Teaser Tuesday (249)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.



Kingdom's End (Kindle 10%)
   - Charles Blanchard 

"Just imagine if that were your family being attacked. Wouldn't you defend them?" he asked. 
For Jericho, it was one thing to stay out of the business of evenly matched rats who were in a squabble; standing by and allowing an aggressive gang to harass a family of rats was quite another.

Synopsis

The rats made their massive colony inside the ruins of an abandoned motion picture palace, where for thirty long dark years, the aged blind leader ruled over them. A beloved figure held in high regard, he ruled with patience understanding justice and love. The new ruler of the colony offered little patience towards his subjects, and his punishments were harsh. As he conspired with determination to reach the top, it was all in vain, as forces worked against him to remove him from power and end his wretchedness. KINGDOM'S END is an extraordinary tale of courage and survival as seen through the eyes of the leading characters who are all rodents. This story is of their struggle to survive in an urban landscape where there is conflict at every turn and living in fear is part of their existence. The story reaches its harrowing climax when the colony must decide on life or death. 

Class of '59

When Mary Beth McIntire settles into a vacation house on June 2, 2017, she anticipates a quiet morning with coffee. Then she hears a noise, peers out a window, and spots a man in 1950s attire standing in the backyard. She panics when the trespasser sees her and enters the house though a door to the basement. She questions her sanity when she cannot find him.

In the same house on March 21, 1959, Mark Ryan finds a letter. Written by the mansion’s original owner in 1900, the letter describes a basement chamber, mysterious crystals, and a formula for time travel. Driven by curiosity, Mark tests the formula twice. On his second trip to 2017, he encounters a beautiful stranger. He meets the woman in the window.

Within hours, Mary Beth and Mark share their secret with her sister and his brother and begin a journey that takes them from the present day to the age of sock hops, drive-ins, and jukeboxes. In CLASS OF ’59, the fourth book in the American Journey series, four young adults find love, danger, and adventure as they navigate the corridors of time and experience Southern California in its storied prime.

*May Contain Spoilers*

John Heldt opens the door to a few new time travelers that stumble into and out of 1959, in his new American Journey book, Class of '59. A young man discovers the power to time travel in his Los Angeles home, a home that will someday belong to Geoffrey Bell, a common character (and time traveler) in the American Journey series. When he's caught by a present day woman, all bets are off as he tries to convince her what's he found. 

Mark and Ben Ryan and Mary Beth and Piper McIntire are the four main characters in this novel. Mark is the oldest Ryan brother and is the first to discover the time travelling tunnel beneath his house and how it works with a corresponding crystal. Mark is the typical 1950's gentleman. He's intelligent, driven, loves his family, a little adventurous, and is definitely caring. Ben, however, does not portray himself as that 1950s gentleman. He is more self-centered, conceited, egotistical, and grumpy. His teenage personality gives the story more pep and a little more sarcasm. Though there's more to Ben then that; it just takes a while for his better personality traits to actually come out. He's more of a get-to-know character. Which, Piper McIntire signs up for. 

Piper is the young McIntire sister who thinks Mary Beth and Mark are crazy when they introduce her to the time travelling tunnel. Piper is also a teenager and is prone to fits of grumpiness and uncertain emotions. Her sarcasm and banter are fun to read while her deeper, more personal thoughts are more telling of her character. She also pushes the story forward as it's Piper who decides she wants to make the most out of their experience. She decides she wants to live in the 1950s like a boarding school vacation for six weeks or so, graduate high school again, and get to have the 1950s high school experience complete with poodle skirts and tennis matches. Her sister, Mary Beth, agrees to it. 

Mary Beth McIntire is probably the character easiest to make a connection with. When the story opens, Mary Beth, and readers, witness her fiance being shot in a convenience store robbery. Losing someone she loved paused Mary Beth's happiness. With this emotional connection right at the beginning, readers will enjoy Mary Beth's view of living for the moment and experiencing all there is in 1959. Mary Beth is a very caring and loyal woman who expresses her gratitude and joy within each good moment. She graduated from college and is going into medicine to be a trauma surgeon. She's a great character that loves exploring, experiencing, and a little bit of excitement. But she's also the one who puts everyone in danger.

