Book Review: Before the Last All Clear by Ray Evans

Posted on March 8, 2012 · 3 Comments

Before the Last All Clear
by Raymond Evans
Morgan James Publishing
Genre: Memoir; World War II
Publication Date: August 2008

About the Book:

Some recall it as the greatest adventure of their lives. For others, being a wartime evacuee was a nightmare. These are the witty yet deeply poignant memories of a man still haunted by the cruelties he endured. During World War II, around three and a half million British children were evacuated away from possible air raids in the big cities in one of the largest social upheavals Great Britain has ever seen. One of those children was Ray Evans. This is the story of a young evacuee from Liverpool sent to live in the Welsh town of Llanelli. Separated from his mother, brothers and sisters, six-year old Ray was dispatched to a series of families who ignored, exploited and brutalised him. Pushed from pillar to post, he finally finds happiness with a family who make him so welcome that he is reluctant to leave when war ends. Set in a world of ration books, air-raid sirens and ever-present danger, this is a candid and direct account of wartime Britain as seen through the eyes of a child.

Raymond Evans was just six years old when he was forced to leave the comfort of his family home and take up residence at numerous “billets” (similar to foster homes)  in Llanelli, England.

The story is captivating. The editing left a lot to be desired. I had to overlook a lot of basic grammatical and spelling errors in this book, which is disappointing. Due to my real-life job, I’m a bit anal about editing and spelling errors in the books I read. In addition, the story was difficult to follow at times. There were transitions in the narrative that were very confusing. For example, Ray is talking about wanting to see his father at a Christmas party that is in a few weeks. Then, without any modifier to transition to it, the next paragraph discusses Ray being at the party. Odd shifts like this in the storytelling were confusing to me. I think with a good editor, this story could be tightened up and pack a greater punch than what is currently presented.

Aside from the editing issues, I really enjoyed Ray’s story. The shipping of English children away from potential air raids is a part of WWII history that I was not at all familiar with. Ray was moved around from different billets, initially able to be with his brother, but soon separated and on his own. Some families were strict and harsh; others neglectful and abusive; and another was so wonderful that Ray didn’t want to leave once the war ended. Told from the eyes of a young boy, Before the Last All Clear is a compelling and moving story of a lesser-known period of World War II. If you can look past the editing issues, the story is one I would definitely recommend.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Memoir Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Book Review: Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner

Posted on February 27, 2012 · 2 Comments


Girl Meets God
by Lauren F. Winner
Genre: Spiritual Memoir
Publisher: Shaw Books

Blurb from Amazon:

The child of a Jewish father and a lapsed Southern Baptist mother, Lauren F. Winner chose to become an Orthodox Jew. But even as she was observing Sabbath rituals and studying Jewish law, Lauren was increasingly drawn to Christianity. Courageously leaving what she loved, she eventually converted. In Girl Meets God, this appealing woman takes us through a year in her Christian life as she attempts to reconcile both sides of her religious identity.

Here readers will find a new literary voice: a spiritual seeker who is both an unconventional thinker and a devoted Christian. The twists and turns of Winner’s journey make her the perfect guide to exploring true faith in today’s complicated world.

My Thoughts:

There are times when I do not know how to describe how I feel about a book. This is one of those times. This book is well-written and honest in its portrayal, but I found it lacking…something. I cannot quite put my finger on what that something is, though. From my understanding, at the time of the writing of this book, she was still young in her Christian faith, so I can understand that my feelings are attributing to that somewhat. Heck, I am still young in my faith. But, I am not a convert from another religion, so I am trying to give her a bit of grace as a write this review.

