggest defect is probably my resistance to change. I’m a creature of habit, which would be fine, if my habits were actually good!

Becca’s Website

Hush Hush Website