Book Review: Sweet Salt Air By Barbara Delinsky

SWEET SALT AIR

By: Barbara Delinsky

To Be Published:  June 18, 2013

Charlotte and Nicole were once the best of friends, spending summers together in Nicole's coastal island house off of Maine. But many years, and many secrets, have kept the women apart. A successful travel writer, single Charlotte lives on the road, while Nicole, a food blogger, keeps house in Philadelphia with her surgeon-husband, Julian. When Nicole is commissioned to write a book about island food, she invites her old friend Charlotte back to Quinnipeague, for a final summer, to help. Outgoing and passionate, Charlotte has a gift for talking to people and making friends, and Nicole could use her expertise for interviews with locals. Missing a genuine connection, Charlotte agrees.
But what both women don't know is that they are each holding something back that may change their lives forever. For Nicole, what comes to light could destroy her marriage, but it could also save her husband. For Charlotte, the truth could cost her Nicole’s friendship, but could also free her to love again. And her chance may lie with a reclusive local man, with a heart to soothe and troubles of his own.

My book club gals and I were lucky enough to win copies of SWEET SALT AIR thanks to Reading Group Guides.  This book will be available from your favorite book seller on June 18, and would make an excellent summer beach read.  We read it during the month of April and had an excellent discussion around the book.  Even though the book was predictable and a bit "soap operaish" we all still liked it.

The story of Nicole and Charlotte and their two separate secrets draw you in but what kept me turning the pages was the rich details around the food, the herbs, and the scenery.  I've never liked clam chowder, but after reading this book I feel like I could eat bowls of it.  

All of us felt the story was a bit repetitive...telling the same scenario over and over again. But in each of those scenes were true and raw emotions that made the characters real to each of us.  The pressures on Nicole, Charlotte, Julian and Leo were very different, but equally heart-breaking.  Throughout the pages, you were rooting for them and crying with them.  I think the most emotional section for me had to do with this conversation:

"A baby isn't a downside"
"It is if you grow it for nine months and feel it move inside you, then watch it being born and hold it in your arms and love it even when it's covered with blood, and just when you're thinking you can't give it up, a nurse takes it away and you know you'll never see it ever again -"

This is why I am a fan of Barbara Delinsky.  Her writing hits at those deep emotions that the reader can relate to.

MS (multiple sclerosis) makes an appearance in this novel and unfortunately my own family has been touched by this disease as well as many others that I know.  I found Delinsky's research in this area and the direction she took this disease in the novel fascinating.  I did wonder though, why she didn't incorporate the healing of medicinal herbs (that were such a main focus in the novel) into the healing of MS.  But at 400+ pages, I suppose something had to be left out.  I certainly enjoyed reading about the healing power of different flowers and herbs either through their scent alone or through their use in recipes.  

With Nicole being a food blogger, I found myself nodding my head while she was up late blogging, or finding that her blogging was truly her therapy.  I find that to be true myself.  I think it was a neat way to bring Charlotte and Nicole together after all these years - in the creation of her cookbook. With both of them being writers in very different ways, they were still able to use their talents together to create the cookbook.  I found myself salivating over the food and wanting the recipes.  Maybe Delinsky needs to publish a Sweet Salt Air cookbook full of the food described in the book.

All three of us really liked the cover of the book and the title.  We felt like we could feel the breeze and smell the air while reading it.  Delinsky's descriptions of the area, the people and the homes on the island made all of us want to visit.  

Overall, this book is full of emotion, triumphs, tragedies, love and friendship.  All are excellent qualities in a good summer read and one that should be read with your girlfriends.  Warning: Reading it will make you hungry for Clam Chowder!

Barbara Delinsky has written twenty NY Times bestselling novels with over thirty million copies in print. Her books are highly emotional, character-driven studies of marriage, parenthood, sibling rivalry, and friendship. Barbara’s newest novel, SWEET SALT AIR, is a June 18, 2013 St. Martin's Press release. 

