A Dance in Donegal

Moira's mother's dying wish was that her daughter go to Ireland and teach in the town she grew up in. Moira doesn't want to leave Boston behind but she keeps having ominous dreams and she finally feels compelled to go abroad. Set in 1920 this historical romance features a lovely backdrop, the Irish town of Donegal. When she arrives in the Emerald Isle it's not all sunshine and roses however. Many are skeptical of the "yank" and one of her students has set out to make her miserable. Moira thanks God for the few friends she makes and is determined to make it work. But that resolution becomes harder and harder to achieve as rumors of her and her mother begin to surface. Just what kind of reputation did her mother leave behind when she sailed to America? One constant in her new life is Sean, a nice and gentlemanly thatcher. Is there something more than friendship there? There are definitely some dark and unexpected moments in this inspirational historical romance, but Moira always turns towards God and makes the most out of hard circumstances. 

The Guest List

I love good ol fashioned murder mystery and like a lot of reviews have said - it's reminiscent of Agatha Christie. One of the cool things is that it opens up with a dead body at a wedding.... but you don't know who it is! It's told through flashbacks leading up to the murder so it keeps you guessing as to who the murderer and the victim. The setting is a bleak little island off the coast of Ireland, it's a really posh wedding and of course their is loads of drama leading up to the ceremony and during the reception. The story is told through several perspectives. The best man, a plus one, the wedding organizer, the bride, the maid of honor, and the groom. The story moves quickly and you're on the edge of your seat as you try to put all the pieces together. I didn't even come close to getting the ending right, which made me love it more! A fantastic murder mystery!!

Notes to Self

A collection of raw essays filled with emotion, character, and bravery. Emilie Pine has had a challenging life, not that she wants your sympathy; she wants the power and release of writing it down and trying to make sense of what she's internalized and learned over the years. From learning to accept and love a father who suffers from alcoholism so severe that his body is starting to shut down to making peace with the fact that her body didn't "betray her" by not having children to coming to terms with her tumultuous teenage years; this poignant and deeply personal essays are beautifully written and will resonate with readers. It's unflinching glimpse into Emilie Pine's greatest regrets, sorrows, truths, and mistakes; and turning the table on those negatives and making them a crucial, vital part of self.

Paid For

A hard read about a hard, unimaginable lifestyle of prostitution. Rachel Moran holds nothing back when she delves into her past as a prostituted woman in Dublin. Paid For is far more than a memoir though, it's an in depth, scholarly look at the history of prostitution, implications of working the sex trade and so much more. It's narrative non-fiction at its best and Rachel Moran has the authority and no-nonsense attitude to tackle it head on. She easily breaks down myths and rumors that surround the sex industry and pulls from research to help back up her personal experiences. I've read other prostitution memoirs and books written by sex works, but this one really got to me. It may not be an easy read, but I'd very much recommend it!

Angela's Ashes

I haven't picked this book up since middle school, but damn, it was still as powerful.Frank McCourt recounts his childhood in the Irish slums with such tenacity, hilarity, and vividness; that you feel as if you are there with him. Only an author such as McCourt could make such a trying, poverty stricken, childhood into a story of strength and humor, and belief. As a child he grew up having to accept handouts because his father was a drunk and would drink away whatever little work money he was able to get. Due to the family's malnourishment and lack of proper housing; Frank lost three young siblings to illness, and spent his entire childhood hungry and in and out of hospitals. Despite all that he was able to look towards the future and worked hard to save money to go to America. He used his brains to escape the poverty cycle and Angela's Ashes is just the first of his memoirs. There are others (that I have not read yet) that recount his life in America, his teaching job, and his adult life. A wonderful memoir, and if you get a chance, listen to it. The author narrates it himself and you won't want to miss out on his Irish accent and singing of bawdy tavern songs.