The plot of Class of '59 does focus on these four young adults who travel between 1959 and 2017. However, Mary Beth, before leaving 2017, buys a book that held sports scores for past championships and whatnot (think Back to the Future), in order for them to make money in the past. Because of a receipt with an unbelievable date, a very bad criminal in 1959 discovers the existence of that book and plans on tracking down Mary Beth to find it. This plot addition gives the book a little action with its adventure. 

Class of '59 is a great story, rich in detail and character connections, but I had trouble with the dialogue again. To me, there are a few too many "OK, I will"s and "Let me explain"s. These repetitive phrases seem to take away the individuality of each character, because they all use them. I also had an issue with Mark Ryan meeting Mary Beth's father. In the first half of the book, Mary Beth takes Mark to lunch with her parents in 2017. Toward the end of the book, Mark is again introduced to Mary Beth's parents with, I believe, only a few weeks apart. If I were one of her parents, I would remember having lunch with a Californian gentleman for longer than two weeks after I had that meal. That makes me wonder what Mary Beth would have told her parents if they would have realized it was the same man. Regardless, this installment of the American Journey series does not disappoint. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (39)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

Kingdom's End by Charles Blanchard. The synopsis of this book really intrigued me and reminds me of something I read as a child, but can't seem to remember. (Anyone know of a daring rodent names Racso?) Anyway, this novel speaks of a kingdom run by rodents that resides in an abandoned movie theater. The new ruler of this colony seems mean and unjust, so of course there are forces working against him. I'm interested to see how these rodents serve as characters, what traits their given, and the kind of personalities they have. Is there a hero among them? Or will the unfair King cause nothing but destruction for the group?

Teaser Tuesday (248)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.




Class of '59 (Kindle 14%)
   - John A Heldt

"I mean the four of us are in a great position to spice up our vacations. Ben and I can travel to 2017 and return as if we had never left 1959. You and Mary Beth can do just the opposite. You can do anything you want." 

Synopsis 

When Mary Beth McIntire settles into a vacation house on June 2, 2017, she anticipates a quiet morning with coffee. Then she hears a noise, peers out a window, and spots a man in 1950s attire standing in the backyard. She panics when the trespasser sees her and enters the house though a door to the basement. She questions her sanity when she cannot find him. 

In the same house on March 21, 1959, Mark Ryan finds a letter. Written by the mansion’s original owner in 1900, the letter describes a basement chamber, mysterious crystals, and a formula for time travel. Driven by curiosity, Mark tests the formula twice. On his second trip to 2017, he encounters a beautiful stranger. He meets the woman in the window. 

Within hours, Mary Beth and Mark share their secret with her sister and his brother and begin a journey that takes them from the present day to the age of sock hops, drive-ins, and jukeboxes. In CLASS OF ’59, the fourth book in the American Journey series, four young adults find love, danger, and adventure as they navigate the corridors of time and experience Southern California in its storied prime.

The Existence of Pity

Growing up in a lush valley in the Andes mountains, sixteen-year-old Josie Wales is mostly isolated from the turbulence brewing in 1976 Colombia. As the daughter of missionaries, Josie feels torn between their beliefs and the need to choose for herself. She soon begins to hide things from her parents, like her new boyfriend, her trips into the city, and her explorations into different religions.

Josie eventually discovers her parents’ secrets are far more insidious. When she attempts to unravel the web of lies surrounding her family, each thread stretches to its breaking point. Josie tries to save her family, but what happens if they don’t want to be saved?

*May Contain Spoilers*

The Existence of Pity by Jeannie Zokan is a story of a family breaking apart and one girl's trials to keep them together while searching for herself. This novel is a coming of age story that allows Josie the chance to direct her own path, while trying to avoid the collateral damage her family's mistakes create. 

