The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

The Day the Falls Stood Still
By: Cathy Marie Buchanan

Published: August 2009

Published by: Hyperion

Format Read: eBook, Kobo

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 4/5

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Bess Heath was raised on stories about the people who tested their fate with Niagara Falls and the river leading to it, but none was more thrilling than the River Man, who saved many lives, simply because he had a deep understanding and respect for the world wonder. As a member of an upper-class family, Bess never would have thought she would fall in love with the lowly River Man’s grandson. Beginning in 1915, The Day the Falls Stood Still chronicles her and Tom Cole’s love story, during a time of great change for the town and the country with the growth of the hydro power plants along the river and the environmental impacts they had.

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Niagara Falls several times over the years, but I knew very little about its history, especially during the early days of hydro-electricity in Canada. I appreciated how the author fused the prominent issues of that time into the story. It explored the environmental and moral sacrifices these advances brought.

Buchanan crafted a fictional story that was inspired by the real life River Man William “Red” Hill and his heroic rescues. I enjoy when a historical fiction gives the reader a good image of how daily life was during a specific time period and I felt The Day the Falls Stood Still did just that.

It took me some time to really get into the story. It wasn’t until the end that I really understood what drew Bess and Tom together. However once I was hooked, I became very immersed in the plot. I also liked the old photographs that began each section.

I would recommend Cathy Marie Buchanan’s The Day the Falls Stood Still to historical fiction fans.  

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A Man Called Ove
By: Fredrik Backman

Published: July. 2014

Published By: Atria Books 

Format Read: eBook, Kobo

Genre: Contemporary 

Rating: 3.5/5

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After the death of his beloved wife, a man called Ove, just wants to end his life and be reunited with his love. Fortunately and ironically his attempts are thwarted by a colourful cast of neighbours.

A Man Called Ove was the first monthly selection for a local book club that I recently joined. I had heard of it before, but went into it knowing very little about the plot.

The ironic humor the author infused into this book was right up my alley and reminded me of The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. Both of these books have been translated from their original language Swedish.

Ove was an interesting character: a curmudgeon who was very set in his ways, yet knew right from wrong. I especially admired his devotion to his wife Sonja. Amid the humor, A Man Called Ove really did have a lot of meaning behind it and although I enjoyed it, I found myself wishing I had a more emotional reaction to the story.

I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary fiction. 

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
By Jamie Ford

Published: January 2009

Published By: Random House Inc. 

Format Read: Kobo, eBook, Paperback 

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Rating: 4/5

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Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a dual time period novel that following Chinese-American Henry Lee as he recalls his experiences during the war years growing up in Seattle. In the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbour and the war raging between Japan and China, Henry’s father is more patriotic than ever. And although Henry was born in the USA, his Asian features makes him a target, especially in the all-white school his father insists he attends. 

At 12 years old, life is very lonely for Henry until a new student by the name of Keiko Okabe comes to his school on scholarship. A beautiful friendship blossoms, however the Japanese (even the Japanese American’s) are seen as the enemy and his father greatly disapproves. Can the bond that Henry and Keiko made survive their separation as she and her family are forced off to an internment camp for the duration of the war?

Jamie Ford has written a beautiful tale of friendship and love. The bond that Henry and Keiko form felt so pure and genuine. It wasn’t a frivolous pre-teen crush, but something far more meaningful and strong.

The treatment of American citizens of Japanese ancestry after the attacks on Pearl Harbour was terrible. It amazed me how they persevered and fought to prove their pride and allegiance to their country.

Despite the sad subject manner, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed Ford’s writing style and the way he tied in the two time periods: the early 1940’s and the mid 1980’s. I also learned a lot about the differences in the traditional Chinese and Japanese cultures, which was quite interesting.

I would recommend Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet to historical fiction lovers, especially those with an interest in life on the home front and the plight of the Japanese-American’s during World War II. Although it is technically adult fiction, I think that the subject manner would make for a great learning experience for younger readers as well. 

1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year by David Hepworth

1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year

By: David Hepworth

Published: June, 2016

Published By: Henry Holt and Co.

