Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

• Title: Memoirs of a Geisha
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Realistic Fiction/Historical Fiction
• Format: Hardcover: 768 pages
• Publisher: Random House Large Print (November 15, 2005)
• ISBN-10: 0739326228
• ISBN-13: 978-0739326220

“Neither you nor I can know your destiny. You may never know it! Destiny isn't always like a party at the end of the evening. Sometimes it's nothing more than struggling through life from day to day.” 

If you were to ask Chiyo Sakamoto when she turned nine what her destiny was, she would have said it was to be a wife and mother and live out her life in Yoroido. What happened, however, was she met a man that very year who would set off a series of events which set her life on a new path, a new destiny. She was sold and taken to Kyoto where she was  thrust  into the life of a geisha. Her name would change to Sayuri and she would go on to became one of the most renowned, talented, and beautiful Geisha ever to grace the city of Kyoto.  This is her story. 

“Nowadays many people seem to believe their lives are entirely a matter of choice; but in my day we viewed ourselves as pieces of clay that forever show the fingerprints of everyone who has touched them.” 

One of the first things that struck me about this book is Golden's writing style. It is beautiful and almost poetic. This is another book I would say utilizes a style I'd call, for lack of a better term, poetic gesture. Nothing rhymes, but through the repetition of using certain terms/elements, in this case water, over and over in descriptions it almost has the same effect as if it does rhyme.  

From the very beginning, Golden talks of people as having too much of a certain element within their personalities. Chiyo says her fathers had too much wood in his personality which "holds fast to the earth" and allowed him to be grounded to the earth, whereas she and her mother were more like water which "flows from place to place and always finds a crack to spill through." At one point she compares herself to a puddle, "I'm no more a rival to her than a puddle is a rival to the ocean." Then she states, "I'm like a river that has come up against a dam, and that dam is Hatsumomo." To which Mameha responded, "rivers sometimes wash dams away." I love how Golden does this, and it seems to bind the story together.

As the story progresses, we see Chiyo go from someone who wishes to escape from her fate to one resolved to it. We learn why, from the very beginning of the tale, she said the day she met Mr. Tanaka was both the best and worst day of her life. We see first hand the turning point where her resolve turns from despair to determination as she finds something she wants--something to strive for and cling to in the form of hope. We see the steps she must take to become a geisha and what the lifestyle entails. We witness Sayuri's (as she is come to be called)  life, know her most intimate thoughts, desires, hopes, and dreams. We see her at her worst, but more often her best. We see her grow from a clever but weak and defenseless child into a strong, smart, beautiful and vibrant young woman determined to survive. I read somewhere Golden wasn't sure what narrative style he wanted to initially use but finally settled on a first person narrative. I'm so glad he did because it definitely endeared Sayuri to me. 

I watched the movie, Memoirs of a Geisha, when it came out years ago, but only remembered bits and pieces of it. When this was voted as one of our books of the month, I hunted down a copy and once again entered Sayuri's world and that of the geisha. It was just as touching and moving as I remembered from when I watched the movie. It is a real tear jerker that seemed at first to have no way of ending happily, but I assure you it does, albeit a bittersweet one. It's not so much a book as it is a journey through the life of an extraordinary woman who would not let even fate determine her destiny and against the odds created her own.  

One of my favorite quotes from the book is the following. It seemed to sum up (as well as use that poetic gesture I was talking about) Sayuri in such a clever way. I love it when authors do this so subtly: 

"Water never waits. It changes shape and flows around things, and finds the secret paths no one else has thought about—the tiny hole through the roof or the bottom of a box. There’s no doubt it’s the most versatile of the five elements. It can wash away earth; it can put out fire; it can wear a piece of metal down and sweep it away. Even wood, which is its natural complement, can’t survive without being nurtured by water."

Overall, I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses. I loved the journey. I loved Sayuri and the bittersweet ending.The story is touching, moving, and a roller coaster of an emotional ride that touched on all of my emotions. I feel this is a story that will hold its appeal for many years to come. If you haven't read it, you surely should. This is one of those books that when you read it, it makes you feel as though you've entered another world, lifetime, and life. A book that makes you think and feel. Love, loss, betrayal, hate, jealousy--almost any emotion you can think of is in there. A truly epic tale and a total and absolute book seduction for me.

