Down From Cascom Mountain

Author: Ann Joslin Williams
ISBN: 978-1608193066
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Purchase Link: Down from Cascom Mountain: A Novel
Source: TLC Book Tours

About this Title:

Set in rugged New Hampshire in the aftermath of a fatal accident, this assured debut novel wrestles with grief and desire as a young woman finds her way over the course of one summer.

In Down From Cascom Mountain, newlywed Mary Hall brings her husband to settle in the rural New Hampshire of her youth to fix up the house she grew up in and to reconnect to the land that defined her, with all its beauty and danger. But on a mountain day hike, she watches helplessly as her husband falls to his death. As she struggles with her sudden grief, in the days and months that follow, Mary finds new friendships–with Callie and Tobin, teenagers who live and work on the mountain, and with Ben, the gentle fire watchman. All are haunted by their own losses, but they find ways to restore hope in one another, holding firmly as they navigate the rugged terrain of the unknown and the unknowable, and loves lost and found.

About the Author:

Ann Joslin Williams grew up in New Hampshire. She earned her MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and was a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. She is the author of The Woman in the Woods, a collection of linked stories, which won the 2005 Spokane Prize for Short Fiction, and her work has appeared in StoryQuarterly, the Iowa Review, the Missouri Review,Ploughshares, and elsewhere. She was the winner of an NEA grant for her work on Down from Cascom Mountain. Williams is an assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire.

Visit Ann Joslin William’s website at http://www.annjoslinwilliams.com.

Review:

This story tells the tale of Mary, a newlywed, who takes her husband to the home of her deceased parents, which is located on Cascom Mountain. Having grown up in New Hampshire, Mary is excited to show her husband the area and enjoy her return home. However, a tragic accident on the mountain claims her husband’s life, leaving Mary to cope with the loss. While trying to find peace and understanding Mary becomes friends with a few workers from a nearby resort. Each character also suffers from loss and is trying to deal with their grief. The novel explores love, loss and the journey to healing and future happiness.

When I was offered the chance to be part of this tour, one of the initial elements that drew me to this book was its setting. I grew up in New Hampshire and so reading this novel was alluring to me. I was happy to find that the novel depicts New Hampshire beautifully. The author is very descriptive and paints a picture of the landscape for the reader. It made me miss the mountains. While the descriptive nature was accurate and beautiful, it was also lengthy. I generally don’t prefer overly descriptive novels because I like to fill in the blanks and set a picture of the scenes in my head. However, for this novel the description didn’t bother me much due to the setting, storyline and my need to confirm its authenticity.

The characters are complex yet easy to understand due to the author’s straightforward, simple and clean writing style. Each character has their own issues that leave them vulnerable yet open to healing. Their emotions and thoughts are in keeping with their age and what you’d expect from young adults today. The realistic nature of these characters was a wonderful addition to the story. It makes both the characters and the story easy to relate to because who hasn’t loved and lost? This story focuses on the mountain as much as it does the people. Everything weaves together to form an emotional exploration of grief, longing, regret and blaming oneself while also finding peace and comfort in a place of loss. Even the title of this book figures into the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It was easy to read and though it couldn’t be added to your upbeat summer beach read list, it was enjoyable and thought provoking. I think this book would appeal to a large variety of audiences given its characters, story and relate ability. I enjoyed being part of this tour and I enjoyed reading Down from Cascom Mountain.

Follow the Tour: http://tlcbooktours.com/2011/03/ann-joslin-williams-author-of-down-from-cascom-mountain-on-tour-junejuly-2011/

Enter the Giveaway: Thanks to the publisher I have one copy of this title available for one lucky reader!  You must have a US or CAN address.  Fill out the form below and leave some comment love for the author!  As always, thanks for following and reading my reviews!

