The Distant HoursAuthor: Kate Morton
Publisher: Atria
Publication Date: November 9th 2010
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
From Goodreads:
A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn't been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.
Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother's past. But there are other secrets hidden in stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in 'the distant hours' of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it.
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I am a fan of Kate Morton, her storytelling is mature and well thought out. The Distant Hours is a very slow moving novel, but it doesn't read like it at all. Readers don't get answers until the last 50 pages but the way she tells the story leaves you okay with waiting to get the answer.
I don't really know what exactly it is about Kate Morton's books that grab me and keep me reading especially since they are slow plot moving reads, but I love them. The Distant Hours is no exception, it truly is a fabulous read with great character building. She really fleshes out her characters, and the Blythe sisters are a very intriguing bunch. I enjoyed reading about them and how they were so different from each other, and the roles they played in each other's lives. Alright on with the characters, Percy, Saffy and Juniper are all sisters, we meet up with them as old ladies still living in the Milderhurst Castle. We get from the main protagonist Edie that they are a eccentric group, with clearly a leader..Percy. Juniper is the youngest and also mentally not stable, both Percy and Saffy take care of her. Edie is linked to the Blythe sisters by her mom, who as a young kid was sent away with her sister and other children to be placed in homes to save them from a possible invasion by Germany. Edie's mom was placed with the sisters at Milderhurst. What really peaks Edie's interest in that time of her mom's life is the fact that her mom never talks about it. By chance Edie comes upon the town of Milderhurst and is able to take a tour of Milderhurst Castle...from there the story slowly unfolds the secrets of Milderhurst Castle.
I really can't say enough about the writing and elegant storytelling. I recommend The Distant Hours, especially if your a fan of castles and family secrets.
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Silver Linings PlaybookAuthor: Mathew Quick
Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books
Publication Date: April 27th 2010
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Movie Rating: 4 out of 5
From Goodreads:
Meet Pat Peoples. Pat has a theory, his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure him a happy ending-the return of his estranged wife, Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent several years in a mental heath facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki, his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing, he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany, his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being haunted by Kenny G.
Review:
I like Pat Peoples. He's funny and good hearted, just a guy trying to make it in a big bad world. Everything must have a silver lining, right? For Pat Peoples it does.
I really like how Silver Linings Playbook is written. The writing is simple and straightforward. Being in Pat's head is an interesting place to be, as well as entertaining. Nikki, Nikki, Nikki, I'm so glad somebody is there to tell him to shut the hell up about Nikki. Tiffany, o'how I enjoy her blunt no bullshit way of talking. Both of them are a little off so together they are quite a pair.
I even enjoyed the football talk. A lot of the book centers around the People's love for the Philadelphia Eagles. Damn, they really love them Eagles. I know a little about being wacko about a sports team. We are very crazy when it comes to the San Antonio Spurs, superstitions and all. It's family bonding time, with a lot of yelling at the T.V, inside out jerseys, and high fives. I could relate, they are my kind of people.
I recently saw the movie starring Bradley Cooper as Pat, and I think it's better than the book. The movie does sway from the book quite a lot, but it's so freaking good. Go watch the movie and read the book!
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