Pictures to set the mood for the story. (Pictures found on photobucket):

Pictures of Geishas--notice the necks, at one point Golden states that Japanese men feel the same way about women's neck and throat the way men of the West might feel about a woman's legs. I found that interesting:

Images of Kyoto:

Examples of geisha dance/theater:

Pictures of sumo wrestling (I tried to pick the ones that seemed the most tasteful):

Couldn't let the comments about the shoes go by--These just don't look very comfortable.:

Barefoot in the Sun (Barefoot Bay #3) by Roxanne St. Claire

• Title: Barefoot in the Sun (Barefoot Bay)
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Format: Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Forever (April 30, 2013)
• ISBN-10: 145550825X
• ISBN-13: 978-1455508259

Author's Website: http://www.roxannestclaire.com/

She had issues with trust.
He had issues with his ex.
She thought he didn't care.
He thought she'd still be there when he was less distracted.
She was the one that got away.
He was the one she'd let go.
Have you ever met someone you connected with on so many different levels that you  could never forget them?
It's been nine years and neither one has forgotten the other.
Now she needs him more than ever and will ask him to choose between her and his principles.
With a second chance, can they finally get things right? 
Well, timing is everything, but will it be enough?

This is the third book in the Barefoot Bay series. I didn't read the previous two books, but didn't feel lost.You could definitely read this one by itself and be none the wiser that it is part of a series.

Zoe Tamarin has been on the run since she was ten years old. Her aunt isn't her aunt or even a blood relative of any kind, and her name really isn't Zoe Tamarin. She grew up knowing that at any given moment they might have to pack up and run. She has never truly set down roots anywhere. Nine years ago, Zoe decided to take a huge leap and confide in Oliver. She'd fallen in love, and he was the first individual she'd ever told. Not even her best friends knew about her past. Her secret wasn't her's alone, however, and it could endanger the woman who had saved her all those years ago--her psuedo great-aunt, Pasha. According to Zoe, Pasha had saved her from a grim fate, a fate she hadn't divulged.

Oliver was a doctor and carried a pager. He had just been told Zoe's big news when he'd gotten a text from his ex girlfriend that she was pregnant. Trying to take in both bits of information at approximately the same time, he was admittedly distracted. His initial response to Zoe had been they should do what they could to clear Pasha's name, which Zoe hadn't looked happy about. As he didn't know if his ex was telling the truth or making some last ditch effort to get him back, he didn't really give the conversation as much attention as it deserved. Still distracted a little while later, he took off to find out if he truly was going to become a father in a little more than a handful of months. When he went to go talk to Zoe later that night to resume their conversation, she was gone. The apartment she lived at was empty, and there was no forwarding address. 

Now it's been 9 years since Zoe disappeared and she's asking for his help. Pasha's life is in danger and
he may be her only shot at saving her. The fire that once sparked between them still flares, but he'll have to decide if helping her is worth the risk to both his career and his heart.

Nine years ago she made him face his fear of heights by making him ride in a hot air balloon, will he be able to help her face hers of settling down in one place?

"Once, along time ago, you took me up in a balloon. Do you remember?"

She gave him a look. "You know I do."
"Do you remember why you took me up there?"
To confess the truth. "I wanted to tell you about my life."
"You took me up there to face my fears. That's what you said. (...) I've faced mine, Zoe. And it's time for you to face your own."

Overall, I gave this book 5 out of 5 roses. I loved the way Ms. St. Claire managed to capture such raw emotions on paper. You could practically taste the fear, the angst, the trepidation, and longing between this couple. I loved the way Oliver handled Zoe and tried to protect her while trying to rid her of her fears. I liked the mystery of what happened to Zoe all those years ago and finding out what happened in Pasha's past that even Zoe knew nothing about. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the Series:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

• Title: Gone Girl: A Novel
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Realistic Fiction/Mystery/Mind Screw
• Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
• Publisher: Crown; First Edition edition (June 5, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 030758836x
• ISBN-13: 978-0297859383
• ASIN: 030758836X
• Author's Website: http://gillian-flynn.com/
• 
  

Have you ever looked at a couple and thought, "Wow! They're the perfect couple. They've got the perfect marriage. I wish I had a relationship like them."?