Her first foray into non-fiction occurred in October 2001 with the publication of UPLIFT: SECRETS FROM THE SISTERHOOD OF BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS. UPLIFT is a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes that she compiled with the help of 350 breast cancer survivors, their families and friends. A breast cancer survivor herself, Barbara has donated the entirety of her author proceeds from three editions of UPLIFT to fund the first six years of a fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital that will train a surgical oncologist in research. A new Tenth Anniversary Edition of UPLIFT went on sale September 27, 2011.

Barbara lives with her family in New England.

For more on Barbara Delinsky, "Like" her Facebook page, HERE or visit her website, http://barbaradelinsky.com


Thanks to Reading Group Guides for sending us copies of SWEET SALT AIR.  This review is my honest opinion.  Neither I nor our book club was compensated in any other way for this review.  

Too Busy to Write

The last few weeks have been especially busy and I don't see a slow down in my future.  We ended track season and are moving right into baseball season this week.  At least this year the boys are on the same team.  I spent last week substitute teaching and will finish my school year tomorrow (hopefully). The kids have just two weeks of school left with many of those days full of field trips, talent shows, and a spelling bee, which means my days are full too.  Our nights will be busy with baseball games and hopefully getting some flowers planted which I have yet to do.

I still want to get some summer planning figured out....chore assignments for the kids, fun stuff planned, book reading incentives, vacation chosen and planned, and getting our home ready to house our niece for a month.

Then I have this huge stack of books staring at me every night when I go to bed.  I have so many books I need to review, but lately finding time to read seems to come at the bottom of my To Do list.

The books I am most excited about reading and reviewing in the coming weeks are:

THE MAPMAKER'S WAR

THE HOUSE AT THE END OF HOPE STREET

THE THIRD SON

THE OTHER TYPIST

Stay tuned for my thoughts on each of these books and several others.  

My life is full and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Our children keep me smiling and keep me running, and I am trying to savor each of these milestones.  As we are attending numerous graduation celebrations this weekend, the reoccurring theme I am hearing from the moms is that these years go by so fast....trust me....I am figuring that out the hard way.

Have a wonderful week and savor each moment!

Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Coke Cake

I have been wanting to try this cake for awhile and decided that Mother's Day was the perfect day for it. It is super simple, starting with a chocolate cake mix.  This cake is extremely moist and full of cherry chocolate flavor.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY COKE CAKE

Serves 12-15

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix

1 Cup Coca-Cola

1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 Cup Maraschino Cherry Juice

3 Large Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13x9 inch pan with nonstick baking spray.

With your mixer, combine cake mix, Coca-Cola, oil, cherry juice, and eggs.  Beat at low speed until dry ingredients are moistened.  Then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Scrape sides of bowl as needed.  Pour into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cook completely.

FROSTING

1/2 Cup Butter, Softened

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

5 Tablespoons Coca-Cola

In a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed until creamy.  Add sugar and Coca-Cola, beating until smooth.  Spread over the cooled cake.  

Garnish each piece with cherries.

Frankly, I thought the frosting was too sweet.  So, next time I think I will just frost it either with regular chocolate frosting or with Cool Whip.  But, the cake was delicious and everyone in the family just loved it.  I would definitely make it again.  This recipe is adapted from Semi-Homemade Magazine.

Reagan's Fairy Garden

I have been wanting to make a Fairy Garden for some time and with Reagan being 8, I thought she was old enough to help and be responsible for it.  We went shopping for the items together and then I helped her build it.

Most all of our items were purchased at Earl May.  They have an excellent supply of Fairy Garden items.  Amazon also has a number of Fairy Garden items HERE.  I decided to make our Fairy Garden in a pot so that we can bring it inside over the winter and not have to start completely over each year.  We chose a nice big round pot and first layered it with pebbles for drainage and then potting soil.

I let Reagan chose all the pieces for the Fairy Garden.  We placed more of the pebbles underneath the patio set to give it a little more support.  

