"Only Time Will Tell" by Jeffrey Archer

Book Details:

Title: Only Time Will Tell

Author: Jeffrey Archer

Published: anticipated September 2011 by St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 978-0-312-53955-9

Genre: Drama

Pages: 386

Rating: 5 of 5

Read in: 6 days

My Review:

Harry Clifton is the only child of a deceased dock worker and a waitress, though it doesn't take long for his intelligence and choral talent to shine through and he's whisked away to some of the best schools in England- those rarely attended by anyone in the lower class. He grows up blissfully ignorant of the scandals surrounding his entire existence, as hints that expose several deep-rooted lies begin to fall into his lap. The story takes place in World War II era England- a dramatic, violent backdrop for an equally tumultuous series of events. Harry must learn to accept the truths he discovers, among them are the circumstances of his father's death, his uncle's imprisonment, and his true parentage.

I was amazed at how quickly the book sucked me in. Archer's multigenerational points of view naturally develop the plot more and more with each character's side of the story. The reader gets to experience the conflict from not just the eyes of the primary protagonist, but from five other major characters of varying age, social class, and occupation and learns each character's deep, dark secrets firsthand.

Being the first book in The Clifton Chronicles, documenting Harry's life from 1919 to 1940, I immediately craved its sequel as I finished the last page, desperate to know what happens to Harry Clifton as another great event begins to unfold. Archer's chosen ending to this installment leaves the reader in awe of what could possibly happen next! A job very well done! Giving Only Time Will Tell five out of five stars still doesn't seem to do it justice.

"Cavemen, Monks, and Slow Food: A History of Eating Well" by Devra Gartenstein

Book Details:
Title: Cavemen, Monks, and Slow Food: A History of Eating Well
Author: Devra Gartenstein
Published: 2011 by Quirky Gourmet Productions
ISBN: 978-0-615-43727-9
Genre: Nonfiction- Food & Drink
Pages: 227
Rating: 5 of 5
Read in: Way too long


My Review:
Aside from presenting a history of human eating habits, Gartenstein opens the reader's eyes to the substandard conditions that surround all aspects of what we eat today and compares it to the simple, organic foods our ancestors enjoyed. She also provides knowledge and information the reader may find useful in altering their own diet to benefit themselves, the people working hard to produce their food, and the environment. While it doesn't seem to be a deliberate jab at today's food industries, the author doesn't spare any feelings and admirably lays out all of the cold, hard facts for anyone willing to listen- whether it's what we want to hear or not.


I was impressed by the author's expansive history of not only the common, dominant civilizations of each era, but also of lesser known groups, such as the Akkadians and Harrappans. Not much about these cultures is common knowledge, but Gartenstein did not overlook the effects even these people had on the cuisine of their time. She also references lesser-known documents and  laws that shaped the landscape of human appetites.


The author left no topic unexplored. From hunting to farming, food processing, advertising, and legislation. The author weaves a wonderfully intricate web that shows the steady flow of how mankind went from starving hunter-gatherers to comfortably overfed and taking food for granted. 


The only flaws I could find in this book were typographical. Every topic is well-researched and connections from one age to another show the natural progression of human diets all over the world.  I highly recommend it to anyone at least a little interested in knowing exactly what we eat today and how it compares to the foods of times long past. I give this book five stars. 

"Glow" by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Book Details:
Title: Glow
Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
Published: anticipated September 2011 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 978-0-312-59056-7
Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction
Pages: 307
Rating: 5 of 5
Read in: 6 days


My Review:
Amy Kathleen Ryan takes young adult novels where few have previously tread- deep into outer space. The first book in her new series, Sky Chasers, Ryan offers her readers a look into a dog-eat-dog future of desperation, uncertainty, and just a little bit of faith and hope. Two young lovers traveling across the universe on the Empyrean, one of two space ships on a mission to revive the human race on a planet called "New Earth", are forced to grow up when thrown into violence and unimaginable danger at the hand of the captain of their sister ship, the New Horizon. Although written for a teenage audience, it's graphic and violent and features more adult themes such as duty to society, religious faith, bravery in the face of opposition, and questions the morality of advanced human fertility practices. While I saw the necessity of religion in the overall plot of the book, I did find it to be a little too preachy in a couple places.


By taking her characters out of the world we know and placing them into the fantastic unknown of deep space, Ryan had the opportunity to carve her own world out of uncharted territory. She fully took advantage of this situation and puts the reader directly into her own interpretation of life in a space ship- from the design and structure of the ship itself to the social structure, hive mind, and a level of desperation that we don't always get the chance to feel with our feet planted firmly on planet Earth.


