The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

 

I am way behind, so just a short and sweet one this week - for those who enjoyed Circe by Madeleine Miller, for those who love mythology and gods, for Marvel fans who love Loki, for those who enjoy a very strong, capable and determined woman, this book is for you.

I would go so far as to say this one is better than Circe.  I liked Circe, but found the language kinda short and choppy.  This one, you can fall in to.  So very well written, the author weaves Norse mythology into a love story, a family story, a story of abandonment and magic and burning and seeing and of three very unusual children.  It is the story of a woman who is used, turned away, isolated, loved, who becomes a fiercely protective mother, wife, friend, and lover, and who fights for her family.

Quite relatable, really.

But, this is fantasy at its best, so if mythology and fantasy are not your thing, this will not be for you.  It is the story of Angrboda, a witch and seer who is punished by Odin, stripped of her powers for not helping him, and who flees to a remote forest to live alone and lonely.  Until she is discovered by Loki, and they fall in love.  Trouble ensues.  

I found the world building to be very believable and my daughter assured me that the mythology was on point (yes, Loki did actually give birth himself, just not in human form.  Say what?).  A definite break from the NYTimes best sellers and thrillers and mysteries I have been reading lately, this was a good read.  Sad in places for sure, full of the power of Woman, but such a different story, and a full circle ending, I would encourage Readers to give it a whirl!  I totally bought it for the cover, too.  ;-)

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

 

This will probably not be a very popular opinion, but it is mine, so...

This book was just kinda Meh for me.  Predictable ending even though the subject matter (a priceless Stradivarius violin goes missing under questionable ownership) was original.  The insight into the life of a professional violinist was definitely different, but overall the story and the ending just was a little boring.  It is set in the city where I live, so that part was fun.  And the author plays the violin, so he knows of what he writes.

Ray, an African American musician, owns the beat up old violin his grandmother gave him.  He gets it refurbished, and discovers he actually owns a Stradivarius.  He plays all over the world - he is GOOD and the violin makes him GREAT in his mind - and then he enters the world's top competition of violin players right before the violin is stolen from him in his hotel room.  The white family who originally owned the violin have stated that their ancestor would have never just given this violin to his favorite slave, Ray's great-grandfather, who played it for his master.  And so a fight for ownership rights is launched. And not only between the black and white families, but within Ray's own family too.  They want him to sell it and split the money with the extended family.  They don't care what Ray wants, or how that violin connects him to his beloved grandmother; they just want the money.

There is a lot here about the life of a musician (similar to the singular focus of the single sport athlete in last week's review!) and all the practice, practice, practice and pressure, pressure, pressure, especially for a black musician.  He experiences devastating racism after being hired to play at a wedding but turned away at the door because they only see a black man who is not welcomed.  Ray does have a manager that really understands and helps him, and a devoted girlfriend, but his family is less that supportive unless he is sending them money or will ever sell that silly violin that is worth MILLIONS.    I just found his family to be flat out awful.  Poor Ray.

Maybe it was just too much for me.  The story was depressing, nothing went right for Ray, he was bullied and looked down upon by white people and his own family too.  

This author has a second book that has just been released which is about a composer/music historian, and I do plan to read his second book.  I hear it is better than the first one, and I know lots of people who really liked The Violin Conspiracy just fine, it just was not really for me.  Meh.

BONUS:

So remember back in January when I said I had already read my Favorite Book of the Year, and it was only January but I knew it would be my favorite anyway?

That book, Demon Copperhead, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction this week.

Barbara Kingsolver was nominated once before in 1998 for The Poisonwood Bible, but did not win.  This year she and her book Demon Copperhead share the honor with another book (Trust by Hernan Diaz).  You can find my review here:  Rawles' Reads : Search results for demon (rawlesreads.blogspot.com)

Now, go read the book.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Whatdyaknow?  It is Tuesday and I am sending you a review! Miracles never cease.

This week, just in time for warmer weather and thoughts of summer sports and that OTHER crowning event, Wimbledon, I give you Carrie Soto.

This was another audiobook for me.  Voiced by 12 different performers (including Patrick McEnroe, Mary Carillo, and a few brief appearances by Julia Whelan who is usually the narrator for this author), this is a comeback story about a professional tennis player for whom tennis is LIFE. 

Anne Bogel of the blog Modern Mrs Darcy said this is a book about female ambition. 

 Other readers have just said Carrie is a bitch. 

She is ruthless and determined and focused and talented.  She wins and wins and wins and sets records, and then she retires.  Until someone wins and wins and wins as much as Carrie did, and her winning record is threatened.  So, she decides to come out of retirement to defend her record.  With or without her dad as her coach.

There is a lot here about the father daughter relationship.  There is a lot here about fierce unapologetic women, especially in sports.  There is a LOT here about tennis - match after match and practice after practice.  I played a little tennis growing up, and my mom and my brother were both local tournament players, and I have been to the US Open (SO FUN).  But I am not an athlete.  I can definitely understand the dedication, but I didn't really need SO much tennis in this book.  It became a bit repetitive, but that is the life of a single sport athlete, isn't it?

What I did like was that we weren't really supposed to like Carrie.  She is ruthless and rude.  She is the best of the best and she does not have time for shenanigans.  Or losers.  Or friends. She is older and things have changed when she returns to the tour, and the media tear her apart.  She doesn't really care.  Not really. Maybe just a tiny bit. But not really.  Her love life is all over the place (note the connection to Malibu Rising!) when she can even be bothered.  She is seen to read one book - Daisy Jones and The Six.  HA!  I love that TJR has connecting threads throughout her novels!!  I love that in the audiobook, we hear from real commentators as characters.  And Mary Carillo's character gives a great defense of Carrie's attitude at one point that I really appreciated.  We do get a love story woven in, but are not sure if Carrie will see what is in front of her.  I was very satisfied with the ending - nicely done.  

I think you can still enjoy this story even if you are not a tennis fan, but will admit this is not my favorite of Reid's work.  Nice full circle when you finally get the title, too.  ;-)

Let me know in the comments how you felt about Carrie, if you listened or read, and what your favorite Taylor Jenkins Read read is!!

Next week I will be celebrating a huge family event, so I definitely will not be sending out a review.  Maybe I will double up for y'all in two weeks!  Stay tuned.....