Review: Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

You shouldn't judge a book by its cover or by its title. Despite the glowing reviews of Carol Rifka Brunt's debut novel, Tell the Wolves I'm Home, there was something superficially off-putting to me (title? cover?), which meant I kept pushing this book to the bottom of my reading list.

Last week I was looking through my audiobook stash and decided to finally give the novel a chance. Within minutes I was spellbound and ended up finishing Tell the Wolves I'm Home, in a combination of reading and listening, all in one go.

If you want the bottom line, then here you go: A beautifully written, emotionally strong coming-of-age story with an authentic point of view and underlying themes of family and acceptance.

What's it about: Fourteen-year-old June Elbus has always felt at odds with the world, feeling understood only when she's with her uncle Finn exploring New York City. His death, in 1987, of a disease no one understood, leaves June anchorless on a black sea of grief. Just days after the funeral, though, she learns of a mysterious man named Toby, whom her mother accuses of killing Finn. As kids do, June has only ever seen Finn in terms of their special relationship. Although she was aware he was gay, she now realizes she may have never truly known him and that Toby may be the key to understanding who her uncle really was.

Being gay in the late 1980s: Set in the worst period of the AIDS epidemic, before the drug cocktails and when fear and judgments were running high, the novel also explores gay issues, as June discovers the parts of Finn's life that had been hidden from her. Brunt, writing from June's perspective, carefully and sensitively addresses Finn's lifestyle and sacrifices, keeping the voice of the young girl believable and true.

Siblings: Tell the Wolves I'm Home explores two sets of siblings: Finn and Danni (June's mother), and June and her older sister, Greta. Here again, Brunt has the relationships just right--that familiar mix of love and competition, protectiveness and exasperation. In addition, both sets of siblings go through the cycles of being close when young and then drifting apart when they start along their own paths. Sibling dynamics is one of the strongest themes in the novel, and anyone who has a brother or sister will see the truth here.

Other themes: Trust, loyalty, being comfortable in one's own skin, finding oneself, battling external expectations against your own wants, parenting, art, obligations to one's talents, love, grief, acceptance, forgiveness

Recommendation: Just read the damn book. Seriously. And if you haven't read it since it first came out, consider a reread.

Audiobook: The unabridged audiobook edition (Blackstone; 11 hr, 46 min) is brilliantly read by Amy Rubinate. Her voice is utterly believable as June: her inflections and emotions are perfect as is her level of drama. Tell the Wolves I'm Home is one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to.

Published by Random House / Dial Press, 2013 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780812982855
Source: Review (print) & bought (audiobook) (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Wordless Wednesday 352

Black-Eyed Susan, 2015

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Today's Read: Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich

What if your family had spent a hundred years building a solid reputation in the illegal substances business but you wanted out? When Clayton Burroughs came down off Bull Mountain, he not only walked away from his assumed destiny but he crossed the Rubicon, eventually becoming the sheriff of a neighboring town. But before the first cracks appeared, the patriarchs ruled with an iron hand:

1949: "Family," the old man said to no one.

The word hung in a puff of frozen breath before dissipating into the early-morning fog. Riley Burroughs used that word the same way a master carpenter used a hammer. Sometimes he just gave it a gentle tap to nudge one of his kin toward his way of thinking, but sometimes he used it with all the subtlety of a nine-pound sledge.

—Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich (Penguin Random House / Putnam, 2015, p. 1, uncorrected proof)

Quick Facts

• Setting: northern Georgia, mostly contemporary times but with snapshots into the family's past
• Circumstances: When Sheriff Clayton Burroughs is asked by federal marshals to convince his brother Halford, current head of the family, to give up the goods on a Florida gang in return for amnesty, the brothers' delicate ties threaten to dissolve into violence. There's no question that someone is going to get shot, but will the Burroughs boys end up on the same side of the gun?
• Characters: Brothers Clayton, in the law-enforcement business, and Halford, in the drug business; Simon Holly, a federal agent; a variety of other Burroughs men, women, and children; members of the Florida gang; spouses and colleagues
• Genre: dark family saga; Southern fiction; crime/thriller; brothers
• Themes: loyalty, family, destiny, finding one's own path, protecting loved ones
• Structure of the novel: The main action takes place in 2015 and involves Clayton and Halford, but the story is told by multiple people in different locations and during different times. So the plot doesn't follow a single path
• Thoughts & recommendations: This is a gritty, violent book, but not necessarily gratuitously so. There are no distinct lines between good and evil, here. People may not have made the choices you would have, but their motivations are often reasonable. Panowich's writing is rich and accessible, pulling you into this family story. If you like the television show Justified, then you'd probably like Bull Mountain.
• Miscellaneous: Brian Panowich is a professional musician turned full-time firefighter. He lives in Georgia and this is his debut novel. Although Bull Mountain is a standalone book, Panowich has expressed interest in revisiting the world he created in the north Georgia hill country.

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Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I love fantasy and I love a good fairy tale retelling, so it's not surprising that I gave Naomi Novik's Uprooted a try. I may have expected to like the story, but I was surprised by how quickly I became invested in this book.