We don't see what goes behind when a couple is behind closed doors. We don't see how they treat each other when nobody else can see. We don't see what they don't want us to. We really don't know if that perfect facade is simply that, a facade.

How many times have we heard over the course of the years, "Oh, he seemed the nicest guy. I can't believe it." or "They have to have made a mistake. She would never do that." on the news about a rapist or murderer? The truth is, we don't know and many of these people are very clever and hide their true natures behind a facade and work very hard to preserve their perfect image. But are they perfect? Are they who we think?

">On the flip sides, sometimes the most obvious suspect is wrongly accused. Remember the Atlanta Olympic bombing? Richard A. Jewell, a security guard working the Olympics found a pipe bomb and saved countless people from injury and death. Later the media turned on him and falsely accused him of planting the bomb to look like a hero. It would be 10 long years later until the Govenor Sonny Perdue would publicly thank him on the behalf of the state of Georgia for what he did. He was a hero.

When Nick Dunne's wife, Amy, goes missing he becomes the prime suspect. Amy's parents are shocked as are his sister and many other residents of the small Missouri town. Most thought the couple were golden, but as the story progresses we learn not all was perfect in paradise. In fact, it was far from it. The question is was it enough to send Nick over the edge?

So see if you can figure out what happened to Amy before it is revealed. After reading this book, you may think twice about the grass being greener on the other side. The ending is a total twister. One person called it a total mind screw.   

Before I properly start this review, I'd like to thank Ms.Flynn for creating such a utterly fun and wonderful book club read. Out of all the books I've done a group read of, this was by far one of my favorites. I'll even forgive her the lack of chapter numbers or trackable chapter headings. (By the way, please don't do this again.--I am willing to resort to bribing you in order to get you to promise to never ever leave off chapter numbers or distinguishable chapter headings again--It's an online book club moderator's nightmare!)

As we paced ourselves at approximately 50 pages a day, we analyzed, we predicted and we discussed what we thought was going on and who did it. We even questioned our own sanity a little along the way. I think this is definitely a book that is best enjoyed in a group setting and I have to admit if I hadn't been in charge of writing all the questions for this one, I might not have continued it. (I know the horror of it all.) Some people may be freaked a little by the ending, but the majority of us loved the mind screw. I wonder what that says about us? lol

 So in this book you get two very distinct perspectives--that of Nick and that of Amy Dunne. Nick's perspective starts just moments before Amy's  disappearance is noted. We find out how Nick found out his wife was missing and his story picks up from there. Along the way he starts to gradually tell us what happened between the couple over the years and what condition their marriage was in at the time of  Amy's disappearance. Amy's perspective is given through her diary and begins around the time she and Nick met and starts working its way to the day she went missing. We get two totally different views of the marriage and the events that led up to the disappearance. It was an interesting contrast because Amy's diary starts off with her lighthearted and happy in the midst of falling in love. Nick's prospective starts off with him not particularly happy with his wife or his marriage and feeling a little trapped.

At first I felt kind of sorry for Nick. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but his actions around the disappearance are rather odd. From the third chapter he confesses to lying to the police. Additionally, he's not extremely upset, but as we get to know him, we learn that is the type of person he is. He's private and doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve. He keeps things close to his heart. He hates confrontation and is a people pleaser. I kept toggling between thinking he was guilty and thinking he was innocent. The fact he lied to the police and I didn't know what about bothered me.

Amy's diary portrays the image of a woman who loves her husband and is trying to hold on to what they had. Trying to get their marriage back on track. She talks of how she didn't just go for the first guy she saw and waited for the right one to come along. She talks about her first impression of Nick, how they met and how he fit the bill of the guy she wanted to marry. She describes the kind of marriage she wanted and, as we page through the diary, the marriage she ended up with. While hers goes from happy to sad, Nick's goes from sad to reminiscing of the happier days of their marriage and thinking fondly again about his wife.