The Library at the Edge of the World

While the title is tempting to a librarian like me, the book fell short. The premise is amazing but I couldn't get on board with any of the characters, especially the curmudgeon divorced and bitter librarian. Stuck living with her mother after she caught her husband cheating on her, she resorted to being the local public librarian even though she felt it was beneath her. Now that her daughter has moved out and her father has died she is restless and eager to move away from her mother. She got no money out of her ex-husband so she takes up a loan to restore her old aunts derelict cottage on the outskirts of the village. While working on her new project, her job and her small community are threatened. It's up to her to finally give a damn for once and come up with a plan to save the library at the edge of the world. This book has all the right elements,: small Irish town, cute little library, a cottage in need of some TLC, and some zany characters but it's still missing something. A meh, read.

The Wonder

Donoghue, Emma. The Wonder. 10 CDs. unabridged. 13 hrs. Hachette Audio. ISBN 9781478911753. $30. 

Donoghue (bestselling author of Room), weaves a magnificent and haunting tale of a young Irish Catholic girl fasting herself to death and a nurse determined to save her. Eleven year old Anna O'Donnell is purported to have eaten nothing for months; Lib Wright an English nurse, is sent over to a small Irish village to see if the rumors are true and the girl is truly subsisting on nothing. Refusing to believe, Lib is determined to end the hoax within days but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the "living wonder." Putting her skepticism aside Lib is determined to help the girl, regardless if she is a fraud or not. There is something ominous about a young girl determined to waste away and Lib is convinced that something is amiss. This thriller starts off with a slow burn but quickly picks up speed as the relationship between Lib and Anna deepens and it becomes apparent that not everything is as it seems. The story comes alive with an impeccable narration by Kate Lock, who expertly narrates both English and Irish accents to such an extent that it's easy to get lost in the story. Another great read from a seasoned author, an absolute must listen!  - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

Only With Blood

I was surprised with how quickly this book grabbed my attention. Once started, I could hardly set it down I was so captivated! The story is is set in Ireland in 1943 and is told through three alternating perspectives: Jack - an old farmer who decides he must get married so someone can inherit the farm, Donal - an IRA agent who teaches math and runs a farm, and Caitlin - a gorgeous beauty who dreams of winning a scholarship so she can attend university. Once these three paths cross nothing will ever be the same. Set amidst the struggle for Irish freedom and independence during World War II, the relationships and struggles that each much face only grow in intensity. Beautifully written, wonderfully researched, and heartbreakingly honest; this novel has something to offer everyone.

I received this book for free from Kregel Book Tours in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Country Days

This short collection of stories is a feel good reminiscing of growing up in the Irish countryside. Alice Taylor recalls her childhood, her marriage, her neighbors, her children, and her faith in often times hilarious and insightful clarity and the reader is stuck wishing that they too lived in a quaint little village in Ireland. At least that's how I felt. When I finished listening to the audiobook, I wanted to pack up my suitcase and head over. Such a serene sounding life, beautiful and filled with wonder. Listening to the audiobook was also nice because the narrator had such a wonderful voice (anyone with an Irish accent has a nice voice, but that's beside the point).

This is a must read or listen for anyone obsessed with the Irish countryside or small village life. It's a quick read (only a 4 hour audiobook, so I can only imagine how short the actual book is), easy to put down, because each chapter is a short essay or remembrance.

In the Woods

This is one of those books. One of the ones you can't put down and you want to turn pages faster so that you can get to the end and figure out what in the hell is going on. Except when you get to the end your brain explodes. Fair warning.

Basically, a young girl is found dead on an ancient stone tablet. Detectives Rob and Cassie have to figure out if it was a pagan sacrifice, if she was raped and murdered by her father, OR if she is part of an older case, a case that goes back to when Rob was a child himself and his two best friends went missing.... IN THE VERY SAME WOODS! Oh it keeps you guessing all right.

Overall, a fantastic read, one that keeps you guessing and go well beyond the realms of mystery and into eerie thriller. Rob and Cassie are also excellent characters, I loved them. I don't want to part with them, I need more of them in my life now! They are such a witty charismatic dynamic duo.

Also, I really enjoyed it because it's set in Dublin and a lot of the places that Rob and Cassie go to, I'd been (UCD, Howth, Bray, etc.), PLUS there was a fair bit or archaeology stuff in here. Intriguing :)

Must read for sure!