First and foremost, I am proud of Ms. Winner for being brave enough to follow her heart. She felt Jesus prompting her to follow Him and she answered that call. Being that she was an Orthodox Jew, I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been for her. However, even after finishing the book, I am still not fully understanding the reasons for her conversion. She had a dream about mermaids and Jesus. She did not feel accepted by some of her Orthodox friends, especially her boyfriend’s family (she was not a *true* Orthodox Jew as Judaism is passed through the mother and Ms. Winner’s father was the Jewish parent; however, she chose to convert to Orthodox Judaism as a teenager). But, she had others who were like family to her and accepted her as such. I just don’t think these sections were fleshed out enough. I wanted to know more of her heart and I only got more of the “I didn’t fit in” and “My boyfriend’s mom didn’t like me” responses. I don’t think she had enough distance at the time of writing this book to fully understand the decision she made and that is why some of the heart issues are not fully addressed.

As someone who is completely unfamiliar with Judaism, Ms. Winner explains in detail all of the Jewish customs, holidays and rituals. I am glad I got this e-book through my library so I could look up unfamiliar words immediately because there were a lot of them! It was almost too much for me at times. But, I was really fascinated with her explanations and narrative about her former faith.

This book is laid out according to the Christian liturgical seasons. I found this format interesting. Yes, it works, but I found some of the stories she included to be unnecessary. In the context of the whole novel, I did not understand how they fit in or why these particular stories were included. They confused me and muddied the waters.

Ms. Winner talks in detail about how she found the church she now attends, but I found that Ms. her focus on the ritualistic aspect of the faith to be a detriment to the actual prize – the personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I think she missed a golden opportunity to explore this more in depth. I wanted to know more about her relationship with Jesus and how she developed in her relationship with Him. There just wasn’t enough there for me.

Overall, this is an extremely well-written book, but I found it lacking some personal connection. I had a hard time relating to Ms. Winner. I would recommend this book with reservation.

***

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Crazy Good, Memoir Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Review & Kindle Touch Giveaway: Remembering You by Tricia Goyer

Posted on November 28, 2011 · 2 Comments

Remembering You
by Tricia Goyer
Publication Date:  November 2011
Publisher:  Guideposts
Purchase this book - Amazon

Source:  I received a free copy of this book for my participation in a blog tour through Litfuse Publicity Group.
View the full Blog Tour Schedule HERE.

About the book:

Television producer Ava Ellington cannot refuse her grandfather’s last wish – that she accompany him to Europe on a tour of World War II battle sites.  Ava has little interest in historical battles, but this may be her last chance to break down the barriers that have grown up between them, and she sets off, camera in hand, ready to record and report on their journey.  She and Grandpa Jack are greeted in Paris by Paul, her grandpa’s best friend, and his grandson Dennis.  The Dennis who just happens to be Ava’s first love.

History comes alive as the group travels across Europe – from the romantic sights of Paris to the bleak battlefields of Belgium to the Austrian labor camp these men liberated so many years before – and Ava sees a side of her grandfather she’s never known before.  As he shares his memories of those bitter days on the battlefield, she begins to understand how his experiences in the war made him the man he is today.

Throughout the journey, Ava and Dennis are drawn together in ways neither of them expected.  Can their memories of the past lead to a bright new future?

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here. http://www.triciagoyer.com/contemporaryfiction.html#RememberingYou

My Thoughts:

I love novels centered around World War II and although this is a contemporary work of fiction, it is based on two grandfathers recalling their stories from the front lines of the war against Hitler’s regime and the ultimate liberation of the Jewish people from one of the many concentration camps, specifically Mauthausen in Austria.  In their 80′s, Grandpa Jack and his best friend and WWII buddy, Gran Paul, are fantastic characters, brimming with life.  You can feel their emotional turmoil as they recount their numerous stories as the foursome make their way across Europe, from Paris to Belgium, through Germany into Austria.  The angst lying under the surface as they watch their friends dying; their joy and horror at opening the gate to the Mauthausen concentration camp rings very true to life and I was very caught up in their tales.  The side stories with Jack as he comes to terms with some of the things he had to do during battle were heartbreaking and I felt truly sorry for the young man that he was, having to experience what he did.

