Review: Ask Again, Yes

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kate and Peter meet as childhood next-door neighbors, and the bond between them grows strong. A tragic event when they’re 8th graders links them and their families together forever. Readers see the long-term effects of their childhood and their relationship on family members throughout the years. This is a beautiful look at love, family, forgiveness, mental health, and healing. A gem.


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Review: The Orchardist

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

William Talmadge is a gentle, solitary man living in the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the twentieth century. His orchard grows in the foothills of the Cascade mountain range where he tends his crop of apples and apricots with great care. The orchard and foothills have been his home since the age of nine. When he was just thirteen, he buried his widowed mother and lost his teenage sister to an unsolved disappearance. His life the last fifty years has been simple, uneventful.

One day two teenage girls steal apples from him at the market. He doesn't chase them, assuming from the way they look they must be hungry and alone, one of them obviously pregnant. Puzzled, Della and Jane follow him to the outskirts of his orchard and watch him from a distance. Talmadge feels sorry for the two and begins to earn their trust by leaving food for them when he goes to work on the trees. Just as the two are feeling safe, the calm of the orchard is shattered by men carrying guns.

This is just the beginning of a sweeping story, set in a time when the American west was still a bit wild, where trains were new transportation, and bands of men still wrangled wild horses. Even though this is the author's debut novel, it certainly doesn't read like one.


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Review: The Loyal One

The Loyal One by Shelley Shepard Gray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Walnut Creek, there is a group that call themselves "The Eight." They are a mix of Amish, Mennonite, and English. They lead different lives, some in the modern world and others in the traditions and rules of the generations before them. The Eight grew up together, went through hardships as well as accomplishments, and celebrated when the time was right.

Katie lives in the family home, which needs lots of repairs. Her parents had kept the outside in pretty good shape but did nothing to the inside. Her thoughts are to turn it into a bed and breakfast. A friend of Katie's, Harley, does construction around the little town, and Katie contacts him regarding the remodel. It seems there had been some friction between Harley and his former girlfriend Melody with Katie, but Katie wants the situation talked out and dissolved before she and Harley can work together on the remodel.

This story shows how love and support, pain and forgiveness, friendship and grief have held this community together over the years, and they have grown from it.

This is the second book in the Walnut Creek series, and I would recommend also reading the first one, The Patient One.

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Review: The Name of the Wind

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Name of the Wind is the first book in the epic fantasy Kingkiller Chronicles, and is also the first novel written by wordsmith Patrick Rothfuss. In this tale, Rothfuss introduces us to the enigmatic character Kvothe, who appears to be but a humble, stoic innkeeper in an unnamed world and in some unknown time. After a few rounds of ale with his guests—and a demonic spider attack—Kvothe is coaxed into sharing his mysterious past; its telling takes up the bulk of this book.

Kvothe’s story reveals a world full of theatre, music, family, and magic… as well as poverty, fear, loneliness, and vengeance. Early on we get superbly detailed descriptions of lute playing, which Kvothe uses as therapy to deal with a tragic loss. These pages of the book are by far the best written description of music I have ever read. The author also builds Kvothe’s world with an intricate money system, unusual trade skills and academics, and a functional, well-explained system of sympathetic magic that relies on discovering the true names of all things.

The Name of the Wind is a richly worded, leisurely paced tome full of a good amount of teaching and learning. If you’re looking for a quick page-turner, this book is not for you. The second book in the trilogy (The Wise Man’s Fear) and a supplemental novella (The Slow Regard of Silent Things) have already been published, but fans are still eagerly awaiting the third and final volume—and the end to Kvothe’s epic tale.


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Review: The Book Charmer

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you’re looking for a cozy little book with magic, romance, and appealing (if slightly quirky) characters, then Karen Hawkins’s The Book Charmer may very well be for you.
Dove Pond’s local librarian Sarah Dove has a special gift: books speak to her. If the books of Sarah’s library aren’t offering her advice, then they’re suggesting placement with specific members of the community. Sarah often argues with the books when they’re particularly bossy and ignores them on occasion, but they’re wise and persuasive and usually get their way. Recently, the books have been whispering about the arrival of a woman named Grace Wheeler. Dove Pond is in need of a miracle, and according to the books, Grace Wheeler is that miracle.
Grace has moved back to her hometown of Dove Pond along with her niece and foster mother Mama G. Mama G is suffering from Alzheimer’s, and Grace is hoping that living somewhere familiar to Mama G will provide some comfort to her foster mother as the disease progresses. Grace takes a position as the town clerk and soon discovers that the town is suffering from major financial issues. Prompted by the town’s social committee, Grace takes charge of planning the Apple Festival and makes a heroine’s attempt at saving Dove Pond. In turn, the townsfolk (and local biker Travis) offer Grace community support as she struggles with parenting a niece and providing loving care for her foster mother.


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Review: Under Currents

Under Currents by Nora Roberts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are two main characters in this story: Zane Bigelow and Darby McCray. The main location is a town called Lakeview in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Zane comes from a wealthy family. His father, Dr. Graham Bigelow, is Chief of Surgery of Mercy Hospital near Asheville. His mother, Eliza Bigelow, is a stay-at-home wife whose main job is to host dinner, cocktail, and garden parties. Zane also has a younger sister, Britt. Dr. Graham is a violent man. Eliza and the children are subject to much abuse but never in public view where anyone can see. One evening the children come home to a fight between their parents. Things turn very violent, and both Graham and Eliza are arrested. Eliza only serves a short sentence, but Graham gets 18 years.
Fast forward 18 years. Zane is now a lawyer in his home town. Darby McCray comes to Lakeview to start her own landscaping business. Darby, too, has been abused by a loved one, her husband. Zane and Darby become friends and then lovers. Together, they help an abused wife, and end up being followed and attacked multiple times.
Note to readers: This book contains a lot of violence and blood in it, which may overwhelm some readers.


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