Kate Brauning

Fun, intriguing, very atmospheric! Completely enjoyable.

Cute and unique!

The writing lacked in this one, except for the romantic tension. Really top-notch stuff there.

Such unique storytelling. This held me spellbound.

Gorgeous tension and fall-in-love-yourself storytelling. I had a small issue with the way the ending was handled, but it's a strong and thoroughly engrossing story. Definitely recommended.

Haunting and gripping. Read it in a few hours and couldn't put it down. Read it right now if you haven't.

Leah is a lovely novel with many strong points. The story focuses on Mar’s journey toward independence and Sebastian’s struggle with the death of his sister and mother. The story is a unique kind of romance set on a harsh, unforgiving island.

The setting, actually, is one of my favorite elements. Puerto Franco, a small island with a tightly-knit community, is an active force in the story. Ms. Haffar brings the setting to life in vivid ways; the island is practically a character with its own personality. She uses the harshness and beauty of the scenery to create an atmospheric layer that really is gripping. I love novels that use setting as a catalyst, and I love the wildness of this setting in particular. Sebastian’s relationship with the ocean that took his family is yet another intriguing way Ms. Haffar uses Puerto Franco to shape the story.

The story itself is a very open one; the plot is deep and goes back thirty years, and the ending avoids tying everything up neatly. Sebastian and Mar help each other through a vital point of change, but life isn’t a simple thing and neither is their story. I won’t spoil the ending, but definitely read Leah for a gutsy, unexpected close to a heartfelt story.

My favorite element is the suspense. Ms. Haffar skillfully weaves suspense through nearly every scene; when I wasn’t reading the book, I was almost always thinking about it. The questions raised hovered in my mind and kept me wondering; the story has many twists I didn’t see coming, and the mystical elements enriched an already complex and atmospheric story. The supernatural touch is elegant, creepy, and gripping.

Ms. Haffar has written a memorable novel in which skillful use of setting, suspense, and storytelling converge to create a book well worth your time. I definitely recommend reading Leah.

For the full review, go here: http://katebrauning.com/2012/12/27/586/

Thoroughly compelling. The love story had me by the heartstrings. Gorgeous writing.

Unbelievable. One of my top five.

Suspenseful, engrossing, complex. Wonderful adult fantasy. Can't wait to read the next.

Husbands May Come and Go But Friends Are Forever by Judith Marshall is an enjoyable, thought-provoking look at the strength of friendship. The central storyline revolves around the journey to a friend's funeral, but much of the story is told through flashback and memories. Though at times undeniably sad, the story is a positive, hopeful one. Friendships carry on. Love built over decades carries on, in spite of failed marriages, job losses, insecurities, and betrayals. What surprised me about this story is that Ms.Marshall shows how friendships can be damaged. She doesn't paint a glossy coating over real life. I love, however, that she showed how resilient those friendships can be. Love is stronger than the damage.

I was also pleased to see that this story does not vilify the male gender. While there are plenty of divorces and failed marriages to go around in the story, there are also a few relationships that work and are supportive.

Through humorous and honest glimpses into these women's lives, Ms. Marshall shows real women being tested by life. Sometimes the tests are their marriages or their children. Sometimes the tests are each other. Sometimes the tests are themselves. The trip to the funeral brings these things out into the open, where they help each other cope and even grow stronger through their friendships.

If you enjoy women's fiction, I definitely recommend this book for an honest look at the nature of life, death, and friendship.

Summoning the Strength by Stephanie Briggs is the tale of a withered marriage, corrupting selfishness, and the importance of community. Ms. Briggs ties together theme after theme in the story of a woman who takes controversial control over her own life. The damages of domestic abuse rises to the surface as a key theme, played out in the lives of the main character and her community. Community itself keeps Katherine strong throughout her loveless marriage. The beginning of the book, especially, contributes a small-town charm. Glimpses into the lives of passers-by in the story broaden both the themes and the reader's experience.

This book is a prime example of how story can give voice to those we'd never hear otherwise. Ms. Briggs addresses the vital importance of community and the hidden, deadly nature of domestic abuse. A veteran of the U.S. Airforce and a supporter of every woman's strength, Ms. Briggs flavors this important story with her valuable perspective on life.

Grigory Rasputin has long been a legendary figure, surrounded by sensational stories of power, wealth, and extravagances on many levels. Hold on to that thought, because I will return to it shortly.

I am generally interested in good nonfiction, provided that it isn't dry, dusty going. Having just finished "Rasputin and the Jews: A Reversal of History" by Delin Colon, I have to recommend it as a stellar piece of nonfiction for several reasons.