Josie is the daughter of missionaries, living in Columbia, South America. The book is set in the 1970s and focuses on Josie's discovery of her family's secrets and the aftermath they create. Josie is a faithful girl who believes in God and her parents mission, however, she's uncertain that the Baptist faith is the right one for her. Other religions intrigue her and she dearly wants to know more about them, but she feels oppressed by her parents in this regard. Josie is a brave, caring, and loving girl who tends to see the best in people. She's very thankful and loyal to those she loves. However, her personal struggles create tension in her familial relationships. Her parents seem to be very hard on her, for reasons I don't comprehend. They strongly dislike her interest in other religions as well as compare her to her older brother, often stacking the deck against her. Though she tries to look past their mistakes, her family doesn't offer her the same courtesy or attempt to understand what she's going through. I think readers will relate to this feeling of being misunderstood as well as her desire to find her own place in life and in faith. 

The plot of this book is like the climb at the beginning of a roller coaster, moving ever closer to the dropping point. It begins with Josie's older brother being shot, though the reader doesn't know why or how. Thus, the beginning of the rise of chaos as the novel flashes back to the start of it all. Though the novel only takes place over the course of one summer, many things happen and many secrets are revealed, taking the family closer to the edge. I don't want to give each secret away, but something about each family member is revealed which leads to a climax of extreme proportions. The very ideals of family, friendship, trust, and love are tested. Some bend, while others seem to break. Though full of sadness and upset, I enjoyed this book. It's entertaining, questioning, exploratory, and tackles some of the tough parts of growing up and finding the right path. However, the ending is a bit bittersweet as the reader gets to decide if anyone other than Josie learned anything from this one summer of shattering secrets. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (38)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

Class of '59 by John Heldt. The American Journey series continues with this fourth installment, but with one main difference. The time traveler doesn't make it through the tunnel without being seen. Thus begins the journey of Mary and Mark. Mark, a man from the 1950s, takes Mary back in time with him to explore the decade. We'll have to see if this involves the well known Dr. Bell or if this is a story set apart from him and his studious excursions. All I know is that Heldt writes great historical fiction and it always comes with a bit of drama. 

Teaser Tuesday (247)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.




The Existence of Pity (36% Kindle)
    - Jeannie Zokan


Tom smiled, but it was wrong -- all wrong. How did anyone ever fall in love? There were so many things that could mess it up, like dumb hats and awkward moments.

Synopsis:

Growing up in a lush valley in the Andes mountains, sixteen-year-old Josie Wales is mostly isolated from the turbulence brewing in 1976 Colombia. As the daughter of missionaries, Josie feels torn between their beliefs and the need to choose for herself. She soon begins to hide things from her parents, like her new boyfriend, her trips into the city, and her explorations into different religions. 

Josie eventually discovers her parents’ secrets are far more insidious. When she attempts to unravel the web of lies surrounding her family, each thread stretches to its breaking point. Josie tries to save her family, but what happens if they don’t want to be saved?

The Taste of Air

A simple phone call disrupts Nell Williams’s well-ordered life. Her mother, Mary, is in a hospital in Vermont. But her mother is supposed to be safely tucked away in an assisted-living facility in Massachusetts, so Nell can’t fathom why she would be so far from home.

After notifying her sister, Bridget, Nell hops on a plane and rushes to her mother’s side. There, she discovers that her mother has been living a second life. Mary has another home and a set of complex relationships with people her daughters have never met.

When Nell and Bridget delve deeper into their mother’s lakeside hideaway, they uncover a vault of family secrets and the gateway to change for all three women.

*May Contain Spoilers*

One mother's secret becomes a beacon of hope and freedom for her two daughters in Gail Cleare's novel, The Taste of Air. An unexpected illness uncovers Mary's secret hideaway in Vermont when her daughter Nell is called to her hospital bedside. What begins as anger and confusion as to why Mary would keep a second life hidden from her family, becomes understanding and newfound confidence, as Nell and her sister, Bridget, dig to find out why their mother kept the secret at all. 

