Lazy Weekend Reviews #2

  In an effort to catch up on reviews and indulge in a lazy weekend, I've rounded up a few of my recent reads for quick reviews below. Included are Somerset by Leila Meacham and From Souk to Souk by Robin Ratchford.

Somerset by Leila Meacham

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

One hundred fifty years of Roses' Tolivers,
Warwicks, and DuMonts! We begin in the antebellum South on Plantation Alley in South Carolina, where Silas Toliver, deprived of his inheritance, joins up with his best friend Jeremy Warwick to plan a wagon train expedition to the "black waxy" promise of a new territory called Texas. Slavery, westward expansion, abolition, the Civil War, love, marriage, friendship, tragedy and triumph-all the ingredients (and much more) that made so many love Roses so much-are here in abundance.

  Somerset wasn't a bad book by any means. But I was entirely uninterested the entire time I plowed through this chunky book. It took me over a month to read it. The story never caught my attention, and I squeezed in a few pages here and there until I was able to finish it. The plot is relatively predictable which always makes it harder to get drawn in.

  I do feel like Leila Meacham is an excellent writer. I loved the way she developed her characters and their dialogue. But I think I would enjoy it if her writing reflected a sense of passion and enthusiasm. It almost felt as if she was just as bored writing Somerset as I was reading it.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

From Souk to Souk: Travels Through the Middle East by Robin Ratchford

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo]

"Most of my friends think my choice of holiday destinations is insane; others joke that I must be a
spy because they think I only go to war zones."

From Souk to Souk is the captivating story of Robin Ratchford’s journeys across the Middle East. It breaks the rules of the traditional travelogue, offering not just an innovate account of his colourful journeys, but a personal insight into the region in a way which is accessible to all.

Determined to discover a part of the world that has fascinated him since childhood, Robin sets off to Istanbul. His travels take him from the historic bazaar of Aleppo in Syria to the street markets of Baghdad. In the course of his journeys he gets lost in the Yemeni capital's maze of ancient winding streets and 'goes round the bend' in Oman, meeting a kaleidoscope of clerics, artists and artisans along the way.

"If I've learnt anything from traveling, it's that most countries are often very different from how we see them through the media. It's by observing the subtleties of everyday life that you really get the feel for a place," Robin explains. In From Souk to Souk, he invites the reader to look at these countries in a different light. By exploring how history and humanity link the cities and people of the Middle East to our shared past, he provides a longer, more human perspective on the region. "I want to show that however volatile the situation is in these countries, much of everyday life simply goes on. Most people there just want a better future for themselves and their children."

With his vivid descriptions, Robin shows us why the Middle East has always caught the imagination of those who visit it. Experience the sights, sounds, flavours and fragrances of these extraordinary places as if you were really there. You might even find yourself checking flights…

  I appreciate the author's honest and sensitive portrayal of the region depicted in this book. As someone with family in Tunisia (where the Arab Spring started and witnessed it through their first hand accounts), I'm rather sensitive about the region and the general view of it. From Souk to Souk was a nice change of pace from that.

  But my fault with From Souk to Souk was the detachment from the author. Whenever I read about someone's travels, I expect to learn about them as well. While the honest depiction of the Middle East is appreciated and the descriptions are so well done, I struggled with not getting a glimpse of the author. Whenever I travel, I always take a piece of it home with me. Each trip changes me and leaves it's imprint on me. I wanted to see that from From Souk to Souk.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Review: Uganda Be Kidding Me by Chelsea Handler

Uganda Be Kidding Me

by Chelsea Handler

Genre: Non-fiction, Humor, Memoir

Wherever Chelsea Handler travels, one thing is certain: she always ends up in the land of the ridiculous. Now, in this uproarious collection, she sneaks her sharp wit through airport security and delivers her most absurd and hilarious stories ever.

On safari in Africa, it's anyone's guess as to what's more dangerous: the wildlife or Chelsea. But whether she's fumbling the seduction of a guide by not knowing where tigers live (Asia, duh) or wearing a bathrobe into the bush because her clothes stopped fitting seven margaritas ago, she's always game for the next misadventure.

The situation gets down and dirty as she defiles a kayak in the Bahamas, and outright sweaty as she escapes from a German hospital on crutches. When things get truly scary, like finding herself stuck next to a passenger with bad breath, she knows she can rely on her family to make matters even worse. Thank goodness she has the devoted Chunk by her side-except for the time she loses him in Telluride.

Complete with answers to the most frequently asked traveler's questions, hot travel trips, and travel etiquette, none of which should be believed, UGANDA BE KIDDING ME has Chelsea taking on the world, one laugh-out-loud incident at a time.

- Uganda Be Kidding Me on Goodreads

First Sentence:

I woke up at 4:45am in Johannesburg, South Africa, in my bra, underwear, and eyeshades.

Last Sentence:

Go wherever you can afford to go with whomever you can get to go with you.

  After reading Uganda Be Kidding Me, my new mission in life is to get white girl wasted with Chelsea Handler in South Africa while watching stampeding elephants. It's been such a long time since I laughed this hard at a book. I even snorted. Chelsea brings back her perverted and saturated with alcohol humor in her latest book that gives us a peek into traveling her way.

  I'll admit that I'm not usually one for non-fiction unless it's a really well written memoir, and Chelsea Handler delivers. The majority of the book follows Handler & Co. on a safari escapade in South Africa. The stories will have you getting the side-eye from anyone around you as you dissolve into bouts of laughter. If you ever doubt Chelsea's account of the trip, she provides copious amounts of entertaining pictures.

  The rest of the book is comprised of tales from her other adventures. It's a refreshing break from the norm, and I loved every second of it. Chelsea's writing style is very authentic, and it feels like she's recounting a story in person. Her humor and wit prevail and make the experience that much more enjoyable. She's fearless with her words, and it's an absolutely refreshing quality in a book. I definitely recommend picking up Uganda Be Kidding Me if you're a fan of dry humor and questionably offensive wit.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Chelsea Handler.

Find Uganda Be Kidding Me on: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Connect with Chelsea Handler on: Goodreads | Twitter | Website