As for Me and My House: Education Is Important

Author: Rose Marie Whiteside
ISBN: 978-0615455839
Self Published by Author
Purchase Link: As For Me And My House: Education Is Important
Source: Author Review Request
Reviewer: Maggie Schlarman

As a parent, one of the most important things you can do for your children is to make sure they understand the value of a good education and set a good example for them. Unfortunately, here in the United States, many parents get too caught up in society’s “demands” to keep this as a top priority. As a result, many people have the view that both education and discipline are solely the job of teachers and take it out on the education system if their children do not succeed or keep getting in trouble. In addition, it has ultimately caused the drop-out rate in schools to continue increasing and for the government (where a majority of people are not educational experts) to mandate ridiculous guidelines for educators to “teach” children and demonstrate that those children are “learning”.

Rose Marie Whiteside stresses the importance of parents playing a direct role in their children’s education in the book As for Me and My House. A child’s parent(s) should be their first and last teacher. Ms. Whiteside does a great job using both fact and personal opinion to lay out methods to better the American education system. In order for children to get the most out of education, parents need to make sure it is a priority in their family and get involved with the school. Since Ms. Whitehead does include a lot of her own opinions on how to handle these situations, not everyone may agree with all of it. There were some issues/suggestions that I do not agree with in the book; however, the overall concept should be universally agreed upon: parents HAVE to be involved in their children’s lives and set good examples for them in order for them to get the most out of the education system in this country and for them to grow and make the choice to continue pursuing and education.

As both a parent and a child of two parents who devoted 31 years of their lives as teachers in the public school system, I find this book very refreshing to read. As she mentions in her book, “education is empowering.” Without a good education, you cannot go very far in this world and life can be very hard. I highly recommend this book to people with children or that plan to have children. Overall, I actually feel this book would be valuable for anyone to read because it provides great facts and opinions on why supporting education is not only beneficial for an individual, but for society as a whole.

Maggie

Hello Goodbye

Author: Emily Chenoweth

ISBN: 978-0-06-203460-1

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Purchase link: Hello Goodbye: A Novel (P.S.)

Source: TLC Book Tours

Scheduled Tour Stops: Follow the Tour

Synopsis:

In the summer after her freshman year of college, Abby Hansen embarks on what might be a final vacation with her parents to a historic resort in northern New Hampshire. The Presidential Hotel, with its stately rooms and old-fashioned dress code, seems almost unbearably stuffy to Abby, but the young, free-spirited hotel staff offers her the chance for new friendships, and maybe even romance.

However, for her parents, Elliott and Helen, their time spent together in the shadow of the White Mountains has taken on a deeper meaning. By inviting family friends to join them, they open their marriage up to a lifetime of confessions, and they must confront a secret about Helen’s health that they have been hiding from their daughter.

Heartbreaking and luminous, Hello Goodbye deftly explores a family’s struggle with love and loss, as a summer vacation becomes an occasion for awakening.

Review:

One of the hardest things about reviewing a book is writing a review when you didn’t love the book. Unfortunately Hello Goodbye is one of those reviews for me. Though the synopsis intrigued me, the book itself sadly lacked. The author has a writing style that holds appeal if you appreciate description and thoughts of a lyrical nature. The writing is also clean and crisp. The book is well edited. The entire story takes place over the course of the family vacation but reflects on the past as well.

My problem with this book lies in the plot or absence of it. The book is fiction though based off the authors real life events. There is a note to the reader in the back that explains why the book is written as a fiction rather than a memoir. I felt this title might have been better written as a memoir. I think the author could have branched out past just the family vacation and written about what it was like to have a mother diagnosed with brain cancer and all that goes along with it. The story as a fiction lacked in plot and intrigue. I kept waiting for the “lifetime of confessions” and “confrontation of a secret about Helen’s health” only to be disappointed. The secret wasn’t really a secret since the reader is well aware of it. The synopsis also made it sound like both parents knew when really the secret is only held by the father in this story. I didn’t ever read anything that fit the description “a lifetime of confessions.” It was a very depressing story and had no real ending. When I finished reading the book I was unsatisfied.