Although I loved the historical aspects of this novel, the rest of it fell flat for me.  I did not care for the main character, Ava.  She was not a likable character at all.  I kept wanting to like her, but she kept doing silly and stupid things that made me dislike her even more.  Eventually I just got tired of her.  I never connected with her as a character or really knew what she was about.  All she seemed to care about was her job and getting the next camera shot.  It was agonizingly frustrating considering how much I enjoyed the other parts of this book.  Her relationship with her grandfather, Grandpa Jack, seemed strained at best and I never really felt a connection between them, which is unfortunate.

Dennis and Ava’s relationship is pretty awkward.  It isn’t until 230+ pages in that we learn the whole story of their past and why things are so weird between them.  They are on a roller coaster of emotions with each other and it is frustrating trying to figure out what the issues are between them when neither of them will talk about anything!

Finally, considering this book is Christian Fiction and published by Guideposts, I was a little surprised that there wasn’t some conclusion to Ava’s spiritual development at the end of the novel.  Prayer and God were touched on throughout the book (but not overly so), but I was expecting some kind of wrap-up to the journey I went though for 300 pages, or at least some type of “it’s in the works” statement.  But, it seemed to solely focus on the relationship between her and Dennis and making sure all of those loose ends were tied up.  It left me wanting more.

Overall, an okay read, especially for those who love the historical aspects of World War II. There’s a fantastic author’s note at the end regarding her interviews of veterans and some of her research.

About Tricia:

Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference in 2003. Tricia’s book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. On Tricia’s weekly radio show, Living Inspired, she shares stories of inspiration and encouragement. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

For more about Tricia and her other books visit www.triciagoyer.com

Win a Kindle Touch for YOU and a Friend from Tricia Goyer!

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her novel, Remembering You, with a KINDLE Touch Giveaway for you … and for the friend of your choice. Then on 11/29 she’ll be wrapping up the release of Remembering You with a Book Chat Party!

During the first half of the party Tricia will be chatting, sharing a sneak peek of her next book, and giving away a ton of great stuff. Then she’ll head over to her website for a Live Chat! Readers will be able to chat with Tricia via video or text.

Don’t miss your chance to win a Kindle Touch for yourself … and to “remember” a friend this holiday with a Kindle Touch for them!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One grand prize winner will receive:

  • A Brand New Kindle Touch and a Kindle Touch for a Friend (winner’s choice!)
  • A copy of Remembering You by Tricia Goyer for each

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on November 29th. Winner will be announced at Remembering You Facebook Party on 11/29. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away copies of her other WWII books and gift certificates to Starbucks and Amazon.com. So grab your copy of Remembering You and join Tricia on the evening of the 29th for an author chat, a trivia contest (How much do you know about WWII?) and lots of giveaways.

Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!!

Disclosure: Crazy-for-Books is NOT giving away a Kindle Touch. I am merely providing this information as part of the blog tour for Tricia Goyer. Please read and review the Kindle Touch giveaway information above to find out how to enter. Thank you.

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews, Crazy Good Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Blog Tour & Revew: The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard

Posted on August 25, 2011 · 7 Comments

[amazon_image id="B003VIWNGM" link="true" target="_blank" size="large" ]The Good Daughters: A Novel (P.S.)[/amazon_image]
[amazon_link id="B003VIWNGM" target="_blank" ]The Good Daughters: A Novel[/amazon_link]
by Joyce Maynard
Publication Date:  August 24, 2010
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Source:  TLC Book Tours for my participation in a virtual book tour.

The Good Daughters tells the story of the “birthday sisters” – Ruth Plank and Dana Dickerson.  They were born on the same day, in the same New Hampshire hospital, but are different in every imaginable way.  Ruth is the fifth daughter of a farmer and his wife; Dana is the second child born to an artist and her wayward husband who is always searching for the next big money-maker.  The two share little except Ruth’s mother’s insistence upon keeping in touch, to the amazement of Ruth, who doesn’t understand it.  Through Dana’s many homes in the Middle Atlantic and Northeast, the Planks and Dickersons stay abreast of one another and try to visit when possible.  One perk to their visits is the opportunity for Ruth to see Dana’s older brother, Ray, to whom she has a soul-deep attraction.

