Wake by Anna Hope

  

I was graciously allowed the opportunity to receive an advance copy of Wake by Anna Hope.  This book is told in 4 person narrative, which can seem confusing, but was actually fairly easy to keep straight.  And the fact that an author can seamlessly transition from the minds of 4 different individuals is absolutely mind-boggling to me.  However, I struggled at times with a few different scenes that I felt were a bit unnecessary (ie Evelyn in the window with the man in the wheelchair - I mean what was that all about? Ick.)  And there were very beautifully, heart-wrenching scenes as well - my heart just broke for Ada and the loss of her son.  

I never like to say too much about a book and give anything away, but I will say this book has me on the fence about where I stand with it.  It was extremely intriguing, but also a bit strange and I wasn't all that impressed with the ending.  I guess I can't recommend it one way or the other - I guess, you'll just to give a try for yourself. ;-)

A huge thank you to NetGalley & Random House for the opportunity to read & review Wake by Anna Hope.  Wake is released in stores today if you want to get your hands on your own copy, go here! 

Description: Anna Hope’s brilliant debut unfolds over the course of five days, as three women must deal with the aftershocks of World War I and its impact on the men in their lives. 

Wake: 1) Emerge or cause to emerge from sleep. 2) Ritual for the dead. 3) Consequence or aftermath.

London, 1920. The city prepares to observe the two-year anniversary of Armistice Day with the burial of the unknown soldier. Many are still haunted by the war: Hettie, a dance instructress, lives at home with her mother and her brother, who is mute after his return from combat. One night Hettie meets a wealthy, educated man and finds herself smitten with him. But there is something distracted about him, something she cannot reach. . . . Evelyn works at the Pensions Exchange, through which thousands of men have claimed benefits from wounds or debilitating distress. Embittered by her own loss, she looks for solace in her adored brother, who has not been the same since he returned from the front. . . . Ada is beset by visions of her son on every street, convinced he is still alive. Helpless, her loving husband has withdrawn from her. Then one day a young man appears at her door, seemingly with notions to peddle, like hundreds of out-of-work veterans. But when he utters the name of her son, Ada is jolted to the core.

 
The lives of these three women are braided together, their stories gathering tremendous power as the ties that bind them become clear, and the body of the unknown soldier moves closer and closer to its final resting place.

Rating: ***

Recommend: Really can't say.  If you enjoy historical fiction, I think you would very much enjoy this read, but as a disclosure - there were a couple unnecessary scenes in my opinion of the sexual nature.

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

Every fall my sisters and I eagerly anticipate when Nicholas Sparks will be releasing his newest work of romantic fiction and mark our calendars accordingly.  I fell in love with NS when I first saw Message In A Bottle in theatres back in 1999 with Kevin Costner and Robin Wright (Penn).  I fell in love with the scenery, the writing, the cast, the music, EVERYTHING.  When I saw the movie was based on a book, I had to know right then who would write such a beautiful love story. And ever since, as soon as one of his new releases hits the shelves, I have my copy reserved & all ready to go.

Last year, he released The Best of Me, which I had a difficult time with.  It's hard for me to get behind a love story when it involves a married man/woman - EVEN if it's a bad situation.  I just get this yucky feeling as I'm reading it.  But the one before that was Safe Haven - which I loved! So it was kind of a coin toss for me this year to pick up The Longest Ride and I didn't have a whole lot of expectations.

But seriously, I so loved it!  Yes, NS is back!  I could imagine every little detail and thought it was such a sweet and endearing story, one in which will be added to his long line of successful films as well.  I thought it was so good I told my sister she needs to pick it up asap and passed it off to my mother-in-law immediately!  If you have never read Nicholas Sparks, I couldn't recommend a better one to start with!  (Well, ok, maybe except for Message In A Bottle and The Notebook. And A Walk to Remember.)  Geez, love him.

Description: Ira Levinson is in trouble. At ninety-one years old, in poor health and alone in the world, he finds himself stranded on an isolated embankment after a car crash. Suffering multiple injuries, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes and comes into focus beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together – how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can’t possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.

A few miles away, at a local rodeo, a Wake Forest College senior’s life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward -- even life and death – loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans -- a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he’s keeping doesn’t destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.

Rating: *****

Recommend:  Always.  He's been a longtime favorite of mine!

Let's Do This Thang!

It's been a while since I've gotten the bug for reading and I'm happy to say, I've got my mojo back!

I just recently finished Gone With the Wind - soooo not happy with how that all turned out.  I know it's probably blasphemous in the South to say such a thing - but really?!?!?!  I'm tempted to read Scarlett and hopefully feel some closure about the whole thing. *sighhhhhh*

I'm currently in the middle of The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks - does that man know women or what?  I swear NS needs to just host seminars for husbands on how to understand their wives. I mean this man GETS IT.

 

It's been a tough and distracting season lately.  My best friend here in Nashville was diagnosed with Stage III Metastatic Melanoma and I've been doing all that I can to help her and her family through this difficult time.  To unwind, I've found myself picking up books more rather than the TV remote - so I can't complain about that! 

Here's to a more literary-filled year!

The Returned or Resurrection?

I was graciously sent an advanced reading copy of The Returned by Jason Mott by Harlequin and am just now halfway through it when I came across this trailer link in my BookMovement newsletter for an upcoming new ABC Series called Resurrection.

SO bizarre that the book hasn't even been released yet (scheduled release isn't till August 27th) and yet there is a new show coming out based on this book EXACTLY.  I'm seriously kinda trippin.

Of course we see movies and shows based on books that have already been released, but this was so surreal to see a preview of a book that's not even on the shelves yet.

Is it just me, or is that a bit strange??