The author has an ability to write. The book was very descriptive which might work well for someone who didn’t grow up in the White Mountains of NH. For me, the book didn’t do NH justice. I felt the beauty of the area was overshadowed by this fog that I couldn’t quite place. I was unattached to this book. The writing told the story but somehow didn’t complete it. There was no real depth to this story, though the emotional turmoil ran deep. I felt the story was more of a reflective narrative than a fictional story. I also felt displaced and unattached from the characters.

Overall, I was disappointed. It was hard to keep focused on this book and took me awhile to read it. I kept hoping that if I kept reading my feelings would change or something would happen to surprise me or add to the story. It didn’t. I choose books I think I’ll enjoy based on my interest because who wants to read a book that doesn’t interest them? I really thought I would like this one but it didn’t turn out to be for me. If you’re a fan of lyrical writing, descriptive writing or thoughtful narrative this one just might be for you. If you’re looking for something fast paced with a highly developed plot this one is not for you. I appreciate being given the opportunity to be part of this tour and wish the author the best of luck in the future.

About Emily Chenoweth

Emily Chenoweth is a former fiction editor of Publishers Weekly. Her work has appeared in Tin House, Bookforum, and People, among other publications. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Add Emily as a friend on Facebook.

The Second Sonata

Author: Nathan Hardt
ASIN: B004FEFB9W
Purchase Link: The Second Sonata
Source: Author for review on A Cozy Reader's Corner
Reviewer: Megan Bennett

Synopsis:

Awake? Asleep?

Living, breathing, dreaming?

After crawling miraculously unscathed from a pulverizing car accident, Nicholas returns to his life to find that little is as it had been and even less is what it seems. With a newfound appreciation for life and an insatiable thirst to discover all it has to offer, he wastes no time beginning to mend damaged relationships and reconcile so much time squandered and forfeit.

At the behest of a charismatic but cryptic stranger, Nicholas takes every opportunity to seize upon his borrowed time, reuniting with loves long since lost. But even as his life is shaping to become everything it always could and should have been, Nicholas is increasingly certain that something is dreadfully amiss, uncovering mysteries lurking within every shadow and secrets behind each blessing.

Unsure of whether his journey of sudden self-awareness is being aided or daunted by this enigmatic chaperone, Nicholas must face the raw and painful truths creeping just beyond his senses, make decisions of dire and mortal consequence, and confront his most haunting of judgments before at last discovering the horrifying fate buried deep within the gathering darkness that has always been awaiting his return.

Painted within these pages is a simple reflecting pool of each of our lives and loves, our most joyous celebrations and mournful regrets, and a journey upon which we must all one day embark.

Review:

Nicholas barely escapes with his life after a terrible car accident. He takes this second chance to re-evaluate the way he has been living and to try and rebuild all of the relationships that have gone amiss in his life. Everything certainly seems to be looking up for Nicholas, but he can't ignore the mysterious things that have started happening. He also feels that he is being pulled back to his old ways. On top of that, he meets a homeless man named Brad who keeps popping up and Nicholas suspects he is being watched.

I had some difficulty making it through this title. The main character's life in this story really gets analyzed and the author talks through Nicholas's feelings and thoughts frequently. There are many lengthy philosophical entries that I had a hard time reading through. I felt as though I knew Nicholas very well, but some of his inner conflict and conversation was redundant and made the pace of the book slower than I would have liked. I would have liked to read through some more active scenes rather than listening to the character as he speculates and reminisces his past.

The storyline itself is creative and many readers may be able to relate to having made poor decisions in the past and needing to reconcile. Not everyone will get the chance that Nicholas gets in this story, but it is refreshing and gives the readers hope. Up until the end of the book I had not figured out the twist of events. The author did a good job of tying all of the mysterious happenings in at the end so that they all make sense but were not obvious throughout (at least not to me). However, on that note, until the end of the story I was getting a little annoyed with Nicholas’s strange feelings and actions and the fact that his family and friends were not reacting the way I would have confronted with those situations.