First, the writing is quite good. Her skills as a writer aid her argumentation as well as the reader's experience. Delin is articulate and her smooth sentences make for uninterpreted reading. Though the book is compact, it is not difficult reading because every paragraph matters and generally each one reveals some new and previously-unknown element of Rasputin's life.

Second, the book is fascinating. The fall of the Romanov Empire, the folly and evils of the aristocracy, the truth about Rasputin himself....Being the great-great niece of Aron Simanovitch, Rasputin's secretary, Delin has an intriguing, well-supported story to tell and she clearly communicates its importance. Additionally, it's fascinating because of its complexity- the story is not a simple one.

Third, this book comes well-supported. Delin's argument is clear, her reasoning is logical, and her sources (nearly 30) are varied in their biases and context is given for each one. The multitude of evidence she presents is convincing and thought-provoking. As I mentioned earlier, Rasputin has long been a sensational historical figure. In "Rasputin and the Jews", Delin Colon clears the mud of sensationalism off Grigory Rasputin and shows readers a humble man of God who fought for equality and peace at the cost of his own life.

If you are interested in history or social justice, teach history, like to be challenged by new perspectives, or want to discover something many people don't know but should, read "Rasputin and the Jews: A Reversal of History."

The Accidental Anarchist

Bryna Kranzler

Crosswalk Press, 2010

I am usually not drawn to nonfiction in the same way I am drawn to fiction. This is partially because biographies and memoirs fail to communicate human character in the same way that well-written fiction can. To me, they often seem dry and lifeless, like a report of events rather than a slice of life.

This week I finished reading The Accidental Anarchist by Bryna Kranzler. Compiled from the journals of Jacob Marateck, Kranzler's grandfather, this book recounts Marateck's life as a Russian Jew during the Russo-Japanese war. My interest in the book was piqued largely because I had recently finished reading Delin Colon's compelling work Rasputin and the Jews. If you read one, by the way, I highly recommend reading the other. Together they fill out an intriguing cultural and political picture of the era.

I found myself so fascinated by The Accidental Anarchist that I thought about it at work, wondered what would happen during dinner, and picked it up each night before bed. Several nights I went to sleep much later than I had intended because I was simply unaware how much time was passing. One reason for this is that Kranzler does a remarkable job of turning a life into a narrative. The reader knows what drives Marateck and wants to know whether or not he achieves his goal.

The story centers around his three death sentences and his desire for marriage. Marateck endures things most of us can only imagine, and many things we literally couldn't imagine. His remarkable character enables him to survive while so many others around him don't. Living in such a volatile time and place, Marateck endures and embraces extraordinary events with a desire for taking risks and living a life that matters. Many of his near-death experiences are due to the inhumane treatment of the Jews at the time, but many are also due to his inability to sit still and let life pass him by. From a forced labor camp to the homes of the wealthy, from bayonet charges in the Manchurian wilderness to a dangerous trek in search of a synagogue for Yom Kippur, from joining the Polish underground to finding the girl who saved his life, Marateck's faith and resourcefulness enable him to survive.

One of the things that struck me most about the book was Kranzler's ability to show the reader Marateck's humanity. She writes his voice with such consistency that I was barely aware that it wasn't Marateck himself writing the story. Kranzler pulls together the pieces of his life into a strong central narrative that keeps the reader engrossed. Her writing is infused with Marateck's dry humor and understated compassion for others, while his character is clearly communicated not only through what he does but also through how he thinks. Ultimately, Kranzler has developed the stories of his life into a true human personality.

Kranzler's writing as a whole, in fact, is strong throughout the story. She maintains a consistent voice, compelling sentence structures, and smooth transitions from idea to idea and event to event. Peppered throughout the pages is subtle and helpful historical information that enables the reader to understand a different culture and a different era. Kranzler clearly treated her writing as an art form and uses it to bring to life the story of her grandfather in a compelling and engrossing story.

So much did I enjoy this book, so much did it prompt me to think, that it is now one of my favorites. I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Accidental Anarchist. The book is entertaining, thought-provoking, and unique. You'll find it well worth reading.

Winner of The USA "Best Books of 2011" Award
in the Biography:Historical category

Finalist, ForeWord Review's 2011 Book of the Year: Biography

Honorable Mention, Biography/Autobiography, London Book Festival 2011

Great book, as everyone says... the pacing was frustratingly slow for me. Of course, Tolkien is a master with imagery.

Here is my 900-word review of Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear.
http://katebrauning.wordpress.com/