Format Read: eBook, NetGalley, ARC, Kobo

Genre: Non-fiction, Music

Date Read: June 20, 2016

Rating: 3.5/5

I was sent a copy of 1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year by David Hepworth from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

 In 1971 the events of the previous decade were still fresh in everyone's mind. The Beatles, who much to the dismay of their fans had broken up and were forging their own solo careers. With shifting interests and a troubled economy, how would this change the shape of music? Already established bands struggled to keep up the changes of time and had no choice but to evolve to survive. For the first time in music history the focus was on full albums, rather than the previously lucrative single sales. Meanwhile fresh new talent waited in the wings for their turn to prove themselves as rockers. In David Hepworth's 1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year, he examines the development of rock and the beginning of what will be the music industry during the span of just twelve months.

 I grew up listening to a lot of good old Rock and Roll and up until the past several years would have preferred to listen to the singles of the 1950s or 1960s. It is only recently that I started to listen to much more Classic Rock. It wasn't until I read this book that I learned the history of this genre and the significance of the year 1971.

This book was divided up between the 12 months that made up the year 1971 and featured prominent events that happened in each one. I liked this set up although because there is so much back information mentioned I often got lost as to which month was the main focus. At the end of each chapter was a list of the top songs from that specific month. The addition of these lists gave the reader a wonderful soundtrack to re-visit. It allowed me to discover many different bands I hadn't heard of and to listen to songs that have since become favourites of mine.

Hepworth also touches on some of the personal lives of the Rocker's he writes about and examines their connections and influences that shaped their careers. Interestingly during that time music fans and the media had little knowledge of what went on behind the scenes. Unlike today when a celebrity can't even leave their house without the world being aware.

This book was really fascinating to me, as I learned a lot about how the music industry began to grow and eventually become what we know it as today. I enjoyed learning of how the trailblazers of the 70s would influence the entire way music is recorded and marketed for the years to come. Unfortunately my attention did waver from time to time, due to the length of the chapters and some of the topics that just didn't interest me.

1971- Never a Dull Moment: Rock's Golden Year is an educational trek back to the early days of what would become the history of Rock. I would recommend it to those who enjoy reading non-fiction about music history.  

Becoming Phoebe by J. Michael Neal

Title: Becoming Phoebe
Author: J. Michael Neal
Published: February, 2016
Published By: Melancholy Donkey Press
Format Read: PDF, Kobo, eBook, Overdrive
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult
Date Read: May 4, 2016
Rating: 3.5/5

I was sent a copy of Becoming Phoebe by J. Michael Neal from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Phoebe Rose became a ward of the state of Ohio as a small child and her only dream aside from getting adopted was to play hockey for the University of Minneapolis. After a very traumatic upbringing in foster care and playing for a talent-less boys high school team she finally gets her chance to prove her talent. 

First Impressions

What initially excited me about this book was the fact that it was about hockey. A topic I am somewhat familiar with being Canadian. The added bonus was that it focused on women’s hockey. So naturally I began Becoming Phoebe anticipating to be empowered.

Inspiring

My initial anticipation wasn’t in vein as this book was full of strong hardworking young women, none more so than the main character Phoebe. Her determination and never ending effort was inspiring even despite her past trauma.

About Phoebe 

I admire the author for creating a character who although made a university hockey team, wasn’t the best player on the roster. This story could have been interesting had Phoebe been a phenomenal player, but by chronicling her struggles both on and off the ice brought great depth to the book.

Phoebe is a very intense and intimidating character and for good reason. Reading this book gave me a real understanding of what a team is supposed to be; a family. The women banded together and supported her, creating lifelong friendships. Becoming Phoebe is a fairly lengthy novel that I surprisingly flew through. While I had trouble connecting to the main character, I was engrossed throughout.

About the book

Aside from my lack of connection with Phoebe, I did find organization of the chapters to be confusing at times. Divided into two parts, the timeline jumps around. In the first part the story follows her first couple of years at university and the path she took to get there. Meanwhile the second part chronicles her last years in Minnesota and the years that follow.

Caution and recommendations 

Becoming Phoebe was an emotional reading experience as it touches on so many difficult and heartbreaking topics. Due to this subject matter I would suggest caution to those who may be triggered by traumatic experiences. Otherwise I would recommend it to anyone looking for a diverse new adult fiction with strong female characters. 

The Queen (The Selection 0.4) by Kiera Cass

Title: The Queen (The Selection 0.4)
Author: Kiera Cass
Published: December 2014
Published By: HarperTeen Impulse
Format Read: eBook, Kobo
Genre: Novella, YA Lit, Dystopian
Date Read: March 3, 2016
Rating: 4/5

In Kiera Cass’s novella The Queen, readers are taken back to a time before America was chosen to be part of The Selection and even before Prince Maxon was born. Back to The Selection that would marry Prince Clarkson to a poor young “4” from Honduragua. This is Queen Amberly’s story. 