Earl May has a whole section of "Itty Bitties" or small plants perfect for Fairy Gardens.  We used marbles for the path and the pond which we got in the craft section of Walmart.  We also got some alyssum in both purple and white to put around the bird bath.  Then in Earl May's succulent section we got a Hen and Chicks.  We just used the Chicks to place along the path.  Finally, a bag of moss from Earl May gives it that perfect pillowy touch.

Earl May has a number of Fairy Houses to pick from.  Each has an opening in the back where you could place a battery operated candle to give it a soft glow.  

Our garden is located right out front in our flower bed.  It does need a regular spritzing of water for the moss and water for the plants.  We haven't gone through our first rain storm yet, but hoping it is protected enough by the steps and house that it won't damage the arrangement too much. 

The total cost of the Fairy Garden was about $125, but next year all we will need to replace will be the plants.  We are certainly hopeful that a Fairy will stop by soon for a picnic! 

Book Review: Mom's the Word: The Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder of Motherhood by Allen Klein

MOM'S THE WORD
The Wit, Wisdom and Wonder of Motherhood

By: Allen Klein

Published: June 6, 2013





Heartwarming and humorous, this tribute to moms of the world gathers the best things anyone ever said about motherhood. From Dolly Parton to Dear Abby, women (and a few men) crack wise on the subject of the center of every family, Mommy dearest!  Mom’s the Word celebrates all motherhood with wise and witty words from the famous (Oprah Winfrey: "Mothers are really the true spiritual leaders.") and the funny (Erma Bombeck: "In general, my children refuse to eat anything that hasn't danced on television."). Also included are thoughts that are meaningful (Jewish proverb: "God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.") and memorable (Nora Ephron: "If pregnancy were a book, they would cut the last two chapters.").

In honor of Mothers everywhere this weekend, I wanted to share a delightful little book with you.  Even though it doesn't come out for a few weeks yet, you can always preorder it and have it shipped right to your mom and surprise her.

This book will make moms and kids feel appreciated and loved.  It will make you laugh and make you cry.  There are stories that will warm your heart and quotes that you will want to remember forever. There is even a section devoted to mothers-to-be.  What a perfect way to celebrate a new mom in your life, but sharing this book with her.  Even Grandmas would love thinking back on their motherhood days.

With a whole section devoted to Mother's Day, one that I found particularly familiar was:

The Mother's Day Muddle By Bruce Lansky

1. Your children serve you breakfast in bed on Mother's Day

2. They also spill coffee, burn the toast and wreck your kitchen.

3. You spend all afternoon cleaning up.

This book is a wonderful way to celebrate all the moms in your life.  Remember to thank them this weekend for their patience, devotion, and love.  

Book Review and Author Meet and Greet: Ordinary Grace By William Kent Krueger

ORDINARY GRACE

By: William Kent Krueger

Published: March 26, 2013


From New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger comes a brilliant new novel about a young man, a small town, and murder in the summer of 1961.

New Bremen, Minnesota, 1961. The Twins were playing their debut season, ice-cold root beers were at the ready at Halderson’s Drug Store soda counter, and Hot Stuff comic books were a mainstay on every barbershop magazine rack. It was a time of innocence and hope for a country with a new, young president. But for thirteen-year-old Frank Drum it was a summer in which death assumed many forms.

When tragedy unexpectedly comes to call on his family, which includes his Methodist minister father, his passionate, artistic mother, Juilliard-bound older sister, and wise-beyond-his years kid brother, Frank finds himself thrust into an adult world full of secrets, lies, adultery, and betrayal.

On the surface, ORDINARY GRACE is the story of the murder of a beautiful young woman, a beloved daughter and sister. At heart, it’s the story of what that tragedy does to a boy, his family, and ultimately the fabric of the small town in which he lives. Told from Frank’s perspective forty years after that fateful summer, it is a moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.

I was anxious to read ORDINARY GRACE as there had already been many wonderful reviews for it.  I met Krueger in 2008 and even though I haven't read his Cork O'Conner series, I was still a big fan of his.  I'm not typically a mystery reader, but I just may have to try out that series after hearing him talk about it again. To read about my chat with him in 2008, click HERE. He was a delight then and stardom hasn't changed him one bit.  He was still charming, witty, and modest.  