What's it about? Agnieszka grows up under the shadow of an evil forest--one that captures people and animals, corrupting them or trapping them forever. The village's sole protection is the wizard, known as the Dragon, who lives in the tower. The only thing he requires is a girl from the village to serve him. He picks a 17-year-old every 10 years, releasing the previous young woman as she is replaced. As the choosing approaches, Agnieszka is among the candidates, but the only thing she's worried about is losing her best friend, Kasia, who will surely be picked because she's the most beautiful. The Dragon, however, makes the surprise decision to take Agnieszka, who must make a new life in the tower. It is there that the girl learns her own true nature, the meaning of friendship, and perhaps even a way to defeat the forest.

The heart of the story: Although the framing plot concerns the battle between good and evil and how the wizards and witches and armies fare in their ongoing fight against the woods, there are several other important layers to the novel, such as Agnieszka's awakening to life, to herself, to magic, and to the world outside her little village. The core of the story, however, revolves around Agnieszka and Kasia's friendship, and here is where the strength and beauty of the novel can be found. I loved the maturation of their relationship as it grew from one of childhood playmates to one of partners in the war against the woods to that of adult companions as they both find their callings.

Notes on the genre: I would classify Uprooted as a fantasy, but Novik includes many elements of fairy tales in Agnieszka's story. Baba Yaga is mentioned several times, although she doesn't make a direct appearance. In addition the relationship between Agnieszka and the Dragon has elements of Beauty and Beast. There is an enchanted (in this case very evil) forest, complete with strange and dangerous creatures. There are fruits that shouldn't be eaten, and waters that shouldn't be drunk. And, of course, there are wizard and witches who can cast a variety of spells and brew up magical potions. Agnieszka's journey to the tower also has elements of the hero's quest, as famously defined by Joseph Campbell: She is a reluctant hero who finds her inner powers and puts them to use for the greater good.

The characters: Despite the fairy tale elements, the characters in Uprooted are not one-dimensional. For example, although some people are clearly more good than evil, no one is without uncaring actions, mistakes, and uncertainties.The dynamics between the characters seem realistic and are developed at a believable pace.

Recommendations: Naomi Novik's Uprooted is a must-read for anyone who likes fantasy, magic, and/or fairy tale retellings. But I would also recommend the novel to those who like stories of strong female friendships, great characters, and stories about growing up and self-discovery.

Audiobook: The unabridged audiobook edition of Uprooted (Random House Audio; 17 hr, 43 min) is read by Julia Emelin. While I'm sure her pronunciations of the non-English words were probably spot-on, I cannot recommend the audiobook. Emelin's performance was stilted, with little variation in the inflections and full of odd pauses. Unfortunately, the audiobook had a strong negative impact on my enjoyment of Uprooted; in fact, I think this could have been one of favorite books of the year, if I had read the entire novel in print. By the time I switched off the audiobook, however, I couldn't get Emelin's narration out of my head, and it was too late for me to imagine my own voices.

Published by Penguin Random House / Del Rey, 2015
ISBN-13: 9780804179034
Source: Review (audiobook) & bought (print) (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Weekend Cooking: The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet by Laura Fuentes

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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Although Laura Fuentes has made her name as the founder of MOMables.com, you don't have to be a parent or even be a kid to find yummy treats in her new cookbook The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet.

Fuentes's recipes offer twists on the classics (like homemade popcorn treats), tweaks on store-bought foods (like homemade goldfish crackers), and some ideas of her own (like grape poppers). We aren't huge snackers and we don't have kids in the house, but I like the idea of having some healthful alternatives when fruit just isn't going to make it.

Besides the recipes, Fuentes gives us lots of tips for packing and storing snacks, for stocking the pantry, and for making switches if you have allergies. Her directions are dead simple, meaning every recipe is doable, even for teens. The photos are really eye-catching, with their bright colors and fresh, appealing fruits and veggies.

The book is divided into fruits and vegetables (for example, apple and nut butter sandwiches), no-bake snacks (herb cream cheese and crackers), baked goodies (savory scones), store-bought makeovers (toaster pastries), substantial snacks (veggie wraps), drinks (smoothies), and special snacks (freezer pops). I'm attracted to the cracker recipes, the fruit breads, and some of the dips.

If you're parent who's concerned about the high sodium and sugar content of commercial snack food, this book could be a lifesaver. The recipes feature whole grains, fresh produce, and limited amounts of refined sugar.  But remember, you don't need to be a kid or a parent to find some new ideas for staving off mid-afternoon hunger or for packing to munch while on an afternoon hike.

The only downside to The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet is that I'm not sure very many of us need recipes for things like trail mix and fruit and yogurt parfaits, and Fuentes has included several variations of each. On the other hand, providing multiple wrap and smoothie recipes is certainly understandable.

The beautiful photography (not every recipe is shown), wholesome ingredients, and easy directions make this cookbook worth buying or borrowing from the library. Check out Laura Fuentes's website for all kinds of family-friendly foods. Note that The Best Homemade Kids' Snacks on the Planet includes many more snack recipes than can be found on the website.

Here's a baked snack that would be appealing to kids (and adults) of all ages. They'd be good at a picnic, with beer on a hot summer evening, or--of course--as an after-school snack for the kids. To read the recipe, click on the image to enlarge it. (Note that this recipe comes from an unedited ARC.)

Note: Recipe and photo are screen shots from the eGalley; all rights remain with the original copyright holders.

Published by Fair Winds Press, 2015
ISBN-13: 9781592336616
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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