Y is for Yoshikawa

I got back on track for my next to last novel in the journey. Surprisingly, there were several Y authors from which to choose. When I first started reading this one, I wasn't sure I'd made the right choice, but as I read, I really fell for "One hundred and one ways" by Mako Yoshikawa.

Kiki Takehashi is a modern American woman who is of Japanese descent. She worries that the men she falls for are only falling for her because of what she calls an "Asian-woman fetish." She is dating Eric but can't get over Phillip, who died while mountain climbing. In fact, Phillip still haunts her as a small, naked figure in her apartment. This triangle is but one part of the novel. Kiki's relationship with the grandmother she's never met is a wonderful part of the story. Kiki is the namesake of her grandmother, Yukiko, who had been a geisha as a young woman. Throughout the novel, Kiki thinks about the questions she will ask her grandmother, questions that she has never asked her mother. Kiki's relationship with her mother is another strong issue in the novel. In fact, the triangle of Kiki, her mother and grandmother is as strong a storyline as is the triangle of Kiki, Eric and Phillip.

As for the relationship with Eric, maybe it was just me, but I had a hard time getting behind it. I'm not sure if I was just feeling Kiki's suspicions about Eric's motives or if he was just written so that the reader wouldn't like him very much. At the same time, I wasn't crazy about Phillip or his little ghost. As I got to know Kiki, I wanted more and better for her. It's a good read when you can feel real emotion for a character.

"One hundred and one ways" is a love story and a coming of age story and a story of mothers and daughters and a story of cultures. It is beautifully written, at times haunting, at other times jubilant. I think every young woman can see something of herself in Kiki. She is not the perfect heroine. She is not the perfect girlfriend or daughter. Like many of us at times, she doesn't know what she wants to do or with whom she wants to spend her life.

I recommend "One hundred and one ways" to women who have wondered if they are on the right track. I recommend it to those who have loved and lost and wonder if they are ready to love again. I recommend it to every woman who has had a sometimes tough relationship with her mother. I really enjoyed the writing of Mako Yoshikawa and recommend her highly.

X is for Lutz. What?

Yes, you read correctly, X is for Lutz. I ran into a bit of a predicament when it came to choosing a novel to represent the letter X. In our library system, there is not a single fiction product by an author whose last name begins with X. I considered reading the "Autobiography of Malcolm X," but it broke two of my rules for this project: I'd already read it and it is not fiction. So, I just broke one rule instead. The author of my X book does not have X anywhere in his name. The title of the book however says it all. For my X book, I chose, "The Ex" by John Lutz.

During this alphabetic journey, I've read some very thought provoking novels. This was not one of them. "The Ex" is pure psycho-thriller, though not a great psycho-thriller. It did move quickly and it did put a bit of a scare in me from time to time.

David Jones had moved to NYC to start over after an ugly divorce. He had a great job, a gorgeous wife and a wonderful young son. All is well until one day he hears her voice. His ex-wife Deidre has "accidentally" run into him in the city. What he doesn't know is that Deidre had recently escaped a mental hospital when a tornado tore it apart. She had killed a few people on her way to see David and was not finished with her murder spree. Deirdre has decided she wants David back and nothing and no one will stand in her way.

Lutz wrote the novel on which the creepy movie "Single White Female" was based. If you've seen that one, you know his style in writing creepy women. Well, Deirdre is uber-creepy. Like I said, it's not deep and it's not even that great of a thriller, but it does make the hair stand up on your neck from time to time. Most of Deirdre's biggest acts you see coming well in advance. In fact, everyone can see what Deirdre is up to, except David. He falls right back into her arms all the while trying to hide the relationship from his wife.

If you are looking for a quick, predictable read, pick this one up. The book cover said there had been a movie produced based on the book, but I never saw it. I'm guessing it was about as good as the novel.

W is for Winston, Lolly

When it came time to choose my "W" book, I really wanted to find an author named Williams since that is my maiden name. There were several in the library, but none spoke to me the way a book by Lolly Winston did. Hey, Lolly is a really cool name anyway. So, for "W," yes we are already to "W," let me present to you Lolly Winston's Good Grief.

