Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller

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COCKTAIL HOUR UNDER THE TREE OF FORGETFULNESS
by
Alexandra Fuller

 

We all should  have our own Tree of Forgetfulness.....what a wonderful thought.

"People often ask why my parents haven't left Africa.  Simply put they have been possessed by the land.  Land is Mum's love affair and it is Dad's religion."  Page 117

From the beautiful landscape of the Isle of Skye in Scotland to the lush lands of East Africa....you will be taken on a journey with Nicola Fuller through her childhood and her adult life.

This book is beautifully written with wonderful descriptions of feelings, daily living, and African landscapes.  You will also be given a history lesson of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.

The novel is also quite entertaining.  You will love the stories, connect with the characters, feel their pain and mainly their love of the land in Africa even though Tim always said and was reminded by Nicola...."But I thought you said Africa was for the Africans."  Page 210

I thoroughly enjoyed this book......vicariously living the life of the Fullers was fun but frightening.  I can't begin to give all the details in this short review.....you will definitely need to read it.  You will love  it.  5/5

Wedlocked by Bonnie Trachtenberg

 

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Presents

WEDLOCKED by Bonnie Trachtenberg

Her family, her friends, her groom, and the happiest day of her life.....really?.....Could have fooled Rebecca about the happiest day of her life.  If her married life was going to be anything like her wedding day....well, she figured she made the biggest mistake of her life.

Rebecca was a fun-loving, thirty something and wasn't sure she ever wanted to be married, but there she was in her wedding dress and finding things out about her groom that she really didn't want to know.  At least her pre-marriage days as a struggling actress had been enjoyable even though they were mixed with a few bad memories.

This book is so fun....it has career situations, life situations, and family situations that you may be able to relate to.  It is a page turner in all respects.....you even get a virtual visit of Italy, a tour of a Tuscan villa, and a mouthwatering visit to an authentic, quaint Italian restaurant. :) Che Bella!!!

It is a wonderful, amusing escape.  I really enjoyed it....you will find yourself laughing throughout the book and also being enraged along with Rebecca. Don't miss the read....it is splendid!!!  You will love it….I certainly did.  5/5

Little Black Dress by Susan McBride

“I watched her as she moved, saw the way the dress sparkled…….I thought it was evil at first, what the dress had done to us.”  Page 286

A little black dress with plans?  

 Interesting......but don't we all have a little black dress somewhere? I bet we do, but not sure anyone has a little black dress with plans....well no one except Anna Evans and her sister Toni. 

And what fascinating plans they were....they were plans that affected the Evans women from one generation to the next.  Its plans were both good and bad, and the dress never gave up. 

I really enjoyed this book....fantastic storyline and also great chapter set up...each character had her own chapter and went from past to present with stories of the ties, the secrets, and the fate each of the Evans women shared with the little black dress.  The twists and turns just made the book so good……you even get a hint of mystery.

It was a fun, clever read.  The ending and especially the very last line are SUPERB.   5/5

Shelter by Sarah Stonich

Lots and lots of information magnificently conveyed.

Shelter is a love affair with the land....a land filled with nature's beauty.

"Pristine, undeveloped......that description had an almost whimsical ring to it....page 58.....Sarah loved her emergent forest.
 

Ms. Stonich's writing style is impeccable.  Learning about the wilderness and "cabin living" couldn't have been described better. You will feel her love of the land and also her little cabin along with the hardships of living without electricity and running water.   The descriptions of the untouched wilderness was so good you could visualize the land in detail.

Her family stories were great, and the interaction with the townspeople was delightful.  She will also let you in on the secrets of living in a small town and living with no luxuries.

Not only will you have great descriptions of landscapes, but you will thoroughly enjoy the descriptions of the generations of the Stoniches and their delicious food and family traditions.  Weaved into the book are touches of Sarah's personal life.

Shelter is not only a literary work of love, but also a book you will want to re-read to be sure you didn’t miss any of the details.

It is not something I normally would read, and it did get a little tedious at times, but the writing was outstanding and made it worth the reading journey.  4/5

Waiting for Pops by John Philip Riffice

"I guess what shocked me the most wasn't what Mom said, but more the fact that she sounded fun, you know, like Pops was." Page 64

Pops was always polite and a great dad...Mom on the other hand started drinking and made life miserable for the entire family.  Poor Johnny Ryba.....it was difficult to have a mother like he did.  He was thankful for his dad.

WAITING FOR POPS is a nostalgic trip back to the 50's with Johnny Ryba and his family.  The book is told through Johnny's eyes as he weaves from the present to his past and is so well written you will feel yourself being drawn right into the pages of the book and sharing the experiences.

The Ryba family appears to be normal, but as you continue the nostalgic trip, you will see that the family would be called dysfunctional in today's terms...an alcoholic mother, a workaholic dad that allows work to help him escape the problems at home, a sister who needs a lot of care, and Johnny who has to deal with it all.  Thank goodness he had his dad to help him through it...dad was always there for him whether he was actually present or not.

Johnny definitely had a difficult childhood...."I look back now and realize that I had more problems as a kid than more adults have as adults."  Page 140 Your heart will break at some of the things Johnny had to endure.

The book continued with Johnny turning into a man...and that included swearing.  I enjoyed the book...the ending will surprise you and is definitely worth waiting for even though it includes regrets, betrayal, heartbreak, forgiveness, and an ending that fits perfectly with the book title.  Great writing and a great book.  5/5