What we know from the beginning of this tale are a handful of things. Nick and Amy's marriage wasn't perfect. The day she disappeared was their anniversary and she had planned one of her elaborate annual treasure hunts which would end in Nick finding his anniversary present. Nick hated these hunts because Amy expected him to know little details about her which he just never did. Not because he didn't care about her, just because he wasn't wired that way. One of the first things that struck me as I began reading this tale was how little this couple seemed to know about each other. Amy seemed to be attempting, ironically, to understand her husband better this year. She finally seemed to get that Nick was never going to do well with these hunts that were all about her and had finally geared the search more toward him. Perhaps trying to make him perhaps remember better days, but was it too little too late? What really happened that day? See if you can guess before the truth is revealed. I double dog dare you. :)

Overall, I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses. As I said, this is a book which I feel is much more fun when read in a group environment. If you don't have a book club of your own, I encourage you to try ours at Goodreads. Here's a link to our discussion of Gone Girl:  http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1243328-gone-girl-by-gillian-flynn---start-date-april-22nd I hope you love it as much as I did.

Interview with Gillian Flynn created by the Waterstones Book Club:

My picture collage for Gone Girl:

The Devil's Heart (The Chattan Curse #3) by Cathy Maxwell

• Title: The Devil's Heart: The Chattan Curse
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Historical Romance
• Format: Paperback; 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (April 30, 2013)
• ISBN-10: 006207024X
• ISBN-13: 978-0062070241

Author's Website: http://www.cathymaxwell.com/

Over 200 years ago, a curse was cast upon the male members of the Chattan family. For Charles Chattan had made promises that he didn't keep. He had betrayed and disgraced the daughter of a powerful witch which incited the young woman to take her own life. He thought that by leaving Scotland he'd escape the reach of Fanella's fury and wrath. But he was wrong. DEAD wrong.

"Watchers of the threshold, Watchers of the gate, open hell and seal Chattan's fate.
When a Chattan male falls in love, strike his heart with fire from Above.
Crush his heart. Destroy his line;
Only then will justice me mine."

Now, some 200 years later, Margaret Chattan is on her way to find the place where the curse began hoping she'll find something to break it. Her brothers, Lord Lyon and Harry Chattan, have both fallen in love and, as the curse predicted, they are quickly losing their leases on life. Harry believes that Margaret, the first female to be born to the Chattan line since the curse began, is the key to its end. On her way into enemy territory, the land of the Mcnachtan's--the family who cursed the Chattan's, her carriage encounters a fatal accident. Evil forces are at work to ensure the end of the Chattan line. Ironically, it is Heath McNachtan who finds and rescues her. She soon learns the Chattan's aren't the only ones who have suffered from the curse. Heath is the last living male descendant of Fanella's line. Perhaps Fanella cursed both their families when she set her curse in place. Magic, after all, does have a price. 

The first and the last....Margaret wonders if that could mean anything. Could it be the key to saving both their families?  

This is the third and, sadly, final book of The Chattan Curse series. If you haven't read the previous two books in the series you will be encounter some big spoilers in this book. I recommend reading them before starting this one.

Margaret Chattan is the first female to be born into the family since the curse started. Always in the past the men of her family married woman they loved and quickly fell ill from the curse. Far too many Chattan men had not believed and died young to not believe the curse is true. Margaret's father vowed never to fall in love to beat the curse and married a woman he could never love. That marriage produced three children, Margaret and her two brothers. Known by all in London as the 'Unattainable' because she acts cold and distant, Margaret has her reasons for being the way she is and part of that is she has no idea how the family curse will affect her or her offspring. But the mysterious, smart, and beautiful Magaret Chattan also has another deeper and darker secret which makes her act the way she does. One she doesn't share even with her beloved brothers. When her carriage is knocked off the road rolling over and over she fears her quest to find a means to put an end to her family's curse will be cut short. Somehow, against all odds, she survives the wreck without a scratch. Only one other person had survived the accident, Rowan, and they are unsure if he will survive. Almost every bone in his body was broke.

Heath Mcnachtan is the last male of Fanella's line. A combination of bad luck, bad business decisions,  and, quite possibly, the work of a curse having a backlashing effect on the family of the one who cast it has led to the family's current problems and possible demise. Over a year ago, Heath's older brother, Brodie, was murdered by someone they have yet to catch. Upon Brodie's death, Heath became the family heir and took over as Laird  even though he loved being in the Navy. He had thrived there and had not wished to leave. The family estate had been mortgaged to the hilt when he inherited it and the family was living off credit. Heath poured all his savings into erasing the family debts and did all he could to curb their expenses, but it hadn't been enough. He doesn't believe in curses, but when strange and unexplainable things begin to happen, he starts to question his beliefs. Together he and Margaret will work together to see if there is a way to lift the curse.

