Book Review: THE SECRET OF THE NIGHTINGALE PALACE by Dana Sachs

Title: The Secret of the Nightingale Palace: A Novel by Dana Sachs
Published: February 19, 2013; William Morrow paperback
Genre: historical fiction, romance

A recent widow Anna, who lives in Memphis, is persuaded by her eighty-year-old grandmother Goldie Rosenthal to drive her cross country to San Francisco in Goldie's Silver Cloud Rolls Royce. When Anna insists on flying instead, her grandmother insists that Anna take the car on the long journey, where Anna is to sell it before flying back to the East Coast. Her grandmother would be boarding a flight from San Francisco to Dubai for another in her long list of international trips.

The reason for the road trip, says Goldie, is to return a book of valuable Japanese woodblock prints to their rightful owner, Mayumi Nakamura, a Japanese girl who gave them to Goldie for safe keeping in the 1940s during the time of the Japanese-American internment, when Goldie was living in San Francisco. Goldie did not seem to have a good reason for not returning the prints after the war, saying she was too poor and distraught at the time to think about it.

The novel covers the long road trip, with Anna driving a cantankerous and disapproving Goldie, who continues to harp at Anna for her marriage to her now deceased husband Ford, a librarian below her in status and unsuitable in every way, according to Goldie. The real reason for the trip becomes clearer at the end of the book when Anna discovers more about Goldie - her true affection for Anna and Goldie's past and history.

My comments: The book is both a revealing historical novel and a heartfelt romance. The historical sections are the flashbacks to Goldie's life in San Francisco in the 1940's as well as her life as a young Jewish immigrant trying to make it in New York City before and after the war. Romance in Goldie's life covers her years in San Francisco, her first heart break and her first marriage, and her second marriage in New York.

Though the book was to me slow in parts - the details of the trip sometimes too long - it was worth getting to the later chapters when Goldie's secrets are revealed and Anna is tempted out of her reclusive widowhood into a new relationship and a chance for a new life.

Recommendations: For those who like American WWII historical domestic fiction and for romance lovers. It will also appeal to those who enjoy reading about intercultural relationships, family, and Japanese art.

For more reviews, visit Book Tour stops by TLC Book Tours. I received an ARC of this book for the tour.

Dana Sachs is the author of the novel If You Lived Here and two books of nonfiction, The House on Dream Street: Memoir of an American Woman in Vietnam and The Life We Were Given: Operation Babylift, International Adoption, and the Children of War in Vietnam. She lives in Wilmington, North Carolina with her family.Visit her website, Facebook, Twitter.

The First Rule of Ten by Hendricks and Lindsay

Two memes that feature books weekly: Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB; choose sentences from your current read and identify author and title for readers. First Chapter, First Paragraph is hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. Opening sentences in a book can help readers decide if the book is one they would continue reading. 

The opening paragraphs of The First Rule of Ten begin with a letter from Tenzing Norbu, an ex-monk turned police officer in Los Angeles, to his former religious superiors in India.

Topanga Canyon, Calif. Jan. 12, Year of the Iron Tiger
Lama Yeshe and Lama Lobsang
Dorje Yidam Monastery
Dharamshala, India 

Venerable Brothers,
Last Friday night, I tasted one of life's sweet little experiences.
Saturday, I got shot.
It makes me wonder if I have a low tolerance for things going well in my  world.
Or maybe I just need to be more mindful of what's going on, both outside and in.

Would the beginning sentences in the book entice you to continue reading?

Title: The First Rule of Ten: A Tenzing Norbu Mystery
Authors: Gay Hendricks and Tinker Lindsay
Published: January 1, 2012; Hay House Visions
Genre: mystery

About the book: Growing up in a Tibetan Monastery, Ten dreamed of becoming a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. So when he was sent to Los Angeles to teach meditation, he joined the LAPD instead. But as the Buddha says, change is inevitable; and ten years later, everything is about to change—big-time—for Ten. One resignation from the police force, two bullet-wounds, three suspicious deaths, and a beautiful woman later, he quickly learns that whenever he breaks his first rule, mayhem follows. (publisher)

The first rule of Ten by the way, is: “Don’t ignore intuitive tickles lest they reappear as sledgehammers.” 

Sunday Salon: The Comfort of Lies: A Novel by Randy Susan Meyers

I found out a lot about open adoption while reading The Comfort of Lies - the inherent pluses as well as the inevitable downsides.  Open adoptions allow open access between a child's adoptive parents and the child's biological parents. The three women involved in the life of the adopted child, Savannah are her biological mother Tia,  her adoptive mother Caroline, and Juliette, the distraught wife of the child's biological father. The three women, in spite of the lies they tell others and themselves, face problems and difficulties of their own making, but come through with flying colors, though only at the very end of the book after much soul searching and hand wringing.

This was a fascinating read. Well drawn, realistic characters and excellent writing.

Title: The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers
Publisher: Atria Books, February 12, 2013
Genre: contemporary fiction
Source: review copy from the publisher

A Valentine's Gift: New Books

My new reads for Valentine's Day are not romance novels!

There are two nonfiction books: Literary Rogues and a memoir, Once Upon a Gypsy Moon, as well as the historical novel, Seven Locks. A contemporary mystery, A Cold and Lonely Place, is by the award winning writer, Sara J. Henry.

Click on the covers for details about the books. I won A Cold and Lonely Place from the author through a contest by Poe's Deadly Daughters.

What are you reading on Valentine's Day?

Wordless Wednesday: Almost Spring in Japan

Pictures from my 2008 trip to Kyoto. 

For more pictures, visit Wordless Wednesday. 

Book Review: Whip Smart by Kit Brennan

Title: Whip Smart: Lola Montez Conquers the Spaniards by Kit Brennan
Published January 1, 2012; Astor + Blue Editions
Genre: historical mystery

About the main character: The historical Lola Montez was a famous Spanish dancer born in Ireland in 1818 as Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert. She first called herself Lola Montez in 1843 when she performed in London. A success throughout Europe, she acquired fame, notoriety, as well as famous lovers. She was said to always carry a whip with her and used it for protection. 

Whip Smart is a clever mystery that uses the historical Lola as a main character. It weaves the mystery plot into parts of Lola's real life - her Irish background, an elopement and failed marriage, her life in India, her training in Spain as a dancer, her dalliances, even her trademark Spider dance.

My take: The novel is written with a lot of humor that plays up the daring and sensuous Lola. The book combines a bit of erotica with a smart mystery plot. I think it's the first in what will be a great series. The title Whip Smart is also a good way to describe the book.
 
Book description: In London, in 1842, 22-year-old Eliza Gilbert/Lola Montez  is offered a trip to Spain to act as a spy for the exiled Spanish queen, Maria Cristina. In Madrid, her secret task is to seduce two figures at court in order to disgrace and distract them, but she falls in love with her accomplice, General Diego de Léon. When the plot is exposed, Diego is captured, and Lola is forced to flee on horseback to France, with a dangerous group of Loyalists in pursuit. (publisher's description).

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC of the book.

Mailbox Monday: February 11, 2013

Welcome to Mailbox Monday where you can share what books came to house in the last week! This week’s Mailbox is hosted by Unabridged Chick.

I was delighted to receive these last week: Click on the titles for book details.

How to Get Filthy Rich in Asia: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid, an ARC from Riverhead Books

Release date: March 5, 2013

Telling the Bees by Peggy Hesketh, an ARC from Putnam Adult

Release date: March 7, 2013

Temple of a Thousand Faces by John Shors, from the Penguin Group
Publication date: February 5, 2013; NAL Group

Tell us, what books came in your mailbox last week?