The format for this e-book was excellent; this is not something that I can say for other eBooks that I have read.

Megan

Giveaway: The author is graciously giving away 5 copies of his book via Smashwords coupon!  Leave a comment below to enter.  Please make sure to leave your email address in the designated section below so that I have a way to contact you.  If you leave it in the designated section the email will only be visible to me.  If you type in the comment section it is visible to all.  Thanks!

2.5 out of 5 

Dream Big Little Pig

Author: Kristi Yamaguchi Illustrated by Tim Bowers
ISBN: 978-1-4022-5275-4
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Purchase Link: Dream Big, Little Pig!
Source: BookPleasures

Poppy the pig has big dreams. She wants to be a star! When poppy attempts stardom with her not so graceful ballet moves, her friends and family politely suggest she try something different. Ballet simply might not be for her. With head held high and a wonderful attitude to match, Poppy tries singing, and modeling with no luck. Her family is a constantly supporting her and encouraging her to dream big and give it her all. Just when Poppy thinks she will never find something she is truly good at she discovers the magic of ice skating. With each practice Poppy learns and excels, her dreams of being a star come true. This delightful little book proves dreams can never be too big!

As a little girl I loved watching Kristi Yamaguchi as well as many others skate so beautifully across the ice. I had dreams of becoming a figure skating champion among many others. The wonderful thing about dreams is that not all of them come true, but when one does it simply outshines all the others. It’s the best feeling in the world. I loved this book! The message sent to children through Poppy’s story conveys the truth. Not everyone will excel at the same sport or activity. They might attempt something they are interested and find out it’s not for them and that’s okay, as long as you try your best and keep trying new things. It also sends a message to parents about being supportive of your child’s dream, whatever they may be.

This book is beautiful. I loved the colorful illustrations. Each illustration conveyed a message about what was going on in the story. They are bold, beautiful, bright and charming! The book would most likely attract the attention of little girls but is not gender specific since the message applies to all. Based on these illustrations I will look for other titles illustrated by Tim Bowers. My daughters and I completely enjoyed them!

I highly recommend Dream Big Little Pig! It has everything you could want in a story. It’s easy to read, fun to look at and conveys a good message. Ms. Yamaguchi has as much talent in writing as she did on the rink. If you have a daughter ages 2-6 they are sure to love this title. Don’t leave out little boys, they can enjoy it too! Dream Big Little Pig is a delightful, inspiring and positive book for children with even the smallest of dreams.

The Best Kept Secret...in Bookmarks!

           

During my recent visit to Barnes and Nobles, which consisted of hours spent reading to my children in the kids section, I left with a new and wonderful find!  So wonderful in fact, that I am blogging about it while shopping online to find more for my new collection!  "What did I discover" you ask?  Magnetic Bookmarks! 

I am not only a lover of all things bookish, I am a little neurotic about my bookish things.  For example, my books pass for brand new after I am finished reading them.  I cannot stand folded pages, bent covers or anything less than pristine for my books!  Now, I do have great books that were bought at library sales that are obviously less than perfect but its okay because I didn't make them that way, I bought them that way.  However, if I buy or receive a book in perfect condition it must stay that way and bookmarks are one of the steps that ensure perfection!

This brings me to my wonderful discovery, a cute, compact, beautiful little tab that keeps your page handy by sitting on the page and holding on tight!  Take a square piece of paper about 2 inches by 2 inches and fold it in half.  Put that over the top of your page so the fold rests in line with the page and one side of each tab surrounds the page.  Now, imagine that its magnetized and will hold perfectly.  This great little bookmark never falls out, isn't too heavy and is easy to find!  This makes me very happy! While it keeps my books pristine I can also attach it to the cover of the book while reading.  I have not yet had to say "Hey!  What happened to my bookmark?"

I HIGHLY suggest them if you have not yet discovered them for yourself.  If you have share your experience!  Do you have any designs you love?  Suggestions of where to buy cute designed magnetic bookmarks??