I was very impressed by the level of passion in the characters' emotions. I felt equally as angry as Kieran for being held prisoner for crimes he feels he did not commit, and as hurt and devastated as Waverly, defiled and held against her will aboard a captive vessel. I found that Ryan's descriptive writing style, especially while conveying a character's deep inner feelings, ignited real emotion in myself- it actually felt like I was the one being wronged rather than simply reading about events in the life of a fictional person. I wanted to jump into the pages and deal out the justice the protagonists so badly wanted.


As in any other novel catering to a young adult audience, Glow is also a love story. Thankfully, it's a more realistic romance than other books of the genre. The author  doesn't dwell as much on the blind romance of two teenagers, paying fair attention to the more pressing conflicts in the story. Waverly, a nearly 16-year old girl, maintains rational thinking and isn't blinded by her young love for her betrothed, Kieran. This balance reminds the reader that while there is a little romance, there are more critical issues at hand to be dealt with. I greatly appreciated the lack of mushy love scenes and professions of undying love, as those would naturally be absent in the situation these kids are thrown into, though it is by no means void of heart-felt moments of love and yearning.


I don't give five stars very often, but I feel this novel really deserves it. The end left me wanting more but, alas, I must wait. It's one of the best books I have read this year and I truly look forward to the release of its sequel!

"Jane Was Here" by Sarah Kernochan

Book Details:
Title: Jane Was Here
Author: Sarah Kernochan
Published: 2011 by Grey Swan Press
ISBN: 978-9800377-2-2
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 296
Rating: 4 of 5
Read in: 7 days


My Review:
I received my copy of this book through Goodreads' First Reads program. While it took me a bit to get into the story, in definitely will not let the reader soon forget it.  A very intriguing set of characters and a multi-dimensional plot will eventually win over any fan of mystery or historical fiction.


To be honest, I hated most of the characters, but I think (I hope!) this is what the author was going for. Every character is actively portrayed as heartless and selfish. Only when Jane comes to town does any real emotion show among the characters, though only towards Jane. It's as if Jane IS the very heart of Graynier. Also, all of her present-day characters are horribly corrupt and crude, and most of the 19th century characters possess unfavorable traits. Marly Walczak, for instance, is the "town whore" and mother to an illegitimate daughter quickly following her mother's example. Marly also happens to be the reincarnation of Graynier's founder, taking on symptoms of his suffering and death from tuberculosis during her own suffering with cancer, suicide attempt, and eventual death in a fire. Whores, a drunk, a thief, a drug dealer, a man who feels no love for his child, a runaway, out-of-control children- present-day Graynier has them all. As well it seems it should given it's dark past. Many characters seem to take on habits and characteristics of their earlier counterparts. Gita Poonchwalla is considered a kleptomaniac, stashing stolen items under her bed. In her previous life as Jane's sister Rebecca, habitually stole money from her father. Both meet their fate at the bottom of Pease Pond.


The story line is very inventive. Strange and unfortunate things begin happening in the small Massachusetts town of Graynier upon the arrival of a young woman who speaks and acts as if she has jumped straight out of the 1800s. And indeed, she kind of has. She seems to be the missing link that kept the old souls calm and stirred them up upon her arrival. "Jane" volunteers no information about herself as she walks right into the home Brett Sampson is renting while spending the summer with his estranged son. She simply makes herself at home, demanding that this was her home two centuries before. She has a strange pull on Brett and so begins the quest to uncover the truth about the town's dark, horrifying past, and the inhabitants whose souls seem forever bound to this cursed place. The plot is very involved and deep, and Kernochan leaves plenty of hints and clues as to the true identities of the characters, but doesn't always come out and say it, giving the reader the satisfaction of independently putting a few pieces of the puzzle together.


I really enjoyed the format Kernochan uses to develop her story. Divided into three parts, each part focuses on one dimension of the overall plot. Part one introduces the present-day characters and lets the reader view their lives and problems already existing before "Jane" shows up in the small town of Graynier, Massachusetts. Part two is a collection of letters Jane writes to the man she loves, Lysander Trane, in the early days of America. It introduces and follows the characters living in Graynier during the mid-1800s. Finally, the third  part drives home the relationships between the 1800s residents and their reincarnated selves driven back together in Graynier to relive the tragedies of their previous lives. Part three takes what feels like two completely unrelated story lines and seamlessly combines them together. The only change I would have liked to see in the format would be dates on the letters in part two to better track progression of time.


I think the town's historian Elsa Graynier sums up the entire premise of the book toward the very end when she says: "When you get old you know that everything comes and goes and then comes along again." While a little slow-moving at the beginning for my taste, I promise the read is well worth it! Very few other books have left me stunned clear to the conclusion. I give Jane Was Here four out of five stars for inventiveness and story-telling ability. Not many novels are written in present tense, so the author is to be commended for shaking up the literary community with a little variety in writing style. I wouldn't say the book was life-changing for me but it is, without a doubt, one of a kind.