Last year I read the first book in The Selection series, with an online book club. It was something I was curious about but didn’t think I would enjoy. Much to my surprise I loved it! A couple of weeks ago I went out on bought the boxset. However The Queen novella came to the top of my To Be Read pile before the second book did and once again I dove into this strange world.

At only 72 pages long, this novella gave us an idea of Queen Amberly’s background and how she came to win the attention of Prince Clarkson and eventually the crown. Keeping in mind that I don’t know much about the coming books in the series, I came to really like her character and her determination to rise above her caste. We also learn more about Clarkson’s parents the former King and Queen. 

Although this story takes place before the rest of the series, I think it would be best enjoyed by those who are already fans of The Selection. The reason for this is that due to its short page count, it doesn’t go into a lot of detail about the world or the caste systems. I think that this would be confusing to a reader who hasn’t at least read the first book.  

Growing Up Duggar: It's All About Relationships by Jana Duggar, Jessa Duggar, Jill Duggar and Jinger Duggar

Title: Growing Up Duggar: It's All About Relationships
Author: Jana Duggar, Jessa Duggar, Jill Duggar and Jinger Duggar
Published: March 2014
Published By: Howard Books
Format Read: eBook, Kobo
Genre: Non-fiction, Christian, Young Adult
Date Read: January 30 2016
Rating: 2.5/5

The Duggar family came to fame from their TLC realtiy show chronicling their much larger- than-normal family. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are parents to 19 children and as devout Christians they follow some convictions that seem very strange to people outside their lifestyle. In a bid to share their beliefs with other likeminded girls, the 4 oldest daughters decided to write this book. In Growing Up Duggar, Jana, Jessa, Jill and Jinger explain their relationships with their parents, siblings and friends. They discuss their reasons behind dating with a purpose and courting, while following the teachings of the Bible. 

Why I chose to read this book..

First of all I would like to explain why I chose to read this book and what my thoughts are regarding the Duggar family in general. I remember back when the early TLC specials aired and the world was first introduced to this growing family. Although it was very clear that they were different than me, I became very intrigued with them all. I was interested in how they managed their day to day routines with so many children, how they managed to support them all and why they chose the lifestyle they had. I looked forward to watching the new episodes each week and I continued to do so until it was taken off the air as a result of the recent controversies. 

Growing up Duggar was released in 2014, before the disturbing details regarding the oldest son was made public. This book had already been on my TBR for quite some time by that point, but had yet to come to the top of my pile. Ironically it did come to the top of my pile shortly after the controversy broke. At that time details were still emerging and I decided that it wouldn’t be the best time to get into the book, so I moved onto another. To be honest I was conflicted whether or not I wanted to read it at all by that point.

That being said, although I am disgusted by the events that took place, I am still fascinated with this family. 

A proper mindset..

My goal all along was to go into this book with an open mind and without judgement. I knew that I wouldn’t agree with everything they said, but I was still curious even after all that had been released. So when Growing up Duggar came to the top of my TBR pile again, I decided to just jump in and read it. 

Duggar convictions.. 

Reading this book I could picture each of the 4 girl describing their piece in turn. I could hear their voices in my head and picture them describing it all with such conviction. It is obvious that they believe in these convictions with all their hearts. The tone came across as very personable and was definitely wrote with a younger female audience in mind. 

The pro's..

Although the Duggar sisters and I share very different beliefs, I was able to take away some valuable tips. Most specifically parenting related pointers about dealing with conflict. Things I hope to be able to remember when I have children of my own. The girls also mentioned how important it is to “love the girl in the mirror”, which I thought was a great lesson to today’s impressionable youth. 

The con's..

Unfortunately I did have quite a few disagreements and dislikes regarding Growing Up Duggar, which is obvious in my rating of the book. 

First of all the writing and the organization lacked editing. I thought that the sections where a specific Duggar shared a story could have been better divided and noted. Also examples that were shared felt quite vague and without description. 

I was put off by the mention of negative thoughts being a sin and the work of Satan. Although I knew that the content would be preachy, I felt like they spent a lot of time telling their readers what not to do.

Recommendations.. 

In closing, Growing Up Duggar would appeal to a very select group of people: young Christian girls. I believe that that specific audience will enjoy this book and would be able to take away a lot more from it than I did.