Mary, Nell, and Bridget share the narrator position as this novel unfolds, spanning decades. Mary's story is told in the past, sharing her time as an army nurse. As readers see her fall in love with Thomas, struggle through his MIA status, and seek comfort in the arms of another man, they'll slowly begin to understand why she had her secret hideaway. Mary worked as a nurse and that defined her personality throughout the book. She was always caring, loving, and willing to provide comfort. She also had a strong sense of duty that she let direct her life. Yet she craved freedom from the role. Readers may be just as confused as her daughters as they discover Mary's secret, but throughout the flashbacks, her decisions become crystal clear and readers will undoubtedly understand her motives. Though they may not completely understand why she kept the secret from Nell and Bridget for so long, as this was one main point I struggled with. 

Nell is semi-happily married with children of her own, yet she also craves freedom from her role as mother and wife. Nell is a strong woman who can carry a lot on her shoulders, but this secret life of her mother's definitely throws her for a loop. She also has the gentle, caring spirit of her mother, but she wants answers and she's determined to find them. Readers will most likely side with Nell immediately. She feels like her mother lied to her and is understandably upset. Though as the novel progresses, Nell realizes that she wants, and needs, exactly what her mother wanted -- room to breathe and be herself. 

Bridget experiences nearly the same thing, but with different factors. She's in a loveless marriage that borders on abusive. She's determined to leave her husband and rediscover herself as a single woman. Though she's upset by her mother's secrets, it doesn't seem to affect her as much as it does Nell. Bridget's attitude and personality are also a lot different from Nell's. Bridget is more flirtatious, open-minded, and playful. She gives the story an air of fun while also tackling a couple big issues like finding the daughter she was (unoffically) forced to give up and escaping an abusive, manipulative husband. Readers will enjoy watching Bridget grow and evolve while she's trying to help unravel her mother's mystery. 

The Taste of Air begins with Mary's illness and the discovery of a secret second life in Vermont by her daughters, Nell and Bridget. The main plot line follows them as they sort the clues and piece them together to form a bigger picture. It's a family mystery that is both intriguing and nerve-wracking, though it becomes completely understandable. Nell and Bridget discover so much about themselves, their family, their past, and their mother. The story is very well written and the pieces are placed perfectly so that readers begin to make connections just as Nell and Bridget are finding them, leading to the fact that everyone needs a little freedom in their lives to just be themselves. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (37)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

The Existence of Pity by Jeannie Zokan. Since the first time I saw this book cover, before it was even finalized, I knew I would want to read it. And it is exactly because it has coffee beans all over it and sometimes I live for coffee. This book is about a teenage girl who tries to save her family. Different beliefs have separated them, and regardless of the lies, Josie wants to help her parents. But as the synopsis says, what happens if they don't want to be saved?

Teaser Tuesday (246)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.



The Taste of Air (Kindle 66%)
   - Gail Cleare

Mary stopped breathing and stared at the page in her hand. She read it again, not trusting her eyes. Then she gasped, and a moan slipped out of her trembling lips.

Synopsis
A simple phone call disrupts Nell Williams’s well-ordered life. Her mother, Mary, is in a hospital in Vermont. But her mother is supposed to be safely tucked away in an assisted-living facility in Massachusetts, so Nell can’t fathom why she would be so far from home.
After notifying her sister, Bridget, Nell hops on a plane and rushes to her mother’s side. There, she discovers that her mother has been living a second life. Mary has another home and a set of complex relationships with people her daughters have never met.
When Nell and Bridget delve deeper into their mother’s lakeside hideaway, they uncover a vault of family secrets and the gateway to change for all three women.

Never Let Me Go

As children, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy were students at Hailsham, an exclusive boarding school secluded in the English countryside. It was a place of mercurial cliques and mysterious rules where teachers were constantly reminding their charges of how special they were. Now, years later, Kathy is a young woman. Ruth and Tommy have reentered her life, and for the first time she is beginning to look back at their shared past and understand just what it is that makes them special—and how that gift will shape the rest of their time together.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Kazuo Ishiguro writes a novel of dystopian compliance with his novel, Never Let Me Go. Set in an alternate reality, this dystopian novel explores the life of clones who have been created for one purpose: to be organ donors. As the main character reflects on her life, she prepares to begin her donation process, which will end with her death. Readers reflect with her as Kathy tells her story of love, learning, and loss. 

Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are the central characters in this book, though it's told from Kathy's point of view. Or rather, it's a story that Kathy is telling. She admits that all of the details might not be completely correct, but the story is nonetheless true. Kathy is a woman who is good at her job. All clones have to be 'carers' at some point, providing care for other clones who have already begun donating. This demonstrates just how caring, loving, and understanding Kathy is. As clones, Kathy and the other like her are all separate from society. They're raised together, taught together, and though they are never given the spelled out version, they'll all die, or 'complete,' by donating vital organs to those in need. 

As Kathy reflects on her life, she tells the story of her tumultuous relationship with her friend Ruth, as well as her dear friendship with Tommy. Kathy is presented as a normal woman with hopes to be a good carer and a good friend. Yet, she never questions her predetermined fate to die so that others can live. There isn't much to dislike about Kathy, although she seems to spend her time focusing on building other people up, putting herself and what she wants behind the needs of others. And though this is a respectable quality, it's also sad to witness the consequences. The ever changing status of Kathy and Ruth's relationship is emotional and evolutionary. Though readers will side with Kathy, they'll also understand Ruth's actions and motivations as another clone who will never see her dreams come to fruition. 

The plot of Never Let Me Go is all about Kathy telling the reader her history. It seems that she does this as a way to let the reader know why she accepts her fate. And though it's easy to say she should have fought the system, it's presented as an impossible feat. By hearing Kathy's story, the reader will come to understand Kathy's desire to be finished, to be complete, after the loss she's witnessed. Never Let Me Go is a heartbreaking exploration of a world where organs are harvested and the recipients try not to think about the sacrifice made so that they may live, evoking very emotional responses from its readers including anger, sadness, and understanding. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Hair Power

Terminal cancer patient, Quiti, walks into an abandoned building planning on taking her life.

Instead, she encounters a telepathic ball of hair that insists it is an alien seeking to facilitate diplomatic communication on Earth.

Quiti assumes it is all a hallucination conjured up by her brain tumor.

Because of this assumption, when she saves the alien’s life and it insists on doing Quiti a favor in return, she only asks for her hair back. She soon discovers, however, that the creature’s gift extends much further than her new locks that can change color with a thought. As her powers grow and her deadly illness goes into remission, Quiti quickly realizes that there are those that would want to use her for her abilities and is forced to leave behind everything that she knew.

Will this blessing curse her to a life on the run, or does the mysterious hairball have more in store for her?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Piers Anthony takes alien invasion to a whole new level with his humorous fantasy/science fiction novel, Hair Power. When a hairball appears and asks main character, Quiti, for help, it certainly creates a new image of what an alien could look like, while prompting a new investigation into why they would invade earth. 

Quiti has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. In the beginning of the novel, she doesn't have much time left to live and decides to end it all on her terms. Until a twenty-pound hairball intervenes and asks her for help. In return, she granted a request. Easy for Quiti, all she wants is her hair back. The hairball agrees, but in the end does so much more for her, including curing her cancer. Quiti is a nice, down to earth person, who was given a raw deal, like all cancer patients. She's smart and even keeled. However, readers will only really get to know her after she becomes the convoy for the alien species. After she starts growing a new alien hairball on her own head, Quiti becomes incredibly intelligent, brave, and courageous. She also becomes more and more robotic as the novel progresses. As a mix between human and alien, Quiti's formality increases as her knowledge of what the magical hair can do expands. Even though the dialogue becomes more formal, I think readers will like Quiti as she travels around experimenting with her developing powers, knowing that there are government officials following her. 