The story follows Ruth and Dana from childhood to adulthood; from first love to marriage and, ultimately, divorce; from self-conscious teenagers to confident adults.  We are taken on a journey of each woman’s self-discovery as Ruth and Dana come into her own person, with the sense that they don’t belong in the families they were raised in.   The novel is told in opposing first-person narratives between the two “birthday sisters”.  Ruth and Dana are so different, though, that it is very easy to distinguish between their stories.

It’s pretty clear to the reader what the big secret is from the opening chapters.  The payoff is the journey the characters take in getting to the truth themselves.  But, the journey is long and winding and the payoff, at least for me, left a lot to be desired.  Other than the secret, there is a bit of a twist that comes very late in the novel.  I was waiting for it. You know when a secret is so obvious that you think, “There’s got to be something more here”?  That was why I kept reading.   I was hoping there was something at the end that would knock my socks off and make it worth my while to have read the nearly 300 pages (else I probably would have stopped, to be honest).  I wanted a payoff moment.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get it.  Early on, I had an inkling of the “twist” so when it was revealed, I had no “heart-flutter” moment.  I was a little bummed.

One of the driving forces in the novel is Ruth’s relationship/obsession with Dana’s brother, Ray.  Once you figure out the “big secret”, you immediately start agonizing over this relationship.  Is “the truth” really “the truth”?  You hope it isn’t, but what if it really is?  This was one part of the novel that just left me heartbroken and a little weirded out, to be honest.

In stark contrast is Dana’s relationship with Clarice.  Yes, Dana is a lesbian.  Their relationship is beautifully portrayed and quite moving.  (In the interest of full disclosure, there are some intimate scenes between these two characters).

As Ruth and Dana grow and mature and finally realize the secret, there was no climactic scene.  The last chapter wraps things up in a tidy little bow and I was left with a sense that I didn’t really get anything out of this novel.  To be fair, Joyce Maynard is a very gifted writer and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style.  The characters were just a little flat and didn’t leave much of an impact.  Even though Ruth and Dana are vastly different, their voices felt the same and I never really connected with either one of them.  This is most definitely a character-driven story, but I was expecting a little more from the plot.

Final Rating:

Other Tour Stops!
Tuesday, August 23rd: Book Addiction

Wednesday, August 24th: The Lost Entwife

Thursday, August 25th: Crazy for Books

Monday, August 29th: Rundpinne

Tuesday, August 30th: Book Hooked Blog

Wednesday, August 31st: Teresa’s Reading Corner

Thursday, September 1st: Colloquium

Tuesday, September 6th: Life In Review

Wednesday, September 7th: Tina’s Book Reviews

Thursday, September 8th: Laura’s Reviews

Friday, September 9th: Jo-Jo Loves to Read

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Blog Tour & Review: The Book of Lies by Mary Horlock

Posted on August 12, 2011 · 9 Comments

[amazon_image id="0062065092" link="true" target="_blank" size="large" ]The Book of Lies: A Novel (P.S.)[/amazon_image]

[amazon_link id="0062065092" target="_blank" ]The Book of Lies: A Novel[/amazon_link]
by Mary Horlock
Publication Date:  July 19, 2011
Publisher:  Harper Collins

TBL


I will read most historical fiction surrounding World War II.  I’m not sure what it is about the time period, but I can’t seem to get enough of it.  I want to know everything I can about it.  It sickens and disgusts me, but I continue to read everything I can.  When I heard about [amazon_link id="0062065092" target="_blank" ]The Book of Lies[/amazon_link] through TLC Book Tours and the story involving the Occupation of Guernsey, I was very excited to read this book.  I had not previously known about Guernsey’s involvement in the War, so I found the historical pieces of this book to be fascinating.