Sophie Stanton had been married just three short years when she lost her husband to cancer. She feels way too young to be a widow and really doesn't know how to deal with it. Sophie chooses to grieve with ice cream and any other food she can buy at the convenience store. Everything hurts, from trying to go through her husband's clothes to trying to go back to work. After an embarrassing meltdown in the middle of the grocery store and showing up to work in a bathrobe and slippers, Sophie decides it's time to move. Her best friend Ruth lives in a small town in Oregon, so Sophie takes her up on her offer of a place to stay. Going from being a happily married woman with a good job and a great future to being a young widow with no job and no prospects in a strange town could be completely overwhelming, but not to Sophie.

Things really change for Sophie once she gets to Oregon. She applies to be a part of the "Big Sister" program, imagining spending her weekends coloring or playing dolls with a young girl. Instead of the tiny person she had imagined, she gets Crystal, a sulking 13-year-old with a bad smoking habit and a horrible home life. Crystal's fascination with fire could be even more dangerous than her smoking or cutting. Sophie considers calling the "Big Sister" group and telling them she can't see Crystal again, but sees something in the girl and perseveres.

While dealing with her grief and her new young friend, Sophie finds a job waiting tables. This is not her finest moment and after several problems, she ends up working in the kitchen. What could be seen as failure turns in to a great triumph for Sophie. She finds her place making cakes and pies for the restaurant and soon decides she will open her own bakery. Of course more obstacles stand in the way, but Sophie handles them with some grace and much humor.

Having grieved the loss of someone I loved, I picked up this book with some trepidation. How would a writer handle the grief process? The reviews I read said there was humor involved. How do you mix humor and grief? Well, Lolly Winston did a great job of it. Grief is hard. Losing a loved one is a sad thing, but Winston found a way to remind us that life is funny. We do silly things, humorous things. Winston handled the grief process with respect, but not with kid gloves.

I would recommend Good Grief to anyone who has had to mourn the loss of a spouse or significant other. You will likely recognize yourself in at least some of Sophie's mourning antics. I would recommend Good Grief to those who have looked up from the very bottom. I would recommend Good Grief to anyone looking for a good read filled with both tears and out loud laughter. I would consider Good Grief to be a bit of a "chick read" but it is a very enjoyable one. If you're looking for something to read on a cold winter's day, Good Grief fits the bill.

V is for Vernon, Olympia

I have actually been putting off this review for nearly a week because I just don't know what to say about this book. As I've approached the end of this journey, I've had fewer choices in some letters. Of course there aren't many authors whose last name starts with a V. I liked what I read on the back of this novel, but, for me at least, it didn't really translate to an enjoyable read. Still, I bring Eden by Olympia Vernon.

Eden is the story of 14-year-old Maddy, an African-American girl growing up in rural Mississippi. As punishment for drawing a picture of a naked woman inside the Bible during Sunday school, Maddy's mother sends her to care for her dying aunt Pip. Much of the story revolves around the time Maddy spends with Pip, who is dying of breast cancer. Pip and Maddy's mother are estranged because Pip slept with Maddy's father. Maddy's father, Chevrolet, is an unlikable character who walks naked through the house and sleeps with whomever he can. There really aren't that many likable characters in Eden. You want to cheer for Maddy, but her obsession with all things sexual makes her a bit too much for a 14-year-old. You want to like Maddy's mother, Faye, but her failure to forgive her sister and be there to help her die makes her less likable. You want to like Pip and perhaps I came closest to liking Pip. She knows who she is and doesn't try to be anyone else. If there are truly an likable characters in Eden, I would say they are Pip and her best friend Fat.

I enjoyed Vernon's writing style. She is a lyrical writer for sure. I just didn't enjoy the content. I felt the novel had to reach quite a bit to say what Vernon was trying to say. I felt that much of the vulgarity was added more for shock value than because it made the book work. I am not saying that a book about a 14-year-old has to be written in language appropriate for a young teen, but it's unsettling to read some of what Vernon wrote as coming from a teen girl.

U is for Updike

As I've made this reading journey over the past months, one thing I've tried to do is read not quite so famous authors. Sometimes it was easier than others. For my "U" book, it didn't happen that way. As you might expect, there are not a ton of authors whose last name starts with a U. I chose a rather famous writer's 18th novel as my "U" adventure. Here are my thoughts on "U" is for Updike, John and his novel Toward the End of Time.

There are a few things you just don't want to admit when you finish the 18th novel of a famous American author. One of those things is that you didn't really like it. Another is that you didn't really get it. I'm admitting both of those things to you. Now I realize that John Updike is not universally loved. After finally diving into one of his books, I can understand that. Toward the End of Time has a fascinating premise. The U.S. and China have been at war with each other. This war ended with only about 1/2 the population of the entire world remaining. The U.S. government is in shambles and China is uninhabitable due to nuclear fallout. The dollar is worthless and individual states are producing their own scrip. It sounds like it would be a frightening time or a time of real self-discovery. For the not so likable main character in this novel, it's just another day of being retired and bored.

The novel revolves around the life of one Ben Turnbull, a retired stock broker living just outside Boston. While Ben could be talking about how the world has changed for the better or for the worse, he is so self-absorbed he talks only of the small world around him. He is a 66-year-old loser. While it would be fascinating to be taken on a journey to the year 2020 where the world is picking itself back up following a horrific war, we are instead treated to the rambling descriptions of every tree, plant and flower on the property owned by Ben and his second wife, Gloria. During one of Gloria's business trips, Ben actually fantasizes that he somehow killed her and subsequently moves a prostitute into his home to be his new wife. Ben is obsessed with sex, preferably with much younger women. He is weak in the face of Gloria, who does return, much to his surprise. Even after being diagnosed with cancer, he just can't seem to garner sympathy from the reader.

There were some interesting futuristic moments in the novel. An abandoned space station which can still be seen in the sky brings eerie thoughts in consideration of the current state of our own space program. With the fall of the government, taxes are no longer being collected and the police and fire departments have little to offer in the way of protection. Small bands of "entrepreneurs" take charge and offer their own protection, of course, for a fee. Rather than allowing these thugs to take over the security business, one of the last remaining working entities shows up to save the day. For a monthly fee, FedEx begins providing protection to all good citizens. These thought-provoking moments are scattered so lightly through the novel that it's hard to gain enough sustenance from them to carry you through the entire book.

When this journey is over, I may go back and read one of Updike's earlier novels. Unfortunately for some writers, things just change for the worse with age or over-publication. I hope that's the case. I hope to goodness that Updike's work has not always been so trite and so narcissistic. Toward the End of Time could give a good sci-fi writer some interesting ideas on which to build, but other than that, I'd not recommend it.

T is for Tropper, Jonathan

With every letter I complete, I see this journey nearing it's end. As I write this review, I've already started reading my "U" book and have checked the shelves for availability of the remaining letters. I may be forced to bend the rules when it comes to the letter "X" because there just aren't many fiction authors with a last name starting with "X." I will worry about that when I get there, but for now, let's talk about "T" is for Tropper, Jonathan.

I remember pulling this book from the stacks because of the multi-colored lettering on the spine. It is the little things that draw me to what I end up reading. I read the inside cover and was interested. Still, I continued looking around. I came back several times to Tropper's novel and decided to check it out. For my "T" book, I read This Is Where I Leave You.

The story revolves around the Foxman family, who have gathered for the funeral of their husband and father and to sit shiva for him. Shiva is a seven-day long time of mourning for a family of the Jewish faith. The family gathers in the home of the deceased and receives visitors. It is supposed to be a solemn time of remembrance and mourning where mirrors are covered and the family sits on low shiva chairs. When the Foxman children heard from their mother that their father's dying request was that they sit shiva for him, they were beyond surprised. Their father had not been a religious man and had only taken them to Temple once or twice a year. Still, they came together to remember their father.

Our narrator is Judd Foxman who is dealing not only with the death of his father, but also the end of his marriage. Just weeks before his father died, Judd had walked in on his wife Jen in bed with his boss, a Howard Stern-like radio host who was despised by most women. As Judd explained, "Not mine, unfortunately." Along with Judd we have his mother, a retired psychiatrist who wears clothing which makes Judd and his siblings uncomfortable and brings out the local widowers by the droves. Also sitting shiva are Judd's only sister Wendy and her obnoxious husband, older brother Paul who has taken over the family business, and younger brother Phillip who arrives with his much older "fiancee." The relationships among the siblings are strained and often awkward. Being in the same house for seven days of mourning would likely test the closest family, but it really strains a dysfunctional family like the Foxmans.

There is a great deal of humor in the book. Much of it is quite dark, as could be expected in the setting. The Foxman children are destined to make discoveries about themselves as they remember their father and look more closely at their own lives. While there is quite a bit of gratuitous sex and language, Tropper makes light of many of the situations.

One big twist in the book comes when Judd's estranged wife shows up to give Judd the news that he is going to be a father. This bombshell comes as Judd is considering renewing a fling with a high school sweetheart. In the light of the loss of his own father, Judd considers what type father he will be to a child who will likely be raised by his wife and former boss. Part of this equation is answered in the last chapters of the book, but Tropper leaves it to the reader to decide exactly what happens to Judd and Jen.

This Is Where I Leave You is being turned into a movie for a 2011 release. As you read the novel, you can see it on a big screen. It is entertaining and relevant enough to translate well to film. I am looking forward to seeing the movie.

This Is Where I Leave You is not always an easy read. The reader is forced to see themselves in the shoes of the Foxman children. Those with siblings will likely see at least some similarities in their own familial relationships. If you are looking for a good read that will make you think, I would recommend This Is Where I Leave You.

S is for Sharpe

There are many, many writers with a last name starting with "S." I knew this would be a tough one to choose and I'm honestly not sure I made the right choice. This is not the first time I've chosen a book based on title or cover design, and it likely won't be the last. I will admit that I chose this book almost entirely because the cover photo has a Corgi. Yep, I'm a sucker for a dog. So, for better or worse, let me present to you my "S" book, As Good As It Got by Isabel Sharpe.

I actually really liked the premise of this book. Several women who had suffered a great loss gathered together at a therapeutic camp in Maine. The book focuses on three of the campers: Ann, whose husband took his own life, Cindy, who lost her marriage to a string of mistresses and Martha, whose one true love is lying in a coma on the verge of death. I am somewhat of a feminist and love reading about strong, powerful women taking control of their lives, but I think even I would have been turned off by Camp Kinsonu. There are only so many times a person needs to hear the song "I am woman" before they want to jump into an icy Maine lake.

Of the three primary characters, I liked Ann and Martha. Cindy is whiny, needy and so convinced that her cheating husband will come home once again when he realizes he just can't live without her. It's not that easy to like Ann, but in the end, I couldn't help it. She's tough and very honest. She says what she's thinking and that doesn't set well with all the campers, especially during group therapy sessions. Ann has a great deal to overcome when she arrives at Camp Kinsonu. It was only after her husband killed himself that she discovers he had lost all their money, their house and their financial future. Not surprisingly, Ann is bitter. Her journey at camp will see her realize that the high life she and Paul were living was not living at all. She will come a very long way in a very short time. My other favorite was Martha, who came to the camp when her long-time secret love suffers a stroke and ends up in a coma. Martha has spent her adult life waiting for her politician lover to give up his pretty wife and children and realize that it's her he truly loves. Martha feels she doesn't fit in with the other campers. She is the token fat girl. She is eccentric and feels very alone.

See, the premise sounds good. The delivery was not so great. Camp Kinsonu is supposed to be a professionally run, therapeutic camp, but it comes across as more like high school. The inclusion of the allegedly gay male worker is a poor reflection on professional therapy. Hopefully, a real camp like this would actually check out the stories of their workers. The fourth member of Ann's cabin just doesn't fit in at all. A peripheral character should stay on the periphery, not be thrown into so many scenes. Perhaps I was taking the book too seriously. Based on the outline, I was expecting something more thought-provoking, not a beach read. There were some great moments in this novel. There were times when the women really looked deep inside and discovered what they were made of, but those moments were few compared with the fluff.

If you are looking for a fun, quick read with some laugh out loud moments and a few moments of empathy and reflection, I think you'll enjoy "As Good As It Got." If you are looking for a deep look at the problems of women and how they fight to overcome them, keep looking. Isabel Sharpe paints a beautiful picture of summer time in Maine. Camp Kinsonu is a great idea that falls short of it's potential. Maybe that's what Sharpe was aiming for.

I recommend "As Good As It Got" for those looking for a fun read. I recommend it for those who want to laugh a bit and maybe tear up a bit. I do wish the dog on the cover was more than just a memory for one of my least favorite campers. Next time I need a beach read, I might pick up another of Sharpe's books. If I'm looking for something a bit more thought-provoking, I'll pass her by.