September 2010

Diamond Ruby

2010, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Women, Young Adult /

Awhile back, when I was tired of reading really depressing books and looking for something a bit more uplifting TW suggested Diamond Ruby. When I asked if anyone died or was raped or was emotionally abused, she said, “Well there was this one part … and then another thing…” and so I skipped it. I just wasn’t in the mood.

Well now it’s almost time for Diamond Ruby to go back to the library so I figured I’d give it a shot. And the first 75 pages or so are the most depressing pages ever. OK I’m exaggerating but people die of Spanish Influenza (a pretty horrible death at any time but in the early 1900s… oy) and then there’s a munition factory explosion and then there’s the train wreck and then there’s a 13 year old girl trying to feed her very young nieces and doing whatever it takes (almost) to do that.

DEPRESSING.

Even when Ruby’s luck changed a wee bit, there was a non-stop struggle. Sprinkled with visits by Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey. There’s also a whole lot of non-famous supporting characters and the evil Czar of baseball. And the mob. And… yea, bad things just keep on happening but Ruby survives it all and keeps her family (and her friends) alive.

This was a pretty damn good baseball story. Girls can too throw a baseball.

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Bravo Valentine

2010, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Fiction, Women /

You’d think I’d have read Brava Valentine a long time ago – all of those ads for Adriana Trigiani that were on BlogHer should have reminded me to reserve the darn thing, right? Well no. I was so busy clicking on the ad every time I saw it that I must have just thought I had reserved it. If I hadn’t seen it just sitting on the shelf during our last trip the library, I might not have read this for ages. Or at least until her next book came out and I was reminded that I’d missed one.

Anyway. This one picks up where Very Valentine left off. And I liked it but I was really getting tired of Valentine’s self  deprecating remarks.  I love the Angelini family (especially the new relatives in Buenos Ares) but Valentine might actually be my least favorite member of the family  – which is saying something since I don’t really love Alfred.  I liked Valentine more in the last book – in this one, while I liked the story and finding out what happened next… the first 100 pages or so almost killed me. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to cut it the hell out.

If there’s another book, she’s not going to do that – right???

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Clementine

2010, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction, Women, Young Adult /

Have I mentioned I really love Cherie Priest? People, are you paying attention. YOU MUST READ HER BOOKS. Clementine was a fabulous piece of steampunk – loosely related to Boneshaker (very loosely) – and it was fantastic. Belle Boyd rocked as a strong female lead. Croggin Hainey and his “fellas” (because let’s not use the word “boys”, ok?) rocked just as hard. I want a dirigible! I also want Dreadnaught – like right NOW.

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Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Company

1 Comment / 2010, Books in Bed, Fiction, From the Stacks Challenge, Women /

This is another book for my From the Stacks Challenge. And again, I have no idea where we picked this up. Possibly at the old FOLS in Gainesville? Or maybe from the Little City book sale here? Who knows. It’s been on the shelf forever and it’s yellow – that’s all that really matters.

About the book itself, I really liked it. It started slowly and I was worried. A Latina woman in a Mexican jail – I didn’t quite “get it” for the first chapter or two. Once I settled into it, I really enjoyed it. Nice story telling. I loved the women prisoners (and the warden and Nora the guard.) I’d like to know what happened to some of those who were released there at the end – not so much Libertdad, (the main character) – but the others. Her friends. We need a sequel to Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Company – but I don’t want it to be about Daughter and Gonzalez…

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