Guernsey is situated between England and France in the English Channel (see map – if you are anything like me, you want to know exactly where you are in the world when you start a book!).  The print version of the book actually has a map at the beginning so you can visualize where all the places are when Cat and Charlie discuss them in the novel.  I read the e-book version through Netgalley and did not look at my print copy until I was done.  I wish I had!  I found the map to be very useful if you like to visualize where all the places are on Guernsey as the characters are talking about them.  The e-book did not offer this feature, but I also had the uncorrected proof, so it could be in the finished copy.  But, I digress.

1985, Guernsey – Nicolette and Cat are the best of friends before a perceived betrayal rips them apart and Nic responds with incessant bullying of Cat.

1945, Guernsey – Charlie (Cat’s uncle) and Ray are friends during the Nazi Occupation of Guernsey during WWII.  The reader sees the rise and fall of their friendship and how Charlie ends up betraying those closest to him and ending up in a concentration camp.  Charlie records his story on tape, before his death.  It is transcribed by Cat’s father Emile.  It is Emile’s life-long goal to uncover the truth about the Nazi Occupation of Guernsey.

Fifteen-year-old Cat Rozier is your typical teenage angst-ridden girl. She describes herself as overweight, without many friends, but very smart. Living in her father’s shadow, she has picked up a lot of information about the Nazi Occupation of Guernsey, which she spews forth to anyone who will listen. Cat is also atypical in that, from the first page, she tells us that she is a murderess. And she’s a bit upset that no one has suspected her!

It’s been a fortnight since they found her body and for the most part I am glad she’s gone. But I also can’t believe she’s dead, and I should because I did it. Yes. That’s right. I killed Nicolette on these very cliffs and I’m frankly amazed that no one has guessed. (pg. 1)

So, from the first page, I am intrigued. Who is Nicolette? And why did a young girl kill her? Was it an accident? Did she do it on purpose? So many questions tumble through the mind as Cat’s narrative continues. She goes on to say that the murder is really not her fault. History has a way of repeating itself.

We talk about getting away and seeing the world, but we never do. We stay here making the same mistakes, over and over. I’m a murderer and it’s not just my fault. I can blame the Germans, and I can blame my parents, and I can blame my parents’ parents. Don’t you see? Once you know your History, it does explain everything.

It turns out I was a murderer before I was even born. (pg. 5)

The narrative then jumps to Charlie back in 1945 right at the cusp of the Nazis coming in to occupy Guernsey. Charlie jumps from a boat that is taking the natives to safety, choosing instead to stay and fight the Germans. He falls from the boat and gets help from Ray Le Poidevoin, who becomes his friend. . . and later, his enemy.

Using a split narrative, Horlock switches from Cat in 1985 to Charlie in 1945, showing how Cat’s family history shaped her into who she is today.  We learn how Charlie’s experiences during WWII shaped the course of the Rozier family for the next two generations. The book is aptly titled The Book of Lies.  Because what really is that thing we call the truth?  As a reader, I kept wondering if what I was reading was really the truth or a bunch of lies perceived as the truth.

Being a fanatic of World War II historical fiction, I would have preferred an entire book just from Charlie’s perspective.  I had no knowledge that Guernsey was occupied during the War and would have loved further exploration of Charlie’s character during this time.  The quick changes from character to character were jarring.  Once I was really getting into one character’s story, it would switch to the other and then I would forget what was going on in the other narrative.  It was quite frustrating.  And I am normally a fan of the split narrative!  The changes were just too abrupt for my liking.

The book is ultimately about two friendships gone horribly wrong and how the past has a way of influencing the present.  It was an okay read, but it took me a while to get through.  It didn’t excite me as much as I would have hoped.

Final Rating:

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book through TLC Book Tours for my participation in a virtual book tour.  I also downloaded a free e-book copy through Netgalley to read on my Nook, because I really like to read books on my Nook rather than in print.  :)   :)   From my rating and review above, you can see that this did not influence my thoughts about the book.

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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