ORDINARY GRACE is a bit historical fiction and a bit mystery.  Even though murders are happening in this small Minnesota town, the novel still leaves you feeling good about family, friends and having faith.  I read this book in a day and a half after hearing that Krueger was again coming back to our area.  I couldn't pass up the chance to see him again.  But, I think I would have read it quickly regardless.  The book worked its way into my mind and heart.  While reading in between loads of laundry, I couldn't stop thinking about Frank and Jake.  As the mom of 2 boys at the same age as these boys, it made me wonder about how my own boys would have handled such circumstances in the book.  Jake is a stutterer and this also make Jake reside close to my heart.  

William Kent Krueger reading from ORDINARY GRACE

There were numerous twists and turns in this story and just when I thought I had it all figured out, a new angle was brought into the story and left me rethinking all that had happened.  Krueger truly has a gift for storytelling in a way that brings your heart and your head into it.  When reading a book, I'm always looking for the way the title is brought into the story and I loved the subtle way he worked it in.  Krueger fits it in when you least expect it and makes the least expected person shine as the hero of the story.  

When tragedy strikes, many of us feel we can't go on,  that our life is over, but I think Krueger said it best in this novel:

"We keep doing what we always do and someday it'll feel right again." Pg 196  

"I thought if a man who'd lost everything could still see the beauty in a sunset then sooner or later things would look up for Jake and me and our family." Pg 198 

I really fell in love with this story and have thought about it many times after finishing it a week ago.  I am quite confident this will be a top book of 2013.

William Kent Krueger and me

William Kent Krueger, or Kent as he allowed us to call him, stated the story idea for ORDINARY GRACE came to him about 5 years ago.  He was looking for a way to join his spiritual journey and his writing journey  together.  The story for ORDINARY GRACE is partly based on his own summer that he was 13.  He wanted to be able to draw up some of those memories and dig deeper into his spiritual journey.  He spent 3 years working on ORDINARY GRACE, much of it listening to music from the 60's to get into the spirit of the novel.  Kent truly feels this is the best thing he has ever written.  

Kent is best known for his Cork O'Conner series featuring a detective in the Northwoods (Northern Minnesota).  His 13th in the series, TAMARACK COUNTY, comes out August 20, 2013. For more on William Kent Krueger, visit his website HERE or "Like" him on Facebook HERE. If you get an opportunity to see him speak in your area, I highly recommend it!

William Kent Krueger Books

Prom Thoughts

This is my mom at her senior prom in 1956.  Even though it isn't very clear, it is still one of my favorite photos.  There are so many parts of this photo that are classic 1950's: the microphone, the dress, the backdrop, her glasses.  I truly wish I would have grown up in that decade or just to be able to transport myself back to that time for a just a bit.

With all the proms going on this spring, it caused me to bring this photo out at one of our family events and show it off.  Mom had just turned 17 and was the only girl in her senior class of 5.  Yes, she went to a very small school and luckily there were girls in other grades so she wasn't always outnumbered.  My mom graduated shortly after prom, went on to be married to my dad that summer and then just a year later lost her mom (my grandma) to cancer.  But, what mom remembers most about this photo is how she was so excited to have this dress, but it was originally strapless.  My mom told how her parents were in no way going to allow her out of their house in a strapless dress.  So, my grandma, took some of the tulle from underneath my mom's dress and made sleeves so that she was "covered".

In looking at prom photos over the last few weeks, I noticed that the modesty from the 1950's has gone by the wayside.  I saw many beautiful gowns with beading and sequins.  Many in bright colors, some long, and some short.  But, I also saw many that could have used a little more...ahem......coverage.  I am certainly glad I wasn't shopping for my daughter this year as I think it would have been very difficult to find a dress I would have deemed appropriate.  I am hoping over the next 8+ years the dresses go back to a little more modest styling.  And when that time comes, I am going to remember the actions of my grandma and make sure our daughter looks as beautiful as my mom did nearly 60 years ago.