Overall this was a wonderful series and a nice way to end the series. I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses. Plenty of action, suspense, and twists and turns. Cathy Maxwell is quickly rising in ranks among my favorite authors. I so love a good curse in a story. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the series:

Most Anticipated New Releases of May 2013

The following list is comprised of books my friends, family, and I are most looking forward to reading in May. It also consists of books by popular authors and others I've heard a lot of hype about. I am not flawless and sometimes I'll accidentally leave one or more books off the list that I shouldn't. Let me know if one of your favorites is missing. Sometimes my search techniques just don't work as well as I wish they did.

If you'd like to read a book's description, just click on the cover photo, you'll be magically transferred to Goodreads. Remember a book a day keeps the boredom at bay! Happy reading.

P.S. Sorry for the late posting. Things got away from me this month.


6th - Levitating Las Vegas by Jennifer Echols
7th - Cat Nap by Claire Donally
7th - Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield
7th - The Cursed (League of the Black Swan) by Alyssa Day
7th - Dead Ever After: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel (SSTB) by Charlaine Harris
7th - Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales) by Jocelynn Drake
7th - The End Games by T. Michael Martin
7th - Eternal Demon: Mark of the Vampire by Laura Wright
7th - Fall of Night: The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine
7th - Grimoire of the Lamb: An Iron Druid Chronicles Novella by Kevin Hearne
7th - Highland Werewolf Wedding (Heart of the Wolf) by Terry Spear
7th - Icons by Margaret Stohl
7th - If I Should Die (Revenants) by Amy Plum
7th - Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
7th - Killer in Crinolines by Duffy Brown
7th - Kneading to Die by Liz Mugavero
7th - Loki's Wolves (Blackwell Pages #1) by K.L. Armstrong, M.A. Marr
7th - Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell
7th - Murder in Chelsea (GASLIGHT MYSTERY) by Victoria Thompson
7th - Mystic (Soul Seekers) by Alyson Noël
7th - Nicholas by Grace Burrowes
7th - Pirate Alley: A Novel (Grafton and Carmellini) by Stephen Coonts
7th - Reboot by Amy Tintera
7th - The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
7th - The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
7th - Time Thief: A Time Thief Novel by MacAlister, Katie
7th - The Tower (GUARDIANS OF DESTINY) by Jean Johnson
7th - TRUE by Erin McCarthy
7th - Unwritten: A Novel by Charles Martin
7th - Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? (With This Ring) by Abigail Sharpe
7th - Zenn Scarlett (Strange Chemistry) by Christian Schoon


14th - Inferno (Robert Langdon #4) by Dan Brown
14th - Ray of Light: The Days of Redemption Series, Book Two by Shelley Shepard Gray
14th - School Spirits (A Hex Hall Novel) by Rachel Hawkins
14th - Silken Prey by John Sandford
14th - The Rose Throne by Mette Ivie Harrison
14th - Towering by Alex Flinn


21st - And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
21st - The Garden of Stones by Mark T. Barnes
21st - The Red Plague Affair (Bannon and Clare) by Lilith Saintcrow
21st - The Runaway Queen (Bane Chronicles, The) by Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson
21st - Smarty Bones by Carolyn Haines
23rd - Theodore Boone: The Activist (Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer) by John Grisham


28th - Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry
28th - Deeply Odd: An Odd Thomas Novel by Dean Koontz
28th - Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare
28th - The Girl with the Iron Touch (Steampunk Chronicles #3) by Kady Cross
28th - Goddess (Starcrossed) by Josephine Angelini
28th - Haven Creek (A Cavanaugh Island Novel) by Rochelle Alers
28th - It Had To Be You (Lucky Harbor 7) by Jill Shalvis
28th - Leopard's Prey by Christine Feehan
28th - Love at First Sight: A Cupid, Texas Novel by Lori Wilde
28th - The Night Is Watching (Krewe of Hunters) by Heather Graham
28th - Of Triton by Anna Banks
28th - Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James
28th - Sea Glass Island (Ocean Breeze) by Sherryl Woods
28th - Tempest Reborn by Nicole Peeler
28th - A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper
28th - Zero Hour (THE NUMA FILES) by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown
30th - Cloak & Silence (The League series, Book 6) by Sherrilyn Kenyon