2012 Book List

What if your ex was famous and adored by millions? What would you do if you had one chance to make him regret his entire existence? How much would you risk?Kate Hollis’s ex-boyfriend’s face plasters newsstands and TV, the Internet, and the multiplex. Jake Sharpe is one of the biggest recording stars on the planet, and every song he’s famous for is about Kate. For over a decade his soundtrack has chased her — from the gym to the supermarket, from the dentist’s office to the bars. Now thirty-year-old Kate gets the call that Jake has finally landed back in their Vermont hometown for an MTV special. The moment she has been waiting for has arrived.On the eve of their prom, Jake Sharpe vanished, resurfacing when his song “Losing” — about his and Kate’s first sexual experience — shot to the top of the Billboard charts. And the hits kept coming, each more personal than the one before.Now Kate gets her chance to confront Jake and reclaim her past. But after eleven years of enduring protracted and far-from-private heartbreak, everyone in Kate’s life has a stake in how this plays out. Kate must risk betraying the friends Jake abandoned, the bandmates whose songs he plundered, and her own parents, who fear this will dredge up a shared past more painful than any of them want to acknowledge. But after getting the call in the dead of night and jumping on a plane, can she turn back now?

Newsweek dubbed The Nanny Diaries “a national phenomenon” and the New Republic proclaimed, “Thank God for Citizen Girl.” Now McLaughlin and Kraus have written a poignant, humorous tale about modern celebrity obsession and coming of age during the divorce boom. With flawless depictions of the 1980s, a charismatic heroine, and their signature biting wit, the authors offer up another lively and hilarious tale of a smart young woman looking for satisfaction in the chaos of contemporary culture (Amazon.com).

Fully updated for 2012, this guide highlights 300 of the very best B&Bs, guest houses, farmhouses and inns in England, Scotland and Wales. Each entry is recommended and rated by AA inspectors and has practical information such as booking details and web addresses (Amazon.com)
As I read through this book, I find myself creating an itinerary in my head and planning another trip to Britain. Perfect places to stay, indeed. I’m ready to pack my bags again!
For the new breed of vacationer who craves meaningful trips and unusual locales, the combination of reading and travel can be a heady mix—especially if you happen to be checking into Hemingway’s favorite hotel in Sun Valley, or strolling about Bath’s Royal Crescent while entertaining fantasies of Lizzie Bennett and her Mr. Darcy! Cue National Geographic’s Novel Destinations—a guide for bibliophiles to more than 500 literary sites across the United States and Europe.The book begins with thematic chapters covering author houses and museums, literary festivals and walking tours. Then, in-depth explorations of author and places take readers roaming Franz Kafka’s Prague, James Joyce’s Dublin, Louisa May Alcott’s New England, and other locales. Peppered with great reading suggestions and little-known tales of literary gossip, Novel Destinations is a unique travel guide, an attractive gift book, and the ultimate browser’s delight (Amazon.com)

Adventure is just a book away as best-selling author Nancy Pearl returns with recommended reading for more than 120 destinations around the globe. Book Lust To Go connects the best fiction and nonfiction to particular destinations, whether your bags are packed or your armchair is calling. With stops from Texas to Timbuktu, Nancy Pearl’s reading recommendations will send you on your way (Amazon.com).

Chicago-based  Lancaster writes the things that everyone wants to say but is too polite to say. Or embarrassed to admit she is thinking. Just for that, Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist’s Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie Is Not the Answer is worth reading because it’s hilarious. In addition, for anyone thinking about losing weight, Jen Lancaster’s honest take on weight loss sends a positive message. I have three of her other memoirs on my nightstand, and they’re addictive.

I started this book with mixed reactions, but it really grew on me. Marie Sharp is a newly retired art teacher living in London who is creating a different life for herself and she proclaims that she is OLD and happy to be so. As the book progresses in diary style through her 60th year, the reader gets connected with both Marie and her cast of characters; many are long-time friends who are experiencing their own “growing older” issues. The best part of the book is Marie’s growing fascination with her new grandchild, and for that, it’s worth the read. Virginia Ironside puts into writing what many grandparents talk about — the all-encompassing, no-holds-barred love that comes with the precious little person. As one of the Amazon reviewers said, this book needs a sequel so we can see what happens to Marie and her charming friends.

I was looking for something light and breezy to read on my new Kindle and found this little charmer. Billed as an Irish romantic comedy, its protagonist is an Irish flight attendant. Written in an informal first-person narrative, it was almost stream-of-consciousness storytelling, which was further enhanced (not) by the poor typography in the Kindle version. Surely someone can write a better program for transferring books to Kindle format. Every book I’ve read so far on my Kindle has had formatting issues. Anyway, Mile High Guy is another piece of satisfying chick lit with nice geographical allusions to Ireland, Boston, and New York. It was worth what I paid for it (99 cents) and helped me get through some sleepless nights while I was sick.

We read this one for January 2012 book club, and I’m not sure what to say about this book. Loosely based on the lives of Empress Michiko and Crown Princess Masako of Japan, it had a great deal of promise and I thoroughly enjoyed the first part as we watch the renamed protagonist Haruko on her march — albeit it VERY slowly — to the throne. Schwartz tried to create a woman’s world and I’m not sure he completely succeeded, although his research is evident and I always give an author props for taking the time to do meticulous research. The best character was the nasty lady-in-waiting, a part I’d love to play in the movie, IF I were Japanese and IF the movie were going to be made at all. Given that the novel is a fantasia created by Schwartz about a regime that was part  mystery and part mythology, he wrote a story that is sometimes passionate and sometimes dull. I can’t say I recommend it, but it’s another one of those books that may improve our cultural understanding, and for that, it’s worth a read.

Written by my son, it’s always going to be difficult for me to be fair in my analysis of The Hipsters. Hard, cynical, yet surprisingly tender and hopeful, The Hipsters is a look at a time and place that formed the characters of a lot of young people you may know and it’s worth a read. Written in alternate chapters, it tells the story of videographer John and the subjects he interviews, with a strong first-person narrative style that caused me to alternately love and hate the characters. Anytime I can get that emotionally involved in a story, I want to recommend it to others. Even if it is my son’s book, it’s worth a read and can be obtained in Kindle format on Amazon. (Just in case you don’t have a Kindle, you can download apps to smart phones to read Kindle books. I did it on my iPhone before I got my Kindle for Christmas.)

One thought on “2012 Book List”

  1. Pingback: Writer’s Workshop: Book Reviews | Got My Reservations

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.