The plot generally revolves around the question: what do these aliens want and why are they choosing specific people to help them? With that lingering throughout the book, readers see Quiti develop her powers and grow with the hair. As she finds more like her, the truth of the matter is revealed and the possibility of a sequel presents itself. Hair Power is a silly (in a good way), expansive enjoyment of science fiction and fantasy that lovers of the genres will like. The evolution of Quiti into an alien convoy is interesting and engaging while the thrill of escaping the government officials also adds a bit of adventure to an otherwise exploratory novel. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

What's Next, Wednesday (36)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

The Taste of Air by Gail Cleare. This novel focuses on a young woman, Nell, who discovers that her mother has been leading a second life, completely secret from her and her sister. The revelation will change everything for Nell, as she and her sister, Bridget, discover more and more about their mother and other family secrets. I'm expecting some really good character evolution and intriguing mysteries as I read this. Definitely looking forward to getting into this one. 

Teaser Tuesday (245)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers



Hair Power (71% Kindle)
   - Piers Anthony

"But why? I mean, the hairballs -- what do they want from you?"
"That is what we are waiting to find out. There has to be a price on this largess. Whatever it is, we'll gladly pay it." 






Synopsis

Terminal cancer patient, Quiti, walks into an abandoned building planning on taking her life. 
Instead, she encounters a telepathic ball of hair that insists it is an alien seeking to facilitate diplomatic communication on Earth. 
Quiti assumes it is all a hallucination conjured up by her brain tumor. 
Because of this assumption, when she saves the alien’s life and it insists on doing Quiti a favor in return, she only asks for her hair back. She soon discovers, however, that the creature’s gift extends much further than her new locks that can change color with a thought. As her powers grow and her deadly illness goes into remission, Quiti quickly realizes that there are those that would want to use her for her abilities and is forced to leave behind everything that she knew. 
Will this blessing curse her to a life on the run, or does the mysterious hairball have more in store for her?

And the Mountains Echoed

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations.

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

*May Contain Spoilers*

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini opens with a fairy tale being told to two siblings, Pari and Abdullah. The fairy tale shares the story of a small Afghanistan town who is plagued by a monster. When the monster comes, he chooses one family who must sacrifice a child in order to save the town. No one knows what happens to the children after they're taken by the monster, but one father is determined to find out after his favorite son is chosen. He tracks the monster to a cave where he demands his child to be returned, but he finds out that his son doesn't remember him and is living a perfect life, blessed and well taken care of. The father decides to let him stay, knowing that he'll never give his son that kind of life. 

The fairy tale foreshadows the events that set the entire novel in motion. Saboor, the father of Pari and Abdullah, decides to sell his daughter in order to give her a better life. Separated, Pari forgets her brother as she grows and though Abdullah remembers her, they both feel a distinct absence in their lives. 

The novel is composed of a variety of characters that are all connected by the threads of Afghanistan culture. Spanning the 1940s to the present, And the Mountains Echoed offers readers a story so intricate, it's delicate nature is surprising, heartbreaking, hope-inspiring, and a bit magical. Each character has their positive and negative characteristics, as Hosseini outlines how they're all connected by their metaphorical mother, Afghanistan. 

The plot follows the separation of Abdullah and Pari, and everything that worked within the world to bring them back together. Though their reunion becomes bittersweet, haunted with memory loss and physical limitations. And the Mountains Echoed describes how Pari came to be sold to the Wahdati family, how Pari learns that she was adopted, and how she finds her brother Abdullah. I think Pari is the character most represented throughout the book and that readers will have a fairly easy time forming a connection with her. Other characters shift in and out of focus, making their connections less formidable. Although, there are a few characters which allow their histories to create emotional connections in the book. Thalia is one such character. Her story of being bitten by a dog, causing her face to become deformed, and how she grows to accept her tragedy as a part of herself to *not* be ashamed of is inspiring, brave, and a great demonstration of strength. Out of all the characters, Thalia was by far my favorite. Her strength and determination both commendable qualities. 

Though this book is not a completely happy one, I think it's main message is that life can be beautiful within the tragedies. Life never works out perfectly, but there are moments, like feathers, that can be held above the rest. Khaled Hosseini does a fantastic job in bringing readers into the culture of Afghani people, while spinning a believable story from the opening fairy tale. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups